The Small Town

Thursday

They stood at the front of the audition line with Lance and Hunk, while Allura and Romelle got stuck at the back. Keith was called forwards and decided to audition for Aaron Burr, one of his favourite characters, and so that he wasn't stepping on anyone else's toes for their part. He sang through the song 'Aaron Burr, Sir' with the people running the audition and read a monologue from the script. They told him he would be called back whether he got the part or not. If he was being honest, he didn't care if he got the part.

When he switched places with Pidge he gave her a thumbs up and she returned the action. She left the room about ten minutes later with a smile on her face. They walked to the lunch line after telling Hunk and Lance where to meet them, a wall outside of the drama room. After buying their lunch, they met with the other two at their designated place.

"Ms. Ryner totally thought I was good looking. I'm definitely getting a call back." Lance smirked and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sure thing buddy," Hunk said, patting Lance on the shoulder.

Lunch slipped by and Pidge and Lance went to metalwork, while Hunk and Keith went to creative writing. There they met with Romelle and Allura. Attendance was called and they were given the assignment to write a story starring someone they admire, without using their actual name, or any nicknames that had been given to them previously. Keith immediately knew who he was starring in his story. Pidge. Why not right? Hunk's starred Lance, Allura's starred Romelle and since Romelle wasn't staying in the class, she decided not to pick anyone.

Pidge and Lance were in Keith's Spanish class and they sat at a table together in the back. When the teacher asked how many people spoke fluent Spanish, only Lance and Pidge raised their hand. When the teacher asked how many people knew a fair bit of Spanish, Keith was the only one that raised his hand. She shook her head. Mrs. Manson was disappointed. She removed a guitar from behind her desk, walked to Lance and handed it to him. He didn't When she asked how many people only knew the words hola, adios, and si, everyone but the first three raised their hands.

"This is so sad," Pidge said, falling to her knees and shaking her fists in anger and fake crying. "Lance!" she sobbed. "Play Despacito!"

Lance strummed the first few notes to the song, and the whole class erupted into laughter.

"Alright kids, settle down, then get some ladders cause you ain't even close to their level."

This made Keith, Lance and Pidge all laugh even harder.

"We're her favourites and you can never take that title away from us!" Pidge sang to the tune of the song. Keith smiled at her as she laughed. He wanted to hear that sound forever.

The day ended quickly and they all got on their respective buses to head home for the day. Keith got the part of Aaron Burr. Pidge was given the roll of another character, but she kept telling Keith, Lance and Hunk to wait until their first rehearsal the following week. In Keith's opinion, the rest of the week went very smooth. Until Thursday rolled around.

"Why aren't you getting on the bus?" Keith asked Pidge.

"Because I have improv. Mondays and Thursdays, like I said," Pidge explained, stealing Keith's black MCR sweater from his locker.

"Then why didn't you go on Monday?" asked Keith, crossing his arms and leaning against his now closed locker.

"It didn't start until today. Y'know, with the hassle of the first day. Then again, they had auditions for the play. I'm not sure why they did it like that. It seems a bit over the top if you ask me..." Pidge rambled on.

Keith could listen to her forever, but he would have to push pause on hearing her talk, because his bus was going to leave.

"See you at dinner!" Pidge called. "Our brothers are at school till late, and my parents are staying at work overnight. Some sort of glitch in the system. Get dinner started!" She ran back into the building and Keith climbed onto the bus.

An hour and a half after getting home, Keith's phone dinged.

You have been tagged in @lotorgetsbabes post.

Keith clicked the video. This should be good, he thought.

Keith stared at his phone in shock as he realized what Lotor and his goons were doing. And who they were doing it too. As Pidge was pushed to the ground, Narti, one of Lotor's female friends, pulled out a pair of rusty craft scissors. Sendak, a large jackass, held her to the ground as Narti started chopping chunks of Pidge's hair off. Lotor was cackling in the background, being the one filming this mess. The video ended with the group letting Pidge to her feet, and her running up the street. They were laughing as they walked down the road to a car that had pulled up. The video was tagged, 'I guess @keefy wasn't there to protect his little @pidgenius. And where are @hunkymonkey and @lovelylancelot?

Keith shoved his phone in his pocket and ran to Pidge's house. He had never ran faster in his life. He burst into Pidge house to find her curled up in the corner on her bed, knees tucked up in Keith's sweater, hood up and head down. She was shaking with tears.

"Oh Pidge," Keith said quietly. He crawled onto the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She lifted her head up and looked at him through teary eyes and cracked glasses. She cried into his chest and he stroked her now short hair, trying to calm her down. Keith's phone was blowing up with messages from Lance and Hunk but he ignored it. Pidge cried herself to sleep in Keith's arms, and he felt himself die a little inside at seeing how broken the petite teen was.

Lotor is going to die. He's going to fucking die. Keith laid her down and tried to leave her room, but she grabbed his wrist.

"Stay?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly. He nodded and laid on the bed next to her. She curled up next to him and buried her face in his chest. Her shaky breathing slowed to a normal speed, and she fell asleep once more. Lance and Hunk opened the door to find Keith holding onto Pidge tightly, and her sleeping soundly in his arms. Lance snapped a picture for blackmail, and they left to go get food, knowing that neither of them were willing to leave their position.

"I'll always stay with you," Keith whispered.