The courtyard felt frozen as Lucas stood face-to-face with Evelyn. The usual arrogance in her eyes flickered with unease, but her smirk remained.
"Touch her stuff again," Lucas said quietly, "and you'll regret it."
Evelyn scoffed, though her voice wasn't as sharp. "You're acting tough for a girl who can't fight her own battles."
Amelia flinched at the words, but Lucas didn't move. His voice dropped lower, colder.
"Keep pushing," he said, "and you'll find out how far I'll go."
The air grew heavier as Evelyn faltered, but before anyone could react, a teacher's voice rang out from behind.
"What's going on here?"
Lucas stepped back, but his gaze never left Evelyn.
As the crowd dispersed, Amelia felt her heart pound not from fear, but from something deeper.
Lucas had taken a stand. For her.
And suddenly, she realized just how much he meant to her.
To be continued…