A/N

Now this is the chapter I've been excited to write! Honestly, this may be one of my favourite chapters in this entire thing.

And also, just wanna say that I'm glad there at least some writers left on here. It's good to have a nice support circle from time to time.

Enjoy.

🕹🕹🕹

🎮ℕ𝕪𝕒🎮

"So, it just exploded?" I type out, barely holding back my laugh.

"Yeah!" he replies, "the screwdriver just scratched my forehead!"

That's... one way to get an eyebrow notch, I think to myself, smiling. As I'm about to continue, my door opens and I shove my phone under my pillow.

My smile grows even wider when I see Kai, who's returning the gesture.

My thoughts of Jay disappear as he sits on the edge of my bed, placing his hand upon mine.

As he gently rubbed my palm, his hand clenches into a fist. Before I can protest, he wraps his arm around my neck, ruffling my hair violently.

"Hey!" I try to say, but my laughter makes my words come out with difficulty.

As as I fall back, a distinct thud is heard when my head collides with the headboard of the wooden bed. Kai let's go of my quickly and I'm left rubbing the back of my head in pain.

"Sorry," he says profusely, though his suppressed chuckles betray his act.

"Any reason as to why you barged in like that?"

Ignoring the pain on my hopefully healing head, I try to sound stern, but I know that I'm not feeling him.

If I'm being honest, I've missed this.

"Well..." he starts, his grin growing wider. "I thought that instead of playing PE again, we could maybe do something else?"

Playing Prime Empire for the past couple of weeks with Kai has been... amazing. How I never thought of it before is beyond me, but I guess that was the push he needed to try and talk to me again.

And even though I know who to thank, I don't know how.

"Ninjago to Nya?" He waves his hand in front of my face slightly, his smile trying not to drop.

I shake off my thoughts and get up at last. "What do you have in mind?"

"I was just thinking of going out to Chen's to eat, you know?" he says. "Skylor said it'll be mostly empty anyway... so we can talk if you want to."

Despite having fun almost every weekend, I realise that we've never really had the talk with Kai. And although I wish I was talking about the birds and the bees, the one we want to have is one more painful than any other. Our parents have become sort of a taboo topic for us, but I won't dare mention them until he's ready.

Slowly, I nod.

"Just let me get changed."

And as he leans in, placing a light kiss on my forehead, he leaves.

I stare at my now closed door for a bit, when the intense buzzing of my phone snaps me back into reality.

I pull it out of my pillow and open it, only to be met with more than a few messages on the other side.

SuperstarRockinJay: Nyaaaa

SuperstarRockinJay: Hellooooo

SuperstarRockinJay: Oh wellll I guess I'll go. Aaall alone

SuperstarRockinJay: Goodbye :)

I roll my eyes upon seeing them, yet a smile manages to creep up my face.

Having already said our goodbyes, I don't bother to text back, no matter how much I want to thank him.

I put away my phone and head to the closet, taking out the first clothes that came into view.

And as I picked out a red sweater and a black pair of comfy jeans, I put on my shoes and walked out.

🕹🕹🕹

The car comes to a stop and I take the chance to lower the radio, not having the heart to do it before. I love Kai, I really do, but even I won't deny that his music taste is worse than mine.

As we head out, I immediately regret not bringing a coat, but Kai luckily offers me his red jacket in time.

I thank him and we head inside, but before I know it, the jacket is snatched from my shoulders.

"That's mine, you know," Skylor says jokingly behind me. Kai doesn't protest, as per usual.

I was lucky for the place to have some sort of heating, and the fact that it was empty made it even better.

Well, almost empty.

"I thought you had booked the place for a kid's birthday?" Kai asks her as she's checks some stuff behind the counter, trying to be discreet with not letting them overhear.

While they're talking, I look at their table with the corner of my eye, when one of them (Lou Hence's son, I think?) gestures at us.

The taller boy seemed unfazed, but when Gordon (who was sitting with his back turned on us, luckily) turned around, he almost choked on his food.

I roll my eyes and walk closer to Kai, hoping I don't have to deal with them talking to me.

"Yeah, but I couldn't tell them no," Skylor whispers to him as she gives the snob table a friendly wave. "They give good tips, duh."

As she reaches for the mop behind her, she continues talking. "I've already set your favourites on the table. Just eat fast, don't want any kids seeing you in their place."

I can't help but laugh when she gestures at Kai's scar, which, as cool as it may be, doesn't do well with the kids.

We scan the area for our table, but I feel my eye twitch as we spot it, having the sudden urge to throw my noodles at Skylor.

You have got to be kidding me, I kept thinking to myself as we made our way to our table, the one right next to theirs.

I don't know if they were still looking at us, but at the same time, I don't care.

"He's the guy who was giving you goo goo eyes?" I suddenly hear Kai whispering in my ear.

"Was not," I hissed under my breath, dragging him by his sleeve. "Can we just sit down?"

Unsurprisingly, he chuckles. And here I thought I had almost forgotten how much of a prick he can be at times.

I, of course, don't waste any time sitting down, making sure to get the seat opposite of his. Despite knowing that the couch-like seats are the only thing separating our backs, it's still better than having to face him and his friends for an hour.

Instead, I focus on the food on the table. Skylor made sure to prepare my favourite noodles (even including the extra spices I always ask for), while Kai got his salmon sushi just the way he likes it as well.

Maybe I won't kill her today, but only because the food is good.

Minutes later, she plops down next to Kai, making him scoot over and eventually putting his plate in the middle.

"Aren't you gonna eat anything?" I ask her, my mouth stuffed with noodles.

She grabs a pair of chopsticks and steals one of Kai's rolls. "I'll manage," she says as she throws it in her mouth with a cheeky smile.

Kai and I exchange a knowing look, one I missed dearly for the past few months.

Maybe a video game session per day wasn't the best idea at first with school and all (also the reason I'm not telling him about my Chemistry grade, I mean, we're not that close yet), but it's better than nothing.

Skylor joined us once, trying to add herself to my friend list when she saw him included there as well. I'm glad she was basically half-asleep anyway, because I managed to avoid her noticing it.

I try to remain in my happy place, but some gross, slimey sounds interrupt my thoughts.

When I look up, I'm not all that impressed, to say the least.

"Seriously?" I try to keep my voice low, but I'm sure the other table will have already noticed by now.

Skylor breaks their kiss for a second, looking at me with disinterest.

"Give me a break, we haven't seen each other in like three days."

"I haven't spoken to him in five months!"

Still, she ignores me, leaving me to try and eat my noodles without gagging at the sight.

I shove the bowl away for now, knowing my appetite's probably not coming back any time soon.

I lean back on my seat, immediately regretting it as I bump my head for the second time today.

Although, that time, I wish it was wood.

I turn around after hearing a groan of pain, knowing he knows who caused his pain.

"Sorry," I mouth quickly, though I know that he probably didn't catch my words.

I sink in my seat and try to hide behind it, but when I hear his friend's chuckles from behind, my face starts heating up.

I look at Kai and Skylor, and sure enough, they've noticed nothing.

Having nothing left to do, I resort to taking out my phone, waiting for anything to happen while this whole nightmare ends.

I think one of Gordon's friends passed our table, probably heading to the bathroom, but I could still hear some faint chatter from their table.

Even though I didn't want to eavesdrop, the name Pixal catches my attention. I still have yet to ask her how she knows all these snobs.

I shake off my thoughts and turn to my phone, staring at my conversation with Jay from a few hours prior.

Suddenly, text bubbles start to appear.

SuperstarRockinJay: bored

I snort at the bluntness, hoping no one else heard the sound.

I shake my head and type back.

DazzlingJamminNya: no plans?

SuperstarRockinJay: I mean, kinda. Just not so exciting plans.

DazzlingJamminNya: which means...

SuperstarRockinJay: ...that I'm bored?

I chuckle again.

DazzlingJamminNya: well, go out and do something.

SuperstarRockinJay: We're going to Doomsday Comix later, so that's something. It's a nice distraction.

I don't want to get too excited, but I only know one Doomsday Comix in the entirety of Ninjago, one that Lloyd has dragged me into all too many times.

DazzlingJamminNya: the one in Ninjago City? Near the ice cream shop?

I hear a metal clunk from the other table. As much as I'm convinced it was a fork or something, I still can't help but laugh at the thought of him dropping his $1000 BorgPhone.

Mean? Yes. But it's not like he can't buy another one.

The next text comes a bit later than usual, but Jay doesn't explain the delay.

SuperstarRockinJay: you know the place?

DazzlingJamminNya: I live near it :)

SuperstarRockinJay: me too!!

As soon as I read his message, my jaw drops. I won't lie when I say that I feel butterflies flying around my stomach, but then again, noodles and butterflies don't go well together.

My smile becomes bigger and bigger, curiosity overtaking me as I ignore the stranger-danger instinct inside of me.

But before I can respond, he starts typing. And as I wait, as he writes and rewrites his sentence, only two words come out:

SuperstarRockinJay: Wanna meet?

I clutch my phone to my chest and close my eyes, thinking that maybe this trimester won't be so bad, after all.