The Bet:
When my life could not be perfect in middle school because of the teasing and bullying that is directed to me due to my shortness and belly fat, I was happy. There was a clearing in my neighborhood that I play in with my friends. There was a section of the park that had pink and yellow flowers. My name is Ling Na and I am 11 years old and is a freshmen at Dan Ling middle school in Shanghai, China. Everyday could be considered a blessing since we I go to school from 8 am to 12 pm. Then, I ride my bike home for lunch, and take a nap. From 4 pm to 8 pm, I return to school for evening classes. The friends I made helped me stand up to the bullies and it worked for a short period. Then, after we finished dinner and our homework assignments, which is mainly English, we all meet outside the playground for some fun and games. We usually played tag and soccer, but today was different because someone had brought a pair of handcuffs. I was excited since bondage games does not happen a lot in my apartment block. We started a game of knockout, and there was a stake. The loser of the championship match has to be handcuffed to a pole and tortured by the other people. I am raised in China, but was born in America. My family and I moved here when I was 2, so it was a new and scary experience for us. None of my family members, including myself knew Chinese, so we had difficulty adjusting to the new language, but my parents trained me to learn it well. In face, if I failed a chinese test, my parents would beat my hand with a ruler. The pain and tears was enough for me to focus on my academics, not just playtime with my friends. So, we started the game, and it soon became a boy named Wong Shao Ming versus me. He was good, but I was better, and he ended up losing the game. So, we grabbed his hands, and pulled them behind the pole. I handcuffed him, and started to sense his fear in his eyes, but I promised him that I would not use violence on him, and he quieted down. Now, the games can offically begin.
To be Continued