Chapter 8
The sounds of rock n' roll filled the bedroom which belonged to fifteen year old Cole Brookstone. Who knew five years could pass in such a huge amount of time? And who knew how much Cole changed? That sweet, cute and lovable little boy so many knew well grew up into a teenage rock loving emo.
Lou wondered how on earth his own son could listen to such junk, but Cole only listened to it around the other cool kids at school just to prove he could be like them. Secretly, though, he preferred listening to classical music like his mother and he still practices piano, something him and his father still spend time doing together. That's only when he's not spending his days after school helping out with the theatre tech department.
His father's quartet wonder sometimes why the teenage earth master has never set foot on stage to join in a school musical. Cole never really saw himself being placed in the spotlight. In fact, he hated it all together. He hasn't been on stage since the incident with the quartet he was with when he was a kid. That night has scarred his mind even to this day. It was then he knew to keep himself shadowed in the spotlight and remain backstage. It was better that way.
His dancing was saved for the battlefield during his summers at the monastery where he trained and kept his powers in control. But nobody would ever know it was him since the ninja business was a secret, but he didn't mind hiding that talent. He was proud to be doing something he loved while taking down bad guys.
All in all, Cole was one who kept to himself. Some days he wished people would stop bugging him and leave him alone. His parents were included on that particular list. But they never seemed to get the memo since his mother came inside his room and began yanking the covers off him.
"Time to get up for school, honey," Lilly told her son, "You don't want to be late."
Cole groaned, reaching beside him to cuddle up next to his big dog, Jerky, but forgot the furry fellow wasn't with him anymore. Poor Jerky died of cancer two years ago. Cole spent pretty much all the money he earned from his allowance to buy a plot of land in the pet cemetery just to bury the big guy. He was pretty old when Cole took him in so it was no surprise he died a few years later.
Cole wallowed in his depression for a while until he finally realized that Jerky may not have wanted the earth ninja to sit around and grieve for him forever. So Cole did what he would usually do whenever he was going through one of his negative moods. He went and played piano, but he actually wrote a song that just came up naturally from the keys he pressed and the music he made. In the end, it helped.
But there were still times Cole would think Jerky was lying right next to him and always awaiting a snuggle from the master of earth as if he were a big giant teddy bear. And now that giant snuggle toy was six feet underground.
Sighing, and tired of hearing his parents constantly calling him to come for breakfast, Cole changed into his usual black hoodie and black jeans and made his way into the kitchen. He would rather be asleep than head off for school, but there was no way he could ever get his way. Besides, he actually enjoyed the school he attended, minus the bullies and the huge amount of homework assigned to him every day. And he could never miss out on his mother's famous homemade pancakes.
It wasn't easy being a freshman at Henderson Square High School. He would've considered walking there instead of taking the bus, but the school was twenty minutes from his house. So he had no choice but to ride along with others who had no choice but to take the bus as well, keeping his distance from them as he sat in his usual seat in the back away from everyone else.
Most know him as a guy who was always caught sitting in the back of the bus with his earbuds plugged up listening to classical music on his phone while working on the play script he's spent weeks writing. "Wonders of The Earth" is what the title was. It was a famous unknown play script he planned to make known. As long as his theatre teacher would approve of it once he was finished writing it.
Cole never really sat next to anyone on the bus. He never sat at a lunch table with others around. He never paired up with anyone for projects or assignments. He had friends when he was a kid, but they've all moved on to different schools, leaving him behind. Not a problem. He wasn't one to make friends or keep them around for long, enjoying the life of a loner and never caring about being bullied for the issue. But when it comes to someone else being picked on, he never hesitated to stop them.
It was on a cold, crisp November morning when Cole went inside the school building to his locker when he noticed Danny Fervor and his twin sister, Tina, push around a girl he hasn't noticed before. Cole was one to never let a bully get away with hurting other students and rushed over to stop the madness.
"Hey, get away from her," Cole told them, pushing them both away from the girl.
Danny retaliated by pushing Cole down, causing him to land on his bottom. Tina knocked the girl's books out of her arms while following her brother down the hall.
Picking himself up off the floor, Cole helped the girl gather her books that were scattered everywhere. She bent over and helped him out, giving him the opportunity to check on her safety.
"You okay?" Cole asked.
The girl pushed her hair out of her face and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for helping me there. Those guys have not left me alone at all since I got here this morning."
Cole studied her for a moment, especially her hair which was pulled back in a ponytail. He immediately recognized the purple highlight, telling his eyes exactly who she was and where he remembered her from.
"Carol Dominez?"
She looked at him, giving Cole a strange look. "How do you know my name?"
"You don't remember me? We went to the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts together. Well, I only stuck around for about a month until I ran away."
It suddenly hit her. "Now I remember you. Cole Brookstone. We were best friends. Well, we still are, but you know what I mean. I had heard about you on the news a lot. How you were found and back at home with your parents. I tried writing to you, but after three letters I got an angry note back from a mean old woman saying she didn't know who you were. So I figured you moved."
"Yeah, there was a lot going on," Cole said, "It's really great to see you again after all this time."
Cole could tell Carol's changed some since the last time he saw her. And not just by appearance from growing from a cute little girl into a beautiful teenager. He could see it in her eyes. Who knows? She may not be the same Carol from all those years ago in certain aspects. But he could tell she was still the Carol he remembered.
The warning bell rang signalling everyone to get to class. Carol gave him a smile. "I better start heading off to class. Thanks for helping me. I hope to see you again soon."
Cole hoped for the same thing. Maybe they could have a class together just so they could have a place to talk and spend time together. Just to be friends like they used to. He was surprised to see the two would be sharing theatre class, but there was no way they could even say a word to one another unless they were doing skits and activities together.
Mr. Hinkson was pretty strict when it comes to students talking while he was teaching. He was a man who wasn't afraid to give out detention and he wasn't afraid of making enemies. So while his back was turned, Cole wrote a note down and handed it to the guy next to him to pass it to Carol, who was sitting next to the guy.
He wrote down on the note to Carol asking if she would sit with him at lunch, nervously waiting to see what she would say. The guy next to him handed him the note. Unfolding it, he saw the word "yes" written in purple ink.
Later that day, the two sat together outside at the picnic tables enjoying lunches that weren't cafeteria food. Since Cole's mom stays at home, she has time to make him lunches that would stay fresh in his lunchbox and not have to worry about what random meal he would eat. He could tell that Carol pretty much sticks whatever is around the house in her bag and just starts chowing down on it.
Cole decided to strike up the silence with a question that he's been curious about. "So how did the Marty Oppenheimer go, Carol? I'd figured you'd still be there."
Carol sighed, setting down the snack cake she'd been eating. "Well, my mom and aunt had to pull me out when my mom's job transferred to Chitow City. I was right in the middle of fifth grade, too. But my mom said she wouldn't let me continue going unless she was living in the city where she would be close by in case something happened. But a few weeks ago, she was given a promotion and we had to move back here in Ninjago City for her to accept the job."
"But you guys are back in Ninjago City now," Cole said, "Why not just go back to the Marty Oppenheimer instead of attending a regular high school?"
"I wish it were that simple. It would get me away from my mom. Believe me, I tried, but all the spots in my grade level were filled in and I couldn't go back. So I have no choice but to attend a regular school. But I'm actually glad I did. If I hadn't of started here, I wouldn't have reunited with a long lost friend."
Cole smiled, his cheeks blushing just a little. It was that moment he decided to tell her about his experience with running away. He would keep out the parts about discovering his powers since he's supposed to keep it a secret in order to avoid the media. The ninja have become popular over the years and the one moment one of them was revealed, nobody would ever leave them alone. But Cole kept telling himself in his mind that there was no harm telling Carol. He could trust her not to say a word to anyone. After all, she is the first and only best friend he has.
But before he could say a word, the bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch period. Cole groaned. "Aw, man. Lunch just can't be over."
Carol giggled. "Looks like it is. I guess I'll see you later?" She stood up, gathering her garbage in her hands to go throw it away.
"Maybe we could sit together at lunch again tomorrow?" Cole asked.
"I wish we could, but I made a new friend in math class and I promised to sit with her and her friends tomorrow. Maybe another time?"
Cole nodded. "Sure. See you in theatre class tomorrow."
"See you later."
Cole only wished they had more time to spend together and talk more. The only way they could do that is outside of school. Cole just hoped he could make it look like they were hanging out and not dating.
So the next day at school, Cole decided he would ask Carol to hang out with him on Saturday, but he wasn't sure how to say it in words without making it sound like it was a date, because it's not. He began writing a note in theatre class, but before he had a chance to fold it up and pass it down, Mr. Hinkson confiscated it from his hands.
"This note better have something to do with my class, Mr. Brookstone," Mr. Hinkson said, looking down at the note and reading it aloud, "'Would you like to hang out with me this weekend?'" He looked down at Cole. "Who was this note for?"
Cole sighed, knowing he couldn't ignore his teacher when asked a question. "It was for Carol, sir."
Mr. Hinkson nodded, folding the note up and tossing it in the trash can next to his desk. "I'll see you after school for detention, Cole."
Not a problem for Cole. It wouldn't be his first time receiving a detention. But after class was over with, he felt a hand reach his shoulder. Turning around, he saw it was Carol with a big smile on her face.
"I'll see you Saturday. Here's my address. Sorry you got detention." She handed him a slip of paper with her address written on it in purple ink. "See you later." She hurried down the hall to make it to her next class.
Cole sat there in detention after school working on some homework while also thinking about how awesome Saturday will be. He couldn't help but have so many thoughts run through his mind. Would it be like a date to Carol? Would he think of it as a date? It was just spending time together at the bowling alley as friends. They would bowl a couple of games and talk and do what normal friends do on a Saturday.
So why was he so nervous? Nothing can go wrong. Or will it?
Oh, being a teenager can be hard sometimes.
ANOTHER CHAPTER WRITTEN AND NOW YOU HAVE FINISHED READING. AND NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK TO A NEW REVIEWER.
GUEST WHO REVIEW LAST CHAPTER: I WOULDN'T MIND WRITING A STORY THAT FOCUSES ON THE SERPENTINE. I'LL NEED MORE DETAIL ON WHAT EXACTLY THE PLOT SHOULD BE ABOUT AND IF YOU WANT IT TO BE A ONESHOT OR A FEW CHAPTERS. ALSO, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING ME A NAME I CAN CALL YOU, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YOU HAVE A GREAT REQUEST, THOUGH. THERE'S BARELY ANY STORIES THAT FOCUS ON ONLY THE VILLAINS.
REMEMBER, GUYS. I CAN WRITE STORY REQUEST, BUT SO FAR I ONLY HAVE TWO. I CAN WRITE ONESHOTS AND NOVELLA STORIES IN A FEW CHAPTERS. NOT SAYING I CAN WRITE EVERY STORY REQUEST, THOUGH. IF THERE'S ONE I DON'T THINK I CAN WRITE, I'LL JUST HAVE TO GO OUT AND SAY I CAN'T WRITE IT. NO OFFENSE OR ANYTHING, BUT THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN THINGS I CAN WRITE ABOUT INVOLVING NINJAGO.
IF YOU HAVE A STORY REQUEST YOU WANT ME TO WRITE FOR YOU ABOUT NINJAGO, JUST SEND IT IN EITHER THROUGH THE REVIEWS OR PM ME. EITHER WAY IS FINE WITH ME.
REVIEW PLEASE. I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU GUYS.