Faults, Scars, and Guitar Strings

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

They were quiet. I couldn't even figure out how they were reacting, but there's no way it's good. One of them looked like he was in pain while the other looked like he would explode with anger at any moment. The bullies just sat there staring at the screen, watching the video. There was one exception to the bullies though because there was one that was showing emotion; just one, but it is a start. One of the girls in the group seemed to be mesmerized by the screen while the others didn't have a care in the world about it. I saw her try to hide her tears a couple of times. She looked around making sure nobody else in the group noticed. They didn't, but only because they were too angry at me to pay attention to her. The rest of the school was watching the videos, but the ones that were bullied were watching the bullies just like I was. I looked over towards the teachers and they were all crying. Their eyes never left the screen. They were mesmerized too. David did an incredible job making the video. He made sure to hit everybody where he knew it would hurt. Lolita even showed up in the video a couple times to make a point.

The video itself was beautiful. It turned out just like I wanted it to. Everyone separately told their stories and while they were explaining it the secret footage played of them being bullied. After the stories were all told, I was back on the screen and talked about how bad bullying was and that we are all people with personalities that a lot of people don't even know about. The next part of the video is what surprised me the most. That didn't go as planned. I got quiet. David changed it. David made me a music video. MUSIC VIDEO! I couldn't believe it. What I wanted to be showing everyone having fun turned into a music video. It went from me being on stage and singing and it would collage showing everyone having a good time. It was beautiful, but I couldn't believe it. Music isn't supposed to be my thing. Music is his thing. I am just supposed to be helping the bullying. My voice probably isn't even that good. The end of the video was my favorite though, after the music video finished. When I stopped singing it showed me staring at the camera and laughing with everyone else while I spoke against bullying.

"The key to getting back your life is not letting other people hurt you. Don't let them tear you down. Gain confidence and stand up for yourself. When that happens, bullies can't hurt you anymore."

I got completely distracted with the video but snapped out of it when the lights were turned back on. Everyone was looking at me, but I was still too shocked to say anything. I hope they don't think it was some kind of publicity for my singing. I hope my voice wasn't too terrible because if this doesn't turn out well, that's one thing the bullies can use against me. That's why I only played music in a locked music room. I never wanted them to know I had a passion. I never wanted them to know there was one thing I truly enjoyed doing. Giving them that information puts me at risk. The principal took over the microphone and she was the first to break the silence.

"Bullying is a very serious problem, and especially in this school," she said, "I didn't know how to stop it, I'll admit it. I was scared and put it all on Kayla when I shouldn't have. In order to really stop this, we all have to be a part of it. We have to work together. From this day forward, any bullies who step forward and are willing to stop, won't be punished. Bullying is not to be tolerated anymore. Anyone seen bullying will be punished, but not by suspension. From now on they will have separate classes where they cannot bully; a class with only them and the teacher. If they managed to continue their troublesome ways, they will be expelled."

She looked over at me and I smiled. Good for her for thinking of a punishment worse than suspending them. Suspension never works. Expelling them wouldn't either, but at least they wouldn't be here. I held my hand out to her and she handed me the microphone, "We all know who the bullies are so I want all the other students to go back to their classes. The teachers can return also, obviously. I want the principal, the bullies, and the 13 who were bullied to stay."