"A diner?"
Lance and Pidge stand in front of the purple-lit sign reading 'Vrepit Sal's diner'.
"Hope you weren't expecting a club, McClain," Pidge raises an eyebrow, smiling a little as she pushes through the doors. The diner is nearly empty, save for a tall, hulking man standing behind the counter.
"Well, I was hoping to, you know, meet a couple ladies, get on the dance floor, knock back a few-"
"-Katie Holt!" booms the man, completely ignoring Lance's presence and high-fiving Pidge. "Good to see you back here! What's it, the fifth time this week?"
She grins, gesturing behind her back to a booth away from Sal. Lance slips away.
"Not that I'm counting, Sal," she starts, nodding her head towards the happy chef, "but I think it's the sixth."
Sal claps his hands together happily. Lance zones out of the best-friend conversation while the two trade barbs about 'oh, that Hunk!'
"Whaddaya want?" Pidge appears out of nowhere suddenly, slapping a menu in front of him.
"Uh-"
"Two minutes. I've already ordered."
Lance flips feverishly through his menu, which admittedly looked better the more he flipped. Burgers, fries, shakes, waffles, pretty standard diner fare.
"Uh-um, I guess I'll take the garlic knot set?" he stammers, under too much pressure. To his relief, Pidge seems to approve of his choice, nodding and taking back the menu.
"Excellent choice. I'm Italian, did you know?"
She blitzes off, kicking up another storm of conversation with Sal. And no, Lance did not know. She'd always skated for America.
It all seems so...surreal.
Somehow she's everything he expected and completely different at the same time. Definitely a lot more snarky than he expected.
Was it possible that she would have watched him while he was competitive? Adored him, even?
Nah. No way.
But he watched her. A lot. Something about her skating was...curious. Her skating was remarkably different to his. In too many ways to describe.
His eye catches sight of the little dab of smeared black rimming her eyes. It can't help but remind him of the first day he watched her skate.
¬3 YEARS AGO¬
"And that was an excellent start to the senior Ladies' event! Up next, we have a first-year senior, who's done impressively getting into the final at only 16. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, from the United States...Katie Holt!"
Lance stands on the side in the exclusive skaters' area, a glistening silver medal hanging around his neck. Damn Lotor. Whatever.
The first thought he has when Katie Holt skates on the ice is about her dress. Outlandish. Most of her bodice is a sweet, innocent, sparkly white, but wrapping around her left and down her skirt is a stark, shimmering black, swishing around her almost hypnotically.
What song is she skating to?
Suddenly, Lance's heart skips a beat, because for a moment-and just a moment-she looks up, right into his widened eyes.
She nearly falters-but continues skating on, arms open, acknowledging the crowd.
Barely even warming up, Katie Holt settles into place, bowing her head between crossed arms.
YOU ARE READING
All Of The Stars
RomanceKatie Holt loves to skate. Simple as that. So when her brother Matt leaves their legendary ice dancing duo, she doesn't let that stop her from becoming one of the world's top ladies' figure skaters. Castle Rink has always been her home, home to her...
