Sam let out another laugh, "Cole,"

"No; I'm going to get this right," her stubborn friend, Cole, promised.

"You said that a thousand times,"

"I know: I just want to get it right,

"So, how does it go again?"

Sam smiled lightly. It wasn't every day that Cole was with her. To see him was a gift long awaited for. Especially when you only see this gift a few times a year.

Cole, unknown to Sam, was the black ninja. The earth ninja. The unnamed leader of those who possess the golden weapons. He tried everything to see his family and close friends. And Sam was no exception.

The two never left each other's sides throughout their grades school years. When the time for college to start, though, the two were instantly separated. Cole disappeared from the campus entirely. Sam had stayed to achieve her degree in the performing arts. That one thing kept the two friends. Even closer when they were together.

"Hey Cole!" A rowdy brown haired boy knocked on the door, "we've got a situation back in City,"

Sam sighed suddenly. Yep; she'd have to wait another year to see him again.

"Promise to work on that?" Sam asked, quickly giving her best friend a hug.

"I swear; whenever I get a chance," Cole raised his hand, as though giving an oath. "Scouts honor,"

"You were never a boy scout, Colton,"

Cole chuckled, lightly kissing Sam's cheek. "For all you know,"

"Cole, now!" the teen snapped.

Cole quickly kissed Sam again and ran out the door. "Later,"

"I don't think that watching the boy of your dreams run out the door is the smartest thing to do,"

Sam rolled her hazel eyes at the snide remark her roommate had just made.

It was obvious Sierra was enraged with the relationship Sam and Cole had. She nagged Sam whenever she brought him up in a conversation. Which was practically every day.

"Don't you have his phone number?" Sierra wondered.

"Yeah,"

"Then call him!"

Sam turned around. "Are you serious? He just left. I don't want to sound desperate,"

"What's going on, guys? Who's attacking?" Cole asked, changing into his gi.

"No one. Nothing's wrong," the rowdy brown haired teen smirked.

"Kai, you know how much she means to me!" The earth ninja flung his sweatpants at him.

The blond, Zane, ducked in front of the fire ninja to avoid any contact with the sweaty garment. "Do you ever wash those!?"

Kai chuckled. "He was with Sam,"

Cole felt his face heat up in both anger and embarrassment. The others didn't know about Sam. And he wanted to keep it that way.

"Who?" Jay walked in.

"Cole's girlfriend," Kai laughed.

Cole grabbed a towel off the wall. "I'm going to shower,"

"No;" Jay warned, pulling Cole back into the room. "I wanna know about this Sam girl,"

Cole hung his head, mulling over his situation. If he did, the guys would know that he was still into the performing arts. It would most likely ruin his image. If he didn't, that would be all the guys talked about.

"Well?" Jay asked. He was now sitting cross legged on the floor, awaiting the new gossip. Cole could swear some days that Jay had to have sisters that acted the same way.

"Well, I guess," Cole started, landing a spot on Kai's bunk, "Sam's a long friend of mine. We've been friends for years,"

"Like, boyfriend and girlfriend friends?"

"Something along those lines,"

"What's she like? Do you have a picture?"

"I saw a picture of someone under his pillow," Zane remembered, feeling under his fellow ninja's pillow.

"Zane," Cole groaned.

"Is this her?"

Zane held a picture of who no doubt was Cole. But there was another face.

"That's Sam?" The boys shouted.

The photographer had taken the photograph at the best time. Sam was being escorted by Cole onto their high school gym's floor. Sam's hair was in loose dark brown curls. Her matching brown eyes were looking directly at Cole. She wore a simple light pink dress that contrasted her lightly tanned skin perfectly.

Cole was wearing a pressed black suit-and-tie combination. Something he almost never wore.

"I want to meet this girl!" Jay smiled, taking the picture from Zane's nindroid hands.

Cole plucked the photo out of the lightning ninja's hand. "None of you are going to meet her. She has classes at Marty Oppenheimer's."

"That place you were going before this?" Kai wondered.

"Yeah,"

"You should've stayed! You wouldn't be crying rivers every night,"

Cole shot the fire ninja a glare. "Did you really just say that?"

"Yeah, why not?

"Just a guess," Jay whispered, "You probably shouldn't have,"

Sam picked up her duffel bag. It was odd leaving Oppenheimer's for spring break.

"Don't forget to call Cole!" Sierra called from the bathroom.

I hope Europe won't have Sierra there, she begged silently.

"I won't!" Sam laughed.

Locking the door behind her, the junior walked down the deserted hall. It was odd, really. Though she had to admit, she was leaving twenty minutes later than expected.

"Samantha?" Someone asked.

Sam quickly turned around. A bleached blond teen, about her age, smiled softly.

"Do I know you?"

"Nope. But I have a friend who does. He needs to see you. Now,"

"Now?" Sam glanced at her plane ticket. "Look, whoever you are, I have to leave now. I have a plane that leaves in a matter of minutes and I won't make it there if I'm late talking to your friend,"

"It's better than Europe, Sam," The teen promised.

"'Better than Europe,' huh?"

The faux blond, instantly growing impatient, grabbed Sam's arm and dragged her down the hall.

"Hey! Let me go! Men these days! I swear, when I find out your name, I'm going to smack you so hard!"

"I would not do that to me,"

"Sammie?" A familiar voice laughed.

"Cole!"