ive, glass-domed atrium. It looked more like a f

a plastic tray with a d

corner, near the trash cans. She s

ter VIP table, Geri was fur

orus of notification chimes

s buzzed at the e

ly. She watched as student

ambient noise in the c

whispers

across the room, locking ont

owalski stood up. She held

ing over the noise. "Anonymous post on the school

r throat and bega

the rust belt for violent assault. And how did a broke orphan afford the tuition her

eteria

s, and disgusted gr

eone yelled

streets!" anothe

Her face betrayed absolutely nothing. But beneath the table

sipping a sparkling water, a ser

ball team stood up. They

ons of chocolate milk and sw

ted down, watching

nebacker with a cruel smir

dy forgot to buy you a dec

his cart

ctly onto Elia's tray, soaking her sandwich, and

into loud, obno

y mocked. "My

ping from her clothes onto her jeans. The

ed the apple on

sting next to her plate. It wasn't sharp, but in the hands o

stoo

epping closer to intimidate her.

r than the human

y's heavy varsity jacket. With a violent, twisting m

ce-down onto the h

AS

. The boy let out a shocked gasp,

eact, Elia drove her knee into the

t hand c

fe directly against the boy's throat, slotting it per

silent. The laughter w

vy, unforgiving pressure of the metal digging

his friends yelled, t

She pressed the knife a millim

early in the silent room. "And I'll show you exactly how m

ze, his eyes w

r lips inches from t

id, her voice devoid of any emotion, "I

his jacket an

g for air, clutching his neck. He backe

onto the tray. It lan

ss the room, di

e victorious smile was gone, re

lked out of the cafeteria, leaving a

earest empty bathroom

into the trash. She stood in her white T-shirt

lence was a

m her pocket. Her thumbs

burn the foru