Scarlett said again, “But you still have to finish all the homework the teacher assigned. That includes an apology letter of no less than a thousand words.” Percy was torn. He had already lost three games in a row. One more and he would drop a rank. Scarlett glanced at his screen, speaking slowly, deliberately, “They’ve already pushed your tower. Your teammate who’s playing the mouse character just said he’s reporting you for trolling. Bet you’ve racked up quite a few stars by now, huh? Would be such a shame if this account got banned.” That did it. Moments ago, he was mocking Jonah for using cheats. Now, without hesitation, he shouted, “Fight! Come on, help me fight! Please don’t let this account get banned. I’ll do the homework, I’ll write the apology letter. I swear I’ll write until you’re satisfied, alright? “I’m begging you, please…” He was really panicking now, hands clasped together and begging. Scarlett didn’t tease him any further. The corner of her mouth lifted into a sly smirk as she twirled the phone in one hand, then jumped back into the game. What started as a hopeless match flipped the moment she took over. The tide turned fast. The enemy team started asking in the chat if they were up against a pro booster. Percy was grinning like a fool next to her. The game ended in a comeback victory. Scarlett took the phone and walked toward the entrance. “Let’s go. Time to do your homework.” Percy grabbed his backpack and trotted after her like a happy puppy. Xavier stepped out just in time to see Scarlett sprawled lazily in a chair, casually playing on her phone. Right beside her, the usually homework-allergic Percy was sitting still and scribbling furiously in his notebook. Xavier’s gaze paused on Scarlett for a few seconds longer than necessary. Her fingers were slender, her joints distinct, and they were shaped elegantly and naturally, as if they were carved from marble. Her delicate features carried a trace of mischief, a hint of sarcasm, and the bold confidence of someone who didn’t care what others thought. She was wild, in the most captivating way. It felt like this was the real her. It was a moment he didn’t want to interfere with, but something about that made it hard to look away. Scarlett finished the match quickly and set her phone on the table. Instantly, all that untamed energy disappeared. She picked up Percy’s notebook and scanned it. “You’re not done yet?” Percy looked like he was on the verge of collapse. “You play way too fast. My pen was practically smoking, and I still couldn’t keep up.” They had agreed that for every match she played, he had to write at least 200 words. Now, five matches had flown by, and he had barely managed a few hundred. Scarlett skimmed what he had written. Her eye twitched. “I told you to write an apology letter. What is this? A toddler’s diary?” She read it aloud, forcing him to listen to the sheer nonsense he had put on paper. “I punched Mr. Quinn once. He yelled. Then he punched back, which I dodged. Hahaha.” Ten more lines of “Hahaha” followed after the first line. “He missed! I punched him again, and he yelled again. He tried punching back again, which I dodged again. Hahaha.” Another ten lines of “Hahaha” were written, which were finally followed up with “He missed again.” “Are you serious?” she deadpanned. Scarlett stared at him, eyes twitching. “How did I never realize your apology letters were this bad?” Percy rubbed his nose awkwardly. “Well, usually Stacy writes mine. I’ll just read what she wrote in front of the whole school tomorrow.” No wonder. She remembered thinking his public apologies always sounded so eloquent, like something out of a textbook. “What apology letter?” A deep, low voice cut through the room, freezing them both in place. Scarlett turned her head and saw Xavier standing at the staircase, tall and straight, with no idea how long he had been there. Percy’s face went ghost white. He subtly shifted in his seat, ready to bolt at any second.