“It’s nothing!” Leia snapped, quickly turning away and hiding her face with her hair, reluctant to let others see her vulnerability.

“Nothing? Your face is already swollen!” Xavier exclaimed as he gently lifted her chin and brushed her hair off, studying her face with a pained look.

Who could have imagined that in just a matter of days, the woman who strutted like she owned the place would end up looking so pitiful?

“Who did this to you?” He demanded, his brow tightly furrowed as if his favorite toy was broken, and he looked bent on cutting the culprit into pieces.

“No one. I fell,” Leia said, moving away from his touch and turning her back on him.

She was just like Renee—she held herself with great pride and would act nonchalant even if she was bruised and battered.

Xavier was not easily fooled, however, and took her hand as he growled. “We’re going back.”

“Back? Back where?”

“The detention center.”

much to get out—I’m not going back! That place is

violently, her obstinate carapace peeling

but she was tormented by her cellmates everyday—having her hair pulled, being spat

back, but that would only get her a worse beating—just like today, where she was

would return to that

Leia’s shoulders and said somberly, “Pull yourself together! Just tell me who hit you, and I will return the favor—what are you worried about? I have

“What…”

eyes were welling with tears as she stared at

of the Osborne

He was allowed to ‘bully’ her occasionally for her mischief, but he would never allow anyone else

confidence from that serious look in Xavier’s eyes and clenched her knuckles. “You’re right. I shouldn’t let myself

returned to the detention center, with Xavier pulling some strings with a warden, who brought him to

By the way, the cameras are out—I would need around half an hour

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