What's in a Name?

Kate Stojanovic

Katerina "Kate" Stojanovic- Serbian ancestry; Morgan Fischer's best friend, Kate is a soft-spoken, even-tempered girl trying to make sense of the difficult circumstances in her life. She is quiet, mellow, and benign by nature, often preferring the company of a small select few, and is usually the first person to snuggle a pet that seems lonely or anxious for friendship. With her timid and highly susceptible nature, she is naturally predisposed to attuning herself to the feelings of those around her. Sweet-natured and affable, she is usually very careful of her approach with others, especially her elders, and tries to remain cordial and mind her manners, mostly because she fears the unknown. Kate is more or less a critical thinker who seeks to find solutions to make the world a better place and was determined to live life differently, and most essentially, problem-free. She is independent, friendly, humorous, optimistic, sensitive, caring and kind, but comes off as naive and rather clueless at times, which is at odds with her exceptionally high marks in school. She has a strong sense of purity and heart, as well as fearlessness and good judgment in a crisis, which ultimately aids her in overcoming obstacles. She is also quite submissive and soft-hearted on the inside and tries to avoid conflict as much as she can, which is why the smallest things can end up hurting her, including constructive criticism. Kate is often perceived as shy and weak, but remains a very open and friendly person who is seen as a selfless companion and adviser to those around her. Curious about the wiring of people's minds, she finds enjoyment in putting together the pieces of someone's mental experience. 

Self-possessed and gentle, she is patient almost to a fault, aspiring to bring out the best in the people she encounters, although a feistier side is reserved for those who abuse her benevolence and treat with her rudely. She was close to her mother as a young girl, although the dysfunction in her family life has led her to display more restraint around her and keep more aspects of her life secreted. Despite her family's monetary struggles, Kate is satisfied with the small income her mother earns as an administrative assistant and found pleasure in books, her lifelong companions and source of satisfaction. With her private and self-contained nature, she is a reserved girl who prefers to remain tight-lipped over certain issues and takes time to open up to others and establish a sense of closeness. She can become rather sensitive to aggressive individuals, which is why she often wants to stay away from too much confrontation. She likewise has a pet bird named Pepper who keeps her company during quiet moments as she scribbles down ideas in her "thought notebook". Kate is not averse to experiencing anger however, as she often feels frustrated over the circumstances of her life and feels neglected within a large working-class family that includes 5 other siblings, which can lead her to feel hostile and passive-aggressive. She also has a difficult relationship with her father, whom she continuously rebels against and considers "incompetent" due to their obliviousness to what goes on in his children's lives as a result of being overworked. She and AJ are considered a pair of "Irish Twins" due to having been born just a few months apart and will often play video games when at home and bond over their mutual love of the outdoors. 

She is also close to her older brother Vlad, who consistently encourages her to be true to himself and abandon her false happiness. Kate quickly bonded with Morgan Fischer over their mutual love for nature however and became best friends with her once they met by chance by volunteering at the same animal shelter the summer before their freshman year of high school. As a result, she feels a deep sense of connection with her natural environment, as well as a strong admiration for animals and nature, and can't help but see the beauty in what's around her. Morgan was instantly endeared by the candor in Kate's personality and considered her to be the closest thing she had to a best friend once they continued to bond over their similarities. She notes that her tenderness can be seen with her love gardening, having adopted a fondness for the hobby after being introduced to it by her father, a corrections officer named Zlatan who works in the outskirts of the city. Kate seems happiest whenever she is enjoying the current moment, whether it's dancing with Morgan on the school roof or taking funny pictures for the yearbook. She is in awe of the little details that make up life and help her look forward to it all the more each day that goes by, causing her to feel rewarded by her experiences. While her father considers her much too irresponsible to care for a larger pet, she keeps two hamsters named Biscuit and Lola in her bedroom, affectionately calling them her "minions". Her love for animals extends to the point where she absolutely refuses to hurt them out of kindness, as shown with the moles in a whack-a-mole game and her pet goldfish, Moisturizer.