avy backpack. She walked down the

air inside the unive

e felt the stares. A group of sorority girls standing

iles. She walked faster, heading toward

row hallway that connected t

e wall. As Alma walked past, he suddenly kicked

e shifted her weight instantly. She stumbled forwa

idn't

ead. She looked at K. Brown.

ngers in his mouth and blew a l

s here!"

d from both end

usive sorority on campus, walked out from the stairwell. She

, blocking the entir

e hit the cold cinderblock wall. She gri

ma. She looked Alma up and down. Her e

hoed in the empty space. "Did you buy that a

ed out and grabbed a handful of

aden?" Tanya demanded. "You think he ac

idn't wince. She didn't speak. She just

was a dire

ed with anger. She

rm back. She swung her ha

d with the left s

ike a gunshot in t

the right. Her cheek exploded in hot, stingin

bed Alma's shoulders, pinning her flat

her cheek had caught against her

look at Brenda. Her eyes remained c

nicured finger an i

"If I see you near him again, a slap is

of the warning bell ran

her one last disgusted look. The four girls turned and

the wall. She took

ped the corner of her mouth. A small s

inistration wouldn't do anything to the sorority president o

pen the heavy wooden doo

The fluorescent lights

rror. She gripped the ed

n her left cheek was raised and angry. It was

d water. She rinsed t

ted the variables. Brenda had power. Alma ha

n. Caden was going

She messed up the strands, letting them fall wildly around her

ed herself to think about the mud. She thought

tened. Her eye

he whites turned bloodshot. A few real, physiologi

She looked pathet

the sink. She walked

ys. She took the back stair

nded ten minutes before his first seminar. He woul

eading to the locker room doors. The

y metal door. She could hear the sound of

arms tightly around her stomach. She began to take sh

wa

ter, the metal

amp steam rolled o

slung over his shoulder. His blonde

to walk do

ed instantly

r trembling shoulders.

ht red, swollen handprint