The school bully attacks a black girl… without knowing who is her father…

Get in, kid, he said, his voice calm but firm. It wasn’t a question. Maya didn’t hesitate.

She walked past Bryce, past the stunned silence of the crowd that had begun to form, and pulled open the passenger door. The moment she slid inside, Vin shifted the car into gear. The charger let out a deep growl as it pulled away from the curb, leaving behind a high school hallway’s worth of whispers and widened eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The city of Houston blurred past the windows, the late afternoon sun casting long streaks of orange and gold across the dashboard. Maya let her fingers drum lightly against her knee, exhaling as she finally let go of the tension that had been building since she first stepped onto that campus.

Vin kept his eyes on the road, his fingers tapping the steering wheel rhythmically. You okay? Maya gave a short nod. Then, after a pause, she let out a small laugh.

That was kind of dramatic, wasn’t it? Vin smirked, his signature half-smile creeping onto his face. A little. She shook her head, letting her gaze drift out the window.

I didn’t mean for them to find out like that. Vin glanced at her. And what would have been a better way? Letting some punk like that walk all over you? Maya sighed, resting her head back against the seat.

I wasn’t going to let him walk all over me. I was just… waiting. Vin raised an eyebrow.

For what? She shrugged. For the right moment. Vin was quiet for a moment before he let out a soft chuckle.

You sound like me when I was your age. Maya turned to him, the corner of her lips twitching into a smirk. That’s a scary thought.

Vin let out a full laugh this time, shaking his head. Smartass. They drove in comfortable silence for a while, the tension from earlier melting away as the familiarity of their banter settled in.

But Maya knew that just because the moment had passed didn’t mean the problem had disappeared. Bryce Carter wasn’t the type to let things go. And even if he had been scared in that moment, fear had a funny way of turning into anger.

When they pulled into the driveway of their home, a sleek modern house tucked away in a quiet Houston suburb, Maya unbuckled her seatbelt but didn’t move to get out right away. Vin noticed. Something else on your mind? Maya hesitated, then exhaled.

He’s not done with me. Vin studied her for a long moment. No, he said finally, his voice steady.

But you’re not done with him either. Maya met his gaze. You think I should fight back? Vin leaned back in his seat, resting his arm on the steering wheel.

I think you need to be ready. Because guys like him, they don’t like losing. Maya pressed her lips together, thinking, then finally she nodded.

Yeah, I know. The next morning at school, Maya expected whispers. What she didn’t expect was how many people were whispering.

She walked through the hallways, feeling the weight of a hundred glances shifting toward her, the murmurs threading through groups of students like wildfire. Some were curious, some were amused, and some, like Bryce’s friends, were downright pissed. She spotted them near the lockers, a tight-knit group of athletes and wannabe tough guys, all of them throwing dirty looks her way.

Bryce was in the middle, leaning against the metal, arms crossed. When he saw her, he didn’t smirk. He just stared.

Maya didn’t flinch. She held his gaze for half a second longer than necessary before turning and walking to her class. She could hear them whispering behind her, but she didn’t care.

If Bryce wanted to play the long game, she could play it too. By lunchtime, things had escalated. As she carried her tray toward an empty table, one of Bryce’s goons, Ryan, a stocky linebacker with more muscles than brain cells, accidentally stuck his foot out.

Maya felt herself stumble, but she caught herself before she could fall completely, her tray clattering slightly. A few students turned to watch, their eyes darting between her and the group of jocks who were now laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. Maya straightened, fixing her tray.

She didn’t react, which seemed to irritate them more. What? Ryan grinned. No comeback, princess? Maya exhaled sharply, barely holding back her smirk.

I just didn’t realize cavemen still existed. The surrounding students let out a collective, oh, and Ryan’s smile faltered. Bryce, who had been watching the whole thing, tilted his head slightly, like he was trying to figure out his next move.

Maya didn’t wait for them to come up with one. She walked past them, sat down at her table, and started eating like nothing had happened. But she knew better…