AJR-Panic Attacks

Winter- 8 (Bullies)

WINTER'S POV

"Winter shminter!"

"You look like a fool!!"

"You're name is so girly!!"

They just keep coming at me. It's been like this for a while. I stopped counting the days and weeks that they bug me. I'm too scared to tell on them, so my teacher doesn't know. It only happens at recess... well... and at lunch... and when I'm walking out of class. Basically whenever the teacher isn't listening. My teacher is nice. She sings songs with us when we have to clean up or even sometimes in math. I try to ignore the bad comments and names, but it's getting harder. I told mommy and daddy about them, and they make me feel better, but when it keeps coming every day, it gets tough.

"You even look like a girl!!" I hear once more as we walk in from recess. I can't take it anymore. I can feel myself getting mad, so I go straight to my teacher. I look up to her and pause for a minute, thinking my problems aren't big enough for her to care about.

"Hi Winter! How was recess?" She asks me.

"Ummm," I start. "Fine. Umm, Mrs. Markely," I get a little more nervous when talking to her.

"What can I do for you?"

"Could you play a song for me?" I ask quietly.

"Sure I can! Which song?"

"Umm, it's my song. It's called Dear Winter. My dad wrote it."

"Well of course darling." She smiles. I don't know how, but I think she could tell something was bothering me. The bullies walk past me to find their seats, and I somehow find the split second of courage to talk to them.

"Hey!" I start, just as they brush past me. They all turn to me.
"My name is cool. My dad picked it out, and it doesn't make me girly. So back off before I get my dad and uncles to go after you."

"Oh yeah?" One of the bullies starts. "And who would they be? Some nobody's from the street?" They all laugh. My teacher happened to have the projector on, and when she found the song and pressed play, it pulled up a video of dad and uncle Jack and uncle Adam. I took a deep breath as the song started, mostly calming myself down. I didn't realize how tense and anxious I was. I turn to the bullies one last time.

"That is my family. So back off before they find you." I walk past the bullies, all of their faces held up in shock. I guess they didn't realize who my dad was. I take my seat in my desk, right beside the teacher. I fold my arms on my desk and lay my head down on them, listening to the song to help calm me down. I feel a tap on my shoulder, making me sit up to look at my teacher.

"That was very brave of you Winter. I'll need you to tell me a bit about them later, but if you want, I can tell the office to phone your mom and dad, and they can come pick you up early. How does that sound?" I nod as one lone tear slips from my eye. I wipe it away quickly, but Mrs. Markely notices.
"Ok. Grab your stuff and I'll get Mr. Lee to take you down to the office." She smiles. I mumble a "thank you" before grabbing my stuff and putting it in my backpack at the back of the class. Mr. Lee, Mrs. Markely's helper, meets with me and walks with me down to the office. The guy at the front tells me to sit on one of the chairs as I wait for mom and dad to come. Within about 5 minutes I see dad and mom walking into the front doors, and I run out to meet them. I instantly grab onto dad, giving him a hug.

"You ok Winter?" Dad asks as he crouches down to hug me back. I shake my head.
"Ok. We'll talk about it when we get home."
Mommy tells the guy at the front who they were and that they were here to pick me up, and the guy lets us leave.
I hold dad's hand as we walk back home in mostly silence. We get back home and mom and dad sit with me on the couch in the living room, me laying on dad's chest. I explain everything that happened that day, that week, everything. They both wrap me in a hug and kiss my head a bunch. They tell me that everything is going to be fine, and for once in a long time, I believe them.

(A/N this story was inspired by @KianaAJRfan! Thank you for the lovely inspiration!)