By the Time You Read This Read Online Free Page B

person who’ll ultimately be there for you.
    I’m basically trying to share the type of advice my old dad would impart as he smoked on a long pipe (okay, I’m fibbing about the pipe bit). His sentences would always begin: “Son, listen to me…” Most times I’d do so by rolling my eyes continuously around in my head until the onset of eye-ache. You see, he didn’t always make much sense with his man-to-man speeches, but sometimes he got it spot on.
    I don’t doubt you’ll meet a few more friends as you get older, and that’s great, but the ones you can really, truly rely on, you’ll be able to count them on one hand.
    I hugged the one-eyed teddy close.
    Then there are the not-so-friendlies.
    Remember, Lowey, bullies are just wimps in disguise. You may think they’re all brave when they confront you, shout a lot and basically frighten the socks off you. But with bullies, there’s something about THEMSELVES they’re trying to cover up by being horrible and mean to you. So, if you’ve inherited my gangliness, you’re probably taller than a lot of the other girls and boys in your class anyway, which can help, but can also bring on the teasing. Or if you’re anything like your mom’sside—Auntie Elizabeth case in point—you’re probably quite…generous around the middle and a little vertically challenged.
    Actually, I was a cross between both sets of families: taller than all the boys in my class, not as slim as most of the girls…
    The point I’m trying to make is, school can at times represent one big fat popularity contest, especially these days. I remember it well and it wasn’t easy. I have to admit, being good at soccer was a bonus (especially as I helped win the cup). But it’s just too early to see what you’ll be good at, to make you less of a target. All I do know is that you’ll be a beauty (inside and out) and this in itself might make you popular—or get you beaten up from time to time. Whatever you look like, there will be something that makes you stand out, and if a group of kids, or just one kid with a big gob, cottons on to this—you’re in trouble.
    Okay, now for the “try not to be a wimp” part.
    LOWEY, DONT BE A WIMP!
    If a real big bully has it in for you, never let her know you’re scared. If she starts calling you names about the way you look, the color of your skin, the style of your clothes, just ignore her—this will hurt her more than you actually responding, as it will make her look and then feel a bit silly. If the situation calls for tougher action, then take it like a man and stand up to her (no, not by smacking her about the head with your backpack—however much she deserves it—and she might). Laughher off or ignore her—she’ll soon get bored. Let her know she JUST ISN’T THAT IMPORTANT in the grand scheme of things. You see, that WILL shock the crap-sorry, heck—out of her for sure. If this doesn’t work, you can make a smart comment, just don’t make the comment too smart, or she’ll probably give you that beating after all. And if all else fails and she’s still coming at you, turn and walk away. You may feel like a wimp for doing so (when in fact you’re behaving like the BIGGER person), but it’s the best way in the long run and just shows how unwilling you are to stoop to her low-down level. I say HER because if it’s a boy then report him to a teacher straight away. No question about that.
    I threw the one-eyed teddy across the room in frustration as I thought about Sharlene Rockingham waiting outside the school gates for me. Sharlene Rockingham, the thorn in my side. She’d started her vendetta against me all because she found out I hadn’t cheered for her during sports day last summer. Admittedly, we’d never got on, but the constant snide remarks and dirty looks across the dinner hall were all leading up to something big.
    Sharlene was the main reason I often fantasized about bad things. Like her death. Yes. I’d thought about her