I looked up the specific rule in the Code of Conduct, which states that students are not allowed to interfere with smoke or fire alarms in any situation. After reading it, I decided to break the rule by scribbling a line through it using Leo’s pen, feeling a sense of satisfaction from defying it.
The act marked my first step in challenging the rules, realizing that I still had many more to confront. It was a small act of rebellion, but it symbolized my willingness to push boundaries in the ongoing struggle of navigating middle school life.