“I didn’t need her to start a fight.”
“I just needed one person to say, ‘Hey. Stop.’”
He looked back at Ethan’s father.
“So that’s what I’m saying now.”
A long silence followed.
Then the man opened his hand.
Ethan immediately rubbed his arm.
His father stepped back.
“This is none of your business,” he said, but there was less certainty in his voice.
“You’re right,” Owen said.
Then he slowly crouched several feet away from Ethan.
He didn’t touch him.
“Hey, buddy.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You okay?”
The
