AS I stepped my foot out of our classroom, I immediately felt the stinging pang of the afternoon heat. It is a sunny Wednesday afternoon for one of the nearly thousands of students of this institution. I quickly set my gaze to the path that leads to the gates of this school. I schemed my way to the corridors of people whom I know, of faces I am not familiar with. It became blurry for a four-eyed person like me to distinguished faces as they hurriedly scram their way out of school. Who never gets excited about going home anyway? I can finally play Mobile Legends anyway and get that rank I have been aiming for every night.

As I walked further and nearer to the gates, a soft-sounding cry, nearly fainting, echoed. At first, it gave me the shivers, who wouldn't be? This somewhat turned into that horror movie, I have watched just weeks ago. I continued to walk, at a fast pace now. And yet the faint sound of cry became louder and louder, as I am nearing to the last room of this corridor. I became aware of the cold wind that touched the nape of my neck that made me stopped my step, I uttered to myself a short prayer. For the life of me, this will be my first time experiencing this paranormal activity, if this can be considered as one. I sighed heavily then continued my pace, a few more steps, and I can finally reach the end of this corridor.

"Be brave!" I commanded myself, but the cry became audible nearly real, I closed my eyes and then began to dash when I bumped into a wall that made me lose my balance but not to the point of falling. I managed to stay up, then hold my specs which are on the verge of falling. I adjusted, my eyes as it suffered dizziness for a moment, then averted it to the "wall" in front of me.

I suddenly began to question myself for this scene is likely a rendezvous for me. And yes, it is not new anymore, it's the same person from back then, I thought. The look of smugness from him never fails to catch my attention, that one tiny detail, I am well aware of. He gave me a smirk before finally stepping his way out. What gives? I said only to myself. And finally, I turned my eyes inside the classroom, where I saw a boy the same age as mine, of the name I do not know, is lying on the floor, surrounded by chairs in complete disarray. I tried to speak, but at that moment I couldn't construct even a single word. I the feel pain in his eyes, I cannot hide my gasped when suddenly a shiny red liquid oozes its way out of his nose. He tried to suppress it by covering it with a hanky which he fished from his pocket.

I can see how he struggled to stand, how he held on the feet of the chairs around him. Help him! I cried to myself, but the moment I stepped forward to help him, is the time he gave me a look I cannot fathom how to describe. Is that of pain? Of disdain? Or of embarrassment maybe? I watched him get his way out of the classroom and finally onto the gates. I watched his back walked away from school. Walked away from the place where he suffered bullying. Where he was degraded. Where he was stripped of his dignity. Where he was judged for the person he was not. A pang of guilt gripped my heart. I wasn't able to help, because I, myself is weak. I wasn't able to help him because I, myself is scared. I wasn't able to help him because I, myself lacked the confidence to do so, the courage to do so.

The scene from school preoccupied my thoughts like a kaleidoscope even though I am already at home. Then the news back then flashed within me. I can clearly recall, the viral video that resurfaced the internet a few months ago, of a boy named *** from *** University. A black belter in Taekwondo who uses his strength in bullying his fellow students, one video became viral where he countlessly said "Beat up or Dignity?" Can someone really strip you out of your dignity? I began to question that. Can people regardless of who they are, can mercilessly do anything to harm you? why are there people who make bullying, a kind of fun thing? is their self-satisfaction for that? I questioned.

I hurriedly went to my bed to rest, this day made me restless. And then thoughts began to clog my mind again. Some of us got bullied, get scared in a way that we can't take it any longer. But we can undo our fears, if we widened our minds to help ourselves and also those who felt it too. We can unleash from the rope of unwanted pain. Bullies are not the one who decides or rather change our lifestyle. Bravery and courage are always here within us.

Faces are not meant to be punched. Faces are made to put on that every glimmer of happiness we have during the most important parts of our life. The eyes, to see and appreciate things that we have as we use our nose to breathe the same air. Mouth, to speak freely but in a good way. In school, teachers used to teach us to be well-disciplined, in exchange to be respected. But there will be students who don't get intimidated by bullies. They're strong enough and stood up to face them. I really admire those who can do that.

As I began to close my eyes for a nap. A realization hit me! I have a ranked game at 8 in Mobile Legends and it's already past 12! Whew! Those boys must be fuming mad at me. I told myself as I latched the phone near my bed, connect it to WiFi and the app.

Welcome to my world!

___

This short story that I made back when I was in 9th grade, is a true-to-life story that I experienced in my school. I was transferred to that school last 2018. I met several people, made friends. Some have angelic personalities, some were not to mess with. Just like every school.

I entered this story in the column category of journalism and waited days to see if it was qualified. Luckily, my story was accepted and got its way to be a part of our school paper.

All thanks and loves to my coach/mentor Arriane M. Tering in the English field. She was the one who helped me revising some parts, fixed transitions, added spices, and sprinkled words that were powerful enough to kick and grip the hearts of the readers.

And now, I posted this for a great reason. I want everyone who experienced, who's experiencing bullying, to open their eyes, stand up and raise aloft themselves. You are not weak nor punching bags to be just punched whenever or whatever they like to. You are not an animal to be treated like one. You are not just someone they could pace their feet on.

You are you. No matter where you from, what you are, and how you look, they have no right of disrespecting your dignity. Chin up, bud.