Pink hair and a broken heart

Chapter 3. Costumes

{Location: Crystal Pass' college library} (Seliel's POV)

"WAKE UP!" Marci Black shouts in my ear.

I jump and nearly take her head off with my history book. "Marci!" I catch my breath. "Why do you wake me up like that?"

"It's the only way I know how to wake up someone." Marci is such a night bird. Her long black hair and brown eyes are shiny in the dim library. Even her outfit radiates awakeness, neon pink shirt, neon yellow undershirt and bright blue pants, "I've had to wake up my brother, Ethan for the last year."

"What time is it?" I look at my watch. My training leaves me sour and I often sleep during classes. At least it's my last year. Soon, I'll be going around Ninjago, saving kittens, helping old ladies and whatever other ninja things happen.

"You ok, Seliel?" Marci sits on the table as the library opens up for the day. "You've been more tired the last month."

"I'm fine." I smile. Last week I learn how to have a good lie, another useful skill from mom, "I've taken up metal work. It's not as easy as it sounds." I bite my lips. I don't know how long I can lie to my bestie.

"Ok." Marci puts her highlighted books in her neon green bag, which is decorated with Green Ninja stickers. "Hey, are you coming to my party?"

"I don't know." I put my books away and yawn, "I've got something to help my mom out with at the clinic."

"Oh come on," Marci tugs on my arms as we walk out the bright glass doors, "It's a costume party. And Victor will be there."

"Victor and I still are in choppy waters." I smile at her perkiness. Only Marci would be ignorant of my love life, "So unless you've got the ninja coming."

"Believe me I tried." She smiles as we walk out as the librarian comes in, "I kept getting a busy signal from some Dareth dude."

"His name alone sounds stupid." I smile as some people talk in the market, "Let me guess, part of his title is, The Brown Ninja."

Marci giggles, "Yeah. And from the sound of it, he's not a real ninja."

"Probably their manager."

"So.." She rubs against my shoulder, "Party?"

"I'll think about it." I smile as she smiles brightly.

"Some day Seliel Quartzstone, I will get you to say yes to a party on the first ask."

I doubt that. I'll be a hero.

"So, Professor Justin was boring again. What was the project?"

"A collaborative design project. We have to come up with unique weapons."

"We're in fashion class, we should make dresses." Marci whines.

"It's unique styles course A, nothing in the titles suggested that we make dresses." I roll my eyes as we pause at a food cart that sells breakfast bars.

"I'm just saying," Marci winks at the man running the cart and lets two bars slip off and into her smooth hands, "The whole ninja thing is already being done. We should get a little creative."

"Then drop the class." I open the bar up and eat up.

"And lose a hundred bucks? Are you crazy?" Marci then goes into her latest 12 crushes, one being the black ninja. My face heats up and my stomach twists into a knot. I claimed fangirl rights on him once word got out. Marci and I walk around town and back to my house. "So I'll see you tonight?"

"Maybe." I wave her goodbye as she darted to her home in the mountainside. "Hi, mom. Hi, dad."

"How was the all nighter?" Dad's stacking the dishwasher as Mom sharpens weapons outside.