Mrs Stephens droned on and on. I sat there, writing a note to my best friend, Valerie.

“Do you understand what she’s saying?” I wrote, “I just want to go home and relax. I am tired today. I don’t get a word of Mrs Stephens, she is just burbling.”

“Do you know how Angela came up with that answer, Jennifer?” Mrs Stephens suddenly asked me.

“Uh, what answer?” confused, I asked. Angela smirked at me and I sighed.

The reason I hate to come to school is that I have to put up with Angela Peters, Miranda Fletcher and Julie Banks’ bullying.

Mrs Stephens sighed too. “How about you put away what you are doing and pay attention to what I’m saying, so you can understand the topic. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Mrs Stephens.” I mumbled. Valerie gave me a pitiful look.

When school finished, I rushed out of the classroom and guess what? I bumped into Angela and her gang.

“Oh, my, look at you, how dare you, you teensie weensie wannabe,” Angela sneered.

“Well, if I wanted to be someone, I definitely wouldn’t want to be you,” I muttered.

“What did you just say?” Angela asked, her temper rising.

“I said, ‘If I wanted to be someone, I definitely wouldn’t want to be you’!” I gathered courage and said in a louder voice.

Angela slapped me on my cheek.

“Angela Peters!” Mrs Edinburgh’s, our principal, voice boomed in the hall. Angela froze. I stood up, wobbling, as I had fallen.

“What kind of behaviour have I just witnessed?! How dare you attack another pupil? I am shocked! You will receive three-hour detention!” Mrs Edinburgh scolded so ferociously that Angela cowered in fear.

It was the best day of my life! Angela never teased me again, because she knew if she did, she would receive detention. And I realised if she did something, all I had to do was to tell the teacher or the principal.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 4th, 2017