Walsh approved it.
Principal Cole read it before publication because school policy required administrative review for articles involving district data.
He approved too.
The story went online Thursday morning.
Most students ignored it.
High-school journalism had limits.
Parents read more.
Teachers discussed it.
The superintendent’s office requested a copy.
One local education reporter shared it online.
Aaliyah felt proud for approximately six hours.
Then Paige found her.
“You happy?”
Aaliyah was eating lunch with best friend Serena Davis.
She looked up.
“With what?”
“You got everyone talking about race.”
Serena sighed immediately.
“Not today.”
Paige ignored her.
Aaliyah put down her fork.
“Did you read the article?”
“I read enough.”
“How much?”
Paige laughed.
“Why?”
“Because you said I accused teachers of racism before it came out.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t.”
“You implied it.”
“Where?”
Paige’s face tightened.
Aaliyah waited.
“Where?”
“You know what you did.”
“No.”
She slid her phone across the table.
“Show me.”
Paige did not touch it.
“This is exactly your thing.”
“What is?”
“You act calm and make people explain every word so they look stupid.”
Serena looked toward Aaliyah.
Aaliyah looked back at Paige.
“I asked you where.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No.”
Paige laughed.
“There.”
Aaliyah frowned.
“There what?”
“That attitude.”
Serena stood.
“Okay.”
Aaliyah raised one hand.
“No.”
She returned her attention to Paige.
“What attitude?”
Paige shook her head.
“You people always do this.”
The cafeteria around them seemed to become slightly quieter.
Aaliyah stared.
“You people?”
Paige’s expression changed.
She heard it too late.
“I meant newspaper people.”
Serena laughed sharply.
“No, you didn’t.”
Paige turned toward her.
“Stay out of it.”
Aaliyah remained seated.
“Go.”
Paige looked back.
“You think you won something?”
“No.”
“I’m eating.”
Paige walked away.
Aaliyah did not finish lunch.
She documented the exchange that afternoon.
Date.
Time.
Exact phrases.
Witness.
Then did nothing.
Walsh found the note.
“You reporting this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why not?”
“Because maybe she actually meant newspaper people.”
Walsh gave her a look.
“You believe that?”
“No.”
“Then?”
Aaliyah leaned back.
“I don’t want every dumb thing somebody says becoming a case.”
Walsh nodded.
“That is reasonable.”
Then:
“But keep notes.”
Aaliyah already had.
Over the next month, the notes grew.
Paige passed the newsroom and said:
“Careful, investigative journalism.”
Another day:
“Find racism yet?”
During a Student Council planning meeting, Aaliyah objected to an event rule unrelated to race.
Paige muttered: