The position of the sun passed by slower than usual. Or at least, that's what it feels like when one anticipates it.

Feeling every millisecond crawl by, Tenny tapped her foot, looking up at the elevator down the hall. Checking her phone, thirty-eight minutes have gone by. She stood, walking out of the hospital room and towards the lounge chairs near the elevator.

Waiting in a hospital, for friends. Very normal things that happen in life, only Tenny never thought it'd happen to her.

Leaning her head back against the wall, her eyes shut for a moment, the sound of nurses rushing in and out of rooms becoming her surroundings. Time flew by this time.

"Tenny! TENNY!”

Tenny's eyes hardly open, as if they were glued together. How could she still be so tired?

Opening her eyes as much as she could, Tenny sat up and rubbed an eyelid with her finger while Mark placed his right hand on her shoulder. Mark's left hand is holding Tenny's gifts of white roses from Alistair Glint.

“Thank God you're good now,” Mark said.

“Thanks. Where's the others?” Tenny asked.

Mark pointed to the group.

“Blake told us to let you get some more rest. They're over there talking with the nurses about Professor Thuron's scandal.”

Blake, Sage, Chess, and some nurses were going into depth about the assault and how a professor could even think to do such a thing.

Tenny glared at Chess, who swims in lies as easily as he breathes. Mark waved the group over, Tenny turning away quickly so Chess could not spot her disdain.

Blake was happy to see that she's awake, rushing over while Sage and Chess followed.

“How're you feeling?” Blake asked.

“Less cranky?” Sage’s voice rang with sarcasm.

Tenny looked over at Sage.

“Sorry about that. Just been through a lot lately.”

Sage smirked.

“Well, at least I know that's not a lie.”

Tenny looked at Blake.

“Thanks for worrying about me. Everyone, too.”

“Ready to go?” Chess asked.

Tenny looked up at Chess, hiding her anger to the best of her ability.

“Yeah. I'm ready.”

Tenny stood, putting on her jacket. Mark handed the bouquets to Tenny. She lifted her messenger bag, swinging it over her shoulder while Sage went to press for the elevator.

“Thanks you guys, for coming.”

Blake grinned.

“Not a problem at all.”

Sage and Mark smiled as well, Chess broadcasting an impressive fake smile.

It almost fooled Tenny as well. Mark laughed.

“You should've seen Chess. He was so anxious to get here!-”

Chess elbowed Mark in the gut, laughing as well.

“Come on. I get concerned easily!”

Mark felt that he was joking, but rubbed his stomach in pain. It felt very forceful, but Mark brushed it aside.

Tenny looked at Chess, knowing full well how careful she should be around him.

The quintet entered the elevator, the doors closing. Tenny looked forward, glancing at Sage through the corner of her eye.

Her trump card.

She needed this plan to work.

Tenny walked behind her group of friends, looking up from the ground. The towering dormitory was just a few feet away, surrounded by an abnormal amount of students. The group stopped, Tenny accidentally bumping into Blake's back. Wondering why they stopped, a roar of applause and cheers boomed in all directions.

The students were shouting, "Welcome back, Tenny!" And "All Hail Hale!"

Tenny is too overwhelmed to care about her distaste for that nickname. To have this warm welcome felt completely surreal.

Her friends turned to her, clapping as well. She looked at them, still in shock. Feeling something slip down her cheek, she reached out to touch it.

A tear.

She wiped it from her eye, looking up and smiling at everyone.

This can't be real. It can't be.

But when it sets in that it is, Tenny is overjoyed.

Argent can be an amazing city.

 Entering her room after what seemed like forever, Tenny placed her messenger bag on her bed. She put the white rose bouquets Mark handed to her on her desk. Sage placed his own bag on his chair near his desk.

“Still wanna be roommates?” Tenny asked.

Sage looked over at Tenny, turning back to his desk.

“I'll think about it.”

Tenny smiled, taking a deep breath.

It was time.

“Sage.”

“Hmm?”

Tenny looked over at him.

“I have to go visit someone.”

“Alright? Why are you telling me?"

Tenny looked down, then walked over to her own desk.

"Please don't tell anyone.”

“I wouldn't have to if you didn't tell me in the first place.”

Sage looked at Tenny, suspicious.

“Why are you acting this way? Are those head injuries more serious than the doctors thought?"

“…I'm going to the library for a while.”

Tenny opened her messenger bag, taking out some assignment sheets and textbooks. She placed them on her bed and went through her closet for a change of clothes. Going into the bathroom, Tenny locked the door and put on a white turtleneck with cutout shoulders and light tan-colored jeans. Opening the door, Tenny lifted her messenger bag, put on some black sneakers and got ready to leave.

Sage glanced at her.

“What are you up to?”

Tenny closed the dormitory door, leaving Sage in confusion.

A park away from the campus, smack in the middle of the city, Tenny sat on a bench, checking her phone over and over. She waited for an Uber to the Saerie Street Prison, having successfully untouched much of her saved-up money for Vellichor.

An alibi with Sage seems to have worked. If anyone asked Sage if he saw Tenny, he can say yes. If they ask where Tenny is, he can tell them Tenny went to the library. Tenny also successfully left evidence that she was in her dorm by dropping off her assignments and textbooks on her bed. The plan was successful.

If Mark were the one to go along with this plan, he would accidentally reveal it in seconds. Sage's aloofness comes in handy.

A silver Subaru approached in the distance, driving closer to the bench area. Exactly what the driver was said to be driving. Tenny stood, looking around to make sure no one knew what she was up to.

Walking towards the car, Tenny leaned down to see if the driver's photo matched. She confirmed it. The driver looked up at her, a black cap covering much of his dyed green hair, a jean jacket hovering over his wrinkled gray t-shirt.

"You're Tenny Hale?” he asked.

“Yes,” Tenny replied.

Tenny opened the back door, looking around once more to make sure no one was observing them. She entered the car, closing the door and looking forward. On the road to setting things straight.

The Uber pulled up a few hundred feet away. Tenny paid the driver on the application in advance.

“Thank you so much,” Tenny said.

“No problem. Thanks for riding."

Tenny got out of the Subaru and closed the door, and the driver backed up and drove away.

Looking over at the prison in the distance, Tenny sighed. As if against her will towards a day she would not forget, she pushed her body towards the building.

Many visitors crowded the finite area here and there, Tenny leaning over a sign-in sheet. The phone call she made the day before for a visitation request to see Professor Thuron was approved. Had Professor Thuron known who helped put him in this prison, it never would have happened. And that's exactly what made Tenny all nerves at this moment.

Eventually, Tenny found herself walking through a path lined with phones. Sitting down at one of the booths, she stared ahead at the glass. Every passing second increased her heart rate.

After what seemed like moments, Professor Thuron walked down to the booth on the other side of the glass, looking at Tenny. He wore a yellow jumpsuit and sat down, taking the phone on his side off its hook.

“Never expected to have one of my students visit me.”

Tenny smiled a bit at him.

“Hello, Professor Thuron…”

The smile quickly turned into heavy regret. Professor Thuron noticed.

“What's wrong with you?” he asked.

Tenny looked down, her eyes slowly going back up.

“The mark on your wrist, the one you were convicted of… it's not as uncommon as previously thought.”

“…Where are you going with this?"

Tenny sighed, slightly looking away.

“Someone, with a huge resemblance to it… is still… out there.”

“WHAT are you saying… how did you get a hold of this information…?”

Tenny stared down, hands shaking.

Professor Thuron is catching on.

“Let me REITERATE. How… did you get a hold of this information?”

“…I-"

“I think we're done here.”

Professor Thuron got up from his seat, Tenny panicking. She had to clear things up.

“It was-”

Tenny's hand shot over her mouth, leaning her head down in pain, her other hand on her stomach. Professor Thuron looked back at Tenny, wondering what's going on with her.

“He's the-”

Blood tumbled out Tenny's mouth, trickling down her chin. She leaned over in pain, Professor Thuron in shock at the sight, sitting down before he knew it.

“You know… I saw your story on the news. I've never seen anything like your condition right now. That criminal must have made you like this, huh?”

Tenny looked up at the professor, clutching her pained sides.

“Don't tell me he did this to you too? The same guy?”

Since Tenny could not reveal what the culprit wanted to remain secret, she could only stare at Professor Thuron, hoping that alone would be enough. It was.

Professor Thuron rubbed his face in frustration.

“Of all places, of all people, what does this creep want?”

The pain faded little by little, Tenny straightening up somewhat.

"So, why have you come? Was it just to tell me that? Or is there more?” Professor Thuron asked.

"I'll make this up. I promise. I'll be there at the trial. Things have to be set straight.”

"You're a student. You seem to have forgotten that.”

“I'll find a way…”

Professor Thuron stared intently at her, rolling his eyes and sighing.

“I mean… at this point, what do I have to lose? Let's dream. See you at the trial, kid.”

Professor Thuron put the phone on its hook, standing up and nodding at Tenny. Tenny stared at him, the professor walking down the room to his exit.