new_it_girl | Radley Sanitarium, Saturday Evening

Hanna returned again to the asylum, hoping tonight would be different. She was almost certain it would be more of the same.

Hanna	Surprisingly, she was wrong about that. As she waited for the doors separating her from the dayroom to open, she caught a glimpse of Mona through the door windows. She was lucid, showing a fashion magazine to some of the other patients in the visitor's room. That was not at all what Hanna expected. She couldn't help but wonder how this sudden change occurred when she sat down with Mona. "You seem really different from the last time I was here."
Mona	"They changed what I was taking," Mona said, referring to her medication. "What I'm taking now is different. But it makes my mouth really dry, so I drink a lot of water. And they won't let you have gum. What is the deal with that?"
Hanna	Hanna smiled slightly. That almost sounded like old Mona. "So, do you have many visitors?"
Mona	"My parents," Mona replied. "Mostly, they sit and they look at me like they don't quite know who I am. Awkwaaaard." Hanna wasn't quite sure what to say to that, so she let Mona continue talking. "But even when I was quiet, I knew you were here. It helped. Really." She seemed very sincere. "I mean, let's be honest, we've had our ups and downs."
Hanna	You think, Mona! Hanna thought to herself. Because really.
Mona	"I've had to forgive myself for a lot of that," Mona continued, reaching for Hanna's hands. "But how are you, Hanna-banana? What's the news on the boulevard?"
Hanna	Hanna pulled away. "Look, I'm not here to talk about the boulevard. Or the water. Or the gum. Alright? We thought you being in here was the end of it, and it's not. And you know that. Question is, how do you know?"
Mona	Mona gave what seemed to be a mocking look of pity. "Awww, I'm sorry someone's giving you a hard time. You have to be so careful these days. It's like you can't trust anybody." Her voice became a whisper when she said those last words, as she looked around all paranoid-like. Hanna was sure all of that was an act, too. Mona's next words were very interesting, though. "Not even family. But don't worry. You'll always have me. I'm not gonna forget any of you." Mona was all smiles. "So, tell me. Did they ever find what's left of Alison?"
Hanna	That's when shivers ran down Hanna's spine, enough for her to haul ass out of there. As she was leaving, she saw Lucas approaching. She quickly rounded a corner so he wouldn't see her. She then watched as he entered the visitor's room. Was he there to see Mona, too? Things got even weirder when she left the building only to find Caleb standing there. "Caleb?" she called out, confused. "What are you doing here?"
Caleb	"I could ask you the same," he replied, equally confused. "I followed Lucas here. It's not as weird as it sounds. The kid's been troubled lately, and I was worried. He started a trashcan fire yesterday, you know. Guess I wanted to make sure he didn't do anything crazy like real arson. He ended up here instead."
Hanna	"Oh come on, Lucas? An arsonist?" Hanna scoffed at the thought. "Maybe he's got a family member here or something." She kinda doubted that herself.
Caleb	"Is that why you're here?" Caleb asked suspiciously. "Surely you're not here to see the person who stalked you for two years..."
Hanna	Hanna shrugged. "So what if I am? It doesn't concern you."
Caleb	"Maybe we're not really together, but I still worry about you. Why do you have to be here visiting Madhouse Mona?"
Hanna	Hanna scowled. "You know what, do not call her that."
Caleb	"I call 'em like I see 'em," Caleb retorted.
Hanna	"There was another Mona in there!" Hanna tried to reason. "The one I grew up with. The one who stuck with me. Not the one who tore up your letter or tortured my friends and ran me over with a car."
Caleb	"Whoa, whoa, whoa, go back," Caleb demanded. "When did she hit you with a car?"
Hanna	Hanna sighed. Did she just say too much?
Caleb	"She's the one who ran you over?!" He was incredulous now. "Why didn't you say something?"
Hanna	"What was I supposed to tell you?" Hanna asked, tired of this already.
Caleb	"The truth?" Caleb simply replied.
Hanna	"You make it sound so easy," Hanna sighed. "You wanna know the truth? Boom! Here it is! It's like a big bowl of spaghetti all tangled. Have you ever untangled spaghetti?"
Caleb	Caleb gave her an absolute look of confusion. "No."
Lucas	Before they could go on, Lucas wandered out of the building, looking mysterious. He started walking by as if they weren't there.
Hanna	"Hey! I need to talk to you!" Hanna shouted, running after him.
Lucas	"What?" he said dismissively.
Hanna	"You were visiting Mona!" Hanna replied, stating what she considered the obvious.
Lucas	"Maybe," Lucas said darkly. "Maybe I have a lot of emotionally disturbed friends." He looked from her to Caleb back to her again, confirming that he had been there to visit Mona. He explained he was there to see if she really was mentally unstable or if she was faking. Hanna tried to protest, but Lucas scoffed at her this time, appalled that she didn't even consider that. He even went as far as to tell Hanna she was stupid for not thinking that at all. "It's better for a lot of people if Mona stays crazy," Lucas said cryptically. "Right?"
Hanna	What the hell did that mean? She and Caleb exchanged confused glances as Lucas continued on. "What happened to him?" Hanna asked sadly. Lucas used to be adorkable and sweet.
Caleb	"Guess he's going through a phase," Caleb replied, watching Lucas walk away.
Hanna & Caleb	He squeezed her shoulder to comfort her, their fight already forgotten. This had been a very weird night.