“
Chang! Time for School!” Chang’s mother bellowed from the kitchen,
“
Give me a minute,” Chang grumbled slamming the pillow on top of his face.
“
Chang, Please get up!” his mother again. Chang groaned but got out obediently, slipping out of his
pajamas and into his school uniform blinking hard at the mirror. “Why do I always look like such a monster?”
he thought miserably.
“
Bye mom!” Chang yelled, grabbing a cookie and his bag. “Bye sweetheart, have fun at school,” his
mom replied. As soon as Chang walked onto the pavement, he imagined the Great Wall, remembering the
moments crisp and clear. “Stand up tall,” he said to himself. After 10 minutes of walking, he turned around the
corner to his school. “Hey new kid,” a familiar voice hissed. Chang froze, not daring to move a muscle,
knowing it was Jackson, “I heard you chickened out yesterday, and headed home, let me tell you something
Chang, you will never belong here so you might as well just go back to your little home again.” Chang flinched
as if Jackson had just hit him and sprinted to the school, tears of shame and sadness running down his rosy
cheeks. The old man’s voice seemed but a distant, faded echo.
“
R-ring” the school bell chimed. It was the end of the school day, finally! Somehow Chang survived the
whole day, including lunch. He heard that Jackson had gotten a detention and for once enjoyed himself at school.
The teachers had all praised him, best of all he didn’t have any homework since it was still kind of his first day
at school. Chang rushed out of class, finding himself lost in a swarm of middle school students, who seemed just
as eager to get out of school as he did. As Chang finally made it to his locker in one piece, he yelped in surprise
as he saw five people waiting for him at his locker, Jackson and his gang...
“
Hey Chang,” Jackson smirked, pounding his fist together. Chang didn’t answer, instead he
automatically lowered his head, suddenly remembering what the old man. “I said hi Chang,” Jackson whispered
as he punched his fish into Chang’s chest making him fall onto the cold cement. Suddenly other students started
gathering around them, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” they chanted, as Jackson swung another punch at him, Chang’s
vision suddenly becoming blurry. “Lift your head up with pride,” the old man’s words suddenly flooded into his
head. “Lift your head up with pride. You are much better than these bullies and you know it. You are an
individual. You are special.” Chang slowly stood up, “I am special,” Chang thought, “I am special,” he
whispered, meeting Jackson’s gaze with a new look, a look of confidence and pride, and swung a punch at
Jackson. All around him students started cheering and applauding and that’s when Chang knew that everything
would be fine.
It was now two months since Jackson had started that fight. Everyday Chang looked around,
wondering if he would ever see the old man again. One Saturday evening, he decided to go to the Great Wall.
He stood at the exact place where he had met the old man, looking up into the stars. He closed his eyes and
knew that this was his final goodbye, whether the old man was imaginary or not, he had definitely made a huge
impact on Chang’s life.
* * *