Home is With You

Nineteen

"Are you okay...?"

"I'm fine! I just...sprained my ankle a few days ago." 

I look away sheepishly, limping as I walk. I held my bag in my left hand and use my right hand to grab onto anything for support. I keep my head hung, feeling my face burning hot with embarrassment. 

"Um, alright. You should sit and take a break before Shiro is actually here-"

"No, no it's fine. I prefer standing." I hold on tightly to the railing and I look at Allura. 

"Alright then." She looks away and sighs. 

An awkward feeling surrounds us. It was the last time we'd see each other besides in school and we didn't know what to say. It was Christmas Eve and we didn't plan on getting each other anything or give each other any wishes. We just stood, hovering in awkward air. 

"Um, how many times did Shiro call?" I keep my eyes on my shoes. 

"Not a lot...well not recently. I'm...I don't understand how you didn't hear the phone ring or anything..." Allura scratches the back of her neck as she speaks. I roll my eyes and switch my gaze to the large Christmas tree. "Did you visit the library at all recently?" She pulls the sleeves of her sweater over her hands. 

"No...I've been busy with school. I haven't been in there since you caught me." I keep my gaze at the tree despite feeling her eyes on me. She just hums. The air was awkward again. It was uncomfortable and full of weird shifting. 

"Allura-"

"Yes?"

I look towards her. Her eyes were looking into mine, trying to read me and prepare for whatever I was about to say. "I just was wondering...um...why were you mad at me after you and Lance..."

"You picked his side over mine." She looks away from me and crosses her arms. "I'm not mad anymore, so...you're welcome." 

"Whatever." I scoff. 

"Why were you so mad at me?" She mutters, knowing it was a dumb thing to say. I didn't reply. "I don't get why you like Lance so much. He's kind of a fool and he's never serious about anything. He plays around and never does any of his work. He's lazy." Allura picks her head up and furrows her eyebrows. 

"He's a nice guy. You were busy bossing him around to see that." I let out another scoff as she gasps. 

"Is that how you see me? Bossy?" She steps closer to me.

"Yes." I nod in complete honesty. She stays silent. Her face turns crimson and she hums in angered understanding. She looks away and crosses her arms again. 

"I'm going to be honest with you, Keith." She begins. I look at her and furrow my eyebrows. "I never liked Lance." Her jaw was pushed forward with and her hand clutched with repressed anger. "He never shut up about some football team guys or you or anyone.  For the longest time, I thought he was gay..." She lets out a sigh.  "The rumors prove me right." She turns around and mutters.

"Wait, what? Rumors? What rumors?" I let go of the railing and limp slightly closer.

"That you-" She turns and faces me. She licks her lips and stares into my eyes. "That you and Lance are gay for each other or something." She looks down and does the thing with her sleeves. "It's fine if you guys are I just...it'll be shocking, you know?"

As she rambles on, my brain processes what she just said. Rumors? About Lance and I? Perfect. Just perfect. 

At this moment I didn't know what to do. Do I spill out the truth? To Allura? Do I just lie? Allura would know. Do I stay silent and let her continue her long and awkward ramble? What do I even do? How does someone even figure this out or why would they attack Lance and I specifically? What did we even do?