It was the first day of the new school year, and I was in trouble. I'd just had an encounter with the bully Moe. I'd been trying to open my locker, when Moe appeared and grunted, "Gimme your lunch money!"

What could I, an 11 year old, have done against the 14-year old Moe? I stood there stuttering, as the bell rang. Moe ordered me to give him the money after Homeroom and cracked his knuckles.

All through Homeroom Moe was all I thought about. Should I give in to his bullying or not? I'd been taught NEVER to cave in to a bully. But if I didn't, I'd get beaten up. I wanted to stand up to him, but doing that would only get me teased. I couldn't handle that. What was I to DO?

With the bell came my decision. I wouldn't cave in to his demands. I'd stand up for myself and report him. I took a deep breath, walked up to the teacher's desk and told her about Moe. Later that day, I realized that by standing up for myself I not only got a bully punished, but had also found a new sense of self-respect.

© 2009 Aishwarya K. Original for CCF. Aishwarya K. grants CCF first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology.

* CCF does not publish students' last names on the work they submit for publication.