Third POV.

"Porcelain. It can describe something fragile and beautiful, something small that could need delicate care. Can someone name something that refers to Porcelain?" Kitrina ask her art class, showing a small piece of white glass-like object on the board, looking as though it was zoomed in on the actual object.

Slab raises his hand from the back of the class, in his usual spot. She nods to him and he lowers it, sitting straighter to answer.

"Porcelain dolls?" He asks softly.

"Yes. Echo, can you name another object?" Kitrina asks the girl who sits slightly closer to the front.

"Uhm, isn't Porcelain also in pottery like china, and vases?" Echo asks sheepishly. Kitrina nods and smiles softly at her.

"Is everything alright, Echo?" The young teacher asks her, worried for both her student and friend.

"Yeah, I was just... Thinking." Echo says softly, eyes glazed over, thinking over her Science teacher and the past few weeks.

"Echo?" Kitrina calls her after the bell rings at the end of class. Echo stays seated even after everyone leaves, even when Lincoln leaves to get himself Lunch in the teachers lounge. "Echo?"

"Hmmm?" She mutters, looking at her teacher, almost like she is looking through her. Kitrina places a hand on Echo's, causing the girl to jump.

"Are you sure you're alright? You know I'm here for you? If you want to talk to someone about anything at all, you can come to me." She tells her, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on her back.

"Yeah..." Echo nods absentmindedly. "Oh! I have to go! Thank you, Kitrina!" Echo runs out of the room to lunch.

"Uh... Kitrina?" Someone asks from the side door of the classroom. The strawberry blonde turns to see Slab poking his head around the doorframe.

"Slab? What do you need?" She asks him, noting how he only shows his head, hiding his body. "Is everything alright?"

"Uh... I was wondering if you could drive me somewhere after school? I need a ride." Slab says sheepishly, walking the rest of the way into the empty classroom. Kitrina looks to her wristwatch and nods.

"Yeah, I don't mind driving you Slab. I'm pretty sure Derby is heading home with Adam today, and Lincoln said he got a ride for today." The small girl shrugs, grabbing her lunch from the mini fridge. "Would you like something to drink or eat, Slab?"

"Nah, I just had a bunch of nerd lunches." Slab waves off before sitting in Lincoln's desk chair that is beside her desk. "Could I have a water bottle though? I'm quite parched."

"Of course." She nods, reaching in and grabbing a water bottle for him, before handing it to him as she sits in her own desk chair and begins to eat her own lunch. Slab sits in the chair taking slow sips of water.

"Hey Sis, I hope you packed extra for me." Derby says, walking into the classroom without noticing Slab. "I am sooo hungry."

"Didn't you pack your own lunch, Derb?" The girl asks him, tilting her head in confusion. "Did someone take it from you? Do you want me to help?"

"Wait." Slab says, standing up. "She's your sister?"

"Yeah. Oh, I didn't see you there Slab." Derby says nervously.

"Wait..." The girl mumbles, only loud enough for them to hear then turns to Slab. "You're Derby's bully?" She asks him with both shock and hurt.

"Uhhh... I'm gonna go..." Derby mutters before running out.

"You are the guy my brother tells me is the 'Big Bad Bully of Finnegan'?" The girl asks him, standing up and looking at him angrily.

"I–" Slab starts, but she cuts him off angrily.

"I don't want to hear it Jordan Slabinsky. I have heard what you've put my brother through. I actually thought you were a decent guy, I actually thought you were a good guy."

"I am a good guy–" He tries to say, stepping closer to her but she raises her hands angrily.

"I can't. I think you should go Jordan. You're next class is going to start soon." She tells him but he ignores her and stays. "I said go."

"No." He says seriously. "I'm not leaving till you hear me out."

"Hear you out?" She scoffs. "You bully my brother! I've heard enough of you! My little brothers are terrified of you! Nathan thinks you'll hurt Derby and take him away! He's scared of you more than our Father and Will!" She exclaims loudly before freezing.

"I think it'd be best you go, Mr. Slabinsky." Lincoln says from behind Slab, in the doorway of the classroom, holding the door open.

Slab does as he says, leaving with a hesitant glance to his Art Teacher. Lincoln stares after him until the classroom door shuts and then he finally looks to Kitrina and comes to comfort her.

"I shouldn't have left the classroom." He whispers as he holds Kitrina's frozen frame to his chest, a hand on her hair as he tries to comfort her as best he could. "Are you okay to teach, or should I tell Tater you need to go home? I can handle the classes for the rest of the day."

"I... I think it's best if I stay. I can get through the day." She tells him, her eyes are glassy, showing she's not all in the present, but in her own mind, reliving her hidden past again.

"Okay..." He nods softly, hugging her closer before looking at the time and getting everything ready for their next class.

Hours later.

"Uh... Can I still get that ride, Ms. Derbotsford?" Slab asks hesitant, and trying not to upset her again. Kitrina places papers down onto her desk with a sigh before turning to him and grabbing her bag and keys.

"I said I'd drive you, and I won't go back on it. Let's hurry up and go." She says, brushing past the tall, broad student, heading to the school parking lot. "Where am I taking you, Jordan?"

"A ballet studio." Slab says silently, buckling up in the passenger of Kitrina's large jeep. "I'll show you the way."