"Don't worry Logan, I'm not holding a grudge. And Kendall, I apologize for saying you're the worst brother ever. You're actually the best. I was just so angry and upset about what happened to me and Tyler that I unfairly took it out on you," Katie explains.
"I completely understand. I'm not mad at all. And by the way, you look absolutely adorable in my hockey shirt - but let's be real, you'll never grow into it. The width is wider than your head and your arms look tiny in the holes. It's pretty funny," Kendall remarks.
Jo enters the room and admires Katie in Kendall's shirt. "Aw, you look so cute in that shirt, Katie. Kendall filled me in on what happened earlier with you and Tyler. I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
"Thank you," Katie responds. "I love wearing his shirts as pajamas."
"Do you do it often?" Jo inquires.
"Only when he lets me," Katie admits with a smile.
"This time I was completely caught off guard when she decided to don one of my hockey shirts, claiming I owed her a favor for it. But that's all in the past now. The issue has been resolved," Kendall shared.
"Not quite. The cruel actions of others have wounded our beloved princess and Tyler, and we must take action to prevent it from happening again. Bullies never relent; they thrive on the agony of their victims. Unfortunately, we are well aware of this from our own encounters with bullying," Carlos declared.
"He speaks the truth. It is imperative that we take action immediately," James asserted.
"Tomorrow will be the day we unleash our plan, for it is more fitting than today. Although your anger is justified, we must approach this situation with logic and responsibility, considering we are mere high schoolers. We cannot risk getting into trouble," Logan explains calmly.
"We must instill terror in their souls, regardless of their youth. No one, regardless of age, should be allowed to bully others," James insists defiantly.
"I agree with you on that point, but we must proceed cautiously to avoid escalating the situation. Let us approach this with reason and prudence," Logan concludes, advocating for a logical approach.
James asserts, "Fine. We'll drop the subject for now."
Carlos offers, "Hey Katie, I got some gummy bears for you. Want some?"
Katie responds, "That's a question I'll never say no to," as she eagerly consumes a handful, leading to a burst of energy and wild laughter thirty minutes later.
Logan, visibly irritated, comments, "Great idea, Carlos. Fill her up with sugar and increase the volume of dopamine in her brain right before bed."
Carlos defends his actions, stating, "She's had a hard day. She deserves to eat her favorite candy."
Kendall interjects, "Not before bed, dude. Come on!"
Jo attempts to diffuse the tension, suggesting, "Surely she'll calm down in a few minutes to go to bed," in an effort to prevent an argument between Kendall, Logan, or James and Carlos.
"Perhaps someone can catch her," Logan suggests. "Carlos, you've sent Katie into a frenzy. You must calm her down."
"I'll do my best to distract her. Hey, Katie!" Carlos calls out, pursuing her as she deftly avoids his grasp, sending him tumbling to the ground in pain. "I could use a hand," he groans.
James and Kendall shake their heads, effortlessly soothing Katie's nerves.
"I apologize for my sudden burst of energy," Katie says.
"No need to apologize, it was my fault," Carlos admits remorsefully.
"I better skedaddle before my dad unleashes his strict side. If I'm even a tad late, he'll be in a tizzy. Nighty night, y'all," Jo announces.
"Leaving without a kiss goodnight, Kendall?" Katie teases, well aware of the effect it has on him.
Kendall's cheeks flush crimson. "Katie," he groans in embarrassment.
Katie can't help but chuckle at his reaction.
After seeing Jo off, Kendall bids her sweet dreams. "Not cool, Katie," he scolds upon returning to the apartment.
Katie defends herself, "What's the harm? She's your girlfriend. It's only natural to show some affection. Are you saying goodnight kisses are uncool now? Teenage boys are so peculiar."
Kendall shoots back, "Give it a few years, and you'll see who's the peculiar one when you're a teenager."
"I am not fatigued. I am not retiring for the night yet," Katie asserts.
"Please retire to bed. Tomorrow is still a day of schooling," Kendall implores.
"Do you expect me to return to school after what Noah, Kai, Maya, and Andre did to me and Tyler today?! Are you joking? Because this is not amusing! I refuse to go back to school and be in the company of those malevolent beings! Absolutely not!" Katie retorts, storming off to her room and slamming the door.
Sighing, Kendall remarks, "I do not believe she will sleep well with the thought of having to attend school tomorrow weighing on her mind. I have inadvertently added to her stress instead of alleviating it."
"It will be alright, Kenny. She knows that you care and have good intentions. I understand her sentiments, though. Do you remember when we were in Minnesota and I was constantly subjected to bullying? I did not want to keep returning to be with my tormentors. However, I cherished my education and did not want to surrender due to a few unkind children. I wanted to fight back in a positive manner to overcome them. Katie and Tyler need to do the same with Noah, Kai, Maya, and Andre," Logan consoles. "She will not remain angry with you forever. After a restful night, she will be rejuvenated and her anger will likely dissipate."
"Logan you're right, buddy. I appreciate your wise words," Kendall acknowledged.
"No problem at all," Logan replied.
In the dead of night, Katie was gripped by a bone-chilling nightmare that left her unable to sleep, her mind in turmoil. She tossed and turned until she tumbled out of bed with a loud thud. The noise caught someone's attention in the living room, and soon she heard footsteps approaching her room. The door creaked open, revealing Carlos.
"Katie, are you alright? Why are you on the floor?" Carlos inquired.
"I had a nightmare and fell off the bed. And what are you doing up?" Katie replied, still seated on the floor.
"I had to use the bathroom. I drank too much water before bed, a bad habit Logan keeps warning me about. But enough about me. Are you okay? What was your nightmare about?" Carlos asked, helping Katie back onto the bed and sitting beside her after switching on the lights.
"What those mean kids did to me and Tyler was completely unexpected and unsettling. It's disturbing how they found amusement in being unkind to us. I just don't understand what satisfaction they get from making others uncomfortable through bullying. It's something that should never happen and should be illegal," Katie expresses her frustration.
"I completely understand where you're coming from. Bullying should not exist, and more needs to be done to prevent it and put an end to it permanently," Carlos agrees.
"I don't think I can go back to sleep. I'm too stressed out," Katie admits.
"How about I stay here with you until you do get tired? Don't you still have Logan's sleep relaxation items?" Carlos suggests.
"No, I returned them to him, but I don't mind if you stay," Katie responds.
"Okay. Do you remember back in Minnesota when you were about 3 years old and had a difficult time sleeping because you had just transitioned from a crib to a big kid bed? You cried every night because you weren't used to it yet. Then one Friday, me, James, and Logan came over for a sleepover with Kendall, and when it was time for bed, you refused to even lie down in your new bed. No amount of encouragement or bribes could convince you to listen. That's when I came up with the solution that if we all stayed in your room and made you feel comfortable enough in your new bed, you would enjoy it. And it worked," Carlos reminisces, turning off the lights, leaving only the moonlight to illuminate the room.
"I barely remember that, but I'm glad you do," Katie says, making room for Carlos to slide into bed next to her. He hugs her tightly and pulls the covers over her more than himself. They both quickly fall asleep.
As the first light of dawn creeped into the room, James embarked on a quest to find Carlos. To his surprise, he discovered the culprit nestled in a deep slumber on Katie's bed, snoring like a bear. Meanwhile, Katie seemed to be in her own world, perched comfortably on a Hello Kitty beanbag, engrossed in a PopTiger magazine.
"Good morning, James," she greeted, not looking up from her reading.
"Good morning to you too. Mind explaining why our friend is making himself at home in your bed, sound asleep?" James inquired, unable to hold back his laughter.
Katie replied, "I had a rough night, and Carlos was kind enough to keep me company. I'll fill you in over breakfast."
Uncertain about how to handle the situation, James asked, "Shall we wake him or leave him to sleep?"
"I've got a plan that will wake him up without any physical prodding," Katie teased mischievously.
Puzzled, James furrowed his brows and questioned, "What do you have in mind?"
"What does Carlos love more than his hockey helmet?" Katie asks.
"Carlos values his father more than anything else." James replies.
"Indeed, but that's not the correct answer." Katie whispers. "Corndogs."
They both smile and chuckle softly. "I see your strategy now. Let's go." James replies as they make their way to the kitchen.
"What are you two up to in the kitchen?" Logan asks as he enters with Kendall.
"I hope you're not starting a fire." Kendall remarks while grabbing orange juice from the fridge.
"Kendall, do you really doubt us in the kitchen?" James questions.
"I trust Katie, not so much you. You have a history of kitchen mishaps. Remember when you almost burned yourself trying to fry eggs at twelve?" Kendall recalls.
"That was for Mother's Day. I thought I could handle it alone. Besides, that was four years ago. I've grown since then." James defends.
"Grown, yes. Matured, debatable. Age doesn't always equate to maturity. But I think Kendall is underestimating you. What's the plan with Katie?" Logan inquires.
"Carlos is out like a light, completely unaware of the world." Katie reveals.
"I was wondering why we were missing one less lively boy in here. He's usually glued to the couch watching SpongeBob. Is he unwell?" Logan asks.
"Carlos may not be feeling under the weather, but I plan on luring him out of bed with some breakfast corndogs. Can you show me how to make them, Logan? You're always the expert in the kitchen," Katie eagerly asks.
"Of course, Katie-Bear. I'd love to help," Logan responds, mindful of his injured shoulder still in a sling.
"Perhaps you shouldn't risk it, Logan. We don't want you to strain yourself," Kendall advises.
"I'll be alright, Kendall," Logan assures as he preheats the oven. The scent of freshly baked breakfast corndogs fills the air and soon enough, Carlos dashes into the room, wide-eyed and excited.
"Looks like your plan worked, Katie," James exclaims, giving her a high five.
"Mmm, these breakfast corndogs are delicious! Thanks for making them, Katie!" Carlos exclaims.
"You're welcome," Katie replies with a smile.
"Hey, want to see something cool? My Uncle Antonio taught me how to juggle," Carlos suggests.
"In the morning? That's pretty random, but I know you're full of surprises. You always say the most unexpected things," Logan remarks.
"I'm excited to see your juggling trick!" Katie exclaims eagerly.
"Alright, check this out," Carlos says, grabbing three oranges and starting to juggle. "My Uncle Antonio always said that the key to juggling is complete concentration and no distractions."
Just as Carlos is in the middle of his juggling act, the toaster suddenly dings, startling him. He accidentally drops the oranges, and they land on the counter. Unfortunately, one of them lands right in Kendall's cereal bowl, splashing milk all over his face.
"Carlos!" Kendall says, annoyed. "Look at this mess you made! You got milk all over my face!"
"Sorry, Kendall. The toaster scared me, and I didn't mean to drop the oranges," Carlos apologizes, handing him a paper towel.
"You shouldn't have been juggling food in the first place. Oranges are meant to be eaten, not juggled," Kendall sighs, noticing the sadness in Carlos' face. "I'm sorry for being harsh on you. Your juggling skills are actually really impressive. Let me help you clean up the milk mess. I'm just a bit stressed out, and I didn't mean to lash out at you."
"Thanks, Kendall. Why are you so stressed? I rarely see you get stressed out about anything, except when Jo or Mama Knight are mad at you," Carlos asks, concerned.