Principal Harris leaned back in his chair, carefully considering his next words. “I understand. You’re new here, and I’m sorry that your introduction to our school has been so…challenging. But while I don’t condone violence, it’s clear you acted in self-defense.”

Relief washed over Alyssa, though it was tempered by the weight of the situation. She explained how she had been trained in mixed martial arts not to harm but to protect herself. Her father, a former military man, had instilled in her the principles of control and responsibility that came with such skills.