Chapter 5 - MAYA RUIZ
Maya was twelve.
She sat beside me at lunch the next day.
“You told?”
“Kind of.”
She looked terrified.
“Trent knows?”
“He knows everything now.”
She rubbed her sleeve.
“He took my boxes twice.”
“Why didn't you tell Mrs. Caldwell?”
“I thought she knew.”
“Why?”
“System said zero.”
Exactly.
Maya's family didn't have extra money.
She initially surrendered cookies because Trent promised she wouldn't owe school.
Then seniors started making her sell at football parking lots and turn over cash.
“Why?”
“They said it was team fundraiser.”
“Was it?”
She shook her head.
“Coach Hall saw us.”
That mattered.
Another witness.
Maya wasn't only one.
Within three days eleven younger students came forward.
Same story.
Some boxes surrendered.
Some cash collected.
Some kids mocked.
Some threatened with being charged inventory if they didn't cooperate.
It wasn't one bully.
May you like
It was a routine.
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