It was Jake.
He looked different than he had in September. Not smaller, exactly. He was still nineteen and built like a wall. But he carried himself differently now. Less like someone waiting to be watched. More like someone watching out.
"You saw it," he said.
"I saw it."
"I didn't post it. I swear. I would never."
"I know you didn't, Jake."
He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "People keep messaging me. Asking what you did. Asking if it was real. My dad's been on the phone all weekend." He hesitated. "There's a guy who keeps calling him. Victor Hale."
Emma knew the name. Everybody in the county who cared about fighting knew the name. Victor Hale ran Iron Crown, the biggest MMA gym in three counties. Polished floors, sponsors on the walls, fighters who made it onto televised cards.
"What does he want?"
"Me." Jake said it without pride. Almost like he was confused by it. "He says the video got people talking about me too. The kid who got beat by the mystery teacher. He says that's a story. He says stories sell tickets."
"And what do you want?"
Jake opened his mouth. Then closed it.
"I don't know," he said finally. "A year ago I would've said yes before he finished the sentence."
Emma nodded slowly. "You don't have to know today."
He looked at her for a moment. "Are you okay? With all of this?"
It was such a simple question. And it caught her more off guard than any reporter could have.
"I'm okay," she said.
It was mostly true.
The first week was the hardest.
The reporter in the red coat came back three days in a row.
On the third day, she caught Emma in the parking lot.