The morning air in the school hallway always smelled like floor wax and stale air conditioning.
I had spent twenty minutes ironing my white hoodie that morning just to look decent for once.
My locker was located right next to the noisy gymnasium entrance where everyone liked to hang out.
Chloe had been giving me weird side-eyes all week during homeroom.
I didn't think much of it because we used to share a locker back in the sixth grade.
People change a lot by the time eighth grade rolls around and social ranks start to matter.
I was just trying to get through the week without drawing any unnecessary attention to myself.
My grades were decent, but my social standing was basically invisible.
The cafeteria lady scooped a heavy portion of chili onto my plastic tray with a metal ladle.
I balanced the tray carefully with both hands to avoid spilling the carton of milk.
The courtyard door was heavy and required a strong push with my hip to open.
Sunlight bounced off the concrete tables and made my eyes squint for a second.
That was when I spotted Chloe standing near the brick pillar with her usual group of friends.
They were whispering and glancing in my direction with identical expressions of boredom.
I kept my head down and walked at a normal pace toward the empty table in the corner.
The distance between the doorway and my usual seat felt like walking across a tightrope.
Chloe suddenly stepped out of the shadow of the pillar and planted her feet firmly.
I froze for a split second, hoping she would just step aside and let me pass.
Instead, she stood her ground and stared directly into my eyes with zero remorse.
"Excuse me," I muttered softly, shifting the tray to my left hand.
She didn't move an inch.
Her friends started giggling behind their hands, waiting for something entertaining to happen.
I tried to squeeze past her narrow shoulder and the rough brick wall.
The toe of my sneaker clipped the uneven concrete seam near the drain grate.
My balance vanished instantly.
The tray tipped forward, launching the bowl of chili into the air in slow motion.
It landed squarely against the center of my white hoodie with a wet, heavy thud.
The red sauce spread rapidly across the fabric like a stain that would never wash out.
The white milk carton bounced twice on the concrete and burst open at the corner.
A white puddle splashed onto my clean white sneakers.
The courtyard went completely dead silent for three whole seconds.
Every single pair of eyes within fifty feet locked onto my stained chest.
Chloe stepped back delicately so none of the mess touched her designer jeans.
