Over the next few weeks, Amelia and James began to cross paths more often. Whether it was in the school courtyard, the library, or the hallways, he always found a way to stop and chat with her, making her feel seen in ways she hadn’t before. Their conversations were light, mostly about books or schoolwork, but they left an imprint on Amelia’s heart.
Meanwhile, Emma and Charlotte had not forgotten about their target. If anything, James’s continued friendship with Amelia only made them more spiteful.
One afternoon, as Amelia made her way to the library, she was ambushed in the hallway by Emma, Charlotte, and a few of their friends. Amelia’s heart sank as they closed in on her.
“Still playing the damsel in distress?” Emma sneered, crossing her arms. “You think James is going to save you every time?”
Amelia didn’t respond. She kept her eyes forward, trying to walk past them, but Charlotte blocked her path.
“Look at her,” Charlotte mocked. “Pathetic. She thinks she can just walk away from us now.”
Amelia’s hands clenched at her sides, her pulse quickening. She could hear the whispers of other students as they watched from a distance, too afraid to intervene.
Before she could say anything, James appeared at the end of the hallway. His presence alone made Emma and Charlotte hesitate, their smug expressions faltering.
“You really don’t get tired of this, do you?” James asked, his voice calm but firm as he approached. “Back off.”
Emma scowled, clearly annoyed at his interference once again. “Why do you care so much about her, James? She’s nothing.”
James’s eyes darkened as he stepped closer, positioning himself between Amelia and the group. “She’s not nothing. And you’re not going to talk to her like that.”
Emma opened her mouth to retort, but something in James’s gaze made her stop. She huffed in frustration before turning to Charlotte. “Come on, let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time here.”
The group reluctantly dispersed, leaving Amelia standing there, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked up at James, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and relief.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.
Amelia nodded, though her voice wavered when she spoke. “Yeah… thanks, again.”
James smiled softly, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “You don’t have to keep thanking me. I just don’t want them to hurt you.”
Amelia bit her lip, feeling a strange warmth bloom in her chest. “Why do you care?” she whispered, the question slipping out before she could stop it.
James hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, there was something unspoken between them, something deeper than either of them had acknowledged.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But I do.”
Over the next few weeks, Amelia and James began to cross paths more often. Whether it was in the school courtyard, the library, or the hallways, he always found a way to stop and chat with her, making her feel seen in ways she hadn’t before. Their conversations were light, mostly about books or schoolwork, but they left an imprint on Amelia’s heart.
Meanwhile, Emma and Charlotte had not forgotten about their target. If anything, James’s continued friendship with Amelia only made them more spiteful.
One afternoon, as Amelia made her way to the library, she was ambushed in the hallway by Emma, Charlotte, and a few of their friends. Amelia’s heart sank as they closed in on her.
“Still playing the damsel in distress?” Emma sneered, crossing her arms. “You think James is going to save you every time?”
Amelia didn’t respond. She kept her eyes forward, trying to walk past them, but Charlotte blocked her path.
“Look at her,” Charlotte mocked. “Pathetic. She thinks she can just walk away from us now.”
Amelia’s hands clenched at her sides, her pulse quickening. She could hear the whispers of other students as Amelia’s hands clenched at her sides, her pulse quickening. She could hear the whispers of other students as they watched from a distance, too afraid to intervene.
Before she could say anything, James appeared at the end of the hallway. His presence alone made Emma and Charlotte hesitate, their smug expressions faltering.
“You really don’t get tired of this, do you?” James asked, his voice calm but firm as he approached. “Back off.”
Emma scowled, clearly annoyed at his interference once again. “Why do you care so much about her, James? She’s nothing.”
James’s eyes darkened as he stepped closer, positioning himself between Amelia and the group. “She’s not nothing. And you’re not going to talk to her like that.”
Emma opened her mouth to retort, but something in James’s gaze made her stop. She huffed in frustration before turning to Charlotte. “Come on, let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time here.”
The group reluctantly dispersed, leaving Amelia standing there, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked up at James, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and relief.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.
Amelia nodded, though her voice wavered when she spoke. “Yeah... thanks, again.”
James smiled softly, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “You don’t have to keep thanking me. I just don’t want them to hurt you.”
Amelia bit her lip, feeling a strange warmth bloom in her chest. “Why do you care?” she whispered, the question slipping out before she could stop it.
James hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, there was something unspoken between them, something deeper than either of them had acknowledged.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But I do.”
YOU ARE READING
Amelia: Rise of the Hidden Heiress
Teen FictionAmelia, a young girl raised in secrecy by a family nanny, has spent her life hiding from the truth. Bullied at school for her perceived poverty, she never knew her true heritage-born into one of the wealthiest families in the state, a love child bet...
