Scott and Erika awoke to the morning sun, with Sophie nudging them awake.

"Time to get up, guys."

"What time is it?" asked a groggily awake Erika.

"7am. We're running late."

"7 am is late? What planet are you from?" Erika said, rolling over in her sleeping bag. "Go back to your home planet."

"Erika, get up now. You too, Scott. We have to get going."

Scott dragged himself out of his sleeping bag. "C'mon, I actually want to get back, Erika."

It was a few moments before the party was trudging forward once more, thanks, in large part, to Erika's reluctance to awaken. Sophie rebound the twine, and they were off.

"You only have a few miles to go," Sophie said as they traversed the forestland.

"Only," Erika said, incredulous. "This is worse than cross country."

"Nah," Scott disagreed. "In Cross Country you have to run. Here, we can slack as much as we want and we're not ragged on by the coach."

"Yeah, but in 'buddy hike back', you're burning off what you never even ate. You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait to eat that shit they serve at the cafeteria."

"It's not that bad," Sophie said defensively. "Erika, you need to eat something. You look like you're about to pass out."

"I'm not going to pass out, alright? Let's just get out of here."

Sophie halted the group as she found some edible leaves and things in the forest. "Erika," she said, returning to the group. "I want you to eat this." She opened her palm to Erika.

Erika returned a blank stare. "I'm fine," she said stubbornly.

"What have you been living off of the past day, Erika? Water?"

"Yeah, and I'm doing fine."

"No, you're not," Sophie replied insistently. "You need to eat."

Reluctantly, Erika reached for a few morsels from Sophie's open palm. "This is really brutal, you know," she said.

"I'm more than aware," Sophie replied, unmoving.

"You get used to it," Scott stated distantly.

As the group had begun again on their hike, before leaving the two to their own, Sophie noted, "You two look as though you've resolved your issues."

"Yeah," Scott replied.

"Have you?"

"Yeah, I guess," Erika replied. "It was stupid."

"Scott?" Sophie questioned.

"Yeah, it was stupid," he answered.

"What was 'it' exactly?"

Erika replied in a monotone. "We just got in a fight because I didn't really get where Scott stood."

Sophie arched an eyebrow. "That's your excuse huh?"

Erika shrugged. "It's all I've got," she said.

"Scott?"

"Yeah?" he returned.

"Do you agree?" Sophie questioned.

"Sure, whatever."

Erika, Scott and Sophie eventually made it back to Horizon. Peter was there to greet them.

"Good work, guys," he assessed at their arrival. "So how was your first Horizon outdoors experience, Erika?"

"It was nothing," she replied.

"Good. Erika, I'd actually like to have a word with you in my office, when you're able," Peter requested.

Erika rolled her green eyes. "Ok, how much could I have done while I wasn't even here?"

"You haven't done anything, I'd just like to have a word with you. It's important, so I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry," Peter explained.

Sophie interrupted, "I think she should actually take a visit to the cafeteria first."

Peter furrowed his brows. "Yeah? You want to tell me about it?" he asked Sophie.

Sophie shook her head in concern. "She's eaten almost nothing the past day."

"The cafe sounds like a good first stop, then," Peter directed to Erika. "Soph, a word?"

"Yeah, alright," Sophie said. The two headed back to his office.

Erika turned to Scott. "See, Scott? He even punishes me for doing nothing," she said sarcastically.

Scott chuckled. "You mess with him, he messes you back. Learned that early on here."

"Heh, we'll see about that."

"Just don't mess with him when he doesn't plan on messing with you. Then you're just messed."

"Damn," Erika began, "I've never been this hungry in my entire life. See ya around." she took off in the direction of the cafeteria.

"Yeah, see ya," Scott answered and headed off in his own direction. But it wasn't the boys dorm..

Shelby, Kat and the rest of the Cliffhanger girls lounged in their dorm. It was midday, when the door suddenly burst open.

"Hey Shelb!" the speaker was revealed to be none other than Scott Barringer.

Daisy smiled to herself as a huge grin came across Shelby's face. "Hey! Scott!" she said, smiling, and walked up to her beau. "How was the buddy hike back?"

A grin spread across Scott's face as one alighted Shelby's. "It was fine, actually," he responded. "The girl's not totally insensitive after all."

"Well, uh, great!" Shelby replied. "Where is she anyways?"

"In the cafeteria, if you can believe it," Scott grinned.

Shelby laughed. "She's not going there to eat is she?"

"Yeah, she ate practically nothing out there. Well I'm just comin' by. See ya in a little bit," he said and departed from the room.

"Yeah, see ya," Shelby returned quietly.

Shelby turned back towards her bunk, to be confronted with Daisy's voice. "I hope you know what you have," Daisy stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't take him for granted," Daisy responded.

"I don't. He's my whole life."

Daisy's eyes drifted back to her tarot cards. "Just checking," she responded.



Erika sat, slouched, in a chair in Peter's office. Peter sat in his desk, scrutinizing the student before him.

"Erika," Peter began. "How are you doing?"

Erika returned a fierce, irritated stare. "Get to the point. What's so important?"

Peter sighed, trying to find the right words to begin. "Erika, what can you tell me about your father?" he asked.

Erika blinked. "Excuse me?" she demanded.

"Your mother phoned while you were away," Peter stated.

"What the hell did she want?"

"Erika, allow me to finish," Peter said, exasperated. "And you know that profanity isn't tolerated here. She found a letter addressed to you from your father. Know anything about that?"

"What the hell does she care?" Erika said, irritated. "She was practically begging for me to contact Dad."

Peter looked at Erika curiously. "How is that?" he asked.

"By driving me as far from him as she could," Erika replied fiercely. "A girl needs her father. I don't care what he was convicted for."

"Do you understand why your mother wanted to keep you from him?"

"Yeah, she thinks he's a lame-ass excuse for a person."

Peter furrowed his brows. "Are you suggesting that he's not?"

Erika maintained her determined stare. "He said that he didn't do it," she replied.

Peter sat back in his chair. "Do you believe him?" he asked simply.

"I don't know. How the hell am I supposed to know?" Erika rose to demonstrate her frustration. "I don't know what to think. My mom is such an overprotective bi-"

"Erika," Peter warned. "You want to quit it with the profanity, or would you prefer a week chopping wood? One more word of profanity out of your mouth and the woodshed will become your second home."

"Yeah, I hear you."

Peter paused. "How did you come in contact him?" he questioned eventually.

Erika smirked. "It's amazing what you can find snooping through your mom's files and shit," she replied, not heeding her words.

Peter sighed in exasperation. "A week of wood-chopping it is."

"You know what?" Erika began, raising her voice, "Screw this. Whatever. I give you the truth for once and you pile on the chores."

"It's not for telling the truth that I rewarded you with chores. It's for how you told it. Next time, try it without the profanity. Don't say I didn't warn you," Peter stated. He paused before he continued. "Your mom wants to speak with you today. She wants an explanation."

Erika shot her headmaster a look. "Tell her to go fuck herself," she said, departing from the room.

Peter slumped in his chair as he tried to make sense of what had just occurred.