Being in first form was a really big deal for me. I was excited to finally be a high school student. I thought it would have been like the movies, where everyday is fun filled, you meet cool new friends and would look forward to returning the next day. All of this turned out to be true. I loved school and had made a couple new friends who made my days fun and exciting. Sadly, this positive feeling towards school was short lived because there was one thing I faced that the movies did not show me and that was bullying.
I dreaded the days when I had to go school because this group of boys from third form would not stop bullying me. Everyday at school I got abused emotionally and physically. It all started last week when they asked me for my lunch money and I told them I didn’t have any. They thought I was lying and punched me in my back. It was so painful that for the entire week I felt it. After that incident they would find something new to tease me about everyday.
“JoySport? Wah kinda bag dat? Yuh mada can’t afford Jansport,” the leader, David, would jeer.
Apart from the teasing, depending on which mood they were in they would pinch my arm or punch me in the stomach. I never thought of retaliating because these boys were in two grades higher than me. So every evening I would go home, head straight to my room and cry. At home mommy would notice that there was something bothering me.
“ You alright, Junior,” she would ask in a compassionate motherly voice.
“Yes mommy, I’m okay,” I would reply shyly.
“If you say so. Make sure you eat all you dinner tonight,” she said sternly.
I had not been eating much since the bullying started but that night just to please Mom I ate most of the food.
The next day after school, my friends and I were having a really interesting debate about who the better super hero was. Elizabeth and Brandon said it was superman and Brian and I were proving that it was actually batman.
“Clearly, batman is the better super hero because Superman has a weakness and batman don’t,” I argued.
Brian nodded his in agreement with me.
“As a matter of fact,” I added, “ Superman –“
I was interrupted by David and his friends,
“Wah kinda stupid argument this?” he and his friends laughed as if it was the funniest line they’ve ever heard.
“Give me $300, Joysport,” Paul said commandingly.
All my friends were looking at me with deep fear in their eyes. However Elizabeth looked on without fear as if she believed I had the courage the face these boys. It was the first they had ever come to me before my friends so I did not know how to react.
“You deaf little boy?” he asked staring at me with disgust.
“I already told you that I don’t bring lunch money to school.” I replied.
Upon hearing this Paul punched me in my eye and walked away with his friends. Embarrassed and in pain I told my friends bye and went home. Mommy came to open the grill for me and say that my eye was a swollen.
“What happen to you?”
I broke down crying, “Mommy this boy at school have been troubling me for weeks now and I never troubled him?”
“Weeks and you never do him anything?” she asked somewhat shocked
“Yes, mam.” I replied trying to wipe my tears.
Then mommy did something I had not expected. She went in the room for a belt and started to beat me.
“Me no raise no ediat!” she said as she whipped me with the belt, “fight back, you must fight back! Or I going to beat you again.”
I went to room and while I was there crying I decided that I could not be getting bullied at school then coming home to a beating from Mommy. That just wouldn’t work.
Wednesday at school David came to tease me while I was with my friend.
“That black eye look good on you,” he said laughing.
“Shut you mouth,” I said in disgust.
He was surprised by this and wouldn’t tolerate being talked backed at in that tone and before all these people. He grabbed my wrist squeezing it hard. I used my other hand to punch him in his face, then he let go of my hand and I pushed him to the ground. He cried like a baby and all my friends started laughing, he got up and ran to his class never returning tour block. From that day no one ever heard of David bullying a student again.
