17
Sunlight filtered through the slats of the blinds. Emery stretched under the sheets, her hand brushing up against Levi. He was on his side, propped up slightly on one elbow, his gaze soft as he watched her.
“Morning,” she murmured, voice raspy with sleep.
Levi leaned in and kissed her temple. “Morning,” he whispered back, voice low and gravely. “Feels like straight-up torture having to get out of this bed right now.”
Emery smirked, rolling onto her side to face him. “Is that because of me, or because of how late we were up last night?”
He gave a lazy grin, tracing a finger down her spine. “You, without question. I shoulda been outta here hours ago. I've got so much work to get done this week, but I couldn't force myself to stop staring at you in this bed. You're perfect.”
She laughed, pulling the blankets lower on his chest. “We’ve got to get moving before June comes looking for us, anyway.”
“Mm.” Levi buried his face in her neck with a groan. “Cruel world.”
A short while later, Emery had June buckled in the backseat of her SUV as they drove the familiar drive to school. June was kicking her feet lightly and staring out the window before suddenly blurting, “ Those girls in my class are being mean again.”
Emery glanced in the rearview mirror. “Mean how?”
“They said I couldn’t play with them during recess, and they always whisper and laugh when I raise my hand to answer a question.”
Emery let out a sigh, keeping her tone calm but firm. “You know what? Those girls are just brats who don’t know what they’re missing out on.”
June’s eyes flicked to hers in the mirror, surprised. “You think I should ignore them?”
“No,” Emery said. “I think you've done enough of that, and you should stand up for yourself. You shouldn’t be mean, but you don’t have to let them treat you like garbage. You’re smart, funny, and kind. If they can’t see that, that’s their loss. But don’t let them walk all over you, okay?”
June nodded slowly, twisting her little mouth. “Okay.”
Back at the house, Emery was elbow-deep in laundry, windows open wide and music up loud, singing to herself when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and immediately felt her stomach drop.
School Office.
“Hello?” she answered, nerves already building.
“Hi, this is the front office at June’s school.
We tried to call Mr. Walker but got no answer, and he listed you as an emergency contact.
I’m calling to let you know June’s been involved in a little…
altercation at recess. She got into a disagreement with a few girls, and unfortunately, things escalated. She’s in the principal’s office now.”
Emery closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Is she okay?”
“She’s not hurt, just a little shaken up. But we’ll need you to come in.”
“Of course,” Emery said. “I’m on my way.”
She hung up and grabbed her keys, a swirl of guilt and dread settling in her chest. All she could think was: Maybe June took that advice a little too much to heart …
The fluorescent lights of the school office buzzed faintly overhead, casting a harsh reflection over the beige tile and bulletin boards covered with outdated school flyers.
Emery stepped through the front doors, her heart racing, scanning the room until she spotted June, small, red-faced, and slumped into the back of a hard plastic chair.
The receptionist looked up and gestured. “You can have a seat next to her. The principal will be with you both in just a minute.”
Emery crossed the room and lowered herself beside June, who peeked up through glassy eyes. “Hey,” Emery said gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You okay?”
June nodded quickly, then leaned into Emery.
Before Emery could ask for details, a door opened and the principal emerged. Mr. Hargrove, in his early fifties, hair graying at the temples and carrying a clipboard like it was of great importance. He offered Emery a tight, professional smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Emery,” he greeted. “Thank you for coming. I’d like to talk through what happened today.”
She gave a quick nod. “Of course.”
They followed him into a small office with a few chairs across from his desk. Emery settled beside June, slipping her hand into the girl’s and giving it a comforting squeeze. June clung to her like a lifeline.
Mr. Hargrove sat and adjusted his glasses. “From what we gathered from a few students, June was involved in a verbal disagreement with three other girls on the playground. That disagreement turned physical when June reportedly shoved one of them after being excluded from a group game.”
June’s fingers tightened around Emery’s, and she dipped her chin low as if she was afraid she would be getting in trouble.
“I just want to be clear that while I understand emotions can run high at this age, physical aggression is never an acceptable response. We do our best to teach conflict resolution here, but this wasn’t June’s first behavioral note this semester regarding these same students. ”
Emery's lips parted in quiet disbelief. “So, you’re saying this is her fault?”
Mr. Hargrove leaned back slightly. “I’m saying that regardless of being provoked, there are better choices to be made. And June didn’t make them today.”
“She’s a child,” Emery said, her voice rising just a little before she caught herself. “A child who’s been trying to stand up for herself. I doubt she pushed someone without a reason.”
The principal’s mouth pinched into a thin line, but before he could respond, a single heavy knock came at the door as it opened swiftly.
Levi stepped in, his presence taking up more space than should’ve been possible in that tiny office. Sun-kissed, dusty, and clearly straight from the field, his gaze instantly went to June, then to Emery. And then to Mr. Hargrove.
Emery could’ve sunk into the floor right then. She knew he had so much on his plate and had been stressed this last week, and now this, one more thing to add to his load.
“Mr. Walker, thank you for coming on such short notice,” the principal said, standing halfway in a greeting and gesturing for an open chair.
Levi’s expression was unreadable. “Yeah,” he said, looking at June again, like he had to reassure himself she was ok. He pulled the third chair close and sat beside them. “So,” he said, voice steady and just a little sharp, “What exactly happened?”
Emery knew in her gut that he would defend June just as fiercely as she had—if not more.
Mr. Hargrove adjusted the papers on his desk with an exaggerated calm, as though rehearsing in his mind what he was about to say. He glanced at Levi with an almost condescending sense of reassurance.
“Mr. Walker,” he began. “While I understand that tensions among children can escalate quickly, I have to be frank, June was out of line today. She pushed another student. Regardless of what led to that, it’s our policy to hold students accountable when their behavior crosses that line, and she will need to apologize. ”
Levi’s jaw clenched, but before he could speak, Emery sat forward in her chair, her spine straight and her voice sharp.
“I’m sorry, but I find that hard to believe,” she said, her tone slicing through the room like a blade.
“I cannot sit here and listen to that. June has been bullied by those girls for weeks. She’s come home upset, embarrassed, and trying to make sense of why they pick on her.
She’s handled it with more grace and patience than most adults would.
So, tell me where that accountability has been for them. ”
Mr. Hargrove raised his eyebrows slightly, clearly caught off guard, but Emery didn’t stop.
“She finally stood up for herself after being poked at, excluded, and insulted by kids who’ve been allowed to treat her however they want with zero repercussions,” she continued, her eyes locked on his.
“She won’t be apologizing because she didn’t do anything wrong.
If anything, you owe her an apology for allowing this to happen under your watch. ”
A flicker of discomfort crossed the principal’s face as he shifted in his chair.
“I understand your concern and appreciate the fact that you came to get her until Mr. Walker became available, but with all due respect, you’re not June’s parent, or even legal guardian.
Our responsibility is to follow protocol, which includes contacting the actual parent or guardian when there’s a disciplinary issue. Now that he is here—”
Levi stood abruptly and forcefully. Emery froze, and June’s grip on her hand tightened. The whole energy in the room shifted.
He didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t need to. His presence alone filled every inch of space and screamed business.
“Emery has full permission to make any call she wants when it comes to my child,” he said calmly, his voice low and steady, but with an unmistakable edge.
“If she says June’s being bullied, I believe her.
If she says this was self-defense, I believe her.
And if she says you haven’t done enough to keep my daughter safe, then I suggest you take a hard look at how this school handles these kinds of problems.”
Mr. Hargrove opened his mouth, then shut it again, faltering under the weight of Levi’s stare.
The room was silent except for the sound of June’s sniffle. She leaned into Emery’s side just a little more.
Mr. Hargrove finally cleared his throat, flustered. “We’ll… take another look at the reports and review the recess monitor statements.”
“You do that,” Levi added, voice unwavering, reaching for June’s little pink backpack on the floor and slinging it over his shoulder. It looked miniature on his broad back. “Because I don’t think either one of us wants to have this conversation again.”
He reached out his hand to June, who stood and grasped it instantly, her small fingers disappearing in his calloused palm as he guided her closer and picked her up into his arms.