May POV

My heart immediately breaks and I kneel down in front of my son and cup his cheeks.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I was g-grabbing my bag to go h-home. I went to the bathroom a-and my class already left s-do I was in t-there alone. Then two b-boys behind me showed up a-and s-started hitting me."

"No teacher said anything outside?" I ask.

"I kept m-my head down t-the whole time walking." My son admits. I stroke his cheek and pull him into my chest.

"Are you in pain?" I ask while stroking his hair.

"My head hurts." I nod and kiss the top of his head.

"Can you tell me the names of the boys?"

"Uh," He pauses. "Henry Linton? And uh t-that one kids f-from the park. Kyle Winston." My blood runs cold.

"Okay. We're going to make a small trip to the school. And I'm going to call your Dad and I'm going to ask Grandpa to come over and watch your siblings." He nods and doesn't argue.

"I'll be right back. Meet me in the kitchen, I'll get you some ice." He nods and walks away.

***

"You need to stay calm." Harry tells me as we walk back to the principles office.

"I am calm." I defend. Finn's hand is in mine.

~

"What do you mean you can't do anything?" I say after we talked to the principle. My voice raising.

"Besides the bruise and cut on his lip there is no other evidence of him being bullied. If you would've reported this sooner, that would be different."

"How? Then, to you, there would be no evidence still." I say defensively. He opens his mouth to speak but I continue. "No, don't bull crap me. Technically I can sue your as--school. Would you like that?" Harry's hand rests on mine. I look at him and see his eyes are soft. "My son deserves to go to school and not worry about getting hit or bullied. He's here to learn, not to be made fun of. These kids are acting like this is fight club."

"I'm sorry this is has happened to Finn." His eyes look to my son who's sitting beside me.

"Are you? Because you just said there's nothing you can do. Why don't we bring in the fu--kids and their parents? Maybe discipline them? I don't know, do your job?" His eyebrows raises at me. "Don't raise your eyebrow at me. We pay school taxes. So technically I'm paying you to sit here and do nothing."

"May." Harry says in a low voice. It's his way of saying "calm down".

"Okay. I'll call the parents."

"Thanks." I look to Finn who's fidgeting with his fingers. I rest my hand on top of his and kiss his cheek. He looks at me and I smile gently.

I know he didn't want it to come to this. But what else am I going to do? Let him be physically hit now?

"How's your eye?" I ask him.

"It hurts when I blink o-or look around." He murmurs. I nod with a frown.

The principle excuses himself to make the calls. "Finn cover your ears." I say to him. He does. I look to Harry who's looking at me already.

"Please don't yell when the parents show up." Harry says.

"They're going to fucking play the 'oh my son would never do that'. Bull fucking shit. For now I'm civil. But I'm about to wrap that phone cord around the principles neck." My husband eyes widen.

"Calm down please. I'm just as mad as you are but you can't hit anyone."

"I'm not going to hit a child Harry." I say.

"I'm mean a parent."

"They aren't parents if their kids think their fucking Rocky Balboa in first grade." Harry chuckles.

The door opens with the principle behind it. "They said they'll be here as soon as possible." I nod.

***

"This is absurd!" A Mother exclaims loudly. Her husband murmurs something to her. Her eyes glance to me. Henry, her son is seated beside her. His eyes are on his lap.

"This Mother is crazy." My eyes narrow to Kyle's Mom. I roll my eyes at that "women".

"Coming from the one who was trying to follow me home." I retort. "Why don't you ask your sons' if they have been bullying my son?" I say.

"Have you?" The women who is Henry's Mom asks. His eyes peer up at her.

"We haven't." Kyle speaks up.

"Why are your knuckles red?" Harry asks him. His voice comes off deep and low. Kyle's face heats.

"I fell on my way home." He comes up with a few moments later.

"And I'm superman." My husband scoffs.

"Don't talk to my son like that." His Mom defends.

"What are you going to try and follow us home again?"

"You don't even look like you want to be here." She says with narrowing eyes.

"He's probably too busy at the country club." Kyle's Dad mocks making them snicker.

"I don't find sitting in the principles office talking about how my son got hit at school amusing. Excuse me." Harry spits. "But if you want to be children and mock me go on. I'm in no rush to leave."

The principle clears his throat making the room fall silent. My hand rests on top of Finn's. "Henry, Kyle; have you been bullying Finn?" The two boys remain silent.

"Yes." Henry says.

"Henry." Kyle scolds. The other boy's eye roll.

"It's obvious now Kyle. You went too far." He mutters to his friend.

"Okay. There is one week of school left so a four day suspension for both of you."

Why not just make it the full week?

"Four days?" Kyle's Mom raises. "What are they paying you to do this?"

"Why do you have to make it about money when it's not?" I ask.

"The BMW i8 says other wise."

Good car choice Harry.

"It's known that rich people like you get what you want." Kyle's Mom argues.

I just shake my head and stand. "C'mon lets go." I murmur to Finn who stands. She's not worth a petty argument about money when that's not what we're here for.

As we're about to leave Henry's Mom walks up to me. "I just wanted to say sorry for Henry's behavior towards your son. At home he's such a sweet boy and that's how I thought he was at school. I guess not." She says sadly. "I'm Kathy by the way." She smiles gently.

"Thank you." She nods.

"If you need to take him to the doctor because of his eye, um, ask the school for my number. I don't want you to pay for what my son did to yours."

Even as annoyed as I am, that was nice of her to say. I just nod at her.

Henry walks up to Finn and says sorry. My son murmurs 'it's okay' and presses his back into me. "Ready to go?" I ask him. He nods. I kiss the top of his head and meet Harry who's in the main office.

"Can I ride with Dad?" Finn asks. "H-He brought the cool c-car."

"Are you going back to work?" I ask Harry.

"No."

"Okay, if you wanna go with him you can. Make sure to wear your seat belt."

"I will." He kisses my cheek and walks over to his car.

Harry and I stand a few feet away.

"Really? You took this car?"

"I had a work brunch today and I wanted to show up in style." I shake my head at him and grin.

"Nice." I say.

"Who's home with the kids?"

"Your Dad. I'm just gonna order a pizza."

"Sounds lovely." He kisses my cheek. "I'll see you at home."

"Okay." I murmur.

I walk to my Range Rover that Harry bought me years ago and get in. I rest my head back on the car seat and let out a deep breath.

A://N

2 chapters left of this book

my heart dropped just dropped :/

comment??

~Lauren