((Henlo, there frens!! Welcome to the fourth chapter! There will be bullying in this chapter. Name-calling and being pushed around. There will also be major flirting from our boi Lance~! And just as a warning, there will be a relatively angsty chapter in a few chapters. These next two or three chapters will most likely be more upbeat, considering the party is coming up! Can't wait to write that chapter. Even I don't know what's gonna happen, but I know it's gonna be fun! Anyway, thanks for the continuous support! Happy reading! - Wolfie))

Keith walked through the doors of the school with his helmet tucked under his arm. His soccer duffel and messenger bag thumped against his hips and lower back, making his bruises sting. He weaved expertly through the hallways, making his way to the lockers. 

"Keith!" The omega jumped at the sound of his name. He spun around, scared it would be Zethrid's gang. Thankfully, it was only Pidge. Keith let himself relax as the petite girl approached, Hunk and Allura not far behind. 

"Hey, Pidge. What's up?" He asked as he unlocked his locker and shoved his things into it. 

"Just wondering if you're gonna go to the party on Saturday," She shrugged, a smirk on her face as she side-eyed him through her comically large glasses.

"I guess. It's better than sitting around bored off my ass at Shiro's place," Keith gave a shrug of his own as he retrieved his binders from his bag. 

"Hah! I knew it! Hunk, pay up!" Pidge pivoted on her heel and jabbed a finger into Hunk's chest. The large beta rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath as he reached into his pocket to fish out a ten dollar bill. 

"You two are insufferable," Allura laughed, a hand on her hip. She turned to the shorter male with a kind look in her blue and pink eyes. "I'm glad you're coming. It's a good chance for you to get out of your element."

Keith rolled his eyes, shutting his locker. "Uh-huh. Everyone keeps saying that. I don't get it. I already hang out with you three. Plus Matt and Ro'."

"Barely! You only hang out with us or talk to us when we're the ones initiating the conversation! Do you even consider us friends?" Pidge squealed, hands on her small hips.

"I mean... I don't not consider you friends... But..." Keith bit his lip, looking down as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I just don't like people."

"Neither do any of us! Come on, Keith. It's okay to have friends. We like you. A lot. Even though you're emo and angsty as fuck and probably have a Tumblr account where you post depressing quotes and shit, you're not bad," Pidge teased, giving him a smile.

"Hey. I do have a Tumblr account, but I don't post depressing shit," Keith corrected as they began walking to get to their respective classes. "I may be emo, but I ain't cringey."

"I'll be the judge of that!" Pidge pulled out her phone and opened up her Tumblr app. "What's your username?"

"Hah! Like I would tell you!" Keith reached the door to his math class and slid into the room, shaking his head at the gremlin's antics. 

The teacher wasn't in the room yet, so all of Keith's classmates were chatting and swearing and sitting on the desks. He made his way to his seat in the back, keeping his head down in hopes that nobody noticed him. He enjoyed learning, but school was hell. As if his home life wasn't bad enough. Being on the soccer team didn't help with the fact that he still got bullied by Zethrid and her gang. 

Zethrid and her girlfriend, Ezor, terrorized most of the school, but they usually didn't touch the athletes. Keith, however, was the exception. They thought that since he had presented as an omega, he would be fun to push around. They thought correctly, apparently, because they seemed to get no end of amusement from tormenting the skinny boy. They shoved him into lockers, called him names, tripped him in the halls, dumped milkshakes on his head, threw wads of paper at the back of his head, and much more. The worst that they had ever done to him was lock him in one of the lockers for nearly the entire school day, until finally, one of his teammates came and helped him out. 

Keith sat down and got out his notebook, flipping to the work he had been doing the day before in class. He grabbed a pencil and began twirling it in his hand, zoning out as he waited for Mr. Thace to arrive. 

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Finally, lunch rolled around. Keith had forgotten to pack himself food, again, so he began to walk towards the library so he could get an early start on his homework. Zethrid had other plans. As Keith sped down the hallways, the burly girl stepped in front of him, knowing that he never payed attention to where he was going. As planned, he ran straight into her chest and fell to the floor, his books and papers scattering around him. 

"Ah! Sorry! I never-" He cut himself off when he looked up to see who he'd run into. "Fuck."

"Fuck is right, fag. Hey, Ez. What should we do with this twerp for running into me?" She crossed her insanely thick arms over her chest, a smirk on her wide, puffy lips. The skinnier girl with her long hair pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head leaned against her girlfriend with a sinister grin on her angular features. 

"I dunno. Maybe toss him in the pool?" Ezor suggested before her eyes got big, twinkling with excitement. "Oh! We could-"

"You could what?" An all too familiar voice sounded behind Keith. He internally groaned as he turned his head to gaze up at Lance. His own arms were over his chest as he stared down the two girls. 

"We could... Help him gather his things!" Ezor chuckled nervously, glancing around to see if any other soccer players were around. She and Zethrid both bent down and began gathering up Keith's stuff. Without warning, Zethrid clasped Keith's upper arm and yanked him up, causing the younger boy to yelp in pain. He wrenched his arm out of her grip, cradling it against his chest. 

"Damn right. Go pick on someone your own size," Lance growled, his deep blue eyes dark with anger. 

"Thanks. But I had it handled," Keith muttered, picking up his books.

"Uh-huh..." Lance raised an eyebrow as he looked over Keith's body, scanning him. Keith instinctively curled in on himself, hunching his shoulders and pulling his arms into his chest. 

"If you didn't insist on trying to help me, I would've gotten out of that situation," Keith grumbled through clenched teeth. 

"Keith. It's my job to look out for my teammates. I'm the captain. I want to make sure everyone is okay," Lance sighed, dropping his arms, swinging them at his sides. "And I've seen what they do. Those two are not fun to mess with. And they seem to like toying with you the most."

"Yeah. I wonder why. It's not like I'm the only male omega at this entire school," Keith snapped, beginning to walk again, faster this time. 

"C'mon, Keith. I know you don't like me, but will you at least let me help keep them away from you?" Lance jogged up behind the smaller male, a hopeful look in his oceanic eyes. 

"Fine. But only so you'll stop bothering me," Keith gave in, knowing that the team captain would keep pestering him about it until he agreed. 

"Yay!" Lance clapped his hands together, beaming like a child. "And why don't you come eat with me? You always sit alone. You could use a friend." The Cuban boy dropped a wink at the striker, making his face heat up. 

"If I do, will you promise not to bother me?"

"It's a deal. Now, come on, honeybadger," Lance lightly brushed his fingers against Keith's wrist, making the younger flinch. 

"Honeybadger?" 

"Yeah. Your new nickname," Lance laughed as if it were the most obvious thing. "Like in the video. 'Honey badger don't give a shit.'" 

Keith rolled his eyes, and if he could've, they would have rolled all the way out of his head. "Alright. Whatever... Could be worse." He acted as if he couldn't care less, but in truth, this was making him incredibly happy. Being invited to lunch with Lance? Maybe actually making some friends other than the ones online? Hell yeah. With a groan to emphasize the attitude, he followed the excitable captain. "Whatever you say, Loverboy."

((Things is beginning to heat up between meh BOIZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to write the party chapter! Things is def gonna heat up then. Lemme give y'all a hint - someone *cough cough* Pidge *cough cough* might spike the fruit punch. And then they may play spin the bottle... BUT I didn't tell you that. Welp! That's all from me and thanks for the continuous support!! - Wolfie))