The seventh rule on my momma's list was one she told me when I was just little. She told me to stand up for what I believed in! Even if I'd be all alone. And the fact that I did it counted.

"Angel, my baby," my momma cooed, "I want you to always fight for what you know is right."

She let go of my little seven year-old hand and passed me a Power Rangers lunch box. She blew me a kiss and left. My momma had walked me to school that day, we didn't live to far away. But she always said she wasn't feeling very good so I'd take the school bus. She didn't look very good that day and we had left extra early so she could take breaks on the way there.

It was supposed to be a special day; there was a new boy who had just moved to New York.

"Class, gather around, we have a new student," Miss Banks smiled and pointed to a boy, "This is Jacob Wilson."

He had a really pale face and think brown-rimmed glasses. Looking back now, he looked a lot like Mark. But anyways! He smiled shyly and waved his tiny hand at all of the kids.

Everyone looked back to their friends and continued to do whatever they were before.

Uh-uh. This wouldn't go on as long as I was in that class. I marched right up to that boy and stuck out my hand, "I'm Angel."

His face turned a little pink, "My name's Jake." I nodded, excitedly.

At recess we were gonna play together. Two girls came over to us. One had pretty blonde hair in pigtails and the other one had long brown hair.

"Hi, Angel!" the blonde smiled, "D'you and Jakey wanna play with us?" I smiled; of course I'd play with them! I knew these girls were fun.

"Gross!" Jake jumped back, "Angel and me don't wanna play with no girls. You have cooties!"

Let me tell you, I put my hands on my hips, stomped my feet over to the girls and wrapped my arms around them.

"Girls don't have cooties, Jake! They're really nice and I'm gonna play with them."

Jake rolled his eyes, "Good I hope you get cooties too, Angel. And you have a girl name so you'll fit in fine!"

I pouted my lips and the blonde, Jenna, hugged me. "It's okay Ang-eeeee. Me and Amy will play with you, we ain't got cooties." Amy clapped her hands.

"Yeah Angel! You're the funnest boy! You played dress up when the other boys told you it was for girls. So you're our best friend now." She smiled and grabbed my hand.

I'll be totally honest with you. That night when I went home I asked my momma if girls really had cooties. She just laughed and hugged me, "Oh my Angel, no, no, no. You play with those girls and show everyone. Show everyone those girls are fun and do not have cooties."

Even as early as seven, my momma had been preparing me for life.

Whether I played with girls who were rumored to have cooties, or if it was something like… dancing on tables with the best family anyone could have.

It really is best to be an 'us' instead of a 'them'. And that's the truth.