Nate was standing there. Thinking what to do. "What did I do?"
People change, but not the way Nate did. He went through a lot that day.
He went from being a good boy to being a bully. Nate didn't know what he did wrong.
He did it without thinking. The punch went right to his face. Detention would come in his future. Nate knew that. He just didn't feel like the boy he was. He knew what he did was wrong. They all did.
2 hours earlier
Nate walked over to the lunch table. It was his birthday. Of course he'd bring in some sort of treat. It was cupcakes. He passed one to everybody. Then George, the most popular kid at school came over to him. Nate had extra cupcakes. George grabbed one and shoved it into Nate's face. Anger travelled through Nate's every vein. He pulled his arm back and put all of his power into his arms and threw a nose breaking punch at George's face. Blood. That's all that Nate saw. He ran away. Left the building and went to his favorite restaurant and hid in the bathroom. School ended. Guilt coursed through Nate's mind. Thinking and thinking. He had never been sad on his birthday. What if his mom found out? What would she do to him? Nate's birthday party was coming up soon. What would the kids say to him? He didn't even think about going to school again. He knew that he would be the boy people hated. But no, Nate didn't want that. All he wanted is a nice and peaceful birthday.
Without noticing he had realized that there could be a positive side to this. All the people who George picked on could be thinking how brave he was to stand up to George. He didn't think of it that way. All he thought about was why he would do such a thing. Nate felt like the whole world was now against him. It was his birthday but why did he have to ruin it by making physical contact with some fellow's face. Nate walked out of the bathroom. His mom had texted him asking where he is. He replied and said I’ll be home in 20 minutes. He took a napkin and wiped some excess blood. He had felt bad for what he had done. Nate thought George didn't deserve that kind of treatment. But no. Some part of Nate said that what he did was right. He did it without control. We've all been there. When something happens uncontrollably. But we got to let it by us. Nate didn't it. He started to walk towards home. He was predicting that his mom already got a phone call that he punched George in school. But by now he was ready to face the consequence. The problem was he didn't know what it was. This was all new to him.
He opened the door and walked in the house. He was expecting his mom to ask him what happened in school today. But instead she asked him how his birthday went. He didn't want to tell her what actually happened. So he lied to her and made up a story. This was new to him too. He never lied to his parents. But now he did. He went up to his room and thought about solutions. He didn't want to write a letter. Most people would do that but not Nate. He was 12 now. He could apologize himself. He went to the garage and took out his bike and started biking down the neighborhood. George lived in the same one. He drove up to George's house. Nate felt confident. He rang the doorbell. George's mom opened the door. "May I speak to George?"
"Sure but come on in and take a seat." Nate went in and sat on the couch. Nate could hear George walking down the steps. He came down with a surprised look on his face. Nate could sense that he didn't want him there. But Nate was wrong. George came up to Nate and apologized to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did today. After all it was your birthday and I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"It's okay. But I'm sorry that I punched you. I couldn't control myself."
"I'm okay. My nose was bleeding for about 5 minutes but then I was alright"
Nate felt good for what he did. But he still felt something was wrong. And yet he didn't know what it was. Something had still kept bothering him. Then in came to him. He took his bike and raced back home. Parked his bike in the garage and stepped inside. He told his mom the truth. The real truth. He thought his mom would punish him. He was wrong. His mom was actually proud that he stood up for himself and solved his own problems. Nate felt like a grown up.
He went to school the next day. Instead of all the kids making fun of him, they actually felt proud of him for standing up for himself. Nate liked that feeling. 3 days passed. Finally. His birthday party. Nate had been waiting for this moment for so long. This was the day where he could call some friends, hang out and have fun the whole day. Everybody put that moment behind them and just moved on with their own lives.
Nate changed. He realized what it would be like to be an adult. It's going to happen. People will grow up and you can't depend on your parents to solve your problems anymore.
So don't hold it, in speak up. You can make yourself feel better. Nate solved his problems by apologizing to George but you don't. Just do what you feel comfortable with.
Work of Tejas Kaushik.
People change, but not the way Nate did. He went through a lot that day.
He went from being a good boy to being a bully. Nate didn't know what he did wrong.
He did it without thinking. The punch went right to his face. Detention would come in his future. Nate knew that. He just didn't feel like the boy he was. He knew what he did was wrong. They all did.
2 hours earlier
Nate walked over to the lunch table. It was his birthday. Of course he'd bring in some sort of treat. It was cupcakes. He passed one to everybody. Then George, the most popular kid at school came over to him. Nate had extra cupcakes. George grabbed one and shoved it into Nate's face. Anger travelled through Nate's every vein. He pulled his arm back and put all of his power into his arms and threw a nose breaking punch at George's face. Blood. That's all that Nate saw. He ran away. Left the building and went to his favorite restaurant and hid in the bathroom. School ended. Guilt coursed through Nate's mind. Thinking and thinking. He had never been sad on his birthday. What if his mom found out? What would she do to him? Nate's birthday party was coming up soon. What would the kids say to him? He didn't even think about going to school again. He knew that he would be the boy people hated. But no, Nate didn't want that. All he wanted is a nice and peaceful birthday.
Without noticing he had realized that there could be a positive side to this. All the people who George picked on could be thinking how brave he was to stand up to George. He didn't think of it that way. All he thought about was why he would do such a thing. Nate felt like the whole world was now against him. It was his birthday but why did he have to ruin it by making physical contact with some fellow's face. Nate walked out of the bathroom. His mom had texted him asking where he is. He replied and said I’ll be home in 20 minutes. He took a napkin and wiped some excess blood. He had felt bad for what he had done. Nate thought George didn't deserve that kind of treatment. But no. Some part of Nate said that what he did was right. He did it without control. We've all been there. When something happens uncontrollably. But we got to let it by us. Nate didn't it. He started to walk towards home. He was predicting that his mom already got a phone call that he punched George in school. But by now he was ready to face the consequence. The problem was he didn't know what it was. This was all new to him.
He opened the door and walked in the house. He was expecting his mom to ask him what happened in school today. But instead she asked him how his birthday went. He didn't want to tell her what actually happened. So he lied to her and made up a story. This was new to him too. He never lied to his parents. But now he did. He went up to his room and thought about solutions. He didn't want to write a letter. Most people would do that but not Nate. He was 12 now. He could apologize himself. He went to the garage and took out his bike and started biking down the neighborhood. George lived in the same one. He drove up to George's house. Nate felt confident. He rang the doorbell. George's mom opened the door. "May I speak to George?"
"Sure but come on in and take a seat." Nate went in and sat on the couch. Nate could hear George walking down the steps. He came down with a surprised look on his face. Nate could sense that he didn't want him there. But Nate was wrong. George came up to Nate and apologized to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did today. After all it was your birthday and I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"It's okay. But I'm sorry that I punched you. I couldn't control myself."
"I'm okay. My nose was bleeding for about 5 minutes but then I was alright"
Nate felt good for what he did. But he still felt something was wrong. And yet he didn't know what it was. Something had still kept bothering him. Then in came to him. He took his bike and raced back home. Parked his bike in the garage and stepped inside. He told his mom the truth. The real truth. He thought his mom would punish him. He was wrong. His mom was actually proud that he stood up for himself and solved his own problems. Nate felt like a grown up.
He went to school the next day. Instead of all the kids making fun of him, they actually felt proud of him for standing up for himself. Nate liked that feeling. 3 days passed. Finally. His birthday party. Nate had been waiting for this moment for so long. This was the day where he could call some friends, hang out and have fun the whole day. Everybody put that moment behind them and just moved on with their own lives.
Nate changed. He realized what it would be like to be an adult. It's going to happen. People will grow up and you can't depend on your parents to solve your problems anymore.
So don't hold it, in speak up. You can make yourself feel better. Nate solved his problems by apologizing to George but you don't. Just do what you feel comfortable with.
Work of Tejas Kaushik.
