Maya stumbled.
Jalen started forward.
Tessa grabbed his jacket.
“Don’t.”
Maya regained balance.
She stared at Sloane.
“Do not touch me again.”
Sloane raised both hands.
“Or what?”
Maya backed away.
“I’m done.”
She turned.
Sloane reached for her.
The first aggressive swing happened so quickly several witnesses initially thought Sloane intended only to grab Maya’s hair.
Video showed the arm clearly.
Maya ducked.
Sloane’s hand passed across the space above her shoulder.
Students shouted.
Maya came up several feet away.
“Stop!”
Sloane stepped forward again.
Maya raised both hands.
“Stop.”
Another swing.
Maya blocked with her forearm.
Sloane grabbed at her wrist.
Maya pulled free.
Neither girl landed a punch.
Sloane kept advancing.
Maya moved backward.
“Back off.”
Sloane lunged again.
Maya caught one arm and redirected it across Sloane’s body.
The red-haired girl stumbled but recovered.
She came back.
Maya ducked a second time.
Then pushed outward with both hands against Sloane’s upper arm and shoulder.
The push created distance.
Sloane’s feet slid across leaves scattered on the grass.
She tried catching herself.
One foot landed beside the bouquet.
The other lost traction.
Sloane fell backward.
Her hip hit first.
Then one elbow.
A gasp moved through the crowd.
Maya stopped immediately.
She did not follow her down.
She did not kick.
She did not strike.
She stood several feet away breathing hard.
Sloane looked up from the grass.
For the first time since approaching, she looked shocked.
Maya looked at the crushed flowers between them.
Then at Sloane.
Nobody laughed anymore.
Tessa reached Maya first.
“You okay?”
Maya nodded automatically.
She was not.
Jalen stood nearby, jaw clenched.
Paige still held the phone.
Another student whispered, “She started that.”
Sloane heard.
“She attacked me!”
Three voices responded immediately.
“No.”