Chapter 8

When the three got to the hospital, Lance was rushed to a room with a lovely nurse. He gave the two thumbs and stopped complaining, and allowed himself to be taken inside. Knowing what the meant, Shiro sat down and so did Katie. They waited in the waiting area. "I hope he's okay," Katie said worriedly. "Me too - although, he'll probably be fine. He's Lance," Shiro smiled. "I'm sorry you had to be introduced to my friends in this way."

Katie gave him a smile. "He was lucky we were close by."

"That's true. I'm not concerned with why he got stabbed, though. Frankly, I'm surprised he doesn't get stabbed more often. I want to know who did it. Maybe it was that creep that was standing over you."

"Standing over me?" Katie asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Shiro paused, not knowing how to say this. "When you were asleep, I rushed to get a look at Lance. I turned around to see some guy looking down at you, but he walked away. He looked like a freak that was going to kidnap you or something."

"That's weird." Katie swung her legs back and forth.

In the doctor's room, Lance watched the dark-haired young nurse quickly fetch some supplies from the closet. She set them down and then gently inspected the wound. When she touched it, he hissed, but when she looked up he put on a charming grin. "Doesn't hurt."

"Okay, we're going to stitch this up, all right? This might be painful," she warned.

"Don't worry, I can handle anything."

"Oh, a tough little boy," she chuckled, applying saline. She picked up the needle and started.

"Ow… I mean, please, that hardly tickled," Lance scoffed.

The nurse kept going, trying to concentrate. "Good, because there's 14 more pokes to go, brave boy."

Just then a young boy with a mullet open the door and walked in. He noticed Lance cringing with pain while making goo-goo eyes at the nurse. "Mom?"

"Just a minute, sweetie, don't look," she huffed. Lance turned around and caught the boy's eye. "You again?" he stared in shock.

"Oh, come on, why do we keep running into each other?" Lance muttered under his breath. Keith's alleged mother looked up, but Lance smiled at her.

Keith sighed, knowing that Lance was flirting. "Mom is he done yet? It looks like he's had enough stitches."

His mom turned around. "Keith, he's a patient! Do not rush me just so you can go home and watch The Lion Guard."

Lance let out a laugh and nearly choked. "Aww, so you like The Lion Guard?"

Keith gave Lance a glare and looked again at his mother. "Fine but hurry up. There's a new episode." The last part was too quiet.

"So tell me about yourself, kid," Lance said, enjoying this too much. "What else do you do in your freetime besides terrorize people?"

"Go ahead, Keith Jr., answer the nice boy," the nurse said. She looked like she was barely containing laughter.

Lance smirked waiting for the young boy to respond, and tried his best not to show pain. Keith looked angry for a second. "Oh, tell him about the newest toy you got!" his mother said. "He was so excited," she told Lance. "Mom," Keith looked distraught.

"If you don't, I will. It's a-"

Keith stormed out of the room, making sure to loudly slam the door.

Lance laughed and looked at the nurse "You have quite a son."

"Tell me about it," she huffed. She finished the last stitch finally. "There you go. Would you like a lollipop?"

"Do you have a blue one?" he asked hopefully.

The nurse nodded and pulled a blue one out of a drawer. "All right, Lance, you are free to go back to your friends who are waiting for you, and I need to go find my son."

Meanwhile

Keith stormed out of the room and stopped in front of Katie and Shiro, who gave him a confused look.

"You're here too? Have you two started dating yet?" Keith asked. "Please tell me my plan worked, and not your lame friend who's trying to hit on my mom?"

Katie blushed brighter than a tomato.

Shiro held up his hands. "We don't know what you are talking about…"

Keith grinned. As he was about to speak, the nurse and Lance came out. "Keith, there you are."

"Guys, I got stitches! And a lollipop!" Lance grinned.

"Thank goodness," Shiro said.

Katie stop blushing and smiled as she and Shiro stood up. Keith scowled. The nurse smiled. "I hope my son has not been bothering you, he wants to go home and watch his favorite show."

The nurse agreed to only charge Lance half of what he owed if Shiro, Lance and Katie would babysit Keith in two days. She been waiting to on a date, but with Keith it was hard. They agreed.

"Well, that's great," Katie said as they walked out.

"How is it great? She's not going out with me," Lance pouted, walking beside her.

"So I'm guessing you tried to flirt with her," Shiro glared at him. "Hey, I got stabbed," Lance said. "What does that have anything to do with - never mind."

"I better get home, my mom is probably worried," said Katie, looking at her phone.

"Can I walk you home?" Shiro asked.

"Oh, sure! Leave the person who got stabbed!" Lance exclaimed.

Katie laughed. "Go and help him home, I'll be okay alone. Bye!"

Shiro watched her walk down the street with his hands in his pockets. She headed off, out of sight.

"I think she likes you," Lance whispered.

When Katie got home, she was greeted by her mom and a box with a red bow wrapped around it.

"Open it," her mom said eagerly. "Hello to you too, mother," Katie snorted.

She walked to the box and untied the bow and opened it. It was the sparkly green dress she mentioned earlier. Katie gasped, picking it up.

"Now go try it on and show me how it looks!" her mother said pushing her daughter.

"What, I can't say anything?" Katie said as her mom pushed her into the small bathroom.

"Talk later, just show me how pretty you are," Mom replied through the door.

Katie slowly pulled it on, trying to be careful with it, and then glanced in the mirror. She turned a little to stare harder. The dress shimmered against her pale skin. It went just past her knees, and suited her very well, but she couldn't help but feel embarrassed for looking like a princess.

She tucked her wild hair behind her ear and noticed that there was grass in it. And there was some mascara on her cheeks, from the pond washing it down. Dang it! The one day I wear makeup!

Katie took a wet washcloth and wiped away her makeup. "Are you done?" her mom hollered. After a few seconds she threw the washcloth into the hamper and opened the bathroom door. She walked out to face her mother. Her mother looked like a little kid in a candy shop.

"Oh, sweetie! You look gorgeous!" she squealed and clapped her hands.

"Thanks, mom," Katie said with a big smile.

"It's going to be hard keeping the boys away from you," she joked. For some reason, Katie's mind instantly went to Shiro and she blinked as if startled.

"Oh, honey, you were thinking of Shiro!" Before Katie would respond, her mom continued, "Allura told me you had a little crush."

"Oh, um…" Katie could not speak.

"He sounds dreamy and perfect," Mom grinned.

"Mom, are you crying?" Katie asked watching her mom turn away.

''My daughter is growing up so fast," the woman sniffled.

"Okay mom, I am going to change," Katie said, and hurried into the bathroom.

While Katie was in the bathroom, her mom hurried and texted Allura, saying how Katie looked, and that Allura should be at the Diner to have Shiro ask Katie out.

TBC