Chapter 13

"This should be fun," Keith said, parking old red. The parking lot was slammed packed full of cars and people. Family members, students, and fans talked joyfully and excitedly as they headed to the fields front gates.

Friday night lights was officially in motion.

"Why are there so many people? It seems like a lot more people than I remember," said Pidge. She knew her voice sounded mousy and shy and it was because it was crowded.

It was so crowded and she was worried because she didn't like people.

"It just feels and looks like there are more because you're nervous," commented Keith.

"I am so nervous. Do I have to do this?" She whined.

"Yes, you do. Now come on, I have to be at the locker room to get changed."

Groaning, the brunette climbed out and made sure to straighten her high thigh socks.

"Pidge!" One of the Girls from the squad called. She was a bouncy blonde named Whitney that had helped the brunette out a lot when it came to poses and positioning. Especially while being up in the air. "I'm so glad I caught you before you went in."

Pidge gave her a quizzical look.

Bright green streamers and strings hung from the blondes hand. The vibrant color matched the green in both of their uniforms. "Green is your favorite color, right? I made sure to grab blue too, just in case. I know I've seen you wear both a lot."

"I wonder why that is," Keith smirked, rounding the hood to stand with the two girls. He wasn't asking a question, just being a smart ass.

So I wear a lot of blue because it's Lance's favorite color, so what.

Actually, since she has both….

"Can I use both?" Pidge asked the cheerleader, choosing to not respond to Keith's nitpicking.

"Sure!"

"What are they for anyways?" asked Keith. He grabbed the blue streamers from the blonde as she pulled them from her bag. Pidge grabbed the green.

"They are hair accessories. You just add them to your ponytail," answerd Pidge. She reached behind her to wrap the colorful strings around her elastic. Then she took the ones from the asian and mix matched them in different ways. Some hung over the top while others laid under her long tresses.

"Perfect!" Whitney cheered. "I'll see you out there." She left with a grin and hop in her step.

Preppy cheerleaders.

"Alright, let's go. Everyone else is probably already on the field doing pre- game warmups." The asian grabbed her hand and started to drag her.

Lance scanned over the bleachers every couple of seconds for a certain petite squad member. The bleachers were crammed almost shoulder to shoulder and people were still filling in.

It didn't really bother the cuban, though. He believed the more the merrier. But he knew a certain someone wouldn't see it that way and most likely be sick with nerves. Which in return made him feel sick because how could he not worry over her. She was going to be doing complicated types of moves and have the ground swept out from underneath her every few minutes. I mean, There was a chance he would get tackled by 200 sized Males and he still wasn't nearly as terrified for himself as he was for the brunette.

She'd probably kill him for even thinking it, but she was a vulnerable and fragile little thing.Where he could take a hit, she would break upon impact.

Maybe he should have begged her to stay home. Surely she wouldn't have fought him on it. Basically all week she had been silently pleading for someone to give her a good excuse, any excuse, to not continue with the favor for Allura. Just one push, a slight disagreement for what she was doing and she would have stopped.

Why didn't he say anything?!

She was exhausted and miserable. She was living her worst nightmare and he didn't bother to do anything. Now she was going to be sick or mess up because of exhaustion and it was gonna be his fault!

"It'll be fine, Lance." Hunk patted his friend's shoulder, coming to stand beside him. They both faced the bleachers and while the cuban looked for Pidge or any sign of her family, Hunk just simply watched the students and supporters. "Pidge will be fine. She will show up eventually. Keith isn't even here yet, so she didn't ditch."

Lance turned his gaze onto his burley and tall friend. He was wearing the same black jersey all the player's had on. Only difference was the numbers and last name that was printed in bold white on the back.

The front was also different from a few of their teammates, seeing as each student was allowed to pick their own color from the school's assortment.

Donning the front of Hunks jersey was a wide V like symbol that was thin but colored in a bright yellow. The same symbol in the same color was plastered on the corner of his black pants.

Lance had both as well but in blue.

Keith was red and Lotor just had his in a regular white. Being the captain exempted him from anything but black and white.

Which lance himself,

thoughtwas stupid but luckily the captain prefered it, not being much of a colorful person.

"Is it wrong of me to hope she did?"

"Why would you want that?" Asked Hunk.

"What If she gets hurt, Hunk? We all know how she gets under pressure."

His friend simpliy shook his head in amusement, "It's not pressure she's under, it's fear. Nerves. Something she will get over with time. You are the only one who is worried because you're letting your feelings take over you."

"My feelings?" Lance asked, raising a eyebrow and trying to play dumb.

Hunk can't know too.

But he did.

The expression that purely read "Don't give me that." was written all over the linebackers face. "I'm not as clueless as you are, Lance."

Why was he clueless? He liked Pidge, he knew that. Hell, he loved her. But she didn't return the feelings. So why did that make him clueless?

"Everyone can read it off you. I'm not quite sure why Pidge hasn't, but maybe she's just as bad as you."

Ok yeah. He could understand the prospect of the brunette being clueless when it came to his feelings for her. He watched her miss his signals every single day. Not that he was throwing them out that hard but you would think for how long he had been at it, that she would have noticed something by now. She was practically a genius.

Lance exhaled loudly, "How long have you known?"

"Oh I've been rooting for the two of you since 2nd semester of freshman year," Hunk answered with an air of aloofness around him. He didn't react in the slightest to the wide eyed look the cuban was giving him.

"Keith, however, has a bet set up with some of the guys on how long it'll take for you two to finally get a clue."

"What guys?!" lance about screeched. Why would Keith do such a thing?!

"Lotor, Rolo, Ryan, and Some of the other players. Coach Iverson even has $20 put down on senior year prom."

"Coach is in on it to?!"

Hunk nodded.

"How much is the bet?"

The burly teen squinted his eyes In thought and scratched the back of his head. "As of last Wednesday….$400 something, I think."

$400! How many people exactly were betting on them?

Who in their right mind would bet on them?

Did they see something he didn't?

"Dios. Pidge will kill Keith if she finds out," said Lance, shaking his head and finally calming down from the shock. The bet was a good distraction for a while but his stomach still rolled when he thought about everything the brunette was going to have to do once the game started.

"Without question." Hunk commented.

Looking back over the bleachers, Lance spotted Matt and Shiro all the way at the top. They were seated right where The cheerleaders would be and the cuban figured it was so Pidge's brother could keep an eye on his little sister.

But still no sign of the brunette.

"Victorious" by Panic At The Disco blasted from the speakers of the scoreboard and it was then that Lance had realized just how loud the field had gotten. "We'll be starting soon with the banner, probably should be heading back," said Lotor as he jogged up to them.

Right, the banner.

At the start of every football season, the school's art class made a large banner. It was signed with various signatures and notes of Goodluck. The team always ran through it when exiting the locker room.

Sighing and giving up, Lance turned from the bleachers and followed his two friends.

Maybe she really did ditch.

"Hey, look who finally made it," said Hunk, a large smile appearing on his face.

The cuban looked up quickly into the direction his friend was grinning at and almost tripped.

Pidge in all her short skirt glory was walking towards him with a shy expression. Her arms were tightly pressed up against her side as she timidly walked onto the field.

Could a person die from cuteness overload? Because Lance was sure he was about to.

It would be the greatest scientific death in years.

Lance McClain killed by accidental manslaughter.

Cause: His best friend and secret love, in a cheerleading uniform.

The cuban had considered the brunette many things over the years when it came to her looks.

Beautiful

Gorgeous

Pretty

And dare he say, cute and

adorable.

But never had Lance thought ofhis best friend as Hot.

Never had he had just a searing and unattainable heat burn inside himself for her. Warmth spread low and deep into his abdomen. An awful throb in his chest made itself known, his heart beating wildly.

The uniform really did it for him.

His teenage hormones flared at that moment and Lance had never felt such lust. Not even when he got hot and heavy with a couple of his past ex's. At least he was making out with them and they were giving each other serious physical contact.

He wasn't even touching Pidge!

But he so badly wanted to…

No! Bad Lance! Don't talk about her like she's a sexual object. She's my best friend. She doesn't look hot, she looks-

"Amazing. You look amazing, Pidge," he said as she was finally standing in front of him.

She blushed and the cuban chalked it up to her just being timid and out of her comfort zone.

Glancing away from the absolute vision in front of him, Lance noticed Keith behind her pointing at the short girl and then giving the cuban a thumbs up.

He was pretty sure the asian was trying to say she looked good.

At least he hoped he was.

He wasn't very good with...whatever Keith was trying to do.

"Wowza!" exclaimed Rolo as he joined them and got a good look at the temporary squad member. "Go team." His eyes were wide as he checked her out and Lance wanted to slap him upside the head.

"Yeah yeah. Laugh it up and enjoy it while it lasts," Pidge said with amusement. Apparently Rolo teasing her had made her loosen up, her arms relaxing beside her. It was familiar to her and eased her nerves away.

The stoner leaned behind her so he could get a better look at her backside and Lance was quick to really hit him that time. "Ow! Dude! What was that for?! She said enjoy it!"

"That's not what she meant, Crackhead," the cuban said bitingly but also jokingly. He knew the guy was just kidding around. Still didn't mean he could look at his best friend's ass and get away with it though. Not in front of him at least.

"Hey man, I don't do Crack. I smoke weed. Know your stuff."

The brunette snickered, making Lance smile.

"LOCKER ROOM! NOW!" Iverson yelled through a megaphone. The coach was waiting near the double doors at the end of the field and was angrily rallying up his players.

"Better get to the side lines, pidgeon," Lance told her. She nodded her head and touched his arm briefly with her hand as a fleeting but small Goodluck, before doing as told.

"Might want to keep those ogling eyes of yours locked away, lover boy. I could practically see your boner from the field goal," Keith laughed.

Lance pushed him roughly, ignoring the snickering of his other friends. "Shut up, mullet."

They were 7 to 18, lions taking the lead. It was the 2nd quarter and only 1 minute was left.

So far, Lance thought their rival team was pretty damn good.

The Galran Wild Cats were a force to be reckoned with. Their defense was pure perfection and the cuban was so confused on how his team was winning. Perhaps it was Keith's amazing speed as he flawlessly dodged each player. Maybe even Ryan with his beautiful kicks through the field goal. Shit, it was probably his bulldozer of a friend, Hunk. He was the only reason they got as far as they did with how strongly he defended the line.

Whoever it was though, it wasn't Lance. The sharp shooter was completely off his game and he knew he was lucky to have such talented friends.

"Focus, Lance. Keep your eyes on the prize," Lotor said as he ran past the cuban to get into position. He was being encouraging and Lance appreciated it.

"Oh he has his eyes on the prize," spoke Keith, breathlessly as he stood next to him. "His just looks different from ours."

The captain laughed at the asian's joke and in that moment Lance was too ashamed to blame him.

Keith was right. The prize he had been eyeing was off on the sidelines, looking absolutely smokin'.

How on earth was he supposed to keep his head on straight when she had such an outfit on.

She was still fairly covered, more than she would have been without the high socks and for that, Lance was entirely grateful.

He would have been an absolute mess if she had shown anymore of the beautiful sight that was her smooth skin.

He couldn't help watching as everytime she was up in the air, her skirt rose up higher. It was just like her shirt incident early that day and Lance couldn't fathom how much he loved the way gravity worked.

More and more milky skin was shown between the delicious spot of her socks and hem line as she flew.

Boy, did he have to thank Allura.

"Lance, I swear. You may be my friend but she is like my sister and If you keep looking at her like a thirsting dog, I'm gon-" Keith was interrupted as the play was called into motion. He ran far out as Lance caught the ball and aimed it for his outstretched arms.

Luckily, Keith had brought him out of his dirty thoughts before he screwed everything up. Even if it was with an unfinished threat.

The asian was tackled on the first down line and a loud horn sounded, announcing it was the end of the first half.

"Oh thank god," Lance breathed out, placing his hands on his knees. He was exhausted. Not from the game but from trying to keep his thoughts on only the game.

Pidge was killing him.

"Lance, are you ok?"

"No, Hunk, buddy, I'm not."

Hunk looked to his friend in concern, taking his Helmet off and revealing his sweat soaked orange head band. "What's wrong?"

The cuban groaned, standing up to his full height and running his hands through his wet hair. "Somebody has got to get that girl some clothes."

The linebacker chuckled, worry leaving his features.

"Maybe you should come get some water with me." Hunk advised, grabbing his shoulder to push him along but was waved off as Lance backed away.

"I'm good, bud. I'm actually going to go talk to Pidge."

"Are you sure that's smart? Isn't she what's got you all over the place?"

Oh great. Who else watched me drool?

"Yeah, i'm just gonna go confront my problem. Maybe it'll help clear my mind." With that being said, Lance was already headed towards the fence where people crawled all over, getting up to get refreshments.

Lotor and allura were leaning against the fence hugging when he finally reached the opening and he waved after catching Allura's eye.

She smiled in kind and pointed a finger behind her, already knowing who he was looking for.

The brunette stood on top of the first row of bleachers, hugging her brother. She was smiling wildly as her sibling made a show of squeezing her tightly.

Shiro was nowhere to be seen though and the cuban guessed that he went to search for his younger brother.

Wanting to give the two a moment before he Interrupted, Lance leaned up against the metal wire behind him.

It was always nice seeing Pidge react with Matt. They were always sweet to one another and even silly at most times.

The brunette was usually always smiling around her brother and it was a smile he loved to see on her.

Matt swirled one of the blue streamers within his sister's hair around his finger before affectionately tugging on it.

She blushed in response to something he had said and so did Lance but for a different reason. He blushed because he had just noticed that she had his jersey accent color weaved into the many brown strands of her ponytail. Her favorite color joined his in some places.

Had he really been so focused on her...exposed skin, that he didn't even notice the fan support she had placed in her long locks just for him.

He silently berated himself for being such a bad friend and perv as Shiro returned and placed his hand around his boyfriend's waist. They both smiled at the short girl before climbing back up the bleachers to their spot.

Lance began to lean away from the gate so he could finally speak to her but stopped when another player approached his best friend.

"Pidge, can I talk to you for a second?"

Griffin's hair was slicked back with sweat and his forehead beaded with preparation. He stood In front of the brunette much like the first day he had talked to her at practice, complimenting her on her singing. "I wanted to apologize for what happened at lunch yesterday. I made a mistake."

So he did notice that he was hurting me? Pidge thought. She wasn't quite sure if the football player knew how hard he handled her.

"I let my anger get the best of me. The fact that you wanted to hang out with Lance irritated me, which I know is not a good excuse."

"No, it isn't. Lance is my best friend. Of course I'm going to pick to sit with him." Pidge finally spoke.

Something dark flickered in the jocks sorrow filled eyes. It happened so quickly that the brunette swore she was imaging it. Did saying that she would rather sit with Lance, anger him?

"I know. I was just jealous."

Why would he be jealous?

"You're an amazing girl, Pidge. I just want to spend some time with you. More than just inside classes."

Pidge was starting to think that maybe her previous thought on the jock liking her...might not be so absurd.

"What do you mean?" She asked. She really didn't need this right now.It was flattering, really. She was surprised that someone as attractive as Griffin found her worthy enough of his affection and time. But it sucked knowing she couldn't possibly return his feelings.

She knew how bad he would feel if she turned him down. She was going through something similar with her crush on Lance.

"Well. Maybe we could do something outside of school." The jock smiled charmingly and reached his hand out. He grazed it slowly over her arm, watching it slide down her skin as he talked. "You know, together."

She pulled her arm from him hesitantly. "Look, Griffin. I don't think we are on the same page here, I don't-"

"Wow, Pidge. You have got to be mighty popular for James Griffin to be gracing you with his presence," said Lance as he joined them.

The brunette noticed that the cuban made sure to stand right beside her. Very closely.

"Aren't you usually parading yourself around your many fan clubs of girls." Lance was being snarky as he talked, leering at his teammate.

"Maybe I've found something more important to spend my time on."

Lance traded his fake smile for a glare, the corner of his lips dropping instantly. "I suggest, maybe you should find some place else to spend that time, Griffin."

"And maybe you should take your suggestion and shove it up your ass."

"Ok!" Pidge yelled, slapping her hands together to emphasize her trying to get their attention. "That's enough of that."

She would not have a fight happen in front of her. She didn't care what the reason was for them being so hostile towards each other but she wasn't about to let them have it out.

Lance looked down and away from the jock, heeding to her shout. James continued to glare though. It wasn't exactly an angry glare but more of an irritated look as he kept his heated glare on her best friend.

Pidge rolled her eyes, jumping down from the bleacher she stood on and went to retrieve her bag. She had placed it under the seats on the side. Mostly so no one would bother it.

"Where are you going?" Lance asked, not moving from his spot but following her with his gaze as she left.

"To get a jacket. I don't know if you have noticed but it's kinda cold and I want to get a little warmth before half time ends," she answered.

"I should actually probably get going. I don't want to miss my chance to take a water break," said Griffin. He only talked in her direction, completely ignoring Lance.

"Sure thing. I'll see you later," the brunette told him, giving a small wave.

She was happy that Lance had stopped them from having such an awkward conversation. She really hated that she was going to have to basically turn the boy down and would prefer it not at his own football game.

"What an ass." She heard the cuban say once the jock had left. She shook her head, placing her bag on the spot where she stood not a minute ago.

"Don't start with that. You were the cause of that argument just as much as he was." She unzipped the green bag and started to rummage around in it."

"What was with the attitude anyways?"

"He had his hand on you."

Pidge held still, staring down at the blue hoodie she forgot she brought. It was all the way at the bottom of her bag where no one else could see it but her and she wondered why she had been so stupid to only bring just his jacket.

She had full intentions on wearing it but not slipping it on right in front of him. It would be embarrassing. Like she was announcing to the world that she wanted to wear his hoodie.

But it was the only one in her bag….and she was cold.

Huffing, she avoided all eye contact with the tall boy and pulled it out. "People are allowed to make contact with others," she responded, continuing the conversation as if she wasn't tugging his own article of clothing over her head.

"Not like he wa- is that my hoodie?" The cuban asked, immediately cutting himself off and pointing at the jacket.

The brunette feigned indifference and shrugged, pulling her ponytail from where it was tucked in the collar. "I figured I could finally bring it to you."

"And wear it?" He smiled.

Finally meeting his eyes, she felt a slight heat on her face and she knew she was a little red. "It's all I have."

It wasn't a lie. She did have other jackets but his was the absolute most warm.

"It's fine, you know that. Besides," he smirkes. "It's like you are full on supporting McClain."

She raised an eyebrow in question, confused.

"Oh come on. You're really gonna tell me you haven't noticed. You're wearing my hoodie that has my color, last name, and number on the back." He laughed, twirling a blue strand in her hair like her brother had earlier. "Not to mention sporting these."

"I also have my favorite color," she stated, blush spreading to her ears.

He flushed in return, retracting his hand from her. "The colors do go well together, don't they?" He asked nervously. He hadn't noticed how his hand was lingering so close to her until he caught sight of her red ears.

"Yeah they do," she replied softly, switching her gaze to the field."What's up with you and Griffin lately?"

The cuban frowned, "He said something that bothered me a while ago. An offhand comment I didn't appreciate."

"And that's enough to put you two at each other's throats?"

"No. But it was enough to push my dislike for him over the edge."

The brunette 'hmmed'. She could tell he wasn't telling the entire truth. He was being way too vague.She couldn't remember a time the quarterback didn't take an opportunity to rant over something that annoyed him. Especially as much as Griffin appeared to be doing.

It really had to piss him off for him to be so quiet on the subject.

Well.. quiet-ish, if you counted all the various insults he called the guy here and there.

That part of his irritation he didn't seem to have a problem with expressing.

"So how's being tossed aroundgoing?" He laughed, changing the subject.

The brunette groaned, making her crush smile wider. "I can't wait for this to be over. I want to go home and be warm."

"You'll have all weekend for that, pidgey."

"Actually, now that you bring the weekend up. Allura told me around the 1st quarter that she's asking everyone to go Halloween shopping sunday. "

"Really??" The cuban asked eagerly. She had a feeling that would peak his interest. The guy practically talked her ear off about costume suggestions. Especially since he had decided for her about going as a duo.

"Yeah," she sighed. She wasn't so enthusiastic. She hated any kind of thing that involved shopping.

Don't get it wrong though, she loved Halloween. She and Lance always made it fun and before Lance it was she and Keith. Whether the emo wanted to or not.

Which he usually didn't.

But she would rather just skip the entire shopping trip and just buy something online. It's what she always did. But now that the whole crew was going, she couldn't exactly opt out.

"We are gonna have so much fun, Pidgeon," Lance said happily, looking almost like a kid in a candy shop.

Wish I could be as happy about it as him.

She smiled anyways though. Finding his joy contagious.

"I'm so beat." Lance's head hit the steering wheel of his mom's suv, hard. They had won against The Galra, just barely. Keith had ran the winning play all the way to a touchdown, only 30 seconds left on the clock.

Fortunately after talking with his best friend, the cuban had managed to pull his attention away from her long enough to at least focus on each play.

Didn't mean he stopped ogling her completely though.

Her toned figure under the tight uniform made sure he wouldn't be able to take his eyes away.

The small girl laughed lightly beside him, catching his attention. Her high pony had been taken down after the game, letting her long tresses cascade down her back in waves. She complained about how all the sweat that had collected on her scalp made it feel nasty when pulled back, so she ripped the band from her hair, once they got to his car.

Her feminine and tiny fingers had been twiddling with something the whole drive and even as they now parked in her driveway, she continued fiddling with something."What are you doing?" He asked, not bothering to move and get a look. His muscles ached way too much.

"Give me your wrist," she demanded, sitting up and turning towards him.

"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow but he offered his arm anyway.

A blue and green braid of sorts, was tied around his wrist and the cuban realized it was the streamers she had placed in her hair. "Now we both have a keepsake of our first game together for junior year."

He looked up as she showed a smaller version wrapped around her own wrist. Their two favorite colors were woven and intertwined. Perfectly level all the way to the small bow that locked the ends together.

"You really want to remember this game? You hated every moment of cheering."

She gave a small smile, looking down almost bashfully, "but it was something we did together. That, I want to remember," She spoke, meeting his eyes right as she finished talking.

Honey gazed deeply into him and he couldn't bring himself to look away.

Tonight had given the quarterback a new way to see his best friend. A way he had never seen her before.

She was sexy. She was alluring. She was everything he didn't know he lusted for.

But as she sat beside him, he was reminded of what really drew him to her.

It was the natural beauty she had about her. The way her clear skin didn't need an ounce of makeup to make her as lovely as she was now.

It was the way her hair tangled up into curls due to the humidity, looking as wild as it did when she woke up early, first thing in the morning.

And it was her eyes.

The thriving depths always spoke so many words to him, even when she remained silent.

Brown, shimmering with gold, was what haunted his every thought and dream.

So he was happy with the new light he was able to capture her in. He was glad he got to experience the new emotions that had come with it.

No matter how dirty they were.

But he would always see her as the stunning girl that blew his mind every time she looked at him. The girl that stuffed her face with sweets and spent her free time walking around her house in dorky pajamas and big round glasses. The brunette, who didn't care if anyone watched her having a burping competition with her friends.

He liked the cheerleader gettup.

He liked seeing more of her skin.

But he loved and preferred her true self.

It was the person that she was showing him now. The person who created things like bracelet keepsakes out of hair ribbon and made it sentimental.

It was the person he so badly wanted to kiss at that moment. The moment where she just simply stared at him with that beautiful smile settled on her small plump lips.

But he knew he couldn't.

It would ruin everything they had. Not to mention he didn't really want to go through the pain of having her gently reject him and then friendzone him.

So no, he wouldn't kiss her. Instead, the cuban smiled at her and said "Thank you", sighing as she pulled him into a hug and quickly enjoying the smell of her body spray.

Which, ironically, smelled like honey.

She smiled and grabbed her stuff before exiting the car and heading for the front door, "I'll see you Sunday, ok?"

He simply nodded, watching her go.

He watched her until she was all the way onto her porch and It was then that he realized she still wore his hoodie and forgot to give it back to him...again.

He wasn't gonna tell her that she did either.

She looked way better in it than he ever did.

She could have it for all he cared.

Author's note: Sorry for the late update! I actually have the story finished and will be posting regularly. A lot coming your way!