Day One
ren@animeaddict:
oh my gosh! did you see her today?! gosh! i hate seeing her face. everybody hates you!
ane@fakinginnocence:
nobody likes you! you and your black lips can fly away!!!
n@animallover:
in reply to ane@fakinginnocence:
“nobody likes you! you and your black lips can fly away!!!” hahahahah black lips 😀
em@notyourgoodgirl:
i ACCIDENTALLY push her against the wall. hahahah but wth. 🙂
zar@imnotfake:
gosh! everybody hates you! you and your horse face. go back to the zoo!
Day Two
I see her today.
She stands by her locker, her brown hair cascading down her back. Her books take up her whole arm.
Every now and then she looks over her shoulders.
Like a prey looking out for its predator.
I zone out of the conversation going on.
She bites her lip.
nobody likes you! you and your black lips can fly away!!!
That very comment springs to my mind.
The comment I read.
The comment I ignored.
I should’ve stood up for her.
I should’ve typed something.
I should’ve stopped it.
But I didn’t.
I was a coward and blanked my screen instead.
Day Three
We did group work today.
She sits in her group.
Quiet and awkward.
Her group members sit far from her.
She folds her hands on her lap and caresses her thumb with the other.
I watch as her group members discuss.
I watch as she talks but no one listens.
The only response she could get was an eye roll.
“Evan!” Ashton calls out my name.
I turn to him.
“What are the disadvantages of using the Internet?”
Bullying.
Day Four
She sits by herself, munching on her sandwich.
She turns the page of her book.
A group of girls nearby looks and snickers at her.
Once in a while she looks up, and as fast as she looks up, she looks back down.
Her body tense.
She looks afraid.
I stand up and walk over to her, taking the vacant seat.
She looks up.
I smile.
“Hi!”
She stays quiet.
“Hi,” she whispers.
“I’m Evan.”
“Hailene.”
Before and After
Before:
I know who she was.
I know her name.
I know she used to laugh and smile a lot around friends.
Then, as days go by, her smiles became smaller, her laughs quieter.
We weren’t best friends. We were just classmates.
I didn’t know what happened.
I didn’t know what she went through until I saw the tweets and from people around.
All I know afterwards, was her friends weren’t her friends.
And she felt alone.
After:
I know who she is.
I know her name.
I know she has a wide smile that can make your day and her contagious laughter.
I know her eyes shine bright when she smiles, laughs, or even talks about her book characters.
I know her dimples when she smiles and laughs.
I didn’t know that with one small gesture, I could see the beauty she has inside.
I didn’t know that with one small gesture, I have saved her.
I didn’t know that I have the power to save someone if I just take the courage.
Now I know.
It doesn’t take much for you take a stand for someone. With a simple, kind, sincere gesture, it can make their day. It simply can be done by talking to him/her or even giving a genuine smile. Bullying leaves a mark on a person. The pain and heartache inflicted hurts so much that you feel as if a knife is stabbing your heart repeatedly. So, don’t be a bystander. Stand up for someone. Because at some point, I wished someone would for me.
Have courage and be kind.