“I just want to graduate.”

Jordan softened.

“I know.”

She showed the message to Mrs. Patel.

Patel immediately involved Assistant Principal Daniel Mercer.

Claire denied sending it.

The account could not be tied to her.

Mercer spoke with Claire anyway and issued what he called a “clear behavioral warning.”

Afterward, he called Maya into his office.

“We have advised both students to avoid unnecessary interaction.”

Maya frowned.

“Both students?”

“Yes.”

“What did I do?”

“I’m not suggesting you did anything.”

“Then why am I being told to avoid her?”

Mercer chose his words carefully.

“We want to reduce opportunities for escalation.”

Maya leaned back.

“I already avoid her.”

“Good.”

“That hasn’t stopped her.”

Mercer nodded sympathetically.

“We’ll continue monitoring.”

Maya left with the familiar feeling that an adult had listened very carefully without actually giving her anything useful.

That night, Denise finally learned what was happening.

Not from Maya.

From the school.

Mercer called regarding the threatening message.

Denise waited until dinner before speaking.

She placed Maya’s plate on the table.

Then sat across from her.

“How long?”

Maya knew immediately.

“Mom.”

“How long has this girl been bothering you?”

“It’s not that serious.”

“That was not my question.”

Maya looked down.

“Since January.”

Denise closed her eyes.

“January.”

“It started stupid.”

“And now somebody is threatening you.”

“I don’t know if it was her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You have work.”

Denise stared at her daughter.

“I have work?”

“You’ve got enough going on.”

“So you decided my child being harassed at school was something I didn’t need to know?”

When Denise said it that way, Maya realized how ridiculous the logic sounded.

“I thought I could deal with it.”

Her mother’s voice softened.

“I know you can deal with things.”

She reached across the table.

“That doesn’t mean you have to deal with all of them alone.”

Maya looked at her hand.

Denise continued.

“Being independent is not the same thing as being unsupported.”

For some reason, that sentence nearly made Maya cry.

She did not.

But the following morning, Denise went to Harrison Ridge before work.

The meeting with Assistant Principal Mercer lasted forty minutes.

When it ended, Claire received a formal no-contact directive.

She was not to approach Maya in class, hallways, the cafeteria, or school events unless required academically.

For eleven days, it worked.