ROXANNE

I straightened my dress and walked out of the bathroom. I wasn't going back into that dining hall to give her or the elders the satisfaction of seeing me tremble. I started toward the West Wing, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and disappear.

But as I turned the corner near the library, I saw someone standing there. It was Elijah.

He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, looking like he’d been waiting for me. Unlike Alejandro, Elijah had a softness in his eyes; a kind of quiet understanding that made me feel like I didn't have to pretend.

"Tough morning?" he...