Conflict

Melanie was excited about starting her new school. Making new
friends...
She came home from school on the first day exhausted. She had been shy
in form, but had got through the day.

"So, love what did you do at school today?" Melanie's Mother
asked.
"Oh, nothing much. We just learnt our way around school, that's all",
Melanie replied.
Melanie went upstairs to start the work she'd been set.
She was tired after she'd finished the work, but she couldn't wait
until the next day.

Melanie thought the day was fine so far. Then when Melanie was walking
to one lesson a group of girls pushed past her, knocking her bag on to
the floor and all its contents.
"Oh, ever so sorry about that", one of the girls said
sarcastically.
Then the rest of the girls started to kick Melanie's belongings around
on the floor. Melanie tried to pick them up as fast as she could. The
girls just walked off laughing.
Everyone who was walking past saw what had happened, but they just
trampled over Melanie's belongings, they didn't bother to help her pick
them up!
By the time Melanie had picked up all her belongings, a group of girls
and boys had formed around Melanie. They were laughing. Melanie
recognised some of them as the girls who'd pushed past her. Melanie
felt angry and she just wanted to strike out at them all for laughing
at her! She stepped forward and a boy stuck his leg out in front of her
to trip her up. She fell over the leg. Down she fell. She lay on the
floor for a while. Catching her breath. She could hear them all
laughing. She tried to get up, but she could feel someone holding her
down.
"So what you gonna do? Cry? Or go and tell on me? Well, titch, we're
going to keep on getting you. Until you can't take it anymore!" The
girl holding Melanie down snarled, then kicked her.
Melanie waited until she'd heard them all go. She got up. She had a
big red mark on her leg. She started to cry, she didn't know what else
to do. She walked off, limping. She felt she'd be getting more of that
to come.

Indeed Melanie got more of the bullying... She tried to keep it
hidden, that she was being bullied. She wore trousers and long jumpers
to cover up the bruises she had on her arms and legs. It had been going
on for six months now. Everyday they would call her names, beat her up.
They never stopped. They just kept on and on. Melanie knew she could
never tell anyone. She hadn't even made friends, yet.
She felt alone, angry, sad and confused all at once. She just wanted a
normal happy life. She could never have that now... never.
Melanie walked out of the school gates one evening. There they were,
waiting, watching. As soon as they saw her they started to call her
names...
"Now, look it's good old fat titch Melanie. Look how she wobbles as
she walks. So where are you going? You wouldn't mind if we walk you
home", Lucy, the leader of the gang said.
"Well, ... no I can walk home on my o... w... n... " Melanie
stammered.
A girl walked past, she'd seen what those other girls had been doing
to Melanie over the past months. She thought it wasn't right and she
thought Melanie was nice. She wouldn't mind being her friend. Her name
was Stace.
Stace stopped and watched the group of girls push and shove Melanie
along. Then Stace decided to follow them.

Melanie hated being pushed and shoved. She didn't know where they were
taking her. Eventually they came to a field.
"So, here's the crunch. We're going to beat you up... for good! You
see, you've been annoying us ever since we started high school. Always
doing your work", Lucy jeered.
Stace was hiding behind a bush, watching. What she saw next shocked
her. The leader of the gang punched Melanie's stomach while other
members of the gang held Melanie down. The leader kept punching and
kicking. Calling Melanie names, other members also kicked Melanie. It
lasted for about an hour. Then Stace decided this had to end, she
stepped out from behind the bush.
"What do you think you're doing?" Stace demanded.
"Beating her, what do you think you're doing?" Lucy snapped
back.
"I've been watching you doing this to her. For the past months you've
bullied her! Its got to stop. Don't you see what you're doing to
her..." Stace was cut short because Lucy launched on her.
They rolled around on the ground. The rest... of the gang egged them
on. Melanie lay on the floor watching them.
Lucy suddenly gave up and walked off with "her gang".
Stace went over to Melanie. Reassured her and comforted her. Took her
home and told Melanie's Mum.

Over the next few years Melanie and Stace became good friends. Though
it seemed Melanie got over being bullied, Stace could tell she still
hadn't...

Melanie used to want to kill hersef... but she didn't. She went on to
be successful, the bully did not...