Wonderstruck- A College!Ninjago AU

Problems and Options

        The sweat rolls down my face, beading at my hairline as I strain another push. Almost--there-- 

        "Cole?"

        "Holy--"

        Startled, my grip loosens on the wall and a hand breaks free. I curse and latch myself back on. Rock crumbles down and hits the ground with a slight crack.

        "Shit, Lloyd. You scared me."

        Brushing away the raven black hair from my eyes, I slowly let my feet guide me to a place where I can jump off. As my feet hit the ground I can see Lloyd jump a bit. I swear to God the kid's trying to copy my hairstyle. He tells me I should cut it so I can climb better. Bullshit.

        "Where's Zane?" I call. "You usually bring him along, right?"

        "Yeah, but I made him go back to bed after breakfast today."

        I grab my tank top from the big rock near the climbing wall, but instead of wearing it I wipe the sweat from my chest and pits. However, Lloyd looks grim and nervous, instead of his cheery young self. In fact, he looks really upset.

        "You okay, man? You look like your cat just died or something."

        Lloyd sighs and sits on the rock beside me. "I'm worried about Zane again."

        I take a deep breath. This kid always worried about his roommate. Zane could be buttering bread and Lloyd would fear the guy will accidentally stab himself. With a butter knife.  I knew that Zane was a quiet one, but he's older than both of us and knows pretty damn well as to how to take care of himself. 

        "Lloyd, I've told you this ever since the beginning," I say, absent-mindedly popping a zit on my arm. "Zane knows how to take care of himself. There really is nothing to worry about. What even worries you anyway?"

        "Right now? His sleep."

        "...Wait, what?"

        "He just doesn't sleep. Like, at all. Ever. I mean, he keeps telling me he's fine and that he'll see a doctor if he needs to, but the thing is, I think he's needed to for the past six months now!"

        He looks away from me, because he knows what I'm going to say. I literally tell him this every single fucking time. I realize that I have to tell him something else now. He's never listened to what I said before, and so I decide it's time for a new method. 

        "Soo, what did you want to do?"

        "Tell his doctor or something. There's just no way in hell he'd let me go."

        I hesitate for a bit. "I'd let you go."

        "Heh, you're not Zane, man."

        "Let's just go. Right now. I mean, if you're so worried I don't see why you just don't take the car and leave."

        Lloyd looks up at me, emerald green eyes sparked with curiosity. "Wait--we can do that?"

        "C'mon, who's stopping us?"

        A grin spreads across Lloyd's face, but it soon fades. "But--b-but what if Zane doesn't like it?"

        "If it really freaks you out, then it's worth it."

        Lloyd looks at me, looking rather guilty and nervous.

        "I--I can't," He says with a deep sigh. "Maybe later, but Jay's party is tonight, and I don't want to talk to him about that until la--"

        "The party's tonight?!" I cry. What?! Shiiiiiiit. Shit shit shit. God, I forgot like, right after Jay told me. Now I had to dig into my drawers and find clothes that weren't a tank top and basketball shorts. Maybe like a t-shirt and jeans or something. "God, I totally forgot."

        "Why is everyone forgetting about this party, Jesus?" Lloyd said with a laugh. "Jay's one of the most popular people here. You're even friends with him."

        I laugh. "Yeah, I know. I forget everything."

        He sighs. "I'm not sure what to do." 

        "Well, I, for one, have a shitload of casual not-dirty clothes to find. Want to join me?"

      He looks up at me with a smirk. Obviously if he made Zane stay home there's no point in coming back.

        "Fine, but if we don't find anything there is no way I'm even stepping into a mall with you."