Then, Ethan turned to face them. “You think this is funny?” he asked, his voice calm but firm. The boys shifted uncomfortably, their bravado faltering under Ethan’s gaze. “Making someone feel small doesn’t make you look big,” Ethan continued. His words hung in the air, filled with a quiet power that seemed to vibrate through the room.

The diner was silent, every person watching, waiting to see what would happen next. Ethan’s friends, who had been watching from their table across the room, stood up and joined him. They surrounded Clara in a protective circle, showing her and the rest of the diner that they stood with her, against the cruelty she had just faced.