Keith P.O.V

Malibu California, Modern Day)Tuesday Morning

Keith splashed water on his face and sighed. After his parents had gone off to bed fighting, he had wanted to tell his friends what had happened. He really did, but he was just too tired too. It was all a blur now, he had woke up only a few minutes ago. But he had to hurry, Shiro would take him to school but then he had to get back home. Shiro had to start packing for the trip, he was leaving on the 8 o'clock plane tonight with Allura, her family and Coran. Which was literally half an hour after graduation.

Keith dried his face and threw on his tattered black jeans. He grabbed his black and gray Jansport backpack and went downstairs. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs when he saw his father in the living room watching The Price Is Right reruns. James didn't even look at Keith but knew he was there.

Shiro came out of the kitchen dressed in a blue plaid shirt and jeans. He smiled, his hair was tousled but he still looked good.

"Come on, I have to pick up Allura on the way to school. She wants to talk to you." Shiro said.

Keith nodded, glancing at his father who continued to act oblivious to them.

The brothers walked out of the house. It was already growing hot, the sun risen in the sky. They walked to Shiro's black Altima Coupe that he had gotten on his birthday. It had been expensive but he had been saving for his own car since his Sophomore year.

Shiro got in the front seat and Keith took his normal place splayed out on the backseat.

They pulled away and Shiro cut the radio up, singing along to it.

"That's just the way I am. You can tell 'em all, you can tell'em all that you can either hate me or love me. " He sang grinning.

Shiro was totally obsessed with Charlie Puth and Ariana Grande. Sometimes Keith wondered if Shiro was truly happy.

Shiro had told Keith he was bisexual when he was 16, which helped Keith realize his own sexuality. Shiro never told James though, and Keith wondered if he ever would based off of how James treated Keith now.

Shiro still loved Allura and was seemingly happy so Keith let it slide.

"Did you tell Allura about what Mom said?" Keith asked Shiro.

"Yeah..last night she called so I just decided to tell her."

"What'd she say?" Keith asked yawning. He knew Allura would be super upset and worried about it all. She had always acted like an older sister, and Keith loved her in that way. But it did get annoying.

"She said she wanted to talk to you. I swear that's all she told me." Shiro said.

Keith nodded yawning again. He could barely stay awake. He didn't sleep much last night laying in bed thinking about his parents. He had listened to Hamilton songs for a while. It wasn't just his parent's relationship he was worried about though.

Ever since Lance left California, Keith made a promise that he would wait for him. Now if he left, even if only for a little...

"Keith!" Allura's smooth and accented voice broke Keith's train of thought. He blinked and sat up looking at her as she sat in the passenger seat.

She was wearing a pink tank top and jean shorts with sequins on the pockets. Her white hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she had on thick sandals.

Shiro pulled off from the big house towards Garrison High School and Allura turned towards Keith.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked.

"I guess..talk to my friends. I guess we are going on a summer trip. I just don't know where." He said sighing.

Allura nodded biting her lip. "That's not exactly what I meant."

She sighed not looking at him anymore.

"What are you going to do about your parents?" She asked.

Shiro stopped at a red light. "Allura, that's not a good topic-"

"They'll be fine as long as they talk about it. I know its me they always fight about." Keith said looking Allura dead in the eye.

"If that's what you mean." He said quietly.

Shiro shook his head running a hand through his already messy hair.

"Okay," Allura said, "Yeah..so just be careful what you say around them."

Keith nodded. He didn't think it really mattered what he said.

--------------------------

Garrison High was packed, kids getting ready for summer break and Seniors preparing for Graduation this evening. Today was the last day, and Keith wasn't as excited as everyone else.

He gave a small wave goodbye to the couple and weaved through the bustling crowds towards the building.

It didn't take him long to find Pidge, sitting cross legged in the library with her computer.

Though her earbuds were in, Keith could still faintly hear an electric like tune.

Without looking up, she nodded at Keith and patted the floor beside her.

Keith sat down and looked at her screen. It looked like she was typing up some codes for a device. Not surprising. She took the earbuds out and cut the music down.

Then she shut her computer and turned to him.

"Mind your own business next time dude. Don't just look at what im doing its rude." She said.

"Why? Because you watch porn?" He smirked.

He earned a punch in the shoulder for that.

"I know you have weird hobbies too Keith so don't even go there." She said glaring at him.

Keith chuckled. "Yeah okay."

"You seem more peppy today," Pidge narrowed her eyes, "What's going on?"

"I'm not. If anything I'm the total opposite today."

"Your the total opposite everyday Keith. What's wrong? Missing him again?"

"What? Oh uh no I'm fine today..it's complicated. I can't just tell you though. I need to tell Hunk and Matt too." Keith said.

Pidge frowned. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

Keith nodded. "Yeah it's going to be fine."

The first bell rang. Pidge grabbed her stuff and stood up.

"Well, you can tell us after school. That's the only time we are all together and that sucks. I want to know now." She huffed.

Keith got up and walked with her out of the library listening to her rant on about how she was his best friend and deserved to know now.

"Bye loser." She said walking away from him in the opposite direction towards her first class.

"Bye Katie." Keith said smirking. She stuck up her middle finger as she turned the corner.

The rest of the day passed quickly, Keith struggling to not yell at teachers or beat up fellow students.

His opinion was his opinion not everyone else's Keith recalled his mom telling him when he was younger.

It was when he got in his first fight, he was 14. It was right after Lance left for New York. Lance had always been the one to step in when Keith got riled up. A wink, finger guns, smooth glide through the hall and Keith was calm again.

But now, he didn't have Lance to calm him down.

Keith waited outside the school for his friends after last period.

Hunk was the first to arrive accompanied by his girlfriend Shay.

Shay was sweet and simple and was willing to help anyone no matter the cost to her.She was an artist and had met Hunk at a summer camp when they were 13.

The two had immediately liked each other but hadn't said so. When Pidge saw how deeply in love her friend was she stepped in. She had them tell each other how they feel and wasn't content until they were perfectly comfortable as a couple.

"Hey Shay." Keith said as Shay walked over with Hunk.

Her brown hair was cut to her shoulders and pulled behind her ears. She wore a simple flowery dress and tennis shoes. She smiled, her freckles shining in the sun and sat next to Keith on the bench he was on.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Fine, tired." Keith said. Shay nodded and looked up at Hunk who stood there watching someone across the parking lot.

"Keith is that Pidge?" Hunk asked pointing across the lot to where Matt stood with his arms wide looking down.

Keith followed Matt's gaze to where Pidge was yelling gesturing her hands all around her.

"Ah shit what now??" Keith asked getting up.

"Wait here." Keith said. He walked quickly over to the siblings. Kids were parting where Pidge was yelling so it gave Keith a clear path to them.

Matt glanced at Keith and gave a weak smile and shrug before Pidge grabbed his shirt so he was looking at her again.

"This is the last time mister! Next time I won't be so nice!" Pidge yelled stomping off without even looking at Keith.

Keith watched the small brunette walk over to Hunk and Shay and start ranting to them.

"What happened?" Keith asked Matt who was winking at a girl who was in the midst of the dispersing crowd.

She smiled back at him but shook her head. Matt looked undeterred as he walked over to Keith.

"Oh you know..same old same old.." Matt smiled wryly. Keith narrowed his eyes.

"Ugh. So last night Pidge was working on a project and still was today. And my uh phone was dead and yesterday I got this girl's number." Matt said still looking to where Pidge was.

"So i took Pidge's phone- I mean borrowed it and texted the girl right quick. And Pidge got all upset when the girl texted her back a few minutes ago. And she cussed the girl out. So i lost that chance." He cupped his hands around his mouth.

"NOT THAT SHE CARES!" Matt yelled over to Pidge. She looked over and gave him the finger.

Matt shook his head. "She will never change Keith." He started over to his car. It was a small beige pickup truck a Ford that his dad Sam had when he went off to college.

Sam said it was a good truck that was reliable and had good memories. But Matt claimed it was older than his dad.

That got him grounded for a week.

"Wait Matt! I need to talk to you." Keith called, grabbing Matt's shoulder as he grabbed for the car door.

"Oh ok. I can take you home and we can talk on the-"

"Actually I have to talk to the others too." Keith said.

"Oh..ok lets go then." Matt said.

Matt and Keith crossed the lot back to the bench. Kids were still bustling, helping decorate for the event tonight.

Pidge was now sitting arms crossed on the ground beside Shay who was talking to Hunk.

"So are you going to tell us now?" Pidge asked when Keith got there. Pidge was totally ignoring Matt. Hunk raised an eyebrow but Matt just shrugged it off.

"What's going on?" Shay asked.

Keith blinked, he hadn't thought about Shay coming. His parents didn't know her so she probably wouldn't be able to go with them. Wherever they were going. But he didn't want to be rude.

"Oh Keith needs to talk to us. I'll see you later Shay okay?" Hunk said.

Keith breathed in relief. Hunk winked at him then turned back to Shay smiling a small smile.

"Yeah. I have to go anyway. Bye guys!" Shay said grabbing her skateboard and riding away as she plugged her earbuds in.

The friends watched Shay ride away down the street.

"She always amazes me." Hunk said as Shay turned the corner.

"Yeah. Anyway, what's up Keith? I can't wait anymore." Pidge said looking up at him.

Keith sat on the bench and sighed.

"So last night, Shiro told my Mom that he was going on a trip to Florida with Allura's family and Coran this week."

He had told my dad but not my mom because he felt she wouldn't take it well. So he stalled. And he was right. She got upset that he asked my dad and not her. She was more angry at my dad than Shiro though, and because she knew it would get my dad angry. She told me i could go on a summer trip too. Then they had a huge fight." Keith finished looking at his friends.

Hunk's eyes were wide. Pidge was smirking, and Matt was looking giddy and excited.

"Dude! This is great! We can all go on a summer trip! I'm sure my parents will be fine with it. Where are we going? When?" Matt exclaimed.

"Heh sounds like your parents are having some issues. You must be a difficult kid huh?" Pidge asked uncrossing her arms.

"No. I'm not they're the difficult ones." Keith said.

Pidge turned to Hunk who hadn't said anything.

"You okay?" Pidge asked, her smug decorum fading away to concern.

"Yeah..its just..how are you guys so excited? I mean..this pretty much means Keith's parents are divided. That's not good. His dad already hates him, I think this is a bigger issue than the fact that we are allowed to go on a trip by ourselves. Not that I know my parents will say yes to that. I'm going to see my other relatives this week."

Keith bit his lip. "Thank you Hunk for the concern. You are an amazing friend..but this actually will probably help. I can have some time to have fun and think. Loosen up, which I haven't since..you know."

His friends nodded. They all knew about Lance. He had told them all, though at different times. It was hard for him to talk about his feelings.

"And, with me and Shiro both gone, my parents can havean have some time to work things out. I hope."

"Yeah.. You're right." Hunk said.

Keith grimaced.

"Thanks for understanding."

"So where are we going? London? Washington? Paris?" Matt asked clasping his hands together.

"Wherever we go we have to get a flight, hotel, check out places.." Pidge said grabbing her phone.

"Well I was thinking maybe Tokyo? We don't have to of course, but I have been practicing my Japanese with my mom." Keith mumbled.

Other than Texas, Tokyo had always been a place he wanted to visit, just because of how alive it was at night.

"Sure, Tokyo is cool." Pidge said popping a piece of gum in her mouth and fiercely typing away on her phone.

"Cool?? Pidge! Tokyo is amazing. Just imagine driving through the streets at night. Neon lights reflected on puddles, music streaming from small shops. The smell of delicious food waiting from unknown sources." Hunk said more to himself than his friends.

Pidge blew a bubble bigger than her face,let it pop and recollected the gum in her mouth. "Okay our little poet, I found a nice hotel. Marigold Suite, we can book two rooms for a week."

"Alright, how much would that cost?" Keith asked. He tried to look at the screen himself but Pidge pulled the phone close to her chest and shook her head.

"Um-a lot.... And there is a flight to Tokyo Saturday morning, that's also a lot. Let me think." Pidge groaned inwardly and scrolled through whatever she was on.

"We could split the cost of the hotel and each pay for our own ticket. I can get some money from Dad, and we all have some saved money right?" Matt asked.

Everyone shrugged. Pidge nodded.

"That will work. Good thing you turned 18 last week Matt or we wouldn't be able to go at all." She said.

Matt nodded. "I mean I have the maturity of a twenty five year-"

"You mean 5?" Pidge corrected smirking.

Matt frowned. "I'll tell my parents. We should be back here by Friday night from our trip. I'll tell you guys what they say." Hunk said.

"I'll tell my parents. Pidge can figure out everything and book the flights and stuff." Keith said.

"Yeah, I'll send you guys your separate amounts to pay. One of you might be paying more than the rest of us." Pidge said glaring at Matt.

"Well, I got to go. See you guys at the Graduation tonight." Hunk said. He only lived a few blocks away so started walking towards his house.

"Bye Hunk!" Pidge called. Hunk waved and continued.

"Come on Keith, Shiro is too busy with his girl to take you home." Pidge said walking over to Matt's truck.

"He has a life to live you know. Stop hating." Matt mumbled.

Keith and Pidge shared a look. Everyone knew Matt had a crush on Shiro a few years ago, but he claimed he didn't anymore. Sometimes Keith believed him too. But that was rare.

It was obvious how hurt Matt was around Shiro, even if he was always first to stand up for him. Keith left the subject alone, he wanted both his brother and friend to be happy. But if Shiro was happy with Allura, what would Keith do about that?

Keith jumped in the backseat of the truck and listened to Pidge and Matt argue. Somehow, he felt like today he had accomplished some shit.