Marie sat at her desk in the S.E.A., head in her hands, studying the lines of the wood. She daydreamed about how wonderful the solitude of her bedroom was, and wondered if her dad would judge her if she took the bucket of ice cream with her to bed after dinner.

"Ah yes. Class, we have a new student. Some of you may remember her. Sophie Germain," Mrs. Hamilton said.

Everything inside her froze before Marie turned to see Sophie smiling at her and waving. Marie couldn't bring herself to smile and wave back. What was she thinking? Maybe Sophie has no idea what she's doing. Marie only had a ghost of an idea until yesterday.

"I figure I can keep rebelling until my parents finally let us have sleepovers," Sophie said after singing class.

Marie frowned. "Sophie, I appreciate this, but..."

Sophie matched Marie's frown. "But what?"

The words wouldn't come. Mr. Edison's warning of a bug in her second piece came back to her. "You can only stop singing so much until they arrest you and stick you in a juvenile prison." That at least was true.

Sophie nodded as they walked toward the dance class. "I know. I know. This will be my last time here, but I can think of other ways to rebel. Besides, you can't be here much longer. We can figure another way to hang out when you're done with the program."

"We can still text each other."

Judging by Sophie's face, Marie didn't say the right thing. "It's not the same, and you know it."

They waited by the door of their next class. "I know. But this is dangerous, what you're doing."

"Yes, Marie, it is. That's how much I want to spend time with you. I am a social outcast at school, okay?"

Marie froze. "Wait, what?"

Sophie blinked away tears in her eyes. "You may be stuck here in the S.E.A., but at least you have friends at school. I swear everyone in my school want to share the social spot light. Or they want to ask for money. Or they want the association of what it means to be a "friend" to the daughter of the Germain's. It sucks, Marie! I have no true friends!"

A heavy lead settled on top of Marie's chest. She remembered her first week at Presley. It was horrible being friendless. She couldn't imagine still being friendless. How did she not know this about Sophie?

"I'm sorry. It does suck," Marie said.

Sophie tried to shrug it off, but the sadness remained. Marie realized it wasn't just having no friends at school. Her parents didn't support what she did. Marie was the only person Sophie could talk to. No wonder she was insane enough to go to the S.E.A. again.

"Marie, Sophie, we're about to start dance class. Please come in and go to opposite sides of the room," Mrs. Hamilton called.

Before they parted, Marie gave her best friend a hug.

***

Marie stumbled into the doorway of her home. The day felt long. She had mounds of homework waiting for her and no desire to do it. What was homework when the S.E.A. was dangerous, making people disappear.

Her backpack fell on the floor. Her dad walked out of the kitchen as she took off her coat. He smiled when he saw her. "Marie! Welcome home!"

She finished hanging up her coat when she looked at her dad. In three strides she was next to him and she wrapped her arms around him, taking in the smell of home. She held onto him tightly, feeling tears warm her eyes as she felt his comfortable, fatherly arms around her. Maybe if she hugged him long enough, all her problems would disappear.

"Marie, are you okay?" her dad asked.

Marie nodded, still holding him tight.

"Long day?"

Marie nodded again. It was easier than the truth. Everything was easier than the truth. Her dad gave her a tight hug before he grabbed her shoulders and nudged her away.

"Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked.

Marie wiped her eyes and gave a small nod because it's what he wanted to see.

"What happened today?"

For a half a second, she considered telling him everything. There was so much. Mr. Edison and President Arnold seemed to be in a fight and she was caught in the middle of it somehow. She was terrified to go to the S.E.A. She wanted to hear her dad tell her there was nothing to be afraid of at the S.E.A., because maybe she could believe him. But if she told him everything, her dad would be in the same boat as she was, and she didn't want him to be involved. They might be in more danger if the S.E.A. was listening in. Mr. Edison's hesitancy of telling her anything now made sense. Knowledge was a frightening thing.

Marie had to keep him in the dark, and she hated herself for having to do so.

"They made me change out of math and science because I'm not doing well enough in my other classes," Marie said.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Marie!" her dad said as he hugged her again. Marie held on to her dad. "Come on. We'll talk about it more over dinner."

Marie sat at her spot on the table, pushing her food around. Her dad was watching her, but she didn't care. It had been such a long day. There would be bad consequences of taking the night off of homework, but she still considered it.

"So what new classes are you taking?" her dad asked.

Marie couldn't bring herself to look at her dad. "Cooking and pottery."

"I'm sorry they had you switch your classes, Marie. But they might not even teach math and science next semester." Her dad paused, before straightening in his seat. "I have some good news. It might brighten your day."

It was enough to make Marie looked up. "Yeah?"

"Yeah! The school I teach at told me they were ending the science and math programs at the end of this semester, which makes me think they'll be doing the same at Presley. I guess not enough kids are interested in it."

Marie blinked. She didn't know how this was good. "Oh?"

He smiled. "But I got a job at the S.E.A. instead!"

There was a clattering noise before she realized her fork slipped out of her hand. Her eyes widened. "D-doing what?"

"Janitor work. It pays more than my teaching job and it's job security. I can see myself being there for a long time."

Marie's mouth went dry, her appetite evaporated. Her dad waited, a huge smile on his face, but the longer she remained silent, the smaller his smile became. Marie felt light headed. It had to be a coincidence. There was no way the Germain's were paranoid enough to give her dad a job to keep an eye on her. It was too quick. They couldn't have known. A lot of people in the city had jobs at the S.E.A.

Her dad was now frowning at her. "Marie, this is the first time I have a job where I could see myself being there for years and years. It's a good thing. Great salary. Great everything."

"Uh-huh," was all Marie managed to say.

Her dad placed his fork on his plate. "What is going on? Are you embarrassed I'm going to be a janitor?"

Marie blinked, trying to force her brain to work. "It's a surprise."

Her dad studied her with a calculated eye. "Marie, why are you lying to me."

Say something! Say something now! Her brain ordered.

"I'm just... I'm just worried it'll be like Sophie and her parents."

The slightest wince passed her face. That didn't even make sense. Her dad narrowed her eyes. "I thought we talked about this, Marie. You can tell me anything."

Marie wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to lie to her dad. Their relationship would turn rocky, but what choice did she have? Her dad's life might be in danger. "I don't want to."

"Don't want to what?" her dad asked.

She picked up her fork again. "Tell you everything."

Silence settled over them. Marie couldn't look at her dad, and instead pushed around her untouched dinner. Her words caused a partially healing wound to be torn open again. She didn't have to look at her dad to know he was deeply concerned.

"Is everything okay at school?" he asked.

Marie didn't look at him. "I already told you. They forced me to change my classes."

"No, there's more. What's going on?"

No things weren't okay at school, and no things weren't okay in her life. And she could say none of this to her dad. Her fingers tightened over her fork as she continued to stare at her plate, willing herself to stay calm.

"Did you... did you hook up with one of your guy friends? Did something happen while you were together?"

Marie felt her face flush hot. She glared at her dad. "Seriously?"

The tiniest hint of relief flickered through her dad's eyes before he turned serious. "If you're not going to tell me, I'm going to have to guess. And yes, part of me is afraid that's what happened. I know it's probably a topic your mother would have more easily-"

"Just stop. Stop! That's not what happened! And when I say I don't want to talk about it, then I mean I don't want to talk about it!" Marie stood up and left the table, heading for her room. She knew this was tearing her dad apart, and there was nothing she could do.

"Where are you going?" her dad asked.

"I have homework!"

Her dad got up to follow her, but Marie had a head start. She slammed the door before she saw her dad enter the hallway. It occurred to her that she left her bag downstairs, but she didn't care. How could she think about something as trivial as homework now? She had to calm herself down, so she wouldn't sing.