I didn't respond. He looked up. No fighting? No, sir. He studied her for a moment, then nodded.
All right, that's what I thought. Just try to steer clear of drama. Okay. She managed a polite smile. I'm trying.
When she left the office, Brooke was standing near the water fountain with Sky waiting. So, Brooke said, her voice light, but her eyes sharp. You tattled? Tiana's jaw tightened slightly. No one tattled.
They called me in, "Right," Brooke said, drawing out the word. "You should be careful, new girl." "People don't like snitches." Zoe appeared from around the corner. "And people don't like bullies either," she shot back. Brooke's grin faltered. "Wasn't talking to you." "Yeah, well, I'm talking to you," Zoe said, stepping closer.
Tiana reached out, gently pulling Zoe back by the sleeve. "It's not worth it," she said softly. Brooke smirked again. See, even your friend knows her place. Then she and Sky walked off, laughing under their breath.
Zoe turned to Tiana. How do you stay so calm? Tiana looked down the hallway because reacting gives them power. And I'm not handing that over. That night after homework, she called her old karate coach back in Atlanta, Sensei Paul Morales, the man who had trained her since she was nine.
"How's Tulsa treating you?" he asked. Tiana hesitated. It's different. He could hear it in her tone. Trouble?
Just people who think I won't stand up for myself. There was a pause. Then his voice grew steady and warm. You remember what I told you after your first tournament loss? Tiana smiled faintly.
"Control beats strength." Exactly. You don't need to prove you're stronger. You just need to prove you can't be broken. After they hung up, she sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands. They weren't just hands that could strike or block.
They were hands that carried restraint, discipline, pride. The next day, Zoe told her some students were planning to mess with her after school. Nothing serious, just to scare her. Tiana didn't say anything at first. She closed her locker, adjusted her backpack, and met Zoe's eyes.
"Thanks for telling me." Zoe frowned. You're not going to tell a teacher. Tiana shook her head. "No, I'll handle it." But Zoe didn't realize. When Tiana said, "Handle it," she didn't mean fighting back in anger.
She meant standing her ground in a way they'd never expect. The school day crawled by like a slow storm rolling in. By the last bell, the air outside felt heavier, thicker, as if even the wind knew something was about to happen. Students poured out through the main doors, some heading for the parking lot, others waiting for buses. Tiana walked toward the side gate near the gym, her backpack slung over one shoulder.
Zoe had offered to walk with her, but Tiana told her not to. "It's fine," she'd said, her tone steady. "They need to see I'm not scared." As she rounded the corner near the back lot, she saw them. Brooke, Sky, and Jace, leaning against a low brick wall. A couple of other students stood nearby, clearly there just to watch.