Beating the Bullies--True Life Stories of Triumph Over Violence, Intimidation and Bullying by Polly Clarkson

Author:Polly Clarkson [Polly Clarkson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782195276
Publisher: John Blake Publishing
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

11

Abbi Morrall, 15

With the sound of kids scurrying out of class for their mid-morning break, petite schoolgirl Abbi Morrall got up from her desk and picked up her neatly packed pencil case and notepad.

It was a typical November day at Westfield Junior School in Hinckley, Leicestershire. The sky was grey and rain drizzled lightly onto the large metal windows across the corridor.

As the sound of high-pitched voices became louder and louder, blonde Abbi walked out of her English class and made her way towards the canteen. She felt inside the pocket of her blazer and pulled out a one-pound coin – just enough for a chocolate bar and apple juice.

It wasn’t unusual for Abbi to spend break time on her own. Although she had a few friends at the school, she was more self-contained than the other kids. And she didn’t see anything wrong with sitting on her own in the canteen while the other kids sat in groups.

As she walked down the narrow, tunnel-like hallway, brushing past the crowds of children opening up their lockers to get snack money, Abbi suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder.

‘Oi, where you think you’re going?’ a girl’s voice said behind her.

Abbi’s heart sank. She recognised the voice: it was that of Sarah,* one of the girls who had been tormenting her for over four years.

‘Don’t think you’re gonna be buying nothing,’ Sarah said. ‘Give me your money! Now!’

Abbi’s heart started thumping loudly and her palms moistened. She knew exactly what awaited her if she didn’t hand the money over.

‘O-OK,’ Abbi muttered nervously, as she gave the pound coin to Sarah.

‘You really think you’re something special, don’t ya?’ Sarah’s voice drew closer, echoing in Abbi’s ear. ‘Well, you’re not.’

Abbi could feel Sarah’s hot breath on the side of her neck and a shiver ran down her spine.

‘Please, leave me alone,’ she thought, crossing her middle and forefinger. It was something she always did. ‘Don’t hurt me – don’t hurt me,’ she’d plead.

And with that, Sarah pulled away, letting out a sinister chuckle as she walked away with a gang of girls.

The experience left Abbi in a state of distress. She was petrified Sarah would come back for more. But she knew that, if she got to the canteen, Sarah wouldn’t be able to touch her because there would be teachers everywhere to protect her.

Within seconds, Abbi reached the canteen’s automatic doors and she sighed with relief. At least for now, she’d be safe.

Although the torment and name-calling was a regular occurrence, Abbi still felt terrified every time her bullies approached her.

It had all started in primary school in 1998. To this day, Abbi can’t pinpoint exactly why the other children singled her out.

‘I got on very well with the teachers and loved going to school,’ Abbi says. ‘Maybe they were jealous of me because I got good grades.’

Abbi wasn’t like a normal six-year-old. She was more mature and spoke more eloquently than other kids her age. Her mother, Alison Faulkner, also noticed that her daughter was different from other girls her age.

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