Lance exhaled slowly, his eyes finally settling on Lacey. "I… understand what happened.." he said quietly, steady but controlled. "I'm here to make sure she's safe and that nothing like this escalates again. She's not a troublemaker... Lacey defended herself, and she doesn't deserve to be bullied for her family situation."
Ms. Carmichael nodded, acknowledging his point. "Very well. I wanted to hear that from her guardian. It's important that she feels supported."
Lacey's eyes softened slightly at Lance's words, a flicker of warmth breaking through her sharp glare. She still had some heat left for the bullies, but knowing her brother had her back, even in this tense room, helped steady her.
Ashley let out a quiet sigh of relief beside her, glad that Lance had arrived in time to diffuse at least some of the tension.
Ms. Carmichael glanced at the mothers of Madison and Tiffany once more, then back at Lance.
