In sixth grade was when a short, smart girl was a victim of bullying. It hurt her really badly and made her not trust her own friends in the future and have confusion choosing friends.

She was one of the super fast test takers so her and the rest of the students in the category went back to their home room which they all shared together.

The girl walked up to her friends, three girls who accepted her friendship early in the year. They had been giggling and laughing in the testing room so as the person she was, she wanted to know what the commotion was about.

"Ketchup." One girl whispered.

The other two snickered in return then the whole circle was completely silently once she pulled up a chair next to her friends.

"What'd you say?" She asked one of them.

The girl pushed her hair back and laughed alongside her other two friends.

She wanted to find out who this 'Ketchup' person was. She wanted to find out so badly.

Whenever she did something they mumbled 'Ketchup' and laughed like maniacs.

Finally, it hit her. She was Ketchup. They were laughing at her.

She slowly backed away and sat at another desk alone.

"What's wrong?" Her red headed friend asked once she joined the class in the room.

The girl wiped some stray tears that had fallen and explained the story to her.

By the time she finished the story, the bell rang to signal next period. She went to band crying.

She couldn't believe her friends would be so mean. Better yet, one of the three girls sat next to her in band.

As she tried to explain the story and how it wasn't meant to hurt her, the girl wiped tears falling down her cheeks.

She didn't want to hear anymore.

The girls tried so hard to apologize and say it was just for fun but it stung hard in her heart.

She would never be the same after that encounter with bullying. She couldn't be the same, always having to question who her friends were while being awkward and ruining some friendships.

She was okay. She was aware.