"This isn't about fair," Veronica replied. "It's about putting you back in your place."
Ryan moved forward, reaching for Amira's arm. "Just listen to what Veronica has to say and no one gets hurt."
What happened next occurred so quickly that Veronica would later struggle to describe it. As Ryan's hand neared Amira's arm, she shifted—a subtle movement that somehow redirected his momentum. Ryan staggered forward off-balance as Amira sidestepped with fluid grace.
The second boy rushed in, swinging wildly. Amira ducked beneath his arm, her palm striking upward into his solar plexus with controlled force. He dropped to his knees, gasping.
The third attacker hesitated, witnessing his friends' failures. That moment of hesitation was all Amira needed. She moved toward him with terrifying precision, her strikes targeted and efficient. Within seconds, he joined his friends on the ground, clutching his side where she'd delivered a precise blow.
Ryan struggled back to his feet, fury replacing his earlier confidence. He charged at Amira like a bull, all technique abandoned in rage. She met his charge with calculated calm, using his own weight and momentum against him. There was a sickening sound as her elbow connected with his shoulder, and Ryan cried out, dropping to the ground.
The entire confrontation had lasted less than thirty seconds.
Veronica stood frozen, unable to process what she'd just witnessed. This wasn't luck or a single lucky strike like with Jason; this was systematic, trained precision—the movements of someone who had spent years learning exactly how to dismantle opponents.
Amira turned to face her, not even breathing hard. The three boys remained on the ground, groaning in pain but with no visible injuries; she had been careful not to leave marks.
"Is this what you wanted to see?" Amira asked, her voice unnervingly quiet.
Veronica backed away, genuine fear coursing through her for perhaps the first time in her life. "Stay away from me," she warned, though the threat sounded hollow even to her own ears.
Amira approached slowly, her movements controlled and deliberate. When she was close enough that only Veronica could hear, she leaned in and whispered, "Do you feel small yet?"
The same words from the note on her car. Veronica felt her blood run cold. "You're crazy," she managed to say, her voice shaking.
"No," Amira replied. "I'm just done pretending."
She turned and walked away, leaving Veronica with the three defeated boys.