Junior looks at her. “You do?” He asks. Junior was always surprised when people told him they liked him. He never thought of himself as a likable guy.
Junior puts his hands on the sides of her face. When she goes in for a hug his arms drop to his sides. He stays still for a second then moves his arms to wrap around her.
“Does your dad hurt you?” He asks. “Do the lost boys?” It was blunt and to the point. He wanted to hear her say it. He wanted proof so he could expose them.
“Of course I do.” Cordelia seems almost baffled that he’d question it. What wasn’t to like? He had a good heart, a remarkable heart.
Feeling his arms wrap around her made her feel safe. Or at least peaceful, she had never grown accustomed to what safe was supposed to feel like. She buries her face in his chest, breathing in the comforting smell. When he asks his question her entire body tenses up and she dares not move from her position. He had asked her before, when they first met, if Curly hurt her and she managed to avoid the question. But now, how could she? He already knew, he had managed to see through the facade and put the pieces together.
Hesitantly, she pulls back to look at him. There are tears in her green eyes and she had a look of fear on her face - not fear of Junior. She could never be afraid of him. She was afraid of father most of all. Her head jerks in a slight nod, she doesn’t trust that she can say it out loud. That is until it falls out in a squeak, “y-yes..” But she’s quickly reaching for his hands, looking up with a pleading expression, “-please, don’t tell anyone.”
