Trust

Author : Kokila

Date : June 2nd, 2022

When I was young in fourth grade, I moved from the USA to India. It was a challenging process for me to get used to the environment and culture. When I started school, everything was going great in the beginning. I made a lot of friends and all the teachers usually sang praises about me.

It was at the time of the sports meet that I noticed changes in my friends. They started ignoring me and excluding me in whatever they did. During the practice meet I was avoided by my classmates and no one spoke to me. I had no idea why everyone was ignoring me. I used to cry every single day due to their remarks on me which they gossiped behind my back. It was a very lonely period.

At one point no one spoke to me except the boys. Even the ones whom I had considered to be my friends had turned their backs on me. It was a phase of constant fighting between me and my parents to go back to America.

It had actually started with one girl, for convenience lets call her Hash. It was her who had started this bullying. One day out of the blue she started talking to me as if I was her best friend . So did the others. I thought that everything was going to be ok and felt for the first time after many days.

But then, as soon as the sports meet was over, they all went back to ignoring me. When I asked someone regarding it, they said that Hash's mother had told them to speak to me otherwise it would become a problem. And since sports day was over, they went back to ignoring me.

Well thinking back now, I wish I had stood against Hash. I wish I had told an elder about it.

As time went on, the school year ended and the next year started. Everyone was normal other than the gossiping here and there. I had made a really good friend in grade five and considered her as my best friend. Here I'll be referring to her as Orange.

At the beginning of grade six I noticed Orange distancing herself from me. I didn't think much of it. There were a lot of red flags but I ignored them. That was where I went wrong. The bullying started again but this time my best friend was involved in it. It broke my heart completely and I developed major trust issues.

But this year was a bit bearable compared to grade four. I made a really good friend whom I could trust and rely upon. She taught me that it doesn't matter about what others think and helped me overcome my insecurities. She is a good friend of mine till date. Even though we drifted apart in 11th grade, I don't regret having her as my friend. Some people are meant to be only a small part of your life.

Eventually, Orange realized all the wrongs she had done and apologized many times. I told her that I had always considered her a friend and would still do so.

Trust is something that can easily be earned but once broken, it is difficult to mend. Only the victims of bullying know what they go through. The effects of it can be everlasting. Even now it is kind of difficult for me to trust anyone and make friends.

If you are going through a tough time, just remember there is always a rainbow at the end of it. 🌈