Hi everyone! :) This is my first Keith fanfic (I usually write for Titanic, haha.) It's also inspired by that cute little Disney movie Prom. In this story, Keith and Natalie's relationship begins a few months before graduation instead of right before it. Rated T for language. I hope y'all like it!
Those annoying posters had been plastered all over the school's walls for months now, but today was the first time Keith had ever noticed them. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and trotted down the hallway, a slight smile tugging on his lips like it usually did nowadays, when his hazel eyes locked on a piece of paper taped to one of the lockers down at the end of the hall. The crowd was thinning out, bodies trickling out of doorways and running around corners, in a rush to get home after the long school day, but Keith was in no hurry and nonchalantly approached the locker as curiosity sprung up in his mind.
Saturday, May 17, 8:00 P.M. – The Senior Class presents Prom!
The theme is a Masquerade Ball! All seniors should come and celebrate the upcoming graduation with a bang!
"Oh, God," he muttered, rolling his eyes and shoving open a door that led outside. Prom? That's what those damn posters were for? Who would want to go to prom? It was just a ridiculous dance for ridiculous people that didn't have a mind of their own and thought dancing awkwardly to horrible music was fun.
Prom. How stupid.
The air was sticky and suffocating, unwantedly embracing Keith and quickly filling his lungs with hot, heavy oxygen as he stepped out of the cool hallway. Beads of sweat had already formed and swam down his face during the short, two-minute walk to his beloved yellow truck, wetting the front of his t-shirt and the skin of his neck; but he didn't complain about it, because he was alive to experience the blazing heat, instead of dying on a stiff mattress in a cold hospital room. Every morning was a blessing now that the cancer had gone into remission, and although he rarely spoke it aloud, he was so grateful to wake up and live each day.
Especially now that he had Natalie to share his days with.
Miss Natalie Anderson, "Partner", the girl who was the reason for his now almost ever-present smile, who showed him how wonderful life was when he pushed aside his pain, physical and emotional, and stopped being such a grumpy butt. Her fair hair, round lips, and pale skin was the most beautiful sight he ever laid eyes on, though he was too shy to tell her; well, if he was honest with himself, he usually was too shy to express his feelings for her, but on the rare occasions that he found the courage to, seeing her pretty face light up made it so worth it.
He found himself grinning like a loon at the thought of her as he cruised down the streets with Honeybun, the only thing he loved almost as much as Natalie. It was nearing dusk when he decided to drive to Partner's house to check on her—she had been home sick with a cold that day—and he watched the orange sun sink in the sky as he drove along, the brilliant sphere coloring the thin clouds pink and purple.
Again, he silently thanked heaven for having the chance to witness such a sight, when he could be resting underneath grass and dirt and wilting flowers.
He parked Honeybun in front of Partner's house and jumped out of the seat, nearly racing to the front door and giving it three quick knocks. Almost immediately the door cracked open and a pair of red-rimmed eyes peeked out, a hint of excitement sparking in them when they realized who the visitor was. Natalie opened the door enough for Keith to step inside, giving him a sweet smile despite not feeling well, and led him to her bedroom without a sound. It was a familiar routine for the both of them—familiar and comfortable.
Keith closed the bedroom door behind them as Natalie perched on the edge of her bed, wrapping her pink robe tighter around her thin frame. Their eyes locked and they both laughed.
"Hi!" Partner chuckled, her mouth stretched in a wide smile, though her face was paler than usual and her voice was muffled underneath her stuffiness. She sniffled loudly and Keith plopped down next to her, jostling the bed. His hand found Natalie's, his fingers intertwining with hers, and he brought it to his lips, his hazel eyes glittering.
"Feeling any better?"
"Not really. But I'm glad to see you." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Keith's cheek.
He replied with a sheepish smile and kissed her, ignoring her protests about how she didn't want to get him sick.
He had battled cancer; a little cold that resulted from a kiss was something he could easily and gladly handle.
She pulled away, her shrill laughter rippling through the quiet of the bedroom, and leaned her head on Keith's shoulder. "I love you."
His heart skipped a beat. "Ditto, Partner."
oooo
His head hitting his cold pillow was one of the best feelings in the world. Keith sighed contentedly, wrapping the woolen quilt around his body and curling up in his usual sleeping position, but his eyes remained open, staring at the dark wall closest to him.
Prom. Why was he thinking about that now?
He blinked and frowned to himself in the blackness of his room. If Natalie was still living her perfect life like before, with AP tests and yearbook club and snotty friends and shitty South American boyfriends, would she have gone to prom?
He realized with a sinking heart that she would have.
Keith loved Natalie, God he loved her, but some days he felt bad about ripping her out of her old life and thrusting her into this new one. She always smiled and seemed happy with it, but every once in a while he wondered if she wanted to go back, if she missed planning for college and gossiping with her smart friends and spending Friday nights dancing around bonfires at The Brick.
But he never asked, because he was scared to know if she really did.
Prom.
Yeah, he decided, it was something Natalie would've enjoyed. He could see her in his mind's eye laughing with that brown-haired friend of hers as they tugged on tight, frilly dresses and spent hours curling their hair and drove themselves crazy about how to style their makeup for the night. He could see her sipping souring punch and dancing with Rafael and singing loudly and off-key to whatever pop song was blasting through the speakers.
She would've liked prom.
Keith sighed again, but not a happy one, and closed his eyes.
Prom. Maybe. Just maybe.
oooo
"Morning, Partner." Keith winked at Natalie as she walked up to his locker; she smiled back, her eyes lighting up as they met his.
"Morning." She pecked his lips and pulled him into a tight hug, which he graciously accepted.
At the other end of the hall, a girl shrieked, tearing their attention away from each other and toward her. Flower petals spelling out Prom? were glued to a set of lockers, and her boyfriend stood next to her with a big grin.
"Yes!" she screamed, throwing herself at him like a wild animal.
Some students standing in the hallway laughed, others cheered, and others still clapped; Natalie and Keith just stared, and Keith could've sworn he noticed just a glimmer of hope in Natalie's eyes.
But was he just seeing things?
"Nat," he blurted, grabbing her shoulders and whirling her around to face him. "If you were still dating Marquez, would you have gone to prom?"
Natalie gazed a Keith for a few seconds, confusion settling on her face, before she hesitantly responded. "Well…yeah, probably."
Damn.
Keith let go of Natalie's shoulders and walked past to her to get to his classroom. "See you later, Partner."
oooo
Prom.
He couldn't imagine himself wearing a suit, or even listening to those annoying songs that'd pop up on the radio when he was out on a date with Honeybun.
But, for Natalie, he would. Because she deserved it, after putting up with his bullshit and his rudeness, and because she had given up so much for him that it was only fair that he shoved aside his horror and attend a silly dance with her.
He groaned into his pillow, pounding his fist into the mattress. It'd just be one night, one stupid night; he could do that, couldn't he? He could handle that, right?
Right.
oooo
"Natalie."
She closed his bedroom door and turned to look at him. "Hm?"
He sucked in his breath, his hazel eyes glued on his girlfriend. It was stunning how beautiful she was, and how she could love someone as broken as he had been. She must've been an angel.
"Close your eyes."
With a smirk, she obeyed, and Keith dashed to his bed, peering at the area between the front of his bed and the wall, and gently pulled out a single red rose that he had placed on the wood-paneled floor that morning. He swallowed the nervousness that had was rising in him and stepped towards Natalie, one hand reaching out to grab one of hers.
"Open your eyes."
She obeyed again and gasped, her mouth falling open. "Keith, oh my God!" He smiled and extended the rose toward her; she took it from him, giggling. "I love it!"
Keith leaned his face close to hers, his heart pumping fast in his chest. "Will you go to prom with me, Partner?"
Natalie's grin fell and she stared at him with an almost dumbfounded expression. "Prom?"
He nodded.
"But school events aren't your thing—"
"I know. But they were yours." His index finger lifted her chin up and his lips met hers in a passionate, blood-boiling kiss.
"Yes, prom—" Natalie mumbled against his mouth, her knees weakening as their kiss deepened.