Cold Days Gone
When I was a young girl, around the age of seven; I had a lot of problems making friends. I was never good at it. Infact, I was more of a punching bag than a friend to these kids. I had been going through a lot, at the age of five my parents had split up, my father wasn't a very good dad. He had a lot of problems like drugs, drinking, and probably more that I don’t know about. So obviously I had a lot of “daddy problems”.
Once I moved to Wisconsin with my mother and my brother, I was put in a school called Meadowview Elementary. It seemed nice at first, there were many kids there. The sight of so many children happily playing put a small light into my eyes. It showed me there are many happy kids out there that I just need to be friends with. But I was wrong.
On my first day of school at Meadowview, things were normal as they could be for a first day; telling the class your name, meeting new kids, and wearing that cute new outfit your mom bought you so you could look nice. I met many new people; but I didn’t feel as though they wanted a friendship. Once it was recess time, I sat alone on a swing set, watching all the other kids play.
Bullying was never truly a problem at first, I was just a lonely kid who sat on the swing set and watched the kids play. But one cold snowing day, I was doing what I always did when it was recess time; sat and watched. But today was different, I was approached by a tall boy with shaggy blonde hair and greyish blue eyes. he had a devilish smirk on his face that sent chills colder than this winter weather down my spine. I looked down at his hand and he had an “Ice Ball” in his hand (Basically snow and ice), he told me to get up and if I didn’t he would hit me really hard and so would his friends. So me being me I said “Why don’t you make me? I don’t have to listen to you.” Biggest mistake I had ever made because next thing I knew, i was being slammed into the nearest tree, being punched, kicked, choked, and whipped. And not just by one person, by three.
After that day I was too scared to go to bed because I knew by time I awoke I had to leave for school. The beatings went for two months. I never told anyone because I felt like I could handle this on my own. But..I was so wrong. I feel as though beatings were worse, more people were joining in on the “fun”. Many of them were boys, very few girls. But the gender didn’t matter to me. It hurt me no matter what.
I always wondered “Why me? Why do I have to feel pain so they can be happy? Or to be accepted?” I just didn’t understand. Another thing I always was puzzled about; why didn’t anyone help me during the moment? Or at least get someone. I was so scared and they saw.  Nobody ever helped me except for one person, his name was Dillon Burk. During one of my many beatings, today there was only one person coming after me. I was running from him, my lungs burning from the cold weather air ripping through me, tears in my eyes, I didn’t know why I was running, but i was because maybe I felt it made me feel a little more free. Once I couldn't run anymore, became weak in the knees I fell to the snowy ground. Accepting my defeat. Waiting for the pounding. But there was nothing. I turned around and there was Dillon, who tackled and started punching my attacker. Tears welled up in my eyes because I was so happy someone saved me. Someone actually helped me.
After that, people started backing off me, because more people started stepping up for me. They picked me up when I was pushed down.
This experience has taught me that it is okay to go and tell someone, to not wait. Because of the fact I waited I felt that the situation was much worse than what it would've been. It’s okay to talk to someone and get help, please don’t wait. Because bullies don’t just get bored and stop, they will keep going because they thrive off your sadness. Be the change you wish to see.