Amelia: Rise of the Hidden Heiress

Chapter Two: Seeds of Friendship

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Amelia, but she couldn't stop thinking about James. His words replayed in her mind, bringing both warmth and confusion. Why had he stood up for her? He was popular, well-liked by everyone, and could easily have turned a blind eye like the others. But he hadn't. He had defended her when no one else had.

Amelia kept her head down for the remainder of her classes, avoiding Emma and Charlotte's glances as much as she could. She wondered how long their cruelty would continue. Still, there was a small part of her that felt a sense of relief knowing James had intervened. Maybe now, things would change.

As the final bell rang, Amelia packed her books and hurried out of the classroom, hoping to make it to the bus stop without any further encounters. But as she rounded the corner of the building, she nearly ran into James. He was leaning casually against a wall, waiting.

"Hey," he greeted, smiling easily. "Heading home?"

Amelia froze, unsure of what to say. "Uh, yeah," she mumbled, clutching her books to her chest.

"Mind if I walk with you?" James asked, his tone light but sincere.

Amelia blinked, surprised by his request. "You... want to walk with me?"

James chuckled softly, pushing off the wall. "Yeah. Why not?"

She hesitated, unsure of what this meant. No one had ever wanted to be seen with her, much less walked with her after school. But James seemed genuine, and there was something comforting in his presence.

"I... I guess that's fine," she stammered, her heart racing.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the cool breeze rustling the leaves of the old oak trees that lined the path. Amelia kept her eyes forward, too nervous to make conversation. But James seemed at ease, his hands in his pockets as they strolled side by side.

"I noticed you're really into reading," James said, breaking the silence.

Amelia glanced at him, surprised he had paid attention. "Yeah, I love books," she admitted softly. "They're... an escape, I guess."

"An escape from what?" James asked, his tone curious but not pushy.

Amelia bit her lip, debating how much to share. It wasn't like she wanted to dump her problems on him. But something about James made her feel safe. "From everything," she finally said. "From school, from... them." She didn't need to say Emma and Charlotte's names; it was clear who she meant.

James nodded thoughtfully. "I get that. Sometimes people suck."

Amelia let out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah, they do."

They continued walking, and Amelia found herself relaxing in his company. It was strange to feel this way-to not have to constantly be on guard. With James, there wasn't the usual tension she felt around others. He didn't judge her or make her feel small. Instead, he treated her like a normal person, and that was more than she had expected from anyone at Sinclair Academy.

When they reached the bus stop, Amelia turned to James, unsure of how to express her gratitude. "Thanks... for earlier. You didn't have to do that."

James shrugged, his smile easy. "It was nothing. They were being jerks."

"It wasn't nothing to me," Amelia said quietly, glancing down at her shoes. "No one's ever stood up for me before."

James looked at her for a moment, his expression softening. "Well, they should've. And from now on, I've got your back."

Amelia's heart fluttered at his words. She didn't know why James was being so kind to her, but she couldn't help but feel grateful. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn't completely alone.

The bus pulled up, Its brakes hissing as the doors swung open. Amelia gave James a small smile before stepping onto the bus, her mind swirling with new thoughts. As the bus pulled away, she glanced back, catching sight of James still standing there, watching her go.