We walked into the cafeteria, Shadow and I, holding hands. My ex, Brent, was standing there with his crew, right in the middle of the cafeteria like they owned the place. I walked with new confidence right past him, because I had Shadow, and he was everything I ever wanted.

Brent’s mouth opened and his eyes narrowed. We went through the line and picked up our trays.

“You okay?” Shadow asked me as I piled on food I wouldn’t normally eat, much too quickly on my tray, practically shoving him down the line.

“Yeah. Fine!” my voice wavered. “Let’s go!” I pushed him toward an empty table.
“What’s up!” demanded Shadow, but our progress was hindered by Brent, whom I had seen moving stealthily our way the entire time we were stuck in line for food. “Oh.” Shadow breathed.

“I can’t believe it!” Brent shouted. “You’re going out with her? What’d she do? Pay you?” He laughed out loud and his crew laughed uproarously too.

“No.” Shadow said calmly. Too calmly.

“You like ‘em fat and two-faced?”

He never saw it coming.