Opening: As humans we all can be bystanders or victims.
Scene one:
It was Monday morning there was a small wind blowing. Walking to school everything seemed quit. Not a single car passed by. As I took that curve that took me to the front of my school I heard a voice.
Girl: (whispering) “Hey. Psss hey you.”
I turned but didn’t see anyone.
Girl: “Hey you.”
I stopped for a second time. Then I heard the voice approaching me. Then I saw it. It was a girl. She had ripped clothes and leaves in her hair. Her lips chapped she seemed tiered and lost. I decided to walk towards her.
Me: “Hi? Are you okay? Do you need help?”
Barely able to see her from behind a bush she responded
AJ: “I’m….I’m AJ. I’ve been running away from place to place.”
Wondering I asked her
Me: “Why is that? What about your family and friends?”
Crying she says
AJ: “I ran away.”
Me: (confused) “Okay ran away but why?”
AJ: (crying) “I’ve been called names, have been pushed around in school and now there is pictures off me all over Facebook and Twitter.”
Me: (walking closer) “Have you gone to the principle or have you told a family member?”
AJ: (answering) “No. I haven’t told anyone.”
Me: (approaching her and then taking a seat on the end of the stairs) “Why not? How long has this been going on for?”
AJ: (unsure of her words) “I’m afraid I’ll be judged. It’s been going on for almost two months now.”
Bell rings. In shock I respond to her.
Me: “Wow! That’s a really long time. Well I have to go to class but I’ll meet you here when I get out.”
AJ nods and agrees.
Scene two
In school everything was normal, just thinking about AJ.
Me: (inner thoughts) “I wonder how she’s able to be wondering around like that? Isn’t she afraid? Does she eat? Where does she sleep? Is there a way I could help her?”
Scene three
Bell rings. I start walking out. When I got to the place where I met her I stopped were I had first seen her.
Me: (looking around) “Hello? Hello? AJ?
AJ: (peeking out from behind a big bush) “Yeah, I’m here.”
Handing her a red apple, water and a sandwich.
Me: “Here, I brought you something to eat. I thought you’d be hungry.”
Sitting down on the stairs and taking a bit from the red juicy apple she said
AJ: “Thank you.”
I felt like I was doing the right thing.
(Suggesting)
Me: “I think we should tell the principle or at least tell your mom so you can get the help you need to solve this conflict before it gets out of control.”
(Shouting in response to my suggesting)
AJ: “No! Not my mom!”
Answering and sounding as calm as I possibly could.)
Me:”It’ll be okay. No need to worry. I’ll go with you. Come on.”
AJ agreed
Scene four:
When we arrived to the front of her house I pulled her aside before entering and told her
Me: “I’ll be here to support you.”
AJ: (sounding a little calm) “Okay.”
Scene five:
After opening the door and just peeking in to see who was their mom noticed her and ran towards her.
AJ’s mom: “Mija where were you?”
AJ’s mom was relived to finally see her youngest daughter. Finally safe at her home.
Asking us to sit down in the living room with her she said.
AJ’s mom: “Where have you been? You had me so worry. I spent nights without sleeping just wondering where you were. Asking myself if you were safe if you needed something. Perhaps starving?”
I sat down next to AJ so she could feel the support she needed.
I interrupted AJ’s mom’s questions.
Me: “Good afternoon. My name is Jessica. I think you should let your daughter talk first before you start asking questions.”
She agreed.
AJ was very nervous. She didn’t know where to start.
Slowly she than started to talk.
AJ: “Mom I….I ran away….”
AJ’s mom interrupted
AJ’s mom: “Why? Did we do something wrong? What have we done to deserve this?”
She started crying
I noticed it was going to be really hard for AJ to speak if her mom kept on interrupting her and asking her so many questions.
Talking to AJ’s mom
Me: “I think you should let her talk. I now you have questions but if you let her talk she will be able to answer all your questions.”
Answering to my suggestion and feeling a little ashamed because she knew I was right.
AJ’s mom: “I now. I now. I’m just….I was so worried something bad had happened to her.”
AJ: “I know what I did was not right mom. But see now I’m okay. May I continue?”
Her mom answering
AJ’s mom: “Yes you can.”
Taking a deep breath before telling her mom all that she was going thru at school
AJ: “I’ve been bullied at school. People have been posting pictures of me throughout Facebook and twitter. I left home because I didn’t know what to do. I though the best would be to leave home and live on my own.”
She started crying
AJ’s mom was in total shock. She didn’t know what to say. Her own daughter victim of bullying.
Finally she decided to talk
Hugging her she said
AJ’s mom: “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to prevent that from happening. But not that you have told me we will get the help we need to stop all the bullying. We are going to the school and talk to the principle so that she can take charge of the people who were bullying you. And from now on I will be in charge of taking you to school and picking you up. We will have to erase your Facebook account and your twitter account so that people can stop bullying you. Hopefully the principle can expel the people.
Telling AJ
Me: “I’ll be here by your side while all this occurs. And maybe your mom can change you schools to mine and we can go together so that little by little you can start recovering from what happened.”