Teenage Romance - Or More Than That? (PAUSED)

7: School Project

It was a warm day at Ninjago High.
The weather was great: not too hot and a bit windy.
The biology teacher decided that this is a great day for their new project.

"Hear me, class. Today we are going to go to the forest. There, some of you will try to take photos of some home plants.
The others try to take photos of animals.
Whether it's a deer or just a bug.
In our next lesson, we will evaluate your findings."

"I don't like biology. But staying in the woods is a great thing." Lloyd whispers to Harumi.
"And we may get some time for us. We could call that our first real couple stroll."
Lloyd added.

Harumi takes his hand. "Yes. This would be awesome..."
Both of their faces get closer until they reached each other.
Lloyd smiled into their kiss.
"I just love her. So much. The way her lips taste makes me feel so crazy!" Lloyd thought.
They stopped the kiss after hearing some coughs behind them.

"Guys guys guys. We know that you two are lovebirds. But you could keep it for yourselves." It was Kai. He was looking at Lloyd very proudly.
Lloyd looked at him quite angrily. He stopped him from kissing his love. And Lloyd doesn't like interrupts.

Harumi notices that not only Kai looks at them.
The whole class, including their teacher, is looking at Lloyd and her.
She even can hear some quiet "Awwww" sounds.
Immediately her face started to turn red.

"So! I think we can go now. It is a 30-minute long walk until we reach the forest. If we want to return punctual, we should go now." The teacher breaks the uncomfortable situation.
~

When the class arrived at the forest, the teacher splits the class into groups of two.
Some teams are Lloyd and Harumi, Kai and Skylor, Jay and Nya, Zane and Pixal, Melina and Stuart, and Jason and Harley.
Another team consists of Franklin and Stacy.
"Frank and Stacy? Oh my... this can't end well. They hate each other... just hope that they will return with complete bodies..."
Harumi and Lloyd thought the same.

"Ok, class! Let's go! You have to return here at..." the teacher looks at his watch. "At 14.30."
The class splits and everybody goes in a different direction.
~

Lloyd and Harumi were walking around the forest without a plan.
But then, Lloyd had an idea.
"Hey, Rumi?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"I know a place where we could find some animals. It's a 15-minute walk. But it's worth it.
"Okay! Show me!" She smiles.

Lloyd takes her hand and they are walking side by side through the quiet forest. Some birds are singing their melodies and some frogs are croaking.
"This is kind of romantic, isn't it?"
Harumi looks at Lloyd with the cutest smile in the world.
"Yeah. We should do this every time. Not just when we have biology projects."
Harumi giggles and leans her head against his right biceps.

Lloyd laughs.
"What? What is so funny?" She asks.
"Huh! Just... well... you are very small. You know that."
She slaps his arm softly.
"HEY! Take that back!"
"Shhh..." Lloyd says and puts his hand on her mouth.
She quickly gets his hand off.
"Hey! Why did you-" She started. Then she realized why Lloyd said that.

Not so far away was a mother deer with a bay deer.
"Awww... Oh my... I'm dying... this is the cutest thing I've ever seen before..."
She whispers.
Lloyd looks at her a little disappointed.
"I am the cutest thing you've ever seen." Lloyd sulks.
She looks at him with the "are you serious-look".
"Joke." Lloyd makes it clear and starts laughing silently.

Harumi takes the camera and quickly makes a photo.
"Mommy and Baby deer. The beauty of nature..." She looks at her photo proudly.
Lloyd puts his arms around her.
"No, you're wrong. YOU are the beauty of nature..." He kisses her head.
She giggles and puts the camera away and replied to the hug.

After 5 more minutes walk, they arrived at Lloyds place.
"This is an amazing clear spot in this forest. I've met animals here before.
Here are more shadows than sunny places, here is a little river with clear water and some plants that animals eat are growing here." Lloyd explained.
Harumi nods.

After they sat down on the same tree stump Lloyd sat on a week ago, Harumi leans her body against him. "Please let that never end..."
"Well, this day has to end. But WE will never end..." Lloyd pulls her closer and they started kissing until Lloyd heard a known rustle.

"Is that you, buddy?" He asks.
"Who?" Harumi was obviously confused.
"I was here one time before. I've met a nice squirrel." As Lloyd finished his sentence, the squirrel came closer and stops in front of them.
"Hey, little one!" Harumi greets the little red and fluffy animal.

The squirrel looks at Harumi and then at Lloyd as if he would ask, who this girl is.
Of Lloyd could understand he said: "This is my girlfriend, Harumi." To symbolize their relationship, he takes her hand and starts to stroke her hand.
The squirrel understood.

"We should give him a name. Shouldn't we, Lloyd?"
"Yeah. Do you have an idea? Okay. Haha. If you ask like that, you already have one. Drop it!"
"Okay. What about Chestnut? Squirrels like nuts and his furr has the color of chestnuts."
"That's great!" Lloyd looks back at his little friend on the grassy ground.
"Your name is Chestnut, now." He tells him.
~

Hours later, the class returned to school. The students gave the schools cameras back after downloading their pictures.
Before everyone left the room, Hayden made an announcement.

"Guys. You know I'm turning 18 in a week. I want to throw a big party at my house. My parents allowed it and they are not even there this night. So the house is ours. We can dance, drink, and party as we've never done before! And: you are all invited! So who wants to come?!"

Everyone thinks about that for some seconds.
When everybody made sure that they have time, they said that they will come.
Even Lloyd and Harumi said yes.
~

Before Lloyd returned home, his mother was looking for something in his room.
Garmadon knocks on the doorframe.
"You shouldn't be in his room. It's his private area. We should accept that, Misako."

"I'm just searching for some proofs, that Lloyd and Harumi are in a relationship now. I'm pretty sure they are!"
"What if... you just ask him? Even if he says nothing you could see it in his facial impressions and-"
"AHA!" Misako came from behind the bed.
She holds something up in the air.
"PROOF!" She smiles.
Garmadon giggles. "Darling. That's just a condom. Just because he has some, doesn't tell you about who he is together with. It just tells you that Lloyd is already a young adult who... gets along well with girls."

Misako wanted to answer that but she hears the door slam.
"Mom! Dad! I'm back!"
"Oh shit." Garmadon leaves the room and goes back to where he came from.
"Is he for real now???" Misako couldn't believe that her husband leaves her alone in such a situation.
"Okay. He right. He told me to stop but I didn't. It's my fault. But now, WE have to talk to Lloyd. We have to be sure that he knows how to use THAT."
~

A/N
Oh, poor Lloyd. THIS awkward conversation between parents and children...🫠
What is Lloyd going to tell his parents?
What are they telling him?
Hopefully, it's not that awkward that Lloyd wants to sink into the ground... XD