to my secret hiding spot near the creek and cried. This happens every day. I’m always picked on. I
wish I could lock myself away from the world then I wouldn’t have to worry about being teased.
When I got home my mum saw my tears and immediate knew that I had been bullied. “Oh,
Mary-Jane. What did they do to you this time?”
I told her what happened.
“I think it’s about time someone talked to those girls. I’m going to call the principal,” she said.
“Mum, no,” I started. “They’ll just tease me even more. Please don’t call.”
“Well... okay... but, if I don’t call, will you promise me that you will stand up to them?” I
nodded but I’m not sure if I meant it.
Tuesday
Today Mum gave me money to buy my lunch so that they couldn’t throw it on the roof as eas-
ily. As I rode through the gates, Ashleigh, Tasha, and Samantha started to walk toward me. I stopped.
“Well, hello Mary-Jane, what have you got for us to throw on the roof today?” said Ashleigh.
Tasha and Samantha giggled.
“Leave me alone,” I said, shaking.
“Samantha, check her bag,” Ashleigh said to Samantha who unzipped my school bag and peaked
inside. I tried to grab it off her but she was too quick. I snatched at it. The wheelchair toppled over
and I fell to the ground with a crash. Samantha, Ashleigh, and Tasha ran off, holding the wallet with
my lunch money in it. I started to cry.
“Mary-Jane. What’s happened?” It was Mrs. Little my teacher.
“Oh, I just fell out of my wheelchair. I’m okay,” I say.
“You’re bleeding, we’d better clean you up.”
I didn’t want to tell Mrs. Little what had really happened because she might go and tell Saman-
tha off and then I would just get pushed around twice as much.
Wednesday
Ashleigh came in late today. Everyone turned around and stared. I was copying a sentence from
the board when Tim nudged me and told me to turn around. So I put down my pencil and turned
my body slowly. I thought my eyes had just popped out of their sockets because what I saw was Ash-
leigh sitting in a wheelchair just like me but she had her leg in a cast.
“I broke my leg when I was riding my horse yesterday.” Ashleigh had been talking about her
new horse for weeks.
“Ummm... okay... can every body please be careful of Ashleigh’s leg,” Mrs. Little said to the
rest of the class who where still staring at Ashleigh.
At lunchtime I saw Ashleigh at the bottom of the stairs, trying to get up them in her wheel chair.
I rode over to her.
“Hi. Are you trying to get up the stairs?” I asked.
“Yeah, I have to get to my next class,” Ashleigh replied.
“Listen, I know another way up that I use. It’s got a ramp. Do you want me to show you?” I
asked.
“That would be great,” she said quietly.
So I took her around to another door where there was a nice big ramp that led up to the second
floor. She rode up it.
KIDS’ OWN STORIESKids’ Own Healing Stories 217