At first Naomi honestly thought she was trying to frighten her.
Then the blades opened.
“What are you doing?”
“Fixing the costume.”
Claire laughed.
Naomi gripped the front of her blazer.
“Put them away.”
Madeline caught the bottom of the tie and made the first cut.
The blades barely clipped the fabric.
Naomi stepped backward.
“Are you serious?”
Madeline followed.
“I’m tired of watching you act like wearing our uniform turns you into one of us.”
The air beneath the shelter changed.
Claire stopped laughing as loudly.
Emma’s phone remained pointed at them.
Naomi stared at Madeline.
“I am one of you.”
Madeline laughed. “No, you’re somebody Ashford brought in so it can brag about being inclusive.”
Even Claire looked surprised.
Naomi answered, “I was admitted here.”
“So were plenty of people.”
“I earned the fellowship.”
Madeline gave a small shrug. “Exactly.”
Naomi understood the meaning immediately.
Madeline lifted the tie again.
“You didn’t grow up here.”
“You don’t ride.”
“Your family isn’t part of this world.”
Naomi stared at her.
“My family spends more time in the school parking lot than yours.”
Madeline moved closer.
“You know what I mean.”
Naomi’s voice became very quiet.
“Yes.”
“I finally do.”
Madeline closed the scissors.
The lower half of the tie landed on wet pavement.
Nobody laughed immediately.
Naomi looked down once.
Then she looked toward Emma’s phone.