Bullies pick on the wrong new Black Girl. Not knowing what will happen in a minute…

Ashley unconsciously tightened her grip on her water glass, her cold eyes turning toward Brianna and Courtney, two friends who were always loyally by her side. Courtney immediately avoided her gaze, pretending to be busy with her phone. Brianna gave a weak, awkward smile, as if she too felt uneasy about Maya’s strange reaction.

The familiar atmosphere had changed, and Ashley could feel it. The faces that used to laugh and chat around her now seemed cautious, maintaining an odd distance as if they were trying to figure out what was really going on. Ashley hated that, the curiosity, the skepticism.

Those were things she was never accustomed to. Ashley suddenly stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the cafeteria. Brianna and Courtney immediately stood up and followed, but Ashley didn’t stop to wait for them.

She walked quickly down the school hallway, her cold gaze fixed on the familiar row of lockers. She had built her position at Brooklyn High by asserting her absolute superiority, by proving that no one could stand against the pressure she created. But now, all of that seemed to pale in comparison to Maya’s strange coldness.

Ashley knew the only thing that kept her power intact was the ability to make others submit. If that submission was threatened, her power would waver too. Brianna and Courtney eventually caught up with Ashley, walking silently beside her, afraid to speak a word.

Brianna glanced at Ashley and cautiously spoke up. She isn’t like the others, is she? Ashley furrowed her brows. That statement made her feel even more uncomfortable.

Brianna had inadvertently confirmed her greatest fear. Maya was not just a normal student, someone who could be easily subdued like everyone else before her. Maya was different, and that difference was what made Ashley feel unsettled for the first time.

Ashley suddenly stopped, turned to face Brianna, and coldly demanded, What do you mean by that? Brianna was caught off guard by Ashley’s reaction, quickly changing her tone and waving her hand in explanation. I just mean, maybe she’s just pretending. Like, acting tough, but inside she’s really scared.

Ashley tilted her head, staring at Brianna for a long moment, then gently shook her head, a faint ironic smile curling on her lips. No, she’s not scared, that’s the problem. Ashley said those words, and even she was surprised by her own admission.

It made her feel even more uncomfortable. She had never allowed herself to admit that someone wasn’t afraid of her. Acknowledging that would be like losing the power she had worked so hard to build.

Courtney cautiously chimed in, trying to ease the tension. Anyway, Ashley, maybe she just got lucky this time. In a day or two, everything will go back to normal.

Who’s going to stand up to you for long? Ashley let out a soft, bitter laugh, her gaze drifting down the hallway. But deep inside, the unease only grew stronger, like a dark cloud that was slowly overshadowing her mind more and more. Maya Johnson might just be a new girl from Chicago, but that girl, with her silence and strange coldness, had made Ashley doubt herself for the first time.

Ashley knew that if she didn’t quickly put an end to this threat, her power would no longer be as solid as before. Ashley walked on silently, but her heart was no longer calm. For the first time in her life, Ashley Mitchell realized something she had always avoided.

Maybe she wasn’t as strong and powerful as she had always believed. And that feeling of unease was growing in her, quiet but intense. Ashley wasn’t used to this feeling of unease.

The more she thought about Maya’s cold, confusing attitude, the more she felt like she was losing control. It was uncomfortable, like a small cut that throbbed and spread each day, not deep enough to make her stop, but impossible to ignore. Ashley knew very well that if she didn’t act more decisively, that feeling would only grow, until even she couldn’t control it anymore.

And from that thought, Ashley decided to escalate the game to a higher level. In the following days, the bullying of Maya began to unfold in a more systematic and noticeable way. From subtle whispers and light teasing at first, everything quickly escalated into more direct actions, deliberately creating clear pressure on her.

Every class, every hallway, every moment Maya appeared, Ashley and her friends always found a way to make Maya feel unwelcome at Brooklyn High. In class, Ashley was always the instigator. She and Brianna often chose seats right next to Maya, intentionally whispering about fabricated stories meant to mock her loud enough for Maya to hear.

Each word felt like a needle piercing Maya’s mind, but she didn’t react. Not once did Maya look up or show any sign of discomfort. She maintained her cold, steadfast demeanor, refusing to give Ashley the satisfaction.

That attitude, once again, made Ashley’s feeling of insecurity grow even more. So she decided to take things even further. Gym class was always the time when Ashley could most easily demonstrate her power, because the most prominent figure during this class was Zach Mitchell.

Her brother, the football team captain, who was admired by the entire school. With Zach’s help, anyone Ashley wanted to humiliate couldn’t escape her sights. And this time, Maya would be no exception.

Zach was tall, strong, with a confident look that made him appear like a professional athlete. He was always friendly with everyone, but everyone knew Zach would never refuse any request from Ashley, no matter how cruel it was. For Zach, loyalty to his sister always came first.

In today’s gym class, as students gathered on the field, Zach gave a subtle glance at Luke Rodriguez, a troublemaker and close friend who was always eager to join in bullying with a particular delight. Luke smiled slyly, immediately understanding what Zach wanted to do. As the class began, everyone quickly formed groups to warm up.

Maya always chose a quiet corner, away from attention. But this time, Zach and Luke made a point of walking over to her, casually standing right next to her in line. Ashley watched from a distance, a cold smile flickering across her face as she saw Maya tense up ever so slightly.

But Maya remained calm, her eyes straight ahead, trying not to acknowledge the two boys standing so close. This made Zach furrow his brows, surprised by the unusual calmness of this girl. However, he didn’t stop.

When the gym teacher instructed the students to start their warm-up run around the field, Zach immediately took the opportunity to get closer to Maya. He ran ahead, then suddenly slowed down, forcing Maya to dodge. Her foot stepped off course, but she quickly regained her balance, maintaining her pace.

Zach grinned annoyingly, then repeated the action several times, deliberately obstructing Maya, forcing her to constantly adjust her stride and direction. Luke, stimulated by Zach’s actions, quickly joined in the cruel prank. He kept pretending to bump into Maya’s shoulder as he ran past, each bump strong enough to make Maya stumble slightly, but not enough to catch the teacher’s attention.

Maya felt each bump clearly, but she still didn’t react. Her eyes stayed fixed on the path ahead, determined not to show any anger or weakness that Ashley was waiting for. Maya knew that the only thing people like Zach and Luke were hoping for was a reaction from her, and she was determined not to give them that satisfaction.

Ashley watched closely from afar, scrutinizing every movement Maya made. The more she watched, the more she couldn’t understand why Maya remained so calm. That cold attitude made Ashley feel like she no longer had control of the situation like she thought, a moment of confusion and disappointment mixed inside Ashley.

For a brief moment, Ashley wondered if she had misjudged Maya. Perhaps Maya was stronger than her fragile appearance suggested, but immediately her pride caused her to dismiss that thought. She decided to continue because Ashley had never accepted losing easily.

When gym class ended, Maya calmly left the field without a word of complaint, no angry look. That attitude only made other students start to look at Maya with a mix of surprise and admiration. Whispers spread around, and Ashley could hear them clearly.

That’s strange. She didn’t react at all. Maya is really different.

Ashley clenched her fist, her heart pounding, realizing that her game had gone much farther than she initially planned. Because Maya Johnson wasn’t just silent to endure. She was silent to challenge Ashley Mitchell’s power.

The feeling of power slipping through her fingers made Ashley grow increasingly impatient. Every time Maya calmly walked past her subtle bullying, every time Maya maintained that cold, composed demeanor, Ashley felt her pride being wounded more deeply. For Ashley Mitchell, power at Brooklyn High was something she could never accept losing.

Yet now it was Maya, a quiet, mysterious, and different girl, who was directly threatening the position Ashley had worked so hard to build. After a series of subtle bullying attempts and provocations that failed to achieve the desired effect, Ashley knew it was time to escalate things clearly and decisively. She needed a direct blow, one strong enough to make Maya completely lose her composure…