Side By Side

6

Warnings:
-Antisemitism (discrimination against Jews)

George's POV

~ A Few Weeks Later ~

I sat with Karl, my best friend, on the couch while we ate a salad after school. I was zapping on the television to find something interesting. I stopped zapping when I saw the news and I put the remote down to listen.

'It seems like he is getting more power very quickly. Jewish people are now obligated to wear a yellow star on their clothes so people can separate them from the rest. Recently, certain buildings closed their doors to Jewish people.'

I looked at Karl who wasn't listening and then tapped his leg. 'Karl...'

He looked up at me and nodded. 'What's wrong?'

'Did you not hear that? They want to completely separate Jewish people from the others now,' I whispered. He was quiet for a little while and I sighed. 'I'm Jewish, Karl! Did you forget?'

He breathed out and put his salad down, listening to the television. I was shocked and really upset so I stood up to go to my parents and ask them about it.

'Mum, what was that on the news?' I asked with a loud and scared tone in my voice. 'Please be honest!'

'Honey... There's a man who is taking over the world because he doesn't really like Jewish people. Let's just listen to it for now, okay? I'm sure this will be over soon.'

'What do we need to listen to?' I replied quietly.

'I will stitch a yellow star to our clothes for now,' she smiled. 'I'm sure we can take it off soon again and live like every other person!'

'Okay...' I whispered as I saw her stitch a star to my favourite shirt. 'Can I not just keep it off?'

'Not for now, sweetheart.' She kissed my forehead. 'Go back to Karl!'

I nodded slowly and turned to go back to Karl, sitting next to him on the couch. Unfortunately, my mood completely switched because I was sixteen and not crazy. I knew this star wouldn't just go off. I only had no idea how much worse it would get...

~ A Week Later ~

I was walking to school as I played with the star on my shirt. It felt pretty uncomfortable that I had to wear this, I didn't want to be different than others just because I was Jewish. I didn't understand what was wrong with being Jewish either, it was just my race.

I sighed softly and kept walking, happy to see Karl in a minute. He had been my best friend since we were eight and met in middle school. He moved to England, but he was born in America. His dad moved here for work and he went with him since he was only seven at the time.

I kept walking and arrived at the entrance of the school where Karl and I always waited for each other. I excitedly ran up the stairs when I saw Karl who was already waiting, greeting me.

'Hi, dude! What's up?' he asked as he leaned against the wall with his back.

'Nothing much,' I answered. 'How was your weekend?'

'Good! I hung out a lot with my dad, we didn't do that in a while. Yours?'

'My mother was just constantly stitching these stupid stars on my clothes,' I sighed. 'It's so dumb and it makes me feel really uncomfortable.'

He nodded slowly. 'Yeah, that's so stupid. I don't get it either... just do it to be safe, maybe it passes by soon.'

'I hope so,' I replied as we went inside the school, seeing a teacher at the door. I greeted her as she looked down at my shirt and the star on it.

⚠️ Antisemitism

She grabbed my shoulder and pushed me back a bit which caused Karl to run up to us. 'Why did you do that? He's literally a student, you're not supposed to touch him.'

'I got the order to send all Jewish people away from school,' she mumbled as she pointed to the door. 'You have a star on your clothes so I will have to send you away.'

'W-what? Why can't I go to school anymore? I'm sixteen, I need to go to class and it's almost the end of the year which is really important!' I defended myself.

'You're Jewish,' the teacher whimpered, pointing to the door. 'I need to send you away right now.'

'What does my race have to do with school? Why can't I go to school as a Jewish person? My mother also asked someone else to buy food for us because she couldn't go into the store!'

'That's because you're Jewish, just leave.'

'What the hell?' Karl frowned. 'If you're sending him away from being Jewish, I'm leaving too! He's either just going to school because there's nothing wrong with being a Jew! I'm leaving too if he can't go.'

'He can't go and you're obligated to,' she scoffed.

'Alright, I'm going too. He's my best friend and if he can't follow class because he's Jewish, then I'm not going either. Give me detention for hours, I don't care.'

⚠️ Over

Karl grabbed my hand and pulled me with him to go outside. I walked with him as we both stood outside and he breathed out angrily.

'Dude, what the hell is this? This is racism and I'm not standing for that. That asshole, I understand she needed to do this, but there's no way I would have ever send a Jewish person away. My goodness, this makes me boil inside. We are going home and chill the whole day because I'm not going back to that racist school!'

I quietly walked with him back to my house as I saw my father and mother sit down on the couch. My mother was crying and I was mostly confused that my dad wasn't at work.

'Why are you at home?' I asked my dad as he looked up slowly.

'Oh, sweetie. Did they send you away?'

'That dickhead sent him away for being Jewish! I got so angry that I left too because this is so unfair!' Karl yelled, sitting down on the couch. 'Those idiots, I hate them so much. I'm not leaving anymore and I'm staying here if they want you to hide yourself.'

'Thanks, Karl,' I smiled, sitting down next to me. 'Did you get sent away too, dad?'

'Yes, honey. But it's going to be okay. Just give it some time...'

I knew that was an obvious lie...

1085 words

Summary:
George gets sent away from school for being Jewish