a thousand years // romellura au

lunchtime

Romelle walked through the cafeteria doors and was immediately greeted by the sound of several kids screaming. Was this what lunch would be like everyday? Probably. She spotted Allura standing and waving her over, which had almost startled her. Romelle, without hesitation, made her way to Allura Parker's personal table.
The table was practically empty. Allura sat with one other boy in silence. Neither seemed too happy to be there—most likely due to the silence, but Romelle wasn't one to talk.
So when Romelle arrived, Allura's blue eyes lit up and she stood to kiss her on both cheeks. Romelle found it weird. She was pretty sure that you only do that to the people that are close to you. The boy at the table watched longingly with a frown.
"So great to see you again!" Allura sat back down and tapped the empty spot to her right. "Sit down, get comfortable."
Romelle did just that.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Romelle, this is my friend," Allura placed great emphasis on the word 'friend.' "Lance. And Lance, this is my new friend Romelle Maximoff!"
Romelle and Lance looked at each other without saying a word for what felt like hours.
"..I'm sorry, I'm usually more.. social," Lance glanced at Allura. "Hi."
"Uh, hi." Romelle looked away from Lance.
Allura seemed to have picked up on the tension at last. "So! What's your favorite class so far?"

Romelle and Allura seemed to have become instant friends. Lance just sat beside Allura silently, laughing at her jokes and stopping once Romelle did. Allura didn't want for Lance to join their conversation because she didn't want him flirting with her. She adored him (platonically, of course) and wanted him to be happy, but... acknowledging his feelings would be ignoring an important part of who she is and giving her closest friend what he thinks he wants, but not at all what he needs. She didn't want to do either. Of course, ignoring him wasn't exactly the right way to handle this issue, but she didn't know that.

Lance shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He picked at his nails, and couldn't seem to look at anyone or anything unless it was Allura. But then he arrived.

"Lance? Why so quiet today?"

Lance looked away from Allura. Across from him now sat Keith- Keith Kogane. The two were frenemies in a way. Lance viewed Keith as his rival, but still enjoyed his company to an extent. Keith didn't seem too aware of their rivalry, but he, too, couldn't deny that Lance made good company.
Keith was frowning, as if he were disappointed by what he saw; and, of course, he was. He'd always known Lance to be so loud and bubbly...
"Allura's made a new friend," Lance gestured to Allura and Romelle, who were so lost in their conversation that they hadn't even noticed Keith sitting at the table. "She hasn't stopped talking to or about her ever since."
Keith glanced at Allura and Romelle. They looked so happy together. Was Lance sure that they were just friends?
"Hey - why don't you come sit with Katie and I? I told her I'd get back to her but you seem so lonely over here." Keith smiled at Lance, whose eyes lit up at the offer.
Lance took one more look at Allura and her new friend, and then turned back to Keith, who was already walking back to his table with Katie Holt.
Maybe joining Kogane and Holt wouldn't be so bad.
Lance followed Keith to his table, leaving Allura alone with the new girl.

Katie and Lance shook hands. In other words, Katie took Lance's hand and began shaking it aggressively and he went along with it because he didn't really have a choice. "Hi! I'm Katie Holt! But I'd appreciate it if you called me Pidge. You too, Keith," Katie— Pidge— looked to her friend with a grin. "Speaking of Keith.. are you his boyfriend?"
Lance glanced at Keith, who was completely red in the face. He turned his attention back to Pidge. "Oh, no, I'm not gay." Lance laughed as if it were just a joke.
"That's what I used to say a few years ago. Heck," Pidge pointed to Keith. "That's what he used to say."
Lance's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't known.
Keith shook his head. "Stop talking, Pidge."
She laughed and shrugged. "I thought you'd told him by now."
Lance cleared his throat. "Well, it was nice to meet you."
Pidge looked back to Lance. "The pleasure is all mine!"

"We should go shopping together after school today," Allura suggested with a gentle smile.
"We should! I'd have to get permission from my mother first, though." Romelle took another bite from her sandwich.