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I received a surprising offer from my former bully, who had relentlessly tormented me in middle school because of my love for music. She wanted me to play at her wedding—for free!
I couldn’t believe it. To share what happened, I posted screenshots of our conversation on social media. Here’s the story:
The message from my old bully started with a cheery, “Hey girl!!! It’s been so long. I’d love for you to perform the violin at my October wedding. It would be the perfect gift, and you can use the photos and videos to build your portfolio. Win-win!”
But I didn’t need help with my portfolio. My resume already highlights my extensive experience with the violin, piano, ukulele, guitar, viola, cello, voice coaching, music theory, and songwriting. I’ve received multiple recognitions from The Knot, an online marketplace connecting engaged couples with wedding experts.
I responded immediately and bluntly. “Hey there. 1. It’s pretty bold of you to think I’d give you a $2,500 service for free. 2. You tormented me nonstop in middle school because I was in the symphony. 3. Build my portfolio? You might not know, but I’ve been recognized by The Knot and Wedding Wire for six consecutive years. My ‘portfolio’ started at twelve. I have 19 years of experience in the wedding industry.”
She didn’t take my response well. She called my services “overpriced” and asked for a special discount to “help a girl out.” She said, “It’s not difficult music I want, but I really want violin music for my big day. I want to be friends with you and move on from the past.”
I wasn’t buying her sudden change of heart. “Thanks, I already have friends. I don’t have time to indulge your ignorance. My services are classified as luxury offerings. Clients prefer to invest in top-notch entertainment for their weddings. That’s why people choose me.”
Surprisingly, she persisted, asking, “So, are you available on October 3rd? It’s a Thursday. I can pay you $1,000, but that’s all I can afford, and it’s not too bad for less than an hour of playing! PLUS, you’ll get tons of exposure with 300 guests!”
I couldn’t help but reference the movie Mean Girls when Lindsay Lohan’s character says, “It’s October 3rd.” I thought, “Wait! My old bully is getting married on Mean Girls Day? This is too much.”
I responded, “I have to decline your $1,000 offer and refuse to work for ‘exposure.’ If you charge your 300 guests $5 for entertainment, you can hire me. Even then, the answer is still no. As Phoebe Buffay once said, ‘I wish I could, but I don’t want to.’”
Her tone changed dramatically. “What the heck, b**ch, who’s the mean chick now? Go cry about being too greedy to pay your bills. You suck, and you’re not even worth it.”
I stayed cool and collected. “Aww, I’m so sad,” I said mockingly. “But I’m out of tissues, so I’ll use the tip I got from my clients this weekend to wipe my tears.”
Social media quickly picked up our exchange, and people praised me for standing up for myself. I later updated everyone, saying that the bully had threatened legal action after seeing the screenshots online. But I wasn’t worried since I hadn’t included her name.
In my Instagram stories, I said, “It’s clear that 7 million of you care about the bullying situation. Thank you for your kind words and support. When one person stands up to a bully, we all feel empowered.” One person commented, “As someone who was also bullied, this feels like a win for all of us.”
What do you think about this absurd situation? What would you have done? Share your thoughts with us!
