September 17th, a normal Tuesday morning, she walked into school like she owned the place. Not for long though. Emily Dumas is your stereotypical mean girl, long blonde hair, blue eyes, expensive outfits, not a care in the world. Some people spend their whole lives wishing they were like her. I used to be one of those people, before I realized how awful Emily really is.

About a week ago I was doing my own thing as usual. I don’t talk very much in school, I’ve never really felt comfortable with the majority of my classmates. I used to be in awe over how easily Emily could have a conversation. It’s not so easy for me; the only person I feel comfortable with is Jamie, my best friend for as long as I can remember. Right after third period that day, I met up with Jamie, and we walked through the crowd, into the cafeteria. As we sat down, I noticed the table across the room. Everyone in the area was gathered around one seat, filling the room with all sorts of gossip and chatter. Jamie and I ate lunch silence. 

“Wanna come to the lunch line with me?” I suggested.

“Yeah sure, Let me finish this first,” she gestured to her nearly empty bag of pretzel sticks.

Once she emptied her bag, we wandered over to the long line of lunch options and snacks, each picking up a bag of pale yellow Lays Potato Chips. I started making my way to pay at the end of the line; I trudged through the rest of the line; at the end I turned my back to the front of the line, reassuring myself that Jamie was still with me. When I turned around, Jamie’s face turned a bright red. She looked as if she was about to shout something but by the time she could get any words out, it was too late. I crashed into the figure that was seemingly trying to walk around me. I tumbled to the ground, surrounded by the rest of the fallen soldiers around me (aka the pizza sauce which had sprawled itself all over the floor as well as my brand new jeans).

“Oops,” the figure walked by me. I rubbed the creamy liquid out of my eyes and turned my eyes to the girl walking away from me. She just walked away, no apology, no “Here I'll help you up!” My mind finally caught up with my body. There, sauntering by me like I was invisible and laughing as she walked out to pay for the water in her hand, was Emily. Jamie took my hand and guided me out of the line. I saw the snickers from all angles of the room and felt the tears gathering themselves in the corner of my eyes. I stormed out of the cafeteria in a haste, Jamie by my side. She comforted as we took the few steps in order to get to the nurses office, which luckily enough was the next room over. 

When we arrived in her office she gave me a quick glance, “Would you like me to call your mother, honey?” she offered. I agreed with a slight nod, and we stayed right there until my mom showed up.

I think about that day a lot. High school definitely isn’t the epitome of life, but I'd prefer to have a good four years. Emily has shown me just how little empathy some kids at school have. At the end of my senior year, I don’t want to be that person who can’t wait to leave, but if nothing changes here, I won’t be the only one wishing to graduate as soon as possible.

Before the first bell rang today, I was sitting in the corner of the secluded library. Together with a small group of friends, Jamie and I decided to have a little fun at the end of the school day. Each and every one of us was fed up with how people are being treated at our school. The only possible solution we came up with the day before, was about to be set in motion. 

“Let's talk water balloons,” I stated as the group gathered around the table in solidarity. The next few minutes were spent going over tedious details and making sure we were all on the same page. All we had to do now was wait. Over the course of the school day, I kept myself busy with the thought of change. It’s not just Emily, its her whole possy, they all need to be taken down a notch before bully becomes a part of their personality. Jamie and I waited all day, every period. Lunch was spent in some kind of anxious, revenge driven blur, still trying to decide if this was just as mean as what they are doing. I kept reminding myself that it’s just a prank, no one’s actually going to get hurt in any way.

By the time the final bell of the day rang, I jumped out of my seat and ran out the door. We all met in the foyer, as quickly as possible. 

“Are we all sure of what we are doing?” I asked the room.

“Yup,” they all chimed.

“This is gonna be so epic!” A boy named Cameron voiced from his set spot.

“Are you sure we aren’t going to get in trouble for this?” Fiona, a shy rule follower questioned. 

“Of course! How could it go wrong? It’s not like we’re attacking anyone,” I reassured my new friends, although the reassurance was mostly for myself. I brought out the huge purple bucket full of freshly scooped ice water and plopped it down on the ground in front of us.

When we were all in our places just outside the door of the school, I reached into the bucket and felt the sting of the cold water wrap around my fingers and palm. Then I picked up 4 small, disformed balloons, cradled them in my arms, and gestured for them to do the same. We took our places by the bushes and crouched down. As the rest of the school passed us by, we received some concerned looks.  

“When she walks through those double doors, wait until I give you the signal,” I whispered to the rest of the group, clustered in the branches, “Are you all ready?” 

“Ready,” they all complied.

Only about five minutes had passed before I scouted Emily and her friends. I held back for a second, making sure that we could strike at the optimal time and could have the best angle. Finally, I gave the signal to my group, tossing a peace sign behind my back. We charged into the square and pummeled whatever our arms could hold in Emily’s direction. A piercing scream hit the air around us, engulfing the school. Each one of the girls standing before us was soaked, shivering and whimpering. We sent the remaining balloons flying through the air before deciding they had had enough. When all the balloons had run out, we grabbed the bucket of ice water, dumped it over, splashing in their direction, and ran. As I passed the window of the cafeteria, I gave a final glance back. The looks of horror replaced the once smug smile on their faces. Filled with laughter, we lurched towards the baseball field and sank into the long, thick green grass. These people were my friends now, we made a bond. I used to admire Emily for being able to make friends so easily, wishing she would all of a sudden become my friend and help me make new ones. I guess you could say now, that Emily did help me make new friends. In that moment, none of us cared what kind of trouble we would get in. We stood up for ourselves, something that no one ever thought we could do. And it felt good.