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FLASHBACK
11 YEARS AGO

"You look like hell," Tony said as Nina stepped off the elevator, allowing her backpack to slide off her shoulder before throwing it onto the couch in the hallway.

"You should see the other girl," was her response as she folded up the sleeves of her burgundy blazer and unbuttoned the first few buttons of her white shirt, joining the billionaire in the lounge.

Tony was right to say she looked like hell, Nina's cheek was tinted a harsh red, a bandage was stretched over her nose and medical tape covered the thick cut on her forehead pulling it closed.

"Don't you mean other girls?" Tony corrected and Nina tensed, his words telling her that he knew what had happened.

"Happy said he wouldn't tell," Nina said as she dropped into the space beside him on the couch, while she moved Tony noticed her torn knuckles and the dry blood caked on them.

"He didn't," Tony gestured to the phone across the room, "your principal called, said you were suspended until Monday and naturally I asked why."

"Of course, I am," Nina rolled her eyes as she muttered under her breath, she was getting a suspension while the girls responsible for her state were probably let off with a slap on the wrist, "it was nothing serious, just teenage stupidity."

"I would have believed that had you not come home looking worse than you do after your self defence classes... and if you hadn't broke a girl's nose," Tony continued and Nina inhaled sharply, not having a defence for that fact, "this is your first physical offence, Nina. You aren't the type to fight without a reason so tell me, what happened?"

"They came after me, I defended myself."

"From what?" Tony questioned, Nina had always been vocal about the way her classmates hated her and where Tony had tried to transfer her, she never allowed him. Nina didn't want to run from a problem that'd she'd be facing her whole life, not to mention she had just joined the track team and Elijah attended the same school.

"Acrylic nails mostly," she said, thinking back to the blue claws she hadn't noticed until they cut her forehead, before sighing and elaborating, "a girl asked me out, I said no, she got embarrassed, told her friends and boyfriend a twisted version of the story-"

"Boyfriend?" Tony questioned.

"Boyfriend," Nina confirmed, "anyway she and her friends came after me. They got irritated with me dodging all their hits, decided to attack with the slurs and attachment issues instead. I guess I kinda snapped."

"You guess?"

"No I know, I did snap," the response came without hesitation as she focused on her torn knuckles, "are you mad?"

"No," Tony sighed, "I'm not mad."

"Disappointed?"

"No."

"What then?"

"Apologetic."

Nina snapped her head up as she looked at Tony in confusion, "for what?"

"Everyone knows you're adopted because you're adopted by me and everyone knows your queer because paparazzi followed you around on a date because you are associated with me," Tony explained, "the world gives you shit for things you didn't have any choice in sharing. That's my fault and I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault," Nina cringed as she brought her knees up to her chest. Her action caused the black safety shorts under her burgundy skirt to be on display but, unlike with her principal, Nina felt safe with Tony, "it also makes me feel awkward."

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