"Edelgard? Are you in here?" Dorothea poked her head into Edelgard's room, searching for her friend.
What she was met with was a tiny squeak, and the terrified stare of a small girl. She had messy purple hair and a thin frame. Sitting on the floor in a nest of blankets and pillows, her fingers were entangled by bright, rainbow yarn. A book was laying open on the blanket next to her, open to a page with a large picture.
"O-only Bernie in here. Just Bernie. No Edelgard," the small girl stammered out.
"Hello Bernadetta," Dorothea said, smiling warmly at the timid girl. "I was looking for Edelgard. Have you seen her?"
"Nope, haven't seen her." Bernadetta looked down and hunched up her shoulders, trying to become as small as possible.
"That's alright Bernie, I'll keep looking."
Bernadetta nodded and twisted more yarn between her fingers.
"What are you doing?" Dorothea asked curiously.
"I-I-I…" it took her a moment to gather her words. "I'm learning how to finger knit. They won't let Bernie have her knitting needles or sewing kit, so she is learning how to knit without them. Mother brought me the book and the yarn."
"Your mother sounds really nice. Did you get to see your father too?"
Bernadetta paused, fiddling again with the bright yarn. "My dad can't see me right now. A while ago my parents divorced, mom got full custody and dad got supervised visitation. Mom and dad are on my visitation list, but the supervising social worker changes every time so I can't put them on the list. So dad can't come visit Bernie…"
"I see. Do you want to see your dad?"
"No!"
Dorothea tilted her head in confusion. "Then why did you put him on your visitors list?"
"Because I have to. Bernie would get in so much trouble if he found out I didn't let him see me."
"Oh…" Dorothea didn't think it worked that way, but Bernadetta seemed convinced. "Well, your knitting is really cool Bernie!" Dorothea decided to change the subject. "I would love to see what you make when you are done."
"Why? So you can make fun of Bernie? So you can embarrass Bernie in front of the others?"
Bernadetta began breathing rapidly through her mouth, grabbing the nearest blanket and attempting to bury herself in it. She trembled violently, tangling the yarn in the mess of pillows. With the yarn pulled taught around her fingers she was only able to cover her head in the blanket, the rest of her body still exposed to the world.
"I'm sorry Bernadetta, I would never make fun of you."
Dorothea did not receive a response from the cowering girl except for muffled cries of "Go away! Go away!"
"I'll leave you alone now. Have fun with your knitting." She backed herself out of the room and gave Bernadetta the space she was craving.