Lights Up

The World Turned Upside Down

HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Btw Julie and the Phantoms is my new obsession and everyone needs to watch it.
Hope you enjoy.
The day after the protest, I got a call from Phillip. I'm at the salon with Dani, Carla, and my mom, and they immediately perk up when they see who the contact is.

"Dia! Put it on speaker!"

I answer it, kind of nervous about it.

"Hey, Phillip. You're on speaker."

"Hey, Dia."

Carla muffles her laughter when I start blushing. My mom quickly shushes her as Phillip continues talking.

"My mom got an email from the school board this morning. They want us, Jack, and Crutchie at a school board meeting Monday night. Something about investigating Pulitzer's disciplinary practices."

"Wait, they actually paid attention to us?"
"Paid attention? Dia, we were skipping school and blasting Les Mis loud enough to be heard for two blocks. I don't know how anyone could miss us. Plus, the video footage Davey got of the speeches is all over the internet!"

I think I'm in shock. We're all over the internet? And we get to speak at a school board meeting. Wow. My mom is beaming, and Carla is doing a little happy dance in the back of the salon. Phillip keeps talking, so I turn my attention back to the phone in my hand.

"It starts at six. My mom told me to tell you that she would be happy to come pick you up. We're picking up Jack and Crutchie too."

I look at my mom in question. She nods in agreement, then slaps Dani in the arm when she starts making kissing faces. I'm trying to compose myself before I respond.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'll text you my address."

"Awesome. See ya, Dia."

Phillip hangs up, and the four of us immediately start celebrating. I can't believe we actually did it. We got the attention, and now we're going to do something about it.

Two days later

The school board meeting starts in an hour. Ms. Hamilton should be here any minute to pick me up. Since it's a school board meeting, I'm a little more dressed up than I normally am. Jeans with no holes, a red sweater (red, yes I know. I have a problem.), and black ballet flats. My hair is down, mostly because I'm too lazy to fix it. Soon enough, I see a familiar grey suburban pull up outside the bodega.

"Dia! Come on!"

I lean through the doorway of the bodega and call out to my mom.

"Mom, Ms. Hamilton is here!"

"Alright, good luck!"

I walk down the sidewalk and slide into the backseat of Ms. Hamilton's car. Phillip's in the front seat, and Crutchie's sitting next to me. Jack's in the third row. None of them have ever seen where I live, so they all explode with questions as soon as I get in the car.

"This place is so cool!"

"How come you've never had us over?"

"That is a VERY large Pride flag."

That last comment was Jack.

"Yeah, uh, most people don't see it as cool. And uh, I've never had any of you guys over cause I didn't know if you guys would judge. Oh and, the Pride flag is my uncles' apartment. They're very proud of it."

The conversation changes from there, and soon enough we reach the school. The meeting is being held in the cafeteria, which seems odd, but at least there is going to BE a meeting. Ms. Hamilton drops us off with a smile and a "Good Luck", and soon enough the four of us are standing in front of the cafeteria doors. Phillip looks at all of us before opening the doors.