LIFE, MOST OF the time is a constant rollercoaster of surprises. But amidst the chaos, truths can hide in plain sight, whilst some might be lies in disguises.

Today was no ordinary day in Cory Matthew's class. As he stood before his students, a mysterious present was in his hands as he unveiled the day's topic. "Ancient Greece..."

"Hey, what's that? What's that that?" Riley points eagerly at the gift in her father's hand.

Cory chuckled, holding the present up for all to see. "This? Oh, just a little something."

"Is it for me?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

However, Maya was suspicious of this already. "What's your game, Matthews?"

"Game? I mean no game. I just want to know who here wants this present." Everybody raises their hand, except Maya and Kat. But Cory only notices the blonde as it was obvious that she was trying to put up a chill front. "Oh, Maya, what? You assume by playing hard to get, I'm gonna give it to you?"

"Well, yes. That's one of the many arrows in my quiver."

Farkle abruptly interjects into this with a shudder. "Medieval talk... what are you doing to me, woman?"

Maya shoots him a look before Cory places the gift down on his daughter's desk. "Riley."

"Yay!" Riley's excitement fills the room, but as she unwraps the present, her joy falters into disappointment. "The Trojan horse?" she spoke in question, showing everyone that it was just a picture frame with the words "Trojan Horse" on it.

Cory's grin widens. "Surprise."

Riley's expression fouls with realization. "This isn't a present. This is one of your life lessons wrapped up in a class lesson wrapped up in a box of nothing."

Kat wheezes out chuckle at this, her gaze veering to the once-lively brunette. "How you doing, honey?"

"I'ma worked up."

"I can see that."

Cory chimes back in, "You assumed because it was all neat and pretty that something good was inside." He transitions into his lesson, "Ancient Troy was protected by walls. The greeks couldn't get in, so they built a big wooden horse and left it behind. What do you think the trojans did?

"They left it there because they were afraid that somebody was trying to teach them something," Riley retorted, still bitter.

Kat shook her head before she explained, "They actually brought the horse inside as a symbol of victory, Riles. But, little did they know, it was their downfall, as that night, Greek soldiers hidden inside that horse emerged and conquered Troy."

Cory's pride for his niece was evident as he beamed at her. "Thanks, Encyclopedia."

The odd nickname elicited a quizzical look from Kat, but when she glanced at Lucas behind her, she saw the beginnings of a smirk forming on his face.

She points at him as she issues a cold warning his way. "I swear to god, I better not hear you call me that, ever, cowboy."

But Lucas's amused smirk only continues to burn her eyes and being. "Too late, my nickname list for you has added its new member. A funny one, if I might say so."

His teasing tone drives Kat's hand to clench into a fist. "One day, Huckleberry. One—day, I will finally get to you, and I will win this stupid game between us."

He chuckled. "In your dreams, Kitty-Kat."

Annoyingly rolling of her eyes, she turns back around as the teacher goes back on track. "What have we learned here? Mr. Friar?"

"Don't make assumptions based on what you see?" the Texan boy responded.

Cory reaches for another present on his desk. "Riley, listen, I'm sorry I made an example of you. So here's a gift for you," he said.

"Ooh... no! I want to... no! Pretty ribbon... no!" Riley hesitates, too torn for her own good.

Kat shook her head again. "Honey, I'm going to be honest with you. I stopped believing your father's presents were any good since Christmas two years ago when he gave me pencils and made me scared for life."

Cory scoffs. "I did that as a joke, Katherine! I even gave you an actual good gift afterward!"

"But you still gave a ten-year-old pencil's, you freak!" Kat darted up from her chair. Her eyes widened briefly before she composed herself and sat back sown calmly.

Lucas raised his hand. "I'll take my chances with that, sir."

"No, Lucas. You have to assume it was no good because the first one was no good," Riley interjected swiftly, her eyes starting to swell with pride. "Aren't you all proud of me, Dad?"

"No," Cory replied bluntly.

Lucas unwraps the present and finds a card inside. "Get out of detention free," he read out loud.

Maya's eyes lit up in need. "Ooh, I could use one of those. Gimme that and I won't call you Ranger Rick" all week."

Lucas passed her the card. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Ranger Roy," Maya quipped.

Lucas sighed, realizing he just got played. "Lemme guess, Ranger Roy is replacing Ranger Rick?"

"All week. And now... you," Maya assured, turning to their teacher after.

Cory's tone goes down a notch. "Oh, is something going to happen to me?"

"Yes, it is," Maya declared before dancing her way to his dance, hopping ontop of it, "D-d-d-detention. But not today. Boom!" she sang, displaying the card to him.

Cory grins to himself. "Read the card."

"Huh?"

"Card."

Maya complied, reading aloud, "Say 'get out of detention free,' then give worthless card to Maya, then watch her dance on my desk."

She hopped off the desk with a low huff and returned to her seat.

"Never assume. Look more deeply. Just because something is wrapped up all pretty, doesn't always mean it is," Cory advised.

Realizing the joke, Maya turned to Lucas with a narrowed gaze. "You were in on this!"

"I'm Ranger Roy and I'll be here all week," Lucas smiled, before tipping an invisible hat to her.

Maya shuddered, turning back around as Kat hummed a chuckle. "Welcome to my world, Maya."

⤵︎

     KATHERINE HAD ALWAYS been interested in Debates. You wouldn't catch her being in one at the moment, maybe in the future, but she still really liked them.

Perhaps it was the idea of picking a side, delving into research, and passionately advocating for it, that appealed to her. She even found it thrilling to witness others argue their points, observing the tactics they employed to sway the audience to their side.

And at that moment, she was listening to Farkle conclude side of one.

"...in conclusion, school uniforms reduce individuality which will be unnecessary in the real world when you're all working for me. Thank you. I am Farkle!" he says, bowing.

"I don't understand debate," Riley obliviously admits from her seat between Kat and Maya.

Maya shot back, "I say you do."

"Okay," Riley instantly replied.

Lucas shifts to the girls then, revealing, "I like debates."

Genuinely intrigued, Kat raised a brow. "Oh—do you, Texas?"

"Yeah, I mean, exploring two sides of the same thing...good and bad, light and dark, right in front of you at the same time. Where else are you gonna get that?"

But to Kat's side, Riley was smiling while Maya was scowling harshly at Lucas.

"Right here. Look at those two," he remarked with a sly chuckle.

Kat folds her fingers together. "Well, I'm fairly surprised you like such a thing as me, cowboy." She looked forward and grinned. "Perhaps one day you could show me your debate skills...Just so I can have another thing to be better than you at," she smirked.

Lucas grins obnoxiously back at her. "You're really trying to win this game between us, aren't you, red?"

The apple-haired one shrugged. "Games are meant to be won, cowboy. And I'm kind of a sore loser, anyways."

"Huh, you don't say..."

He earned a shoulder punch from her shortly after, which Kat obviously thought was deserved, but that was just her.

Cory's voice suddenly booms through the microphone then. "And now, from Einstein Academy, undefeated this season, 72 pounds of raw intellectual power! She is who your mama wishes she gave birth to!...The one, the only...Smackle!"

Smackle makes her entrance by tearing through an Einstein Academy poster, sending a ripple of excitement through the room. And with a few punches to the air, she strode confidently up to Farkle.

"You're going down, chump," she declared before seizing the microphone.

"Wearing a uniform makes you surrender to conformity and sacrifices uniqueness, which is our most valuable freedom. Don't let anybody tell you what to wear. Don't let anybody tell you what to be. Smackle, the one and only, out."

Applause erupted as Cory returned to the center of the room. "Before I announce the winner, let me remind you all that our final debate of the season will be held right here next week, where our thought-provoking topic will be: is beauty only skin deep?"

One of the judges hands Cory the results, and he announced, "The winner of today's debate is-" Farkle tried to rise in victory, but Cory pushed him back down. "Isadora Smackle, from Einstein Academy."

Their friends clapped in sympathy, especially Kat and Lucas who were visibly bummed out by Farkle's loss.

"Well, it looks like our debate team could use some help," Riley observed.

"Yeah, Smackle's definitely got game," Lucas mused.

"Seriously...I mean she beats Farkle every time. You think at this point he's gotten used to it by now?" Riley remarked, glancing towards Farkle.

But as they turned to him, they found Farkle on the ground, groaning in pain. "It hurts."

"Nope. Good thing we're there for him," Maya reassured, rising up to her feet with her girls. "Being there for him is the most important thing we can be..." she trails off before some fruits at a nearby table catch her attention. "Melon Balls..."

"Ooh," Riley echoed before joining Maya at the table.

Kat lingered behind however while the others moved on, her attention drawn to Lucas, who remained seated, lost in thought.

"You alright, Rodeo?" she inquired as she approached him, her voice a mixture of concern and intrigue.

Lucas' gaze shot up to meet hers, a flicker of confusion forming across his features.

Katherine Decker, the epitome of indifference towards him, now showing a glimmer of concern? It was a shift so sudden it left him perplexed. Normally, their interactions were laced with sarcasm, hardly ever genuine. But today was different, and it made him reflect on those rare moments when she let her guard down.

Because though he resisted acknowledging it, those fleeting moments occupied Lucas's mind more than he'd like to admit, more than he wanted to.

Lucas brushed aside his swirling thoughts and forced a casual tone. "I'm okay, I suppose. Just disappointed about Farkle's loss. He really nailed it with his argument."

Kat nodded empathetically, acknowledging Lucas's frustration. "You've got a point there," she conceded. "But I think sometimes in debates, it's not just about how much information you say to the audience and judges. It's also about presentation and clarity. Smackle may have spoken only a few sentences, but she conveyed her message effectively from it."

He stood up, arching a brow at her. "You really do like debates, don't you, Kat?"

An unintentional smile seeps through her lips. "I've liked them since I was little, actually," she replied. "But here's something for your obnoxious mind; if you don't want to watch Farkle lose, maybe—you should join him."

His head tilts at the idea. "You think I should be on the debate team?"

Again, she shrugged. "I mean, you're quick with your rebuttals when it comes to our banters. Plus, you seem as equally passionate about debates as I am. Why wouldn't I think you should be on the team, cowboy?"

Considering her suggestion, Lucas grew a small smile. "Hmh...Maybe I will," he nodded. "Thanks for the idea, Juliet."

But before she could protest the nickname, he walked away, leaving Kat slightly annoyed and contemplative.

God...I really have no idea how can I like that. Kat thought.

Brushing him out of her head, she wandered over to the Minkus boy. "Hey, Farkle," she greets him, catching his attention. "Good job in trying, Farkle. Me and Lucas thought you did really well."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks for coming, Kat. Sorry you had to see me lose again."

Kat shook her head. "It's okay. You're a winner in my heart," she assured, pulling him into a quick hug before he left.

Riley eventually joins Kat's side as she addresses Smackle. "Well, Smackle, good job being smart and everything."

But Smackle's response was an unexpected one. "I am sad," she said in a robotic tone.

Kat pressed her brows together. "What?"

She approaches Kat, expressing her inner frustration. "Farkle and I are perfect for each other. Why does he prefer you?"

Kat shrugged, just as oblivious about that answer. "Only God knows at this point."

Smackle sighs. "Well, there's nothing left to do now but get a smoothie all alone and continue this good cry I'm having."

Riley squints her eyes slightly. "You're crying?"

"Yes...A-wah a-wah."

Kat chuckled, not knowing if she was serious or not. "Smackle, I don't think that's actually-"

"A-wah a-wah, Awagrnkhjrnh."

Suddenly, Kat comes up with an idea that was already bemusing her. "Okay...so I'm going to be bold and ask you something, but I've never really done anything like this, so I'm going to ask you it really fast and then probably regret it...Do you want to come to my house?" And immediately as the words spilled out of her, she darts to Riley. "Oh my god, I said it out loud...I said that out loud. Oh my god, am I going to regret this or-"

Riley hurriedly pats her shoulder. "Hey, hey, of course not, Kat. You want to help Smackle, and that's a good thing."

Smackle spoke up. "Riley's right... and yes, I would like to come to your house, Katherine. There is much I can learn from you."

Kat smiles before offering her arms for a hug. But Smackle awkwardly sidestepped, making it difficult for Kat to embrace her.

Maya, watching this with a mouthful of melons, grumbled, "Oh no, I already have a weird friend."

Riley smiled knowingly. "She means me."

⤵︎

     NOW, AT KATHERINE'S bay window, the trio of Kat, Riley, and Maya sat with Smackle, each having the same agenda in their minds.

Maya voiced her frustration, "Why do I have to be a part of your campaign to befriend every little woodland creature, Kat?"

Tightening her gaze, Kat reminded, "Because you and Riley agreed to help me get out of my comfort zone and let more people at the beginning of the year, remember?"

Knowing she wasn't at all wrong, Maya sighed. "Ohhh, right...I'm already regretting that."

Smackle interjected, trailing back to what Maya said earlier, "Which woodland creature am I in your mind, Maya?"

"You're like a little gopher...Chipmunk combo deal."

Riley redirects the conversation back to the plan, "Maya, Smackle needs our help."

"Yes. I need you to teach me the equation for beauty," Smackle advised.

Maya's expression soured. "Why?"

Kat explained in short, "Smackle loves Farkle."

Once more, Maya asked, "Why?"

"But he prefers you three to me because you're aesthetically pleasing. I, on the other hand, am less aesthetically pleasing, but am superior in every other area."

"Okay, so you want us to make you beautiful?" Maya inquired to know.

"Yes, but I don't expect you to be able to change a trillion years of evolution in five seconds."

The girls exchanged challenging smirks. "Let me know when it's four seconds," Riley said.

And when the time came, Maya yelled, "Go!"

The girls bolt to Smackle then, eager to start customizing her look. It doesn't take them long before they had her decked out in the ideal outfit, bearing the perfect, pretty look.

Afterwards, they sat back down as Smackle examined her new appearance. "I'm... pretty?"

"You're the hottest little gopher-chipmunk in the whole forest," Maya quipped.

Kat smiles herself into a haze. "And she's wearing my clothes...even better."

Riley grins. "Who's the genius now?"

The trio crossed their legs, flipped their hair dramatically to the right, and swatted their hands. "Stop it," they whispered in unison.

Smackle went over to Kat's long mirror and stared at herself. "My outward appearance now seems to represent the current trends agreeable to the general populace."

The trio gets off the bay window to sit on Kat's bed. "Then why are you still talking like you don't know what you look like?" Maya asked.

Smackle spun around to them. "Ah, my speech. That's an easy fix."

Riley insisted otherwise, "I don't think so."

"Awesome, like, giggle, question, omigosh."

Kat's brows instantly snapped together. "Uhm...would you like to elaborate to us on what that means to fix your speech?"

"Observations reveal that if I merely insert "awesome," "like," "omigosh," and giggle at everything like it's a question, I will assimilate into the general teenage population."

Kat snickered, thinking her explanation was nonsense. "It's not that easy, Smackle."

"E=mc^2."

Maya raised a confused brow. "What did you do that for?"

"Like e totally equals M.C. Squared!" Smackle said in an obnoxious valley girl accent, giggling. "Omigosh, awesome!"

Whilst Kat's face continued to sour, Riley and Maya leaned towards each other.

"E=mc^2," Maya murmured hazily.

"I understand the universe," Riley whispered back.

And together, they mimicked an explosion with their hands to their brains.

Kat sends them weird looks before glancing back to Smackle. "And as you can tell...I'm clearly the smarter one out of us three."

lani's talking!

i can't wait for summer yUUUH

tellin y'all, if I don't finish this story but the END of summer, I don't even know....

idk I've been on a roll though, even though I should be focusing more on college I'm writing LOL, pray that I don't fail this semester pls :/

anyways, thank you sm for the continuous love and support you all have given this story. i really appreciate it :))

byeee <3