The After Effects

by Saadio Aden

The alarm clock went “ding….ding… ding.” I woke pretending I couldn’t hear it, because I didn’t want to get up. My mom was yelling at my sister and me, “Get up girls it’s time to go school.” I didn’t understand why she was so excited. I miserably dragged myself out of bed; I just wanted to crawl and hide and the blanket. It was a cold day in March 1999, I was fourteen years old, and it was my first day of school in America.

I was scared. My sister and I got ready, but we were not happy. We knew we had to go to school, and mom would not let us stay home. We walked to the bus stop right across the street from our house. A few minutes later, a big yellow bus pulled up right next to us. We looked at each other and my sister said, “Here we go.”

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Banana Lips Speaks

by Anonymous

When I was in the fifth grade, I was extremely popular and well liked.  I had many friends and I was very confident.  That is very different from how I am today.  So what happened?  I was teased and bullied in elementary and middle school, and that had a permanent effect on my self-esteem.

“Teri With an I”

by Deborah Weber

The rush of bodies pushes me along the hall. I might make it this time, I think. I just need to make it down three flights of stairs to the door. My heart starts beating faster; my arms are heavy from the burden of my books. I’ve made it down two flights of stairs — one more set to go. My salvation is within sight!

Suddenly, she is there. I look over into her face and she smiles. It is as if she can smell my fear and wants me to know that she has me exactly where she wants me.