Triggering (Bullying): I was the bully?

[better-than-ecstasy]

Am I a bully for asking my friend if she sneezed or not? After she said "Yes" all I said was her sneeze sounded a little funny. Keep in mind this is a friend. I never used an attitude or anything. I just asked if she sneezed. Well my friend (Kim) who had sneezed and Bethany started going off at me saying I was bullying Kim. Then they started making fun of me. Using a snotty voice saying "This is my Rachel voice." Then they said I started the bullying. So is aksing someone if they sneezed and making a comment about it bullying? If anything I thought they were bullying me by picking on me and making fun of me and acussing me of being a jerk and everything else. Yes, I guess saying her sneeze sounded funny might come off as harsh. But in the way I said it, it was kind of like saying "Your sneeze is cute *Smiley face" Before this even happened. Kim was making fun of me because I'm short. Bethany and Kim had to bend down to get a drink from the drinking fountain. So Kim was like "I bet Rachel doesn't have to bend down." In somewhat of a rude voice. So who is the bully here? I do take blame for saying the comment of her sneeze, but was I really bullying like both of them claim?

[MD8]

I don't think this is bullying, first of all you guys are all friends, so this was just playing around that got a bit out of hand. But I would not worry about it, just talk it out and clarify your sneezing comment and the other comments that were said. At the end of the day you guys are all friends, so just communicate with the other two about the situation.

[better-than-ecstasy]

Okay thank you. I will try to do that.

[Koharuchan]

I have to say I disagree with the first poster. Even if they are your friends, what they did was way out of line, and you did not deserve it. You made a small comment that was meant to be a joke, and they went way overboard and bullied you. That's not what friends do. You are definitely not a bully here. I joke and play with my friends like that all the time, and they sure as hell don't freak out on me and start saying mean things to me.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

I'm having a very hard time understanding how your comment about your friend's sneeze is a form of bullying. I also wouldn't consider your friends' reaction a form of bullying either. You scratched the surface of your friends' incredibly thin skin and they cried about it like a bunch of toddlers. I consider your friends as well as you to have very thin skin and over-sensitive not only when it comes to a petty joke but also over the word, "bully". This may come off as rough but it's something you need to hear: your friends as well as yourself have to grow some thick skin because if something this minor sets you all of you off, then you're not going to fare well in any high-school where you all would be eaten up, spat out then laughed at.

The proper reaction from friends who have thicker skin and common sense than all of you would be to laugh at the joke for what's it worth, a friendly joke. If they were to joke around about your height, it would be in a friendly nature without the intent to start a commotion. Mocking someone's voice in response to a joke of one's cute sneeze would be ignored because it's unnecessary, immature and silly, not bullying.

[better-than-ecstasy]

Thanks you guys. My counselor at school saw it as them bullying, but in minor cases. She said it was child like and to never happen again. But now I'm having issues with the other friend Bethany who is saying I'm starting shit and she confronted me. So now my counselor is really mad about that. So its a confusing subject. But I did apologize to my friend about making fun of her sneeze.

[Imafrendly]

Just go up to her and say your sorry she may or may not forgive you but this is what i think the best advice i can give.

[better-than-ecstasy]

Aw okay thanks, I agree with you.