Mr Mead had barely left Mrs Fisher's office, when he spots Kathie from a distance. She is stood with a couple of her mates, laughing and joking; she actually looks happy at school, for the first time in a long time.

But Mr Mead's eyes widen, as spots a tall man in a sharp suit, approaching behind her. With the clipboard tucked under one arm, and the bigotry attitude, it was pretty obvious who he was - the inspector. Chris hurries towards them, desperate to stop Kathie messing this up for the school.

Another student rushes past the inspector in the opposite direction, causing him to stumble into the back of Katherine. Chris grimaces from afar. Having a pretty good guess of what is going to happen next, Mr Mead starts running towards them.

"Oi, watch it!" Kathie shouts. "Idiot!"

"Excuse me!" the inspector replies, bluntly. "You can't talk to me like that. Don't you know who I am?!"

Kathie huffs, as she looks him up and down, with a look of disgust.

"Er, yeah," came the arrogant response. "I just don't care."

She turns to laugh with her friends, but before she has the chance to relish in her childish glory, she is interrupted.

"Kathie!" Mr Meads hollers, as he closes in on them. "My classroom. Now!"

Arms folded, Kathie stomps into Mr Mead's science lab. Rolling her eyes dramatically, she makes it very clear she doesn't want to be there. Chris follows in behind her, through the open door.

He heads over to his desk, and leans against it. He crosses his legs as they rest on the floor, supporting himself with his wrists behind him on the desk. But Kathie barely makes eye contact with him, instead letting out a big sigh. He watches her for a moment, as she stares out the window, not even paying him the slightest bit of attention.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on with you?" Chris asks calmly.

"It's nothing, sir."

Surprisingly, there is no aggression in her voice. In fact, there isn't any emotion at all. It almost sounds rehearsed. Rehearsed, or just a continuation of her disinterest in Mr Mead's attempt at discipline.

"Nothing?" Chris repeats. "With the fighting this morning - and not for the first time this week - and now kicking off at the inspector. There is obviously something."

Finally, she turns to face him. A stern look on her face, she barely holds eye contact with him for a second, before she looks away again.

"Just leave it," comes the quiet response.

Kathie heads towards the open door, desperately hoping the conversation is over. But Mr Mead has other ideas. He grabs her wrist from behind, and turns her to face him.

"We are not done here, Kathie," he demands, sternly.

"Yes, we are!"

She snatches herself out of his grip and storms out of the room. Chris watches her go, before flopping into his chair. He leans on his desk, resting his head in his hands. Taking in a deep breath, he rubs his hands over his face, not really sure what to do now.

Interrupting his thoughts, he hears his phone bleep. Hazily he takes it out of his suit jacket, and checks to see who it is. A text from his girlfriend. It simply reads: I love you.