Social Circle

2. Getting to Know You

The Polka was a disaster. That was the only way to describe it. It was so bad the dance instructor started crying saying he hadn’t seen anything so horrible in his life before running out of the room. The teens took that as their excuse to go sit down and rub their now bruised body parts…..especially their toes.

            “Well, that went well,” Brandon spoke sarcastically.

            Every eye turned and glared at him, “Okay, okay, not really…….here we’ll do another quick activity, or begin it anyway,” he stated passing around pieces of notebook paper and a pen. “I want you to write down your deepest darkest secret. You won’t be reading it aloud or anything, so don’t even try to lie. When you are finished give them to me,” he continued.

            Most looked unsure, but gave in and started writing, and one by one they all gave him their papers. “Those aren’t going to be seen correct?” Richard asked.

            Brandon ignored him and placed them in a cup. “You’re secret will remain anonymous, what will happen is each one of you will come up and draw a piece of paper, you will read it quietly to yourself and make sure it isn’t your own. Then you will walk outside and throw it in the bonfire that was set up in the midst of your polka disaster. You will not share anything you read, and keep the secret to yourself, understand, if any of you share anything to anyone that you read you will be immediately dismissed from the house we have cameras in every room of the house to make sure you do not break this rule or any of the others……. This activity will allow each of you to open your eyes to the people around you…..and realize not everyone is what they seem,” he finished.

            Each teen’s eyes were desperate and horrified. “B-but…..that’s so personal, what if they figure out it’s you?” Shelby stuttered.

            “Then you and that person will have a bond that you’ve never had before, by the end of this experience you should feel comfortable telling anyone in this room that secret, so it is only the beginning of building trust and sharing……” Brandon replied firmly.

            She gulped, as did everyone else in the room, “Alright Shelby step forward,” Brandon began holding the cup out for her. She curiously opened the crumpled paper and read to herself, “I have tried to commit suicide seven times and failed, no one loves me, I’m just tired of the abuse, no one would even miss me, especially my so-called parents.”

            Shelby’s eyes widened the size of balloons before quickly crumpling the paper and hurrying outside to burn it, not believing what she just read.

            “Josh,” Brandon called next.

            Josh nervously stepped up and picked up a paper and it read, “My parents are never home, I’ve provided for myself my entire life, no one has ever cared for me or loved me. I just feel so alone…….and worthless……especially when dad’s boss comes around…..and dad expects me to entertain him……” he followed Shelby out to the yard and burned the paper as well pondering over what he had just read.

            “Richard,” Brandon announced.

            Richard like Josh picked the piece of paper nervously before reading the paper, blushing and put it back, “I got my own,” he murmured drawing again, this time picking up one that read, “I hate myself, I hate everything about me, my body, my personality, nothing is good enough. I haven’t had a real meal in days, just my crackers and protein shakes…..and throwing it up doesn’t bother me anymore, it’s almost routine now……”

            Richard froze, looking like he wanted to say something to Brandon about maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

            “Go burn it Richard…..” Brandon replied before continuing, “Landon!”