Entering the double doors, I plaster a smile on my face heading towards my locker.
Ears ringing
with all the noise of chatter, I barely register my friends joining me by my locker.
“Have you heard? There is a new transfer student” John said.
“Really? In the middle of the school year?” Amanda exclaims.
“Yeah, and there have been rumors about her beauty. Even considered a black beauty from
Ghana.” You could hear the smirk in his voice, you didn't have to look. But my thoughts went
back to the new transfer student making my blood boil. I am the most popular girl in school,
how can a girl that hasn’t even started become so popular? The shrill noise of the bell broke my
trance and slamming my locker I made my way toward my class. As the day progressed, all that
could be heard were talks about the new girl; how tall she is, how graceful and elegant she looks,
how this how that. So, when I saw her walking through the hall laughing with her friend, I
couldn’t help but shove her in the lockers hard.
From here it progressed on, shoving her in the lockers, tripping her, splashing beverages on her,
or saying demeaning words. This went on for the whole junior year until she cracked one day.
The cafeteria doors slammed open startling everyone into silence, she stomped towards my table
with juice dripping down her head.
“Why?” she asked in a deathly calm voice. “Why? What did I ever do to you?” she was now
yelling, everyone around us watching the scene unfold. I just smirked amused at her state.
“I can’t believe I ever called you a friend. You disgust me” She scoffed. Stomping back where
she came from while my friends gasped at this news. The minute she walked through the door
rumors began about us ever being friends, what happened between us or how I could do this to
someone who was once my friend.
Senior year came and flew by with the same dramas continuing and then high school was over in
the blink of an eye.
Life is not fair to everyone. High-school life is thought to be everlasting, our friends will stay in
contact, and our popularity will stick to us like glue.
But stepping into the world, we realize that everything changes, the things we ran after were
never that significant. She was always in magazines about how successful she had become and
trying to achieve even higher goals while I ended up as an unwanted model.
As long as I can remember, I was complimented on my beauty, that it will take me to places. My
mother always held unnaturally high standards for me, believing that image is everything. We
were not an extremely rich family, my father made just enough for us to live comfortably. My
mother was a different story, however. She had dreams and expectations and when she couldn’t
fulfill them, she automatically saw me as a vessel to fulfill them. Not being able to keep up with
her expectations took a toll on me and started to change. It’s true, we used to be best friends once
more like sisters, but the summer before high school changed everything between us. We drifted
apart; while she wanted to stay in the shadows and excel, I started craving popularity. A week
before school started, she moved away and all contact was lost.
Reality had finally come crashing on my doorstep when I was cast aside by all agencies due to a
wrong accusation.
It took me a while to come to terms with this reality during which I reflected on my high school
years. Regret and shame slammed into me with full force, it was that day I decided to apologize
to her if I ever ran into her.
Karma does suck.
Hence why we should never drag someone down to lift ourselves.
Bullying is very negative and creates major problems for our society. Nothing good ever comes
out of bullying. It could very well change or ruin a person's life. We should always treat others
how we want to be treated by them.
