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C H A P T E R   2



a d m i s s i o n

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SIMULATION COMPLETE.

Lance finally exhaled and relaxed into the seat. After the many times he's been in the flight simulator, you'd have thought he'd be used it by now. But alas, he still tensed up during the test.

I could've done better.

He knew Keith wasn't the same. That boy knew what to do every time and would pass the test with flying colours.

He exited out of the simulator to be greeted by Commander Iverson.

"Well done, cadet. You've improved since the last test," he commended to Lance, "keep up the good work."

He perked up at compliment and accepted his progress report from the Commander before heading down to the where Pidge and Hunk sat at.

"You only got hit 3 times this time!" Hunk praised Lance.

Before Lance could revel in his new best score, the Commander announced the next cadet up.

"Keith Kogane."

Lance frowned at his name, his mood deflated.

"Keith's always one-upping me," Lance complained as he plopped down next to Pidge.

"He hasn't even done anything yet," Pidge pointed out.

He scowled. "He doesn't need to- he knows he can get a better score than me."

"We know he can get a better score than everyone here," she added.

Lance hmphed. "Did Allura drop by?"

They both shook their heads.

Lance failed to subdue his disappointment. "Oh."

He looked up to observe Keith through the widescreen monitor that mounted above the simulator.

Lance admired how quick the paler boy's fingers flew between the right switches without difficulty. He hated to admit it but Keith looked effortlessly cool.

Once the dark haired boy finished smoothly prepping the simulator, the countdown commenced.

Hunk nudged Pidge and pouted towards Lance, who had instinctively stood up and was now fully immersed on the screen.

Lance noticed how Keith's eyebrows furrowed at the screen, and how his grip on the dual handles had tightened. Keith was fully in the zone now. For some reason, his focus face charmed Lance.

3... 2... 1... The simulation had begun.

"Lance!" Pidge called out to him for the third time.

"Huh, what?"

"You're drooling."

Hunk snorted as Lance wiped his dry mouth. "You liar, I wasn't!"

"You might as well have. I called out to you so many times but you were in like a trance," the girl joked.

"I was just observing." Lance crossed his arms.

"This isn't the first time, you know," Hunk inputted.

"You really don't realise it?" Pidge asked genuinely.

"What?" Lance looked between the small girl and the bigger guy quizzically.

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