One page said Marcus was a Marine.
He worked in building systems.
Another claimed Angela was a civil-rights attorney.
She managed medical billing operations.
Cameron found that version.
“At least Mom got an upgrade.”
Angela looked at him.
“I have a career.”
“I mean legally.”
Marcus started laughing.
Angela told both of them to leave the kitchen.
Humor helped.
School was harder.
When Jordan returned after missing two days, students stared.
Some congratulated her.
That felt worse than staring.
One boy raised his fists jokingly near the cafeteria and said, “Careful, Jordan’s coming.”
She stopped.
“What are you doing?”
He laughed.
“You know.”
“No.”
“The Color Run thing.”
Jordan looked at him.
“Madeline spent months trying to convince people I was aggressive.”
The boy’s smile disappeared.
“So maybe don’t turn me defending myself into a personality.”
He apologized.
Jordan walked away.
Sabrina caught up beside her.
“You’ve started making people explain bad jokes.”
“It works.”
“I’m stealing that.”
The attention slowly faded.
Teenagers had exams.
Prom.
College decisions.
Relationship drama.
A parking-lot accident.
Life generated replacement stories quickly.
Jordan returned to Bellamy Pharmacy the following Saturday.
Mrs. Bellamy stared at her purple-stained curls.
“I thought you washed it.”
“Three times.”
“Apparently purple has commitment issues.”
Jordan laughed.
For the first time since the event, somebody joked about the powder without turning the fight into entertainment.
That mattered.
The stain faded over the next week.
A few purple traces remained near her scalp longer.
Jordan considered cutting several inches of hair.
Angela asked whether she wanted a new style or wanted to remove the memory.
Jordan thought about it.
She kept the curls.
Not because keeping them proved strength.
Because she liked them.
That distinction felt important.
Madeline returned after suspension near the end of May.
She kept distance.
No comments.
No looks held too long.
No attempt at reconciliation.
Jordan preferred it.
Other students were less restrained.
Someone emptied purple confetti across Madeline’s locker.
Another student placed an empty powder container on her desk with KARMA written across it.
Jordan heard about both incidents.
She told Sabrina she wanted them stopped.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“After what she did?”
“Yes.”
Sabrina stared.
Jordan explained that humiliation did not become acceptable because the crowd changed sides.
Discipline had already happened.