The harsh minds connected with the defensive souls. That’s how I describe a bully. Insecure, so putting up a wall, being harsh to others to try to hide their low level of confidence. Huh. I feel no sympathy. There hasn’t been one year in my life when I wasn’t bullied, including elementary school. I’ve always been the outspoken, opinionated girl; or in this small town, the “weird” girl. Not the best title in the world, but I’ve come to accept who I am. Now I just desire for the bullies across the world to accept who they are. I’ve been asked countless times, “Savannah, how have you been bullied? You seem so bright and sunny.” A lot of people don’t understand how many different ways bullying is created. Whether it’s verbally, physically, mentally. Mine was merely verbal. I answer them, truthfully, letting them in on my experiences with the cruelness. In ninth grade, I had my first real experience with a “mean” girl. I was spunky, yet slightly insecure,[what fourteen year old girl isn’t?] and I was optimistic. I was practicing Pentecostalism, so I had long hair and long skirts through out my days and people didn’t like that. They didn’t like difference. They didn’t like that I was going past image and tradition, trying to find myself. I sat alone in class, on the bus, in my mind was only me. -They loved that- When I would walk down the hallway, the “mean” girl continuously mocked me; Laughing as I walked past, making snide comments. No, It didn’t feel good. It hurt my soul worse than being stabbed with a thousand knives. So my junior year, I made an impulsive decision and moved schools, with high expectations. Everyone liked me for about a week. Better than I thought would come! People would tell me daily that I was annoying, talked too much, was a kiss up to the adults. Really, I was no kiss up. I was myself. My teachers were the only people who understood me. Accepted me. I had a girl tell the whole school that I was bisexual. Yes, that’s true, but it hurt so badly because she did it out of disrespect, intentionally to hurt me. And I let her. Why did I let her? Why did I let these small-minded people hurt me so? What kind of perception would one have to contain in order to kill happiness? A bully. I’m thankful that I do not understand their state of mind. Understanding would only make me just as small. Don't change your individuality for acceptance. Because if everyone is accepted, there is no originality. Be who you are. Know you, forget them.