Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 220

The headmaster had already pulled up the security footage, intending to wait for both sets of parents to arrive before showing it. But as soon as everyone stepped through the door, the arguing erupted.

The footage was crystal clear. It caught everything—the little boy not only mocking James by calling him a mute and making faces at him, but also shoving him. Not just once, but several times.

The woman’s face darkened, her tone defensive and sharp. “Kids push each other when they play. What’s the big deal? James didn’t even say anything. Why is your daughter butting in?”

“I—I did say something…”

A timid, stuttering voice sounded from the doorway. James shuffled in, all eyes turning to him as he made his way over to stand beside Ruby. Instantly, Ruby squared her shoulders, crossing her arms and taking up a protective stance in front of James, like a little boss.

“Everyone heard that, right?” Amelia fixed the woman with a cool stare. “Now, who’s in the wrong here? And who owes whom an apology?”

The woman, clearly at fault, yanked her son toward the door. “He pushed back. We’ll call it even. Let’s just drop it.”

Amelia stepped in her way. “Apologize. To James, and to my daughter.”

Humiliated and angry, the woman tried to shove Amelia aside. Amelia instinctively blocked her, throwing the woman off balance. Her high heel snagged on her long skirt, and with a loud thud, she went down on her knees.

The little boy froze for a second, then—maybe thinking it wasn’t right to let his mom kneel alone—promptly dropped to his knees beside her.

Ruby burst out laughing. “It’s not even Christmas! Don’t bother kneeling, no one’s handing out presents!”

“What the heck are you kneeling for!” the woman snapped, mortified. She scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping again, and dragged her son out the door in a flustered retreat.

Amelia didn’t bother stopping them.

Once they were gone, the headmaster apologized profusely, promising that Ruby would never have to share a class with that boy again. With Ruby’s fiery sense of justice, putting her in the same class as a bully would mean daily brawls.

The headmaster swore to sort things out and give Amelia a satisfactory answer.

Whatever was said on the other end of the phone seemed to calm Finley down.

Daniel glanced over. “You’re like one of those inflatable punching bags—first you puff up, then you deflate.”

Finley choked. What kind of analogy was that? He wanted to retort, but honestly, it fit.

“It’s just—James got picked on at school. Guess who stood up for him? That little girl who crashed your birthday party for a balloon.”

Daniel remembered her name. “Ruby Rubin?”

“Yeah, same class as James. Talk about fate, right?” Finley said. “Her mom was there too—supposedly sharp-tongued as anything, talked the other mom right down to her knees.”

The image conjured up memories for Daniel—he could picture a certain someone glaring at him with that same fierce expression.