Cole and I go way back. Practically back to when I was born. We were the best of friends, living right next door, a yard away from each other.

As kids we would open our windows and shout back and forth the most random things, like the innocent kids we were.

But as we grew older, our friendship grew brittle, slowly fracturing and crumbling into nothing. Until highschool, that is.

Due to Ninjago's strange school system, age groups were all mixed up for several subjects. Art History being one of them. Cole and I were together for that subject, and considering we knew literally nobody else in the class, we only had each other.

We both hung around each other, and the tension melted away and we resumed our friendship like nothing happened.

But something else sparked underneath. I thought both of us felt it, but alas, I was wrong.

⚪⚪⚪

START OF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
NYA

"Mm, this place is good." Cole set the milkshake down, resting his arms behind his head. I grinned, dipping a fry into the thick sweet liquid, "It's a good price too. But I get the close friends discount thanks to Kai."

"Does he even know I'm here?"

"Kai's at work. So are my parents. We've got time, relax. So, what exactly brings you to mon chambre?"

"I see Honours' French is still of use to you. Anyways, I just wanted to check in. Feels like forever since we've spoken."

"And your idea of making an entrance was a week after a detox attempt, having nothing but green juice all week, before climbing through my window, throwing up all over my floor and passing out in your own vomit? Bravo, I must say."

"Again, sorry for that."

"It's all good. You're lucky I don't have carpet anymore. And this impromptu dinner's on you."

The moment Cole had woken up, I stole his phone and ordered a round of fries, milkshakes and cake for dinner, to detox the detox juice out of him. And because I was getting hungry too.

Also because, and even though I wasn't planning on it for a while, now was a perfect time to tell Cole about my feelings for him.

As we grew closer, my liking for him grew stronger. He had to have felt something too, right?

"So listen..."

"Hmm?" Cole looks up at me, milkshake smeared across the corner of his mouth. I stifled a laugh, grabbing a tissue and creeping towards him, "Here, you have something on your..."

Using the tissue, I gently dabbed at his cheek, wiping the beverage away. He looked at me, breathing now hitched. He was nervous; that makes two of us.

"I..." Cole looked me in the eye, clearly confused by my sudden change in mood.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just..." It's now or never. 

Dropping the tissue, I cup his cheeks, pressing my lips to his. The faint taste of milkshake lingered in his mouth. But Cole didn't move.

Perhaps he was in shock?

It wasn't until the last minute when I felt him kiss me back.

But only for a second, before pulling away, cheeks red.

"I like you, a lot," I confessed, "and I didn't want to keep quiet about it. More like I couldn't, but..."

Cole slowly stood up, dusting himself down, "I should go."

"Oh..."

⚪⚪⚪

Cole avoided me for days after the kiss. He didn't take one look in my direction, and wound up skipping a week's worth of Art History class.

Yeah, so his response was made very clear.

Or so I thought.

I guess, out of all the possibilities there, I never expected to come home from school on a late Friday night and see him sitting at my desk. He stood up, beckoned me over, and when I asked him what he was doing, he simply kissed me on my lips, the same as I had done to him a week ago.

It became our little thing; meeting up in secret, our hidden romance. I loved the thrill of it, the mystery, and how it was our special aspect.

It took me a while to notice the metaphorical knife lodged into my back, thrown by Cole fucking Brookstone himself.

⚪⚪⚪

"Damn, man. Still can't believe you managed to pull Nya Smith. She's like...impossible."

"I didn't-"

Chen scoffed, punching Cole's arm, "Considering the charade she put up, I'd say she's easy prey. Good on you, Brookstone."

I turn down the volume of my music, flipping to the next page of my textbook, simultaneously listening in to the conversation on the other side of the book shelf.

"Guys..."

"Oh, come on Coley, give us the details. Don't keep it all to yourself now, hmm?"

Silence filled the space of the library, until Cole's slightly-hesitant yet still boasting voice resumed, "Well, she didn't put up much of a fight with me. What can I say? The girl's obsessed. Last night, she..."

My cheeks flushed. What the actual fuck?

Last night, I finished my homework, watched TV and went to bed. No contact with Cole.

But alas, it was my word against his.

Thank God the library was huge and practically empty.

"Holy shit, dude. You fucking did it this time."

I didn't know who I felt more sorry for. Should I feel sorry for Cole, who felt the need to brag and boast about his non-existent sex life just to save face? Or should I feel sorry for the jocks, who were swallowing up his lies like they hadn't eaten in days?

Abruptly standing up was a big mistake. The jocks heard, tracking the source of the noise back to where I was hurriedly packing my belongings into a bag.

"Ayyyyy, look who we have here, lads!"

"Yo, you're Cole's bitch, aren't you?"

People were starting to look, and my cheeks flushed red, "I didn't do any of the stuff Cole said I did."

"Like hell you didn't!" I was given a light shove, "You seemed to be a real delight for our Brookstone here, how about I take you out sometime?"

I'm disgusted, and any fool could see based on my reaction. I see Cole, but he refuses to look me in the eye. He's ashamed.

"You're all fucking idiots, aren't you? You'll believe anything anyone says these days, huh?"

Kataru Boreal stood before me, a sinister smirk on his face, "And you seem to be getting down on your knees for everyone these days too, huh?"

"I didn't have sex with Cole."

"Really? Cole, tell her!"

Cole tightened his grip on his bag, "We should get going, we don't wanna be late-"

"Nya? There you are!" Another girl, this time with shorter, bushier black hair runs to me, half-dragging me away. It was Akita Boreal, leader of the Animal Rescue club and a Senior.

"Sis! Don't ruin the fun for us!" Kataru whined, outstretching his hands. Akita ignored him, pulling me towards the exit. 

Once we were out of sight, I looked at her, "Why did you do that?"

"Boys these days, they'll harass us girls over anything they can get their hands on. This is why you steer clear of hookups with any of the jocks."

"I didn't have sex with Cole," I whisper, "they're making that shit up."

"Either way, people saw and heard. News travels fast at this school, and soon it'll be your word against theirs. I'll keep an eye out for you but..." she gave a grave sigh, "the odds don't seem to be in your favor."

She walked off, leaving me standing alone.

⚪⚪⚪

Akita was right. Rumours spread fast here at Ninjago High. I learnt that the hard way.

For a whole week whispers arose, words got more and more twisted, and I was the laughing stock of the school.

The rumours died down eventually but...people still spoke.

⚪⚪⚪

PRESENT DAY
COLE

Kai looks me in the eyes, "You're a fucking idiot, Brookstone," he sniffed, pulling away. I nodded in agreement, "I was just the start, you know? The start of her end."

"And I was the end of her end." Kai murmured, "But the testimony. Ronin's gonna paint you as a bad guy, just as he did me. Eloise was appointed to defend the school, and she's gonna paint Nya as the villian. You gotta pick, Cole. It's either you or her. You picked the wrong choice last time."

He stepped towards the door, pulling it open. Before he left, he turned back to me, "I hope you pick the right one this time."

⚪⚪⚪

WEEK AFTER THE RUMOURS "DIED DOWN"
NYA

Akita stayed true to her word, walking me and from classes. She kept my mind off the rumours, batting away anyone who tried asking me of it.

"Shit, I forgot my textbook in my locker. You go on ahead, I'll catch up." I nod, and she turns to run back.

I continued walking down the corridor, passing by Miss Mystaké's history class. She told me to leave my homework on her desk as soon as possible, considering I finished late.

Bringing out the stapled sheets from my bag, I head towards the room, twisting the handle, and pushing the door open.

What surprises me the most is the sight of my next door neighbour/ex and Scott Unagami in the room together.

Both very visibly dishevelled.

Both in an intense liplock.

I give a slow clap, watching them pull away in surprise, eyes widening in horror of my presence. "Wow. Just great. Perfect. This actually explains so much." 

"Nya, I can explain-"

"Scott, could you give us a minute?" The boy in question looked between the two of us, before excusing himself to leave the room.

Once again, the atmosphere grew frosty between us. I stepped closer, "You lied, said we had sex, said all that crap about me just so you could save face?"

"I'm sorry. I just...I wasn't ready to come out yet-"

"So you used me?"

"I didn't want to do it-"

"But you did. Jesus, Cole, why do you try so hard to fit in with that crowd?"

He stayed silent, biting his lip. At long last, in a quiet whisper, he uttered, "My dad is against same-sex relations, and the jocks are homophobic people. If they were to find out...I know I did a shitty thing, but please, don't tell anyone. Please."

Why on earth would he think I'd out him?

Did he seriously think that low of me?

"What you did to me was the shittiest thing possible. Shitty, and selfish. But...I support you, and I'll keep this quiet for however long you need because...I'm not that type of person."

He gave relieved sigh, standing up and walking towards me, arms outstretched, "Thank-"

I didn't want to do this. I really didn't want to do this.

Stepping back, I held my arm out, "But you and I? We can't be friends anymore. I'm sorry, but there's some things you just can't come back from."

I could see the pain in his eyes, how he struggled to hold back the tears, "I understand. I'm really sorry it had to come to this, Nya."

Dropping my sheets on the desk, I give a soft hum in acknowledgment, leaving Cole in the darkened room.

⚪⚪⚪

PRESENT DAY
COLE

Upon reciting my vows of honesty, the trial started, and I already wanted to bury myself six feet under.

Ronin came onto me first, throwing question after question.

"Nya wrote a bit about you in her journal, as I'm sure you're aware of."

"Yes."

"According to the journal, you used her to protect yourself from the... 'harsh reality of the world?' What does this mean, Cole?"

"I used Nya as a cover...to hide my sexuality." My eyes glazed over at my dad, who was sitting upright, brows furrowed, face set in a cold stare, "I lied and said I...did stuff with her, which was the starting blow to her reputation."

"Is this a common occurrence in your school?"

"Yes sir."

"What kind of bullying occurs at Ninjago High?"

Eloise stood up, "Objection, relevance."

"Your Honour, this follows up to my next question."

"I'll allow it."

"Cole, what kind of bullying occurs at Ninjago High?"

I tap the mic lightly, "Well, sometimes it's obvious and sometimes it's not. Sometimes a kid gets roughed up. A lot of the time, though, it's just stuff that people say. Especially athletes."

This piqued Ronin's interest, "So what type of stuff is said?"

"We um...we brag about t-things that we do with girls, like sexually. Even when they're not true. And sometimes that can get around."

"Your sexual relationship with Nya being one of said brags?"

"It never got sexual, and yes, my lies caused a lot of whispers to stir."

Ronin consulted a piece of paper, "According to her journal, she kissed you whilst the two of you were having fries and milkshakes in her bedroom, correct?"

"Yes."

"What was going through your mind when she kissed you?"

"Um..." I hold onto the stand, "I always knew that I didn't feel the same attraction to women that my friends felt, so when she kissed me I didn't know what to do. I avoided her all week, until I came to the conclusion that I could just lie and say she and I were a thing to avoid suspicion."

"And you never told her in the weeks you dated?"

"No."

"So you led her on, played with her heart, toyed with her emotions?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"Why lie about an innocent girl who has done nothing wrong? Were you that selfish?"

"Accusatory tone towards the witness."

Ronin cleared his throat, "I'll rephrase: why did you feel the need to create false beliefs on another student?"

"You would've done the same thing, had you have been in my position." I look around the courtroom, before continuing, "I'm not saying I don't regret doing what I did; my actions were downright cruel and not a day goes by where I don't wish I could take it all back. But my teammates, my homelife...they're homophobic, so I kept it to myself, doing whatever I could to avoid being caught. Even if that meant throwing a friend under the bus. My actions started a chain reaction, and no amount of apologies can make up for the pain I caused your daughter." I stare at Ray and Maya, "I failed you, just as I failed her."

"No further questions, your Honour."

As Ronin sat down, Eloise stood up. She approached me, holding laminated sheets, and a small ziplock bag containing a receipt.

"Cole, Nya never bothered to tell you how she felt, did she?"

"She tried to. But you know how it goes: you freeze up, the words don't come out, and so she kissed me."

"And afterwards, you resumed a secret relationship?"

"I wouldn't say it was secret...we never bothered telling anyone about it because we didn't feel it was their business."

The attorney placed the bag with the receipt in front of me, "I'm going to assume that this was when she kissed you? On this date?"

"Yes. Towards the start of the academic year."

"How did your friends come to know of your relationship?"

"Objection."

"Overruled."

"We were all hanging out in the library, and my friend took my phone and saw the messages. They nagged me to tell them what happened, so I coiled and lied about us having sex."

"How did Nya feel about having a secret relationship?"

"I think she liked it. She described it as one of those storybook romances, so to speak."

"Do you think she might have said that because she was embarrassed to be seen with you in public?"

I frowned, "No, of course not. Nya wouldn't do that."

"When did the two of you break up?"

"There...wasn't really a specific date, but we stopped talking after the library confrontation."

Eloise squinted her eyes, "And after seeing you kiss Scott, Nya ultimately ended her friendship with you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"She must have taken that advantage, to no longer be seen around with you, correct?"

"Listen, you're not getting it. Anyone would've done what Nya did if they walked in on their significant other making out with someone else."

You gotta pick, Cole. It's either you or her. You picked the wrong choice last time. I hope you pick the right one this time."

"You're trying so hard to paint Nya as the villain, but she did nothing wrong in this case. She did what any teenager would've done. I was the one who fucked up, and I'm taking responsibility. But Nya? She was not a bad person. I am."

"Mark that question as unanswered."