Bullied

by Jennifer K. Hays

Laura Jones was a girl with a common last name that seemed to fit in with everyone else. Only her name, however, seemed to fit in. She usually felt as though she didn't belong, like an extra piece of a puzzle. She wore braces on her teeth, and her clothes were mostly hand-me-downs from her two older sisters. "Why don't you go outside and see if those girls down the street want to play?" her mom asked one day after school.

Laura shrugged her shoulders.

"You really ought to make more of an effort to make friends, Laura," she scolded.

"I'd rather just play by myself."

Laura walked back to her room, shutting the door behind her, maybe a little too hard. She turned on the TV and plopped down on the bed. In all her nine years, Laura Jones had never felt so alone.

The next morning, Laura woke early and quickly dressed.

"You're up early," her mom said, sounding surprised.

"I want to get to school so I can talk to my teacher."

This was not the first time she had lied to her mother about such matters.

"Don't you want breakfast first?" she asked.

"No, I really can't be late," Laura called out as she ran through the screen door.

"OK, but be home by five," her mom called back, but Laura was already running across the grass yard on her way to school. She was lucky, she thought, at least she didn't have to take the bus. Last year, at Carson Elementary, she did have to ride the bus each day. The older, popular kids always sat in the back. Laura didn't know this, however, and was quickly shoved by an older girl more than twice her size. That whole year, she endured having her hair pulled, being spit on, and being called names that she couldn't even imagine saying to anyone out loud. Her teachers and parents had all decided that maybe a change of schools might help the situation. But here, at her new school, they only seemed worse.

Laura kicked a can on the street as she walked along. Ahead, she could see a few kids playing on the swings in the playground. She quickly changed direction and headed towards a set of swings that were empty. Laura liked to get to school early. The times that she had alone before school started were usually the happiest times of her day. She sat alone on the swing, thinking about nothing in particular, when two girls from her class appeared at her side. She could feel her breathing begin to get faster, and the palms of her hands begin to sweat. Samantha and Robin were two of the most popular girls, but also two of the meanest in her class. She knew that they didn't come over to make friends.

"Can we swing here?" asked Robin with a mischievous grin on her face.

Laura didn't answer as she sat on the swing, looking down at her shoes.

"Where am I going to sit?" asked Samantha, as there were only two swings on this particular set.

"I'm sure Laura wouldn't mind giving you her swing," said Robin still grinning from ear to ear. Laura felt as though she were frozen to the swing, unable to move.

"Hello?" yelled Samantha.

"Maybe she didn't hear you," laughed Robin.

Suddenly Samantha reached around and slapped Laura on the back of the head. Laura's eyes begin to swell with tears. She did not want to start another morning like this. As she stood up off the swing and began to walk away, Robin's outreached foot tripped her as she fell headfirst into the sand. Laura could now feel the tears rolling down her face as she dusted herself off. She walked away to the sounds of both girls laughing as they sat on the swings. Laura could feel her legs shake with each step she placed onto the grassy field.

"Why did they have to be so mean?" she thought to herself, as she searched for a place to go next. But the worst thing was that she couldn't stop thinking that it was her fault.

"What am I doing wrong?" she asked herself over and over again. The school bell rang out across the field. Laura ran inside and sat down at her desk as the day began.

"We have a new student today," announced Mrs. Rios, as she walked beside a girl who was about Laura's size.

She could see that the girl was very nervous as our teacher stood beside her. "This is Molly," Mrs. Rios announced.

Laura could hear Samantha, Robin, and their friends snicker as Molly walked to her desk. Molly appeared awkward as she sat there alone. Laura wished at that moment that there was some way that she could help, but at the moment she had enough problems of her own.

At first recess, Molly sat on the curb of the classroom, avoiding eye contact with anyone who happened to walk by. Making friends certainly does not come easily, Laura thought as she sat down in a grassy spot in the shade where she could read her book. From the corner of her eye, she could see Robin and Samantha approaching the newcomer. At least maybe now they won't be picking on me as much, Laura thought to herself with guilt. Laura couldn't hear what they were saying, but it wasn't long before Molly was looking very upset and ran into the girl's bathroom. Samantha and Robin laughed as they walked away looking for someone else to tease. Laura felt safe, hidden along the side of the building. She felt terrible for Molly, but also very helpless. She couldn't even help herself, she thought. That night, Laura couldn't sleep as she tossed and turned in her bed. Thoughts of the new girl and the way she was treated haunted her. She thought about what Molly must be going through tonight. She had been through this herself. As she finally drifted off to sleep, she wondered if Molly thought that it was her fault, too.



The next morning, Laura woke early and hurried off to school.

"Do you have to meet with your teacher again?" asked her mom, still sounding worried.

"I have something that I have to do," she called back as she raced out the door before she could hear her mom's reply. This morning, Laura walked quickly to school as her eyes searched the playground for Molly.

She found her sitting on the swing set that she normally found comfort on these early mornings before class began. Laura walked over to the girl on the swings, looking so alone.

"Can I sit here?" Laura asked.

The girl had a faint smile on her face, as to not know what to expect.

"I'm Laura, and I saw you in class yesterday. Where are you from?"

"Chicago," Molly answered nervously.

"I bet it's cold there," Laura answered.

"Yeah, I miss it," Molly said sadly.

"Do you miss your friends?" Laura asked.

Molly nodded quietly. Laura had never been so brave as to talk to someone she hardly knew, but the more she spoke with Molly, the braver she could feel herself become.

"Well, since you're new, if you want, we could play together at recess," Laura said.

A broad smile, the first that Laura had seen, grew across Molly's face.

"That would be great," she answered eagerly. Suddenly, from across the playground, Robin and Samantha came running towards them.

"We were here first," demanded Robin.

Despite her fears, Laura proudly stood as Molly cautiously rose behind her.

Illustration by Neal Stepp

"You were not and we are not leaving!" Laura answered in a voice that sounded like it came from another girl.

Robin and Samantha looked at each other.

"Is it worth the bother?" Samantha asked Robin.

"Just forget it," she replied as they walked away.

Laura sat back down on the swing feeling proud in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Do they pick on you too?" asked Molly, her voice trembling. "Yeah, but if you don't let them get their way all the time, they're really not that tough," Laura answered trying to sound very reassuring.

"Hey, let's see who can swing higher," Laura said as she began to swing higher and higher, reaching her legs towards the sky.

For that moment, Laura felt as if she were flying. It was then that she knew that it was not her fault that she was picked on. Robin and Samantha would pick on just about anybody who would let them. She knew then that the teasing would probably still continue, but now, she could stand her ground. For the first time in her life, Laura Jones did not feel alone.

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