Ryan staggered back theatrically. Whoa! Nia froze. Trevor smiled. There it was.
The moment they wanted. Madison lowered the phone just enough to check the screen. Perfect. Nia felt cold. Perfect for what?
Nobody answered. Ashley looked sick. Guys, that's enough. Trevor turned sharply. Then leave.
Ashley didn't. Nia looked again toward the hallway. A cluster of adult students had stopped. Watching. Not helping.
Always watching. Never helping. Nia stepped around Ryan. This time Derek let her pass. She walked away without hurrying.
Behind her, Trevor called out. See you around, scholarship girl. Nia kept walking. By lunchtime the video was everywhere. She found out because her phone would not stop vibrating.
Messages, tags, screenshots. A classmate sent the clip with one sentence. What happened? Nia opened it. Eight seconds.
That was all. Ryan appeared standing calmly in the athletic center. Nia stepped toward him. Her hand pushed his arm. Ryan moved backward.
Audio caught her saying, stop touching me. But the beginning was gone. No first shove. No second shoulder check. No Derek blocking the exit.
No Trevor provoking her. No Madison saying perfect. Just Nia moving toward Ryan. Just Nia pushing him. Just enough context removed to change the story.
The caption read, scholarship student gets aggressive after complaint drama. Nia stared at the screen. Comments rolled beneath it. Some defended her. Most didn't know enough.
A few had already decided. Maybe Sloan was right. She looks unstable. Why is she touching him? People like that always play victim.
Nia shut off the phone. Her hands were shaking. She went to the restroom and stood alone beneath harsh fluorescent light. For several minutes, she simply stared at herself in the mirror. She could hear Naomi's voice from the diner.
If I lose control, they get to make me the problem. Except Nia hadn't lost control and they had made her the problem anyway. That hurt more. By two o'clock, an email arrived from Dean Sloan. Urgent administrative meeting.
Nia already knew. She still went. Sloan did not invite her to sit this time. A printed copy of the viral post lay on his desk. We have a serious situation.
Nia looked at the paper. Yes. Multiple students have reported feeling unsafe because of an edited video. We have footage of you making physical contact with another student. He shoved me twice.
Do you have proof? Nia stared at him. There were people standing there. Written statements? No. Sloan exhaled.
Nia. You were already involved in an unresolved complaint. Against them. And now there's a second incident. Also created by them.
We can't ignore what we can see. Nia's voice dropped. You are ignoring what you can see. Sloan's jaw tightened. I need you to remain calm.
That sentence almost broke something in her. She had been calm. Calm when they mocked her. Calm when they followed her. Calm when Trevor grabbed her.