Then she looked behind her. Madison stood beside the overturned bin.
Naomi slowly removed the cardboard from her hair. “Did you just dump garbage on me?”
Madison shrugged. “It’s paper.”
Naomi looked at the ground surrounding her. “You’re under a no-contact order.”
“I didn’t contact you.” Madison pointed toward the bin.
“The trash did.” Brooke laughed.
Naomi stood. Her notebook slid onto the bench.
“You think this is funny?” Madison said Naomi took everything too seriously.
Naomi stepped away from the garbage. “Why are you still doing this?”
Madison’s expression tightened. “Doing what?”
“This.” Naomi gestured around them.
“Trying to prove I don’t belong here.”
Madison said nobody had ever said Naomi did not belong. Naomi looked at her in disbelief.
“You call me charity girl.” She counted on one hand.
“You say my clothes are fake, my computer comes from financial aid, my college acceptance comes from being Black, and now you’re throwing garbage on me.”
Students had begun slowing down nearby. A brunette girl behind Madison pulled out her phone.
Madison noticed the audience. “You love making yourself the victim.”
Naomi’s voice stayed level. “I was sitting on a bench.”
Brooke stopped laughing.
Madison stepped closer. “You’ve spent the whole year getting people punished.”
“You spent the whole year doing things that got you punished.”
That sentence changed the mood instantly. Someone behind them whispered, “Damn.”
Madison’s face reddened. She moved until she was inches from Naomi.
“You think you’re better than everyone.”
Naomi shook her head. “No.”
“You think because teachers like you and Northwestern wants you—”
“There it is.” Naomi interrupted softly.
Madison paused. Naomi looked directly at her.
“Every time something good happens to me, you need another reason it doesn’t count.”
Madison told her to shut up. Naomi did not.
“My grades are the scholarship.” Her voice remained calm.