I gripped the edges of my plastic food tray so hard my knuckles turned white, staring up at the tall athlete in the red letterman jacket who was intentionally blocking the narrow cafeteria aisle. Trent stepped right into my path with a sickening smirk, lowering his head until his breath was hot against my ear. He whispered exactly what he was going to do to my deaf little sister after school, and I suddenly drove my plastic food tray directly into his face.
The crack of rigid plastic against bone echoed like a gunshot. Mashed potatoes, steaming gravy, and chocolate milk exploded across his pristine red jacket. The surrounding teenagers froze instantly, dozens of staring students standing paralyzed with their sandwiches halfway to their open mouths. The usually deafening cafeteria went graveyard silent.
Trent stumbled backward, clutching his nose. Blood immediately welled between his fingers, dripping down his chin and splashing onto the polished linoleum floor.