I would have myself many stories such as yours, crazyd2000. As an example, at the same age as you, I was kicked repeatedly and thrown to the ground by a kid for a reason I could never understand, and left crying without anybody to pay attention. A teacher finally comforted me (and did a good job I must say), but didn't fix the main problem. The fact is that I am not overweight, don't have difficulty walking, nothing notable, maybe with the exception of strange behaviors sometimes. As jeffbert said, in a way I fuelled myself the whole thing by gratifying the bullies with my weepings.
As a kid, I had been told that the best way to react was to simply ignore them, or even laugh at them, but it is difficult for a kid to understand that. I couldn't understand how it would prevent them from acting, because in fact I didn't understand the reasons for them acting this way. No one bothered to explain me why it was the best thing to do (or maybe no one managed to explain it to me). Now that I think I have understood, I will try to explain it. Maybe it will sound a little arrogant, maybe even look like wishful thinking, but I'll try anyway...
After years trying to think like the bullies, I finally concluded that the only thing that can motivate such acts is the willingness to prove one's own existence. By causing grief to someone, you feel that you have a power on this person, the power to decide when this person will be glad or sad. Terribly weak-minded way for someone to assert one's own existence I would say. Of course, I see that by the imperfect window of my mind, and the idea may simply be completely flawed, but still it explains very well why not reacting to the bullying would work: no weeping, no reward, no proof of existence for the bully
Maybe the best thing to do is to think that the one who is in a desperate mental situation is not the bullied, but the bully. Think that strongly, look the bully deep in the eyes, no anger, no joy, no pity, no condescendence, only a kind of understanding gaze, and the result may be surprising: "I understand how ill-minded you are. You have my sympathy.". Don't say it, only think it. I never had the occasion to test that, as at the moment when I concluded about that I was already late in my university years; thus the usual disclaimer: it may or may not work, use at your own risks
However, a conclusion on what I would call "kind teasing", when someone teases someone else in a way that it doesn't hurt, yielded interesting results that allowed me for more balanced teasings. While during my years at the university I was often targeted by this kind of teasing, even though I didn't suffer from it, I realized that my overreaction, even for fun, drew more of them. Today, when targeted in such a way, I usually only throw a bare glance, such as "keep talking for nothing", then maybe I calmly strike back
![Stick Out Tongue :p](./images/smilies/imported_tongue.gif)
Sometimes I may react immediately and say something like "ya talkin' to me?!" :d evil: Or I may simply laugh "Yeah right... is there even a chance I would believe that you installed Vista on my computer when I was on vacations?" Mileage may vary. More fun to everyone
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)