Maturity

Melody had underwent a series of hardships as a young girl. Third grade was a tough time for her and kids were especially cruel. They would alienate her and call her names such as “alien”. Other times they just pick on her for no reason. She had to learn how to stand up for herself pretty quick. “Telling on them to the teacher is the best option...but I’d be seen as a tattletale...” She decided that it was well worth the risk and went up to the teacher. “Ah hello Melody, what’s wrong?“ The young girl shuffled her feet back and forth before looking up at her. “Can we talk outside teacher? I don’t feel comfortable telling you inside.” Mrs. G looked confused but agreed anyways. Once they were outside, Melody frowned and exclaimed, “The other kids are calling me names Mrs. G.!” Mrs. G sighed and put her head in her hands, which covered her face effectively. She ran her fingers through her gray-white pixie cut out of slight annoyance. “I’ll tell them to leave you alone. Why do they keep picking on you?” Melody shrugged out of confusion, “I don’t know! I just want it to stop...” Mrs. G felt sorry for the downtrodden girl, and opened up her arms for an embrace. “Come here, I know how harsh being a kid is. Little kids can be horridly mean.” Melody didn‘t think twice before she ran into Mrs. G’s arms and hugged her tightly. Tears rapidly came running down her cheeks like a coursing river. “Stay strong throughout it all Melody. Don‘t let what those other kids say about you get to you. They just want to derive pleasure from seeing you sad.”

Melody kept bawling as she hugged Mrs. G, for she didn’t want the other kids to see her cry. She thought to herself, “I‘ll take this advice and try my best...I have got to be stone faced. I can’t let people easily read my emotions.” She stopped crying and parted herself from Mrs. G’s arms. Sniffling, Melody thanked her for the comfort. “I really needed that, thank you. I’m tired of the young kids picking on me. Just because I’m fatter than the majority doesn’t mean they should be mean to me...” The old teacher nodded at Melody’s wise words and gently pushed her back to her seat. “Finish your work, okay? I’ll give you extra time since you and I had this talk. I won’t let the other students know about this.” Mrs. G winked, exposing her crow‘s feet, with rosy flushed cheeks. The both of them headed inside, relieved that matters were seemingly resolved. As Melody went back to her seat, one of the mean girls approached her desk. “Hey there fattie. Why were you talking to the teacher?” Melody ignored her words and just continued to answer math questions. “Hm...what’s seven times six? I don’t remember...” It was hard for her to focus when one of the bullies was right next to her. Nonetheless, she kept trying to remain calm in the face of danger. As she was starting to figure out the answer to the multiplication question, the girl covered the problem with her hand, preventing Melody from filling in the answer.

The chubby, mean girl sneered, ”Hey, I asked you a question, and you didn’t answer me. Don’t you think that’s rude?” Melody remained quiet as she raised her hand for the teacher to notice. Thoughts full of annoyance and rage filled up Melody’s head. She just wanted to do her classwork in peace... “I won’t let Maria pick on me anymore...She keeps bothering me when I don’t even talk to her.” “Teacher...” Maria quickly put her hand back by her side before the teacher looked up at Melody. “Maria, why are you so close to Melody’s desk? You should be doing your classwork.” Maria looked calm as she answered, “Oh! I just wanted to ask Melody for help on problem number 7! You know I‘m not good at math teach’.” Mrs. G raised her eyebrows at the girl’s claim, doubting the veracity of her statement. “Well, if you needed help, you could have asked me. Melody is trying to focus, and you’re not helping by distracting her. Try to do your work like how everyone else is.” Other kids were eyeing the two students, and suddenly made sounds like “OOOOOOOOH the teacher just roasted her!!!“ and “Damn, Maria got told by the teacher!” At this point, Maria was turning red like a tomato out of sheer embarrassment. “...Fine. I’ll go back to my seat then.” Melody smiled smugly as Maria was going back to her seat.

She turned around to face Maria and nonchalantly asked her, “Hey, if you really need help with math, I can help you. I’ll ignore what happened just a few minutes ago. You could have asked me...” Maria’s face contorted into a disgusted look and laughed. “...Look. I don’t want your help. I can do it myself. I don’t want the teacher’s help either. Just leave me alone.” Maria turned her back to Melody and walked back to her seat. “...” Making quick work of her math class work, she finished it within 20 minutes. She didn’t have the opportunity to finish it quicker earlier because of the bullies interrupting her. They only stopped once they noticed Melody talking to the teacher. Melody decided to eye Maria from faraway whenever she wasn’t looking. “I wonder if she’s finished the assignment already...” Maria looked annoyed as she saw in a low whisper, “...What’s nine times seven...?“ She pulled out a calculator only for Mrs. G to immediately notice it. “What did I say about calculators? Put that back please Maria.” Maria felt like crying as she was growing increasingly more frustrated with the problems. At this point, Melody went over to the desk of Maria, despite Maria’s earlier claims about not needing help. “Hey...nine times seven is sixty three. Do you practice your time tables at home?” Maria felt offended and immediately retorted back, “What’s it to you? You’re trying to make me feel stupid, aren’t you?“

Melody sighed out of being tired of her sensitivity, “No Maria. If I wanted to be mean, I would have said something already. I’m trying to help you. Just let meM alright?” Maria became quiet and frowned, reluctantly agreeing to Melody’s help. “See this problem here? Five times two. You can count it on your fingers since it’s not a long multiplication problem.” Maria extended out her fingers and her eyes widened. “Huh...I’m so used to using the calculator...thanks.” Melody lightly smiled, “Don’t mention it. Just ask me if you need anymore help. I’m done with the classwork for now.” As Melody was about to head back to her desk, Maria called out to her, “Hey! I just wanted to say that you better help me another time...” Then she sheepishly added on a “Please?” Looking surprised at the sudden change in Maria’s demeanor, Melody didn’t question it and agreed. Mrs. G had seen it all and was blissfully pleased with Melody for being kind despite how coldly she was treated. “That little girl is growing up. She’s going to become a lovely woman if she continues to display kindness this way.”