The Day of Silence: The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, now with hundreds of thousands of students coming together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior.

Friday, our school had the program. We get a pin that has "Silence" written on it to show we are participating. The way we protest is to take a vow of silence the entire school day, and not say a word all day. If you slip once or twice, that's fine, but full-on conversation? Well, that defeats the purpose of the protest.

How ironic that the all male a capella group, Tuft University's Beelzebubs, came to our school the exact same day to have the Fine and Performing Arts center members of Chorus, Boys and Girls A Capella, do a workshop with them and then watch them perform.

The workshop was fun. I got to work with four members of the group out of the thirteen (coincidence to their name, they have an unlucky number of members) and they guided us to learn the bass vocals of "Sign, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" by Stevie Wonder and join them onstage and performed it with them. It was more fun than I expected, and it felt great working with them. I hope to continue a capella into college, because I would do nothing but love it.

After that, I started my vow of silence and continued on through the day. But before I went to third period, I dropped by my Spanish teacher's room for one thing:

A small white-board and marker.

Swearing in silence is amazingly gratifying.

Of course I slipped a couple times. When you have the chance to dis someone or come back with your quick lip, you usually instinctively take it. Those weren't good moments.

Though fifth period came, all the silent fun stopped.

Lee Anne is one of my best friends. I love her til death. She's a mother, a little sister, a big sister, and the cutest thing you can have the coolest conversations with. She's my family at heart. Unfortunately, sometimes the best people are the unluckiest. She's an epileptic. I knew this of course, and I knew she had seizures in school, and the range from the seizures that are okay to the really bad ones. The really bad ones are the ones she doesn't see coming, unlike the other ones that she sees coming and she can take something before it goes bad.

Today in our Algebra class, she had a bad one.

She got up, telling Mr. Morabito that she was doing bad. Morabito spends time helping her in study; he knows what bad meant to her. She got our friend Mark to help her up and maybe walk her now. Five steps towards the door, she said she couldn't make it. Her face was a bright red, and her eyes watering up quickly. Her expression was one of intense pain, and her body looked ready to collapse. I broke my vow of silence officially and said I could carry her down while Korey(Ryuu) supported it. Once we stepped outside and she laid down on the ground, she looked like she was quietly crying as she endured a horrible pain of a thousand needles. Morabito tried to ask her what to do, because he sure as heck knew he and all three of the guys with him from the class (including me) didn't know. Lee Anne told me she's not aware of much of anything when seizures happened, and even the okay ones, she forgets her last name. The principal came up and informed us the nurse was on her way after Morabito called her. Three other teachers in the hallway stopped and surrounded her.

I never felt so helpless to someone I've loved before in my life. It was like I was watching her die, and all I wanted to do was hold her tight and take her pain away, but that was the most impossible thing I could've done to help.

The nurse came up seconds after the principal, and we were told to get back in the class.

Fifth period runs for an hour and a half, and a half hour lunch went in either the beginning, first middle, second middle, or last half hour of the period depending on the subject. Math subjects got second lunch (first middle), and the moment we were let out, I headed straight for the nurse's office to see Lee Anne's condition.

The nurse told me Lee Anne was doing better; the seizure was over and it took a whole lot out of her. She was resting on one of the cots with the curtain closed for her privacy. She let me in and I kneel to get to eye level on Lee Anne as she laid awake. She told me she felt embarrassed about it, and I told her not to; that everyone in class was simply worried about her and wanted to know if she was alright. I asked her if she wanted me to bring her lunch or anything at all. She said she would get her own lunch eventually when she felt better, and asked for me to bring down her the test we were going to have after the half-hour lunch was over. Of course I was skeptical of whether she was in the condition to, and she insisted on it. I've heard stories of Lee Anne going back to class after a while of resting, so I figured it was fine if she was capable. I told her if she needed anything just to simply call me and I would be there. I kissed her on the cheek and said goodbye to let her rest.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Lee Anne is up walking and looking extremely exhausted. I walk her back to class, and Morabito nearly begged her not to take it. It was going to Spring Break, and coming back and having to do a test on something she can't recall was a good idea to her. Not like the nurse didn't beg her to stay resting already.

Lee Anne's a strong girl, and I love her unconditionally as a part of my family.

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After school, it's 70 degrees, and it felt a little like May... I grabbed my friend Robby and we headed down to the nearby gas station and grabbed all the junk food we wanted. Came back... my Crunch bar was nearly devoured by both Rachael and Deanna and Rachael stole my second dang Pepsi! I chased her down and once I took it, I put her in a headlock. Once Kayla tried to steal it from me, I wrapped her in a headlock too. a double headlock and a Pepsi in my hand I can't really unscrew and drink due to said headlocks. I let go, Rachael snatches it, shakes it up and cracks it open.

If I didn't love her so much, I would've superkicked her.

Later on, she wanted to get a sip. I said no. She went to her boyfriend, mi amigo Miguel and asked if she could flirt with me to get a sip of Pepsi, and he said sure. Sure, she put on a good act, but it's not like I was going to get anything out of it. so I denied her again. By some miracle, she eventually gets it, and has her fill.

This is usually what happens in my social life.

I have to admit, this is why I enjoy my life right now. I get to be with my friends; the ones I don't have to be a different person around. The ones I can be happy around just by being around. Though I won't be with all of them forever, and this'll all change given two years when they head to college or move or anything, I love them now, and that's a fact. They are my forever nostalgia, they are my peaceful paradise. They are the friends and family I never had, but the family I'll probably never get to keep for my entire life. I'm glad I can enjoy it now, to at least get the chance to enjoy and treasure it. Having them let's me know more about life. It won't last forever, but you get to at least enjoy it now before you lose it. Love your true friends, and live a true life. Both will die, but you can't lie that the love was there and will be eternally.

~AA