Trigger Warning:
Bullying

I sighed as I walked down the halls of  Booker Middle School. Seventh grade was hard. Not the work, of course, I always had free time to delve into the universe of my favorite book, The Unfamiliar Familiar. The people were what made this hard. Who know that middle schoolers could be so mean?

Just as I have this thought, I find myself on the floor with my hair and body being stepped on. Good thing my glasses didn't have lenses anymore. I hear insults come my way.
"Freak."
"Nerd. No one likes you!"
"No one will ever want to be your friend."
Suddenly, the bell rings and I am freed as everyone rushes to their classes. But it also meant I was late. I run to class hoping that no one stares when I come in.

"Ms. Maheswaran, you're late."
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Ray! I fell on my way here..." I say as everyone looks.
A snicker sounds somewhere in the crowd. I feel an anxiety attack coming on.

As I sit down in my assigned seat I breathe deeply to avoid hyperventilating.
"Can you stop breathing so loudly? I can barely hear the teacher!" Rahji says, looking very annoyed. He sits by me just for the purpose of bothering me.
"Um... Sorry."

I wish Steven was here. He would make being at school so much easier!

I hate school. If only these people knew that I already critique myself enough, maybe they'd lay off.

Time skip to lunch---------------
I sit alone, as usual. Lunch is the worst. It gives the opportunity of staring. I get to see all these people with friends and all these people with friends get to stare at me and come up with new ways to torture me. When I get up to throw away my trash, someone decided to push me headfirst into the trashcan and yell, "Looks like you tripped, fatty!" Then the whole cafeteria laughed. I run to the bathroom to clean myself and cry.
I don't use the regular bathrooms, of course. I'm on a first name basis with the guidance counselor who lets me use her bathroom.

"H-hi, Brenda..."
"Oh, Connie! What happened?"
" I um...tripped." Of course Brenda Wilkins knows more than that, but she doesn't press, just unlocks the door with the key that always hangs at her neck.
When I come out about 10 minutes later, I begin to walk out of Brenda's office when she says:
"Connie. Stay."
'Oh no,' I think. If Miss Wilkins stops you... Well, let's just say you're definitely going to class with a pass in your hand.
"Yes, ma'am?" I ask politely.
"You're having an unscheduled counseling session."

Time skip once again---------

"Hi mom!" I say when she gets home from work.
"Hello Connie. How was your day at school?"
"Oh, fine. Ya know, the usual."
"That's good. And Connie, you know how I feel about the word 'ya.'"
"Uh... Yes ma'am!"
At least tomorrow is Saturday and I can see Steven.
I think about my session with Brenda. I try to take her advice of "Whatever the bullies do, remember these things about them: they are either not receiving love or are unworthy of the love they do receive. Remember this about you: People love you. Your parents love you and I do too. You've come to me so many times that I feel like you're my daughter. And don't ever try hiding something from me again. I can always tell."