Keith’s Perspective
I didn't know anyone could talk *this* much. Lance talked and talked and TALKED, all the way to history class. I was bracing for a headache, maybe even needing earplugs.
And, predictably, I was assigned to sit beside him in history. It felt like divine punishment.
Our history teacher, Mrs. Turbley, was a whirlwind of energy, dressed in a summery dress that barely reached her knees.
“...And for your first assignment, you’ll be paired with a partner to research a topic of your choosing!” She concluded with a flourish.
Of course, the pairing was determined by proximity.
And I was seated next to Lance.
History finally ended, offering a brief reprieve from Lance. Science was next, and our teacher initiated a bizarre icebreaker: we had to share three things about ourselves with the person beside us.
Socializing. It felt… exhausting.
The person beside me was Pidge. They went first.
“Hi, I’m Pidge. I’m obsessed with science and technology, I’m trans, and… I’m Italian.”
I nodded, feeling awkward. “I’m Keith… I hate the dark… Red is my favorite color… and yeah.” Realizing I’d only managed two things, I blurted out, “Oh, and I’m gay.”
Pidge chuckled. “Oh, my friend Lance is bi, too.”
It seemed I couldn’t escape Lance.
Lance’s Perspective
The day unfolded much like any other. I connected with kids I hadn’t seen over the summer and chatted with Keith, though he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. I did discover he was remarkably intelligent. Maybe I could ask him to help with homework sometime.
I opened the door to our room to find Keith already there, immersed in a book on his bed.
“Hey, Keith,” I said.
He didn’t look up, offering a barely audible grunt in response.
“Wacha reading?” I walked over to his bed.
He lifted the cover just enough for me to glimpse it, then lowered it again.
“Cool.” I said, pretending I’d actually seen the title. I turned away to unpack, waiting for someone. There was a knock on the door, and I went to answer it. Standing there was a kid dressed in yellow, with an orange bandana tied around his forehead.
“Hey Hunk! Ready to go?” I asked, greeting my old friend.
“Yup!” He smiled brightly.
An idea struck me, and I turned back to Keith. “Keith, I’m going with Hunk and Pidge to get some ice cream. It’s kind of a beginning-of-the-year tradition, wanna come?”
He looked up and blinked twice. “No,” he said flatly, returning to his book.
*Hot,* I thought silently as I left the room.
***
Pidge, Hunk, and I sat around a table, licking at our ice cream.
“So, Lance,” Pidge said. “What’s your roommate like? I have him for Science but we didn’t talk much.”
“Well, he’s not very talkative… But he is really cute.” I grinned.
Pidge and Hunk rolled their eyes. “You’re so gay, Lance.”
“Hey!” I protested defensively. “I’m bisexual, thank you very much.”
“Yes, we KNOW, Lance,” they said in unison.
“Anyways… I might ask him out.”
“You barely even KNOW him, Lance!”
“Besides,” Hunk chimed in. “He didn’t seem to like you much.”
“How could he not like *this*?” I gestured towards myself and fanned my face theatrically.
“I was joking, anyways,” I said. “But I would like to be friends with him. He seems cool.”
“Yeah, and after you become friends with him, then you can ask him out.” Pidge laughed.