Maya took a slow breath.
"I don't want trouble."
Chloe laughed.
"Of course you don't."
Then she looked at the designer shoes on her own feet.
"My shoes are ruined."
Maya glanced down.
There was a faint scratch near the side of Chloe's left shoe.
Maya barely remembered what had happened.
She had been walking through the crowded entrance earlier that morning.
Someone had bumped into her.
She had stumbled.
Her backpack had brushed against Chloe.
Apparently, that tiny contact was now a crime.
"I said I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't fix them."
"I didn't do it on purpose."
"That doesn't matter."
Chloe looked around.
"Do you know how much these cost?"
Maya shook her head.
"I don't care."
Chloe's expression changed.
That was the sentence that did it.
"You don't care?"
Maya realized too late that she had said the wrong thing.
Chloe reached for her.
Maya instinctively stepped backward.
"Don't touch me."
Chloe stopped.
The hallway seemed to hold its breath.
Then Chloe laughed.
"Did everyone hear that?"
She looked around.
"The scholarship girl just told me not to touch her."
Sarah moved closer with her camera.
"This is going to be hilarious."
Maya tried to walk away.
Chloe grabbed the strap of her backpack.
Maya immediately stopped.
"Let go."
"No."
"Chloe."
"Get on your knees."
Maya stared at her.
"What?"
"You heard me."
The crowd laughed.
"Apologize properly."
Maya's fingers tightened around the edge of her book.
She could feel her heartbeat.
Fast.
Too fast.
A memory flashed through her mind.
A dim training room.
A heavy bag swinging.
Her coach's voice.
Don't fight anger with anger.
Breathe.
Find your balance.
Protect yourself.
Never punish someone because you are capable of hurting them.
Maya breathed in.
Then out.
"Let go of my bag."
Chloe pulled harder.
Maya didn't move.
"Or what?"
Maya looked directly into her eyes.
"Or I'll make you."
The laughter stopped.
For the first time, Chloe looked uncertain.
Only for a second.
Then she smiled.
"You?"
She looked Maya up and down.
"You couldn't hurt a fly."
Someone in the crowd laughed.
Chloe reached toward Maya's hair.
Her fingers were inches away.
Maya's body moved before her fear could stop it.
She pivoted.
Caught Chloe's wrist.
Redirected the movement.
And suddenly Chloe wasn't standing anymore.
She was falling.
Not violently.
Not with a punch.
Not with a dramatic blow.
Maya simply used Chloe's own momentum against her.
Chloe hit the floor on her hands and knees.
The hallway went silent.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody spoke.