Watch Us Rise(58)

“The only place where our voices aren’t silenced.”





When we get to Word Up, Leidy looks at us with curious eyes. “No school today?” she asks, looking at the clock.

“We left early,” I say.

“Humph.” Leidy steps from behind the cash register. “You two might be the only girls I know who skip school to come to a bookstore.” She laughs and gives us each a hug. “Why the long faces?”

Chelsea tells Leidy what’s been going on at school. After Leidy is all caught up, I say, “So that’s why we’re here. We need a new headquarters for Write Like a Girl.”

Chelsea looks at me like she is just now catching on. “Yes, and we want to open it up to the community, to the other students who come to the open mic. Get them involved too.”

Leidy walks over to a bookshelf and pulls a book out. “I’ve been waiting to give this to you two.” She hands me a workbook titled Teens Taking Action Big and Small.

Chelsea and I walk to the back of the store, where there are worn armchairs and a small coffee table. We sit and look through the book. “This. Is. Amazing,” Chelsea says.

“It is indeed,” Leidy says. “This workbook has a hundred and one things young people can do to raise awareness about social issues they care about. Some of them you’ve already done.” Then Leidy says, “Some of them could have been more thoughtful, though—”

Before she says more, I admit that we shouldn’t have dumped all those statements in the gym. “We should apologize to the custodians,” I tell Chelsea.

Leidy says, “That sounds like a good plan. You’re learning how to do this. Your intentions are good, but there’s a lot for you two to learn.”

“So does this mean you’ll be our headquarters?” I ask.

“Well, I’m surprised you even thought you needed to ask,” Leidy says. She grabs a folding chair; it creaks as she opens it. As she sits down she says, “But let me just say this one thing.” And Chelsea and I look at each other, because we know Leidy never just says one thing. “You two need to understand that there’s nothing glamorous about this. If you’re doing it to get popular or to get a guy to like you, or to get back at your principal, you’re in it for the wrong reason. This has to be about bringing women’s voices to the forefront. This has to be about speaking up and not allowing your voices to be silenced.” Leidy is talking to us like she is making a speech.

I don’t mean to interrupt, but I have to ask, “Why can’t this be about proving a point to Principal Hayes?”

Chelsea agrees. “That’s like the main reason we want to do this.”

“It has to be bigger than your anger or disappointment at one or two people. This isn’t only personal. This is about every girl, everywhere. And if you make it only about your school, your club, you keep it small.”

The door dings, announcing a customer. Leidy walks to the front of the store, leaving Chelsea and me looking through the book. Just before she greets the customer, she says, “If you just make it about you and not us, what are you really fighting for?”

Too bad Leidy doesn’t work at Amsterdam Heights.





Chelsea and I decide not to go back to school. We’ve already missed most of the day. “So where should we go now?” Chelsea asks.

I shrug.

“We clearly don’t know how to skip class.” Chelsea laughs.

My phone buzzes. It’s Isaac:

Where are you?



“Ooh, he’s checking up on his girl,” Chelsea teases. When I don’t respond, Chelsea keeps it going. “Okay, so back to Valentine’s Day. It’s a few weeks away, so we’ve got to make plans. What do you think Isaac is going to get you? You’re not a roses and chocolates girl, I hope he knows that.” Chelsea barely takes a breath. “James would definitely get me roses and chocolates. He’s totally that guy who’d show up with balloons that are puke pink and fire red. Two colors I hate, by the way. If he asks you, tell him I’d much rather—”

“They’re going to meet us at Harlem Shake in thirty minutes,” I say.

“Huh? Wait, what?”

“I’ve been texting Isaac, and I asked him if he wanted to get something to eat. I told him to bring James.”

Chelsea grabs my phone and looks through the messages. “Are you serious right now? A double date?”

“Harlem Shake, Chels. Don’t push it. It’s just—”

“It’s totally a double date,” Chelsea says. “I mean, we got them to take us out on a double date and it’s not even Valentine’s Day.”

“Chelsea.”

“We gotta get there first so we can choose the best seats and already be sitting at the table when they come.”

“You’re joking, right?”

Chelsea doesn’t answer my question. “I need to change. James can’t see me in this.”

“He just saw you at school.”

“Yeah, but that was school. This is a date.”

I just keep walking, heading toward the train.

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t be worried about if what I have on is something a guy would like. What matters is if I like it. I know, I know. But it’s James Bradford. This is, this is—”