Bullied
I hitched the bag over my shoulder.
“See you later son,” I heard my mum call as I walked through the gate. Around me, kids were milling around, chatting and laughing. They all seemed to have friends. A gang of boys hovered by the wall. They were scanning the people as they entered the playground. I lowered my eyes as I walked past them. I was nearly safe when a voice emerged from the group.
“Hey, so you’re the new guy?” My heart missed a beat. Was it going to start all over again?
“Yes,” I replied quickening my pace.
“Got a name?”
I hesitated.
“Your name?” the voice demanded, and suddenly I noticed a chap standing directly in front of me.
I glanced up. In front of me was a tall wiry boy with brassy eyes.
I mumbled something into my chest.
“Pad didn’t catch what you said,” he said, staring at me.
I wished he would go away, but he didn’t move.
“The name is Sou,” I stuttered. There was silence.
“Sorry, could you repeat that?”
“My name is…. Sou,” I said.
“Louder.”
“Sou,” I stammered, dropping my bag. Suddenly, everybody stopped talking. There was silence. Blood rushed to my head, and I could feel their eyes on me.
“Sou Winkelhaak.”
That did it. There was a general snigger, and then I noticed the crowd parting to let another big boy through. This must be Pad, I thought as I lowered my eyes again.
“Well, how about it lads,” he said to the waiting crew.” We have a new boy.” He leant towards me and I could feel his breath on my face. “A boy with a brand new sack.”
I examined my shoelaces as he circled me. ”A yellow sack,” he said, kicking my bag. No one moved as my apple rolled out on the ground. Then, I watched as he placed his large boot on my apple and squashed it into the ground. I glanced quickly up before bowing my head. His eyes were glinting. Then he turned towards the buddies, and with an extravagant gesture he introduced me. “A new boy called Su Winklehead.”
Everybody laughed, and I knew at that moment that this school was going to be just like all the other schools.
“See you later son,” I heard my mum call as I walked through the gate. Around me, kids were milling around, chatting and laughing. They all seemed to have friends. A gang of boys hovered by the wall. They were scanning the people as they entered the playground. I lowered my eyes as I walked past them. I was nearly safe when a voice emerged from the group.
“Hey, so you’re the new guy?” My heart missed a beat. Was it going to start all over again?
“Yes,” I replied quickening my pace.
“Got a name?”
I hesitated.
“Your name?” the voice demanded, and suddenly I noticed a chap standing directly in front of me.
I glanced up. In front of me was a tall wiry boy with brassy eyes.
I mumbled something into my chest.
“Pad didn’t catch what you said,” he said, staring at me.
I wished he would go away, but he didn’t move.
“The name is Sou,” I stuttered. There was silence.
“Sorry, could you repeat that?”
“My name is…. Sou,” I said.
“Louder.”
“Sou,” I stammered, dropping my bag. Suddenly, everybody stopped talking. There was silence. Blood rushed to my head, and I could feel their eyes on me.
“Sou Winkelhaak.”
That did it. There was a general snigger, and then I noticed the crowd parting to let another big boy through. This must be Pad, I thought as I lowered my eyes again.
“Well, how about it lads,” he said to the waiting crew.” We have a new boy.” He leant towards me and I could feel his breath on my face. “A boy with a brand new sack.”
I examined my shoelaces as he circled me. ”A yellow sack,” he said, kicking my bag. No one moved as my apple rolled out on the ground. Then, I watched as he placed his large boot on my apple and squashed it into the ground. I glanced quickly up before bowing my head. His eyes were glinting. Then he turned towards the buddies, and with an extravagant gesture he introduced me. “A new boy called Su Winklehead.”
Everybody laughed, and I knew at that moment that this school was going to be just like all the other schools.