Nya looked down at her drink and swirled it in it's red, plastic prison. She stared at the many teens dancing away on the huge dance floor. Her brother was in the crowd having the time of his life. She didn't even know why she agreed to come with. Her twin brother refused to ignore the open invitation to go to Jay Gordon's house for his seventeenth birthday party.
Jay Gordon had to be the most popular teenager in West Ninjago High and in Ninjago in general. Why would a short, freckled kid be the most popular in school, you may ask. The answer was simple. His dad was Cliff Gordon, one of the most famous people in Ninjago.
Ninjago West High School was a small school on the West side of Ninjago. There were about 100 learners per grade and Jay decided to invite the whole grade 11 to his birthday party.
Nya didn't feel like going to some rich snob's party, but Kai dragged her by her ear into the large, gated mansion. She didn't even bring Jay a present. He already has so much money that he could probably buy his own birthday presents.
She had never even spoken to the kid before. She was in the same English and Engendering class as him, but ignored him most of the time.
There was an open braai area decorated with blue lanterns hanging from the roof, illuminating the night's sky. There were tables packed with bowls of snacks and various non-alcoholic drinks. Jay had made sure that no alcohol would enter past the silver gates that framed the house.
The rest of the house was on locked, as Jay's dad wasn't home and he didn't want his guests snooping around his marble-floored house.
Nya lightly bopped her head at the music playing in the air, vibrating through the ground.
Nya had not even seen the birthday boy himself yet. She was pretty happy in the corner of the snack area watching her brother jump around on the neon dance floor. She chugged the rest of her Coke, feeling satisfied by the fizzy drink running down her throat.
"Nya!" Someone yelled. Nya whipped her head around to see Cole Brookstone making his way toward her. The olive skinned teen had a look of panic on his face, his eyebrows pinching together. He took a hand through his hair and took long strides to get to where Nya was sitting.
"Yes?" She asked, quite concerned due to the panic that filled Cole's eyes.
"I can't find Jay. Have you seen him?" Cole asked.
Cole had to be Jay's best friend. You would never walk down the passage and not see them together. Cole was tall and buff and little old Jay was short and adorned a swimmers build, not that she minded at all.
"No I haven't, why?" She asked curiously, standing up from her position on the marble floor.
"He just ran off. I'm just worried about him," He said, trying to talk over the deafening music, "Do you mind helping me find him?"
Nya clasped her bottom lip between her teeth. It wasn't as if she had anything better to occupy her for the night.
She replied with a 'sure' before they parted ways to look for Jay. She walked past the mob of teenagers on the dance floor, denying Skylor's invitation to join her.
She went down two steps onto the perfectly trimmed grass, overstepping a split cup of cream soda. She did not feel like soaking her high tops in the fizzy green drink.
She couldn't help but admire the garden that the lot had. There were tall trees that reached to the heavens and bushes decorated by the most vibrant of blooms that came from the earth itself.
The blue lanterns that hung from the roof created a beautiful overlay that covered the flowers nestled in the hands of the leaves that held them.
She walked for a bit until she came across the biggest pool she has ever seen. There were lights in the pool, illuminating the water to a light turquoise.
She saw someone sitting at the edge of the pool, looking into the water.
She frowned and stalked forward, just to see that it was Jay. He was resting his head on his knees, staring out at the water.
She stared at him for a minute before stuffing her hands in her parka and clearing her throat.
"Um, Jay? Cole is looking for you," She said, staring at the mess of curly hair.
Jay turned his head around and stood up, brushing his baby blue button up shirt.
"Yeah, I know," he dryly laughed and walked toward her. He put his hands in his pants pockets and looked down at his feet, finding the grass under his feet very interesting.
Nya pulled on her short ponytail trying to think of something to say. "He's just worried about you. He said you just walked off," She told him, trying to break the awkwardness that polluted the air.
He finally looked at her. He had tried to tame is hair to the best of his ability, but it didn't make much of a difference. He had a blue button up shirt that was tucked in his navy blue dress pants. He looked very handsome, to say the least.
His eyebrows were kitted together over his blue and brown eyes. Nya has never seen Jay mad, but this had to be it. His slumped over body language and his seemingly angry face expression made Nya feel like she was on very thin ice.
He hummed and licked his lips. "I was just upset over something and needed a breather," He said.
"Oh," she whispered, "are you okay now?"
"Yep. Enough about me. How are you, Nya? I hope you aren't too bored here," He laughed as he signaled for her to follow him.
"Oh, I-I'm good," She stuttered, "I didn't know you knew my name," She said as they walked on a stoned path, further away from the main party area.
He scoffed, "Of course I do. We are in the same English and Engendering class."
Nya smiled as she followed Jay further down the path. She adored the amazing garden this family had. Every flower was unique. They were all woven by mother nature herself. Each so breathtaking, yet so different.
Neither of them talked for a while. It was just them, the crickets that sung into the night's sky and the crunching of the ground under their feet.
She looked up into the sky and felt privileged to see the diamonds tossed into the heavens above. The stars blinked at her from above. There wasn't a cloud lining the sky, leaving her with an open view of the gems.
"Hey, wanna see something cool?" Jay piped up. His round face was calmer that when she found him. His eyes were soft and inviting.
"Sure," She said and followed him to a small shack that was shaded under a tree. Jay swung the door open and let Nya in. The room was cut off of all all light. Jay flipped on a light switch and a light bulb flickered on and illuminating the room.
"This is basically my own little house. I know you like engendering and...yeah," He nervously chuckled. The garden house had a table lined with blueprints. There were boxes full of scrap parts and rolled up blueprints stuffed into them.
"Woah," Nya whispered and went closer to the table. There was a print for what looked like a pair of mechanical wings. She picked up a little metal car. It was neatly made and was made out of soft drink cans. It had the finest detail added to the design. The windows were cut out with the upmost precision.
"Heh, that's the first thing I made. I was seven at the time," He said.
She put it down and turned around to look at him and gave him a sweet smile. "I'm quite surprised. I never would've realized that the one and only Jay Gordon would be into designing a pair of mechanical wings," She smirked.
He playfully rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
"You learn something new everyday," He said, "Are you thirsty or hungry?"
It was just then that Nya's stomach agreed with Jay. She immediately wrapped her arm around her stomach as a blush ran up her neck.
"I will take that as a yes," He said as he shut off the lights and closed the door behind them.
...
"My Angel! You aren't hurt are you?" Cole exclaimed as his hands roamed Jay's chocolate speckled face, checking for any possible injuries.
"Cole, I'm fine!" Jay groaned and tried to push him off, but to no avail.
They had arrived at the braai area not even a minute ago. When the were spotted by Cole, Jay was tackled by the taller teen. Cole send Nya a grateful glace.
"What happened dude? You just walked off," Cole said. Jay leaned against the wall and averted his sorrowful eyes to the crowd dancing. Most of the guests had left already, excluding her brother, who still was dancing the night away.
"My dad said he's gonna miss my birthday...again," Jay groaned. Cole sighed and leaned on the wall next to Jay.
"At least Ed and Edna are here," Cole said hopefully.
A smile made it's way on Jay lips. "Yeah, you're right."
"Who's Ed and Edna?" Nya asked curiously and took a bite of pizza that was cold, but good nonetheless.
"Our housekeepers, basically. My dad is out shooting a move again and he wont be home until next week. I thought he was going to be here when the party started, but he let me down, yet again," Jay groaned, "but Ed and Edna are like second parents, y'know? Can't live without 'em."
"Yeah, I get ya," Nya said, "Kai regularly babysits this one kid, and he's like our brother."
"Seems like a sweet kid. I would like to meet 'em," Jay said.
"If you won't mind him going insane about your dad. He's a big fan of the Starfarther Series," Nya laughed and took a spot next to him.
"I could always introduce him to my dad," Jay said. "My dad loves meeting younger fans, but too many of them gets too much sometimes."
"You would do that?" Nya asked, wide eyed.
He held up a single finger and smirked, "Only if I get to take you to a restaurant some time," He said.
"I think I would like that."