[Leon]: Is everything okay?
Lemon stared at the message on her phone, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. Her mind was still clouded with the chaos from earlier — the yelling, the accusations, the overwhelming crowd.
[Lemon]: How do you know everything is not okay?
[Leon]: I don't know… I just had a weird feeling. Something told me something's wrong. What happened?
Lemon hesitated. Then, she typed fast:
[Lemon]: Media broke into the campus today. Literally. Without permission. Reporters barged into our dorm, our room, and started hounding Evelyn with questions like she's a murderer. Parents of the dead girls were there too. They shouted. Said Evelyn should be arrested.
[Leon]: What the hell…
[Lemon]: I lost it, Leon. I really did. I shouted at them. I couldn't take it.
[Leon]: Good. You did good, Lemon. Someone needed to defend her.
Lemon stared at the screen. Her heartbeat slowed slightly. A wave of calm washed over her.
[Lemon]: I just couldn't let them break her down like that.
[Leon]: I know. And I'm proud of you. You've been strong for all of them.
[Lemon]: I'm trying. It's hard. Every day feels like walking through fog. And Evelyn… she looks so broken.
[Leon]: I wish I could do more. But I'm glad she has you guys. You're keeping her together.
[Lemon]: Yeah… I just hope it's enough.
Just then, Riley peeked into the room, leaning against the doorframe.
"Hey, Lemon," she said softly. "Evelyn's feeling a little better now."
Lemon looked up from her phone and stood. She walked to Riley and gently took her hand.
"You know," she said, her voice quiet but full of warmth, "when you and Evelyn fought that day, I really thought it would never be fixed. I was scared it'd break everything."
Riley smiled, her eyes softening. "I shouldn't have snapped at her. I didn't know what she was going through… and now, seeing her like this — I just want to be there for her."
"I'm glad you are," Lemon said. "She needs you. We all do."
They walked together toward the dorm room they all shared. The air in the corridor felt heavy, but quieter now. As they opened the door, the room held a soft silence.
Evelyn lay on her bed, curled slightly under a thin blanket. Her face was pale, lips dry. Hazel, Autumn, and Scarlett sat close on either side of her, like quiet sentinels.
Scarlett turned when she saw them. "She hasn't said much. Just… staring out the window."
Hazel added, "I can't even imagine what she's going through."
Autumn nodded slowly. "One day you're just trying to live your life, and the next… you're that girl. The one everyone whispers about."
Lemon stepped in and sat beside Evelyn. She reached for her hand.
"Eve," she said softly, "you don't have to say anything. But I want you to know… we're not going anywhere."
Evelyn slowly turned her head. Her eyes met Lemon's.
"I didn't do it," she whispered, her voice cracked and trembling.
"We know," Riley said quickly, stepping forward. "We've always known."
Scarlett gently stroked Evelyn's arm. "Let them talk. Let them accuse. We've got you."
Hazel leaned closer. "This room, these walls, us — we're your safe space, Eve."
Tears slowly welled up in Evelyn's eyes. She clutched Lemon's hand tighter.
"I felt like I couldn't breathe," she choked out. "When the reporters came in… I was frozen. Like… everything stopped working inside me."
Lemon leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. "You don't have to explain. You were strong. Just surviving that is strength."
They all sat there for a moment in silence, arms intertwined, comfort shared.
Then Riley cracked a small smile. "Remember the time you threw your slipper at me because I ate your last cupcake?"
Evelyn blinked, then gave the tiniest, exhausted smile. "You deserved it."
They all laughed — soft, tired laughter — but it was the first sound of light in days.
Autumn wiped her tears. "See? She's still got fire."
Hazel stood. "Alright. I'm making tea. No one stop me."
"Make mine strong," Scarlett called after her.
Lemon glanced back at her phone, Leon still visible at the top.
[Lemon]: She smiled. Just a little, but she did.
[Leon]: That's all the proof you need. She'll get through this. With you all by her side.
Lemon smiled. For once, she believed it too. Then suddenly..
[Leon]: I miss you.
Lemon blinked at her screen. Her fingers paused mid-type.
[Lemon]: What—
[Lemon]: Why would you just say that out of nowhere?
[Leon]: I don't know. I just… felt like saying it.
[Leon]: You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.
Lemon stared at the message for a long second, her chest tightening, her lips parting slightly—but no reply came out.
She locked the phone. Still quiet. Still unsure.