As the weeks passed, Amelia found herself looking forward to her moments with James more than she had anticipated. Their friendship blossomed, grounded in shared interests and mutual understanding. Yet, underneath her joy, there was a persistent tug of worry. The looming presence of Emma and Charlotte never fully faded, and Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling that their cruelty would come back in some way.
One day, as they sat in the library, surrounded by towering shelves of books, James glanced up from his reading and caught Amelia lost in thought. “Hey,” he said gently, “what’s on your mind?”
Amelia sighed, closing her book without really reading it. “I don’t know. I just... I feel like things are going to get worse. Emma and Charlotte won’t just leave me alone.”
James set his book aside and leaned forward, his expression serious. “You can’t let them get to you. They’re bullies, and that says more about them than it does about you.”
She appreciated his words, but they didn’t completely ease her fears. “It’s hard not to think about it, especially when I’m still not fitting in here. I mean, I feel like an outsider all the time.”
James shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. “You’re not an outsider to me. You’re way more than what they think.”
Amelia felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. But just as quickly, she felt the familiar pang of insecurity. “But why? You could be friends with anyone. You have the whole school at your feet.”
James shrugged. “I don’t care about that. You’re different. You have a real heart, and I respect that.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud burst of laughter from the hallway. Amelia looked up, her heart sinking as she recognized Emma’s voice. She could feel her stomach knotting as the group sauntered into the library.
“Look who it is,” Emma said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “The little bookworm and her knight in shining armor. How adorable.”
Amelia wanted to shrink into her seat. James, however, remained calm, eyes fixed on Emma. “What do you want?”
Emma feigned innocence, hands up in a mock surrender. “Oh, just checking in on our favorite charity case. Still hoping for a fairy tale ending?”
Amelia clenched her fists under the table, anger bubbling inside her. But James remained unfazed, his gaze steady. “You need to stop. You’re making a fool of yourself.”
“Maybe it’s time you learn your place, Amelia,” Emma continued, ignoring James. “You’ll always be that poor little nobody.”
Amelia’s heart raced. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Just when she thought the confrontation would spiral further, James stood up, his posture radiating confidence. “You don’t get to talk to her like that. Not anymore.”
Emma's smug smile faltered as she realized James wasn’t backing down. “Oh? And what are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing,” he said coolly, “because I’m not going to waste my energy on you. But I will stand by Amelia, and if you keep this up, you’re going to regret it.”
A hush fell over the library. Amelia looked at James, her heart swelling with admiration and gratitude. For the first time, she felt truly defended, and it felt incredible.
“Let’s go, Charlotte,” Emma finally huffed, her bravado crumbling under the weight of James’s unwavering stare.
As they left, Amelia turned to James, feeling both grateful and overwhelmed. “Thank you,” she whispered.
James smiled, his expression softening. “Always.”
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...
