Bullies pick on the wrong new Black Girl. Not knowing what will happen in a minute…
Maya kept her gaze fixed ahead, pretending not to hear the mockery, but her hand instinctively tightened around the pencil she was holding. She was far too familiar with the sting of such hurtful words. Just because of her skin color, her background, or simply because she was the new girl, Maya knew that if she reacted, even in the slightest, it would only make things worse.
Ashley watched from afar, a subtle smile creeping onto her face as she saw Maya not responding to the teasing. To Ashley, silence was a clear sign of weakness, and weakness was exactly what she needed to assert her position. Ashley leaned in and whispered something to Brianna and Courtney.
Both girls immediately burst into loud laughter, deliberately directing their voices toward Maya, ensuring the other students around would notice even more. Amidst the chaotic noise, Maya remained still. She forced herself to breathe slowly, keeping her heartbeat steady, trying to push the discomfort growing in her chest.
Maya knew that silence was the only option she had at that moment, but what she hadn’t realized was that her silence, rather than soothing the situation, was unknowingly becoming a provocation to Ashley. Ashley despised indifference because, to her, Maya’s refusal to react was like a silent challenge. Ashley’s pride and ego wouldn’t allow a new student to come to the school and ignore her so easily.
Ashley Mitchell narrowed her eyes at Maya, a sense of curiosity mixed with growing frustration stirring inside her. Part of Ashley found herself more intrigued by this game than ever before, because now, Maya Johnson was no longer just an easy target. She was a challenge, a puzzle that Ashley had to solve.
Maya quietly stood up when the bell signaling break rang, quickly walking out of the classroom. She still appeared calm, but in her mind, one thought echoed sharply. Brooklyn High was not going to make it easy for her to have the peaceful year she had hoped for.
Ashley Mitchell had officially made her the target, and Maya knew full well that this game would not end with her silence. It seemed the longer Maya remained silent, the more impatient Ashley became. She wasn’t used to being ignored, and she certainly couldn’t accept the existence of someone who could casually overlook the power she had worked so hard to establish at Brooklyn High.
Maya, with her suspicious silence, had unknowingly triggered a deep, primal instinct within Ashley, the instinct of a predator, eager to assert her dominance by taking down her prey completely. Lunchtime was always a special time at Brooklyn High. It wasn’t just when the students gathered to eat, but also when the invisible power structures of the school were most clearly established.
Who sat with whom, who spoke to whom, who was isolated and who was sought after. Everything was subtly but unmistakably displayed in this environment. Ashley, as the head of that unspoken food chain, always sat at the central table, where all eyes could easily observe.
She and her friends maintained a relaxed, haughty attitude, treating everything around them as a little performance for their entertainment. And today, Maya was the unwitting star of that performance. As Maya entered the cafeteria, she immediately noticed a few strange looks directed her way.
It wasn’t just curiosity, but an expectant gaze, as if they were waiting for something interesting to happen. Maya slowly made her way to the farthest table, the secluded corner no one wanted to sit at because it was so far from the center and was often considered a spot for those who weren’t welcome. But for Maya, it was the safest choice to avoid unnecessary attention.
But today wasn’t a normal day. Ashley had already set a plan in motion to force Maya to break her uncomfortable silence. Ashley didn’t like waiting, and she certainly didn’t like people like Maya, those who didn’t immediately acknowledge the absolute power she held over this school.
So, Ashley decided today she would teach Maya a small lesson, one enough to make the entire school remember that no one was allowed to underestimate her. Ashley subtly tilted her head toward Brianna and Courtney, signaling discreetly. Brianna immediately stood up, and along with Courtney they headed toward the far table where Maya sat.
Ashley smiled coldly, holding a full cup of juice in her hand, slowly stood and walked after her two friends. Her stride was confident, each step exuding a clear message of power and defiance. Maya kept her head down, eating in silence, but instinct told her that something was coming very close.
She could hear the footsteps drawing nearer, and when she looked up, her eyes locked with Ashley’s sharp, challenging gaze. A strange silence spread across the cafeteria. Students sitting at other tables immediately turned to watch, their silence so thick that Maya could hear the rapid beat of her own heart.
Maya knew exactly what was about to happen, but she decided she wouldn’t give Ashley what she wanted, an angry or fearful reaction. Ashley stopped right in front of Maya’s table, her lips curling into a slight but malicious smile. She leaned forward, speaking softly, but clearly enough for the entire room to hear.
Hmm, you’re looking a bit lonely, aren’t you? Why sit all the way over here in the corner? A quiet laugh erupted from Brianna and Courtney, joined by the hesitant chuckles of the surrounding crowd. Maya remained silent, staring at Ashley with an unnervingly calm gaze. Ashley didn’t wait for an answer, laughing lightly again before pretending to accidentally tip the large juice cup in her hand.
The dark red liquid quickly spread, pouring over Maya’s tray, staining her food and dripping onto the table. Ashley stood up straight immediately, feigning surprise and calling out in a falsely apologetic tone, Oh, I’m so sorry, I spilled it. A burst of laughter filled the cafeteria.
Curious and entertained eyes were all fixed on Maya, eagerly waiting for her dramatic reaction. But Maya didn’t follow the script. The young girl simply sat still for a few seconds, then gently placed her spoon on her tray.
Her gaze remained calm, showing no sign of anger or fear. Slowly, Maya stood up, picked up the tray now stained with juice, and calmly walked to the trash bin at the corner of the room, tossing the entire tray into it. Her movements were precise, without any unnecessary motions.
The cafeteria fell silent, an eerie kind of silence that Ashley had never witnessed before. No more laughter, no one dared to jeer. Maya’s strange composure left everyone awkward, confused, and curious.
As Maya returned to her seat to grab her backpack, she glanced at Ashley once more. The look was cold, but not angry. Instead, it was eerily calm, so much so that it felt terrifying.
It was a chilling calmness that Ashley had never encountered before. Ashley suddenly felt as though something had shifted in the game she had created. For the first time, a sense of unease washed over her clearly.
She didn’t understand where this reaction came from, but she knew one thing for sure. Maya was not the weakling she had assumed, and that realization made her feel deeply unsettled. As Maya left the cafeteria, a strange atmosphere enveloped everything.
No one dared to speak, but everyone knew. Ashley Mitchell’s game might have just begun, but Maya Johnson had officially become a far more unpredictable opponent than anyone Ashley had ever faced before. That afternoon, after Maya left the cafeteria, Ashley returned to her usual spot in the center of the lunchroom.
She maintained her usual confident posture, back straight, eyes slightly lifted as if nothing unusual had just happened, but only she knew how fast her heart was pounding inside her chest. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
Ashley was used to the fact that whenever she took action, her targets would react clearly. Anger, fear, confusion, even crying in front of the whole school. That was what she was waiting for, complete submission to prove to the world who truly ruled Brooklyn High.
But Maya Johnson didn’t respond that way. Not only did she refuse to submit, Maya didn’t even react at all. The calm, indifferent attitude of the new girl, invisible in its presence, made Ashley feel like she had pushed herself into an unfamiliar situation she had never faced before.
For the first time in her life, she felt the absolute power she had built shaking, all because of someone who did nothing but remained silent. Ashley glanced around the cafeteria. Soft whispers began to spread like a wave, gentle but loud enough to catch Ashley’s attention.
Quick glances, awkward murmurs that quickly disappeared when her eyes swept over them. For the first time, Ashley felt that the curious, skeptical gazes of the crowd weren’t directed at Maya, but instead were focused squarely on her. The powerful girl of Brooklyn High began to feel uncomfortable…