Chapter 3 Parent-Teacher Trap

"You said this was a community fundraiser," Emily hissed, clutching her tote bag as they entered the high school gymnasium.

Sofia grinned, unrepentant. "It is! The community raises funds for the after-school programs. I never specified what kind of event."

Emily surveyed the scene with growing horror. Parents mingled around tables displaying student projects, while teenagers demonstrated various extracurricular activities in designated areas. A banner overhead proclaimed: "Riverside High Spring Showcase & Parent Night."

"I'm not a parent," Emily pointed out.

"You're my guardian figure," Sofia replied cheerfully. "And I need moral support. My self-defense class is demonstrating today."

Emily narrowed her eyes. "Self-defense class. The one you conveniently started taking three weeks ago?"

"Exactly! Look, there's my instructor now."

Emily followed her sister's gaze across the gym, where Lucas stood surrounded by a group of teenage girls. He wore track pants and a fitted black t-shirt with the school logo, his pearl earring catching the fluorescent light. The compass tattoo peeked from beneath his sleeve as he demonstrated a blocking technique.

"You planned this," Emily accused.

Sofia shrugged. "He's been asking about you. And you've been googling him."

"I was researching his architectural background," Emily protested, cheeks warming. "For bookstore protection purposes."

"Sure. That's why you spent twenty minutes on his Instagram fitness posts."

Before Emily could formulate a suitably scathing response, Lucas spotted them. His face brightened as he excused himself from his students and approached.

"Emily," he greeted, genuine surprise in his voice. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Apparently, I'm Sofia's 'guardian figure' tonight," she replied, shooting her sister a look.

Lucas grinned. "Well, she's one of my best students. You should be proud."

"Oh, I'm bursting with pride," Emily deadpanned.

Sofia beamed. "I'm going to check in with my group. Our demonstration is in fifteen minutes." She disappeared into the crowd with suspicious efficiency.

Left alone, Emily and Lucas stood in awkward silence until he finally asked, "How's the roof?"

"Holding up," she replied. "Your temporary fix worked well."

"And the historical designation application?"

Emily sighed. "Still pending. The committee meets next month."

Lucas nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I've been thinking about alternative designs. Ways to incorporate the original structure into—"

"Into Meridian's retail paradise?" Emily finished.

"Into something that could work for everyone," he corrected gently.

Before she could respond, a commotion erupted across the gym. A tall boy had Sofia cornered against the bleachers, looming over her with unmistakable aggression. Emily was moving before she could think.

"Hey!" she called, inserting herself between them. "Back off."

The boy—football player build, varsity jacket—smirked down at her. "This isn't your business, lady."

"When you intimidate my sister, it becomes my business," Emily replied, voice steady despite her racing heart.

"We're just talking," he insisted, though his body language suggested otherwise.

"Doesn't look like talking to me," Emily countered. "Looks like harassment."

The boy stepped closer, using his height advantage. "You don't know who I am."

"I know exactly who you are," Emily replied, not backing down. "You're the kind of coward who thinks size equals power."

A crowd had gathered, phones recording the confrontation. Sofia tugged at Emily's sleeve. "Em, it's okay—"

"It's not okay," Emily insisted, eyes locked on the boy. "And if you ever approach my sister like this again, you'll learn that bookstore owners know exactly where to find information on making people disappear."

The boy's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. He raised his hand slightly—not quite a threat, but enough to make Emily flinch.

Suddenly, Lucas was there, his hand catching the boy's wrist mid-air.

"That's enough, Jason," he said, voice low but carrying authority. "You're done here."

"Coach, she threatened me!" Jason protested.

"After you cornered Sofia," Lucas replied evenly. "Walk away. Now."

Red-faced, Jason yanked his arm free and stormed off, muttering under his breath.

The crowd slowly dispersed, though many remained fixated on their phones, no doubt sharing the confrontation online. Emily became acutely aware that she'd just created a scene at a school event.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked Sofia, who nodded.

"I'm fine. He's just mad I rejected him last week."

Emily turned to her sister. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd go full mama bear," Sofia replied. "Like you just did."

"Come on," Lucas said, guiding them toward a quieter corner. "Emily, your hand is bleeding."

Emily looked down in surprise. In her adrenaline rush, she hadn't noticed scraping her palm against the bleachers.

"First aid kit in my office," Lucas decided, leading them through a side door into a small room filled with sports equipment.

As he cleaned the scrape with antiseptic, Emily winced. "Is this what you do all day? Patch up teenagers and break up fights?"

"Only on Tuesdays," Lucas replied with a small smile. "The rest of the time I design buildings and try to find compromises between preservation and progress."

Sofia, watching from the doorway, suddenly straightened. "I should go. My group is probably wondering where I am."

Before Emily could protest, her sister disappeared, leaving her alone with Lucas. Again.

"Your sister is remarkably transparent," Lucas observed, applying antibiotic ointment to Emily's palm.

"Subtlety isn't her strong suit," Emily agreed.

As he wrapped a bandage around her hand, his fingers lingered against her wrist. "You know, you have the exact same fighting stance as you did ten years ago."

Emily stilled. "What?"

Lucas looked up, meeting her eyes. "That night on Maple Street. You stood between my father and me with the same expression—like you'd take on someone twice your size without hesitation."

"I didn't do anything special," Emily murmured, uncomfortable with his intensity.

"You called the police when no one else would," Lucas replied quietly. "You stood there until they came. You were the first person who ever intervened."

The air between them seemed to thicken, charged with shared history and unspoken emotions. Emily became acutely aware of his hands still holding hers, gentle despite their strength.

"I didn't recognize you," she admitted. "You were just a scared kid back then."

"And now?" Lucas asked, voice low.

"Now you're..." Emily hesitated, searching for words that wouldn't reveal too much. "Complicated."

A smile tugged at his lips. "I'll take complicated over enemy."

The door burst open, breaking the moment. A teacher poked her head in. "Mr. Young, the self-defense demonstration is starting. They need their instructor."

Lucas released Emily's hand reluctantly. "Duty calls."

As they returned to the gymnasium, Emily's phone buzzed with notifications. She glanced down to see a Twitter alert: #BookstoreGoddessRampage was trending locally, with a video of her confrontation already gathering thousands of views.

"Great," she muttered. "I've gone viral."

Lucas peeked at her screen and winced sympathetically. "Look on the bright side—maybe it'll bring customers to the bookstore."

"Or convince the historical committee I'm unstable," Emily replied.

Lucas paused before rejoining his students. "For what it's worth," he said quietly, "watching you defend Sofia reminded me why that bookstore is more than just a building. It's an extension of who you are—someone who protects what matters, no matter the cost."

As he walked away, Emily found herself wondering if she'd misjudged not just Lucas, but the possibility of finding common ground between preservation and progress—between her world and his.