Helloooooo folks! My pre- boards are over now, so I will try and update more often! I do have my boards in almost a month's time ;(((( WHYYYYY?!?!

Anyways, hope you like this chapter!

Kathy let out a loud yawn as she stretched, letting out a satisfied groan as her bones went 'pop'. All but stumbling out of bed, she ran a hand through her unruly hair, before putting on her glasses and trudging towards the washroom.

Kathy stood under the shower, letting the hot water burn her skin. It was Saturday, and the first day of school, and to say that she was nervous, would be putting it mildly. She wrapped a towel around herself, before wiping the fog formed on the mirror. Staring at herself in the mirror, she gave herself a pep talk.

"Ok, now don't freak out Kathy, it's a new year, and a new beginning. So get out there and make some bloody friends! You can do this."

After fifteen minutes, Kathy was running down the hallways. She was late for class, nothing new there.

"There go my plans to start afresh", she grumbled darkly as she brisk walked into the classroom, not noticing the teacher.

"You are exactly 5.2 minutes late for class, Cadet..."

Kathy froze. She knew that voice well. A little too well. She turned around. He didn't remember her. A pang of hurt surged through her. Of course he wouldn't remember her, why would he?

"Cadet Whitlock, Sir."

The Vulcan looked at her passively.

"Consider this your, as human's would say, 'last chance', Cadet Whitlock."

Kathy nodded mutely and took her seat at the back of the class, trying her best to pay attention to the lesson. Kathy found herself catching onto certain quirks of the Vulcan. The way his ears would twitch whenever he heard someone whisper, the way he would raise a brow upon receiving an illogical answer, and the tiny smirk which would adorn his lips every time he made a smart comment, which much to Kathy's surprise, no one noticed.

Kathy smiled softly, watching the man's light up with passion as he delivered his lecture. It was well hidden, she had to admit, but Kathy seemed to have an uncanny ability to sense the Vulcan's emotions, as well as elicit some from him. Kathy's smile widened as she mentally cooed at Spock's cuteness.

Kathy kept observing him for the rest of the class, with the stealth of a spy. Though many found Spock's voice monotonous, Kathy loved it. It was quite fascinating really, how if one concentrated, they could catch fragments of emotion floating around in the sea of his supposed monotony.

Kathy resisted the urge to role her eyes. People these days, they lacked certain vital skills. And for the remaining twenty minutes of the class, Kathy sulked at the back, cursing the stupidity of mankind, much like the weeping philosopher.

As class ended and everyone filed out, she made the mistake of looking at Spock, in the eye. She did what any normal person would do. She blurted out a 'Good day, Sir' and all but ran.

*** *** *** ***

Kathy sat quietly in the mess hall, playing with her noodles as she sipped on her coffee. Chloe seemed to have said an incredibly funny joke, making everyone laugh. Kathy just smiled for the heck of it; she hadn't even heard what Chloe had said.

Jim walked towards the group and sat down next to Stacey, who was sitting next to her.

"Hey babe, how was class?" Stacey asked, smiling at him.

Kathy didn't miss the hope in her voice. Jim waved her off, giving her a peck on the lips. It was all for show, Kathy just knew. It was quite obvious after all.

"It was fine. How was your class?" Jim asked, slinging his arm around Stacey's shoulder.

"It was good." Stacey said.

Again, Kathy didn't miss the disappointment in her voice.

"Professor Spock's back", she added, making everyone stop what they were doing for a second to look at Kathy.

Silence prevailed.

"Um... you okay?" Nyota asked, feeling a bit awkward. She didn't speak to her that much, not anymore.

Kathy didn't reply, lost in her own world as she stared at her food.

"Hey... are you alright?" Jim asked, sounding a lot more worried.

Kathy's grip on her fork tightened. Her mind was spiraling out of control, functioning at the speed of light. Her hands began to shake, her knuckles becoming white.

"Kathy..." Bones whispered, calling her by her name for the first time, in a long, long time.

"I'm fine", Kathy managed to choke out.

"Are you fine sweetie?" Chloe began, with faux concern. "If you need-"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" Kathy yelled out suddenly, making a few heads turn.

The group watched as Kathy stormed out of the mess hall, her hands clenched tightly.

"I'll go talk to her", Nyota said with finality, before following Kathy.

"You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" Jim said, his voice tight with anger.

"I was just trying to start a conversation!" Stacey exclaimed. Jim rolled his eyes.

"Well then, for the sake of our sanity, don't try to start a conversation!"

Jim stormed off, leaving Stacey in tears. Bones patted her shoulder comfortingly before making his way towards Jim. He seriously felt like punching his friend in the face, repeatedly.

Within moments, Stacey also was out of the mess hall, leaving Chloe alone. Said girl gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with anger.

Soon, she too was out of the mess hall. The group had fallen apart, she could feel it.

Everyone could feel it.

"And it's all her fault", Chloe hissed venomously as the gears in her head began to work viciously.

"I will make you pay, Katherina Marie Whitlock", Chloe said, grinning maliciously.

"You just wait, and watch."

So... I was writing this chapter and my bloody Wi-fi decided that this was the perfect time for it to bloody die. Sincere apologies!

All the love,

Kit_Kat

xxx