The Writer's Muse

The Writer's Muse: Some Friends

Lena froze, staring in disbelief as her son got bullied by the one boy he said was his friend. She simply walked forward, grabbed her son's hand and walked right to the principal's office.

"Wait here Kevin, I'll be right back." Lena told her son.

"Okay, Mummy." The poor boy was already feeling sad and guilty, having lied to his mother.

Mrs. Philips was sitting at her desk, typing away at her computer when Lena walked in. Mrs. Philips couldn't help but notice the sadness in Lena's eyes. Lena asked Kevin to stay at the principal's Secretary office while she went it to talk.

"Hello, Lena. How can I assist you today?" Mrs. Philips asked. They were on first name basis because of how the older woman treated Lena like a child.

"Hello, Mrs. Philips. I need to talk to you about something very important. It's about my son, Kevin," Lena said, sitting down in front of Mrs. Philips's desk.

"Of course, what can I help you with?" Mrs. Philips asked.

"I found out recently that my son is being bullied in school. I just don't understand how it all started. I want to help him but I don't know where to begin," Lena said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Mrs. Philips listened attentively. She knew how devastating bullying could be, and she was determined to help Lena and her son.

"Can you tell me more about how it started? Maybe we can try to figure out a way to help Kevin," Mrs. Philips said, handing Lena a tissue.

Lena wiped her tears and took a deep breath. She began to tell Mrs. Philips how Kevin had always been a good child, but he used to be more confident when he was younger. He loved going to school and always wanted friends.

"Kevin started to become more self-conscious, and I think it's because of the bullying. He's always been kind and caring, but I think the other kids take advantage of that. They call him names and make fun of him in front of everyone. It breaks my heart to see him go through this," Lena said, her voice shaking.

Mrs. Philips listened carefully and tried to think of ways to help Kevin.

"Have you talked to his teacher or the school counselor?" Mrs. Philips asked.

"Yes, I have, but they say they can't do much unless they see it happening in front of them," Lena said, frustrated.

Mrs. Philips understood Lena's frustration. She knew how hard it was not to be able to protect your child.

"I completely understand how you feel. Maybe we can talk to Kevin and see if he can tell us more about what's happening. Perhaps that will give us some more insight into what's going on," Mrs. Philips suggested. "But, this is my school, and I'll see to it that it stops happening."

"That's a great idea. I'll talk to him tonight and see if he's comfortable talking about it," Lena said, feeling a small flicker of hope. "Thank you Mrs. Philips."

The next day, Lena came back to Mrs. Philips's office, looking more hopeful. She told Mrs. Philips that Kevin had agreed to talk to them.

Mrs. Philips and Lena went to Kevin's class during lunchtime and found him sitting alone at a table. Kevin looked up when he saw his mom and Mrs. Philips.

"Hi, Kevin. Your mom told me that you're having a tough time in school. Can you tell us more about what's going on?" Mrs. Philips asked, her tone gentle.

Kevin nodded and started to talk about how it all began. He said that it started with a boy who used to be his friend, but the boy started to make fun of him for not having a dad. Soon, other kids joined in, and it became harder and harder to ignore.

Mrs. Philips listened carefully, trying to understand the whole situation.

"Kevin, that sounds really tough,but you should have told your mom." The old woman said.

Lena, as she listened got more heartbroken at her son's confession. She didn't know it was a sin to not have a father.

She could not hold back the tears and let it fall.

"Maybe, I should let his father take him." She thought to herself

The principal assured her that she was going to make sure it stops, that gave Lena enough assurance to leave the school to her workplace.

It was their lunch break, Ria sat across from Lena, Lena's face was contorted with anger and confusion. Ria listened patiently as Lena recounted what had happened earlier in the day.

"I can't believe it," Lena said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I've been so worried about Kevin, and I thought he'd finally made a new friend. He's been so lonely and always wanted a friend, and I was so happy to see him excited about spending time with someone."

Ria nodded sympathetically. "I understand. It's never easy to see our children struggling to make connections with other kids."

"But then I found out that this so-called friend was actually Kevin's bully," Lena continued. "How could I have been so blind? I thought Kevin was finally getting some support, but all along he's been getting hurt."

"It's not your fault," Ria assured her. "Bullies can be very clever at manipulating situations to make themselves seem like the victim. And sometimes, even the nicest kids can turn into bullies when they're struggling with their own issues."

"But what do I do now?" Lena asked. "I don't want Kevin to be hurt anymore, but I don't want to make things worse for him by confronting the bully's parents."

Ria leaned forward. "First of all, you're doing the right thing by seeking help for Kevin. As his mother, it's important that you protect him from harm. Second, there are ways to address the situation without escalating it."

"Okay," Lena said, wiping away a tear. "Tell me what to do."

"Well, first of all, have an open and honest discussion with Kevin about what's been happening. Encourage him to share his feelings with you and let him know that you're there for him. Validate his feelings, and let him know that you believe him."

Lena nodded, her expression softening. "I can do that."

"Good," Ria said. "Then, you can work together to come up with a plan for how to handle the situation. Ask Kevin what he thinks would help him feel safer and more supported. Maybe he needs to avoid the bully's company altogether, or perhaps he just needs some coaching on how to handle the situation when he's around him."

"That's a good idea," Lena said. "I've been so focused on 'fixing' the problem that I haven't taken Kevin's feelings into account. I'll talk to him and see what he thinks."

Ria smiled. "That's a great start. And remember, you don't have to go through this alone. You don't have to shoulder the burden on your own."

Lena took a deep breath and smiled back. "Thank you, Ria. You've been so helpful and kind. I feel like I have a clearer path forward now."

"It was my pleasure," Ria said, standing up to leave. "Just remember, Kevin is lucky to have a mother who cares so deeply about his well-being. You'll get through this together."

"I sincerely appreciate your thoughts, you're a good friend." Lena hugged her and was about to get back to work, but Ria has another new to share.

"Guess who has a date tomorrow." She said in a sing song voice.

"Who?" Lena played along, replying in a sing song voice as well.

"Me! You remember that link I told you I signed up for earlier, it's finally my turn, but this time, I actually know the name of the guy I would be going on a date with." Ria announced excitedly.

"What is his name?" Lena was curious.

"Rhett, Asher Rhett." Ria clapped her hands, but Lena's face fell, for the umpteenth time that day.

"Oh."

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