Hello, my name is Jonie Pretto and I live in Arizona. I'm 13 years old and this was my story of how I took a stand. Ever since I was born my family was dysfunctional with arguments everyday and brutal comments spitting from my parents to the other. I all just wanted it to stop but it kept getting worse. So when I went to school I suspected it would be way more fun than being at home but it was also bad too starting in 5th grade. I had this really good friend of mine from my old summer camp in Harelson and when it was over I told her that someday we'll see each other again. Then when I transferred to a new school I saw her again! It was like fate. So then we constantly hung out together and then we met this other girl. Now, I was really insecure and naïve back then but I didn't know what hit me until I was digging a hole right underneath me. The girl we met soon backstabbed me, took my best friend away from me, convinced her to hate me, and spread a whole bunch of rumors about me just because she can't always have her way. And the rumors were so bad it was like, "she's so ugly and stupid no one would care if she jumped off a cliff" and "you're such a s**t and a w***e." I had to put up with it everyday and everyone would turn around and stare at me like I was a disease or a epidemic that would kill everyone. Plus I never stood up for myself at the time so I just took it all in, but then I found two really good friends that helped out of the hole I dug for myself and was there for me when I needed it. I'm always thankful for what they did for me and i'll never forget it. Eventually the bullying stopped during the end of 5th grade and none during 6th, but it soon came alive in 7th when I was officially the supreme math nerd of 7th grade. I took P.E. and most of the time whenever I made a mistake people would yell at me and say that i'm worthless. After that when I was on somebody's team, they'd get all pissed off and say that we're going to lose even though MOST of the time I do almost just as great as the others. Then it got to the point where I said "enough is enough" so the next time someone got mad at me I looked them straight in the eye and said "If you just can't accept who I am, then I feel sorry for you. What comes around goes around." After I finally stood up for myself everyone stopped bullying me and I actually had friends that stood by my side even in the toughest times and never leave it. I am truly grateful that I've got them because I wouldn't have been here without them. So people, don't lose all hope, don't wait for a long time till you stand up for yourself like me, tell them the same things that I said and don't let them get to you, you ARE stronger than they are. Thank you.