FOR STARTERS, THE week started off like any other interesting one in Cory Matthew's history class, which was almost every week considering their circumstances.

Standing before his students, Cory's excitement fills the room. "Graduation and awards night is coming up. I am very proud of this class. Several of you will be recognized for your achievements throughout the year."

Suddenly, Maya shot up from her chair. "Awards are a scam! A girl like me never had a chance, Matthews. Never had a chance."

Watching this from her side, Kat glanced over at Riley, almost dreadfully. "Are we really gonna do this with her?"

Riley nodded. "Yep."

"Welp, okay then," Kat sighed in resignation.

Together, both girls rose from their seats and declared, "It's a scam, Matthews! She never stood a chance!"

Cory, holding his tablet, announced then, "Maya will be receiving the Griff Hawkins Totally Cool Award."

The class erupted into applause as the girls settled back into their seats.

"Maya, you just won the totally cool award, and you're just sitting there?" Riley asked, confused by her friend's calm reaction. Then she realized, "Oh, you're being cool... Why can't I be like that?"

Cory continued with the announcements. "Our finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award are Lucas Friar and Billy Ross."

Billy turned to Lucas with a competitive grin. "I hope you're ready for some competition, dude."

Lucas chuckled. "Oh, well, you know how I hate competition."

They both laugh, then stop, then laugh again, only to abruptly stop. It was a whole weird thing for everyone to watch.

Kat glared at them, feeling like she was getting brain damage from this. "Can you both stop being annoying and take this rivalry outside? Preferably far away from me."

Billy smirked at her remark. "Yeah, right after our handshake of awesomeness."

They stand up then and do their handshake, which was even weirder than their little interaction seconds ago.

Maya looks up in dread. "Every day..."

Riley joins in on this, "Girls should have their own handshake of awesomeness."

Kat pressed her brows together at the suggestion. "What would that even be?"

Then without skipping a beat, the girls crossed their legs, flipped their hair back, and flapped their hand forward. "Stop it," they said softly to each other.

Cory resumed telling the class about the award recipients. "Riley, you're awarded the Most Lively Award."

She beans and shudders with excitement in her voice and eyes. "Yay!"

Kat smiles from the other side of the room. "Nobody can beat that." And indeed in her mind, nobody else could.

"And Farkle, you're receiving the Joseph T.R. Epstein Confidence Award," Cory announced, only to find Farkle's desk had this weird tech setup on it.

A recorded voice replied, "Farkle can't come to his desk right now. If you have a question for Farkle, say, "one;" a comment, say, "two;" billing questions, "three."

Cory walks to his desk. "One. Where are you?"

"You have selected three."

"No, I said, "one."

"Sorry, we are experiencing unusually high call volume. Your call will be answered in approximately... 35...Minutes."

"Representative!" Cory yells, distressed and confused by this. "What is this? Farkle's never missed a class in his life.

But before he could investigate further, the bell rang, leaving everybody to scatter as Kat was the last one to finish getting ready for next period.

Riley's eyes soften at her figure, slightly frowning. "Are you okay, Kat?"

The apple-haired girl nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured, walking over to where they were.

"But you didn't win anything this year. Aren't you upset?"

Katherine shrugged. "I usually don't win things in general, it's okay."

"But it's not."

"But it is, Riles," Kat reassured once more, planting a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, I don't need a trophy. I've made my accomplishments so far, and that's the only trophy I'll ever need. Besides, I don't need one to make me feel seen. I know I'm not invisible to everybody anyway."

"But sometimes you want to be invisible, Kat, believe me."

They collectively turned around to Farkle's stuff and stared at it weirdly, wondering what that meant.

What did Farkle mean in saying that?

⤵︎

     TIME TICKLED BY slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity as the group searched for any sign of Farkle. Despite their efforts, he remained missing.

Eventually, they reconvened near the janitor's office, frustration evident on their faces.

"I looked in the library. He's not there," Lucas reported, clearly disappointed.

Billy joined them that second. "Hey, guys, I checked the ball field. No Farkle."

Maya's face contorts at such a sentence. "You looked on the baseball field for Farkle? Billy, are you even trying?"

Billy shrugged indifferently. "Not really," he replied before sauntering off.

Just as they were beginning to lose hope, the janitor's door creaked open, revealing Farkle standing beside Janitor Harvey.

"Troubled lad, I now release you to the hands of your caring friends, 'cause they... have time for this," Janitor Harvey announced before disappearing back into his domain.

Lucas wasted no time in asking Farkle, "You wanna tell us what's going on here, buddy?"

However, his response was cryptic. "Are you my buddy?" he questioned, his tone uneasy.

"What?" Lucas replied.

Maya advised bluntly, "Spill it, Farkle."

"Somebody made fun of my turtlenecks," he confessed.

"Your turtlenecks?" Kat sought to know, sounding disbelief by his explanation.

"Yeah, somebody said they make me weird," Farkle explained, his shoulders slumping.

"Well, you are weird."

Riley quickly intervened, "Maya doesn't mean that."

But the blonde stood her ground. "Sure, I do. He knows he is. He embraces it. But you already know that, Farkle. That's what makes you unique."

Farkle pondered her words before hesitantly speaking, "What good is being unique if somebody knows you're really not?"

And with a swift departure, Farkle left his friends to ponder his words. But instead of clarity, they found themselves more confused about the situation than they'd hoped for.

⤵︎

DINNER TONIGHT AT the Decker family apartment was different than usual as it was one of those nights that Maverick actually made food, rather than buying takeout or giving Kim money to get food from down the street because he was working late.

As the family ate in relative silence, Kat couldn't help but break the quiet with a pensive question. "Hey, Dad?"

Maverick, with a mouthful of food, mumbled, "Yeah?"

She poked at her steak and broccoli with her fork. "When was the last time I got or won a trophy?"

He thought for a moment, swallowing his food to talk normally. "Well, you did win that chess tournament in sixth grade."

Kat recalled the memory, but only gave him a look seconds after. "Dad, I went against a seven-year-old whose mom forced him into that tournament...and I almost lost!"

Kim frowned at her from across the table. "Oh dear sweet Katherine," she began, "Why are you asking about this in the first place?"

The younger sister tried to shrug it off like she did most things. "It's no reason...it's kinda stupid anyways."

Maverick shook his head. "Kat, nothing is stupid, okay?"

Hearing that, she chuckled obnoxiously. "That's funny, because last week you said my collection of pens with inspiring quotes was stupid."

"That's because you buy a whole pack of them every two months before you lose them and have to get some again."

Mildly unpleased by his argument back at her, Kat made a grumpy face. "Well, sorry that I'm slowly inspiring others when they ask me for those pens and never give them back." She watched him shake his head but persisted. "But seriously, I just—I don't know. I feel like I haven't accomplished enough for myself."

Kim argued in that same moment, "Says the girl who aces every assignment and test?"

"Yeah but...those are not trophies, those are just little reminders to myself that yes, I'm indeed intelligent."

The older sister gave her a look anyways. "Well, I still don't think that you should be anything less than accomplished because of your lack of trophies. I mean, you've clearly accomplished a lot in the past couple of months with growing your confidence and letting yourself be open."

Kat knew she was right but still went on with her arguement, "Sure but...I kinda do want to be awarded for those accomplishments, rather than just only acknowledging it to myself."

Maverick rejoined the conversation. "Kat, if I'm being honest, the true award for those types of things is inside your heart. And if anything, I'm more than sure your heart and soul know you've been doing good. You should feel proud of yourself for that."

She stared at him for a moment before gagging slightly. "God, that was so corny."

He sighed at Kat's spoiler reply, sending her a look. "You've really been hanging out with Riley and Maya too much."

Kim raised a brow. "And do you have a problem with that?"

But of course, Maverick shook his head. "Nope, hardly any."

⤵︎

TENSIONS CONTINUE TO stir the core five as a new day dawned upon Cory's classroom, a new day of learning began. He stands before his students as he asks a simple question: "Gandhi. What did he do?"

"Freed Ireland," Maya answered.

Maya's confident response faltered Cory's expression. "Try again."

Unperturbed, Maya repeated her answer. "Freed Ireland."

From her left, Kat grumbled out a breath. "Ugh, must I always have to be the only one besides Farkle to have the right answer?" she muttered before correcting Maya, "He freed India."

But despite giving her the correct answer, Maya persisted, "Before or after he freed Ireland?"

A huffed sigh escapes Kat's slowly before she turned back to her teacher. "Help me..." Kat mouthed, pleadingly.

Moving on, Cory went over to the next figure on the board. "Jackie Robinson. What did he do?"

"First Irish guy to play in the major leagues after Gandhi freed 'em," Billy quipped as a joke.

Again, Cory's face falters as his gaze veers to Kat's with exasperation. "I...I quit."

"But you can't quit, sir!" Farkle's voice suddenly soared into the room from his tech.

Leaning over his desk, Cory addressed Farkle's device on his table, "And Farkle, you need to be in class. How long are you going to be out sick?"

"Don't know." He coughs. "Pretty bad cold, sir."

"Okay. Feel better,"  Cory offered before refocusing on the lesson. "What about her?

Riley piped up, "That's Malala. The Taliban doesn't think that women should be educated. She stood up to them and became the first teenager ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize."

Cory smiled. "Sometimes the world presents you with opportunities to show who you really are. Will you have the courage to stand up to someone who tries to take your spirit away?"

And perhaps it was because of the metaphoric question he asked to the class, but suddenly, Kat felt a surge of determination go through her whole body.

Swiftly, Katherine rose from her seat and addressed her teacher. "May I be excused?"

Cory arched an eyebrow. "For what?"

Her voice was steady as she explained, "I've spent the past year working on gaining confidence and stepping out of my comfort zone. And what I've learned is that being myself means helping others...The world has given me an opportunity, and I'm taking it."

With that, she strode out of the classroom and headed straight for the janitor's office, where she found Farkle.

"Look Farkle, nobody in this school loves to learn more than you. So please, just get back into the classroom where you belong. Nobody should be able to crush your spirit about this," she urged him.

But to her demise, his response was despondent. "My spirit's fine. I just don't want to be me anymore."

"Why? Because someone made a stupid comment about your clothes? That's ridiculous. It's like if I let Lucas walk all over me."

"But he-"

"I don't care!" Kat interrupted, more harshly than she wanted to. "Look, I know you, Farkle. This isn't like you at all."

But even with her words, Farkle persisted, handing over his turtlenecks to Janitor Harley. "You can have these, Janitor Harley. I'm done with turtlenecks," putting his pile of clothes on the table.

Janitor Harley chuckled, taking one. "Aw, jeez. Thanks, kid. They won't fit me. Oh, it's a good thing... they're horrible."

Kat suddenly yanks Farkle up to his feet. "This isn't you, Farkle. This isn't the boy that I know, and I want to know why, and I want to know now. Because this can't be just because they don't like your turtlenecks."

Farkle hesitates then before finally admitting, "He said I was the biggest nothing in this school."

And as those words leave his mouth, Kat's grip falters then as her heart sank. "What?"

"He said I had no right to walk around acting all confident and pretending like people liked me. He said I had no right to have friends like you, because I was the biggest nothing in this school," Farkle confessed.

For a moment, all Kat could do was stare in shock; but without another word or thought, she quickly wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. She couldn't fathom the pain he must have been feeling, but she was determined to be there for him.

He was her friend, and that's what friends do.

As Kat released him from their embrace, she spoke gently, "Farkle, I hope you know it isn't at all okay that someone called you that."

Janitor Harvey interjected with a somber tone, "Yeah, she's right. Kids can be very cruel. I know this from personal experience."

Kat's brows furrowed. "But...you were the one who did the cruel." She knew this because well—her dad was one of those kids affected by him.

"I know...I'm...I'm so ashamed. Just... just look away," Janitor Harvey muttered as he turned and walked away, overcome with remorse.

Just then, Lucas, Maya, and Riley entered the janitor's room with them.

"Somebody told Farkle that he doesn't deserve us as friends," Kat revealed to them.

"Who?" Maya inquired.

"It's not important," Farkle insisted.

"But it is," Kat retorted firmly in that same second. "It's the most important thing in the world to me right now, Farkle. And you know what? I'll find out who it is myself, and I'd really hate to be him when I do."

Kat tries then to head for the door, only for Lucas to intercept her, capturing her into his grip as he carries her effortlessly back into the room

When she got back to her feet, she shot him a scowl at her side. "I swear to god, if you do something like that again, I'll—"

"Break both my arms? Yeah, yeah, I know," Lucas assured, knowing how her brain worked at his point.

Kat sent another scowl his way before turning back to the genius himself.

"Farkle, don't let what anybody says get to you. That's what gives them power," Lucas advised him earnestly.

Farkle stated at him, almost as perplexed as he was yesterday. "Why are you my friend?"

"What is it with that?" Lucas sought to know, still confused about why he kept asking that question to him.

Riley chimed in as she stood by the genius. "Farkle...Would you just come back to class?"

"Pippi Longstocking is right," Janitor Harvey interjected. "I, janitor Harley Keiner, was in my youth a school meanie. And someone you all know and love was often the target of my shenanigans. But his will was so strong, it changed the nature of our relationship forever. In fact, he even got me this job, and now I hold him in the highest esteem."

At that moment, Cory entered the room.

"Hey, Johnny Baboon!"

A flash of confusion appears on their faces. "Johnny Baboon?" the students echoed.

Cory's obviously not pleased by this. "You promised me!" he exclaimed.

"Oops," Janitor Harvey muttered sheepishly.

But after getting over that interaction quickly, the teacher noticed Farkle was in here with them. "Farkle, you're here. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sir," Farkle assured.

"Good. Then I'll see you in my class tomorrow morning," Cory grinned.

"Yes sir," Farkle nodded. Though whether or not he was gonna listen or not, was up to him and him only.

And as the room cleared out, Kat's gaze lingered on Lucas as she walked back to class, her heart doing cartwheels and running many laps.

Ever since she first met him, Kat found herself feeling a whirlwind of emotions whenever she was around him, some good, but mostly bad on her end. And ever since she was made aware of what these emotions could mean, it only has ever heightened it, no matter how hard she tried to not let get to this point.

But in that moment, Katherine just knew, that she was only closer to the moment where she couldn't escape it.

Where she couldn't escape her feelings for Lucas Friar, and part of her was scared out of her mind, but the other knew she had to.

⤵︎

     RIGHT NOW, THE girls and Lucas were currently gathered at their beloved bay window. They had invited Lucas to join them because they all shared two common goals: wanting to help Farkle and figuring out who his bully was and how to confront them.

"This is a very special place to us, Lucas," Riley began sweetly as they sat together.

"Yep, this is where we hash out all our important stuff," Maya added to her explanation.

Lucas took a second to look around the vibrant room. "Do you ever talk about me here?"

Kat grinned mischievously. "Only when I'm brainstorming new ways to torment you every day."

Lucas chuckled at her reply, shooting an obnoxious pout her way. "Aww... you think about me every day?"

It lead Kat's grin to turn into a threat. "Aww...I will kick your face, Texas."

He shook his head before going back to the topic at hand. "Well, I appreciate you having me here. Whatever Farkle's dealing with, he shouldn't have to go through it alone."

"I want my Farkle back. We're not as good without him," Maya chimed in, before turning to Lucas with a warning. "If you tell him I said that, I will jack you up, son."

Kat threw a proud smirk at Maya. "She really learned from the best when it comes to making fun of you," she said with a hand on her heart.

Just then, the door swung open to Cory. "Ah, the brain trust...You guys have one day to figure this out and fix Farkle, or else you come to an adult. You understand me?" he warned.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, Dad."

"Yes, Mr. Matthews."

"Yes, Uncle Cory."

And with their response, he closes the door.

Maya gestures towards Lucas. "If we could just find out who this guy was, then I know you'd take care of him."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at her indirect words. "What? Beat him up?"

Kat intervened, just as confused as he was. "Yeah, him? Really? Lucas wouldn't even hurt a fly...and I watched him let one fly all around him during gym the other day."

He shot a daggered look to her side. "Anyways...Maya, all those people on the blackboard never became like the people who were attacking them by resorting to their methods. It's just not the first response of an intelligent person."

Arching a brow, Kat teased, "And are you saying you're an intelligent person, cowboy?"

"I'm saying that although I care about Farkle, I'm intelligent enough to know that violence isn't the answer," Lucas responded calmly.

Her gaze at him narrowed, though oddly intrigued by his perspective. "Hmm...Every time I think I have you all figured out...you somehow find a way to surprise me, Texas."

⤵︎

     THE NEXT DAY arrived, and as gym class began, Farkle was still nowhere to be found, much to the trio's dismay.

As the girls approached, Kat anxiously inquired, "Hey, where the hell is Farkle?"

Lucas shrugged as he stood up from tying his shoes. "He said he wasn't going to miss any more classes."

"Then why haven't we seen him?" Maya needed to know.

Just then, Billy strolled over to where they were in the gym. "Hey, man. Baseball after school?" he asked Lucas.

"I don't think I'll make it. I want to be there for my buddy, who's still being hassled," Lucas replied with a shake of his head.

Billy's expression soured at his answer. "Your buddy? You mean Farkle?"

"Yeah, nobody's seen him."

He shrugged at Lucas' concern. "You're better off," Billy remarked.

Initially taken aback, Lucas frowned. "Excuse me?"

Billy scoffed as he admits, "Come on, Lucas. I don't really see Farkle as your buddy."

Lucas's confusion deepened. "Why not?"

"You don't think he's different than us?"

"What do you mean? Smarter? Yeah, he's the smartest kid in school, but he doesn't make a big deal about it," Lucas responded with a chuckle. "I mean, he does want to take over the world and everything, but frankly, I'd like to see what he does with it."

But without even expecting it, Billy's next words would cause something that would change their dynamic.

"Lucas, Farkle is a nothing."

And then, everything changed.

In a sudden and unexpected move, Lucas grabbed a hold of Billy's shirt and shoved him roughly against the wall.

The girls, especially Kat, were immediately taken aback by the sudden turn of events, flinching as their eyes broadening in surprise.

"You're the one who did this to Farkle? Why would you do that to a guy like him?" Lucas's voice boomed with anger.

"I don't know. 'Cause he's a guy like him. You wanna let me go now?" Billy retorted, attempting to remove Lucas's hand from his shirt.

But Lucas persisted, his voice laced with fury. "You're the nothing, Billy!"

"Lucas! Stop it!" Kat roared, stepping up to him cautiously. She didn't know what was happening, but this wasn't the Lucas she knew, or atleast thought she knew.

"Yeah, Lucas, don't," Maya added along with her.

Lucas turned a shoulder to them, his anger still noticeable on his face. "I thought this is what you wanted, guys."

"What? Maya wanted you to pop me, Mr. Perfect? Well, I don't think that's what he's gonna do," Billy remarked as he circled them.

Kat's chuckles of disbelief echoed in the tense air. "Yeah, you know what you're right, Billy," she conceded, her fists clenching as she started to advance towards him. "Because I am."

"What? Kat—no!" Lucas shouted, grabbing her wrist firmly before she could go up to him, pulling her back but unwilling to let go.

A fierce look flashed in Kat's eyes as she looked at him, her heart racing with a mix of emotions she couldn't quite decipher.

"You see, Lucas is like me. We live in a cloud of awesomeness, remember? Handshake?" Billy joked, turning a blind eye to what was escalating because of him.

Lucas shook his head. "I don't like you like this. This isn't the Billy I know. And I want to know why and I want to know now."

Kat and Lucas' looked down then at the same time, noticing he was still gripping onto her wrists. It left their eyes to meet for a flicker of a moment, before Lucas ripped his hand off her wrists, with her yanking it away from him.

Billy continued, "Come one, man, the Billy you know is your teammate, and that comes way before whatever these guys are to you."

Kat's disbelief escalated. "These guys?"

Lucas stepped away from Billy, asserting, "Boy, are you wrong. These guys are my friends... All the time, not just on the field."

Billy prodded further, "How are you even friends with that little guy?"

"Because I can depend on him, because he's the most loyal person I've ever met, because he's my best friend," Lucas responded sincerely, speaking from the heart.

"You really mean that?" Farkle suddenly chimed in into their ears from above.

Their attentions darted up to the ceiling then, finding Farkle perched precariously high on the rope.

"You're my best friend, too!" the genius declared, smiling brightly.

Lucas's brows pressed together. "Farkle, how'd you get up there? I thought you couldn't climb the ropes."

"I can't! But in desperate situations, apparently I can fly!" Farkle quipped.

Hectically, both Riley and Maya rushed to grab the floor mats and laid them out on the ground for Farkle's safe landing.

Meanwhile, Lucas continued to ask curiously as he stands by Kat, "You really don't wanna be friends with a goofball like that?"

"Not really, no," Billy admitted dismissively, stepping away from the two.

"Okay, well let me ask you something, Billy," Kat interjected, stopping him in his tracks. "What in the hell is wrong with you and your weird little brain, hmh?"

There were already something else in her mind that she was trying to understand in that moment, one being why Lucas stopped her from going at Billy, but this one added more bafflement to her plate.

He chuckled down at her shorter stature. "There's nothing wrong with me."

But with that, Lucas thought out loud, "You know, I've never actually seen you hang out with anybody that isn't on the team."

Billy waved off their remarks. "Guys, whatever. I don't need this."

"You don't? Too bad. Because friends like Farkle don't just fall out of thin air," Lucas rertorted.

It was then that Farkle finally fell from the rope onto the mat below, going down face-first into the cushion.

"You can have him. You'll figure out sooner or later that they're not us," Billy stated, walking away.

"Who's us?" Lucas sought to know, still exasperated by what Billy meant by that.

And as Billy left, Harvey walked by him with a mop. "Nice. That's exactly the way I used to think. Now here I am... with a mop."

Unmoved by Harvey's words, Billy continued on his way, determined to leave the conversation behind.

Maya spoke up then as the girls stood next to each other again, "Okay, we're done. It's all over...Nothing more to do except carry on with our simple, middle-school lives...Except..."

But even with Kat's vexed mood about him, she couldn't help but question aloud, "What are we going to do about Billy?"

"Kat, you can't fix everything," Maya said, before waiting a moment. "Okay, go ahead."

⤵︎

     KATHERINE DIDN'T ENTIRELY know why she was doing this, but here she was, standing at Lucas' door. She felt compelled to be there, even though she couldn't quite explain it. She just needed to do this, for herself.

As the door swung open, Kat was met with his mother, Maria. "Oh! Hi, Kat?" she greeted, puzzled. "What are you doing here? Lucas didn't mention anyone coming over."

Kat sighed. "Yeah, I know I just—wanted to talk to him real quick, Mrs. Friar."

Maria gave her a look. "I thought I told you to call me Maria, Kat."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, already beating herself up mentally for forgetting that. "Right, yeah, sorry, Maria."

A small smile spreads across the mother's lips. "Thank you." She opens the door wider. "You can come in."

Reciprocating her smile weakly, Kat stepped inside, her heart rate rising with her steps.

As Kat moved further into the apartment, Maria offered, "You want me to make you water or something?"

However, Kat declined. "No, no, I'm fine. I don't actually plan to stay long, Maria."

"Alright then," the mother nodded. "I'll leave you to it," she said before heading to the kitchen.

She watched Maria disappear out of sight, a heavy sigh escaping her before she gathered herself and walked over to Lucas's room.

Kat hesitates for just a moment. Part of her was still wondering what the hell she was doing being here, but the more she pondered about it, the more she could feel it in her gut that being here was what she needed to do.

She needed to stop being stubborn about all of this. The fight within herself, it had to come to an end once and for all.

Slowly, she went to knock, but before her fist could get to the door, it swings open, revealing Lucas standing there, a look of surprise appearing on his features. "Kat?"

Caught off guard, she managed an awkward grin. "Hi?"

He swallows a small lump in his throat. He really didn't expect her to be there. In his head, she was the last person he thought would be randomly appearing at his door.

But her she was, not looking like she came here to jokingly torment him, which confused the boy. "W-what are you doing here?" Lucas questioned carefully.

Her breathing faltered slightly as she pursed her lips. "Uhm...I think I just needed to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Lucas pressed instantly.

Kat's jaw quivered. "I'll... I'll explain, but can we just... talk privately?"

He initially hesitates at her request, but eventually he stepped aside to let her in.

She settles herself down on his bed, her heart thumping more than she wanted to as she watched him take a seat beside her.

It took another moment before Kat finally found it in her to speak. "Since I've known you, I've always sort-of thought your nice-guy persona was just that; a persona, something you show to some, but don't act like it all the time."

Lucas's brows furrowed. "You really thought that of me?"

She tilted her head, her expression serious. "Are you really that surprised?"

And all he could do in reply was tilt his head back at her. Considering her, he wasn't at all.

"Anyways," Kat continued, "if I'm being honest, it's the main reason why I hated you...why I was so hesitant to let you in my life. Because I don't like people who put up personas like that and treat others like trash behind closed doors. I mean, I've had my fair share of old friends who I thought were good, but ended up being the worst."

He frowns, guilt seeping into his voice. "I'm sorry you had to deal with them."

Kat scoffed. "Believe me, I'm sorry for myself too, don't worry."

She hears him chuckle sheepishly at her words, a reaction that surprised Kat but prompted her own laughter in response.

"But today...has proved me wrong again in something in that sense about you."

His brows furrowed again. "Elaborate."

"Shut up, you're making it hard for me to even talk about this."

"How?" Lucas asked. "How am I making this hard for you?"

Kat pursed her lips, struggling to find the right words to say. "Because it's you..."

His eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

She shudders out a sigh. "Because, Lucas, I've realized that lately I've been so stubborn on so many things, and how I think of you has been one that I didn't realize had changed until it did."

He swallowed nervously at her explanation. "Well, what do you think of me now?" Lucas wondered.

Meeting his gaze again, Kat weakly grinned. "I...actually kinda think you're a great guy now," she admitted with a shrug. "And sure, you may tell me that you always have been, but that's not my point."

Lucas chuckled. "You're not wrong."

Kat scoffed again, this time more playfully. "My point...is that because I can see that you're a great guy, who actually cares about his friends, enough to want to fight for them when someone tries to tell them differently...I think I've gained a lot of respect for you. And if anything, I don't really think of you as my enemy anymore..."

"You don't?"

"I mean, you still annoy me every time you're around," Kat admitted, which she honestly didn't think would ever change about him. "But I don't think of you like that anymore...I actually think of you as—" she paused, lowering her voice to a whisper, "my friend."

Lucas blinked, his mind slowly processing what he heard.

Did she actually just say that? Did those words actually come out of Katherine Decker's salmon pink lips?

He couldn't believe it either. Which was why he broke into a grin as he sought confirmation, "I'm sorry...what did you say?"

Kat immediately throws him a harsh scowl. "You are not about to make me say it again."

"Oh, but I think I am, red," Lucas teased, his grin turning whimsical by the second.

Kat grumbled under her breath. He really wasn't making this easy for her. "Ugh! I think of you as my friend! There! You got that out of my system. What else do you want? My soul?!"

Lucas chuckled. She was always quite the overreacter, but at the same time, the boy didn't mind. "I'm content with what I got now," he replied, his grin widening. "But thanks, Kat. You know you're my friend too."

Kat reacted a little surprised. "Really?"

He nodded. "Although you also annoy me to death, you've always been someone I cared about."

And just like that, Kat's heart came to a full halt at he revealed that.

So I was right....He really did...care about me. She thought.

Sign #7: He said it out loud...He said it loud, that he does care about me.

But that didn't stop her from asking, "Why?"

He took a moment to just gaze at her. "Because—because you're you."

Kat grinned, before reciprocating his eagerness from earlier. "Elaborate."

Lucas chuckled, knowing what she was doing. "Because, although you also—vex me at times, you're someone I've grown to care about."

Her grin widens an inch. "Well, would you look at that? Me and you on the same page for once. Who would've ever thought that would ever happen?"

Lucas shrugged. "I didn't think I'd see the day either," he replied. "But I'm glad it did."

She smiled softly, letting the moment and their words sink into to each other before a thought came to mind. "So—we're still playing the game though, right, cowboy?"

"Oh of course, Juliet," Lucas assured with a chuckle and a nod, "But I suppose not as enemies anymore—as friends."

"Good friends."

"Oh! I'm your good friend now. I didn't realize I got promoted so fast," Lucas teased again.

At his cockiness, she punched his shoulder lightly. "Shut up and just accept it, please."

He laughs before extending his hand for her to shake. "Good friends?"

She looked at his hand before meeting his gaze. "Good friends," she shook his hand, sealing their newfound bond with a simple gesture.

And as their hands met, a small shock jolted through her body, causing her heart to flutter and her stomach to twist in a frenzy. But instead of feeling anxious or uncertain, Kat found herself strangely at ease in that moment with Lucas. She realized that she didn't need to overanalyze or berate herself for these feelings—not in this moment at least, not when they were sharing this connection with each other.

So when Kat walked home later, her thoughts swirled with the events of the day.

It was hard to believe that she and Lucas were no longer enemies. After months of enduring each other's presence with pure bitterness, they somehow managed to move past their animosity and finally come to an understanding that they did care about one another.

It felt almost surreal, like a plot twist in a movie she never saw coming. But at the same time, she didn't mind that either. Because this to her, proved that perhaps one's perspective of someone could indeed change, no matter how much they stubbornly resisted it.

⤵︎

     WHEN KAT WAS at her god family's kitchen table the next morning, something had occupied her mind then. Not to say that her mind wasn't always occiuped with something, but this was different.

With her elbow on the table, and chin resting on her palm, Kat pondered as she dozed off. "You know what I think is pretty messed up?"

"Everything?" Kim answered besides her, both seriously and as a joke.

Kat made a slight face. "Yeah, that...but," she pursed her lips. "I don't even think Billy thinks he did anything wrong."

Riley adds to that same thought, "Yeah. Where's that come from?"

Cory spoke truthfully from their side, "Girls, at this age, you're just finding out who you are. People don't usually walk around wearing signs that tell you."

But at that moment, the front door opened, and in walked Ava Morganstern, Auggie's girlfriend—a cute little girl who Kat always found amusing.

And to Cory's dismay, Ava was wearing a pink shirt with the words "Spoiled Rotten" written in sparkly blue letters.

"Here I am!" she exclaimed brightly, announcing her presence.

Cory sighed. "Oh, what do I know?"

Ava closes the door and marches to the table. "Where's my brekkie?" she demands to Topanga.

With a smile masking her annoyance, Topanga replied, "Oh joy."

Ava shook her head. "And none of that toaster pastry. Everyone knows that's a shortcut, Topanga."

Maya frowned weakly, raising her pastry. "Why don't you love us?"

The two stepped up to each other, their steps thundering as their gazes hardened.

Kim held back a chuckle. "Uh-oh..."

However, to everyone's surprise, Topanga brought Ava into her arms and gave her a big kiss.

Ava looked slightly perplexed by the fond gesture. "What was that for?"

But Topanga only smiled. "Never change, Ava."

The little girl beamed, as did everyone around her. "You know, if you ever wanted to kiss me again, I wouldn't stop you."

Topanga pouted. "You be exactly who you are, Ava. You wear it proudly." And with that, she puts Ava down on the seat next to her.

Wearing a faint smile, Kat asked, "Was that for my benefit, Aunt Topanga?"

But like what Topanga just did, she just smiled back at her. "How ya doin'?"

With that in mind, a look of determination suddenly formed on Kat's face, which Maya noticed instantly. "Kitty-Kat, you can't fix everything," she said at first, then shrugged. "Okay, go ahead."

⤵︎

     AS CORY WALKS into his classroom that very morning, he's greeted by the sight of his students, all but one, with a word covering their foreheads. It makes him stop in the middle of the doorway. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, one of their classmates shot to their feet and pointed at the apple-haired girl. "Katherine made us write on our heads!"

Hearing that, she grinned beneath her teeth. "Oh, I love my classmates."

Cory chuckled and approached his daughter first about this. "Riley?"

"Insecure; it's always mattered more to me what my friends think about me than what I think," she confessed.

He turned to the blonde beside her. "Maya?"

"When I own it, it doesn't make me feel so bad," Maya pursed her lips, pointing to the word on her forehead: Broken.

Then lastly, "Katherine?"

She exhaled, her word being Stubborn, which suited her well. "Have you seen me? I'm the most stubborn person you'll ever meet...but I'm getting better at it," she steals a glance at Lucas, who was looking elsewhere, "Slowly."

He grinned at their explanations. "Good," Cory said, putting his suitcase down and sitting on his desk. "So, before someone can use our own flaws against us, maybe it would help us to admit we all have 'em."

Lucas turned back to Billy, but the boy had made up his mind, standing up and heading for the door.

"Going somewhere, Mr. Ross? Trying to be invisible?" Cory stopped him gently, causing Billy to turn back.

Farkle spoke up, "Believe me, it doesn't help." In one swift movement, he raised his hair to reveal the word "Nothing" scrawled on his forehead.

Cory shifted his stance, facing Billy. "You know, Billy, you seem to be the only one here not wearing a flaw. Do you not have any?"

The student shrugged, his demeanor cocky. "Well, none I know of."

Already annoyed by his behavior, Kat spoke up in demand. "What made you treat Farkle the way you did?"

Riley added, "Yeah. We never thought of you this way, Billy."

Lucas chimed in, "I always thought of you as the good guy."

Billy continued to defend himself. "Look, I like people who are... like me. Is that a flaw? Because I don't think so."

But everyone responded in unison against him, "Yes."

He sighs at this. "You don't think I know I'll never be a genius freak like you? I shouldn't make fun of that?"

"No," they all said again.

Kat's face twisted in frustration. "Are you even trying to sound nice, or what?"

"Yeah, like you're any nicer, Kat," Billy retorted.

"Billy," Lucas deadpanned.

"No, no, cowboy, it's fine," she said, still keeping her bitter gaze on Billy. "I just can't understand any of this...why you'd want to do this, especially to someone like Farkle, who's only ever been nice to you this whole year...why?"

He scoffed at her questions. "Stop making me feel bad. I already feel bad enough you got such great friends. And that makes me feel...I don't know. Is there a word for that?"

Then it hits Katherine. "You're jealous," she said, her tone tinged with disbelief. "But dude, you're Billy Ross."

He tsked out a chuckle. "Yeah, I'm Billy Ross. Jealous of you? Of him? Because this little guy doesn't need to hit a baseball to... have friends? Does that sound like jealousy to you?"

Kat frowned, meeting his sullen gaze before he sighed again. "Let me see that," he requested, pointing to her pen marker.

She doesn't hesitate in handing it to him, watching as afterward, he walked over to Farkle, offering him the pen, wanting him to do the honors.

Slowly, Farkle stood up, took it, and wrote "Jealous" on Billy's forehead before grinning.

Riley smiled beside them proudly. "Welcome to the team."

"Thanks. Glad to be here," Billy replied before sitting himself back down.

Cory then grabbed a small package of wipes. "We're all human beings. We're all on the same team. And if we sense our own flaws because we see them in others," he paused to open the package and pull out a wipe. "It's true friends who help us wipe them away."

He handed the wipe to Riley first, who used it to clean Maya's forehead, then her own.

In the middle of this, Billy stood up again, took the wipes from Riley, and went over to Farkle. "I'm sorry, Farkle. Any friend of Lucas should be a friend of mine." He placed the package on Lucas' desk before carefully wiping away the word from Farkle's forehead whilst the boy smiled softly.

"Thanks. Want me to get rid of yours?" the genius offered.

Billy shook his head however. "No, I just got mine. I think I'd better try to understand it a little bit more."

But right as Billy was about to sit back down, Farkle practically flies out of his seat. "Can we do the handshake?" he asks with anticipation.

Billy spun back around and jokingly scoffs. "Dude, you think you're ready for the handshake?" he questions with hesitation.

But Farkle nodded quite confidently. "I'm so ready for the handshake."

And with that, they do the awesome handshake just as epically as him and Lucas did a couple days ago.

When they were done, Billy sighed another time as Farkle took his seat again. "Well, I don't understand anything," the boy muttered, settling back down.

Moments later, Lucas stood up then and went up to his teacher. "Mr. Matthews?"

Cory grinned. "Mr. Perfect," he read on his forehead.

"Will my friend be all right?" he asked, concern palpable in his voice.

And just then, Janitor Harley walked in with Farkle's turtlenecks and placed it back on his desk. "I believe these belong to you."

Farkle sent him a fond grin. "Thanks, Janitor Harley."

He patted Farkle's back, clicked his tongue, and stopped by Cory to place his hands on his shoulders. "This is Mr. Matthews," he reminded the class lovingly before leaving.

Shifting back at Lucas, Cory assured, "Yeah. People change."

And they most certainly do.

⤵︎

     IT'S AWARDS NIGHT later that week, and six of them are sitting in the same row, each of them holding a trophy besides Billy and Kat. But at this point, Kat didn't feel empty not having one, not anymore.

Cory spoke from the podium, "Well, we've given out our award for Genius."

Farkle happily raised his one up as everybody claps.

"Cool."

Maya lifted her award up with a nonchalant smirk to her lips. "Sup."

"Lively."

"Hi!" Riley beamed, raising hers with a bright smile, soaking in the applause.

"...and we've acknowledged our scholar-athlete."

Lucas grinned at his trophy before looking over at Billy with it. "Jealous?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah...But I'm working on it," he assured.

Turning to her side, Riley glanced over at Kat, noticing her faint smile. "You sure you're okay, Kat? I know you weren't that bummed out about getting one but I still think you deserved one of your own."

With a nod, the apple-haired girl assured, "Riles, you don't need to worry, okay? I'm fine...I'm contempt walking out of here with nothing...I'm my own greatest trophy."

But it seemed like the universe had other ideas however.

Cory continued, "And now for our final award of the evening. The John Quincy Adams Spirit Award goes to the student with the courage to stand up for what they believe in and make positive changes. This award is voted on by the student body, so we have no idea in advance who will win."

He opened the card and grinned. "Huh..." Cory trailed off, stepping off the podium and looking over at Kat. He brought his finger to his forehead and wiped it across. "Proud."

He turned the card around, revealing the winner. "Katherine Decker."

In a flash, her eyes suddenly gleamed with joy as she originally tried contain herself, but she couldn't help it. "Now that's what I'm talking about, baby! Yeah!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet with a radiant smile.

She looked around at everyone clapping for her, then at her friends, and finally at Lucas, who bore a proud smile on his face.

Meeting his gaze, she gave him a genuine smile and chuckle, and at that moment, her heart soared more than ever.

Guess things were changing for the good. And honestly, Katherine Decker wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

lani's talking!

the enemies finally went from frenemies to FRIENDS omg HALLELUJAH 🙌🏼

but dw, their banter will never end bc I said so hehe

also can't believe their first book is gonna be done in eight chapters AHH

y'all are so not gonna be ready for book 2 (if you've watched my tiktok edits of book 2, you'll know why...also check out my tiktok: 4everlaniwp)

anyway, as I always say, thank you for reading and supporting this book, it really does mean the absolute world to me that you all continue to read, vote, and comment because I just love seeing what you guys think of the story. and I will see you all later!

byeeeee <3