Rumours (Short Story)

It all started in grade six, when I started to get bullied.

The girl that bullied me, had the same name as me, but was not like me at all.

She had arrived at my primary school three years earlier. When I was in grade three.

She hadn't bothered me before grade six. I had no idea what I'd done wrong.

First, came the rumours, those terrible rumours that she spread.

The other kids caught on quick. The rumours spread like wildfire.

Ugly, disgusting, outcast.

In the last term of grade six. A meeting was organised with this girl, my grade six teacher and I.

The meeting was going well, until right in front of my face, this girl denied a lot of the things that she had been doing to me.

Seriously, you're already caught I thought, just admit it before it gets worse?!?!

She never admitted to it. The meeting was a fail.

Afterwards, I felt lost and hopeless...

I still had my best friends though right, they'd support me! I also had two other good friends who I knew I could count on.

Turns out I was wrong.

In grade seven, two of the girls who were my good friends both moved schools. So all that was left was me and my other two best friends.

It would have been great, except that at this point in time, the rumours about me were only getting worse, and one of them was starting to believe them.

The other one, joined the group of the girl who started the rumours. But I'm not going to go into that story.

So, when something is told to you over and over again, I guess you do start to believe it.

My 'best friend' had a twin sister, who was trying to get her to join her group. Well, she did.

I was left alone, I didn't know what to do.

I tried to get along with the group that my best friend had joined but, the rumours were really bad and nobody wanted to go near me. So I used to sit by myself most lunch breaks.

I would be walking down the path to the library, (where I eventually started hanging out) and hear people from my year squealing and running away from me.

I got called more names as well, I even got a 'touch' named after me.

Once I got home, I would cry.

Cry and scream until my pillow. I just wanted to escape.

I tried to tell my parents, but at this point in time they thought I was over reacting and that I just needed to try making friends with the others.

What they didn't realise is that I was already trying really hard to.

*****

There was one particular popular girl in my year, who really hated me for some reason. She had a group that would always follow her around, and did whatever she said.

Every single time I walked past that group. She would scream "EWWWWWWWWW!!!" (not kidding) and start running away and squealing. The others would follow her, doing the same.

I felt so self-conscious all the time.

As the year went on, I learnt to ignore them, but it didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

About halfway through the year, another girl who didn't like me, who also helped spread the rumours about me.

Tried to pick a fight.

At lunch time one day, I was walking up to the library when she stepped in front of me.

She then accused me of whispering about her and other people behind their backs.

All I could think was, who?

I didn't have anyone to talk to, so who would I have even been telling?

I got so mad, and I yelled at her.

"And that's not what you've been doing to me? I have never said anything behind any one's back, because I know what it feels like! What, you don't think I can't hear you?, whispering all those awful things about me behind my back?! Laughing at me all the time?! If  there's anyone that should be apologising, it's you!!!"

Of course, she played the innocent act.

"What are you talking about, I've never done such a thing?"

I really wanted to punch her right then and there.

I can't really remember what happened after that, the teachers didn't have to get involved though. I suppose I just kept walking to the library.

I didn't really care what people thought anymore.

*****

Towards the end of the year, it was nearing my 'best friends' birthday.

She had just moved house.

One day at school, on a Friday. I arrived and she was there with the others. I started to walk over.

I could see that she was writing something down while talking to the others.

When I arrived at the table, I could hear that she was asking people what their favourite type of pizza was.

So, I told her mine and she just have me a fake smile.

At the time, I didn't realise what was happening.

After that weekend, on the Monday at lunchtime. I was sitting with the group trying to get myself in as usual, since no one had left a spot for me to sit. When they started talking about stuff they had done on the weekend.

It soon became obvious to me that something had happened, since apparently they had all done the same activities - just with different people.

I thought back to the Friday before and I got it. My best friend had her party on the weekend and didn't tell me about.

Now, I wasn't really mad at her for not inviting me, I think that would've been awkward anyway.

I was mad at her for not telling me in the first place, and me having to find out that way. It hit me hard at the time and I was biting back tears.

If all of this wasn't enough, I got one of my first actual crushes that year.

He had just arrived at the school, so he didn't know about the bullying and rumours. So, he treated me nicely.

But, I was so embarrassed when he started to learn more, but he didn't treat me much differently. Which, I was glad for.

But, it probably bothered him quite a bit.

Finally, I graduated and went to high school. Where I made some great best friends!

Not to say that they're perfect, we've had our ups and downs but we've had more good times together.

I haven't been bullied since then, two years ago.

Authors Note

I just wanted to post this so that, anyone who is getting bullied knows that IT WILL GET BETTER! You just have to trust me with this one. Also, if you can lean out for support then do!

One of my favourite sayings now days is...

"After a storm, there's always a rainbow" (or something like that xD)

Also, I'm so sorry for not updating. I lost the connection with both of my stories. I might try again soon with a new one though.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

~ Kitty1415