The Rebellion of Cora Hart

*Cora's POV*

There was a roar, as a molotov cocktail was lobbed through the smashed window, and I yelped, but laughed as I banged on the doors of the cells, unlocking each one quickly, the kids inside them rubbing their eyes with sleep, but once they saw the havoc that was being wreaked in the school they immediately woke up, every single on of them running out not bothering to look at what they were wearing. I mean, sure, it was a pretty intense situation, but bright pink bunny pyjamas? That was a major shock to see one of the biggest guys in the whole school wearing fluffy pink slippers.

"EVERYONE GET THE FUCK OUT! WE'RE TAKING OVER THIS SHIT HOLE!" Ryder yelled, pulling people out of their beds.

"Up! Up! Up! Let's party! WOOHOO!" Steph cheered, grabbing a mop from the janitor's closet, smashing whatever she could get her hands on. It was a mass of students, and then someone opened the main door of the dorm. It wasn't the faculty of the school, nor more students.

They were friends of Jett, and in their hands were bags and bags of multicoloured spray paint. Wicked.

"Everyone take one! Paint the school in our colours!" the shouted, and everyone roared in response, cans being passed throughout the halls, the hissing noise of paint piercing through the air as everyone burst through the door and out into the grounds. People drew everything on the walls, ranging from swear words, lopsided penises and names.

I grabbed a bright pink on, and Jett took my hand in his, a green spray can in his own hand as he quickly pecked my lips.

"Let's have some fun before we get out of this shit hole," he murmured against my lips, and I nodded, squeezing his hand.

"We can go back to my house," I said, and he raised a brow, not knowing my... new relationship I had with my mother. "Trust me, it'll be fine."

"I trust you," he said, as we followed the crowd, Jett fist-bumping some people on the way out.

We ran out onto the oval, detaching our linked hands. I grinned as I wrote two big names and a love heart. You could guess what those names were. Yes, call me a love-struck teenager and completely and utterly cheesy, but that was how I rolled.

"EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. THIS IS AN ORDER," a booming voice shouted through a speaker, everyone stopping momentarily, but ignore the commanding voice after a moment of quiet speculation, the erratic screaming and painting continuing as if it had never stopped. Someone screamed as someone set the art-wing on fire, people running away as they grinned wildly.

"I'd say this is working," I told Jett, and he nodded, flipping someone off from behind me. I turned, and smirked when I saw an absolutely living Gale Laurence driving up to us in a black car, which wasn't so black anymore, with colourful and obscene pictures littering the shiny body. Someone had sprayed something right across the whole window, so the driver, who I recognised as Miles was trying hard to see where he was driving since the picture was a giant dick, all coloured in as well.

I don't think I had ever seen such a work of art.

Gale Laurence got out of his car, still wearing his silk, his grey pyjama pants visible underneath the odd looking outer garment. He glared at the two of us, and his eyes wandered behind us where Ryder, Luke, Gabe, Steph and Teddy were running up to meet us, their eyes wild with amusement and excitement, all of them looking like they were having the times of their lives.

"You guys started this... this fiasco, didn't you?" he seethed, and we all shrugged. "I swear I'll..."

"What are you going to do about it?" I piped up, taunting him. His ears turned bright red as Teddy giggled.

"He looks like a tomato!" Teddy chirped, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Ryder poke him in the side, but he was grinning anyway.

"Yeah, dad," Luke said softly, stepping forward. "What are you going to do?"

"Lucas... your mother would be disappointed," he growled, and Luke's eyes flashed with something.

"No, she wouldn't," he said strongly, his eyes meeting mine briefly, the ghost of a smile on his lips as I nodded, an encouraging smile on my face.

"Lucas, stop this stupidity this inst-"

"She would be disappointed in you. Did you think she wanted this for me? For Cora, Ryder and the rest of us? Do you think that she would have wanted you to turn into a heartless man who beat kids just because society didn't accept them? No, I don't think she would be. She would be disappointed that you neglected your only son because you had your head stuck up your fucking ass with your whole 'I'm-going-to-change-the-world' shit. Well dad? You're fucking wrong. You don't go around locking people in cells just because they dress differently. You don't whip them just because they made one mistake. And you don't treat your son like a monster just because you couldn't take it when mum died. So, dad..." Luke said, taking a deep breath before smiling widely.

"Fuck. You."

And that did it. Gale lunched forward to grab his son, his face contorted in anger. Luke didn't move, but he did when his father was knocked out of the air, as if someone had swatted him with a giant fly swatter. And that fly swatter was someone by the name of Miles.

"M-Miles?!" Luke gasped, as the burly man smiled, ruffling Luke's hair, a soft look in his eyes.

"Mrs Laurence would be proud of you, Lukey," he said, and Luke smiled at the nickname, hugging Miles, burying his face in his chest. Miles laughed and Luke stuck his tongue out at him. Everyone else just stared, dumbstruck at how... nice and totally not terrifying Miles was being. I mean, one second he looked like a giant scary and super tall monster, but with Luke hugging him he looked so innocent and adorable. I mean, they were both so adorable, like child hood friends.

"So, guys, now that the sappy moment is over... let's get the hell outta here!"

"Agreed," everyone chorused, running off to steal one of the school minivans.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Teddy screamed, and we all halted to a stop, thinking he had been shot or something. I mean, he sounded like he was dying.

"Oh my god, what?! ARE YOU OKAY?!" I immediately yelled, rushing over to him. He had a terrified look on his face, his eyes watery as he peered up at me.

"I forgot my teddy bear in my room."

Jesus fucking Christ.

***

The look on my mum's face when she opened the door at three in the morning to find eight teens (well, seven teens and one man names Miles) who had crudely parked a stolen minivan in the car park, covered in paint and soot, and not to mention the fact that Teddy was still a bawling mess since he had lost his teddy bear, they still let us in to the house.

"What happened?" dad asked, tired yet alert to the whole situation. "You look like you blew something up."

"Um, yeah..." I said, chuckling awkwardly as we all sat down in the living room, all of us now clean since we had showered and all that. Steph just borrowed some of my old clothes, but the boys had to wear my dad's stuff, and let me tell you, it was the funniest thing I had ever seen. Especially Ryder, who looked like he wanted to shoot himself.

"We kinda shut down the school?" Steph put in, and my dad clapped his hands, grinning.

"About time! That Laurence fellow, man, did he get under my skin," dad chortled, and mum slapped him on the back of the head, earning a confused look from him as he just sipped on his coffee. Gabe and Steph were snuggling on the rug on the ground, sharing a blanket. They were just too cute, and whenever someone teased them about being so lovey-dovey they would jump apart, but somehow would find themselves in each other's arms in the next two seconds. Teddy and Ryder were sharing a cough, both of them trying to shove the other off to get more space. Luke was sitting on the floor, his back leaning on the couch Jett and I were on, me sitting on his lap, snuggling into his warmth as he rubbed large circles on my back, his lips kissing my neck every now and then.

"You sure gave us a shock when you turned up," mum admitted, running her fingers through her bed head. "I thought someone had died or something."

"Well, we're all fine. And we called the police too and informed them about the... treatment that place had given its students. It's going to be closed down for good," Luke said, his eyes having a faraway look. Miles entered the room at that moment, two hot chocolates in his hands. He sat down next to Luke, handing him a drink as they shared a friendly smile. I was glad- Luke had lost a father but he had regained a friend. And no, Luke's dad is not dead- he was taken into police custody for the mistreatment and abuse of students. Let's just say no amount of money or whipping is going to get him out of this one.

"So, do you kids have anywhere to go? Parents? Aunts? Uncles..."

"I don't want to go back to my parents," Steph said, crinkling her nose.

"You can stay with me..." Gabe put forward, and everyone laughed, causing them to blush.

"Go on! Live with him! Do it!" Teddy cheered, and Steph flipped him off, but nodded her head, her cheeks flaming.

"I have an apartment, so I'm all set. And Teddy crashes at my place sometimes, so we're both good."

"Yay! I don't have to pick your lock anymore!" Teddy squealed, hugging Ryder, who rolled his eyes.

"What about you, Luke? Do you have..."

"He'll be staying with me. I have a small house in town," Miles said, and Luke's eyes widened.

"Really?" Luke asked, and Miles nodded, as if Luke were an idiot to think otherwise. "Thank you."

"Well, now that all of this is settled, all of you have to get to bed," mum scolded, as everyone groaned but we all knew we were dead tired anyway. "You'll have to work out who gets the beds."

Everyone then made eye contact with each other, before simultaneously sprinting upstairs, followed by a lot of shoving and cursing.

We were like one big happy family.