An intense buzzing cut through the stillness of the morning, jolting the girl from her uncomfortable slumber. Weary eyelids parted, revealing a pair of deep brown eyes staring blankly towards the ceiling. Kat parted her still painted lips and exhaled a breath of both disappointment and frustration. Her head pounded, her eyes ached. Somehow she managed to swing her arm down to the floor and slapped her phone until it shut off. The ringing stayed in her ears for a few moments, until it was replaced once again by the light breathing of Kat and the guy whose bed she was currently sharing. She took a moment to enjoy the silence and watch as a few of her spirits tentatively emerged from their veil. They floated effortlessly above her, resembling a small stream. They varied in shades of blue, most deep in hue, with a few clear ones mingled in. The blues were vibrant and magical, but the clear ones had a certain beauty that was unmatched. Their subtley required a more attentive eye.

The night had been a wild one. While Kat was no stranger to alcohol, it was graduation. It was almost a requirement to get wasted. And, for Kat, it was a welcome one. She remembered the beginning of the night. Getting ready, drinking a bit in her room, meeting up with everyone. But as the night progressed her memories became more and more strained. A lot of it was just a blur of lights, smiles, and drinks. It was crazy, but it was fun. She enjoyed herself, ignoring the fact that her time at Oakridge was coming to an end.

Eventually she had split away from her friends as the night died down. She met up with Tyler, a guy she knew from a few of her classes, and they talked for a bit before heading back to his room. This was not all that uncommon for her as of recent. She had a lot on her mind and at some point realized meaningless sex was just another method that helped her to avoid her problems. This had gained her a bit of a reputation, but she didn't care.

The body next to her stirred, and with his movement her spirits retreated back into their shy world. His awakening signaled her to get out of bed, as little as she desired to. She grabbed her phone from the floor as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. It was as she pulled her dark jeans on that he spoke.

"Leaving already?"

"Yes. I'm hungry and need a shower," Kat responded, scanning the ground for her blouse.

"Alright. It's a little past ten, you wanna get lunch? They've got hot dogs!"

"No. Not at all."

"You sure? C'mon I thought we had a good time last night?"

"Last night is over."

She checked over her belongings, making sure she had everything, and then move to the door.

"See ya," She said as the door closed.

Kat drudged slowly back to her room, her head and stomach giving her a hard time each step of the way. As she unlocked her door, the PA system buzzed to life. She turned her head towards the direction the sound was coming from and pushed the door open at the same time. The voice spoke name after name, quickly listing all of the people in the world she was closest to. A smile formed on her lips. So they had all made it after all. Her smile vanished as she heard they were to report in ten minutes. She cursed under her breath as she entered her room. She wouldn't have enough time to get ready [i]and[/i] eat. After a few moments of deliberation, she decided on the shower and got to it.

The hot water soothed her aches as it flowed over her, washing off the bad decisions of the night prior. The constant stream of relief almost convinced her to skip the meeting. She already knew what it was about, why even bother? Besides she was probably already late. It only took a few moments of deliberation to realize this was a dumb idea. She begrudgingly turned the water off and stepped out.

Kat got ready in record time and was out the door with two minutes to spare. Her hair was still wet, but that was unavoidable at the moment. She pulled it into a loose bun as she walked down the hall. She'd get herself sorted after the meeting, she just had to look moderately presentable.

As she strode towards where she had been called to, Kat checked her phone. One missed call. From her mother. Kat stared at the screen for a bit. She was somewhat surprised that her mother even remembered her graduation date, as they hadn't talked in several years. Kat had been living at the school longer than she had with her mom, and they had gradually drifted apart over time. Several fights sealed the deal, and Kat and her mother just stopped talking altogether. While she didn't wish to separate from her parents, it was out of her control. They were both too far to visit and talking on the phone got tiresome after some time. Perhaps it was better this way.

Kat arrived just on time, strolling in confidently as if she had planned it. A cursory glance of the room revealed that most, if not all, of her friends were here. She gave a slight wave and smiled. Then her eyes landed on the plate of hot dogs Puck had pointed out. Kat practically jumped on the platter of food, shoving half of one into her mouth and biting down. Her stomach growled in appreciation as she finished one and grabbed another.

"Thanks Puck, I thought I was gonna die."