The Self-Harmed

~Victory to the Ck's!~

The next morning I hurried to the spot where everyone was supposed to meet the next morning. All my friends stood quiet as a single poster wasn't in sight. 

"What happened?" I demanded, turning in a circle just in case I missed one.

"They took them down." Ayelie simply said.

A chant in the next hall rose up.

"Do you guys hear that?" Alex asked, tipping his head to the side as if this would give him stronger hearing.

"What's that?" Ryder asked.

A large group of students rounded the corner, Stabbing the air with our posters. I smiled, leading the charge was Owen.

"No more bracelets!" The group shouted, "Cut back on nurses!"

"Well what do you fucking know?" Caden snorted.

I grabbed Clara and Ayelie's arms and we ran to join the charge.

"No more bracelets!" We all yelled again, "Cut back on nurses!"

We looped back around to Mr. Pepper's class room. He was standing by a table with a couple of students, that were wearing 'FIGHT THE POWER!' shirts. They where handing out signs and Shirts. I scooped one up along the way pulling it on over the shirt I was already wearing, and we headed to the food hall. On the way a couple of nurses tried to stop us, but a couple of hisses and growls from us, and they were long gone. Five down, three hundred to go. I stood on a table, and held my sign high, causing the majority of the school to stop talking and stare at me.

"No more bracelets!" I yelled, as my friends chanted behind me, "Cut back on Nurses! This isn't a Rehab center, this is prison! We don't feel safe here! Who's with us?"

Everyone in the room gave a shout of I's and stood.

"Stop by Mr. Pepper's room and join the strike!"

The rest of us left the food hall, "No more bracelets!"

A loud beep went through the halls and everyone covered their ears.

"Stop this silliness," A strong male voice cam over the speaker box. "You are to all get to class or there will drastic measures taken!"

"They're lying!" I yelled, scared people would listen to the mystery voice, "The only thing they can do is stick us with a needle, and we can sue them because we're not having a melt down! They have no choice but to listen now!"

"No more bracelets!" A kid called from the back.

"Yeah!" We all yelled tossing up our signs.

We all headed down the hall. We didn't eat, or go to class, we just continued with our strike. Around lunch the school was called to the field. A man stood in front of us. He nervously fixed his tie, and looked over the angry crowd waiting to jump up at the first sign of his bull shit.

"I understand that some of you have a problem with the new program."

"Yup!" Everyone yelled, thrusting their signs into the air.

"Since you won't give this up, we have decided to let you all pick one student to come up here and fight your case."

Everyone around be began tapping my arm, and saying Go. I walked up to the stage and put my hands on the podium. The bottom layer of benches had women and Men, in suits. They all scowled at me, and I swallowed. I looked over at Caden, who shook his head. Show no fear. Got it. I got this. People are counting on me now.

"The reason we have called for a strike is because we don't feel safe. We don't think that it's fair or right for us to have to wear bracelets showing off our issues."

"The bracelets are for the staff to know how to act with a child." A man called.

"You mean to warn them of what their dealing with?" I nodded. "But we're the ones who are supposed to feel comfortable enough to get better. These bracelets are just a constant reminder that we're fucked up. And when other students look at them it messes with our self-esteem. When you adults look at them it makes us all feel belittled. We're supposed to get help for our problems not feel worse about them. You guys are supposed to help us not make us feel small. Us talking to our friends is the only cause of help we have gotten from here, but now you have so many nurses around we can't talk and vent to each other, so we have to keep to ourselves which is just like being at home."

"Yup!" The signs went up.

"What are you asking for exactly Ms.-?" An older woman asked, prompting for my name, which I ignored.

"That we don't have to wear these bracelets and we don't have to have so many nurses around. We want to be able to vent to our friends." I got down from the podium, and then quickly got back up," And if Mr. Pepper gets fired for this, I'll burn don't the school."

"Yup!" The signs went up, and Mr. Pepper looked touched.

I sat back down, and the first guy got back up.

"We have decided that the bracelets are a little too much, so they will be removed. But as for the nurses we cannot do anything. It is state code that we have a certain amount of nurses."

"Boo!" Signs shot up in anger.

"But," The man held up his hands, and we all shut up, "Every day after school you will be able to gather in the food hall and vent to your group of friends. No nurses will be able to step foot into the room."

We all cheered.

"And Mr. Pepper will remain the arts teacher."

Everyone stood and cheered.

"Guess they didn't want you burning down the school." Owen muttered to me.

Once voice to get other people going and to finally stand up. And on that day All the crazy kids stood together. AND WE WON.