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Cherish was a big fan of promoting mental health, she'd gotten it from her parents who worked with college students. The one thing Cherish didn't like is how her school handled the topic mainly because of who their guidance counselor was.
"God bless that woman," is what Cherish always said when she saw the counselor speaking to a teen. Having to be in the cafeteria because the guidance counselor was making an announcement Cherish sighs at the sight of the older woman with a wireless mic in her hand
Cherish sat with Victoria and Amelia in a back corner round table which they'd won from some other group of teens. Cherish leaned back on her chair doing her best not to go on her phone as to not be disrespectful but it was really hard not to because she had a new text from Miguel she was itching to reply to
"Cyberbullying is no laughing matter," Counselor Blatt speaks into the void that was teens pretending to listen or just hiding their phone from her view "Sending a cruel message to someone online can be just as hurtful as saying it to their face. I'm not gonna name names, but the other day a mother called me up because her son was crying after some kids online made fun of his facial deformity."
"The kid right there!" Some teen whispers as all eyes turn to face Eli who was the only one they all knew had a facial deformity
Another kid speaks up while the counselor catches their breath, "The kid with the weird lip."
Cherish couldn't help but roll her eyes at the whispers, she had no problem with Eli's scarred upper lip. After all, Cherish wouldn't immediately notice Eli's facial deformity – as the counselor word it – rather his name was her problem because she just wondered if Eli was his birth name or a nickname being short for something like Eliot.
"But today, our goal here is to make this school a safe space for all students," The counselor tries to gather everyone's attention on her message
Unlike the rest of his cohort, Miguel had actually been listening to the counselor's words. Yet once the speech was obviously about Eli he turns to face his friends, "You know, if you're sick of getting bullied, my karate dojo's looking for recruits."
