She's got an attitude. Madison didn't answer. One of her friends said, Forget her. Madison turned slowly. No. Her voice was quiet.
Too quiet. She wants everybody to think she's untouchable. Tyler smirked. So? Madison looked toward the courtyard, where students were still moving between classes.
Phones in hands. Eyes everywhere. Then we make sure everybody sees what she's really like. Rachel heard just enough to understand the tone. Not the plan.
She watched Madison pull out her phone. Then she looked toward the building where Danny had disappeared. Something had shifted. The first humiliation hadn't worked. The warning hadn't worked.
And now Madison wanted an audience. By seven the next morning, Danny's phone had already vibrated itself halfway across the nightstand. She woke to the faint gray light of Charlotte before sunrise and the sound of notification after notification stacking on the screen. For a few seconds, she thought something had happened at the hospital where her mother worked. Then she saw the first message.
Did you really threaten that guy yesterday? A second followed. You're all over the Hawthorne page. Danny sat up. Her stomach tightened before she even opened the video.
The clip was 12 seconds long. It began beneath the stone archway. Tyler stood in front of her. Danny's face was visible in profile. Please step aside.
The video jumped. Tyler shifted backward. Another cut. You will. That was it.
No Madison accusing her of humiliating the Blake family. No Tyler telling her to be careful around people who could make things difficult. No second refusal to move. No context. Just Danny.
Calm and unsmiling. Apparently ordering a former Hawthorne athlete out of her way while he stepped back. The caption above it read, New grad student threatens Blake family on day one. By the time Danny refreshed the page, it had hundreds of views. The comments were worse.
Who does she think she is? First day and already causing problems. Tyler was clearly trying to walk away. Scholarship people always come in angry. That last one made Danny stop.
She stared at the words until the screen dimmed. There it was. Not curiosity about what happened. Not a question. A conclusion.
Angela appeared in the bedroom doorway already dressed for another hospital shift. You're awake. Danny turned the phone face down. Yeah. Angela watched her carefully.
What happened? Nothing I can't handle. Angela didn't move. Danny gave in. Someone posted a video from yesterday.
What kind of video? The dishonest kind. Angela stepped inside. Danny played it for her. Her mother watched once.
Then again. Where's the rest? Exactly. Angela's mouth tightened. You have anything showing what happened before?