The Calm Before the Storm

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Dear Diary,

Confessions don't always make you feel better.

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"Lance. What are you doing? Get back here!" Keith is standing behind Lance, arms crossed and looking pissed. Mr. Smythe steps forwards.

"Now now. Lance, you're in a safe environment. Feel free to share!" Lance takes a deep breath and Keith takes a half-step forwards.

"Lance, get back in line." Mr. Smythe glares at him.

"Quiet, Keith." He turns and smiles encouragingly at Lance who swallows then begins to speak.

"My best friend seemed to have it all together but now he's gone. And now my stomach hurts worse and worse, and every morning I'm on the bus I feel my heart beating louder and faster and I'm like 'Jesus, I'm on the freaking bus again because all my rides to school are dead'." He pauses, then his words start tumbling out, faster and faster. "I'm failing math. My whole life is a mess. And it's... it's like I'm in this tiny lifeboat in a storm. And it full of people who are fighting to stay on. And... it's like if I say the wrong thing or- or wear the wrong outfit, I'll get thrown over the side. And I'm sitting, hugging my knees, and the captain is pointing." He glances at Keith as he says this. "But who made him captain? But, still, the weakest must go I guess. So... I guess I have to jump off." Silence. Lance stares at the ground cheeks red. Keith steps up to Lance and glares.

"What's your damage, Lance? Are you saying the Garrison isn't a nice place?" Mr. Smythe takes a step forwards.

"Keith-"

"Where's your school spirit? You don't deserve to wear our school colours." People start to close in on Lance and Mr. Smythe tries to push Keith away.

"Don't be mean spirited-"

"Why don't you hop into your little lifeboat and catch a gnarly wave over to Remington?"

"Knock it off, let's settle down. Settle down." Nyma laughs.

"Awww, Lance is going to cry." There's laughter and Lance turns, running out of the room. Mr. Smythe turns on Keith.

"Young man, you are suspended! Turn the cameras off." He turns and waves his hands at the cameras. "Turn them off, god damn it." I glare.

"Is that all you care about? Tv cameras?" Lotor places a warning hand on my shoulder. I shake him off. Mr. Smythe glares back.

"I care about saving lives! Keith Kogane ruined a valuable teaching!" I snort.

"Valuable?" I make a sweeping gesture. "None of us want this spectacle, to be experimented on like guinea pigs and- and patronized like bunny rabbits!" I see Shiro standing near Keith. Mr. Smythe gasps.

"I don't patronize bunny rabbits!" Shiro sighs.

"This is their big secret Pidge, the adults are powerless." I take another, small step, my voice getting louder.

"Lance trusted you. You said that you would protect him."

"They can't help us. Nobody can help us." Another step.

"You're useless."

"We're alone in the ocean." A step.

"And all of you are idiots." Lotor, just behind me, lowers his voice.

"You should sit down now." I bat his words away like flies. I sigh.

"No, Shiro was a monster, just like Rolo and Rax, and they didn't kill themselves, I killed them!" I let out a small gasp. I step back. Shiro raises an eyebrow at me. I shrug and lower my voice. "So what do you all think of that?" They laugh. All the students minus myself and Lotor laugh. My face flushes slightly.

"Some people will say anything if they think it'll make them popular." Someone yells from the crowd. I turn and run, following the same path as Lance.

"Katie!"

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