"Officer, I'd like to explain what actually happened. Shut your mouth." Ry grabbed her right arm roughly, twisting it behind her back with unnecessary force. Maya gasped in pain, but didn't resist. "Dad, she tried to hit me with her tray," Evan called out, playing up his victim role. "Everyone saw it." Several students started shouting at once.
"That's not what happened. He's lying. She didn't do anything wrong." "Quiet!" Ray roared, silencing them all. He yanked Maya's other arm back, making her wse as he snapped the handcuffs around her wrists. The metal clicked shut with a sound that echoed across the stunned courtyard.
"Officer Lorn," Principal Whitmore tried again, her voice shaking. "This student hasn't shown any violent behavior. We should discuss this in my office." "She assaulted my son," Ry growled, tightening the cuffs until Maya had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. That makes her dangerous. "What's the charge?" Maya asked steadily, despite the pain in her shoulders.
"You have to tell me why I'm being arrested." Ry gave the cuffs another sharp tug. "Assault, disorderly conduct. Resisting arrest." "I'm not resisting," Maya pointed out, her voice carrying across the dead, silent courtyard. "And there's no evidence of assault. Multiple videos show what really happened.
Delete those videos," Ry barked at the surrounding students who clutched their phones tighter. "Or, I'll confiscate them as evidence." "You can't do that," Maya said clearly, making sure the nearest phones could pick up her words. "That would be illegal seizure without probable cause or a warrant." "Ray's face darkened at her knowledge of the law." He grabbed her upper arm hard enough to bruise and started marching her toward the parking lot. Maya kept her head high as she was paraded across campus past hundreds of staring faces. The whispers followed them.
This is so wrong. Someone should stop this. Poor girl. I got it all on video. Evan trailed behind them, phone raised triumphantly as he recorded Maya's walk of shame.
His smirk grew with each step, clearly savoring every moment of her humiliation. Principal Whitmore hurried alongside them, still protesting weakly. "Officer, we need to contact her parents first. This isn't proper procedure." "I'm the procedure now," Ry snapped. "This girl needs to learn about consequences.
They reached his squad car where Rey roughly pushed Maya into the back seat. She had to twist awkwardly to avoid falling with her hands cuffed behind her. The door slammed shut with finality. Through the window, Maya could see dozens of phones still recording. Principal Witmore stood ringing her hands, looking lost.
And there was Evan, pressing close to the glass with his own phone, drinking in her distress with obvious satisfaction. Maya forced herself to take slow, steady breaths. The handcuffs bit into her wrists, but she refused to show pain. She knew what would happen next. They would have to contact her mother.
A small part of her wanted to smile, imagining the look on their faces when they realized who they were dealing with. But for now, she kept her expression neutral. Rey climbed into the driver's seat, adjusting his mirror to glare at her. "Think you're clever, causing trouble at school? We'll see how smart you feel after a night in holding." I know my rights," Maya replied calmly.