Finding Joy

Chapter Two

           As you can imagine school was very tough for me. I basically had a target on my back. I remember my first day of middle school. I was sitting in the back of the classroom. I was minding my own business. I was putting my supplies on my desk.  I had my music playing in my headphones but not on  a volume that was too high. I wanted to be able to hear the teacher just in case she called me. Two students were sitting in the middle desks in the classroom. One of them looked back at me and said to the other student "Hey.. isn't that that girl that had abusive parents... you know the one that was raped constantly by her Dad?" The other student looked up and back at me and said "Oh yeah the girl that was forced to play piano?" I continued to put my supplies on my desk and said to them "Oh and the girl with no hearing problems what so ever... yep that's me!" I looked up at them and took my headphone off and said "Next time I catch you talking about me... oh wait... there won't be a next time.... am I right?" The two students nodded and said quietly "Sorry." They turned back around in their seats. I put my headphones back on.
          I was bold that day. That was because I wasn't scared of those students and they were talking about me. But bigger and taller students came my way in seventh and eighth grade. I didn't defend myself. I couldn't defend myself. They would push me over because I was too weak. They would have a group of people run down the halls so they could basically trample me. I didn't know what to do. I just kept listening to my music. And I focused on my grades. I always had straight A's no matter what. I was a very responsible student.   I knew that the same students would be in high school with me. I didn't even bother bringing up this whole bully thing to my parents. I knew that they would react in the worst way possible. I love my parents but they would always over react when I tell them the smallest things. I remember when I said in the car to myself "Ow."
    
       My Dad slammed on the breaks and pulled over on the side of the road. They both turned around and started firing rapid fire questions at me like "Oh my gosh what hurts?! Are you okay?! Should we take you to a hospital?! What's wrong?! Did you break something?! How?! When?!"   I sat there with my eyes widened staring at them. I then said loudly "Whoa what is wrong with you guys?! We could have just gotten into an accident!" I looked at them like they were crazy. They both said quickly "The only thing that matters is that our baby is okay! Are you hurt?!" I leaned back in my seat and sighed.  There was no way I was telling them until it got to the point that needed to. On the last day of middle school my bullies thought they weren't doing good enough. The lead bully was named Douglas. He was tall and broad. I was at my locker getting my things together for next class. I closed my locker and there they were with Douglas. I tried to ignore them and walked with my head down.
       

       Douglas laughed and said "Joy don't you want to say hi to an old friend?" When I looked up I couldn't believe what I saw. He was holding up a picture of my biological Father. I didn't know how they found a picture of him. I gasped and looked away. I had flashes of horrible memories. I started to cry. Douglas and the others laughed. Douglas said "What's the matter Joy feeling like trash?" I cried harder. Douglas laughed and picked me up and said "Upsie daise!!" The others opened up the trash can. I kicked my legs and wondered "how is no one seeing this?" They put me in the trash can and closed the lid. I could hear them laughing and walking away. I decided and I had enough of this. I waited until we were home so we wouldn't get into a car accident to tell my parents. I didn't tell them immediately. I first said "Mom Dad... can I take tae kwon do?" 

        My Mom looked up at me. She was preparing dinner and she said "Huh... yes... is there a reason sweetheart?" I cleared my throat and said "Well yes Mother... there is a reason.. and that reason is.... I've been being bullied..." They both looked up at me and said "Hehe what?" The next day they signed me up for class.   I went everything Thursday Friday and Saturday during that summer. I quickly became better and better. My parents got me a dummy so I could practice in my room. I still found time to play my violin. I didn't want a teacher. I practiced on my own. By the end of the summer I was already a orange belt in tae kwon do and during the school year I would continue to go to class.When it was time to walk around and check out to school and meet my parents I was told something by the principal. We were walking down the hall and the principal said "Joy I think what I'm about to tell you is going to make you very happy." She walked down the hall and we followed. She walked towards this room with a sign on the door that said "Music room." She opened the door and walked in. 

        I went in between my parents and held their hands. The principal walked over to what looked like it could be a table with a tarp over it. She put her hands on the tarp and she said "Joy... whenever you need to... you can come down here... and play this.." She pulled the tarp off. It was a black piano. I gave a small smile. The principal said "We just got this... it hasn't been played... you can come down here whenever you feel the need to.." I smiled brighter and said "Thank you ma'am." I was very happy. The first day of school came around and I was ready. I had my head down like usual and I was listening to my music.  I had my hair up in two buns and I was wearing my bifocal glasses. I was wearing my high top converse sneakers and a baggie Queen hoodie. I was wearing light jeans. I was walking to my locker. I heard his laugh and I acted natural.
          I grabbed what I needed out of my locker and put what I didn't need back in my locker. Another student was in the hall getting things from their locker. He ran towards me and tried to pick me up. I bent over grabbed his ankle pulled it from under him. He fell on his back on the floor. I kicked him where the sun doesn't shine and I kicked him in the stomach.   I stood on his stomach with one foot and looked at him in the eye. The other student stood there watching. I said "Alright listen punk! I'm done with taking all of your crap! I won't let you torment me anymore with your nonsense!! Get a life Douglas!!" I calmly stopped standing on him and  grabbed my backpack. His buddies were staring at me. I put my headphones back on. As I was walking away I got in their faces and said "Bite me!" I walked away. The student that was watching the entire time closed her locker. She put her backpack on and fixed her hair and said "Strange... I think I know that girl."