(a/n: this is the start of long chapters as I'm writing each episode into one chapter instead of two now so be aware of that!)

MOST STUDENTS AT JQAMS would be dreading today, but not in Katherine's case. Because today was something actually exciting in her life, and with a bounce in her step, she made her way to her god-family's apartment, softly beaming.

As she opened the door, she smiled. "Good morning, second family!" Kat exclaimed, sliding into her spot at the kitchen table between Riley and Maya.

"Morning, Kat," Topanga greeted her warmly, already taking notice of her vibrant behavior. "Had two coffees today?"

"Nope, just feeling like today's gonna be a good day...hopefully," Kat's voice trailed off. After the year she'd had, hope was the only thing she could cling on at this point.

"I wish I felt the same," Riley grumbled. "Today is Electives day, remember? The earlier we sign up, the better the chance we have of getting all the good ones."

"I tried waking you up three times, Riley," Topanga pointed out, waiting by the toaster for her bread to finish.

Riley groaned. "You know I don't think you're serious until six times. You know the first three times I'm still checking for chicken pox to see if I can miss school."

Maya chimed in, "Hey, I tickled your toes."

Riley's eyes lit up softly. "Well, that explains one of my dreams."

Brushing her comment aside, Topanga asked the girls, "So, what electives are we hoping for?"

"Mrs. Matthews, we're actually hoping to escape them," Maya confessed.

"Actually, it's not gonna happen, sister. These are service electives. Not only do they expect us to be students, but now they want to give us jobs...How are we supposed to juggle both?" Riley demanded, frustrated at the idea that made no sense in her mind.

"Yeah, who does that?" Maya echoed beside her.

And at that exact moment, Cory walked in, briefcase in hand. "How you doin'?"

To this, Kat breathed out a phony chuckle as she pointed at him. "Well, there's your answer girls...Teacher Godzilla does."

Cory threw her a funny look before Topanga joined his side. "Oh, hey, honey. Where are you off to?" she asked with exaggerated curiosity.

"I'm going to school," Cory replied.

"And what will you do there?"

"I'm gonna work."

Topanga widened her eyes dramatically. "Wait, you're going to work and school at the same time?"

"At the same time."

"Wait but, just for a couple of days, right?"

"No, no, no. This is forever. But Topanga, surely your responsibilities are temporary, right?"

"Oh, no. I have to do everything all the time," Topanga finished their act, her sarcasm at an all time high.

As they end, the girls burst into a small applause, clapping and acting like they were delighted by their banter.

"Bravo!" Riley cheered.

"No more. No more..." Maya shook her head whilst continuing to clap, unfazed.

"Yeah, yeah, we got the point," Kat reacted opposite of Maya, rolling her eyes with clear annoyance.

The parents did a theatrical bow together then for their performance. "Thank you, thank you."

"We'll be here for the rest of your lives," Cory added teasingly before heading out the door.

"Have a good day, honey," Topanga waved at him before sitting down.

Riley let out a dramatic sigh. "I hate parent theater," she groaned.

"Yeah, but we kinda set them up perfectly," Kat shrugged, acknowledging the truth.

Topanga grinned. "You know, when I was in law school, I held-down two part-time jobs."

"Yeah, but now your life is a piece of cake," Riley retorted.

"Would you make us cake?" Maya asked, hope lighting up her eyes.

"Get to school," Topanga sternly advised.

"You'll be here, making cake?" Maya teased as her and Riley stood up.

Topanga chuckled, but urged her daughter before she could go, "Hey, Riley, you can put your dishes in the dishwasher."

"Later, Mom. I promise. Job and school, job and school," Riley said, already halfway out the door with Maya, leaving their dishes behind. Meanwhile, Kat was still at the table, finishing the toast Topanga made for her.

"Uh, you could at least put them on the..." But Riley and Maya were already gone. "Counter."

As Kat continued eating, she assured, "It's no worry. I'll put their stuff on the counter." She put her toast in her mouth and stacked their plates together to carry to the counter.

Topanga smiled warmly watching her. "Have I told you how much I wish you were one of my actual daughters?"

Kat grinned, finishing her toast. "Yeah, almost all the time," she replied sarcastically as she walked back over.

The godmother sighed. "Well, it seems like sometimes you and Kim are the only ones who appreciate all that your dad and I do."

Kat felt her smile soften at her words. "You're right. I guess I've just grown to be thankful for all the things I have in life."

"And that's another beautiful thing about you," Topanga said, patting her shoulder. "Now go, pick a good elective."

Kat dragged out a dreadful sigh. "You and me both, Aunt Topanga."

⤵︎

"WHO HERE KNOWS about the Great Depression?" Cory Matthews asked his class, scanning the room for a response.

"I thought it was called the Grand Canyon?" Riley questioned, her face slightly faltered.

Maya steals a glance at her, looking unimpressed. Meanwhile, Kat's face already was twisting between shock and amusement at Riley's question.

Cory stared at his daughter, trying to process her words. "Excellent...Who here knows about the Great Depression? Maya?"

She shook her head. "Nothing's gonna beat that, sir."

Cory turned to his top students, desperation in his eyes. "Farkle, Kat, save me."

They stood up in unison with Farkle starting the discussion. "The year was 1929, the stock market crashed, everyone lost their money and their jobs," he explained, then gestured grandly to Kat. "My Lady, Katherine Minkus."

In an instant, Kat's eyes narrowed at his. "Firstly, never gonna happen," she retorted, then continued, "But since everyone lost their money and jobs, the economy collapsed. Those who were once comfortable found themselves struggling, becoming known as-" she pointed to the two words on the board.

"The Forgotten," Cory read aloud as Farkle and Kat sat back down. "Working-class people, the heart and soul of our country, taken for granted and now discarded and forgotten.

Lucas's voice broke through the room. "How could that happen, sir?"

"It shouldn't have, Mr. Friar," Cory replied gravely.

"But that could never happen to anyone in the Grand Canyon today, could it?" Riley asked, oblivious to her mistake.

Kat's expression falters as she glanced at her bestfriend. "Oh, I sure hope not, Riles."

Cory walks by his daughter's desk then. "Well, I'm sure you would never take anyone for granted, right?" he inquired.

"I would never," she assured confidently.

"And do you think there's anyone who cares about you who goes underappreciated or overlooked?"

A light bulb goes off in Riley's head, lighting her features up for a flicker. It drives her down the wrong direction however, as she turns to the girls to her left. "Kat, Maya, my life is so much better for having you two in it."

Maya grinned. "I know, pumpkin."

Kat nodded as well, serving a small pout her way. "We know."

Riley turned back to her father, a look of genuine gratitude on her face. "Thank you, Dad. For the first time, I've actually understood something you've tried to teach me."

In disbelief, Cory chanted, "Please, bell, ring..." His face lights up suddenly. "Ring!...Ah-ha!" He grabbed his suitcase and dramatically exited the room.

Maya's eyes widened. "You can do that?"

⤵︎

     FOR A GIRL who's been on a quest to unlock her inner confidence for months, Katherine was disappointing herself right now.

As she strolled alongside her Uncle on the way to lunch, Katherine's mind raced. She had been trying to gather the courage to ask him about the T.A elective she desperately wanted. Yet, fate, and her anxiety seemed to conspire against her at the same time.

Cory, unaware of her thoughts, was busy asking her about new history topics to teach. "So, I was thinking, either the legacy of the Roman Empire or the emergence of modern science. I know Farkle will love the second one, but I'm considering spicing up the Roman Empire segment," he said as they entered the lunchroom and grabbed their plates. "What do you think, Katherine?"

Her heart pounded as she opened her mouth. "Uhm...I don't know, but I uh...actually wanted to ask you-"

"Good afternoon, Geralyn," Cory suddenly greeted the lunch lady, his attention shifting mid-sentence. "Ooo, mashed potatoes," he remarked as she scooped a generous helping onto his plate.

"I put a little extra love in there for you today," the lunch lady quipped.

"I know you did," Cory replied, grabbing a spoon-full of his own serving to have right then and there.

But before he could take a bite, Geralyn halted him. "No eating in line, Matthews."

Cory froze, then sheepishly placed his spoon back on his plate. "Oh, you're tough. I sure wouldn't want to be one of the kids who gets you for an elective," he joked, eliciting a shared laugh as he moved along.

Katherine defeatedly sighs watching him go before stepping in his place. She offered Ms. Geralyn a warm smile. "Hi, Ms. Geralyn."

"Hello to you too, Katherine," Geralyn replied, serving another helping of mashed potatoes.

"Thank you," Katherine grinned graciously.

"You're welcome. And I just wanna say; thank you for being so kind and great all the time...unlike your classmates," the lunch lady said with a slight snarl.

Kat pouted at her tone. Geralyn wasn't wrong exactly, but still, she tried to defend her peers. "They're great people, you know? It's just, they're weird sometimes."

"Weird enough to do that every day, I assume," Geralyn pointed to the chaos at Riley and Maya's table.

Kat swiftly spun herself around to see what was happening, and once she did, part of her wished she didn't.

Behind her, Lucas and Farkle were constructing a potato volcano at their table, and the sight of that was already getting on her nerves. It was a common thing at this point; whenever the food wasn't particularly appetizing (not to say that it ever was), the two boys would waste it on ridiculous antics like this.

"Hey, how do you guys actually make this thing erupt?" Maya suddenly asked, dropping some of her apple juice into the volcano's crater.

"Maya, don't!" Farkle exclaimed, but it was too late. He knew what was coming. "She's gonna blow!"

They all jumped back as gravy began to spurt from the potato volcano, sending a cascade of brown lava down the mashed potato mountain and onto theit table.

Riley sighed at the sight besides her. "Why do they build their villages so close? Why?"

Kat, however, was starting to boil with frustration. Boil and fueled by all the times she had wanted to tell Farkle and Lucas to knock it off, rose within her. But this time, she wasn't holding back.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, but Kat didn't care. As students filed out, she marched over to her friends.

"Better question," she began, her voice slicing through the noise, "is why do you guys keep doing this?"

Farkle glanced at Lucas before attempting to defend himself. "We just thought it'd be fun."

Kat kept her composure steady, but her words were sharp, and one could tell her patience was starting to slip. "Yeah, sure, but do you think it's right to make a mess and not care that someone else has to clean it up? Hmh?"

"It's not that big of a deal, Kat," Maya tried to insist.

"No," Cory interjected. "Kat has a point...Geralyn, Janitor Harley, can you come over here for a minute?"

They soon joined Cory and Kat, their expressions curious and slightly exasperated.

"Like Kat said, you guys don't think you should have to clean any of this up?" Cory's gaze shifted to the lunch lady. "Geralyn, do you think they realize when they waste their food like this it makes you feel bad?"

"I feel bad!" Geralyn exclaimed.

"And Janitor Harley," Cory continued, "do you think they understand how it affects you when they make a mess in the cafeteria?"

Harley sighed. "I actually feel I deserve what I get... But I have all kinds of different issues."

Cory's voice grew sterner. "In just a few minutes, you played with your food and left a mess without any regard or respect for anyone else."

Maya tried to defend them. "It's not just us."

"I know. And you're the good ones. But I'm still going to assign your electives now." Cory glanced at Geralyn, then back at the students. "Maya, Riley, your electives will be, and I don't think anybody saw this one coming."

Riley's face fell as realization dawned. "Oh, no."

"Cafeteria duty," Cory announced with finality.

Geralyn walked over to the girls, wrapping her arms around their shoulders with a hint of satisfaction. "How you doin'?"

"I've been better," Maya muttered, her voice dripping with resignation.

Farkle chuckled, breaking the tension. "Wow."

Lucas shook his head, following his friend's reaction. "That's the worst elective in the school besides janitorial services."

But in that same moment, Janitor Harvey walks up behind them, which only meant one thing.

"Oh..." Lucas trailed off, realization hitting him as well.

"How you doin', boys I own?" Harley greeted, handing Lucas a mop. "Meet Mr. Mop." Then he handed Farkle a bucket. "And his pal, Mr. Bucket. First, you'll clean Mr. Mess in the cafeteria. Then I'll introduce you to the always delightful Mr. Vomit."

"Thank you, but I have enough friends," Farkle quipped, attempting to mask his discomfort with humor.

Cory then twisted over to Kat, his expression softening. "And Kat...what elective do you want?"

Everyone's eyes suddenly widened in shock, their faces souring at the question.

"She gets to choose?!" Maya blurted out, incredulous.

"That's not fair," Lucas spat out.

Kat shot only him a scowl however. "And it's not fair I have to deal with you every day, but I guess we all can't win in life, Ranger Rick," she retorted sharply before turning back to her uncle. "But I've been wanting to ask you all day if I could—have the T.A. elective."

"But that's the best one!" Riley exclaimed, her voice tinged with envy.

Cory faced his students with a stern look. "I'm giving this option because, unlike you four, she's clearly shown that she deserves it." He turned back to Kat. "We'll start next period."

⤵︎

     THE FIRST FIVE minutes felt easy. And it was probably because she was just sitting on the sidelines of his classroom.

"Before I start this lesson, I would like to introduce you all Katherine," he spoke to them, gesturing to her. "She'll be my T.A for this week."

Awkwardly, Kat grins at them as they wave, prompting her to wave back out of courtesy.

"Now, I know T.A.s usually sit around and just help pass out work, but this is going to be different," Cory announced.

Kat raises a brow, her eyes widening. "W-what do you mean by that, Mr. Matthews?"

Cory flashes a grin before looking back at his class. "She's actually going to assist me in a lesson she already knows... The Great Technology Debate."

Already, Kat could feel her pulse rise, suddenly loud in her ears. She hadn't expected this at all. Sure, it was good for her journey to becoming a teacher, but her uncle hadn't mentioned this twist.

"Katherine?" she hears him speak, breaking out of her own mind after a solid five minutes of beginning the lesson. "I want you to give your own insight about this topic," he says, gesturing for her to stand in the front.

She stiffly nods before switching places with him, now in the front, and him on the sidelines.

Standing in front of the students was nerve-wracking, to say the least. Even though she'd presented different things in her life, especially this year, it all still felt odd and anxiety-inducing.

But with the tiniest bit of determination in herself, Kat brings herself to speak. "When he taught us this lesson, I didn't think that it was something that I could relate to. But when I thought about it later that day, I realized that there was this change in my friends and in my partner for the assignment. It made me realize that if I was like them, I too would've almost forget what my father taught me was the beauty of life."

Suddenly, somebody in the middle of the room raises her hand. It surprises Kat, but she calls on her. "Yes?"

As the hand goes down, the student asks, "What do you mean by that?"

Kat thinks for a moment. "Well, I would've almost forgotten how to exist without a phone. Aka forget how to exist with just myself." She sighs. "I mean, come on, raise your hand if you think or know that you spend too much time on your phone."

At first, everybody's hesitant to raise their hand, but once one person does, slowly everybody's come up too.

Looking at this, it might've seemed different to others, but to Katherine, she felt vibrant.

She smiles as she advises, "Okay, now put your hands down," watching as they listen. "But don't you all see? We're aware that we're overusing our phones, yet we don't do anything about it. And that might've been why Mr. Matthews took away all our phones in my class. Sure, it might seem impossible to live without it, but my advice to you all is to look out into the world, because you never know, maybe you'll find that the world is much better than your phone."

Her anxiety begins to melt away as Kat continues deeper into the lesson, infusing it with elements she thinks her Uncle Cory would use. As she speaks, Cory watches her with a mixture of pride and admiration, impressed by her natural teaching ability.

When the school bell rang, signaling the end of the period, students started to file out of the classroom. Kat stood there, a satisfied smile on her face, hoping she had made a positive impact on their day.

She really, really hoped so.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cory's voice then. "Wow, Kat," he spoke, causing her to turn toward him as he was walking up to her. "Good job out there. I'm very proud of you."

Kat's fingers fidgeted nervously. "Thank you."

"It was almost like you were a natural at it."

She smiled. "Well, I actually wanted this elective in the first place because I...kinda want to be a teacher when I grow up."

Cory's eyebrows shot up, though Kat could tell his reaction wasn't genuine. "Oh! Really? I didn't know that! Wow."

Her smile fluctuates at his reaction. "Okay, why are you acting like that?" she asked, motioning to his dramatic expression.

Cory dropped the act and responded sincerely. "Because I've always known that you wanted to be a teacher, Kat. That's one of the reasons I've been trying to get you out of your comfort zone all year."

Kat's eyes broadened. "H-how did you know?"

"I've seen it all your life," Cory assured. "You used to always tell me about your teachers when you were little and I could just tell by your adoration for them, that part of you wanted to be like them in the future."

Kat peered away for a moment, her emotions swirling. "I just—really want to make a change in people's lives."

"And I'm more than certain that you did, just now," Cory assured, earning a weak but genuine smile from Kat. "But I have to ask you something else."

"What is it?"

Cory considered his words carefully before asking, "Why did you get mad about Riley and them earlier?"

And just the mention of the incident made Kat's suddenly mood plummet. She sighed deeply. "How could I have not be? They're always wasting food, and I don't know, I just suddenly got the courage to say that it wasn't right."

"Sure, but I don't think I've ever seen you get that mad at them. So, why now?"

Kat's mood proceeded to darken as she pondered the question. "I-I don't know. I just sort of did." She eagerly grabbed her bag from his table. "I gotta go," she urged before rushing out of the classroom.

Katherine didn't necessarily lie, but there was more to it. She didn't want to delve into those deeper wounds, the ones she preferred to keep buried. Explaining herself would mean confronting those feelings, those wounds.

As she walked down the hallway, trying to hold herself together, she suddenly heard the voice of the last person she wanted to see right now.

"Kat!" Lucas's voice echoed through the hallway, and Kat's heart spoiled.

Oh god... She thought, and dreaded.

She quickened her pace, hoping to escape him, but it didn't work. He caught up with her, his breaths heavy from running. "Hey, Kat. I just—" He paused to catch his breath. "I just wanted to ask, what was up with you during lunch?"

Kat's face hardened. "I don't want to talk to you right now, Lucas."

"Kat-"

"Lucas," she interrupted sharply, stopping in the hallway to face him, "Could you stop being the most annoying person I know, just for a moment?"

Lucas frowned, taken aback. "Look, I know you're still mad at Farkle and me for today, but...seeing how close you were to yelling at us, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Well, stop wanting to know," Kat snapped, though a part of her softened at his concern. "I-I don't even know why you randomly care about me like this, but you shouldn't. Because like I said, I don't want you to even be talking to me right now, let alone be in my life in the first place."

But before she could stop herself, her feelings spilled out. "Because if I'm being honest, sometimes I—I wish you had never moved here from Texas because—because ever since I've known you, you've made everything so difficult." Her words poured out, unchecked. "You've made my life miserable, and I just hate you so much for it, and I wish you would stop caring about me so it would be easier for both of us and—"

It wasn't until she saw the look on Lucas's face that Kat realized what she had said. And his sudden shift in expression drives her heart to sink down to the ground.

His lips pursed. "I-Is that what you really think of me?" Lucas asked, his voice almost like a whisper.

Kat closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, Lucas-"

"No I get it, Kat. I totally get it," he assured in a single breath. "You wish I never came here so I didn't have to ruin your life, right? That's what you're telling me?"

"Lucas, I didn't mean to say tha-"

"But you did, Katherine."

Her face goes blank abruptly in that second. He hadn't called her by her full name in what felt like ages. Hearing it now, especially in this context, sent a chill down her spine.

"You don't even need to explain to me because I totally get it, okay? I'll just leave you alone for the rest of the year," he says, before walking away.

"Lucas," she called to him, but his movement didn't stop. "Lucas, I didn't mean to-" but she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't listen.

And that, was the first time Lucas Friar has ever walked away from Katherine Decker. And it horribly tore her heart apart, more than she ever wanted it.

⤵︎

     KATHERINE WAS NEW to the love thing as much as anyone her age was. But she didn't expect to ever be put in this position in which where she was questioning her idea of love, as soon as now, but here she was now.

Sitting on her bed, indulging in the pages of "One Day" by David Nicholls, Kat couldn't shake off her swirling thoughts.

It was frustrating. She knew she shouldn't let herself be so consumed by what had happened. Part of her had always wished Lucas out of her life, longing for the days when they couldn't stand each other. But now that he was gone, she couldn't help but feel the weight of his absence.

Despite her resistance and attempts to keep him at arm's length, Lucas had managed to find a place in her heart. She was reluctantly falling for him, against her better judgment. She didn't want him to matter to her, but it seemed it was already too late.

A knock broke through her thoughts, prompting a sigh. "Come in."

And behold, Kimberly peeked her head inside, a bright smile on her face. "Hey," she greeted warmly, approaching Kat's bed. "You seem lost in thought."

Kat's shoulder slumps as she sighed. "Not anymore, it seems." Her head twists to Kim. "How was your day?"

Her smile faded at the question. "It was fine... Although someone did almost throw up on me during Biology today."

Kat grimaced at her reply. "Yikes."

"Yikes, indeed. Especially considering the person was right behind me...and would've definitely ruined my beautiful hair."

Kat doesn't add much to her reaction than a simple wheeze, and already by the lack of that, Kim frowned at her way.

"You okay?" the sister asked, her tone gentle.

Again, Kat was tempted to brush off the question with a simple "yes," but she reminded herself of her goal to be more open this year. So, with an eye-roll, she sighed. "Ever had one of those heat-of-the-moment moments at the wrong time?"

Kim tilted her head. "When are heat-of-the-moment moments ever during the right times?"

"I mean, sometimes it goes well in the movies and TV shows."

"But those are fictional and not real...which is an argument I know you'd be using against me if the roles were reversed." Kim's insight sparked a realization. "But you aren't right now because you'd be arguing against yourself."

Kat knew that was coming.

Kim's grin widens. "You had you movie heat-of-the-moment didn't you?"

Of course, Kat was caught off guard by Kim's directness, but she knew there was no point in denying it. "It was an accident...I didn't even mean to say it."

The older sister pouted. "Say what?"

Katherine felt her heart sink. The memory of what she had said still haunted her, and the thought of repeating it made her feel even worse. But she knew she had to face it.

"Something happened between me and Lucas."

Kim's eyes widened, but Kat quickly reassured, "And it isn't what your love-rotted brain thinks it was."

Kim gave her a playful frown before urging, "Fine... But explain yourself, woman."

Taking a breath, Kat began, "Well... I got mad at him and Farkle at lunch today because they were wasting their food making this stupid potato volcano with gravy in it."

But before Kat could continue, Kim gasped. "Ooo, that sounded cool. Did it erupt and ooze out gravy? Please tell me you recorded it."

Kat narrowed her eyes. "N-no? W-why would I even do that, Kim? They were wasting their food when they could've just thrown it away nicely or given it to someone who wanted it. But noooo, they just had to create a mess for someone else to clean up... Ungrateful idiots..." she trailed off with a scoff.

Kim watched her silently, taking it all in. "Hmh, so...you're really, reaaally, mad at the boys for that...yeah."

Kat took a moment to collect herself, but Kim continued. "I'm starting to think that whatever you just rambled about is more than just about the boys."

When Kat remained silent, Kim scooted closer. "What's making you all grumpy, hmh, Kitty-Kat?"

Kat let her eyes fall shut and leaned on her sister's shoulder. "I'm just mad that they were so ungrateful. They have the privilege to eat a good meal, and instead of being grateful, they made a volcano out of potatoes! I mean, they could've used something better than bland mashed potatoes... Not saying I wouldn't have yelled at them regardless, but come on!"

Kim frowned, wrapping an arm around her sister. "Oh trust me, I know nothing would've stopped you from being your true fiery self," she said. "But Kat... is this about what happened two years ago?"

At the mention of that time, Kat sighed. "Yeah."

Kim frowned at her reply and patted her arm. "Hey... it's okay. We're fine and stable now... financially at least." She attempted a joke, hoping to lighten the mood, but Kat didn't laugh, leaving her a bit sad. "But you know that Dad's making sure we are... and that even if something like that does happen, we're prepared for it."

Kat sinked into her sister's comfort. "I know."

"And you know what? At the end of the day, we got through that patch together. That's all that matters."

To that, Kat managed a weak smile. "You're right..."

"I know," Kim smirked. "Now enough trying to side-tracking me with that sentimental talk, tell me how you messed up."

Kat sputters out a chuckle and sat up straight. "You know my tricks too well."

"I'm your sister, your tricks used to be mine...You wonder how many times I side-tracked Dad from getting mad at me by making him talk about what he did at work that day."

Kat wheezed, shaking her head. "Yeah," she sighed. "But, since I was mad at them for that...I sorta blew up at Lucas when he tried to talk to me later that day."

Kim's face fell. "Oh no...what did you say? I mean, I know you quote on quote, hate the guy, but he seems tough too. I'm sure he could've handled what you said."

"I kinda told him that I wished he wouldn't have moved here and that he's been ruining my life since we've met."

Kim's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her. "Oh yeah, no, I don't think there's any going back after that..."

Kat's face soured. "I know, and it was so stupid! I didn't even realize what I was saying while I was saying it. Like I wasn't even aware of my own mouth and what it was doing..." She drew a moment to breathe. "And yes...I kinda meant some of what I said but, I also didn't."

"Of course, you didn't. You wouldn't be quite literally sinking in regret if you didn't."

Kat rolled her eyes and looked elsewhere, her thoughts plunging into a rabbit hole. "And just watching him walk away—" Her voice wavered slightly, hesitant to unveil the turmoil within her, "I just felt so—torn up with guilt, in a way I've felt before."

Kim frowned. "Ohh little sis, look at you obliviously caring about your enemy....who I don't think is your enemy anymore now that you're talking about him in this light."

A scoff escaped Kat's lips as she scowled at her sister. "Oh, you wanna talk about obliviously caring about their enemy, how about you and—"

"Hey, you bring headache up right now, and I swear to god, Katherine, I will steal the rest of your brownies in the fridge."

Kat's face soured even more. The threat was serious—nobody dared to mess with Katherine Decker and her coveted brownies, or her precious cookie dough. Never, ever.

"Anyways," Kim continued, "What I'm trying to say is that I think, at this point, you're only trying to stop yourself from the inevitable."

"And that is?"

"You liking Lucas." But before Kat could even open her mouth, Kim added, "As a person, not romantically, you stubborn kitty."

Kat's gaze narrowed once more, but part of her acknowledged the truth in Kim's words.

After all the time spent in Lucas's company, and the undeniable attraction she had tried vehemently to suppress, she realized that perhaps she really was delaying herself from that inevitable.

But...why?

⤵︎

THIS TIME AROUND, Cory had told his niece to think of a lesson to teach today, and with what happened the day beforehand, Kat decided to go for the approach of her personal life.

As the bell rang, Kat began to write the word "Grateful" on the chalkboard, eliciting puzzled expressions from her students.

Setting the chalk down, she turned to face the class and took a deep breath. "Grateful. Does anyone know what this word means?"

A girl in the middle row raised her hand. "It means to be thankful."

"Correct! Now...for about thirty seconds, I want you all to just think about the things you're grateful for."

She observed as the class sat in contemplation, some visibly taking her words to heart, some dozing off into other thoughts.

"I'm sure a lot of you thought about the basic things; your friends, family, your home, the food you get to eat, all of those things. Now, I want you to realize the privilege you have to even be here, to live in a house, apartment or anywhere with a roof on your head, because if you don't...then I'm sure the world will show you the hard way that the things you have shouldn't be taken for granted."

"You all have remembered the two World Wars, right?"

Everyone nods.

"Well, be grateful that you aren't living in one right now...if History has taught me anything, is that I wouldn't want to live in the past decades, or past centuries. Sure, there are some things during those times that would make any person want to go back in time, but when you really look into the past, you'll realize that we are in a better place in time.

"Currently, in my history class, Mr. Matthews is teaching us about the Forgotten, a group of people severely impacted by the Great Depression in 1929."

A student suddenly raised their hand. "Why were they called the Forgotten?"

Kat sighed. "Because when the Great Depression happened, they were one that were affected the most." She pursed her lips. "Does anyone actually know what the Great Depression was?"

A student, particularly seated where Kat usually sat, raised her hand.

Kat grinned. "Go for it."

The girl smiled confidently. "It was a time in history when the U.S stock market crashed, causing a worldwide economic depression."

"And how did you know that?"

"I read a lot in my free time. I'm one of the smart ones here."

Kat shot a glance at her uncle, sharing a knowing look. "She's the me in this class, isn't she?"

"Same seat and everything."

Kat nodded at this with a grin, then turned back to the class. "Well then, anything else you know about that topic?"

Suddenly, a boy raises his hand. "I'd actually like to add, Ms. Decker."

The girl in Kat's seat rolls her eyes. "Of course you'd want to steal my thunder."

The boy scoffed. "Oh, would you stop being so insufferable for one second?"

"I would if you would stop being annoying."

At their bitter banter, Kat's eyes instantly widens. "Oh no..." she mumbled to herself.

Damn... is this how me and Lucas look when we ramble? She thought.

"Okay, you two...how about we let each other talk one by one, hmh?" Kat mutters after under her breath, "Even though I'm horrified to see this unfold." She gestured to the boy. "How about you go first, hmh? What's your name?"

"Luca."

A pause lingered, followed by a quiet sigh. "Well, that's not exactly helping," she murmured. "So, Luca, what do you know about the Great Depression?"

"I know that it really affected the U.S, and I know that a lot of people lost their jobs."

The girl in Kat's seat scoffs out loud. "That's it? That's all you know?"

"Would you stop being so—you, Kate?"

She hums a chuckle. "No, never when it comes to you, Colorado."

Kat continues to stares at them, blinking horrifically by this. "Anyways... L-Lucas, I mean Luca... anything more to share?"

He sighs. "Yes...before I was so rudely interuppted..." Luca trails off, sending a glare to Kate. "I was gonna say that since a lot of people lost their jobs, a lot of people lost their homes, and people went hungry."

"And that's why I'm bringing this part of history up," Kat spoke then.

She goes back to the board and grabbed the chalk and circles around the word, 'Grateful'.

"In life, we're often caught off guard by what lies ahead. The future is a mystery, filled with surprises—some delightful, some not so much," she explained, her words resonating with simplicity and truth. "That's why it's crucial to appreciate what we have now. Because we never know when those blessings might be taken away, just like during the Great Depression, when many were left forgotten."

Listening to her, Cory grins at his niece, beaming at her wisdom.

Kat breathed a sigh of accomplishment, relishing in this moment. "So, does anyone else want to share what they know about the Great Depression?"

A sudden hand shot up next to Luca.

"Yes...What's your name?" Kat inquired.

The boy grins widely. "Farzad."

Kat's expression froze for a moment before she let out an awkward laugh. "Ha...this is...gonna be a long period."

⤵︎

     WHEN KATHERINE COMES into Riley's room that afternoon after school, she's already greeted by the sight of her girls all wrecked.

From the looks of it, Riley and Maya appeared more disheveled than ever, their hair a tangled mess, their expressions hazy and distant. It was a level of exhaustion Kat hadn't seen them in since they were just kids.

"Oh, you actual poor little souls," Kat muttered sympathetically.

Without hesitation, Riley and Maya shifted slightly, making room for Kat, which she took in a simple moment.

After a moment of silence, the trio collectively sighed. It had been a challenging week, unexpected and overwhelming, even though two out of three had it tougher than one, it was still a week they didn't anticipate.

Riley broke the silence first. "Geralyn is really good at her job."

Maya echoed the sentiment  from Kat's right. "We are not good at Geralyn's job."

Katherine couldn't help but chuckle at their words, though it was laced with sympathy. "Had a tough week, you two?"

Maya coughed weakly. "Hard isn't even the word...and I don't know a lot of words." Turning to Kat, Maya posed her own question. "And you? Was it challenging playing teacher's pet with Mr. Matthews?"

Kat paused, considering her response carefully. "Kind of. It was overwhelming at first, but then I realized that doing what he does every day...It's something I've wanted to do since I was young."

Riley's grin softens. "We know." She paused, letting her thoughts settle before continuing. "Kat?"

"Yeah?"

"You know when we got assigned our electives... why did you kind of get mad at us, Lucas, and Farkle for the mess?" Riley asked.

Kat pursed her lips, grappling with her response. "Well, I...I think it was just because I was really annoyed at the fact that it seemed like you guys were ungrateful for the things you have."

Maya shot her a pointed look. "You're talking to the girl who is grateful for even a cookie."

A tsk slips out of Kat's lips. "Yeah, I know but...it made me mad that you guys don't appreciate it enough. I mean, we have roofs over our heads, a comfy bed to sleep in, semi-decent healthy water considering we live in New York," the three of them briefly chuckle at that last aspect, "I just—don't think you guys realize how lucky we are to have this."

Riley's frown deepened when she noticed Kat's discomfort. She was good at picking up on these things, having known her for most of her life. "Are you okay, Kat?"

The question surprised the girl, making her pause. But eventually, Kat sighed. "Remember that Christmas three years ago when I couldn't visit you guys?"

Riley nodded. "Yeah, I remember being sad I wasn't able to give you that brownie-scented pillow until your birthday." A fond smile danced across her face as she delved into the memory. "But it was worth it when you first sniffed it. I remember you smiled like a star."

Kat couldn't help but return the smile at her description, which made Riley nod. "Yeah, kinda like that," she remarked softly.

The apple-haired girl nodded. "Well, it was because my father got temporarily laid off from his job, and we didn't have enough money to get you guys Christmas presents...or to even be stable."

And despite the haze of the past few days, the two girls felt their hearts ache with empathy.

Kat continued, "It was scary for me. My whole family was afraid. And we knew we could've asked for help from your family, Riles, but we didn't want to worry you guys to worry...I mean, eventually he did get his job back, but ever since then, part of me has always been anxious about that happening again."

They absorbed this before Maya spoke up, "I'm sorry to hear that, Kat."

Kat shook her head, offering a smile. "It's okay, really...We're better now." And as she stared at Riley and Maya, she teased, "But it seems like you two learned your lesson, huh?"

They exchanged sheepish smiles. "Yeah...we did," the brunette sighed before they brought their heads to lay on Kat's shoulders.

She smiles at them before playfully sniffing their hair, making a face. "Wow...you both really smell like potatoes...and trash."

Her comment leaves them to laugh together, and for the first time in a while, the three of them felt peace, together-as-three.

And when Kat returned home later that day, she flopped onto her bed, her back sinking into the familiar comfort of her mattress.

Gazing at the ceiling, she pondered the recent events and her future, uncertainty lingering in her heart as she considered what may lay ahead for her.

It lead her mind back to what Kim said; how she's only delaying the inevitable. Delaying herself from admitting to the fact that maybe, just maybe, Lucas was becoming more to her than she ever wanted him to be.

And sure, maybe she was, but like she taught to everyone today, all she could prepare herself for, was the moment that day would come, and face her feelings head-on, even if she couldn't escape it.

⤵︎

     BACK IN CORY'S classroom, the five of them huddled up to the front of the class to talk to their classmates.

Riley took the lead first. "In 1929, our country fell apart. Not only because the economy suffered, but because we neglected the working-class people who served us with pride and dignity."

Maya chimed in, her words echoing Riley's sentiments. "And because we never cared enough to get to know them, they were easily taken for granted and became 'The Forgotten.'" She gestured to Geralyn, who stood beside her. "Can anybody tell us who this is?"

"The lunchroom lady," one of their classmates replied dismissively.

Kat shot the classmate a look. "She has a name, you know?"

"I do," Geralyn interjected with a hint of humor. "Three taco, Sara."

Riley continued, "This is Geralyn Thompson. And she knows all of your names. She's worked at this school for 20 years, and I can tell you that her job is not easy."

"Because she has over 1,000 children and when you feed 1,000 children, you have to make sure it's something that everybody can eat," Maya noted.

"And even if she would like to spice things up a bit, she knows not to. Because it's what's right for everyone. She takes pride in her work, her kitchen, her cooking, and us."

"And I'm proud that I was able to stand in her shoes for a day. This lady right here does it everyday...For us."

"Geralyn. Remember that name. Whatever we end up doing in life, we have to do it with the same pride and enthusiasm as her."

Cory grins at the girls before he points to Lucas and Farkle. "Boys?"

At the other side of the classroom, Lucas stood with Janitor Harvey, while Farkle sat on the table, looking apprehensive, with his knees to his chin, rocking himself back and forth.

"We've seen things," Farkle declared, his eyes wide with the horrors of their experience.

Lucas shook his head, his expression mirroring Farkle's terror. "You don't know, man. You weren't there."

Janitor Harvey spoke for them, "They went in as boys, they came out as... I don't know. I don't know what they are now..."

By then, Farkle and Lucas stood by each other. "We'd be lying to you if we told you janitorial services was our first pick. But I wouldn't trade this experience for a trip to the moon."

But right as Kat felt her heart soften at Lucas's words, Farkle's outburst shattered the moment. "That was an elective?!"

Ignoring Farkle's interruption, Lucas pressed on. "Janitor Harley is a good man. You have no idea what he goes through for you."

Farkle added, "You may not even notice that he's there. But I promise you this, you would notice if he wasn't there."

"The clean tables, the immaculate classrooms, the shiny floors; they don't magically happen." Lucas nodded towards Harvey, patting his shoulder. "They take a ninja."

Playfully grinning, Harvey struck a ninja pose. "Ninja."

Kat chuckled at this before her uncle's voice drew her attention. "Kat?" He called her, prompting her to look at him with a raised brow. "How about you do the closing statement."

She nodded, stepping forward and standing tall before her peers. "As you can see and hear, these people make an impact on our lives every day, whether you know them or not. But at the end of the day, it's up to us—the people they help every day—to show them that we're thankful, that we're grateful for what they do for us. And truly, the least we can do is tell them, 'thank you,' to show that we are."

Lucas and Farkle exchanged a glance before turning to Harvey with genuine gratitude. "Thank you," they said in unison.

Harvey returned their grin and enveloped them in a warm embrace from behind.

Following them, Riley and Maya turned to Geralyn. "Thank you," they said sincerely.

Geralyn sighed and moved to embrace the girls, touched by their gesture. "I appreciate that," she replied softly.

Kat smiled at their heartwarming gesture before making her way over to her uncle. "Thank you," she said to him.

He raised a brow. "What for?"

"For being my teacher...for being our teacher," she replied, gesturing to everyone around them. "You want to know what I learned from being your T.A.?"

"What?"

"That even though you might be a teacher, or you're trying to be one...sometimes the lessons you teach others, might just be the one you need to learn yourself."

Cory grinned at her words. "Good job, Kat."

She returned his grin before resting her head on his shoulder, her smile still radiant.

⤵︎

WHEN NIGHT CAME, Kat was waiting on the couch for her Dad come, not minding the fact that it was already past 9pm.

When he finally walked through the door, she sprang to her feet almost instantly.

He looked puzzled at her presence but greeted her warmly. "Hey, sweetheart... you okay?" he asked, noticing the tension in her demeanor.

She managed a weak grin, her fingers nervously fidgeting with each other. "Yeah I am, I just..." She paused briefly to swallow, "I couldn't go to sleep."

He pursed his lips. "Well, if I can recall, you do have insomnia...and anxiety...both which relatively make it hard for you to sleep."

Kat shoots him a look. "Way to point out the obvious," she retorted before moving close to him. "But, I guess considering the past couple of days, and what I've been learning and doing, I couldn't help but feel like I needed to do this...so, here's me saying; thank you, Dad."

Of course, he's initially confused, raising a brow at her. "What for?"

"For all that you've done for me and Kim throughout our lives," she began, "I know I always say thank you for everything, but I don't ever want you to forget how grateful I am that you're...my dad. Because I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for you giving me the life you've given me. For all the love, support, and things you've let me have."

She could have said more, but she didn't because if she did, she'd go on a tangent that wasn't necessary, especially during this late hour. She knew her dad understood her loud and clear anyways.

He pouts before pulling her into a hug. "Oh, Katherine," he spoke, patting her back. "If anyone should be thankful and grateful right now, it really should be me."

"Why?"

The father sighs, his pout shifting into a grin. "Because I have two amazing daughters who make all of this worth it."

And in that moment, Kat can't help but grin into his arms, wrapping around hers around him to let the hug and the moment sink in.

But then comes in suddenly.

"Awwwww," a familiar voice echoes from the hallway.

Already, Kat finds herself rolling her eyes as she and her father briefly broke apart, their gazes shifting to see Kim was leaning against the wall in the hallway, watching them fondly from there.

"I love it when we're sentimental," Kim pouted with a hand on her heart.

Kat shook her head at her sister's antics, but her father gestured for Kim to join them. "Yeah, come on here too, sweetheart."

The older sister grinned and strolled over to them, joining in on their impromptu family hug, their moment now complete with her there.

And although Kat was still jokingly annoyed at Kim, she knew she was thankful for her too.

But most of all, Kat was most especially the thankful for moments like this, because these were the moments in life that truly mattered to her, and she knew she would forever be grateful for them, no matter what.

⤵︎

AS THE TRIO went to get their lunch the next day, the girls were more than delighted to see Geralyn there.

As Geralyn dolloped mashed potatoes onto Riley's plate, the student flashed a grateful smile. "Thank you. How are you today, Geralyn?"

"I'm fine, Riley. Thanks for asking," Geralyn replied warmly.

Suddenly then, the girls exchanged a quick, secret gesture, flipping their hair dramatically to the right and swatting their hands forward, with Geralyn joining in. "Stop it," they whispered cheekily.

Geralyn chuckled at them as the girls grabbed their trays and headed to sit on their usual table.

When they did, Kat sat down and frowned, noticing Lucas wasn't there, again. "He's still avoiding me, isn't he?" she asked, looking over Farkle at the other end of the table.

Ever since Kat had her outburst on him, he's been ignoring her like the plague, and it felt horrible on her end.

"Seem so, Kat," Farkle sighed, frowning with her.

She sighed, letting this sink in. She knew she had about two options: one, be a coward and don't even attempt to make amends with the boy; or two, face the fact that she didn't want her and Lucas to be like this after all, and try to make amends with him.

Thankfully, after Lunch, Kat catches sight of Lucas as he's about to go to math class. And right then and there, she doesn't even think twice about her options.

"Lucas!" Kat called out, rushing over and grabbing his arm to stop him.

Of course, Lucas looked surprised at first, but when he realized it was Kat, he groaned. "What is it now, Kat? Do you just wanna torture me more? You wanna tell me you wish I never existed or something?"

She tilts her head, unfazed. "No, actually," Kat said, before standing up tall. "I actually came here to say that I'm sorry..."

Lucas's eyes widen in disbelief. "Apologize? You?"

Kat rolls her eyes at his tone. "Yes, me," she confirms. "I know, shocking, right? Turns out I, Katherine Decker, do have a heart after all."

Her humor drives Lucas to chuckle faintly, grinning widely. "I always knew you did, Kat."

She pursed her lips, withholding the urge to smile. "Anyways, I know what I said a couple days ago, and I know I can't take any of it back but...I just wanted to apologize for even saying it because I don't mean it...I was just angry at you and Farkle for all the wasteful food you were using at the time."

"And I understand that. It's-"

"Did I say you could talk?" Kat interrupted, earning a look from Lucas. "That's what I thought," she added with a smirk.

Lucas rolls his eyes, but Kat presses on. "But seriously, I don't want you to think I don't want you here, because in all honesty...I think you being here was actually helpful, for me."

Lucas raises a brow. "How so?"

Kat exhaled, mentally preparing to speak her mind. "Well, since we were both the new here, I guess to have someone be new along with me, made me feel less alone about my anxiety in coming here. And if anything, I've grown thankful that I really wasn't alone, because you were there alongside me."

Taking in her words, Lucas grew a sheepish grin as he stared back at her. "So...what I'm hearing is; you've finally grown to like me now."

Kat instantly scoffs at his assumption. "In your wildest dreams, Tractor."

Lucas chuckles. "Oh, come on, red. I think you're just afraid to show that you actually like me."

"It's not hard to show that I don't, so I'll stick to that..." Kat trailed off with a stern look in her gaze. "But, are we cool now?" she asked, holding her fist out for him to bump.

He took a good look at her fist before bumping his with hers. "We're cool."

And with that, a grin spread across Kat's face before she lightly punched his shoulder.  "Good."

Lucas shook his head as the bell rang. He looked up for a moment, letting the sound ring before turning back at her with a smirk. "I'll catch you later, Juliet."

Kat shook hers, letting her grin widen at him. "I'll see you then...Romeo."

lani's talking!

here's some kim and kat appreciation bc they are my fav siblings 🤞🏼

also yeah yah I know being a t.a isn't a service elective but i just needed kat to do some teachy, and I wasn't about to let her be forced into cafeteria NU UH

as well, this maverick getting laid off from work in the past plotline was actually inspired by this steam game I played called "summerland". y'all should play that game, it's free!

but anyways, this chapter lowkey kinda took the life and soul out of me bc of how long it is, but be ready for more long ones for the rest of the story. and be especially excited for the next two chapters because they're my favorites in this story.

and yeah, thank you all so much for the love and support you've given this story, and I will see you all later!

byeeeee <3