"I'm listening," Amara replied.
"My son and his friends were assaulted near Oakwood Park on Tuesday evening. They've identified you as their attacker." The words were delivered with clinical precision. "Additionally, they've been subjected to illegal surveillance by your friend, Samuel Chen. These are serious matters."
"Self-defense is not assault, Mr. Williams," Amara countered calmly. "And as for the surveillance, I have no knowledge of its legality or lack thereof."
"A blind girl claiming self-defense against three athletic young men?" The skepticism in his voice was palpable. "That's a difficult narrative to sell."
"Not if the blind girl has a black belt in karate," Amara replied evenly.
A moment of silence followed this revelation.
"Even if that were true," Ms. Harrington interjected, "it doesn't explain why you were in that location at that time, or why you'd immediately resort to violence."
"I train at Park's Dojo every Tuesday and Thursday. It's on my way home," Amara explained. "As for resorting to violence, I responded appropriately to three masked individuals threatening me after dark."
Principal Weston cleared his throat. "Ms. James, these are very serious accusations from both sides."
"Without clear evidence?"
"Oh, we have evidence," Mr. Williams interrupted. "Security camera footage from a nearby business shows my son and his friends walking peacefully through the park when Ms. James approached them."
Amara's eyebrows rose slightly. "Interesting. Does this footage show them wearing ski masks or attempting to rob me?"
"The footage is inconclusive on those details," Ms. Harrington admitted reluctantly.
"How convenient," Amara murmured.
The meeting concluded with thinly veiled threats of legal action against both Amara and the school. As she left the office, Amara heard Mr. Williams' parting words to Principal Weston: "This situation will be resolved one way or another. My family's contributions to this institution depend on it."