Page 477 of Lodestar

Kat:But that’s every other weekend. What about every day?

Conor:We have a massive terrace.

Kat:I could fall off the side.

Conor:How could you? There are walls and glass barriers!

Star:She has a point. If there’s a way to fall off the side of a building this high, she’d discover it.

Maverick:Wait. What’s the actual punishment here? No cartwheels unless she’s in school? That doesn’t sound like much of a deterrent.

Alessa:I agree.

Kat:I was sticking up for the underdog. Isn’t that what the Green Berets taught you to do, Maverick?

Maverick:Nice try, kid.

Kat::*

Star:They did, actually.

Maverick:I know. But that doesn’t mean she’s getting out of it. You have to stick up for the underdog without getting caught, Kati.

Alessa:JAMESON! That is not the point here. The point is you can’t go around spitting at people.

Star:Some people need to be spat on.

Maverick:I agree.

Alessa:You’re all animals.

Conor:I resent that.

Star:Okay, no cartwheels outside of the gym and no Switch for a week. How about that, Alessa?

Alessa:I think that’s as good an outcome as you’re capable of giving, Star.

Kat:That’s horrible. I was doing a nice thing!

Conor:For the lunch lady.

Star:Where did you spit on the kid, anyway?

Kat:Got him right in the eye. Teehee.

Conor:I can tell you’re stricken with guilt.

Kat:What does stricken mean?

Conor:It means plagued with it. Burdened by it.

Kat:Oh, yes. I am. Very much so. And next time, I promise I won’t get caught.

Maverick:Not that there’ll be a next time…

Kat:Right. Of course, there won’t. I’ll do better, Alessa, I swear.

Alessa:Why don’t I believe you?

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