Unsaid Words

Gym

Keith ended up hanging out with us, adding emo into our already large mix of people.

"Ew guys, we have gym," I whined, dropping my head to the lunch table.

"Well I have trig," Pidge smiled.

"Only you would like trig," I gagged. "besides that, even if Coach lets you"

"It's because I have the brains to do it, and he better," Pidge smiled ‌.

"Do you two ever shut up?" Keith huffed.

"No, no, they don't," Hunk grinned, "Unless you do this"

Hunk lifted four brown bags onto the table. Each bag contained some treats that filled the air with a warm and tasteful scent.

"Are you sure you won't marry me?" I all but cry, ripping into my bag.

"Not into guy's buddy" Hunk laughed and slid a bag to Keith, who opened it with a nod of thanks.

I savoured the first bite of my treat, the rich flavours melting on my tongue. "Hunk, you're a culinary genius," I mumbled with my mouth full.

"I try," Hunk said with a modest shrug, ‌ pleased with the compliment.

Keith took a bite of his own treat, his expression softening‌. "This is good," he admitted.

"See? Even Mullet can appreciate your skills," I teased, nudging Hunk with my elbow.

"Don't call me Mullet," Keith grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in his voice.

Pidge leaned back in their chair, watching us with an amused glint in their eyes. "Food ‌is the way to your hearts, isn't it?"

"Pretty much," Hunk agreed, taking a large bite of his own treat. "Hey, Keith, are you gonna join us for gym? Might be fun."

Keith considered it for a moment, then shrugged. "Why not? Could be a good workout."

"Great!" I said, perking up. "Maybe we can settle on who's the best."

"You're on," Keith replied with a smirk.

Pidge rolled their eyes. "Boys and their muscles. I'll stick to trig, thanks."

As we finished our treats, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. We gathered our things and headed out of the cafeteria, ready to face the rest of the day.

Keith fell into step beside me. "So, what's a gym like here?"

"Typical stuff," I said. "But we like to make it interesting. You'll see."

He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, huh? Can't wait."

With that, we headed to the gym, ready to turn a regular class into something a bit more exciting.

As we entered the gym, the familiar scent of rubber mats and faint sweat greeted us. I shot Keith a competitive grin. "Ready to get schooled?"

Keith smirked back, his eyes glinting with determination. "We'll see about that."

Coach Henderson clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone, time for some team sports today. Let's split into groups for basketball. Remember, it's all about teamwork and having fun."

Hunk and I exchanged a look, already partners by unspoken agreement. Pidge was off to the side, adjusting their glasses and looking less than thrilled about being forced into physical activity. Keith found himself without a group, looking around with uncertainty.

"Hey, Mullet!" I called, waving him over. "Join our team."

Keith nodded and walked over, looking a bit more at ease. "Sounds good. Let's do this."

We started with some basic warm-up drills, jogging around the gym and doing stretches. Keith's athleticism was apparent, and he moved with a fluid grace that suggested a lot of training. Hunk and I exchanged an impressed glance, but didn't say anything.

After warm-ups, Coach Henderson blew the whistle. "Alright, let's get into some practice games. Remember, play fair and give it your best."

Our team was up first, and we quickly settled into our positions. Hunk was our centre, using his size and strength to our advantage. Keith and I played as forwards, with Pidge reluctantly taking on the role of guard.

The game started, and it was clear that Keith was no pushover. He moved with precision, his passes and shots controlled and powerful. I found myself working harder to keep up, trying to match his relentless pace. He had a natural talent for sports, and it was exhilarating to play alongside someone so skilled.

"Nice shot!" I called, watching as Keith sank a three-pointer with ease.

"Thanks," Keith replied, not even winded. "You're not too shabby yourself."

We continued playing, each of us pushing the other to the limits. Hunk watched with interest, occasionally calling out tips and encouragement. By the time Coach Henderson called for a break, I was drenched in sweat but feeling more alive than I had in weeks.

"Nice job, guys," Hunk said, handing us both water bottles. "That was intense."

"Yeah," I agreed, gulping down the water. "Keith, you're a beast. Where'd you learn to play like that?"

Keith shrugged, looking a little embarrassed by the praise. "I've just had a lot of practice. My brother Shiro taught me a lot."

"Well, it shows," I said, giving him a friendly punch on the arm. "We make a pretty good team."

Keith smiled, a genuine one this time. "Yeah, we do."

As we showered and changed, I couldn't help but feel a warm glow of satisfaction. Keith was more than just a new friend; he was quickly becoming an integral part of our group. The rest of the day might still have its challenges, but with Keith by our side, it felt like anything was possible.

Once we were all done and heading out of the gym, I turned to the group. "Hey, how about we all hang out after school? Grab some food and chill?"

Hunk immediately nodded. "I'm in. Sounds fun."

Pidge, who had been eavesdropping while pretending to study, adjusted their glasses. "I suppose I could use a break from trig."

Keith looked around at all of us and nodded. "Sure, why not?"

"Awesome," I said with a grin. "It's a plan then. Let's meet up at the front gate after classes."

As we parted ways to head to our next classes, I felt a surge of excitement. This was going to be a great day.