I sat in a quiet corner under the staircase to read, escaping the taunts of Ronnie

and his gang. The tranquility was shattered by Ronnie, the ringleader whose bullying knew

no bounds.

"Look at Timid Tim, hiding in the shadows again?" Ronnie sneered.

5Upon hearing Ronnie's voice, I attempted to press myself against the wall, as if

trying to make myself smaller. Barely whispering, I replied, "I…I don't want any trouble."

Laughter erupted around me. I longed to defend myself but was overwhelmed by fear.

The bullying escalated beyond verbal taunts. Ronnie seized every chance to

humiliate me. He often took advantage of my fear of public speaking, putting me in

10situations where my fear would be evident for all to see. Once, when the teacher asked for

volunteers for a presentation, Ronnie slyly suggested that I go first. "You're too scared to

speak up?" he said mockingly. It was time to face the audience. My palms grew clammy.

In addition, my throat became constricted. This made it difficult for me to speak coherently.

Once I concluded my presentation, I gritted my teeth.

15On another occasion, Ronnie decided to play a nasty prank on me. While I was

frantically searching for my wallet in the classroom, Ronnie and his gang revealed

themselves as the culprits, sneering at my distress. "Looking for something, Timid Tim?"

Ronnie taunted, holding the wallet out of reach. Before I could react, Ronnie dashed away,

turning it into a chaotic chase. In spite of my attempts to snatch the wallet from his grip, I

20did not manage to do so. Eventually, Ronnie dropped the wallet with a thud and walked

away, laughing at my predicament. With a deep sigh, I hid my face behind my hands in

case my classmates see me in this plight.

During a school camp, our relationship took a significant turn. While wandering

around the campsite, I stumbled upon a diary lying on the ground. Picking it up, I realised

25it belonged to Ronnie upon examining its cover. Eagerly, I began flipping through its pages.

As I read, I was struck by his entries. I came to learn of Ronnie's challenges at home and

his pressure to do well in school. This discovery completely changed my perception of

him. He was not as bad as I had thought.

One afternoon, while on a hike, disaster struck when Ronnie stumbled and twisted

30his ankle on a hidden root. As Ronnie winced in pain, the group gathered around, unsure

of what to do. Despite trailing behind, I immediately rushed forward to help Ronnie. "Are

you okay, Ronnie?" I asked, examining the injured ankle. Ronnie, taken aback by my

kindness, nodded hesitantly.

"I think so, but I can't put any weight on it," he admitted. I offered Ronnie a shoulder

35to lean on, helping him to his feet as the group watched in astonishment. Together, we

made our way back to the campsite, supporting Ronnie every step. At the campsite, Ronnie

turned to me. "Thanks, Tim. I… I didn't expect you to help me. I've been mean to you," he

uttered.

I nodded, smiling. "It's no big deal, Ronnie. We're classmates after all."

40Ronnie, upon hearing what I had said, stopped short. He reached out and patted

my shoulder. Puzzled at this sudden turn of events, I managed a smile. Ronnie was

ashamed it had taken him such a long time to realise the impact of his actions.

From then on, Ronnie began making amends by standing up for me whenever

others tried to belittle me. Meanwhile, I regained my confidence, feeling more at ease in

45class and social activities. As my self-esteem grew, so did our friendship.

Maris Stella High School (Primary) 2024 P6 English Prelim — Practice