After everyone had made their shooting debut, Nancy from eleventh grade was next up in line to shoot; she held the best archery record thus far in Chicago High and was still good as ever shooting all three of her arrows in the middle of the yellow circle target.
I gave her a smile as we exchanged high fives and gave her thumbs up.
Finally, was my turn, I walked up to the starting line and prepared my bow and arrows.
I started looking around the field, not sure why, then turned and looked at Nancy, glared with a smirk at Ashley and Philip then looked at the archery target board shot my first arrow which landed straight in the middle of the yellow circle target.
I paused, took my second arrow calmly, placed it and shot the arrow, it landed again in the middle of the yellow circle target.
As I was preparing for the final shot, I looked across the field and saw a black shadow almost like something in a ‘black hood’ looking straight at me.
I stared right at it getting ready to release the final arrow but for some reason my body, hands and mind were feeling quite strange as if I was being controlled by something or someone.
I tried fighting it but would not let go, whatever it was got me to take two more arrows, placed them on the bow and with anger looked at the ‘black hood’, I shot all three arrows which landed straight in the middle of the yellow circle target.
When I turned around to look at the ‘black hood’, it was gone, like vanished.
I wanted to run but it was pointless because I would not have known where to find the ‘black hood.’
I turned around looking at Nancy, and all I saw were faces with mouths wide open staring at what just happened.
Mrs.
Steward and Mr.
Williamson were in shock; Ashley and Philip were angry but shocked, walked away not liking what they saw, Nancy gave me a high five with a pat on my back.
If I had been asked what just happened, to be honest I would not be able to explain because I also don’t know either what happened, it was all too quick and fast, didn’t even notice.
However, the one thing that was stuck in my mind that kept on repeating itself was the image of the ‘black hood’.
I don’t know who or what it was but it was able to control my actions with the bow and arrow, the same feeling I felt back in middle school and when I took part in the archery competition in Chicago.
I was not sure what to do or how to explain whatever happened but I needed to find out to be able to get the answers of what was happening and why I was the only person who could see the ‘black hood.’
After the first practice round, we were divided into the three different levels, Nancy, Ashley, Philip, two other students and I was placed in the advanced level group.
This was going to be an exciting archery club I thought to myself, couldn’t have asked for a better group and a better way of catching up with Ashley and Philip while preparing for my vengeance against them.
For the remaining forty five minutes Mr.
Steward was in charge of the beginners and intermediate level groups.
The advantages of being in the intermediate group was that if any student made great and significant improvements they were automatically moved to the advanced level group which was a good thing as it gave them even more confidence, encouragement and motivation.
Our advanced group was very fierce and competitive, so it was also going to be tough for those moving from intermediate to advance, but as long as they were willing to take on the challenge and be competitive that was a good start.
Furthermore, being in the advanced group automatically granted you access to the school archery team, which meant, didn’t need to try out and were automatically selected for the school team, the provisional and state championships.
This was the same as middle school but the only difference with high school was that the competition was fierce and so were the competitors, hungry for recognition and the prize.
We did a few more practices and were dismissed from the club a few minutes earlier to be able to catch the bus.
Coaches Williamson and Steward requested to see me tomorrow during recess break, was pretty sure wasn’t an invitation for a cup of coffee but to talk about what happened today.
As I packed up my stuff and prepared to walk to the bus, Ashley and Philip bummed into me and they stopped right in front of me looking me straight dead in the eyes.
Fear started growing in my eyes again, but then I was like “why should I be afraid, I didn’t do anything wrong?” I also looked at them dead in their faces, glared with a smirk and walked past them.
As I walked away I turned around my lips motioning to them “I will be watching you two with my two fingers pointing at their eyes.” It felt so good doing that, walking with my head up high knowing that I was no longer afraid of them or anyone that tried to bully me or get in my way in Chicago High.
I got on the bus and saw Jaime and Chris seated in their usual seats.
The bus was pretty empty, filled with about ten students.
We conversed about our after school activity sessions and how it was, I told them what happened and that I had found the other two students who bullied me in seventh grade, including their names and grades.
The same with Jacob, I told them I was not going to do anything to them until all evidence was collected then will present it to the principal.
Jaime and Chris knew very well that I wanted to revenge on them so badly and they could already sense the anger I felt inside me, but I told them my revenge will be in badminton and archery.
If they try anything out of that or bully me again during school time, it will not be pretty and I will not be merciful!!
As we were heading home we all sat quietly on our seats, Chris and Jaime were busy talking about school work, homework and other things, but my mind was constantly thinking about the ‘black hood’ shadow I saw at the archery field today.
I had thoughts of telling them and my parents but decided against it as I wanted to investigate and get more information about this ‘black hood’ in secret before telling anyone about it. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
Furthermore, the fact of knowing and finding out that the three students who bullied me back in seventh grade were in the same high school, it was going to be another four tough years.
What’s more, it was going to be literally impossible to stay clear away from them, add on everything that’s happening at school and during practice at badminton and archery.
Everyone was going to know about me, so I had to keep a low profile and avoid being identified or recognized by anyone.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to walk with my head up high feeling proud of my successes and the great accomplishments as a ninth grader or a mixed colored race student, but it was how people would start treating me different and trying to be all nice and friendly.
On the contrary, now that I think about all this, I have nothing to hide, I have nothing to be afraid of, I don’t care if they want to be my friend or not, I could care less about what people thought of me and about me.
I was in Chicago High School for a purpose which was to study, pass and get good grades in all my subjects, get accepted into a good university, enjoy and be great at two of my favorite sports and be an outstanding student.
I was not going to let anything or anyone interfere with what I set out to achieve and accomplish.
When we got home, I was already exhausted, waved goodbye to Chris and Jaime and went home.
The next day as expected was called to see Mrs.
Steward and Mr.
Williamson.
They asked quite a lot of questions about my archery skills including; where did I learn my skills, do I have a coach, how long have I been learning archery etc.
I answered all questions politely and calmly with no hesitation.
They were happy and excited to have me in their club and because I was in the advanced level, I was already chosen to be in the school archery team and to represent the school team in the competitions.
The results for badminton, dance and drama were also released; Chris, Jaime and I passed the auditions for dance while I passed the tryouts for badminton.
I started doing my dance in front of Chris and Jaime, and they tagged along with excitement as we headed back to our classes for the afternoon.
I told myself “the beginning of the best has just begun.”