That One Girl

Prologue

***One note about the song for this chapter - it uses the word "hell". Not that that's a curse, but just so you know LOL

Also, if you're new to the series, I give you a music cue ;)***

***(Seliel's POV)***

Two months earlier - February

***Music Cue***

I pop in my earbuds and turn on my favorite country song. It describes more who I want to be than who I actually am.

I never thought I'd find myself back in Ninjago City, but here I am. I can't say this is an improvement from my former town of Nom. At least my best friend lives back there. I don't have anyone here.

I used to, but not anymore.

I straighten my shoulders, pasting on the untouchable, cavalier look I've mastered. No one is going to bother me today.

I scan over the high school campus and hitch my backpack strap higher on my shoulder. This place has changed – not that I ever went to the high school when I was younger. I left Ninjago City when I was ten years old.

I also left my dead mother and my only childhood friend. And I left any sense of normalcy behind to join a town of people who thought the color of your skin somehow affected your fundamental worth as a human being.

I guess they didn't know that their greatest weakness would lead to my greatest strength. They taught me to deflect.

I pull my pink-tipped hair over my shoulder and cock an eyebrow at a blonde girl wearing too much makeup. The move tells her, 'Don't mess with me, or you will actually be sorry'.

She squints her eyes at me before giving her perfect locks a flip and turning to speak with someone else.

That's when I run straight into a solid wall of boy.

Oh, great. The one moment I look somewhere other than right in front of me, some giant oaf has to be –

"Whoa," says a deep voice. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way."

He's...apologizing?

I look up to see shaggy black hair, a defined jawline, and a pair of dark eyes I could never forget.

Cole Brookstone.

I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. I just...I never thought...never expected to see him again.

His features light up. "Oh, my gosh. Seliel? Is that you?"

Okay, I can do this. I can be strong and untouchable.

"Yeah," I say nonchalantly. "And...Cole?"

"Yes!" he cries, excitement lacing his tone. He pulls me into a bear hug.

It's...been a long time since I've had one of those. Cole always used to give the best hugs. And now that he's...incredibly muscular, those hugs just engulf me.

I feel warm inside. Unfortunately, that means I have to feel something. And I try not to let that happen anymore – feeling is hard.

"When did you get here?" he asks, not releasing me from his hold. "I've missed you, you know."

"You...have?" People are usually happy to forget me. Plus, it's been five and a half years since we last saw each other. I'm surprised he even remembers my name.

"Yeah! Gosh, it's so good to see you again. You look amazing!"

Okay, that's one I don't hear very often. Even if someone ignored the color of my skin in Nom – yes, they could only ignore, never appreciate – I was always the curvy girl. I still am.