I run up to my junior high classmates as I get off the bus, to get in some last minute gossip before the bell rings, of course! But when I run up to my friends, I hear a very familiar conversation that makes me want to scream. A popular girl is talking about a certain show she watched on TV last night.

“It actually wasn’t that bad! I liked it.” She tells her friends. Her friend cuts in.

“Really? Telling from the previews I thought it was going to be gay!” She laughs to her friends. My heart stops cold.

At the mention of the word “gay” I ball up my fists and go to tell her off. I stop sadly though, for I know how it will end as it always does. All of the kids staring at me like I’m stupid and saying, “God, Courtney, can’t you take a freakin’ joke?” And I’ll run off how they possibly think teasing a persons sexuality, just tossing insults like that around like its nothing, is funny. And I fight back tears, for I realize these kids still don’t understand the power of words and how much they hurt. Some people will never learn.

“Sticks and stones my break my bones…”