Chapter 1 - The Tray
The milk hit Grace Morgan first.
Cold white liquid splashed across her collar, then tomato sauce slid down the front of her gray jacket, followed by a pile of fries that bounced off her lap and scattered across the cafeteria floor.
For one second, the room went quiet.
Then Brittany Vale laughed.
“Know your place.”
Grace stayed seated.
That seemed to disappoint everyone.
Phones rose around the lunchroom. A dozen tiny screens pointed at her from every direction. Someone near the vending machines whispered, “Oh my God,” while another student snickered loud enough to be heard across three tables.
Brittany stood over Grace with the empty lunch tray still in her hand. She was pretty in the polished, expensive way that made teachers assume she was responsible. Perfect hair. Perfect nails. Perfect smile when adults were watching.
Behind her, Kayla Monroe leaned against the table and grinned.
“Maybe she likes eating off her clothes,” Kayla said.
More laughter.
Grace slowly wiped sauce from her cheek with a napkin.
“Move,” she said.
Brittany blinked.
“What?”
“I said move.”
There was no fear in Grace’s voice. No tears either.
That was the problem.
Brittany wanted a breakdown. She wanted begging. She wanted Grace to give the cafeteria something worth uploading.
Instead, Grace bent down and picked up one of her notebooks from the floor.
Brittany kicked it away.
The notebook slid beneath another table.
Grace looked at it, then back at Brittany.
Kayla stepped closer.
“You deaf?” she asked. “She said know your place.”
Grace stood.
Not fast. Not dramatic.
Just enough to make Brittany’s smile weaken.
“I know exactly where I am,” Grace said. “Do you?”
A few students stopped laughing.
Kayla shoved Grace in the shoulder.
Grace took one step back.
Brittany grabbed a fistful of her hair.
And then Brittany swung first.
May you like
Grace saw the punch coming.
What nobody in that cafeteria knew was that she had been taught exactly what to do next.
