Fifteen.
(A/N: So, this is going on an official schedule from now on. An update every Tuesday.
Also, just thought I'd let you know, I have a Fictionpress now! A link to my account is in my profile if you'd like to check it out.)
Misako's POV.
Lloyd came home that day with a goofy smile on his face. I hadn't seen him look like that since...well, since before the end of the Ninja War. It made me happy to see him that way; if Lloyd could go back to pranks and homework and silly grins, maybe the rest of us could go back to the way it was too.
"Hi, Lloyd," I said. "What've you been doing?"
"Not much, Mom," he replied. "Just hanging out with Natalia."
I smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"
"Yeah, she's great. Mom?"
"Yes, Lloyd?"
"With more girls coming to Darkly's, they've decided to organize a dance at the end of the year, and I really want to ask her to go with me."
"Natalia?"
"Yeah. How do I ask her?"
"Well, Lloyd, I really don't know. I don't know much about girls."
Lloyd laughed. "Well, true. Maybe I should ask Uncle Sensei?"
"Why don't you ask your dad?," I suggested. "I think maybe you need to talk to him more."
"Maybe," Lloyd said doubtfully. "It's just really hard sometimes. He talks a lot about balance and inner peace and stuff, and I don't get it. It's weird."
"Lloyd," I said gently. "You need to understand that your father is going to be...different from what you're used to. He has a very interesting history, after all. He just wants to make up for what he did in the past. It might take some getting used to, but eventually, I think we can be a family again. You just have to talk to him and have fun with him." I smiled, and a lighter tone came into my voice. "You should ask him about the dance! Maybe he can tell you about the first time he asked me to dance."
Lloyd grinned again. "Good idea! Thanks Mom."
"You're welcome, Lloyd."
I remembered Garmadon asking me to dance. Actually, I remember Wu asking me first. I chose Garmadon. He was always more my "type" - the tall, dark, and handsome one. Wu was always more of a dorky type when we were younger, scrawny and studious, determined to be a ninja as great as his father one day. And even then he'd been obsessed with tea. What is it with him and tea, anyways?
Does it always have to be this way, I thought. When Garmadon was there, Wu was always there not far behind. They were brothers, after all, and I just so happened to be caught in the middle of them. Two boys, one heart, even now.
I knew it couldn't always be like this. I knew what Garmadon said - a house divided against itself cannot stand.
The same is true of hearts.
It was time for me to choose.
(Next week: Lloyd finally gets his dance with Natalia.)