My name is Michelle. I had a best friend. We always did many things together. We spent every moment of every day together. My friend was always bullied. She was short, skinny, and had red hair and her name was Rebecca (Becky for short). She only had a few friends, me being one of them. She was always getting made fun of, and her other friends would join in on the laughs. She would walk around and they would push her and they would say "Come on, push me," and they would laugh, knowing she couldn't. They were so much bigger and tougher than she was. She was the typical kind, sweet, smart girl that had no reason to be bullied.
One day, a guy went up to her and simply started to make conversation. I remember I would walk around campus with her and he would always come up to us and talk to her. I always thought it was cute. He started to bring her flowers, cute cards, and he began calling her constantly. This went on for a while, until he asked her to be his girlfriend. She gladly accepted and she stopped hanging out with me for a while. I later found out that people were making rumors. Some of the rumors were "She paid him to date her" and others were "He is pity dating her." I feel bad that I never did anything to stop it. I regret it so much.
Well, one day her boyfriend (let's call him Nick) had to stay in class during lunch. I saw her hanging out by herself, but I didn't go up to her because I was getting made fun of because I was her friend. The rumors by this time were even worse: "She was in bed with him, and that's the only reason he is with her." Even if I knew it was not true, for some reason I just followed with the crowd. When I saw that she came towards me, I pretended not to notice. She came up to me and sat down on the same lunch table as my friends and I.
Lauren, one of my friends, had shouted, "Eeewww! Michelle, why do you hang out with the slut?" Well, for some reason I responded, "Eww no, I don't hang out with her. For some reason she thinks I'm her friend," and I laughed. I saw the facial expression of my friend change. Without saying anything she got up and left.
After a few weeks, Nick came up to me and told me that he couldn't handle everyone making fun of him for being with Rebecca and he ended up breaking up with her. Now, she was alone. She was alone during breaks, and no one would call her to be in group projects. (We were in 7th grade at the time.)
I was in the hallway waiting for one of my friends to come out of a class. Rebecca and I exchanged awkward glances and as we looked at each other someone went by her and said, "You're such a slut," and the girl shoved Rebecca onto the wall. "Fight me! You're a slut, so you must know how to hurt people," the girl said to Rebecca. Rebecca just froze right there. Ever since she was little, she had anxiety, so she had this thing where when she was scared she would be silent. The girl laughed again and shoved her again. This time Rebecca began to tear up and that girl whispered, "That's why you lost Nick, you don't talk." Nick was a witness and didn't do anything. He pretended like nothing happened.
But what can I say? I also saw and didn't do anything.
The next day, she didn't show up. Neither did the next, nor the next day. After one whole week, the teachers had found out. Rebecca had killed herself. The minute I found out, I began crying. I was at fault. It was all my fault. If only I would have stood up for her, she would have still been alive. She was such a great friend. All because of the stupid rumors, and because of me, she is dead.
Now, I'm 16. This happened just a little over 3 years ago, but now, if I see anyone getting made fun of, I go tell an adult, or help them out. I've made clubs to help stop bullying.
I still have the pictures we took together, and I always try to imagine what would it be like if she was still alive. I smile at our memories, but to this day, I can't help but hate myself. Please guys, don't make fun of anyone, especially call them sluts or anything offensive. Because in reality, words do kill. If any of you guys need to talk to someone, I'm here to help.