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

Maya finally looked at him. It’s funny, she said, her voice calm. You keep bringing up my dad like you’re not the one who almost pissed himself when he saw him.

The cafeteria went dead silent. Bryce’s face darkened. His friends shifted awkwardly, unsure if they should laugh or pretend they didn’t hear it.

Maya took a slow bite of her food, her eyes never leaving Bryce’s. She wanted him to sit with that feeling. That embarrassment.

That vulnerability. Because guys like him didn’t know how to handle being made into the joke. Bryce clenched his jaw, forcing a laugh, though it was tight, strained.

You think you’re tough, huh? He said. Walking around like you own the place just because you got some rich, famous daddy to pick you up in a fancy car. His voice carried, loud enough for everyone to hear.

What, you think you’re better than us? Maya tilted her head slightly. No, she said simply. I just don’t need to prove anything.

And that was the difference. Bryce spent his entire life proving he was the toughest, the strongest, the most untouchable. Maya didn’t need to prove anything, because she knew who she was.

And that, more than anything, made him furious. That’s when she saw it. The moment Bryce made his decision.

The way his muscles tensed, the way his hand curled into a fist before he quickly forced it to relax. He wasn’t done. He was going to try something worse.

And Maya was ready. After school, she kept her pace slow as she walked toward the parking lot. She knew Bryce would be waiting.

And sure enough, there he was, leaning against his car, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His friends weren’t with him this time. This was just between them now.

Maya stopped a few feet away, raising an eyebrow. Let me guess, another brilliant speech about how I don’t belong here? Bryce exhaled sharply through his nose. Nah, he said.

I just wanna know one thing. Maya folded her arms. And what’s that? Bryce studied her for a long moment, then said, Why don’t you fight back? His voice wasn’t mocking this time.

It wasn’t cocky or cruel. It was something else. Genuine curiosity.

Maya considered the question for a second, then shrugged. Because I don’t need to. Bryce scoffed, shaking his head.

That’s not how it works, Williams. People like me, we push, and people like you either push back or get run over. Maya took a step closer, lowering her voice.

Or maybe people like me wait. We let people like you keep pushing, keep making mistakes, keep proving to everyone how weak you really are. And then, when you’re standing in the middle of the mess you made, we don’t have to do anything.

You’ve already destroyed yourself. Bryce stared at her, and for the first time, Maya saw something flicker in his expression. Doubt.

But he covered it quickly. You think you got me figured out? He said, forcing a smirk. You don’t know a damn thing about me, Maya studied him…