Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago, just the story.

A 15-year-old boy had just come home from his first day of high school.  The day had been awful.  He was lucky just to get into Ninjago High School because he doesn't actually live in Ninjago City, but the first day had been a nightmare.

He curled up in a corner, hoping not to be noticed by...

"Is everything alright?" his little sister asked concerned.

"Yeah, sis," the boy said.  He didn't want his sister knowing what happened.  "Everything is fine."  She would be going to that school next year and couldn't let what had happened on his first day happen to her.  He would find a way to make sure that his sister would be protected when she started high school.

Kai's alarm was blaring at him to get up, but he didn't want to.

"KAI, YOU BETTER GET YOUR BUTT UP!!!" Nya yelled.

"Five more minutes," Kai mumbled.

Nya barged into her brothers room.  "Come on.  We have a lot to do today."  Kai didn't budge.  "Fine then."  She pulled the blankets off her brother with such force that he fell off the bed.  "You're the older sibling, yet you act like a child."

"Well, I had a strange dream."

"If the dream including me dating Jay, us being elemental masters, and me being an awesome fighter, that all happened yesterday."

"I was really hoping that was a dream."

"It wasn't.  Now, get dressed.  We still have to go to school."  Nya left her brother in his room.

Kai got up from off the ground and did what his sister told him to.  For Kai, it felt like it was getting more and more difficult to protect Nya, especially when she didn't want his protection anymore.  But that doesn't mean he'll stop protecting her.

Ninjago High School

Later that day

Kai was at his locker putting books away.  He was thinking about everything that happened the previous day.  He wasn't expecting everything that had happened, but he was still trying to act as normal as he possibly could at school.

"Hey Kai."

Yeah.  That wasn't gonna help.  He turned around to face the person who addressed him.  "Hey Skylor," Kai said.  "We can't really be seen socializing."

"Why?"

"Because we're in different social classes.  That's why Jay and Nya have been keeping their relationship a secret."

"It doesn't look like they're keeping it a secret anymore."  Skylor pointed behind Kai.

Kai quickly turned around and saw Jay and Nya holding hands as they were walking down the hall.  "Nya, what are you doing?"

"I'm showing off my boyfriend," Nya answered.

"You know we can't be seen with him."

"Maybe you can't!" Nya snapped.

"We are popular!" Kai snapped back.  "We can't afford to be seen with people like Jay and Skylor!"

Skylor gasped in shock.  She thought that Kai was actually a nice guy when they had talked.  She was only fooling herself with that thought.  She turned around and started walking away.

Kai immediately regretted what he said when Skylor started walking away.  "Skylor!  I didn't mean it! I-"

"You are such a jerk, Kai," Nya said and started chasing after Skylor.  "Skylor!  Wait up!"

"Imma just go," Jay said and slipped away before Kai could do anything.

Kai punched his locker.  He just ruined his chance with a girl that he liked.  Sure, a lot of girls like him, but he never found a girl that he actually liked and now that he finally did, he ruined his chance with her.

"Shouldn't have said that."

Kai looked up and saw Lloyd leaning against the lockers.  "You heard that?"

"I heard the whole conversation and it was painful to listen to."

"You're not making me feel better."

"Didn't say I was trying to."

"Thanks for being so encouraging, Lloyd," Kai said sarcastically.

"Look, you like her.  Why should it matter what other people think?"

"It just does.  I worked hard to build up my reputation here."

"Why?"

"Personal reasons."

"Reputations shouldn't matter."

"Says the guy who became the bad boy because his last name is connected to a myth."

"A myth that's real," Lloyd brought his voice down to a whisper.

"Why should I listen to you when you have your own reputation?"

"Because I'm not as bad as everyone thinks I am."  Kai became intrigued by that statement and allows Lloyd to continue.  "I help out at the children's hospital down the street."

"How come I don't believe you?"

Lloyd reaches into his backpack and pulls out a little volunteer pin and shows it to Kai.  "We all have things to hide, but why should we hide them?  I shouldn't hide how I like to help sick children and you shouldn't hide that you like Skylor."

"You saw what just happened with her!  I ruined everything!"

"But you can still make it right."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Let your guard down and open up to her."

Kai was not expecting that to come out of Lloyd's mouth.  "You give good advice, strangely."

"Well, we are a team now."

"Yeah."  Kai remembered how upset Lloyd was the previous day.  "How was your conversation with your mom and uncle?"

Lloyd didn't feel like talking about his current family situation.  "Don't worry about it.  Finding out my dad is alive and that I will have to face him is a lot to take in."

"It would be for anyone.  I'm here if you need to talk."

"I might take you up on that offer."  The bell rang for them to get to class.  "Good luck with Skylor."

"Thanks.  I'm gonna need it," Kai said and started walking to class.

After school

Kai searched the entire school for Skylor.  He was hoping that she didn't start walking to the monastery yet.  He wandered around until he found her sitting on a bench in the corner of the school.  She was looking for something in her backpack.  He cautiously walked up to her.  "Hey Skylor," he said.

Skylor looked up, saw Kai, and sighed.  "What do you want, Kai?" she asked.

"I wanted to apologize."  Kai sat down next to Skylor.

Skylor raised an eyebrow.  "You?  Apologize?  I thought you had a reputation to uphold."  She flipped her long, red hair in Kai's face and continued looking through her backpack.

"Ok.  I deserved that.  Can we just talk?"

She found what she was looking for which was her phone which had sunk to the bottom of her backpack.  Kai noticed how it appeared she was responding to a text.  After that, she looked back at Kai.  "We need to go to the monastery for training."  She started to stand up, but Kai grabbed her arm.

"Please.  Give me five minutes," he begged.

"Fine," she caved and sat back down next to Kai.

"Look, I know you may not completely understand the way I act, but there is a reason for it."  Kai took a deep breath.  He wasn't good at opening up, but was willing to try.

"I'm listening," Skylor urged Kai to continue.

"I live with my sister in Ignacia, not Ninjago City.  We are actually lucky to be able to go here.  The education here is better than in Ignacia High School, but the people aren't the best.  I found that out pretty quickly.  On my first day here in freshman year, some of the jocks bullied me.  It was an awful day.  The next day wasn't much better.  All I thought about later on was how bad it would be when Nya started going here.  I became the hottest guy in school so she wouldn't have to go through what I did when I first started school here.  That's also why I've been so protective over her and haven't really wanted her to date Jay.  It's not that I don't like the guy.  I don't even really know him.  I just don't want anyone to try to hurt Nya because she's dating Jay."

Skylor's gaze softens.  "I get that.  I don't have any siblings, but if I did, I would want to protect them too.  I do have one question though.  Why didn't you tell your parents to have them help you?"

"Well, for one, the school wouldn't do anything.  They don't really listen to parent complaints.  And two, we don't really have parents."

"What do you mean you don't have parents?!"

"Our parents went missing when we were little.  We managed to stay out of the foster care system because someone was looking out for us."

"Who?"

"We don't know.  Whoever it is delivered food and money to us that helped us to be able to survive on our own."

"Does he or she still do that?"

"No.  They stopped when I turned 18."

"You're 18?"

"I was held back a grade in elementary school.  Don't judge me."  They both laughed a little.  "Anyway, we were left with our parents' blacksmith shop.  I started to teach myself to make weapons when I was 12 to get us some extra money.  I still make weapons.

"How much could you possibly make from selling weapons?"

"You'd be surprised.  The blacksmith shop is pretty popular which honestly makes me question why so many people in Ignacia want to buy weapons."

"That is a little weird."

"Buying weapons from kids can be even weirder."

"If it makes you feel any better, I may not have had no parents, but my mom died when I was a baby.  I never got the chance to meet her."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be.  You've had it worse.  I still have my dad, but he likes to have me work in the noodle restaurant he owns."

"You mean Master Chen's Noodle House?"  Skylor nods.  "I love that place!  Everyone in the school does."

"You wouldn't love it so much if you worked there."

"That's understandable."  Kai and Skylor locked eyes and just stared at each other.  "I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"It's ok.  I get it now," Skylor forgave Kai.

"I still shouldn't have treated you that way, especially since...I like you," Kai admitted.

"I like you too."  Skylor broke eye contact.  "We should really be heading to the monastery.  I'm not completely sure what Master Wu would do to us if we're late."

"What?  You think he'll punish us?"

"He could...and we could talk about where to go on our first date after training."

Kai smiled at what Skylor said.  "I like the sound of that."  Kai and Skylor held hands as they started walking.

A/N: I am so sorry that it took me so long to update this.  It's been almost three weeks which isn't like me.  My family and I all got COVID-19 and it made me not motivated to write.  (COVID is awful.  Please wear a mask and stay socially distant.  Getting together with people outside your household can affect other people who have been obeying the guidelines and get them sick.).  We're all better now though.  Also, thank you for 50 followers!!!  I will make a 50 follower special and post the first chapter after I post the next chapter for my next generation storyline.  Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!