“Sorry? That’s all you got?” Chalice scoffed hard, exaggerating her reaction. She studied her reflection in the broken mirror she held. The screen glitched out a few times and finally died, leaving Chalice looking at her hands through a shattered piece of glass.

“Loser!” Chalice shouted at Feng. When his presence didn’t magically evaporate, she flew into a rage and shouted again. “Friggin’ Patient Zero! They shouldn’t have let you into this school. Shouldn’t you be in quarantine or something?”

“He said sorry,” Bugz spoke up. “You don’t have to be racist.”

“I’m not being racist—it’s true.” Chalice’s hate exploded in all directions. “Every single pandemic over the past two decades started in China. Every single one.”

“That’s not true,” Feng stammered. “That’s. Not. True.”

“I can’t understand you without my phone translating. You. Broke. My. Phone!” Chalice said loudly and slowly, as though it would help. “I’ve already replaced this display twice. My dad is going to kill me!” Chalice’s voice fell a decibel short of shouting.

Feng fumed.

“Wow, he looks really mad,” Stormy said from behind her phone.

“What are you going to do? Cough on me? Where’s your mask?” Chalice egged him on.

“Holy. Just relax, I’m sure he’ll help you replace it,” Bugz said.

“How do you know? You don’t look so hot now there’s no screen between us.” Chalice spewed pure venom. “You’re just a fat girl desperate for a boyfriend. So desperate you’ll hook up with this piece of trash.”

A crowd formed, made up of kids from both the nearby town and the Rez. They exchanged glances with wide eyes.

Bugz felt something welling up inside. In the Floraverse, she knew exactly how she’d respond. She pictured her ’Versona pulling twin swords from her belt as she back-flipped high into the air, preparing to bring the blades down on Chalice. But in the real world of flesh, blood, and high-school drama, Bugz froze. Finally, she found words.

“You know, Chalice, it was a stupid accident.” Bugz’s arms burned as though she was cooking from the inside out. An image of her cousin Ally’s arms flashed in Bugz’s mind and she shook her head.

“Hey, leave my sister alone.” Waawaate stepped in between the two factions. “Chalice, you can’t talk to my sister like that. Apologize to her.”

“Sorry!” Chalice soaked her words in sarcasm. She stared at Bugz, her expression still full of hate. “You’re lucky your brother stands up for you,” she said before taking one last look at Feng, “because your little boyfriend here sure ain’t.”

“I’m not her boyfriend,” was the best Feng could muster. Bugz shot him a look of fury.