Page 49 of Into the Fire
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 addto 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 toapologize.”
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 shesays 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.
