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STRONG LANGUAGE USED IN THIS CHAPTER

Lance missed 4 days of school... Which meant he went back on a Friday. Not an ideal time but better late in the week than never... Right?

Lance's sister drove him as usual, and as he walked into the school he saw pictures. Everywhere. They were dark and from where Lance was standing all he could see were some blobs and maybe a word or two.

Odd...

He kept walking. The only people he had seen in the last 6 days were his Mother, Father, and siblings. However even that was rare because he was busy sleeping, or taking pills for his headaches.

He missed his friends. He missed Keith. Luckily today he would see them all. Including Allura because of her student teaching job.

Tomorrow he would be in his own home eating dinner with them- which was not his idea. That was all Mama McClain.

He planned to give Zain his camera back as soon as he saw him. It was still in his bag from the night of the party. Lance was going to give it back to him, and then just quietly slide out of the closet as a bisexual. He would be out on his own terms. It would be perfect.

He saw a figure running toward him and he felt a smile on his face for the first time in forever.

Keith.

He began slowly jogging (careful to not upset his head) and the raven haired teen did as well. Once they got close enough Lance wrapped his arms around Keith's neck and pulled him into a hug. Keith slipped his arms around Lances waist and they stood there for a while.

"Hey" he mumbled quietly into Keith's shoulder. Keith squeezed him slightly and Lance got an unsettling feeling.

Was something wrong?

"Hey" Keith mumbled back, pushing his head a little further into Lance's chest than a friend would.

"Are you sure you're ready for school today...?" Keith questioned as he pulled away from Lance. Lance raised an eyebrow at the thin boy in front of him.

"Keith what's happening?" He said, placing his hands on his hips. Keith looked at him with an expression Lance didn't recognize. Was it pain? Worry?

Keith grabbed his hand, and immediately Lance felt his face light on fire.

He tried to pull away but instead "Uh-wha-where-um" was all he could manage to say.

Keith pulled him to the front of the school and ripped off one of the pictures that was hanging amongst all the others. He held the poster out and Lance took it.

"Oh my god" Lance whispered.

"Lance I'm so sorry.. I know you didn't want people to know" Keith quietly said.

Lance was staring at a picture of himself and Keith. He was unconscious and his head was pushed to the side in Keith's arms. In gold letters above Keith's head were the letters F-A-G-S.
It was the picture from the party. Zain.

Lance clenched his fists and yelled "Want people to know?!" His voice got softer as he said "it's not even true".

Keith's eyes got wide with realization.

"You-uh-you're straight?" Keith looked down at his feet and his whole face was on fire.

Lance stopped. He liked girls. Only girls. Right? Yes. He wasn't... He wasn't what the poster said. He wasn't that. People liked Lance. The straight Lance. He wasn't a "fag". He was Lance. The -totally straight- flirt.

Lance scratched the back of his head and looked away from Keith's eyes "yes."

When he looked back up at Keith he saw an expression he didn't recognize. Was Keith Kogane actually showing emotion? Pain?

Before Lance could say anything else to the boy in front of him he heard a deep voice from behind him.

"Yo! McClain! You're back!"
Lance slowly turned around, but he already knew who the voice belonged too.

Zain.

This must've been his doing.

"Did you do this?" Lance was shouting, for the second time this morning.
A smirk stretched across Zain's face.

"Of course I did" he said slyly. "Look McLain, we had a bet. You never completed it. So you're secret is out. Sorry." He said the last word with no emotion in his voice.

Lance was furious. His mind was racing. A few moments ago he was going to kindly give Zain his camera, but not anymore. He just... wasn't willing to be with Keith if it meant being made fun of like this.

As Zain started to walk away, Lance yelled "I'm not gay". Zain turned around slowly, and faced Lance.
"Oh really?" He whispered. "Prove it. This is your last chance to make everything up to me."

Lance faked a smirk, and said "I don't care about him. Being friends was fun but then... Things got a little bit... Gay"

Lance cringed at the last portion of his words. He couldn't believe he said it. Zain laughed and Lance turned just in time to watch Keith's reaction.

He was horrified. Keith's eyes were wide and his mouth was open. He looked as betrayed as he felt.

Moments ago him and Lance were having a moment, and now all of the sudden Lance was straight. Was he imagining everything? Was he only imagining the day in the hospital?
He had been fooled. Lance McLain would only ever care about popularity, and Keith was appalled he let himself fall for him.

More students began to come out of the doors, watching Lance carefully. They were giggling and whispering. Lance felt sick.

"Hmm. So... Keith Kogane was making moves on you?"

Keith's heart stopped.
Come on Lance he thought.

Keith watched as Lance thought about his next move. Then, as Keith was expecting he said, "Yes."

Keith's mouth fell open.

"That isn't true Lance" Keith said, finally fed up.

Students were surrounding them.

Zain smirked, watching as his plan played out.

"I helped you. I was there for you. I thought... I thought we bonded."

Lance scoffed, and rolled his eyes.

Lance couldn't even believe what he was doing. Keith was his friend. Maybe more. Why was he pulling away?

"Look Lance you know the truth. I'm really disappointed in you. Is Zain really more important than the... friendship... we had?"

Everyone went silent, all the students stopped murmuring, Keith exhaled nervously, and even Zain looked intrigued. Everyone was waiting on Lance.

Now was his chance. Who did he choose? Keith or Zain? A world of unknown or a world of popularity?

A guy like Keith would never care for Lance anyway. And he was totally straight.

"Sorry Keith... I'm not friends with fags"

He had made his decision.

-

Guys I'm so sorry. Our Lance... Our baby... He... Guys... Wow. What have I done.

Anyway, maybe he will make it up to Keith? Maybe...?

Ps. sorry for any spelling errors. Please comment what things you like or dislike so I know what to fix!