26. The Real Revenge is to Love Yourself

THE REAL REVENGE IS TO LOVE YOURSELF

PENELOPE

I grabbed a drink and looked around the VIP suite, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. The energy in the room was electric, a buzz of anticipation that hummed in the air. The Bowl. I still couldn't believe we were here.

Well, I could. The Mustangs had absolutely killed it in the final playoff game, and they were favored to win over the New England Presidents. Helped a lot that Hayes was back on the field and the Kingman brothers were together again.

Even though I'd only ever watched the Bowl for the commercials in the past, I was actually excited for the game part today too. But whoo-boy, the debut of the KnightWear and Swoosh commercials had me feeling all tingly from my head to my toes too.

"Pen, don't be stingy with those nachos. Bring them over here." Kelsey waved from across the room, her megawatt smile impossible to miss. She'd been extra bubbly and bouncy this week but wouldn't tell me why. She was probably just as excited about being at our first bowl game and seeing the body positive commercials too.

But I had a feeling it was more.

Although, she did often get like this right before we announced a new album too. She loved keeping secrets and laying out clues. Since the Grampys were just another week away, and she'd be announcing her new album there, her energy was through the roof.

I made my way over, weaving through the crowd of familiar faces. The entire Kingman clan was here. Zaddy Kingman, was deep in conversation with Maguire Jerry and Johnston Manniway, as was his usual pregame routine. The twins, Flynn and Gryff, were loading up on snacks, while Isak was glued to the window overlooking the field. These suites had windows that slid open, and we were only a few feet above the fans seated in front of us. It was pretty cool, and plenty were already trying to get selfies with Kelsey in the background.

"I may have been to three other bowl games like this, but I never get tired of it." Jules sidled up next to me, linking her arm through mine. "I freaking love seeing the boys play at the top of their games."

I grinned, her enthusiasm infectious. "It's surreal," I admitted. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up."

"Oh, trust me, it's real," Trixie chimed in, joining our little huddle. "And I cannot wait to see these commercials."

Right. The commercials. My stomach did a little flip at the thought. Everett's KnightWear ad, the one he'd been so vulnerable in, was set to air today. We'd gotten to see a preview of part of it, just the section that Everett was in. He was incredible and it definitely made me cry.

And then there was the mysterious Swoosh ad that Declan and Kelsey had been so tight-lipped about.

"Speaking of," Sara Jayne Jerry piped up, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Kelsey, any hints about that NDA-worthy Swoosh commercial?"

Alexa, Declan's agent, wagged her finger. "Nice try, SJ. You'll just have to wait and see like everyone else."

"Ugh, you're no fun," Marie Manniway groaned, but she was smiling.

The vibe was so incredible here and I just wished the boys could feel it too. I drifted towards the windows, wanting to see Everett and mentally telepath him all this positivity. Down on the field, I could just make out his jersey as he stood on the sidelines with the team.

For the first time ever, I was wearing a matching jersey with his name and number on it. He'd gone a little bit feral this morning when he'd seen me in it for the first time. That's when I learned that it was just as fun getting bent over hotel couches as it was at home.

"He's going to do great," a deep voice said beside me. I turned to find Mr. Kingman standing right next to me.

"I know he will," I replied, smiling up at him.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he returned the smile. "And not just on the field. That commercial of his... well, let's just say I'm proud of him for reasons that have nothing to do with football today."

"Me too," I managed to say around the lump in my throat.

Mr. Kingman moved away to talk to Kelsey, Willa, and Trixie too. None of us were even actually family... yet, and he absolutely treated us like we were. He was the best father figure, and it almost made me want to call my own dad and try to have a better relationship with him. Maybe after the bowl and the Grampys, I'd try.

I took a deep breath, letting the magnitude of the moment wash over me. Today wasn't just about a game or some commercials. This was about changing perceptions, about showing the world that every body was beautiful and worthy of love and respect.

"Alright, everyone." Kelsey called out, raising a glass. "To our boys on the field, to loving ourselves, and to changing the world one ad at a time."

A cheer went up around the room, and as I joined in, hope mixed with relief swarmed all the dark places I'd been hiding from in my mind. Whatever happened today, we were in this together. And that felt like a victory already.

The first quarter of the game flew by in a blur of excitement and nail-biting plays. And holy cow were there some great commercials. That one for the car company had us all laughing out loud, and the beer people were freaking geniuses, matched only by the nacho chip people.

But in the very first commercial break of the second quarter, a hush fell over our suite. We all knew what was coming.

"Here we go," Kelsey murmured, squeezing my hand.

The first two ads were a blur, one for some kind of pillow and the other for another car company. But then a sleek, high-energy commercial filled the screen. My stomach dropped as I realized what I was watching. It was for FabFlex, a fitness company I'd seen on all the socials, who were well known for getting influencers to pimp their stuff out. But as the ad progressed, my unease grew into horror. Because right there, front and center, was Odin.

Fucking Odin was in a bowl commercial.

The commercial was blatantly fatphobic, featuring before-and-after shots that made my skin crawl. But it was the tagline at the end that felt like a slap in the face. "Real body positivity is about being your best self, not accepting mediocrity."

"Are you kidding me?" Jules sputtered, her face flushed with anger.

I fumbled for my phone, my hands shaking slightly as I pulled up social media. My heart sank as I scrolled through the responses. While there was plenty of outrage, there was also a disturbing amount of support for FabFlex's message.

"Don't," Kelsey said gently, placing her hand over my phone. "Don't torture yourself with that right now. Our ads haven't even aired yet."

I nodded, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. She was right, of course, but it was hard to shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in my chest.

Suddenly, a burst of raucous laughter erupted from the neighboring suite. The sound carried clearly through the open windows, followed by some crude comments about "fatties" that made my blood boil.

"Holy crap. Are the FabFlex people in the next suite over?" Marie asked, her voice tight with anger.

Mr. Kingman's face darkened as he nodded. "Apparently so."

The game resumed, but the excited atmosphere in our suite had dimmed. I tried to focus on the plays, on Everett's powerful runs, Chris's strategic moves, Declan's crushing tackles, and Hayes's beautiful catches, but my mind kept drifting back to that awful commercial and the jeering voices next door.

When the next commercial break hit, I held my breath. This time, it had to be ours. And it was. The KnightWear ad lit up the suite screen, filled with Everett's face, his eyes sincere and vulnerable in a way I'd rarely seen them in public.

He began to speak, sharing his story about his mother and his own struggles with body image. As the commercial progressed, other voices told parts of their stories too. People of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds sharing their journeys to self-acceptance. All while wearing the new line of size inclusive bed and loungewear from the company, cutely called their KnightNight line.

Tears pricked my eyes as pride swelled in my chest. This was what we'd been working towards, what we believed in. As soon as the commercial ended and the game started back up, I checked the socials again. KnightWear had posted some pics on InstaSnap from the photoshoots for the commercial, and so far, the comments totally passed the vibe check.

Phew. This was good. This was great. It was everything we hoped for.

But the moment was shattered by more derisive laughter and cruel comments from next door.

"What a bunch of losers," a male voice sneered loudly. They definitely knew we could hear them. "Kingman's gone soft. Notice how he's only run the ball today. Bet he can't even catch anymore with all that feelings crap weighing him down."

"Ha, not to mention his so-called girlfriend." An all too familiar voice floated over. I steeled myself for the comment. It didn't matter. Nothing they said could get to me. Not anymore. "She's probably broken his back trying to ride her Mustang."

Mr. Kingman was sitting right next to me, and I literally saw the muscles in his jaw clench. His eyes flashed with a fury that quite honestly scared me a little bit. Without a word, he stood up and strode towards the door.

"Dad?" Jules called after him, worry clear in her voice.

But Zaddy Kingman didn't respond. He walked out of our suite, and we all held our breath as we heard him knock on the door next door.

The silence that followed was deafening.

The minutes stretched like hours as we waited for Bridger to return. The game had resumed, but none of us were really watching it anymore. Our eyes kept darting between the door and the suddenly silent neighboring suite.

Finally, the door opened, and Bridger walked back in. His face was calm, but there was a glint in his eye that spoke volumes.

"Dad?" Jules asked hesitantly. "What happened?"

Bridger simply shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, nothing much. Just met our neighbors and had a little chat with them. Told them they were being too loud and needed to calm down."

Jules leaned in close to me and whispered, "He probably threatened something worse than death." Oh yeah, it was tons of fun to imagine the formidable Bridger Kingman putting those jerks in their place.

As we settled back into watching the game, I noticed the complete silence from next door. They even shut their windows. Whatever Mr. Kingman had said, it had certainly been effective.

The halftime show was spectacular. It was a female artist that had been mega popular about twenty years ago and was having a bit of resurgence due to a popular FlixNChill television show and some virality on social. Adorably, Mr. Kingman knew the words to all of her songs and sang along.

Could he be any... Zaddy-er? Adorable.

The boys came out strong in the second half, and Hayes scored his second touchdown of the night. We were ahead, but only by those seven points. The second half was going to be intense. The next commercial break approached, and I was so nervous and excited I almost dropped my phone out the window. This was it, the Swoosh ad that Declan and Kelsey had been so secretive about.

The screen filled with a pulsing power ballad beat, and then Kelsey's voice filled the air. My jaw dropped as I realized this was a brand new song, one I'd never heard before. The lyrics washed over me, speaking of self-love and acceptance, of rising above hate and finding strength in vulnerability.

"When they look at me and tell me I'm trash

Because of the size of my... sass,

I've tried to hide, to change, to be what they want to see

But I'm tired of living life for somebody else but me.

They say I should be smaller, quieter, less.

But I'm done trying to be anything but my best."

I looked over at Kelsey. She was grinning like a loon. I had no freaking idea how she'd kept this secret from me.

As her voice resonated through the suite, through the stadium, images began to flash across the screen. People of all shapes, sizes, and colors, wearing Swoosh shoes doing various activities, like playing sports, but there was also a mom pushing a stroller, a man walking his dog, someone mowing a lawn, and another person sitting in a tree. All of them were making heart shapes with their hands. Some of these were the images that we'd been putting into a montage for social media. But this was so much more.

Her chorus blasted out and went right into my heart.

"The best revenge is to love myself.

Won't let their words sit on my shelf.

No matter my shape, no matter my size,

I'm beautiful in my own eyes.

They can judge, they can hate.

But I'll rise above, it's never too late.

The best revenge, I'm finally free,

Is learning to love the skin I'm in—authentically."

And then, to my utter shock, I saw myself. There I was, smiling at the camera, making a heart with my hands. The image shifted to Everett doing the same, then Declan, then Jules, Trixie, Chris, Hayes, Willa, the twins, Isak, and even Bridger Kingman.

I gasped, turning to Kelsey with wide eyes. She was beaming at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Surprise," she mouthed, squeezing my hand as her song continued.

Then the bridge hit, and I forgot how to breathe. It was so powerful, and everything we'd brought these people together to bring into the world. It was light, and hope, and love.

"To all the haters, all the doubters,

I wish you healing, I wish you power,

To find the strength to love yourself

'Cause that's the real path to wealth.

The best revenge is to love myself.

Yeah, the best revenge is to be myself."

As the commercial ended with the tagline "Love Yourself. Don't Try, Do It." flashed across the screen. And it was over.

I felt the tears streaming down my face, but I didn't mind. I didn't even wipe them way.

The suite erupted in cheers and applause. I found myself engulfed in a group hug, surrounded by the warmth and love of this incredible family I'd somehow become a part of.

"We did it," Jules said, her voice choked with emotion. "We really did it."

As we all turned back to the game, I couldn't stop smiling. The negativity from earlier felt like a distant memory now. We faced the hate and responded with love. We took a stand for what we believed in, and we did it together.

I looked down at the field, easily spotting Everett among his teammates. He couldn't have heard our cheers or seen the commercial, but I felt so connected to him in that moment. We were changing the world, one ad, one song, one person at a time.