never grow up, criminal minds

040. frustration

"Are you sure you're okay with me going to work? Or the possibility of me going on a case?" Emily asks.

"I'm fine." Clara insists, putting her jacket on. "You don't need to coddle me. He's in prison, I get it."

"Clara--"

"I'm fine." Clara slams the door shut as she leaves. Emily sighs, rubbing her forehead out of frustration and stress.

+++

"Didn't you hear? Her dad, that FBI agent, he went to prison for murdering somebody." Clara rolls her eyes at the hushed voices of stupid girls.

"No way." Another girls gasps. 

"Yeah. But his co-workers are insisting he didn't do it. They think he's being framed." The first girl says.

"That's what friends and family members off all serial killers say." The second girl scoffs.

"I know." The girl laughs.

Clara slams her locker shut and turns to them, taking the two steps she needs to be closer to them.

"Even if he was guilty, he's not a serial killer." Clara states. The two girls immediately purse their mouths shut, sharing awkward glances. "You know, cause... cause in order to be classified as a serial killer, you need to kill several people over a period of more than 30 days. If he were the killer, which he's not, it'd just be classified as a homicide. Only one person was murdered. So, no, you can't compare him to serial killers because, 1. the crime doesn't fit the qualification. And 2. he didn't do it."

"Hey." Isabelle walks up. She gives Clara a small smile before looking at the other two, her smile turning into an annoyed one. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." The first girl says while the second one shrugs.

"Clare?" Isabelle nudges her elbow with her own.

"I'm fine." Clara mumbles, walking away.

Isabelle glares at the two girls before following her friend.

"Hey." Isabelle calls. "Erin's out sick and Luke went out of town for his cousin's graduation, so it's just the two of us for today, at least. Probably the rest of the week."

"Okay." Clara says.

"You, uh..."

"I'm fine." Clara stops her.

"Okay." Isabelle mumbles.

+++

Clara left school after fourth period, going to the BAU. She went straight to Penelope's lair, knowing she wouldn't scold her for ditching.

Penelope turns around when the door opens.

"Hey, sweet girl." Penelope gives her a weak smile. "Wait, but--" She glances at the time. "It's only 1:30. Why aren't you in school?"

"Uh... it got canceled." Clara says.

"Okay, I'm not a profiler, but I can tell you're lying." Penelope says. Clara sighs. "Clara."

"I left." Clara answers.

"Why?" Penelope frowns. "Clara, it's school. You can't just walk out."

"I got tired." Clara says.

"Honey..."

"Well, you would be too if-- if everybody's staring at you all day and-- and whispering around you because killer FBI agent is headline news." Clara rants. "And then you have all the idiots who don't even know what a serial killer is. You can't just kill one person and be a serial killer, that's not how that works."