Pom-Poms (Shklance)

Chapter Five: Truth-Seeing

As Allura was permanently hospitalized until further progress with her condition--which Keith learned was a tumor in her upper abdomen--the rest of her friends took the next few days off to spend time with her. But by the next week, they all had to return to school.

It was 4pm, Cheer Practice for Keith, Romelle, and would be Allura, and Keith was scowling deeper than usual.

"What's wrong with you?" Romelle poked Keith's cheek.

Keith sighed, not minding her childish behaviors, "Lance invited himself to watch me practice today."

Keith glared up at the bleachers, and Romelle glanced up a friendly wave, "Lance isn't as bad as he seems. He just wants to be your friend!"

Keith rolled his eyes. Their cheer caption blew the whistle and then got in formation, Keith placed at the back. Their music started playing, and the start of the routine began. Romelle was with another girl in the front, who did a flip and skipped towards each other. The front row danced quickly as they threw the other girl up in the air.

They failed to catch her, and the music pounded over a sickening crack that left the girl yelping and grasping for her shin.

Immediately, everyone rushed to the poor girl, including Keith and Lance. Lance helped her sit up by the shoulders, and Keith examined her red, puffy, bruising leg.

"I think it's broken," Lance commented.

"Yeah, no kidding," Keith spat. The cheer captain ran to the nurse's office, and and balance was called. The girl was loaded into a vehicle, and the team was dismissed.

Lance stayed by Keith, "That happened fast. And was boring."

Keith raised an eyebrow, "What does that imply?"

"That maybe we're just a poorly written Wattpad fanfiction," Lance smiled.

Keith looked away, gathering his water bottle and bag, "What do you want?"

"I didn't get to see you practice, so maybe-"

"No."

"You didn't even hear what I said!"

"I didn't need to!" Keith threw his backpack over his shoulder and marched to the school parking lot. Lance followed, of course.

"Keith, I just want to be your friend-"

Keith snapped around in a 180, inches away from Lance's face as Lance almost runs into the guy.

"If you really want to be my friend," Keith started, "then stop being a self-centered moron."

Lance frowned deeply, "I guess helping Sharice after she broke her leg is self-centered and stupid."

"Of course you know her name," Keith spat, "What's you do, f*ck her too?"

"My sex life is none of your business, and of course I know her name, I'm not a standoffish jerk!"

Keith turned around, but Lance grabbed his wrist and turned him back around, "Allura."

Keith glared, "What?"

"You heard me."

- Time Skip to later that night -

Keith collapsed on his bed. He pulled open his phone, seeing a few messages from Shiro. He sighed and out his phone away. He couldn't help but think of Lance. What he said. Maybe Keith was being a jerk. Maybe he didn't really give Lance a fair chance. Keith couldn't do anything for Allura, but he could at least make her happy by trying to be Lance's friend. Keith is a hypocrite. He shook his head, and sighed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.