more than just a relationship

    I been hanging out with non-special ed kids for about my whole life right about now, but what about back when I used to be with the special ed kids, in a special ed class? I hadn't been in a special ed class since the first grade, so it's hard to remember all the kids that used to be in that specific class, but I did used to have a best friend, and I also remember this one kid that even goes to my school up to this date, but the rest of the kids are like a distant memory.

    Of course I didn't realize the fact that I was in an non-ordinary class back then, but even then the kids didn't like me. I didn't act like both a regular ed or special ed student, I acted my own way. The kids in that class didn't like me, so the teacher had to separate me from them because she was afraid that I was going to get bullied from them! Back then, my disability mainly showed off in the way that I would always want to be running and playing around and yelling, and surely enough, all the kids would look at me oddly when I would be the only kid running around the classroom, and it gets worse. Since I used to have a passion for building things with paper, I would take crayons, paper, tape,  scissors, and those were my ingredients for making the best out of my school day. The kids all made fun of me as I was making paper cars (it wasn't origami, I was actually cutting and pasting), and all of that would result in huge waterworks afterwards. I didn't like the way they were treating me, both the regular ed and special ed students were mocking me for who I was and at one point, I thought they were jealous that I had such an incredible gift, so I had a dumb idea and it was to show off all the paper crafts that I would do in my house.

    That morning, I was ready to take all my paper crafts inside a huge plastic bag for my school to see. My mom had asked me if it was such a good idea to be doing this, and I answered yes! She didn't realize though that I was doing this because I was being bullied (she did find out eventually). I took the school bus to my school, and when I made it to the classroom, I threw all my paper crafts for the class to admire my beauty. Instead of what I had in mind, something different occurred instead. One of the kids told me if that was all I did during my free time instead of playing video games or having friends? Instantly, all the kids started laughing at me and I couldn't believe that my hard work that I been doing for years took a u turn at me. I cried my way out of the classroom and I sat down at bench right outside of the class. The teacher came out and told me that I had a great talent and that I shouldn't mind them. I responded that nobody appreciates what I do and that I'll never have any friends like me. My teacher saw this as a red flag so surely enough, she called my mom that same day to have a meeting with her. While I was gently placing my paper crafts back inside the plastic bag, my mom and my teacher were talking at my teacher's desk, so I decided to eavesdrop and hear what they were talking about me behind my back.

    While I was cleaning up, I listened closely to what my mom and my teacher were talking about and the results weren't so good. The teacher emphasized that I was one of her best students in terms of doing the above and beyond in her classroom, but all the students were mocking me for it. My mom asked if it was such a good idea to be around any students. The teacher answered that students are separated only if they have a very violent behavior. My mom added that what  I do wasn't art, or origami, and also that she's never knew anyone who does anything like this but me. The teacher said that I have such a rare creative mind, but that if that was going to result in me being bullied, I couldn't be mentioning or bringing my paper crafts. I was so disappointed the next day when my mom told me that I couldn't take my crayons, paper, tape or scissors to school. I was even more bummed during school that not only did I have the only things I really enjoyed, but the other kids were observing me as they were playing with mini figures and I was depressed and sitting down by myself. As I thought all was lost that day, something incredible happened that day, that I almost considered it a miracle.

    A new student came that day through the door, and I didn't really pay much attention to him. He was asked if he likes to play mini figures and he answered no. The teacher then said that he should sit down next to me. The new kid sat down next to me and said "hi, I'm Renato." I said hello, introduced myself and with that, I knew that I just made myself my next bestfriend. When lunch time came around, I was on the swings by myself since none of the other kids really enjoyed using the swings (the other kids would take turns on the slides), but my best friend sit down on the other swing and told me how he loves to swing around. For the rest of lunch, that all we did. In fact, that was our best spot to hang during lunch. It was a rarity for us to actually be playing anything else besides the swings, but I didn't mind at all because I had someone to hang out with and have fun, and that was enough for me to be forever happy. The time came, the last week of first grade, we were so excited to see each other after summer vacation but I didn't realize that I was being mainstreamed out of the classroom to a regular ed classroom (if you didn't read my first blog, I suggest you do, it explains more). My first day of second grade was terrible, I was in a room filled with new students, I had to actually go along with the other students and the teachers instructions, and worse of all, I didn't have my friend Renato by my side.

    I complained to my mom that I didn't see him and that I was in a room filled with unknown students. My mom went to the school and the teacher said that Renato was still in a special ed classroom inside the special ed school area (again, my first blog explains more). While my mom and my teacher were talking, I got bored so I went outside to the small grass field outside and I had to get used to my new surroundings. I walked around the area without no one realizing it (it was after school) and I saw new classrooms, new playgrounds, but worse of all, I was heading back to my new classroom when I saw a fence right near me. I was curious to see what was on the other side of it so I decided to run towards the fence. When I made it, I was looking around and to my amazement, I saw the playground that I would always swing around on. I saw familiar classrooms, and then I saw my classroom. I saw the door that kids and teachers would always get in, and when I ran around the area looking around for another door, I realized that the door that I used to walk in and out of was the only door. I instantly wondered, was I treated like if I was in a zoo? Is my friend being treated the same way as well? I couldn't believe that the special ed kids were being separated from the regular ed kids (at this rate, you might as well just pause reading this blog and read my first one). Another thing that I realized was that the other side was way smaller than my new surrounding. Afterwards, I came to a flashback, I remembered when I was crying on the day that I was bullied and I remember that before the teacher came to talk to me, I looked in front of me and I saw a fence, and on the other side of the fence were more classrooms, students, and a bigger playground. I was too sad to even think about why there was a bigger school right in front of me but when I stopped the flashback, I realized that I was lucky enough to escape that cage and into this bigger setting. I ran back to the classroom and just so my mom wouldn't realize that I was gone, I began to run around a nearby tree so she would think that that was what I doing this whole time. Right on cue, my mom came out a minute later and we left back to my house. I realized afterwards that the last day of first grade was also the day that I was going to be with my best friend Renato...I miss Renato :(.

    What about the kid that I said I still see to this day, well his name is Derek and he was also one of the kids that made fun of me. He also has a special talent up to now and it's soccer. He won little league champion of southern California and he goes to the same high school that I am. Unfortunately, he's still in a special ed setting (the special ed classrooms are actually scattered around the high school rather than being separated) but I don't really see why. I mean, he does act more like a special ed student (yes, I do observe him without he noticing me) but he's really smart in school and he gets rather good grades. He also has a friend who is also special ed named Melvin. They're really good friends and they hang out all the time.

    Well, that's it for this blog. Like the rest of the blogs, leave a comment if you desire to opinionate anything and perhaps even follow me to keep in touch with my latest blogs. I hope you enjoyed this blog and I still actually make paper crafts. This certain paper craft is a house, (it's a very worn-out one that I made a few months ago) and it only took me about two hours. Just wanting to show how I create my masterpieces