The Power of Kindness
It was the start of a new school year. A short, pale girl with dark circles under her eyes that spoke of many sleepless nights scurried into her form room; it was her first year of high school. Glancing desperately around the room, her heart broke as she saw her nemesis from primary school lounging in a seat down the back. She didn't think could face another year of him.
The snide remarks, the cruel comments and whispered insults, they'd all become too much for her over the years. As the hurt grew so did the fear. Some mornings she was physically sick because she was so afraid to go to school and face the insults she knew he was just waiting to hurl in her direction or whisper viciously so only she could hear. Her parents didn't understand how badly he had affected her. They didn't realise that when she cried "I'd rather die than go to school!" she meant it.
Timidly she looked around the room, avoiding eye contact. None of her friends were in this class but if she could find someone to sit with...there was a small degree of safety in numbers. There was no one else she knew in this class, and she was to shy to talk to anyone new. She'd have to sit alone, again. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed dejectedly and shuffled off towards a seat up the front. Someone bumped her from behind; deliberately knocking the pile of books she was carrying flying. A hissed insult let her know that her nemesis had not forgotten her and was looking forward to another year of mental torture. She looked at him in disgust and, determined not to break apart and cry in front of the whole class, bent down to pick up her books.
A boy sitting nearby angrily got up and pushed his way between the bully and his victim. "Leave her alone!" he said furiously and looked down at the bully who suddenly found himself chest high to an enraged farm boy. Retreating back the rear of the classroom, the bully gave the girl an evil look.
"I'm Clark" said the boy, as he bent to help the girl pick up her scattered books.
"I...I...I'm Daria." She stammered, and broke into a smile for the first time that day. It was a beautiful smile.
The answering smile Clark gave her was charming and the fact that this cute guy was smiling at Daria did wonders for her beat up ego.
"Wanna come sit with us?" He asked, and gestured to where his friends were sitting.
They seemed friendly enough, and Daria had never been friends with a guy before. She nodded, still smiling.
When Daria got home that afternoon the first thing she did was go to her room and open the cupboard. Taking out a locked box, she opened it with the key from the chain around her neck. Inside the box was a single, tearstained piece of paper.
'Dear Mum and Dad
I'm sorry to leave you like this but I can't go on. I want to die. I love you. Please forgive me.
Love Daria.'
Daria took the piece of paper, and happily burnt it, she didn't need it anymore. She had a protector, a friend, someone who had been kind to her when she needed it most. She had a hero.
It was the start of a new school year. A short, pale girl with dark circles under her eyes that spoke of many sleepless nights scurried into her form room; it was her first year of high school. Glancing desperately around the room, her heart broke as she saw her nemesis from primary school lounging in a seat down the back. She didn't think could face another year of him.
The snide remarks, the cruel comments and whispered insults, they'd all become too much for her over the years. As the hurt grew so did the fear. Some mornings she was physically sick because she was so afraid to go to school and face the insults she knew he was just waiting to hurl in her direction or whisper viciously so only she could hear. Her parents didn't understand how badly he had affected her. They didn't realise that when she cried "I'd rather die than go to school!" she meant it.
Timidly she looked around the room, avoiding eye contact. None of her friends were in this class but if she could find someone to sit with...there was a small degree of safety in numbers. There was no one else she knew in this class, and she was to shy to talk to anyone new. She'd have to sit alone, again. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed dejectedly and shuffled off towards a seat up the front. Someone bumped her from behind; deliberately knocking the pile of books she was carrying flying. A hissed insult let her know that her nemesis had not forgotten her and was looking forward to another year of mental torture. She looked at him in disgust and, determined not to break apart and cry in front of the whole class, bent down to pick up her books.
A boy sitting nearby angrily got up and pushed his way between the bully and his victim. "Leave her alone!" he said furiously and looked down at the bully who suddenly found himself chest high to an enraged farm boy. Retreating back the rear of the classroom, the bully gave the girl an evil look.
"I'm Clark" said the boy, as he bent to help the girl pick up her scattered books.
"I...I...I'm Daria." She stammered, and broke into a smile for the first time that day. It was a beautiful smile.
The answering smile Clark gave her was charming and the fact that this cute guy was smiling at Daria did wonders for her beat up ego.
"Wanna come sit with us?" He asked, and gestured to where his friends were sitting.
They seemed friendly enough, and Daria had never been friends with a guy before. She nodded, still smiling.
When Daria got home that afternoon the first thing she did was go to her room and open the cupboard. Taking out a locked box, she opened it with the key from the chain around her neck. Inside the box was a single, tearstained piece of paper.
'Dear Mum and Dad
I'm sorry to leave you like this but I can't go on. I want to die. I love you. Please forgive me.
Love Daria.'
Daria took the piece of paper, and happily burnt it, she didn't need it anymore. She had a protector, a friend, someone who had been kind to her when she needed it most. She had a hero.