Now she was in school, and things were supposed to go wonderfully. She'd avoid Viktor. She wouldn't have Amelia to speak to. But still... she could make it work. It could be smooth, and all would be well when she got back home, right? Wrong.

The entire day, kids stared at her. Paranoid whispers filled the halls. They avoided her as though she was visibly overcome by the plague. Every time she raised her hand in class, or tried to speak, her teachers ignored her, or told her to hold her tongue. By the day's end, all but one of her assignments, almost-perfectly answered, were graded with big, fat 0's, and frowny faces.

When lunch time rolled around, it was the very first time she'd ever seen students willingly sit on the floors when there was an open space. Not to mention, the first time the monitors allowed it. Her table was completely empty.

The solitude wasn't what hurt. The negligence stung, but it wasn't the thing leaving the gaping hole in her being. It was the blame for something atrocious, that she didn't do, and had nothing to do with, being shoved upon her. It was the fear that half of them stared at her with, and the hatred the other half glared at her with. This ostracism was overwhelming. She wiped her eyes, and nibbled at her broccoli. Her stomach churned. She dropped her spork, head hung in shame she shouldn't have felt. Why was this so difficult? Why were they all acting like this? It wasn't her fault. None of it!

"You don't want to sit next to her. She'll gut you." A voice hissed. Another one, closer now, said "Don't sit next to her! She's going to like, shoot you or something!" Another voice, even closer, buzzed louder than the others. "If you sit next to Evelyn, you won't be allowed near us. You can't conspire with killers." There was a small flash of movement, and somebody sat down beside her. The girl froze up, not wanting to see who it was. Who knew what they were going to say? Was it going to be somebody to spit in her face? Somebody to berate her about her father? Somebody to say she was going to end up just like him?

Cautiously, Evelyn tilted her head to face him. Just enough to see his face. She was on his right, his shadow looming over her. His posture was straight, but relaxed. He bit into an apple the school had probably been holding onto for a week.

"You've been ignoring me." He noted, and turned to face her. On his left cheek, hidden before, was a familiar gash. It was fresh, but unopened, thanks to three stitches that sealed the wound together. It looked painful. It must've been.

Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Her lower lip quivered like a chihuahua in the winter, and her eyes glossed over like the most varnished satin. "Viktor, I never meant to hurt you like that. I wasn't even thinking. I swear, I-"

"Don't apologize." He interrupted her panicked babbling. His expression was just as downtrodden as his tone. "I don't know what was going on with me. Mom told me that it was just because I was grieving, or whatever, but I know better than to grab you like that. I'm sorry." He held his fists together on the table, thumbs twiddling together.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything. Evelyn was relieved he wasn't angry with her, and surprised. "Why aren't you mad at me?" Her brows knitted in unease. Viktor hesitated with his response. "I mean, I was. I threw a whole fit when I got home. Thought you were crazy or stupid for denying that he'd done it.

"Actually, I accidentally broke the handlebar in the shower. That hurt like crap. It's funny though, because you can see the little screw-holes in the wall where it was connected before." He purred, tone shifting to one of amusement. Then he smiled at her, his eyes lively, and more importantly, soft with understanding.

"Then I realized that you were in the same boat I am. You lost someone you love to a killer, too. You just couldn't wrap your head around it yet. Maybe you still can't. Maybe you still believe him innocent of his crimes. That he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they caught the wrong guy. That's happened before, believe it or not." The boy muttered, face falling just for a second before he looked her way and grinned once more. "I uh, actually looked it up. You can totally go visit him at that psych ward if you want to. Any time. And you can touch him and hug him and speak freely and stuff. No glass walls between you, no little telephone thing, it'll be just like visiting him at a relatives' place or something."

Viktor pursed his lips, awaiting her response. Evelyn was still collecting herself after the news, excitement bubbling its way to the surface. She threw her arms around him, and pulled him closer. "You know, I think this whole thing has brought us way closer together, and I'm super happy it did." She clutched onto him, now unable to hear the whispers of the judgemental students around her. It was a nice moment, brief as it was.

Evelyn invited him to come to the house after school, but Viktor said he had to meet up with his water polo team. She'd almost forgotten in all this excitement that he was part of a team at all. She was certainly relieved that she wasn't, for fear they would all shun her now if she was.

"Why am I thinking about Viktor of all people?" She asked herself in a hushed tone, head against the window. "What was that, sweetie?" Her aunt Pepper hummed, her scratchy voice etching deep into Evelyn's holy-cow-you're-annoying gland in her brain. The teen focused on the trees whizzing past them, ancient and revered only by those willing to go at a slower pace. "Just thinking about dad. I'm anxious about seeing him. You put in like, a notice, right?" She asked. Her aunt never took her eyes off the road. "Of course I did, dear. You always have to do that with officials! I'll wait in the car. I think you have anywhere between ten seconds and an hour." The woman explained, her fingers tapping against the wheel.

Evelyn noticed the time on the dash. 0900. Her father had used military time her entire life, since he used to work in veteran care, or something along those lines. That was before her mom died though, so she hardly remembered. Anyhow, they'd been on the road for almost two hours, and were pretty much miles away from any civilization as she recognized it. Her 'appointment' to meet with her father was at ten, according to her aunt. Why was it so far away? They weren't going to a maximum-security federal prison, they were going to a hospital that treated sick people, right? Sure it wasn't like some Urgent-Care clinic, but it was still the same base idea- help the people who need it. They weren't prisoners, they were patients! Right..?

Another half hour later, they reached the large, swirly gate. It was, in one word, fancy. It looked like a top-notch nursing home or like some neat funeral home more than any kind of hospital she'd ever seen. Her aunt spoke with the guards who opened the gates, and soon they were in. She parked, and sent Evelyn off on her way. Thank goodness she wasn't going to follow her in, that would've been awful.

"Uh, hello?" Evelyn stepped into the strangely-shaped building. It reeked of urine and antiseptic, and this was just the front lobby? What astonished her most was actually the secretary behind a thick wall of glass, like she expected someone to lash out and attack her just after entering the building. "My name is Evelyn Lewis? I have an, uh, I guess it's an appointment." She addressed the woman, hardly sure she could be heard. "I see! To see your father, Cody Lewis? How lovely. Hugo over here can escort you to the visiting room." The secretary offered a feigned smile. She pressed a red button, and a screeching metal door on the right slowly opened up, to reveal a large man. The woman gestured to him, and nodded at Evelyn. "He'll bring you safely back when you want to leave or your time is up. Go on, now."

Evelyn found herself walking with this strange man. He didn't speak during the walk. Something about him left her feeling unsettled. The man led her through a few hallways, and stopped at another metal door. She watched as he unhooked his nametag, and held it up to a scanner at the door. To her surprise, it beeped green. Access accepted, she supposed, because the door then opened with a low, uninviting hiss. This place gave her the heebie-jeebies, she'd never recommend staying here for very long. 3/10 stars, for sure.

Her eyes raised to the room itself. It was small, like a waiting room in a small clinic. There were five chairs, cushioned but not well-supported. Her father sat in one, hunched over, with his hands steepled in front of him. His face scrunched together in thought.

"Dad?" Evelyn breathlessly gasped, and ran over to him. She brought her arms up, tears already rolling down her face. She was so excited to see him! Cody whipped his head up, and his smile spread from ear to ear. "Oh, my Princess. It's so good to see you." He stood, and wrapped his arms around her. He was the security blanket she'd been missing for ages now. The sense of dependability was all she needed to relax again. She sniffled softly, and pressed her face into his chest, mumbling about how much she missed him.

Hugo never left the door. Her father's eyes were narrowed sharply at the guard, in a judgemental, suspicious, angry way. "What did you do? Did he hurt you? Did he scare you?" He lifted his daughter's face from his chest, and squished her cheeks in his hands. Evelyn snorted, and shook her head. "No, dad, I'm fine. I just missed you." She nestled her face against his strong palm.

The two continued with their 'I missed you' 'I love you' business for another two or three minutes, before everyone was calm enough to sit. "Dad, you don't belong here. You've got to tell me what the plan is. To get you out of here. The lawyer can come see you, right? We've got to figure out how to tell everyone you're innocent. We have to show them! I mean, come on, you work at a hospital, of course your prints and hairs are going to be on bodies. This isn't fair! Even Viktor thinks you did it, and he knows you. It's ridiculous." She shook her head, voice quick and tone vivacious.

"I know you didn't do it, dad. They just don't understand. None of them do. You're innocent, and they just wanted to put someone behind bars. Or walls, I guess. It isn't fair to us!" She yawped, and had to wipe her eyes again. Evelyn only shut her trap because she saw that her father clearly had something to say.

"Princess," The man began, a quizzical guilt in his voice. She perked up, ready to listen to whatever his plan was. She bet they'd be calling Schmidt in here within moments! "I did it. They're not making me say this. There's no gun to my head or yours. I'm here because I deserve to be here. Viktor is... correct, oddly enough." The man chuckled, his eyes closed just so he didn't have to see his daughter shattering to pieces in front of him.

Evelyn didn't know what to do, or say. It all came crashing down at once. She felt like she was in shock. When he spoke, all she heard was a ringing in her ears. She seemed to forget just to breathe. He was trying to explain himself to her, but all she saw in his face were shapes, fading in and out of existence in blurred movements. Was this how Amelia felt? "I'm dizzy." She whispered, hardly able to speak for a reason unknown to her. Maybe she tried to stand, or maybe she just slumped back against the chair. All she knew was that she made some drastic movement, and then there was black.

(Sometimes, it takes a LONG TIME for reality to hit. Does that ever happen to you guys? Either way, be blessed and have rest in your day)