From Junior's POV, he watches the live performance at Velvet beside Lauren, overwhelmed by an unprecedented level of arousal and emotion that breaks through the numbness his violent work has imposed on him. He notices Lauren is equally affected but restrains himself, distrusting his own desire and unwilling to hurt her further.

As Morgan and Stephanie's performance escalates to explicit sex onstage, Junior observes the surrounding audience also engaging sexually. He files away Lauren's whimpering response to praise as useful information. When the performance ends and a staff member enters, Lauren uses the distraction to slip out toward an emergency exit.

Junior pursues her into the stairwell, urging her to run. He catches her, pins her face-first against the wall, and covers her mouth. He apologizes and grinds against her, sensing she's responsive. Lauren accuses him of ruining her life—lost friends, school change, being thought crazy.

Junior reveals he was responsible for planting drugs on Kelly and putting Principal Michaels in the hospital, retaliating against her bullies. He offers to do anything—even publicly confess his feelings online (a lie, since his father can't know). Lauren refuses these options.

When Junior asks what she wants, Lauren demands he grovel. His pride initially rebels, but he reasons that escaping his father will free him to fully commit, and Lauren—the only girl he ever loved—deserves this. He turns her to face the wall, says "Only for you, Lo," and drops to his knees.