Candy Valentine
1
It is said that we aren't born with prejudices.
A strongly believed fact is that things such as homophobia, racism, sexism, any kind of prejudice really, is learned behaviour.
Joyce Barakat watched her small, skinny son reluctantly traipse into his kindergarten class, dragging his lunchbox behind him and sniffling slightly. Her dark eyes were sad as she studied his slumped shoulders, his dragging feet, all the posture of a child who had already been defeated at life.
Little Jack Barakat was five and three quarters old, halfway through his first year at kindergarten, and he already hated it.
Jack came from a very loving home, complete with a baby sister and a three-year old brother. Contrary to the ordinary family arrangement, the Barakat children very rarely fought, and could often be seen cuddling up together whilst they watched their cartoons in the daytime. They did everything together, from eating to brushing their teeth, and altogether were a very close family. And Jack, in his youthful innocence, had assumed every family was like this. So on his first day, when he was partnered up with another boy for a project and struck up a small conversation, Jack figured it was nothing when they went to part ways and Jack hugged the other boy tightly.
What he wasn't expecting was to be shoved to the ground very hard, and called a 'homo freak' by the other boy, who then walked away and gave Jack a wide berth.
Ever since then, the other boy who's name Jack had never quite gotten, had spread around the entire class that Jack Barakat was a 'homo freak'. Now, of course, none of them actually really knew the real meaning behind their words, only that homo meant boys liking boys, and that this wasn't right. It was gross.
And as a result of this, Jack became the victim of childhood bullying. He was picked on for his size, his skinny frame, his messy hair, really, anything that the other kids could point out, they mocked.
This upset Jack hugely, and he spent most of his time inside of his room, curled up under the quilt and crying into his stuffed bear. He hated going to school, and kicked up a huge fuss every time Joyce got him up in the morning. She had no idea why Jack got so upset about his classes, because he was good at all of them, a little more advanced than all of the other kids and determined to do well.
So when the new kid who got transferred here a couple of days ago entered the class, Jack barely bothered to look up, because he had no hopes. But he liked the little glance he got from the teacher giving him a look that clearly told him to acknowledge the new presence.
He saw big, big sparking brown eyes, honey coloured hair and a big smile.
Jack felt his hopes rise up a little bit, but told himself that the pretty new boy would never be interested in him as a friend.
His hope was further extinguished by the points and whispers to the new kid, and those same words. "Homo freak."
Three days later and it was Valentine's day. Yesterday the teacher had gotten them to design little bags that they could stick on the end of their desks to collect special candy from other people. Jack bought some candy for everyone, no matter how mean they were, and slipped two into the new boy, Alex's, bag.
When he sat down, everyone was checking their bags, chattering amongst themselves and eating their candy. So Jack pulled up his bag, and stuck his little hand inside.
Nothing. There was no sweet candy inside there. No one in the whole class had put anything into his little bag.
Jack was expecting this, but it still hurt him. He felt tears slipping down his face as his bottom lip started to quiver. Jack was a quiet cryer, so the teacher didn't notice, but when Jack's little red nose became sniffly, someone noticed.
Alex had been wondering about Jack for a while. He wondered why nobody would talk to him, or why he always looked upset. He wondered if the other boy really liked other boys, and most of all, Alex wondered what was so bad if he did.
His new friends had told him not to talk to Jack, but seeing the little boy sat all alone with tears dripping down his face, clutching a beautifully made candy bag to his chest, made a frown emerge on Alex's face.
So he stood up, taking his bag, and went and sat at the desk next to Jack's.
Everyone had gone quiet, staring at Alex and whispering, but Alex didn't really care. He was glad people seemed to like him, but didn't really care for the other kids.
"Hi. I'm Alex, Alex Gaskarth. Would you like half of my candy?"
Jack turned his tear-stained face towards Alex, shock written all over his little face.
"Really?" Jack asked nervously, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
"Really." Alex smiled sweetly at Jack, and offered him his pick of candy from his bag.
"Do you really like other boys?"
Alex and Jack were settled in a corner of the playground, watching the sunshine on the ground and talking whilst the other kids played, still munching on Alex's candy.
"I don't really like anyone, girls or boys. So I guess I don't really know. But I like you."
Jack gave Alex a little smile, and got a huge grin in return.
"I like you too. And if you do end up liking boys, then I'll still like you." Alex smiled.
"Would it be okay if I hugged you?" Jack asked nervously.
"Of course!" Alex grinned, and he leant over, allowing Jack to wrap his skinny arms around his neck. When they broke apart, Alex pulled Jack closer again, and pecked him on the cheek.
Jack went red, and Alex giggled.
"I won't let any of the other kids make fun of you again."
"Thank you, Alex." Jack murmured.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Jack."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Alex."
A strongly believed fact is that things such as homophobia, racism, sexism, any kind of prejudice really, is learned behaviour.
Joyce Barakat watched her small, skinny son reluctantly traipse into his kindergarten class, dragging his lunchbox behind him and sniffling slightly. Her dark eyes were sad as she studied his slumped shoulders, his dragging feet, all the posture of a child who had already been defeated at life.
Little Jack Barakat was five and three quarters old, halfway through his first year at kindergarten, and he already hated it.
Jack came from a very loving home, complete with a baby sister and a three-year old brother. Contrary to the ordinary family arrangement, the Barakat children very rarely fought, and could often be seen cuddling up together whilst they watched their cartoons in the daytime. They did everything together, from eating to brushing their teeth, and altogether were a very close family. And Jack, in his youthful innocence, had assumed every family was like this. So on his first day, when he was partnered up with another boy for a project and struck up a small conversation, Jack figured it was nothing when they went to part ways and Jack hugged the other boy tightly.
What he wasn't expecting was to be shoved to the ground very hard, and called a 'homo freak' by the other boy, who then walked away and gave Jack a wide berth.
Ever since then, the other boy who's name Jack had never quite gotten, had spread around the entire class that Jack Barakat was a 'homo freak'. Now, of course, none of them actually really knew the real meaning behind their words, only that homo meant boys liking boys, and that this wasn't right. It was gross.
And as a result of this, Jack became the victim of childhood bullying. He was picked on for his size, his skinny frame, his messy hair, really, anything that the other kids could point out, they mocked.
This upset Jack hugely, and he spent most of his time inside of his room, curled up under the quilt and crying into his stuffed bear. He hated going to school, and kicked up a huge fuss every time Joyce got him up in the morning. She had no idea why Jack got so upset about his classes, because he was good at all of them, a little more advanced than all of the other kids and determined to do well.
So when the new kid who got transferred here a couple of days ago entered the class, Jack barely bothered to look up, because he had no hopes. But he liked the little glance he got from the teacher giving him a look that clearly told him to acknowledge the new presence.
He saw big, big sparking brown eyes, honey coloured hair and a big smile.
Jack felt his hopes rise up a little bit, but told himself that the pretty new boy would never be interested in him as a friend.
His hope was further extinguished by the points and whispers to the new kid, and those same words. "Homo freak."
Three days later and it was Valentine's day. Yesterday the teacher had gotten them to design little bags that they could stick on the end of their desks to collect special candy from other people. Jack bought some candy for everyone, no matter how mean they were, and slipped two into the new boy, Alex's, bag.
When he sat down, everyone was checking their bags, chattering amongst themselves and eating their candy. So Jack pulled up his bag, and stuck his little hand inside.
Nothing. There was no sweet candy inside there. No one in the whole class had put anything into his little bag.
Jack was expecting this, but it still hurt him. He felt tears slipping down his face as his bottom lip started to quiver. Jack was a quiet cryer, so the teacher didn't notice, but when Jack's little red nose became sniffly, someone noticed.
Alex had been wondering about Jack for a while. He wondered why nobody would talk to him, or why he always looked upset. He wondered if the other boy really liked other boys, and most of all, Alex wondered what was so bad if he did.
His new friends had told him not to talk to Jack, but seeing the little boy sat all alone with tears dripping down his face, clutching a beautifully made candy bag to his chest, made a frown emerge on Alex's face.
So he stood up, taking his bag, and went and sat at the desk next to Jack's.
Everyone had gone quiet, staring at Alex and whispering, but Alex didn't really care. He was glad people seemed to like him, but didn't really care for the other kids.
"Hi. I'm Alex, Alex Gaskarth. Would you like half of my candy?"
Jack turned his tear-stained face towards Alex, shock written all over his little face.
"Really?" Jack asked nervously, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
"Really." Alex smiled sweetly at Jack, and offered him his pick of candy from his bag.
"Do you really like other boys?"
Alex and Jack were settled in a corner of the playground, watching the sunshine on the ground and talking whilst the other kids played, still munching on Alex's candy.
"I don't really like anyone, girls or boys. So I guess I don't really know. But I like you."
Jack gave Alex a little smile, and got a huge grin in return.
"I like you too. And if you do end up liking boys, then I'll still like you." Alex smiled.
"Would it be okay if I hugged you?" Jack asked nervously.
"Of course!" Alex grinned, and he leant over, allowing Jack to wrap his skinny arms around his neck. When they broke apart, Alex pulled Jack closer again, and pecked him on the cheek.
Jack went red, and Alex giggled.
"I won't let any of the other kids make fun of you again."
"Thank you, Alex." Jack murmured.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Jack."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Alex."