Its an small story about racism and discrimination

1. FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
“Service toothersisthe rentwe pay forour room here on Earth,” – Muhammad Ali.
“We are all equals!”
Scribbledingreenink,these words stoodmocking‘true equality'onthe central posterof the Crescent
Highschool Notice Board. Apparentlypeople werespreadingawarenessaboutexterminatingracism
fromthe school,andfromthe society. Johnreadthe poster.It saidthere wasgoingto be a conference
on howwe can be betteralliestodifferentracesandturn the school intoa betterlearningenvironment
for everyone. He sighedatthis.
One hisclass mates – Celiawhowasjustpassingby,saw Johnand went, “Excitedaboutthe conference,
John?”
“Yeah.Sure,”hisface turnedgrim.
“Theydo this crappy seminarthingeveryyear,celebratingandnarratingthe courage and braveryof
people inthe SelmatoMontgomerythree protestmarches,heldin1965, and thinktheyhave
conqueredthe world.Andthe exactnextday – theygo back to treatinganyone whoisn’twhite like
trash!” he bloodboiled.
“Theydo thiseveryyear.Andyet,nothingchanges.”
John’seerie attitudeupsetCeliaandshe simplywalkedaway. SomethingwasgoingoninAiden’smind
and itwas eatinghimupon the inside.
“Nothingeverchanges”hisvoice quiveredashe thoughtof the atrocitiesthathad brokenlose onone of
hisclass fellows –or ex bestfriend,justaweekago.
Johnwas a goodkid.Kindand polite,one wouldalwaysfindhim lostinawordof books.He was notso
much of a nerd,itwas justthat he lovedreadingfiction.PercyJacksonwas byfar his favorite seriesever.
It’snot everyotherdaythat youcome across someone withinterestssimilarasyou.Andso whenJohn
crossedpathswith Aiden– half Mexican, half Africanimmigrant,he waselated.Theymetin4th
grade
and became fastfriends. Theystartedspendingtheirdaystogether.DiscussingPercyJacksonanddoing
calculustogether,theywouldlosethe conceptof time whenevertheywere together. Butthere wasone
thingawaitingthe endof theirmellow friendship.
The football teamof school consistedof freshmanandseniorsfromdifferentsectionsandall of them
had one motto. It wasmore of an unspokenrule,butittiedthemtogetherandstrengthenedtheirbond.
“Anyone whoisnotrich and white – isuninvited.”Sometimes,theywouldevengoasfar as to torturing
newkids. Be it Asians,AfricansorLatinos,theirbarbarityandhatredknew nolimits.Some parentshad

2. filedcomplaintsagainstthembuttheywere neverpunishedbecauseof lackof evidence.More because
none of students were everwillingtogive astatementagainstthem.Alex,Jamie andBryce – three hulk
like boys,whohadtakenitupon themselvestotormentotherkidswere afterAidenthis time.Theyhad
punchedAidenacouple timesduringthe recessbutitwasnothingtoodangeroussince he always
foughtback andgot hisrevenge.
“I couldneverdothis,”Johnusedto thinkto himself wheneverhe saw hisfriendbeingresilient.He also
triedsuggestingAidento stayaway from those boysbuthe wasn’treadyto listen. “Itisjust as muchmy
school as it istheirs,”he wouldalwayssay.For2 years,theyattendedthose conference together,
hopingthatthingswouldchange butnothingeverchanged.
Andso JohnstartedavoidingbeingseenwithAiden,soasto stay awayfromall danger. Johnwas
embarrassedtopubliclyacknowledge Aidenashisfriend.BecauseJohnknew thatthe meanboysof his
classwill bullyhim,he usedtosteerclearof Aidenduringrecesstimes.
No soonerthan2 yearsintofriendship,Aidenstartednoticinghow Johnacteddifferentathome,andat
school.Fora year,he triedhisbestto not be seenwithAiden,butitproveddetrimentalfortheir
friendship.
He knewthatJohnwas fondof himbut histwo-facedbehaviorperplexedhimagreatdeal. WhenAiden
finallywrappedhisheadaroundwhatJohnwasdoing,he confrontedhim.
“Are you ashamedtobe friendswithme,John?”he askedinastern,straightforwardmanner.
“What! No.What are youtalkingabout!”John’scheekswere flushed. Aidenstayedsilent,givingJohn
the due time to confessthe truthby himself.
“I do not knowwhatyouare talkingabout,Aiden,”he wasstill tryingtododge the question.Afteralong
pause,Johnagainbroke the ice.
“Hey,do youwant to go playsoccerin the field,thisevening?Iheardthey’re havingamatchwith kids
fromthe adjacenttown.Iam sure it will be fun,”he continued.Buthe noticedthatAidenwasnot
listeningtohimat all.He wasstaringintoa distance,gloominess apparentasday, onhisface.
“Are you evenlisteningtome,Aiden?”JohnjerkedAiden’shandtograbhis attention.
“I am listening.ButIdon’tthinkIwant to listenmore,” he intonedinawhisper.
“I knowyouare embarrassedtobe friendswithme,John.Ican see iton your face.You are always
avoidingme whenyou’re are withyourotherfriendsandthathurts me.I know you’re scaredthat they
will make funof youand bullyyou.Justlike theybullyme,”he calledhimout.
Aidenwaitedamomentforanyanswersor explanations thatmayhave followed.Butasitturnedout,
there wasnothing.Onlypindropsilence.John wasoutof excuses andhe couldn’t lie tohisbestfriend.

3. “I don’tthinkI want to be friendswithyour,anymore,John,” he insinuated,constantly lookingaway,
partiallytohide tearsandpartiallytohide the purple eye he hadgottenlastweek. Andtheyparted
ways.
Theywouldstill crosspathsin the hallwayandcorridorsbutAidenignoredJohnatall costs.Johntried
apologizingafewtimesbuthisactionsdidnotalignwithhis wordsandtheirfriendshipfadedunderthe
.
One day, a rumor spreadthroughthe whole school like wildfirethatAidenhadcursedanddenied
helpingthe Hulkboys.Itwassynonymoustoinvitingtheirwrath.WhenJohnfoundoutaboutit,he tried
tellingAidenaboutitbuthe was a little toolate.One Tuesdayafterrecess,those boystookAidentothe
back of the school andtreatedhimlike apunchingbag because he didn’tagree oncompletingtheir
assignments.
“You thinkyouare betterthanus,?” Bryce groanedand throbbed himheavybootsinAiden’sguts.
“How dare you sayno to us, yousickblack man.If I could,I’dburnyou to ashesandsendthose ashes
back to that thirdworldcountryyoucame from,”Alex joined.He slappedAidensohardthathis gums
startedbleeding.
“Both the sentence andyourinsultare semanticallyincorrect,”Aidensmirkedthroughthe tears.
Althoughhiscommentinvitedmore danger,he finallygotupand foughtback.But three againstone was
reallyalost cause.Three of themknockedhimtothe groundand left. Theybeathimup.Bryce bangeda
metal rod againsthishead.Aiden’s sightgotblurrybefore he couldstandagainandhe blacked out.The
boyshad leftbythen.
He suffereddozensof internal injuriesandwasrushedtothe hospital.
2 days later,Johnvisitedhiminthe hospital.Seeinghisfriendinpain,he broke downandpleadedto
Aidentoforgive him.
“I forgive you,John.Ihave nothingagainstyou.Youwere my bestfriendandyouwill alwaysbe mybest
friend.Thankyoufortestifyingforme.Iunderstanditmusthave beendifficultforyou,”Aidenmanaged
to mumble some words.
Johntook hishandand wept.Thiswasthe last straw.

4. He had made uphismindsto teachthe Hulkboysa lessonthistime.He wasno longerthe naïve,clueless
kid. Despite the doomand abysmal danger,Johnwenton andtestifiedincourttrialsagainstthe Hulk
Boys. He wasthreatenedbytheirparentstoo,buthe didnot planon stopping.
He gatheredkidsfromall aroundthe school,whohad been the victimsof HulkBoys.He collectedmore
witnessesandtogethertheystartedamajormovementintheircityagainst Racial Discrimination.It
caught the sightof regional ministerstoo.
At the end,he succeededinexposingthe darkrealityof Starsof CrescentHighFootball Club.Theywere
suspendedfromthe school and deniedadmissioninthe whole state,setting anexample foreveryone
whoeverthoughtof wronginganotherpersonagain.He turnedthe environmentof hisschool
completelyaround.
By the time Aidenreturnedtoschool after full recovery,itwasa safe space forall students,comingfrom
all the differentethnicities. Twoweekslater,theyheldaconference on,“Social injustice :How to take
actionrather thanutteringwords.”
It inspiredmanystudentstocome forwardandstart welfare workforunderprivilegedpeopleinthe
area.
“We have finally turnedthe conferenceintoourtrue motto,John,”Aiden’svoice wascalmastheystood
overlookingthe ongoingconstructionof anorphanage forkidsof the immigrants.
“Service toothersis the rentwe pay forour room here onEarth.”
Both of themroaredin unison. Rightdominatedthe wrong.Theywerevictorious.