So imagine a life where you were ridiculed for being different. For cutting your hair short because you liked it better. For wearing baggier clothes. I'm a girl, by the way. My name is Pidge Gunderson. And you might not believe me when I say that I'm not lesbian. I hang out with a bunch of boys, and the other kids think I'm either a gay boy, or a lesbian girl.

But I don't like girls. In fact, I have a... crush. And he's annoyingly perfect. Just that he's oblivious. And when I tell you, don't be shocked. He's the quarterback on the football team. His name is Shiro Takashi. Well, his full name was Takashi Shirogane. He's Japanese. But he's kind hearted and the only one for me.

My best friend (and trouble maker), Lance McClain doesn't know. Lance does know my gender, obviously, but he doesn't know that I like Shiro. I would never tell him, because we're both best friends with Shiro, along with Keith Kogane and Hunk. (I didn't know his last name.)

"Hey, Pidge! What're doing for the science fair? Do you have a partner?" someone said behind me as I was walking out of the building. Lance.

"No, and I got permission to do it by myself, Lance," I said, walking faster, not facing him.

"But, um — I don't have a partner! And I need your beautiful brains for help," he said, turning on his flirty switch. Lance McClain, the only boy I knew that was bisexual just because he flirted with literally everyone. So it would make sense that he would think of me as a beautiful person.

Without meaning to, I blushed. He knew where to push my buttons. "Just go with Hunk or Shiro," I said, turning to face him. He was blushing as well. Odd.

"They're working together. And Allura's sick..." he explained vaguely, but clear enough for me to understand. Allura was Lance's "crush." She never gives him the time of day, which is the more reason for him to like her. Typical Lance.

"And I'm your last option? Or the smartest person you know so you can just sit there?"

"I actually wanted to do something on space. I don't know. I know a lot in science. I don't pay attention in class because I've learned all the stuff before the teacher brings it up."

Huh. Surprising. Maybe I would give him the benefit of the doubt since I was going to do a project on making my own little nebula, or at least a model of one.

He smiled at me stupidly, nudging my arm. I couldn't help myself when I answered, "Fine."

He hugged me, which was a bit uncomfortable. "Please let go," I asked, pushing him away. Our faces were a little too close.

"Omigosh! I can't believe it! We're gonna be working on a project together, and then maybe you'll finally... um, never mind. I'll work hard on this for you, Pidge! Omigosh! Ya know, the fair is coming up, do you want to — "

"How hard is it to shut up?" I asked, covering his mouth, using my other hand to get his off my waist. My face was burning. Why was he telling me this? I didn't really want to know what he had said.

"What do you mean?" he asked, smirking.

"You just said something about the fair and our project. What do you mean?" I asked, redirecting the question onto him. He blushed.

"I said that out loud?"

"Yeah," I said, walking off, knowing he'd follow me. "You kind of did."

"What the quiznak?" he muttered, putting his hand to his forehead. "Sorry Pidge. Just a little excited."

Yeah, I could kind of tell, I wanted to tell him. "It's fine," I said instead.

"Yeah? Um, Pidge, what I said had nothing to do with anything, okay? Aw, quiznak! This got awkward," Lance rambled.

"I get it, Lance. Just pick something else to talk about."

"Could I hold your hand?" he asked, acting like his blubber never popped out. He was back in his regular flirty self. I rolled my eyes, knowing that he was such a faker in public.

"Could I say no?" I asked. He smirked, and grabbed ahold anyway.

"Of course not, Pidge," Lance whispered, his flirtatious smile growing wide. I smirked a little, just because it snuck onto my face.

"You know the kids that think I'm a boy? This probably looks really gay," I whispered back.

"Well, screw them. I don't give a quiznak about them. I think you're beautiful whether or not they think you're a boy."

That was so sincere that tears welled in my eyes. I didn't usually cry, by this was different. From Lance, it was a heartfelt thing. I hugged him tightly, and sobbed into his chest.

"What? Was it something I said?" he asked, laughing a bit. I nodded, continuing to cry, knowing I was causing a slight scene.

"Good or bad?"

"That... was really... sweet, Lance," I said through tears, pulling away. I smiled at him, and let him hold my hand the rest of the way home.

Two Hours or So…

My dad didn't care that Lance was staying over for a couple hours. Lance was over almost all the time. To my dad, Lance was another son. Him and Matt.

"We're doing a project in school," he explained to my father. "Science. We can do it out here if you don't trust us."

"No, you can do it in Pidge's room," my dad reassured. If he was thinking we wouldn't do anything wrong this late at night, then I was sure that he assumed my sexuality just like then rest of them. I felt slightly hurt.

I pulled Lance upstairs, and shut the door to my room. I wanted to cry again. "Even my own father," I muttered, my hand lingering on the handle. I pushed the button in that locked it.

"Are you okay, Pidge?" Lance asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head, and gave him a long, sad look.

"What's wrong, then?"

"My dad. He's just like the rest of them. Just another person thinking I'm lesbian. How is it that you're the only one who knows I'm not?" I asked.

"I'm your best friend, remember?" he chuckled, hugging me.

"Yeah, I guess," I decided, hugging him back. "What are we going to di about the project? When do your parents want you home?"

"No later than twelve thirty," he replied. "I've got about five hours to work."

Fivehours? I thought. I smiled. I me his eyes, and felt a wave of… something that sent butterflies through my belly.

Lance opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then changed his mind. He let go, sitting on the bed. He cleared his throat and asked, "What are we doing for the project, first of all?"

"Well, you said you wanted to do something on space, and I was originally going to make a nebula model of some kind, but really, we can do something you want."

"No, the nebula thing sounds cool."

"Okay, the nebula thing it is," I said, getting on my laptop.

Three Hours Later…

"What are you doing? You're headed into a loop, dingbat!" I yelled, steering my plane out of the way. We had finished the presentation board, and our experiment took about an hour to get results. Now we were playing a piloting videogame in the living room. I was sitting on the couch while Lance was on the floor.

"Don't worry! You know what they called me in my freshman year? They called me The Tailor because of how I threaded the needle," Lance replied, even though he completely crashed his ship.

"Sweet moves, Tailor," I commented when the words, Player 1 Wins! flashed on the screen. "You threaded that needle pretty good."

"Shut up," he said, smiling. "You distracted me."

"How?"

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" he said, blushing and covering his mouth after. That must have popped out. I blushed as well.

"Yes, I have. Do you think I just suddenly became lesbian?"

He looked down and mumbled his apologies about offending me. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him in wasn't mad.

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to say that after… you know."

"I know. In think I should tell you something."

"What?" His eyes bore into mine, serious.

"I have a crush on, uh… Shiro." Screw secrets, I thought. He was going to find out anyway.

"Shiro? You like Shiro?"

"Yeah. Dumb, right? Him and Allura, totally out of our leagues! How am I supposed to compete with such a girl?" I laughed, sad though it was.

Lance looked pissed. "You're comparing yourself to that whore? What made you think that she's more of a girl than you?"

"You can't talk, you're bi. You'd think I'm cute whether or not I'm female. And since when did you think that Allura was a whore? I thought you had a crush on her," I told him.

"I did! But I found someone better," he said, looking away. I knew he hated feelings. "And besides, I may think some boys are cute, but I prefer girls."

"I know. But I also know that you may be the only one who thinks I'm pretty," I retorted. "And don't give me any crap about it not being true."

"I know a couple of the gay boys. The ones you don't talk to."

"I figured," I mumbled, setting down my controller. "I hate my fricking life!"

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I reached down and placed my hair in Lance's hair. The dark brown strands were soft and silky, and felt relaxing through my fingers. I pet his hair, and he looked up at me quizzically.

"That's my hair," he said.

"I know," I answered. I continued even though he was looking at me, his head bent back.

"Then why are you petting it?"

"It feels good. Your hair is soft," I said, my voice soft and quiet.

"Can I pet yours?" Lance asked. I shook my head.

"No."

"Please?"

I shook my head again. He reached for my head anyway, and held it like he was going to kiss me.

"You're so pretty," he mumbled. "Have I ever told you that I love your eyes?"

I shook my head. This was getting a little too intimate. I pulled away from his embrace.

He looked a little put out. I knew he liked me on some level, but I couldn't be the safety net for the girl he was crushing on. And he couldn't be the safety net for Shiro.

"I'm sorry," Lance said, standing up. I told him he had nothing to be sorry about.

"But I do. I can't be flirting with you if you like my best friend," he said, grabbing his backpack. "I'll sew you later," he joked, smiling.

"Bye, Tailor," I joked back, sad he was leaving this early. I watched him leave out the door, and regretted not listening to my gut and kissing him somewhere on his face.

The scary truth: I now had two crushes. Qiuznak.

. (Hey, I hope you Voltron fans liked! Thank you for reading!)