Arielle stepped away from the easel.
“What do you think?”
Sadie smiled.
“I think Cedar Ridge wanted a success story.”
There it was.
Arielle nodded.
“And I think you’ve spent eight months needing that to be true.”
Sadie’s expression changed.
Arielle continued.
“Because if it isn’t true, then you have to admit the Black scholarship girl might just paint better than you.”
Nobody laughed.
Sadie stepped closer.
“You think you’re better than me?”
“No.”
“I think you’re obsessed with proving I’m beneath you.”
Sadie moved until they were almost chest-to-chest.
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Make everything about being Black.”
Arielle looked around at the students watching.
“I didn’t say anything about race until you called me Cedar Ridge’s diversity story.”
Sadie answered too quickly.
“I never said diversity.”
Mason spoke from behind them.
“You literally did.”
Sadie glanced toward him.
That embarrassment pushed the moment forward.
Arielle stepped back.
“I’m done.”
Sadie followed.
“Of course.”
“You ruin something and run to administration.”
“I’m going to report you.”
“For paint?”
“For violating the no-contact order.”
Sadie laughed.
Arielle shook her head.
“And for destroying my work.”
Sadie stepped closer again.
“You love getting people punished.”
“No.”
“You love doing things that get you punished.”
Sadie’s face hardened.
She placed both hands against Arielle’s shoulders and upper chest.
Then she shoved.
Arielle stepped backward.
Her hands went up.
“Don’t touch me again.”
Sadie spread her arms.
“Or what?”