Maya kept training afterward.

Not because she wanted to fight.

Because the gym was one of the few places where memories of her father felt comforting instead of painful.

Coach Eddie at Dayton Community Boxing had repeated the same sentence for years.

“The smartest fighter is the one who goes home without fighting.”

Maya believed him.

That was why she kept backing away.

Claire swung again.

Maya slipped sideways.

The punch missed.

Claire’s own momentum turned her body.

Maya could have hit her.

She did not.

“Stop.”

Claire came again.

This time she grabbed Maya near the shoulders and shoved her into the serving counter.

Maya’s headphones fell sideways.

A cafeteria employee shouted for them to stop.

Nobody reached them yet.

Claire swung.

Maya blocked.

Another swing.

Maya moved.

For several seconds, the difference between them became obvious.

Claire was angry.

Maya knew how to move.

That realization embarrassed Claire.

She attacked harder.

Maya caught her wrist.

“Enough.”

Claire tried to pull away.

Maya released her.

Instead of stepping back, Claire rushed again.

Maya pivoted.

Caught Claire’s arm near the elbow.

Used the forward movement.

Claire lost her balance.

Her feet tangled.

Maya drove her away and down.

Claire hit the cafeteria floor on her back.

Hard enough to shock her.

Not hard enough to seriously injure her.

The entire room went silent.

Maya stepped backward immediately.

She did not hit Claire while she was down.

She did not kick her.

She did not celebrate.

Claire lay flat on the tile, breathing hard, eyes wide.

Maya looked down.

“You were told to leave me alone.”

Teachers arrived.

Assistant Principal Mercer pushed through the students.

He saw Claire on the ground.

Maya standing.

And thirty phones pointed toward them.

“Maya!”

She closed her eyes.

Of course.

“Step away.”

“I already did.”

“What happened?”

Claire sat up.

“She attacked me.”

A wave of reactions exploded from the crowd.

“No!”

“She hit Maya first!”

“With the tray!”

“We recorded it!”

“She kept coming after her!”

Mercer raised both hands.

“Everybody stop!”

Nobody stopped.

A boy near the serving line held up his phone.

“I got the first hit.”

Another student raised hers.

“I have the whole thing.”

Lexi stood near the back of the crowd.

Her face was pale.

Mercer looked at Maya.

Then Claire.

Then the cafeteria workers.

“All right.”

His voice changed.

“Nobody deletes anything.”

Claire’s mother arrived before Denise.