Cole x reader -| A Lemon Into Lemonade |

A Morning of Misery

I cursed as I looked at my watch, tapping my foot in impatience. My train was ten minutes late which was an unfair development for someone who was always so punctual. What did I do to deserve this? I was never late to school, but now, thanks to the Ninja, I was going to have my first tardy. I swear, things are always going wrong in Ninjago and the Ninja can never come up with a permanent fix. Evil always makes its way back, and today, the evil has disrupted the train system. Gosh, I hated those ninjas. Why couldn't they just do their job properly? I took another look at my watch. At that point, I didn't think the train would be coming for a while. I was better off walking.

I scurried up the subway steps out into the warm, early morning light. With a sharp right turn, I started my brisk walk to the high school. My face was scrunched into a scowl as I gripped my backpack straps and avoided piles of rubble that were now scattered across the city streets. Whatever was destroying the city this time certainly was efficient. It wasn't even eight yet and the city was half torn apart. The school wasn't too far now; one more turn and It would be in view. As I hurriedly turned the final corner, I suddenly crashed into something, knocking me flat on my butt. I yelped in pain before looking in front of me to see a boy in a black gi. It was the elemental master of Earth, one of the six Ninja sworn to protect Ninjago. Great. He looked at me with wide eyes as if I had completely taken him by surprise.

"Watch where you're going, will you??" I growled.

The black ninja squinted at me in confusion. "What? I'm trying to save the city here, why aren't you inside somewhere?"

"I have to get to school, you half-wit. Which! I'm now late for thanks to you and your traveling circus."

The ninja opened his mouth to rebuttal but was cut off by a yell from above.

"Cole! Watch out!"

A shadow suddenly crept over our heads as a piece of the high rise our adjacent came hurtling down at us. The master of Earth quickly spun around to catch the falling rubble. My adrenaline spiked as I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for myself to be squashed. I guess it doesn't matter if I'm late to school if I end up dead. After a loud crash and the realization that I was still breathing, I looked up to see the black ninja struggling to carry the giant piece of building that had almost ended us. I quickly scurried out from under it and watched as the ninja threw it beside him into the street.

His eyes met mine. "Well, would you look at that? This half-wit just saved your life. Maybe try being a little more grateful, Lemondrop."

My amazement was immediately halted after hearing the nickname. Lemondrop?

"Excuse me?" I glared at him.

"Excuse yourself." He spat. "You're still breathing thanks to me, but you still have that sour expression on your face."

I scoffed at him. 'Thanks to him', that's rich. If it weren't for him and his band of hooligans screwing up all the time, Ninjago would be safe! And I could get to school with no issues. I said nothing to the boy as I stood and marched past him, still determined to make it to class.

"Uh, you can't go that way. You're walking through the middle of a battle!" Cole warned.

"Like I care, Rock-for-Brains. It's not like I'm not used to the chaos." I kept walking.

"Seriously! You're going to get hurt!"

I kept walking. Cole groaned. The earth shook under me as I continued and debris was flying everywhere. I began to have second thoughts about ignoring Cole's warning, but I was too prideful to back out now. I just prayed to the first spinjitzu master that I'd make it out unscathed. I guess he didn't hear me because the next thing I knew, my feet had lifted off the ground and I was being propelled into the air. A car had been hurled into the pavement right behind me and lifted the sidewalk like a seesaw, shooting me upwards. Panic struck as gravity took its hold. I had gone up about two stories which was going to make for an incredibly painful landing. I screamed, unsure of what to do. I heard a voice curse from behind and suddenly felt a blast against my back pushing me sideways onto a cloth overhang of a storefront. I bounced from the overhang onto the pavement; blacking out on impact.