I watched as my dad and Ms. Taylor, and to my surprise, Link, sat down. I had no idea he was visiting. In fact, my mom's sister was supposed to be coming to discuss the plan for her testimony today.

"Why didn't anyone say Link was coming today?" I asked, more sharply than I had intended. If it was any other day, I'd be overjoyed, but I really didn't wanna lie to him too. I saw a hurt look cross his face, making me feel even worse.

"Something came up so your mom's sister is going to be coming tomorrow, not today. And the choices you've made recently have been...concerning me," my dad began.

I was starting to get a really bad feeling about this.

"Since you weren't listening to me, I took the opportunity to get someone else," he said smugly. "We'll give you some privacy."

My hands tightened into fists as I stared daggers at his retreating back. He is probably going to be listening in to every sentence. He just said that to escape before the intensity of my glare rendered him blind.

"Um, your dad said you changed your story. He seems very convinced that you're lying for some reason," Link said, reminding me he was there.

"So you aren't?" I asked, a bit surprised.

"I don't think you'd do that. He said prison can change someone a lot, but you've been through so much worse that it seems unlikely that this is what finally breaks you."

If he wasn't the least manipulative guy I know, I'd think he was using some kind of reverse psychology on me. But knowing Link, it's obvious he means it. That only made the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach grow. This must be my dad's plan. Using Link's unassuming nature to make me feel ashamed of what I'm doing.

It's not going to happen, David. But even as I said that, that sick feeling, didn't lessen.

"What'd you say if my dad's right?" I asked tentatively. "Hypothetically, of course."

"I'd say that you're making a mistake. That you've never compromised your character and not to start now." He stopped, peering at me. "This is all hypothetical, right?"

I didn't say anything.

"Oh."

I watched Link anxiously, wondering what he was thinking. "Umm...are you...?"

"Mad? No, I'm just..." He sighed. "I don't think I can support on this."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that...it's over. I'm really, really sorry, Amelia."

No. I grabbed his hand as he got up. "No, I'll...I'll stop lying, okay? Just don't go..."

"I can't ask you to change for me. One day, you're going to find someone that's going to accept you for exactly who are you. The good, the bad, and everything in between. You deserve that much. But I can't be that person. I wish I can, but I can't," he said.

I stared at my lap, willing myself not to cry as he left. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad and Ms. Taylor coming towards me, but I didn't have the energy to look up.

"I'm sorry, Amelia. But maybe it's for the best," my dad said.

"It's not for the best," I snapped. "And I'm so fucking sick of you saying you're sorry. You think you can say sorry and I'm just going to forgive you for ruining everything?"

"I was just-"

"Cut the crap. You can care less if I'm lying. You're just hoping that I'm stuck in prison for as long as you are alive, if not longer. That way, you won't need to pretend I'm not your responsibility when you go on your business trips. I really won't be."

He looked aback. "Amelia, that's not-"

"Whatever. It worked, so I hope that you're happy now."

"You're finally willing to do the right thing?"

"Link and I are over and Monty's scared of me. There's no one here for me except Vic, and soon enough, she's going to be moving far away to go to Harvard, or whatever. So ya, I no longer care if I'm stuck behind bars for another six decades or so," I said flatly.

*  *  *

I sat between my dad and Ms. Taylor, as the opposing lawyer and his assistant entered the room. According to Ms. Taylor, the objective of this meeting is to get my charges, and thus, my sentence reduced. It's been six days since Link and I broke up, and it doesn't hurt any less than it did that day. I used to think it was ridiculous the way some of my classmates took months to get over a guy they'd been dating for not even a month. Now I wish I'd been more understanding.

"Thank you for coming, I'm aware you are very busy," Ms. Taylor said, standing up and shaking the lawyer's hand. "Amelia has agreed to admit to the allegations if the charges are reduced to involuntary manslaughter."

"She's facing charges for first-degree murder right now. She's going to be lucky if she's not given life in prison," the lawyer said.

"You and I both know that'd be ridiculous. Even if she had intended to kill Mrs. Jones, she hadn't had any food or slept in days, and it is obvious her mom and stepdad were abusive based on the black eye and broken ribs she had when the police picked her up."

"There's no proof those were imposed by her mom and stepdad. It's just as likely she got into a fight on the streets."

"On the report, it says that she had injuries dating as far back as 3 months," Ms. Taylor said, handing the lawyer one of the many papers in the huge binder she was carrying.

He glanced at the paper. "Okay, I'll reduce the sentence to 11 years for voluntary manslaughter. That's the best I can do.

He began to stand but Ms. Taylor spoke up. "We're not done. There's no proof that she intended to kill Mrs. Jones. In fact, the only proof that she had even intended to hurt Mrs. Jones, and she hadn't simply forgot that Mrs. Jones was allergic to to cinnamon, was Amelia's confession."

He sighed. "Okay, she stays in a juvenile detention center until she turns 18 for involuntary manslaughter. That's the best I can do."

"All right, then," Ms. Taylor said, looking at me smugly.

I knew she probably expected me to be ecstatic, but what am I going to do once my sentence is over? I'll be 18 with no money, no job, no high school diploma, and no place to stay. The majority of women in that position stoop to prostitution, and abuse and rape tend to be part of that package.

But there's nothing I can do about it. All I can do is accept and make the best of it. Same as I always do.