#5 Icing on the Cake by Stephanie Perry Moore

the last few days alone, not only were people getting beat up physically, but the gang was stealing and also threatening to shoot up the school. Many were terrified.
    Logan and I were asked to share our story. The gym was full. You would have thought it was somebody’s graduation day with the way the place was packed as parents and community folks showed up in support. I was so nervous. After all, I wasn’t as great a speaker as my sisters. However, I tried to shake it off because I did have something to say on the subject. Once Reese, the PTSA student leader, introduced me, I got the nerve to head to the podium and speak up.
    â€œNo one should be afraid to come to school. It’s a place where you’re supposed to come to get a great education, not worry about being the victim of violence. I got involved in an incident, and didn’t feel like I could sit there and not say something. I know now that you can’t always speak up alone. I guess that’s why we’re having this forum. A lot is going on, and it’s not even completely comfortable for me to get up now, but if we don’t stand up and fight those who are trying to destroy us, then they’re taking away what matters most, and that’s our future. Without a future we have no life. So if you knowsomething about someone getting bullied, if you’ve been bullied yourself, if you’re bulling somebody, just take time to think about what you’re doing to make this place better. That’s all I have to say.” I let out a sigh and turned to head back to my seat.
    Reese was mouthing something to me. I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I squinted. He repeated himself much louder, and I got it.
    â€œOh, I’m supposed to introduce my friend Logan. Give her a hand,” I said.
    Nobody clapped. They just sort of looked at me like I was silly. But as long as they heard what we had to say, the applause didn’t matter.
    Logan came up to the podium, and I tried to go sit down. She grabbed my hand, and she started crying. Not boo-hoo crying, but steady tears streamed down her face. It didn’t matter if you were close to or far away from her, you could tell there was some serious emotion being let out. It’s like the whole gym just changed. Before she even spoke a word, her tears united us.
    Finally, she got herself together, and she said, “If it wasn’t for this girl here, I probably would be dead. She stood up for me when no one would. She’s given me hope when I had none, and she’s helped me learn that I am somebody special. Yeah, my parents have been telling me that for years in their own crazy way—my dad is a little rough around the edges. However, I didn’t understand it as much as I did when she said it. Because as y’all can tell, I’m a big, big girl. I eat too many sweets, and I have for far too long. I’m also a diabetic. Because of my choices, my life is in danger. I was living with all of that. I was dealing with all of that, but there were some cruel people who wouldn’t leave me alone. They beat me up mentally, and if they weren’t going to take my life, I wanted to take my own. I don’t know if there is anybody else out there feeling like you have no reason to go on, but I just want to say to you, you do have a reason. You’ve got to keep yourself together, get the right spirit, and tie yourself up with strength, so when you’re attacked, you won’t be destroyed. So thank you, Yuri, for helping me understandthat. I guess I talked today because hopefully I can help somebody else out there understand it too.”
    People stood up and started clapping, even our principal, Dr. Garner, who came over, stood beside us, and took the mic. “That’s right Marks High School, we’re going to be victims no more. If you have evidence of anyone doing anything wrong—you all know what I’m talking about—get it to us,