Fireworks [Klance AU]

Twelve

(A little treat since it's been a while. :) [please do not repost, thank you!])

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Keith's head snaps to the door, and he see's Lance standing there. He doesn't look shocked or scared, but he sure as heck felt like he was ready to blow his top. He didn't want to talk to Lance just yet.
  Lance signs to Keith, asking to talk. Keith nods and motions towards the door. Lance nods and slowly shuts it, careful not to make much noise, but he couldn't tell, and was just hoping.
  He walks towards Keith, and pulls out his phone. Keith starts to talk, knowing Lance has pulled up his app.
  "Is everything okay?" Keith asks as he starts to uncover a canvas.
  "I should be asking you." Keith knew this was coming.
  "Why wouldn't it be?" Keith asks.
  "Don't play dumb. I saw you earlier." Keith looks over at Lance. Lance wasn't look at him, but at his phone screen.
  "Well, yeah. Ashton accidentally pushed me down the bleachers, that's all. We shouldn't have skipped first, sorry," Keith lies, and this doesn't settle well in his stomach.
  "Really?" Lances phone speaks monotoned.
  "Yes. No need to worry," Keith says, and watches Ashton turn away to act like he's observing the things on the shelf. "You should get back to class. I'll get the notes from Maranda later."
  "I trust you," Lance stands up. He looks at Keith as Keith starts to pull paints from the shelves, having Ashton grab some too.
  "Thank you. See you at lunch?" Keith asks, and Lance looks back down at his phone. Keith turns to see him nod at his phone. Then Keith turns back and listens as the door shuts quietly.
"Why'd you lie?" Ashton asks as he sets a red paint on the windowsill.
  "I don't want him to worry," Keith says and pulls out a stool.
  "Why?" Ashton asks and sets himself on the floor next to the easel.
"He's too busy with his own stuff," Keith says and starts to mix paints and grabbing brushes. He starts to paint and the time starts to pass. He gets about a quarter of the painting finally finished, and decides it's a good place to stop. He looks at the time, and class ends in fifteen minutes.
  "Want Grooms to email your third block to say you're running errands for her?" Keith asks Ashton. Ashton nods, and Keith finally gets his stuff around. He gets on his phone, and starts to text Supreethi to come and meet them in front of Grooms' room before heading to Johnson's for third. He then pushes his phone into his pants pocket and gets a reply almost right away, but decides not to look.
  He places the sheet over top of the canvas, careful not to let the paint touch, and places it at an angle in the corner. He folds the easel, and the bell rings.
  "We can just stand by the door," Keith says, and walks out of the closet. Lance is packing his things late, just like normal, but seems more troubled than usual, stumbling and dropping his things, it was like he was shivering, but not from the cold. Keith notices, and tells Ashton to go wait for him by the door.
  Keith walks over to Lance, hoping to catch his attention, and to his luck, he does. Lance looks up, and Keith waves with half a smile. Lance attempts to smile back, but it wasn't genuine. Keith could tell, and made Lance stop doing what he was doing. He starts to put Lance's things away for him, and notices Lance is bobbing his leg like he was playing the drums. He motions for Lance to stand up, and he does. Keith finishes packing Lance's things, and hands them to him, then he starts to move his arms around.
  "What happened?" he says quietly as he moves to the words. Lance shakes his head, and motions that he doesn't want to talk about it right now. Keith nods, understanding. Lance takes his things, thanking Keith, then makes his way to the door, only leaving Keith with a smile and a wave. Keith walks towards Ashton.
  "You're I'm too deep," Ashton says.
  "I know."

Supreethi came but and covered the two in some of her friends makeup, then being too pale for her own shade. She helped to patch up there clothes as best she could, then sent Ashton off to class with one of her rings, if he needed to punch someone and wanted to leave a funny mark. Keith went on with his day, and made it through without any trouble, until fifth period. He was then called to the office, and that is where he sits now. He had only been sitting there for three minutes, but already felt the nervousness setting in.
  "Keith?" the lady at the counter asks.
  "Ma'am?" Keith asks, standing up.
  "Mister Franklin is ready for you, head in," she says. Keith nods and makes his way behind the front counter. He walks to a door, then slowly opens it. He can hear the principal on the phone, but continues in. He then slowly shuts the door, and stands behind the chairs in front of the mans desk.
  "Yes, thank you. Only a week," he says. Keith tries to listen to see if he can hear a voice on the other end.
  "Thank you. I will. Bye now," he says and hangs up.
  "Hello Keith. Been a while," he jokes.
  "Sophomore year?" Keith says jokingly back.
  "Yeah, a wild ride there. I'll take it you know?" Franklin asks.
  "Yes sir," Keith says, and shifts his weight.
  "Well, personally, I'm not against fighting, and believe you should stand up for yourself, but that's not school policy," Franklin starts. "Are you happy with what you did?"
  "Yes sir," Keith says, and it comes out stern and genuine.
  "That's good, but not. You'll be suspended for one week, so will Ashton. This fight was not brought on by you, so the other two are suspended for three weeks," Franklin states. Keith can feel his stomach sink, knowing how mad his foster parents will be again.
  "That's alright," Keith says, and gulps.
  "Starting next week, I will emails your parents any work that you will need to do that you will not be given tomorrow. You may come in the morning to grab your work, then leave right after. Please keep these fights off school property if you plan to do it again," Franklin says.
  "Yes sir. It will not happen again, if I can help it," Keith says.
  "We're striving to make this school more tolerant, sadly we cannot make it accepting. I'm sorry. Apologize to your brother for me," Franklin says, and it has a hint of sincerity and regret intertwined. Keith nods, then turns towards the door. He opens it, and walks out. He makes his way back to his class, and tries to settle and prepare his mind for what he will get when he goes home.
  He texts Ashton what he needed to, then switches over to Lance's contact to ask for notes before his phone was taken away. He knew he had finally screwed himself over in this school.

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(A/N: Sorry for the short and very boring chapter guys... I've had some stuff going on lately. My dog recently died, and I went on a trip back home. I don't know when the next chapter will be out, but the next one will start with the week Keith and Ashton are suspended, then the following will start around mid November. Stay tuned to see what's next!
-t)