Juggling Priorities (Ninjago High School AU)

Chapter 3: Hell of a Day

Tw: Throwing up, later on in the chapter.

Lloyd woke up to his earlier alarm and threw himself out of bed. He rushed to the bathroom to look at the bruise. It was now a dark purple. Sighing, he took the concealer and covered up the bruise until it was completely gone. Looking at the bottle of makeup. It was already almost gone. He'd definitely need more by the time the end of the weekend went around.

His lip was a bit better. It should be healed within a day or so now. Going back into his room, Lloyd got dressed. Leaning against the wall with his shoulder, he hissed at a dull pain. Looking at his shoulder, it was also bruised. He'd forgotten that Morro had punched his shoulder. Great. He was just accumulating injuries now. By the end of the year, he was sure to be completely black and blue and scabbed over.

Lloyd just sighed and finished getting dressed. His cheek hurt from the bruise, so did his shoulder and lip. He headed downstairs with his backpack. Since he was out of cereal, he grabbed some bread and made cinnamon toast.

He sat at the table eating until his mother came into the room.

"Good morning, Lloyd." Koko said.

"Morning mom." Lloyd said, not looking at her.

"Let me get something to eat, then we'll head out." Koko said. She made herself a bagel with strawberry cream cheese, her usual.

After the two of them had their breakfast, they both got into the car. Lloyd sat in front with his mother. As they headed to the school, Lloyd ruminated on what could happen today. He wouldn't see the Harlan twins until 5th period. So if he was careful, he might be able to avoid them until then.

A while later, they pulled up to the school. Lloyd turned to his mother. Maybe he could sit in her office until the school day started. No. He couldn't, or else his mom would get skeptical of why he was in there. He would just have to find a different solution.

Getting out of the car, Lloyd headed to the front doors. He looked around the student parking lot, for the twin's car he'd seen yesterday. He didn't see it, so he headed inside the school. Lloyd walked to his locker and put away his backpack. He grabbed his art book and headed to the nearest bathroom. He locked himself in a stall, and sat on the floor. Perhaps the bathroom would be safer. At least one of the twins couldn't come in here.

Lloyd hung out in the bathroom for a while, doing art. He might as well enjoy it now, before the actual class where he'd have to deal with the twins. He listened as people came in and out of the bathroom as time passed by. Lloyd stayed there until about 10 minutes from the bell. Then he finally left the bathroom.

He hurried to his locker, grabbing his backpack. Then Lloyd rushed to language. Nya would be in that class with him. That was something to look forward to. He was just a hallway away from his class when his bag was grabbed, yanking him back. Lloyd flinched at the sound of Morro's voice.

"Did you really think you could hide from us? Especially since you left yesterday." Morro said with a rough, anger filled voice.

Lloyd closed his eyes, as the older boy shoved his face closer to his. God. He had known it would have sucked more because of yesterday's escape. And then he hid in the morning. "Sorry." He peeped.

"Not as sorry as you will be if you avoid us or run away again." Harumi said.

"I promise I won't." Lloyd said.

Morro pried at one of Lloyd's closed eyes, trying to open it. "Why don't you look at us, huh?"

Lloyd opened his eyes, only to have Morro poke his right eye. Lloyd yelled out in pain. "What the fuck?" He held the heel of his hand to his eye.