The excited sound of seventh-grade laughter and voices spilled down the hallway as the students filed into the gym. I weaved my way through the mass of people and sat down next to my best friend, Lauren.

“So, what exactly are we doing here?” she questioned.

“Well, according to Mrs. Marks, we’re supposed to be listening to a speech about bullying and peer pressure.”

As soon as the speaker started talking, I snapped to attention. She had this way about her, as if she knew how to reach into our minds and souls and make us think. I though about the kids who came to school every day, despite knowing that they would have to face cruel comment all day long.

One boy, in particular, came to mind. Every day, this boy came to school late, and I suspected it was because he needed to get medicine from the nurse. But this didn’t stop kids in the class from making fun of him. The boy would put his head down on his desk in shame. The worst, though, was when he tried to fight back. His attackers only laughed and continued the cruelty until the entire room was laughing at his expense.

As I sat in the auditorium, absorbing everything the speaker had to say, thoughts of this poor boy crept into my head.

“Now, before I leave today, I would like to give everyone here an opportunity to say anything he or she wants to on the subject of bullying or peer pressure. You may apologize to a friend, thank someone for his or her kindness, anything, And this is the one time I can promise that no one, will laugh at you.”

The stillness in the room made me believe her. Slowly, I saw a few hands raise tentatively (犹豫地) in the air behind me, One girl wanted to apologize to a friend she had been ignoring recently. Another thanked a boy for his kindness when she slipped on the steps the other day.

It was then that my moment of courage arrived, inspiring me to act.

Later that day, the boy I had been talking about came up to me privately.

I walked alongside my father, grabbing his right hand tightly. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.

My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms.

“Why school?” I asked my father. “What have I done?”

“I'm not punishing you, ” he said, laughing. “School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don't you want to be useful like your brothers?”

I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.

When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. “Go in by yourself,”said my father, “and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. ”

I hesitated and clung (粘着）to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. “Be a man, ” he said. “Today you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. ”

I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, "Who brought you?"

“My father,” I whispered.

“My father's dead,” he said simply.