TRUTH BE TOLD, Katherine didn't know why she was still apprehensive about Missy meddling into Lucas' life the next day, but she was, and it utterly puzzled her.

It was a thought that almost kept her up last night. It drove her to wonder why she even truly cared. Lucas has been her enemy since they met. Why was she giving her time and energy to tear him and Missy apart? Why did she even want to do this in the first place?

Why, oh why?

"So, you think he'll try to sit with us or her?" Kat asks Riley and Maya while jabbing her fork into her mashed potato.

Currently, she and the girls were at their lunch table, anticipating the plan they thought of last night. It was a decent one, at least in Kat's mind, but there were still doubts in their air about it actually working.

"I try not to worry about things I have no control over, sweetie-pie," Maya replied.

"Really? Because that's all I do."

"Yeah—I know," the blonde sighs, giving her shoulder a fond pat.

Soon, Farkle comes to their table and inquired, "Hey, can I sit with you guys?"

"Please do," Kat pleadingly begged.

He grins with content and does so. "So, you think he'll sit with us, or her?" asking the pending question the same way Kat did.

Just in time however, Lucas walks up to their table as well. "Hey, what's up? Is there a seat with you guys?"

Peering to him, Kat resisted the urge to scoff at his presence. Instead, she gives him a keen smile. "Sure, cowboy," she replied, patting the empty seat beside her.

His brows raises. Usually they'd bicker and throw out a couple snarls before she lets him sit next to her, but apparently not today.

"Is Red Riding Hood having a good afternoon today?"

"Oh, don't spoil it more than you already have, cowboy."

But like the universe wasn't done ruining her life, Missy barges into their conversation. "Well, you know, I was just thinking that if you and I are going to the movies together, I should find out what kind of snacks you like so I could buy some for you." She takes Lucas away from their table to one close across from them. "Because I wouldn't want you paying for everything..." trailing off, serving her best innocent act for the boy.

Darting back to Kat, Farkle's eyes broaden in disbelief. "I think we're toast."

"Farkle!" Riley exclaimed.

"I'm sorry!"

Maya sends a scowl his way. "Are you saying she flirts better than you, Farkle?"

"Oh, nobody's better than Farkle," he assured, insulted that she assumed so. "I just don't know if I'm ready for that monster yet."

Kat shakes her head as Riley inquired, "So what are you gonna do, genius?"

"I'll still try to steal her from Lucas."

"Really? You'd still try for Kat?"

"Well, I'm certainly not doing it for me, toots. She's evil...If I'm not back in two minutes, she ate me." The trio nods at his warning. "How's my hair?"

"Hasn't changed in six years," Maya assured.

Farkle flips his hair dramatically. "She doesn't stand a chance," he insisted, before walking over to Missy and Lucas' table. "Hello, lady," serving his low flirtatious voice to the girl.

"Farkle..." Missy trails off with an intrigued look in her gaze.

"Why go to the movies with a boy when you can go with a-" He lifts his leg to the table and rolls his pants up, "man?"

Missy's eyes widen, not expecting this at all.

"Enjoy," Farkle smirked.

"Wow, look at you...You're next," Missy grins.

Now pleased, Farkle keeps his smirk as he went back to Kat's table. "It worked. I'm next," he sighed out, now in his own little haze.

Turning back to her girl, Maya sighed. "Kat, she's too good. There's no way we're gonna tear them apart," she says, defeatedly.

Kat stares at her friends in disbelief. Were they really serious? Were they really going to give up that easily? She couldn't believe it.

Perhaps it was pride, but Kat wasn't going to give up just yet. She knew better. Missy was bad news. She wasn't going to let her get the golden ticket and have the gratification of getting a prize she didn't deserve.

Boldly, Kat stood up then, leading Maya's eyes to widen. "Katherine..." she trails off, but the girl doesn't listen.

Making her way to his table, Kat sighs. "Cowboy."

His turns to her. "Red?"

"Alright look, before you even think that I'm saying this because I'm jealous or something, I just want to say that I don't care about who the hell you like." She adds with a breath, "But I don't think you should hang out with Missy."

Again, he raises his brows. "Why not?"

"Because she's bad news, cowboy," Kat argued, trying to keep her voice level. "I mean, you're the one who prides himself on being a good person. Well, did I ever tell you about the time I tried to explain an answer in math, and she didn't even let me finish talking before saying it? Do you really want to be with somebody that does stuff like that?"

Lucas peers to Missy besides him, already slightly appalled at this. "You did that?"

She shrugged, still preserving her innocent act. "Kat was stumbling over her words, anyway. I was only trying to help." Her gaze veers to the apple-haired misfit, a smile smitten her lips. "But aren't you just a concerned friend?"

Kat almost wanted to laugh. "Friend? Hell no. I'm just cautioning cowboy here to stay away from you because of your obnoxious self."

The brunette devil chortles. "Well, with you around, how could I ever possibly get Lucas alone?" She suddenly grabs Lucas' mashed potatoes into her hands and throws it in his and hers' face. "Food fight!"

"Hey!" Lucas exclaimed.

Cory rushes over to them upon hearing Missy's declaration. "No food fight! Detention this afternoon, both of you!" he instructed.

"Oh no. Both of us-" she halts her words, glancing at Lucas, "Alone."

Kat clutched onto her teeth as her nails sunk into her palm.

Missy—had just won the battle, and boy was Katherine not happy about this at all.

⤵︎

     BACK AT CORY'S CLASSROOM, Kat was talking with her godfather about what he did during lunch today. It really was unfair on his part. As much as she didn't like Lucas, he didn't deserve detention for something he didn't even want to be a part of.

Kat knew that, hell, even Cory did too. And when it came to stuff like that, she couldn't let the universe be unjust in that way.

"Uncle Cory, I really can't understand this at all. Why did you give them both detention?" she argues while sitting on-top his table.

"Kat, I was the cafeteria monitor. I saw potatoes not where potatoes are supposed to be. Detention him, detention her," he pointedly responded.

"But I know you saw that he didn't even do anything, Uncle Cory. That isn't right at all."

The teacher shrugged. "Don't care. I'm mad with power."

Kat rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, you evil villain..." she trails off before standing back on her feet. "Well, if you're going to do that, then I want detention too."

"You do?" Cory questions in disbelief. "But you're good ol'e Kitty-Kat! You've never had detention in your whole life. What could you possibly do that would get you detention on such short notice?"

A smirk seeps onto Kat's face. "Oh, there's so much you have yet to know about me, Uncle Cory. Besides—I could introduce you to my special guest stars," she gestures to the door.

Cory's eyes widen, and his body freezes. "Uh-oh..."

Suddenly, Maya jumps on Cory's back, weighing him down as Riley went in-front of them with her phone out, recording this by Kat's side.

"Nothing personal, bub," Maya assured.

Kat squats down and plays around with Cory's lips, flapping them around with her finger, making him sputter out gibberish as Riley was holding in her chuckles, recording this.

Afterward, Cory stares at the trio. "Yeah, that'll do it," he said. Maya hops off his back as he turns to her. "Nice job."

"Pleasure doing business with you," says Maya, shaking her teacher's hand.

Darting to his daughter, he begged, "Please don't post that, sweetheart."

Riley wheezes at his request. "Oh, but the urge to is so strong," sharing a smirk with Kat.

⤵︎

     NOW IN DETENTION, Kat, Riley, and Maya were filled with anticipation as they waited for Missy and Lucas to show up, eager to surprise them and see Missy's reaction.

So when they do, Kat greets Missy with a smile. "How you doin' sweetie?" she asked, her voice reeking of amusement.

Missy narrows her sights at her alone, barely paying any mind to Riley and Maya. "What are you doing here?" she questioned.

Meanwhile, from behind her, Lucas was reacting oppositely, as he was smirking at the three.

"Oh, you've just made me come back from my bad girl retirement, Missy. Welcome to the show," Kat motioned around the room, her smile turning into a smirk.

Of course, Cory thought this was a joke to get under Missy's skin. However, there was some truth to it—but that's for a later time anyway.

"Yeah," Maya points to Kat, "You don't wanna mess with this one," she smirks with her.

Missy snatches the place-card she had on her table, noticing Riley and Kat had one too. "What are these, place-cards?"

Riley chimes in, "Yup, I made them. You sit over there," pointing to the back, where Lucas and Missy's cards were, on-top their desks.

Missy disregards the one with her name and sits next to Lucas anyways. "I think this seat has my name on it, actually," she insisted.

Cory speaks up from his desk, "Alright, guys. I like my detention to have a little learning in it. So, I'd like to continue talking about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack." He takes a pause before continuing on with his lesson, "The world was at war and alliances were forged in battle and were made stronger because of that."

Farkle suddenly walks in after spotting the girls inside. "What is this place?" he asks peculiarly.

"It's detention, Farkle. It's not for you."

"If my friends are in it, then it's for me," he declared, before siting down in his usual seat behind Riley.

Moving past that, Cory went on, "During this world war, the United States was put to one of its greatest tests when it made a threat to our way of life but because we were united, we prevailed."

Glancing at the Decker, Lucas grinned. "Hey, red," he spoke up, watching her meet his eyes. "Missy invited me to see a movie with her."

Missy leans towards him. "I think she's aware of that, Lucas. No need to make her feel worse."

He varies his gaze to his friends, however. "Well, I was wonderin' if maybe you guys would like to come along with us."

Smirks appear on each of their faces.

"You want us, cowboy?" Kat questioned.

While, on the other hand, Missy wasn't at all pleased with this. "I'm sorry, Lucas. That wasn't the invitation."

"...Oh!" Lucas breathes out, dramatically. "Well—then I'm sorry, Missy, but I can't go."

Appalled, Missy sputters out, "What are you talking about? Nobody's ever turned me down in my life."

He shrugs. "Well, see? These are my friends-" he gestures to the people around him, "-and I don't like doing anything without his friends." He peers back to the Decker. "Right, red?"

Still keeping her smirk, she replied, "Whatever Ranger Rick says."

Turning back to Missy, Lucas assured, "Now, I certainly appreciate you're wanting me to take care of you during a scary movie and you showing me your leg and all but back in the 7th grade, I think maybe we'd have more fun just hanging out together."

Kat peered at the brunette devil then, knowing her plan had fouled before her eyes. "Well, well, would ya look at that?"

Having had enough, Missy grabbed her books and walked up to front of class. "Grow up," she advised to them, before leaving.

Katherine shook her head. "Not yet, Devil...not—yet," she playfully said, grinning.

"Oh, she's leaving? Okay," Cory sighs out at this.

Kat twists her figure to the Texan boy once more. "Hey, cowboy?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what I've found is the easiest thing about having friends?"

"What?"

"Sometimes, all you have to do is trust them, and hope that they don't abandon you for others."

A hint of curiosity forms in his eyes. "Is this your way of calling me your friend, red?"

"Not necessarily," Kat assured. "You're still my enemy in this life. I've just grown to tolerate you enough to consider you someone apart of my world." She arched a brow. "Are you calling me your friend, rodeo?"

He grins. "Not necessarily."

And with that, Cory ends his lesson then, "When peace time came, the United States enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity and happiness."

The friends share a fond look at one another, with endearment in their eyes and grins.

"Detention over."

Cory brings himself out the door, only to notice that they weren't leaving with him.

"You guys done?" he asks.

Kat draws a glance to her friends. "Nah," she shook her head again. "We're all good right here, Uncle Cory."

Because truthfully, they all really were.

So in the end, yes, Missy might've won the battle, but like today's lesson; Kat won the war after all, with the help of her friends along the way.

lani's talking!

this is probably the last Lucas-centered episodes/chapters for awhile :) which I'm kind of glad for bc I don't intend for this story to only be about their love story. my girl needs some her development without her future man involved LOL

the next one i could think of would be girl meets flaws but that's nine episodes away sooo...

also this chapter is so short hehe

but next episode is gonna dive into kat's past, more so about her and kim's mother even though it's the father episode lol. but you'll understand why she's gonna be brought up.

anyways, I'm genuinely so glad y'all are liking this story. thank you sm for the votes, comments and all of you adding this story to your lists, it means the actual world to me. and I will see you all later.

byeee <3