Margret and Gem sat across from each other at the Overseas Cafe one evening. It was their date night and they weren't going to let anything ruin it. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as the two girls held hands, lost in each other's gaze.
"I love you, Margret." Gem said, her eyes shining with love for Margret.
"I love you too, my little Gemstone." Margret replied.
As Gem leaned in for a kiss Margret's hand, Margret's phone rang, breaking their tender moment. Margret frowned as she picked up the phone, thinking it was one of her agents. However, the called ID showed Evangeline's name. Curious, she answered and put it on FaceTime.
"Hey, Evan. What's going on?" Margret asked.
Evangeline's face appeared on the screen, looking a bit flustered. She mumbled something that Margret and Gem couldn't catch out clearly. "What was that, Evan?" Margret asked again.
The connection was a bit shaky, and Evangeline’s voice was barely audible. Margret and Gem exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what could be so urgent that Evan had to call them during their date.
***
The next day in school, Margret couldn't shake off the worry that lingered after Evan's mysterious phone call. Determined to find out the truth, she sought out to find Evangeline in the student lounge.
Spotting Evangeline at one of the tables, softly sniffling, Margret's heart clenched with concern. She approached her timid friend and sat down next to her, offering her a tissue without a word.
Evangeline gratefully accepted it, wiping away her tears as she struggled to find her voice.
"I'm really worried bout Lana." Evangeline finally whispered.
Margret's brow furrowed with confusion. "What do you mean? What's going on with Lana?"
Evangeline hesitated for a moment before revealing, "I think she's been stealing things. I've seen her take stuff that didn't belong to her, and it's weighing heavy on me."
Margret's eyes widened in shock. But then, she remembered that Emily had told her that Lana had a stealing habit once before. She knew she had to do something to help Lana before her stealing got worse.
During lunch, Margaret met with the other girls at their usual table in the cafeteria. She shared the troubling news about Lana, watching as concern washed over their faces.
Gem's brow furrowed in worry, her hand reached out to squeeze Margret's in silent support. Jasmine fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, her eyes wide with anxiety. Emily's sharp gaze pierced through the air. Carly leaned in close, her expression as she absorbed the gravity of the situation.
"We need to help Evan in any way we can." Margret said firmly. "Lana is her best friend and she might be in trouble because of her stealing. We can't ignore it."
A chorus of nods and murmurs of agreement echoed around the table. They were the Mighty Five after all.
"We'll figure this out together." Gem declared, her tone unwavering.
After lunch, Margret went to find Lana everywhere. She ended up finding her taking something from another student's locker. "I sure hope that's your locker, Lana." she said, making Lana jump and turn around quickly.
"Oh, Margret. You startled me." Lana said breathlessly. Margret gaze Lana a stern but concerning glare, which sent a chill down Lana's spine. "What's going on, Lana? Why are you trying to steal?"
Lana hesitated, her eyes filled with a mix of turmoil and guilt. "I...I can't explain, Margret. You wouldn't understand." she whispered.
Margret reached out a hand to reassure Lana. "Try me, Lana. We may not be close but I still care about you, and I want to help.
After a moment of tense silence, Lana finally spoke. "I know I did something I shouldn't have. I even hurt Evan because of it."
Margret felt her heart ache as she listened to Lana's admission. She knew there was more to this than meets the eyes. Following Lana's gaze, she spotted Evangeline in the distance, tears streaming down her face as she rushed away. Without a second thought, Margret ran after her, finding Evangeline collapsed on the bench, her sobs echoing through the courtyard.
Evangeline looked up, her eyes pleading for answers as she saw Margret's concerned face. "Margret." she gasped between sobs. "Lana...she doesn't want to be friends anymore. What did I do wrong?"
Hugging Evangeline tight, Margret tried to soothe her. "Evan, it's not you. Whatever Lana's going through, it's not your fault." she murmured. Evangeline's sobs eventually subsided, turning into soft sniffles.
The next two weeks were very tense. Evangeline and Lana hardly spoke to each other. Margret and Gem felt a lingering unease in the air as they navigated their days at school.
One day, as Margret and Gem were walking to History class, they spotted Lana leaving school early. Curiosity tugged at Margret, and she shared a determined look with Gem before they quickly decided to follow her.
They kept a safe distance as Lana made her way to the boutique down the road. Hiding behind the bench across the street, they watch as Lana enters the store. Twenty minutes passed, and Lana emerged from the boutique wearing different clothes. Margret brow furrowed in confusion at the sudden change.
"What do you think she's doing, babe?" Gem asked. Margret looked over at Lana, and then back at Gem. "I don't know, but let's just go talk to her."
Just as they were about to approach Lana, she bolted out of the store, running down the street. The blaring alarms of the boutique shattered the quiet afternoon, causing pedestrians to turn and look.
"Come on, Gem. We gotta catch up with Lana." Margret urged, as she and Gem raced after Lana. They followed her all the way to her house. Margret and Gem peaked in through the window to see if they could spot Lana, only to see Lana on the floor. And standing in front of her was her big sister, Lori-Anne.
Margret's heart ached as she watched the scene of events unfold. Gem took out her phone, her hands shook as she recorded the confrontation between Lana and Lori-Anne.
"You better steal the right way next time, Lana! Or you will regret it!" Lori-Anne screamed. The words that filled the room were chilling, leaving no room for doubt about what really happened.
Tears welled up in Margret's eyes as she witnessed Lana being berated and hurt by her own flesh and blood. This was the root of Lana's troubles, the reason for her actions that had caused so much pain to Evan and the rest of the STYLE Squad.
After Lori-Anne had finally left the room, Margret and Gem hurriedly knocked on the door. Lana hesitantly opened it, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Without saying a word, Margret pulled enveloped Lana in a warm embrace.
Gem showed Lana and recording, explaining that they were there to help her, to not judge her. Lana's walls came crashing down as she realized she was no longer alone in her burden.
***
The next day in school, Lana finally gathered the courage to share her big secret with Margret and Gem. They all sat down in a quiet corner of the library, her hands trembling as she spoke.
"I...I have something to tell you." Lana began, tears welling up in her eyes. "I've been diagnosed with Kleptomania."
Margret and Gem exchanged glances, their expressions softened with understanding. Lana continued, "I have this uncontrollable urge to steal, and I can't stop myself. It's like a compulsion that's taking over me."
Listening intently, Margret reached out and placed a comforting hand on Lana's shoulder. "Lana, it's okay. We're here for you." she reassured her.
Lana sniffed, wiping away her tears. "It's my sister. She pressures me to steal, she threatens me if I don't. I'm scared, girls. I don't know what to do."
Gem squeezed Lana's hand reassuringly. "We're here for you, Lana. We'll help you get through this."
Later that day, Lana found herself sitting alone in the students lounge, her thoughts heavy with guilt and sadness. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked, until she felt a gentle touch on her face, wiping away her tears. Startled, Lana looked up to see Evangeline, her eyes filled with compassion. "Are you okay, Lana?" she asked.
Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Lana began sobbing, blurting out apologies for everything she had said and done. Evangeline lifted her chin, shaking her head. "It's okay, Lana. It's not your fault. You're not to blame for any of this." she whispered softly.
Drawing Lana into a hug, Evangeline reassured her, "It's all Lori-Anne's doing. I'm here for you no matter what happens." Lana felt a wave of relief wash over her, a sense of security settled in her heart.
***
That night. After dinner, Evangeline found her father, Chief Johnson in his study, deep in thought. Evangeline hesitated for a moment before she spoke up.
"Dad, can we talk?" she asked, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. It was a habit for Evan whenever she was nervous.
Chief Johnson looked up, concerned in his eyes. "Of course, Sweetheart. What's on your mind?”
Taking a deep breath, Evan told him about Lana's struggles with stealing and her troubled home situation. She explained that Lori-Anne's presence triggered Lana's kleptomania and how unsafe she felt in her own house.
Chief Johnson's brow furrowed in worry as he listened attentively. Without hesitation, he decided that Lana would stay with them for a few days, just until things are sorted out. As the Chief of the Justice park Police Department, he believed it was the right thing to do to keep her safe.
An hour later, there was a knock on the door. Evan opened to reveal Lana, her eyes swollen from crying and she had a big bruise on her cheek. Evan's mother, Giana, immediately sprang into action. As a healer and a doctor, she had a remedy to treat the bruise and heal Lana's pain.
After the treatment, Giana prepared a warm dinner for Lana, welcoming her into their home with open arms. The atmosphere was filled with warmth and understanding, a stark contact to the turmoil Lana had been facing.
As they all sat down at the table, a sense of comfort settled over them. Lana's shoulders relaxed as she felt the genuine care and concern radiating over Evan's family. The healing had begun, not just from Lana's physical wounds, but for her emotional scars.
***
The next day, at school, whispers swirl around Lana's stealing habits. Lana couldn't bear to look anyone in the eye, feeling the weight of judgement heavy on her shoulders. Evan led Lana to the students lounge where she crumbled into Evan's arms, her sobs echoing throughout the room.
"I can't take it anymore, Evan. I just can't. I hate my stealing habits. I...I just want it to go away." Lana whispered between choked sobs.
Evan held Lana close, her arms a safe harbor amidst the storm of emotions raging within Lana. "I know. We'll fix this. My father will do everything in his power to make sure your sister gets what she deserves." Evan reassured her.
Lana continued to cry, her tears soaking Evan's shoulder as she trembled with fear and guilt. "Don't you think I should be in jail too? I was the one stealing for Lori-Anne. She's my big sister and gets away with everything so she thought she could take the blame on me if I got caught. And I almost did a few times. I'm the one who deserves to be behind bars." Lana confessed.
Evan gently lifted Lana's chin, meeting her tear-filled eyes with a look of unwavering support. "No, Lana. This isn't your fault. Lori-Anne is the real criminal. You were just living up to her expectations and following her rules just to please her, even though you didn't want to do it. We'll get through this together, I promise." Evan said firmly.
As the bell rang for their next class, Evan stayed by Lana's side the whole time, offering her strength and reassurance as they faced the challenges ahead.
***
When Lana and Evan got home, they saw the news. Lori-Anne was being arrested on the screen, and Lana's heart sank. She expected to feel relief or even a hint of satisfaction, but all she felt was a deep sadness welling up inside her. Tears filled her eyes once again.
Chief Johnson, sensing Lana's distress, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. After the news segment ended, he stood up and told the girls, "Okay, girls. I have to go down the station to help resolve this case. I'll be back." With a kiss on Evan's cheek, he left, leaving the girls in the living room.
Lana laid down on Evan's lap, her tears flowing freely. "I know Lori-Anne was horrible to me, but she’s still my sister. It hurts seeing her get arrested." Lana cried.
Evan gently stroked her hair in a soothing gesture. "It's okay, Lana. I know this hurts. But now you can finally have the chance to help and get past everything. My family and I will be with you every step of the way. You're never alone, I promise."
As Lana clung onto Evan for comfort, a glimmer of hope began to flicker in her heart. She felt like she was finally free from her sister's tirade and mistreatment, and her healing process could begin.
The next morning, Evan woke Lana up and told her that Lori-Anne had been sentenced to three years in prison for theft. Lana was surprised, upset and relieved at the same time.
Chief Johnson contacted Lana's parents and told them what happened. They couldn't believe that Lori-Anne would pressure her own sister into stealing for her, and causing her to get Kleptomania in the process. They decided to set Lana up for therapy to help her address her disorder. They even connected to the school and they too were concerned about Lana's safety environment at home.
Weeks passed and Lana was starting to feel a lot better as she diligently attended her therapy sessions, with Evan by her side every step of the way. Lana found solace in opening up to the therapist, understanding the root causes of her impulses, and learning healthy coping mechanisms.
back at school, Lana no longer felt the heavy burden of judgement and guilt weighing her down. Everyone noticed the change in her demeanor. Some of the students apologized to her for judging her without knowing her whole story, while others were still gaining the courage to do the same. Even Margret and Gem couldn't resist admiring Lana's resilience and growth.