My Amazing Adventure With Tommy-Girl

At school, I am bullied practically every day. I don't like it, but I can't just stop going to school. Sometimes I think to myself, who knew I would become the laughing stock of the fifth grade.

Every time I'm sitting in class, my only thought is that it is the end of the day and I can't wait for the bell to ring so that I can go home. I love it at home because it's a judgment-free zone.

I am free to be me. I can eat what I want, kick back, and watch my favorite cartoon on DVD, Looney Tunes. Even though the things I just mentioned are some of my favorites, there is one thing that tops them all, and that’s my favorite doll, Tommy-Girl.

Tommy-Girl is the prettiest doll I've ever seen. She has long, curly black hair, and she is dressed in a red tee-shirt, she's also wearing hip-hugging blue jeans with two pockets in the front and two pockets in the back, some red jelly sandals, and she has the cutest pouty red lips.

Mom knew what I dealt with at school, so that's why she brought me my Tommy-Girl Doll. She told me that one day she went looking for a doll on eBay to surprise me with and she came across the Tommy-Girl doll.

The Tommy-Girl doll was put up for sale on eBay by a Chinese doll maker, and in the description, he said that the Tommy-Girl doll was one of a kind.

That is what caught my Mothers attention. She said she wanted to buy a one-of-a-kind doll for a one-of-a-kind girl.

I thought that it was nice of my mom to think so highly of me but I didn't think so highly of myself. Between the constant whispers and daily bullying that I have to endure.

Those situations make me have low self-esteem, and they make me feel small and insignificant, but even though those are very unpleasant situations, there is always someone who makes me the happiest little girl in the world and that's my Tommy-Girl doll.

It is now 6 p.m. Monday and as usual, my mother is right on time. In walks, my beloved mother Jasmine and I immediately shout out in excitement, “mom your home I missed you."

Then mom replies “ Hi Shannon, I missed you too.” Then my mother asked me, how was your day sweetie? to which I answered, “are you kidding me mom it was the same as always.”

My mother told me she was sorry as she rubbed the top of my forehead to comfort me, but I told her that it was okay because I'm used to it.

"It is not alright and it isn’t something that you should get used to,” cried mom, she said that I was too special of a person to be picked on and bullied.

Mom told me that it is not fair for me to be picked on and that I should start standing up for myself, but on the inside, I feel like if I do that, then that would just make things worse for me.

“Maybe I will give standing up for myself a try,” Shannon said. And mom replied, “okay.”

You could tell when mom was ready to get out of her high heels, she always lifted each leg, one at a time, in a kicking motion until each shoe flew across the living room, landing on the living room floor.

After her feet were free, she then began to grab a hold of each one, one at a time, giving each a massage. She then made her way into the kitchen so she could make herself something to eat, two meatball pizza Hot Pockets to be exact.

I was in the living room sitting on a chair that I got from the kitchen table, holding my Tommy-Girl doll in my lap, sitting in front of the T.V. and when mom finished making her food, she grabbed a chair from the kitchen table, sat it next to mine, and then sat in the chair and began eating her food, she started watching Looney Tunes with me, until it was time to go to bed.

That’s my mom, so attentive and she makes sure she tucks me in every night. Okay Shannon, are you finished brushing your teeth? Shouting to her I say, “ yes and I'm in my pajamas too.”

Great. “ When you're finished I'm waiting in your room to tuck you in okay,” I answer,“ Okay mom.” After I am done brushing my teeth, I head to the bedroom where my mother is waiting next to my bed, so that she can tuck me in.

I get into my bed and my mom then pulls the blanket up over me. She finishes off by chopping the blanket underneath me with both of her hands, and then she adds the final touch, that is laying my Tommy-Girl in my arms to hold close to me while I am asleep.

It's like our little routine, the same thing every night. The next morning I got ready for school, the same way I did every day, but for some reason, today just felt a little different.

I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I had a bad feeling like something was just going to go wrong, but I thought to myself maybe it was all in my head.

Mom dropped me off at the front entrance doors of my Elementary School, just like she did every morning. I was so worried when I got out of the car, I closed the door, and walked away, without hugging my sweet mother goodbye.

Every day is usually the same, I walk through the double doors of the front entrance and once I open them, there awaits the most popular girl in the 5th grade.

Stacy Wildamore, the head cheerleader, and her band of renegades are also on the cheer squad. It's The Four of them every day. God, they think they're the prettiest girls in the world and that everyone else is mediocre.

I’m not a violent person by nature, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't want to pull all of their precious little blond, side ponytails right off of their heads. They just make me so mad!

Anyhow, it was just as I said, there they were waiting to pick on me, but this time it was different. This time instead of waiting for me behind the double doors, they were waiting for me at my locker.

I asked myself, is this the bad feeling that I was having? Why are they at my locker? Oh no, I wonder what they want?

I was so nervous as I walked toward my locker, the next thing I heard was a very loud and not to mention, very embarrassing, “ heeeeeeeey Looooser!

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I work up the nerve to speak. “Oh hello Stacy, w-w- what can I do for you? “ I ask. Stacy and her friends laugh loudly, Hahaha! And sarcastically, Stacy asked me, what can you do for us?

Looking backward at all of her crew, she returns her attention to me and says, “you can't do anything for us, we just don't like you.” Now, remember that bad feeling that I said that I was having?

Well, I guess it was true, because these girls usually say mean things to me, but not this time, this time it got physical. It all just happened so fast.

The next thing I know I was being pushed between the four girls, I was so afraid. “ Stop, stop, stop! “ I plead, but they wouldn't listen to me. Finally, Stacy gives me one last giant push. She pushed me so hard that I flew into the lockers on the other side.

Just as I hit the lockers, Principal Gene came out of his office and asked us, is there a problem here? We all told him no. I was so humiliated, practically the whole school saw what happened to me, and I thought I heard some on-lookers laughing at me.

I was so embarrassed, I ran to the Nurse’s Office and faked an injury, so she could call my mom and I could go home.

The Nurse was very kind-hearted, I should know, this wasn't exactly my first trip to the Nurse's Office trying to fake an injury so that I could go home. I think she knew my situation with the bullies and so without even having a fever she would just call my mom and let me go home.

When my mom got the call, as usual, she left work immediately. Mom always panics when she gets a call about me, so on the way to come and get me, she speeds through traffic, blowing her horn at anyone who gets in the way.

When she arrives you can always hear her coming down the hall because every time she comes to get me from the Nurse’s Office, you can always hear her shouting and asking, “where is she, where is she? ”

As my mother finally approaches the Nurse's Office she sees me sitting in a chair and runs over to me to give me a big hug. "Are you okay sweetheart?" Mom asks, and I answer her and say, “I am now that you're here mom.” Mom says, “let's go, sweetie.”

I cried to my mother all the way home. Once we got home, I ran straight into my bedroom, I sat on my bed and was still crying. I buried my face in one of the pillows on my bed.

Mom came into my room and sat on the bed next to me. She took her right hand and started to rub my back to comfort me, she said, “It will be alright Shannon, I'm sorry that happened to you.”

For just a moment I took my face out of the pillow and responded to my mother saying, “no it’s not mom, I was humiliated and I never want to show my face at school again."

When I finished my statement I put my face back on the pillow and continued to cry. My mother assures me that everything will be alright and to just try to relax.

Mom walked out of the room and taking my mother's advice, I lifted my head out of my pillow, and at the same time I looked to my right and there was my beautiful Tommy-Girl doll staring at me.

I swapped my pillow out for my Tommy-Girl doll and laid her on my lap. As I looked into her eyes I began to cry again, but this time I expressed my feelings to her.

I told her that she was my best friend and that I wished she was alive and then a tear ran down my face and dropped onto Tommy-Girls left cheek, after it landed on her cheek, I thought I saw the teardrop sparkle.

I told Tommy-girl that if she was alive she would be such a good friend. She would be the kind of friend who would help me to stand up to bullies and take me on an adventure so great that it would change my life for the better.

After I finished expressing my feelings to my Tommy-Girl, I laid her back down on my bed. Normally I would eat and watch T.V. until it was time to go to bed, but all that crying made me so tired that I decided to turn in early, so I put on my pajamas and got in my bed.

As always, my mother tucks me in the same way she did every night. Mom chops the blanket underneath me and then lays my Tommy-Girl doll in my arms. Mom says, "Goodnight sweetheart, see you in the morning," and she walks out of the room. I fell right to sleep.

The next morning I woke up only to find Tommy-Girl missing from my arms, I panicked. I ran throughout the house shouting and asking "Tommy-Girl where are you? ”Mom stops me and says “calm down Shannon, it will be okay.”

Mom told me to focus on finishing getting ready for school, and she reassures me that she will help me to search for Tommy-Girl as soon as she gets home from work.

I told my mother okay. I went ahead and got dressed, and afterward, we got in the car and mom drove me to school the same as always.

I kissed mom goodbye, got out of the car, and headed for the double doors, but this time I hesitated to open them up. I was scared, I just didn't know what kind of trouble was waiting for me on the other side.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and extended my right hand to open the door, but as I was doing so, some girl I had never seen before runs up behind me and grabbed the door handle before I could and says, “allow me, Shannon."

I was in shock that she knew my name, so I asked her how she knew me? In a surprised tone she asked me, don't you know me when you see me, Shannon?

I told her no and she said, “It’s me, Shannon, It’s Tommy-Girl." I couldn't believe my eyes, It was Tommy-Girl, she had long, curly black hair, a red tee-shirt, and some hip-hugging blue jeans with two pockets in the front and two pockets in the back, red sandals, and those famous pouty red lips.

After staring in shock at her for a few seconds, I shouted out in excitement, “Tommy-Girl,” I couldn't believe it. I was still in shock, but I was also happy, I gave Tommy-Girl the biggest hug, and afterward, she opened the double doors and we walked into the front hallway together.

Again, there stood in front of my locker Stacy and her band of renegades ready to pounce. Tommy-Girl grabs me by my right hand and says, “Come on Shannon, don't be afraid." When we approached my locker, Stacy asked, " Hey loser, who's your friend?"

Tommy-Girl got so upset with Stacy for calling me a loser, she opened up my locker door, grabbed Stacy's long, blond ponytail, pulled into my locker, and slammed my locker door shut.

Stacy screamed, "let me out! “, and all the on-lookers in the hallway started to laugh at Stacy. Tommy-Girl said to Stacy, “ It doesn't feel very good to be humiliated in front of everyone now does it? Stacy cried, no!

Tommy-Girl told Stacy that she would open up the locker and let her go if she promised never to mess with me again, and when Stacy agreed she opened up the locker and released her ponytail.

Stacy was so embarrassed that she ran off crying. Tommy-Girl put her hand on my shoulder and assured me that from now on Stacy Wildamore won't be a problem anymore.

I smiled and thanked her for standing up for me, but Tommy-Girl told me, don't mention it because that's what best friends are for.

The bell rings for everyone to get to their classes, but as I start heading for class, Tommy-Girl grabs my hand and says, “come with me, Shannon." I didn't quite understand what she meant, so I told her that I didn't want to get in trouble for skipping class.

Tommy-Girl assured me that we would be back before anyone ever knew I was gone, I trusted her so I said okay. Trilled that I agreed, Tommy-Girl said, “great let’s go,” then she snaps her fingers.

Before I knew it we were instantly in a strange, yet beautiful place. This place had the most beautiful waterfalls with rainbows in them, lush green grass, and a huge majestic tree situated in the middle of a beautiful garden.

There were also different varieties of animals with rainbow skin, as well as tall rocky mountains. It was the type of place that you would never want to leave.

Tommy-Girl sensed my surprise and confusion and comforted me by telling me not to be afraid. She grabbed my shoulder and said "welcome to the land of love and self-esteem."

I was in shock, I never dreamed that my Tommy-Girl would ever take me to such a beautiful place. As we went towards the tree, suddenly a door opened by itself, within the big tree.

Out came a woman, dressed in a long beautiful white gown, holding a white and gold staff and she had a gold and diamond crown on the top of her head full of long flowing blond hair.

The lady says, "hello Tommy-Girl and welcome Shannon, we've been expecting you.” She goes on to explain that she was the Queen of the land of love and self-esteem and that she was going to be me and Tommy-Girl’s tour guide.

She led us through the door and into the tree, and suddenly we were in a sort of amusement park, filled with beautiful rainbow creatures and wonderful rides.

The Queen told us that there were lots of rides in the amusement park, but that, just for today, she was going to take me on the Time Coaster I asked Tommy-Girl, what was the Time Coaster? And she replied, “you'll see.” The car for the coaster pulls up and we all get in.

As soon as we fasten our seat belts, the coaster car zooms off, hits a loop, and continues down the track. Suddenly we enter a tunnel, and the Queen tells us to watch the wall on our right.

We did what the Queen said and watched the wall, suddenly a video of my mom holding me after I was born appeared, with my mother telling me how beautiful and precious I was.

As we went along, video images continued to play of me throughout my life, from the time I was born up until the present day.

Each memory was different, but they all had one thing in common, at the end of them all, someone, whether it be my mother, my Principal, or even the School Nurse, all told me what a valuable person I am, and that made me feel good.

The Queen asked me if I'm beginning to understand the purpose of the ride? I think I did, so I explained to her that the bullying made me feel like I wasn't worth anything, and it has lowered my self-esteem.

The Queen told me that I was right, and the ride suddenly ended, “Tommy-Girl brought you here to show you what a beautiful, smart, caring, and valuable person you are.”

I thanked the Queen and Tommy-Girl for this special experience, and I told them that it helped me get my self-confidence back.

Tommy-Girl said, “lesson learned,” snapped her fingers, and in an instant, we were back at my school, and just as Tommy-Girl promised I made it to class on time, It was like we never left.

I thanked Tommy-Girl for taking me to the Queen in the land of love and self-esteem and for helping me regain my self-confidence again.

Tommy-Girl told me that that’s what best friends are for, I hugged her and before I could pull away from her, Tommy-Girl turned back into a doll.

I took her to class with me. I was so happy that I could have her with me all day, and when school ended I walked home clutching Tommy-Girl in my arms the whole way.

When I got home, I grabbed two kitchen chairs and sat them side by side, in front of the T.V, sitting Tommy girl in one of them. Afterward, I went into the kitchen and made something to eat.

I sat next to My Tommy-Girl doll, in front of the television and watched my favorite cartoon, Looney Tunes the same as always. Suddenly mom walks in and greets me.

Happy to see her I shout out to her, "mom I missed you so much" and she told me that she missed me too. Mom was surprised that I was able to find Tommy-Girl On my own.

I told her that it felt like I never lost her. Mom kicks her shoes off and asks me how my day was? And this time I told her that it was a day I will never forget, it was an amazing adventure.