***(Lloyd's POV)***

I sit in the backseat of Kai's car, my head reclined against the window. We just now dropped Harumi off, and the party is still in full swing. Her brother ended up showing me inside so I could carry her to her room. That girl drank a lot of alcohol.

Paleman told me his parents would literally have Harumi's hide if they figured out she'd had any beer, so I confiscated several cases. I don't know what I'll do with them, but they certainly can't be at Rumi's. Her brother's already going to have a hard enough time cleaning up.

"So..." Kai says.

"I'm done with tonight," I sigh. I'm worried about Harumi, and my whole body aches from the motorcycle crash earlier.

"You sure you're okay?" Skylor asks.

"Just terrific. I feel fantastic."

Kai sighs. "I'm sorry, Lloyd, but you pulled a stupid." He's about to lecture me, but Skylor stops him.

"Let it go, Kai. He's had a long night. You can talk to him about it in the morning."

He looks like he might argue, but after giving me a look in the rearview mirror, he shuts up.

At some point, I drift off. Next thing I know, Kai's got one of my arms over his shoulder, and he's helping me walk into the monastery.

Nya meets us at the door, her eyes huge with worry. "What happened?"

"Bike accident," I grunt. Kai drags me off to the kitchen, and Nya's hot on our heels.

"Are you okay?" she demands.

"Just fine."

She gives me a stubborn look and flips on the kitchen light. "That's not true. I know that face, Lloyd. Where are you hurting?"

"Literally everywhere."

Nya growls and runs off to find some bandages and antiseptic.

Kai sets me down in a kitchen chair. "Take it easy, would you? I'm going to go drop Skylor off. She's meeting with some investors about the noodle business tomorrow."

This would be her evil father's former business. After it was discovered that the guy killed her mom and tried to sell his own daughter to some creep, he was put in prison.

He's also the one who had Kai and Nya's house set on fire, and he almost killed the latter. He'll be incarcerated for a long time – maybe a lifetime, since he's getting older.

***Music Cue***

Nya reenters the kitchen, and Kai stretches.

"You got this, Sis?"

She nods. "Go take Skye home. Tell her I said goodbye, okay?"

"You got it." He tosses her a wave and leaves.

She pours a little antiseptic on a rag, then gently wipes at my forehead. "So...what really happened? You're pretty careful with your motorcycle."

I sigh. "Nya...what would you do if somebody new to Ninjago City asked you to hang out at a party, and it turns out they had a really traumatic past, and all you wanted to do was take care of that person?"

She blinks. "I assume this isn't a theoretical question."

"It's not."

She runs the cloth over my cheek, and I wince at a sting.

"Sorry," she murmurs. "Well...I guess I would do everything in my power to help that person. It's kind of what you did with me when I came to Ninjago City."

I nod. "Yeah, I guess. You're different, though."

She tilts her head. "How am I different? Who is this new project of yours?"

"She's not a project. Um, her name is Harumi."

Nya squints. "I've heard that name before."

"She and Kai hung out before Skylor came along."

"Oh." She opens a bandage, then places it on my cheek. "So, you've started hanging out with her?"

I don't miss the jealousy in her tone. "Yeah. She needs real friends, Nya. She only ever hangs out with jerks. I actually invited her to hang out with us tomorrow, and she said we could go swimming at her house."

That changes Nya's attitude completely. "Swimming? Water's my specialty, you know."

I smile at her cute expression. "Uh, Nya..."

"What?" She's moved on to cleaning a wound at my arm.

"So, I know you're not really into dating or anything..."

She stiffens, and her voice comes out guarded. "What about it?"

"Oh, I was just wondering...what your type is."

She frowns, finally meeting my gaze. Her forehead furrows. "You're asking me what kind of guys I'm into?"

"Precisely."

The lines on her face smooth. "Well, um, I like..."

"Yes?"

She gives me an annoyed look. "Why do you want to know, anyway?"

Because I kind of like you. "Oh, I was just wondering. I have...um...a friend who likes you, and he really needs to know if there's a possibility you might go out with him."

She smiles. "Somebody likes me? That's never...well, whatever. You know Kai won't let me date, anyway."

"Yeah, but...for the right guy, he might loosen up."

Her brows raise in skepticism. "Fat chance."

"Well, never mind the whole Kai thing. If you were allowed to date, what kind of guy would you go out with?"

"No comment."

I go on high alert. "Let me guess...you like a guy on the team?" Nya wouldn't be afraid to mention a boy to me, if I didn't know him. But someone on the team? She wouldn't give me a peep.

She turns bright red. "O-on the team? No way."

"Liar," I taunt her. "I'll make this simple. Is it...Cole?"

She giggles. "No way. He's totally another brother to me. He does have nice cheekbones, though."

"Nice...what even, Nya? That's such a girly thing to say." And Nya is not girly. Well, in appearance, she is. She looks like a doll, but she sure doesn't act like one.

"Hey, I'm not going to deny that Cole's hot. I'm just not into him."

I frown. "Um, okay. What about...Zane?"

"Pffft. Face of an angel, but no sense of humor."

"Huh. Speaking of a sense of humor...is it Jay?" She'd better not say 'yes'. I mean, she and Jay have no chemistry. And he's so into her...if she likes him, they're definitely going to end up together at some point.

She pauses. "Jay? I mean, he's cute, and he's funny, but...I don't really know him."

I frown. "That wasn't a direct answer, Nya."

She smiles softly and applies some medication to one of my abrasions. "I don't like him, Lloyd. Not in a romantic way. I mean, he'd never be interested in me, given that he only ever talks about himself. Unless I have food on my face or something. He likes to point that out."

I roll my eyes. "You are so clueless. And stop talking about how he feels. I want to know about you, Nya." I want to know if we have a chance.

"Nah, I'm not into him. I mean, for a period of time, I thought maybe...but no."

"A...period of time? You liked Jay, of all people?" I mean, we're brothers, but...he's, like, the least attractive ninja. If she likes Jay...there's no chance of she and I getting together.

"Lighten up, Lloyd. It was just for a few days this summer. When you totally insulted me about changing my looks, he was there for me. And I kind of thought we clicked, but...it faded. I realized it was never going to come to anything, and I was probably just experiencing hero worship. Anyway...are there any girls you like?"

"Um." Harumi's face fills my mind, but I blink it away. I instead try to focus on the way Nya strokes my hand as she cleans it, or her dimples that show whenever she finds something funny.

"I do like...one girl." I run my free hand through my blonde bangs.

"What's she like?"

"Hot, funny, smart..."

"That describes a lot of girls I know. Can I get a name for said person?"

"Uh...nope. Anyway, it's getting late, so I should probably – "
"Pull up your shirt."

My face flushes. "What?"

"Pull up your shirt. You bled through it in a few areas."

Entirely embarrassed, I do as she says. She helps me pull it off, then blanches when she sees my stomach.

"Lloyd...you have..."

I close my eyes. "Oh, no. Don't tell me."

"It's...um, it's not bad. Here." She presses the rag to a cut, and I hiss.

"Sorry," she murmurs. "Antiseptic is painful stuff."

"Tell me about it."

"So, your only injuries are minor abrasions? Do you think you might have a break or sprain anywhere?"

"No. I should be fine."

"All right. Turn your back toward me, and I'll clean it up."

I timidly obey.

"So, you said the team is invited to Harumi's to swim tomorrow, right?"

"Yep."

"I'll be there, Lloyd."

***(Harumi's POV)***

My head is throbbing, and I feel like I could throw up all the contents of my stomach.

I blink against the light streaming through my window. It just makes the headache worse.

Wait...my window...

I sit straight up, then immediately regret that decision. I stumble out of bed, limp to my bathroom and...well, barf.

What happened last night? How did I get here? Why do I feel so sore?

Through the haze in my mind, I recall some things. I remember hanging out with Lloyd, dancing with him. The race. We crashed, didn't we? That explains the soreness. And...Ultraviolet talked to me, I think. About me staying in the gang.

Everything after that is clouded in fog I can't touch.

Once I heave out my guts, I brush my teeth and take a long shower. The warm water feels good – fresh – on my skin. It seems like such a long time since I've been clean, even though I just showered yesterday.

I get out, I climb back in bed, and check my social media. There are some stupid pictures of the party I had last night. Luckily, a lot of them don't show me, since I was hanging out with Lloyd the whole time. My not-parents shouldn't be able to figure out I was –

I stop short. Oh, no. If they found all the party trash and saw beer cans and drunk kids...

I just hope they're not home yet.

Still garbed in my fluffy bathrobe, I scramble out of my room and down the stairs. It's ten o'clock in the morning already, and all the staff are on duty. A few greet me or ask if I need anything, but I don't have time to respond. I have to see the front yard.

Finally, I reach the door and wrench it open. The canopies from yesterday are still set up, and there are snack bowls still half-full on the table.

My eyes dart to the garage, and I race toward it. I quickly punch the PIN into the keypad, and the door opens.

There, as though it had never left, sits my adopted parents' Rolls Royce.

I swallow. Oh, boy. I'm doomed. There's no way they didn't find all the party carnage from last night. They're going to send me back to the foster care system, and I won't be able to stay with the Sons of Garmadon, and I'll never find out my parents' last wishes for me.

And I'll miss...well, really only Chamille. I don't have too many other friends.

I smile. And Lloyd. He's so sweet and considerate and...boring, but in a good way.

I sigh, pulling me robe tighter around myself. I never should've brought beer to the party. It was a risk I shouldn't have taken, but I was so miserable yesterday. It seemed like the only way out.

I feel my phone buzz from my robe pocket, so I pull it out. Tears brim my eyes when I see it's from Lloyd.

Lloyd: You up? Can't wait to hang out later :)

Harumi: yeah, me too!!!!!!!!!!

Little does he know that my parents will have evicted me by tonight.

I trudge back inside, heading straight for the kitchen. Mrs. Darst can at least make me a good last breakfast.

"Rumi?" says a timid voice.

I look over to see my not-brother. "Oh, Paleman." My greeting doesn't get any further. I mean, he stole my best friend.

"Hey, um, I'm glad you're up. I wanted to tell you...don't worry about mom and dad learning you had alcohol last night. Some friends and I cleaned it up." He scuffs the ground with his toe.

I at first was upset he'd referred to the Jades as "mom and dad", as though they were my parents, too. But...if he really cleaned things up, I get to stay.

"How did you hide it all?" I ask coldly.

"Well, Lloyd confiscated all the leftover alcohol – "

I burst into laughter at that. Lloyd Garmadon will not drink it, so I have no idea what he intends to use it for.

Paleman clears his throat. "Lloyd took the leftover alcohol, and Chamille and I made sure all the trash was cleaned up and all the drunk guests were gone by three in the morning."

I tilt my head. "Why did you do it?"

He shrugs. "You're my sister, and I know mom and dad can be harsh. I didn't want them to overreact about this."

I don't know that I can process what's going on. "Thank...you?"

"Yeah. Just don't do it again. Oh, and...that Lloyd friend of yours is a really nice guy. Don't treat him like all your other boytoys, okay?"

I cross my arms. "That's none of your business. Have a good day, Paleman." I saunter off into the kitchen.

What he said is true, though. Lloyd's not like the guys I usually tote around at parties. Lloyd...I think he actually cares about me. Which is weird, since we barely know each other.

But it has to stay that way. We can't know each other too much, or he'll find out about my masks.

Deception.

Vengeance.

Hatred.

***So, Lloyd has all the girls. Let's hope he gets this figured out...***