A Week With Andrea

Chapter 12

              "I was bullied." I told her, I didn't see how she reacted, I just stared straight ahead.

I told her about the story I decided to tell everyone I was lesbian.

    It all started when I was in kinder 2. I was the image of a stereotypical little girl who loved Barbie and dreamt of becoming a princess. All I ever wanted was to look my best. To impress myself of course, not anyone else.

         I asked my uncle to braid my hair, strangely he knew how. My sister was busy and my mom worked overseas that time.

Once I got out of the house my neighbors told me I had nice hair. I looked pretty like a princess. I felt great. This day was the best day of my life.

          "Who did your hair?"

I was a smart kid back then, I didn't want them to know my uncle did it cause he was a boy. And they might think he was gay. So I told them my sister did it. Eventually the thing about my hair died down. Except for one boy.

       He kept pulling my pigtails and he wouldn't stop until I cry. Problem was I didn't cry no matter how much it hurt. I just shoved him away. He stopped for a few minutes but came back. With scissors.

    We were in art class that time and I was busy doing whatever I was doing.

Snip.

Last thing I remember was me staring down at the fallen hair in the floor.

I cried. And he stopped.

Pretty soon, my step dad was at school and I sat there quietly on the chair while he spoke to the principal and the boy's parents.

I didn't hear what they talked about but after that the boy approached me and said sorry.

I screamed and shoved him away.

After that I wasn't given any ice cream after dinner. They made me go to bed early without watching a movie before I went to sleep.

I was the one punished. And all he did was say sorry and it was over.

After that, I got a haircut. Cutting into some sort of bob. And ever since I never had it long again until I transferred to Manila. While I was at it, I started acting like a boy. Dressing like a boy. And talking like a boy.

It was a stupid plan but if boys can get away with their mistakes easily then a boy is what I'll be.

I told her the story and she laughed at how pissed off I was. Honestly, looking back at it now, I laughed too. It was hilarious.

Eventually the act of being boyish stuck to me until I was in Manila.

Boys in Trinity thought I was lesbian too. Few of them liked me I guess and were okay with my bossy attitude. But that all chaned when I punched Daile Pillen's face.

I got punished again. I was sent to the Discipline's Office and my conduct went low and I was removed from the top 1 and went down to 4.

I got punished for thinking something was annoying. It was true though, he did become annoying.

I stopped talking and just stared off into the distance. I didn't like my past. Nor did I like the present. But what about the future?

I'd probably hate it too.