I Don’t Feel Like a Superhero: Why I Didn’t Stand Up to My Bully Best Friend.
This article was originally an essay and is published here with permission. The author is Emily Flum, a sixth grader attending public school in Brooklyn, NY.
This is going to sound weird but I read superhero comics. I know what you’re thinking. What’s so strange about that? Almost everyone on this planet has seen the movies, especially the Marvel ones (don’t get me started on DC). Well, how many kids do you know that read the comics? Go ahead, think about it. The answer is practically none. Except me, of course.
The scariest thing about going to school is when you’re into something that a lot of your classmates aren’t. It’s not just their lack of interest but more like they openly disdain what you love. I couldn’t even open a comic without people moving away from me. In case, you didn’t guess it by now, I had no friends. That’s fifth grade for you.
And…that was my life for the first month or so of the semester. It didn’t help that I was new (Newark, NJ, born but please don’t tell anyone). I also screwed up, I’m talking an epic movie like blunder, when I geeked out all over this actress in my class. Hey, I was a big fan of her zombie movie she did. Regardless, I was ostracized more than ever before.
Finally, and I’ll get to the point here, I met someone that later became my best friend. I couldn’t exactly tell you how it happened, it just fell right into place. She saw me reading a comic book, at lunch, and just walked right up to me. Yes, I was eating alone but that’s not important. Anyway, she asked what I was reading and we talked and talked and talked (we were even late for class). She was into comics and everything pop culture. For the first time since living in Newark, I had a friend.
Jessica Sale made fifth grade bearable and even fun for me. We loved the same things and agreed on almost everything. And, yes, Into the Spider-Verse is the best superhero movie ever. Period. She even took me to her favorite comics store and introduced me to a lot of books I was missing out on. Everything was going great. That is…until Autumn Blevins.
Remember the actress that I mentioned earlier? Well, that’s her. Apparently, Autumn made fun of Jessica for failing a test. Can you believe how messed up that is? And, you know, Jessica was upset about it (she had every right to be). Later on, she found out that Autumn was given accommodations and extra time on the test. In short, and everyone knows this by now, Autumn has learning disabiltities.
I’m not going to rehash everything that happened next. Unless you’ve been in outer space or something, you already know the story. The fact is, Jessica made fun of Autumn for being “slow” (putting it politely). I understand getting revenge but Jessica took it to the next level. It’s like she just couldn’t stop and move on. I don’t like to admit it but Jessica was harassing her. She even wrote the “R” word on one of Autumn’s posters.
You want to know what I did when I saw this?
Nothing.
I just watched and even defended her. Jessica was, and still is, my best friend. I love her and I’ll do anything for her. That doesn’t excuse my inaction for not standing up to her. Sometimes I think about what Spider-Man would have done? You know, that whole “Great Power” spiel.
It was finally taken out of my hands when my classmates finally stood up to Jessica when she read Autumn’s IEP in the auditorium. That was the final straw. What did I do? I just sat there, of course.
So, I hope that answers your question. I’m not a hero or even a good person. I didn’t do anything when faced with a situation every superhero excels at. I’m just a loser.
And I don’t know what I’m going to do next year when I see Autumn again.
