“No.”
Jordan looked directly at her.
“You know exactly what you’re doing.”
Madeline shoved her shoulder.
Jordan took one step back.
Purple dust rose from her shirt.
Students gasped.
Jordan’s hands came up automatically.
“Do not touch me.”
Madeline laughed.
“There it is.”
Jordan knew what she meant.
She could almost hear the future version already.
Jordan became aggressive.
Jordan started the fight.
Jordan overreacted to powder at a Color Run.
The story Madeline had been building for months finally had a stage.
Jordan lowered her hands slightly.
“I’m not fighting you.”
She stepped sideways.
Madeline moved again.
Then her right arm swung.
The first punch came fast and high.
Jordan leaned backward.
It missed.
Students shouted.
Jordan created distance.
“Stop.”
Madeline came forward.
Another swing.
Jordan blocked it with her forearm.
She moved left.
Madeline followed.
Jordan still did not counter.
“Stop.”
Madeline swung again.
Jordan slipped outside the arm.
Purple powder shook from her curls.
The crowd moved backward.
A white rope barrier sagged as students pushed against it.
Madeline rushed forward.
Jordan blocked.
Madeline grabbed at Jordan’s shoulder.
Jordan broke the grip.
Tanya’s voice surfaced through adrenaline.
Distance before damage.
Jordan stepped away.
Madeline followed.
Another swing.
This time Jordan countered.
One short strike.
Enough to make Madeline stumble backward.
Jordan stopped immediately.
There were several feet between them.
Madeline regained her balance.
The fight could have ended.
Instead she rushed forward again.
Jordan moved sideways.
Madeline’s fist passed near her cheek.
Jordan blocked the next attempt and pushed her away.
Madeline stumbled.
Recovered.
Came back.
Students were shouting now.
“Madeline, stop!”
“Back up!”
“Get a teacher!”
Jordan heard none of it clearly.
Her focus narrowed.
Hands.
Feet.
Distance.
Madeline lunged again.
Jordan slipped the incoming arm and landed another short counter.
Madeline spun partly sideways.