Rising Tides [Klance Ver]

Chapter 1: The Boy by the Beach

Lance had always been a bit of an outsider. Most people at school didn't pay him much attention, and he was fine with that. Or at least he pretended to be. The truth was, there were days when Lance wished he was just a little bit more... something. Like Ezor. She was everything that he wasn't. Popular, perfect, and effortlessly cool. She didn't just walk through the halls of Crestview High—she glided. He watched as people turned their heads when she passed by, a magnet for attention, something Lance could never be. And he had a crush on her, a quiet, unspoken thing that gnawed at him, reminding him that she was way out of his league.

His only refuge in this chaotic high school world was his two friends, people who didn't care about leagues or social hierarchies. There was Hunk, his best friend since middle school—hilarious and genuine, the kind of guy who could make even the worst day feel better with a single joke. And then there was Pidge, the nerdy girl who always seemed to be in her own world, unapologetically herself. She was sarcastic but had a soft spot for both Lance and Hunk. The three of them were an odd group, but they fit. They didn't care about being popular, which was good because none of them were. It was a Friday afternoon, and they were hanging out under their usual tree near the school parking lot, away from the crowds but close enough to watch everything happening.

"So, you going to that party tonight?" Hunk asked, raising an eyebrow. He leaned back against the tree, twirling a pencil between his fingers. "Everyone's talking about it. Pretty much the entire school is going."

"Not my scene," Pidge said. "Too many people. Too much fake."

Lance shrugged, trying to act indifferent, but the idea of Ezor being at the party was already stuck in his mind. She'd be there, with all the other popular kids. He could picture her now, laughing with her perfect friends, not even noticing someone like him. But still... there was a part of him that wanted to go, just to see her in a different setting. Maybe, just maybe, he'd get the chance to talk to her.

"What about you, Lance?" Hunk asked, nudging him with his elbow. "You've been quiet."

Lance looked up, caught off guard. "Huh? Oh, I don't know. Probably not."

"Liar," Hunk said, smirking. "You totally want to go. You've had that 'Ezor' look in your eyes all week."

Lance's face reddened instantly, and Pidge snorted. "Dude, you're like an open book," she said. "Just ask her out already."

"Yeah, right," Lance muttered. "Like she'd even talk to me."

Pidge rolled her eyes. "You never know unless you try. Besides, who cares what everyone else thinks?"

Hunk jumped in, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Exactly! Confidence is key, my man. Walk up to her at that party, say something smooth—boom, she's hooked."

Lance laughed, shaking his head. "It's not that easy, and you know it."

Pidge shrugged. "Maybe not, but you're never going to know if you don't go. What's the worst that could happen?"

He knew they were right, but the thought of actually approaching Ezor was terrifying. Lance wasn't the type to stand out or make a scene, and at a party, that's all anyone did. Still, something about their encouragement—or maybe just the thought of Ezor laughing in the glow of the party lights—pushed him closer to the edge of a decision.

"All right," Lance said, surprising himself. "Maybe I'll go."

Hunk grinned. "Now we're talking!"

Pidge just shook her head, but there was a small smile on her face. "Good luck. You're gonna need it."

As they talked, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Students poured out of the building, ready for the weekend, ready for the party. Lance stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, his mind still racing. It was just one night, right? How bad could it be?

"See you guys later," he said, heading toward the parking lot.

"Don't wimp out!" Hunk called after him.

Lance waved, but his stomach churned with nerves. Tonight could either be a disaster or the start of something unexpected.