Chapter 78

It was no wonder Qadir and the others were so kind; their parents were setting a perfect example.
“What’s all the shouting about!” Carl slammed his hand on the table, annoyed. He glared at Juniper. “The footage proves you started it, and the other party is seriously injured. According to regulations, you’re not going anywhere tonight. We need a parent or guardian to sign off.”
He then asked impatiently, “Why aren’t your parents here yet?”
Juniper glanced at the time. At this hour, her “guardian” should be on his way.
“Alright, that’s enough,” Carl said, eager to get off work and grab dinner. He tossed his cigarette pack onto the table and looked at Salma. “You’re the headmistress, right? Sign for her parents! She stays here, and the rest of you can go.”
They could deal with the formal procedures when her parents finally showed up.
“We can’t just take their word for it. The other surveillance footage is conveniently corrupted; who’s to say the video he provided is even real?” Salma stared at the police report, which was heavily biased against Juniper. “I won’t sign anything until this is properly investigated.”
“We have a witness and evidence. Besides, just look at the two of them. One is covered in injuries, cowering in the corner. And the other Carl’s gaze fell on the girl’s impassive face, her defiant and untamed demeanor clear to see. He frowned. “She’s completely unharmed, still arrogant, and shows no remorse or fear whatsoever.”
She looked like a typical troublemaker who hated studying and spent her days causing chaos. He dealt with dozens of delinquents like her every year; he was used to it. What a waste of time.
“Exactly!” Seeing the officer on his side, Dustin grew even more confident. He waved his hands and bellowed, “My son is a student at Eclara High! He’s a senior and about to apply for college. Now that he has a head injury, who knows if it will affect his chances of getting into a top university!”
“Pfft-”
As soon as Dustin finished speaking, a laugh echoed from the corner where Juniper was standing. It was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, and all eyes turned to her.
Her friends and their parents were baffled. She was about to be detained, so how could she still be laughing? Had the stress finally gotten to her?
“What are you laughing at?” Dustin’s voice trailed off, his fleshy face scrunching up in displeasure as he glared at her.
“Because what you’re saying is utterly ridiculous,” Juniper said, tilting her head up slightly. A faint smirk played on her lips, but her eyes were devoid of warmth. “Waheed has been at the bottom of his class in every single exam since he was a child. After middle school, you paid a hefty sum to get him into Eclara High.”
“College?” She glanced at the timid Waheed, who wouldn’t even meet her gaze, and narrowed her eyes. “Maybe you should make a doctor’s appointment first and see if his brain needs fixing.”
“You-” Dustin instantly caught the mockery in her tone, and his smile vanished. Before he could retort, the girl spoke again, her voice dripping with arrogance.
“Actually, don’t bother,” Juniper said, leaning against the wall with her hands in her pockets, nonchalantly kicking at the floor. “Given his condition, he’d probably still drool even if he were ‘cured.’ You’d be better off having him learn a trade. Maybe he could jump through flaming hoops in the park or something. That way, if the Farley family ever goes bankrupt, he can at least make a living as a street performer.”
“You little bitch, how dare you curse my son!” Dustin’s face contorted in fury. He raised his hand to slap her across the face.
“Juniper, watch out!” Qadir cried out in alarm.
Just as everyone gasped, a hand, clad in the sleeve of a black suit, shot out and intercepted Dustin’s arm with perfect precision.