Different Whitmore.
Different century.
“Say it.”
Connor’s face reddened.
“You’re obsessed.”
“With what?”
“Race.”
Jasmine almost laughed.
“We are discussing school integration.”
“Exactly.”
He walked away.
Leah watched him.
“You know what scares me?”
“What?”
“He thinks he won that conversation.”
Jasmine smiled.
She wrote the incident down later.
Date.
Time.
Witnesses.
Exact words.
No interpretation.
Walter Bennett had taught her something without meaning to.
Memory was vulnerable.
Paper helped.
Connor’s bullying became more deliberate after that.
He called Jasmine Professor Race in the hallway.
He asked whether she planned to sue the cafeteria.
He told friends she was trying to remove the Whitmore name from school property.
That was false.
Jasmine corrected the rumor once.
Then twice.
By the third time, she stopped.
The family name appeared on athletic buildings because Connor’s father and grandfather had donated significant money over decades.
Jasmine’s historical material involved school discipline.
The two questions had nothing to do with each other.
Connor merged them.
That helped him.
If Jasmine wanted the family name removed, then her research became revenge.
If her research became revenge, he did not have to think about the photograph.
Assistant Principal Marissa Doyle called Jasmine into her office in November.
Not to discipline her.
To ask about escalating tension.
Jasmine brought her notes.
Doyle read each incident.
The lunch joke.
Representation comment.
Hair remark.
Professor Race.
“People like you.”
Rumors.
Doyle exhaled.
“Have you told Connor directly to stop?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
Jasmine gave three dates.
Doyle checked.
“Witnesses?”
“Yes.”
Doyle interviewed them.
Connor admitted most of the comments.
He described them as jokes.
He denied racial hostility.
Doyle issued a written conduct warning.
No suspension.
Connor’s father requested a meeting.
Richard Whitmore entered Jefferson Ridge wearing jeans, work boots, and a navy company jacket rather than the expensive suit Jasmine expected.
He looked tired.
Baines and Doyle attended.
Connor sat beside him.
Richard did not begin by defending his son.
He looked at Connor.
“Did you say ‘people like you’?”
Connor shrugged.
“That’s not how I meant it.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Connor looked down.
“Yes.”
“Did you call her Professor Race?”
“It’s a joke.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“You are eighteen.”
Connor became defensive.
“She keeps going after our family.”
Richard looked toward Baines.
“Is she?”
Baines answered.
“No.”
He explained the anniversary exhibit.
The 1974 documents.
Walter’s statement.
Richard listened.
His expression changed when Michael’s name appeared.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
Richard stared at the photograph.
He had never seen it.