Bradley stepped forward, his bravado faltering as he realized the dynamic wasn’t quite the same. “You think you’re tough because you didn’t react yesterday?” he challenged, trying to regain control.

Marcus met his gaze evenly. “Toughness isn’t about throwing punches. It’s about knowing when to stand your ground.”

A silence settled over the group, Bradley’s friends glancing at each other uncertainly. Marcus’s words resonated, challenging the status quo they’d been accustomed to.

Bradley, feeling the weight of the moment and the eyes upon him, hesitated. For the first time, doubt crept into his mind. Marcus didn’t fit the mold of his usual victims, and the crowd sensed it too.