She stared out the window, where the end of the shaded driveway greeted her eyes, and the smooth emptiness of the road beyond it. The sight continued to pull her gaze towards it, no matter how many times she attempted to regain her focus. This time, she sighed, leaving her eyes wandering down its path until a squeaking chair startled her. She looked back around the room, her eyes falling on the other mutant students.
She needed to be here for the same reason that they all did. She needed control, education, socialization. She couldn't just up and leave after a single day of classes. She needed to stay.
Her eyes fixed on the faces, one at a time, calling to the front of her mind what she knew of their names and their powers and their stories. She needed their humanity, she needed to be touched by their needs, she needed to connect.
Bobby saw her staring and smiled at her. A wide smile, open and flirting. Well, that was just perfect. That might tie her down for at least a little bit.
Liberty Island was just one more reason to stay, and after she'd recovered a bit, after she'd found a balance, it got easier. There was a pattern to her days, life was full of conveniences, and she had companionship to keep her tied down when she couldn't remember why she had to stay.
But her eyes were always drawn to the gate. It wasn't keeping the dangers of the world out. It was keeping her in.