Jay, Morro and Skylor stepped in the building, seeing a few people already seated waiting for the red-head to give their orders to her and the little staff which were scattered around, almost completely slacking off and talking to customers. It was a pain in the arse - she'll tell you that now without any hesitation.
"Wow, this place had changed since I last came." Morro mumbled, looking around at the now fixed noodle house, seeing how it looked a lot more modern since he last came as a toddler, when his family was nice. Barely remembers the last time he cooked him a decent meal now.
Skylor nodded. "Yeah, my mother wanted to add some renovations to it before she had to go.." She trailed off, biting her lip and admiring the scenery herself. She sighed and put her head down silently, alerting the other two teens there. "She used to help me and my father here. But when she died, it seems like I'm the one that has to do all of the work." She added on, her eyes becoming watery with every blink that she tried to burn then away.
Jay walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the boy and saw a small sad smile on his face, giving her a silent comforting gesture. "I bet your mother is proud of you for keeping up her business. But, she's love if you took a break and relaxed for a while." He added the little sentence on the end, and looked at Morro who gave a soft, encouraging smile and a light nod. Skylor nodded and wiped her eyes. She looked at the other two right in the eyes. "Thanks you two." She sniffles, a small smile flashing through her face for a second.
She looked at her bag and sighed. "I'm gonna go upstairs to clock in and get changed, there's a bit booth over there for us all to sit at." She said, pointing over to a large seat where the ten friends could sit. They both nodded and Jay gave a thumbs up at his friend. "You got this, badass." He encouraged
She scoffed and walked to the staff door, waving a hand weakly at the two before leaving them at the table. Morro then immediately pulled out his phone, and frantically tried to reach the message option, and then typed a brief message to god knows who. Jay raised an eyebrow in confusion, and pointed a finger at the boys phone. "Uh, Morro? You too buddy?" He asked, eyeing his phone and the boy up and down before settling on the boy.
He sighed and shut his phone off, placing it face first on the freak, and then, using both of his hands, he rubbed his eyes in circular motions. He then yt his head on the desk, sighed, and then looked up at the now concerned Jay.
"Sorry, I have to text my dad." Morro started, tracing his finger of the patterns of the table gently. "He had no one idea where I am and will beat the shit out of me if he knew I was here." He mumbled, the sighed. Jay's eyebrows creased and his face softened, wincing at even the thought of his dad beating him. Yeah, he never really got to spend time with his mother or father, which left him with minor trust issues, but he knows that they love him. He loves them too, but it's hard when you're in an apartment alone practically for days on end. Social anxiety and trust problems aren't very fun to live with when you get bullied, for simply not wanting to be famous like his father.
"Helloooo? Jayyy..?" He shook his head quickly and saw Morro cocking an eyebrow at Jay and clicking his fingers in front of his face. He blinked a few times and then stared at Morro in the eyes, who had worry drowned out in his.
"Sorry, did I space out again?" Jay asked, a bright blush on his face and Morro gave a concerned look and a slow nod gently. Jay had been one to space out sometimes, his problems getting the better of his and leaving his to panic at the worse possible times. Then, they'd turn into scenarios. Not good scenarios, bad ones. Like, what if his parents die on the way back? What if they get stuck on the island forever? What if he's forced to go back to mansion in summer?
"Sorry, just thought about what could happen to my parents if they ever try and get back." He started, ruffling his hair slightly and resting his head on his hands. "Like, what if they die on the way back? What if they get stuck on the island and can't come back? What if-"
"Jay!" Morro cutted in. The now breathing heavily boy looked up at the relatively calm boy in the eyes and and pulled his hands away from his head, down to his sides.
Morro places a hand on Jay's shoulder and sighed. "Breathe, Jay." He ordered. Mentioned teen did what he was supposed to and waited for the next instruction carefully. "And out." He did. that too.
Jay rested his head in his arms on the table and felt tears prick his eyes. "Sorry." He mumbled. Morro kept a hand on his shoulder and rubbed his gently. "I-I just miss them sometimes." He adds on, sighing and putting his head back up. He rubbed his eyes slightly to get rid of the salty liquid and then carried on. "I mean, after being diagnosed with this social anxiety and trust issues bullshit I just feel judged everywhere I go." The auburn haired male explained. Morro nodded. Nya and Jay has both gone to a doctors when he collapse from little breathing, and they later found out he had social anxiety. And the trust issues is because he doesn't feel like anyone's actually gonna stick with him forever. It's sad, really.
"Having my parents be out a lot and now I feel like I can't talk to them about my mental health because they feel like strangers to me sometimes." Jay choked out, his voice trembling with each almost shaky breathe. "I love them, but I don't know even they can after leaving me so much." He finished off, wiping his eyes and face with his sleeve and breathing shakily.
"Does that feel better? Venting it all out to someone you love and trust helps a lot. I did that before my sister.." The black haired male trailed off. He bit his lip and tried not to remember the time when he saw his sister..just lying on the floor, lifeless and bloody. He was 8, she was 13. If she were still here, she'd be 21 with a good functioning job, happy and ready to take on whatever life throws at her. But god, was that reality taken away from the boy before he could realise. And now, he's just left with the grave of her.
"Hey, it's okay. Yeah, it did feel a lot better. Thanks buddy." Jay reassured Morro, placing his own hand on the others shoulder and flashing a quick smile to the broken boy. He smiled back gently, and they started a small conversation while Skylor walked out and smile at the two.
~~~
'Agh! Okay, think Nya, think. You're brother is downstairs arguing with the staff to let me and him go, you're really hungry, and you have to be there by 6. Gah!'
A buzz on her phone caught her attention. Ooh, guess what it is?
A hate message.
She sighed and checked the notification, seeing she had been added to a group chat with 5 other people. Harumi, Ash, Camille, Delara And Tox. Oh for fuck sake, really? These guys? They literally make her life hell.
Harumi: Heyyyy fattieeeee
Nya: What do you want from me and my friends
Harumi: Uh, does it look like your friends are here dumbass?
Camille: Nah, I like the word Orphan better
Tox: Haha!
Nya felt tears prick the corner of her eyes as she read that name. Orphan: a child whose parents are dead.
Dead.
D. E. A. D.
And that's exactly what her parents were.
A few hours after her mother ran away, they were given a letter to open. The three year olds opened it and found out that their mother had saw their father dead, ran off, took all of her jewellery and prized possessions off, and jumped into cold water. They were given her and her fathers belongings to keep just in case, but that didn't last long.
Mira and her damn father ruined the all. In front of their pleading and crying eyes.
Nya opened her draw and noticed the necklace that was still intact. She wanted to wear it, but she doesn't want to ruin it, and it's her and her twin brothers last memory of their mom, and if they lose that, they'll be heart broken.
Ash: Fattie? Are you gonna fucking answer us you pig?
Delara: Maybe that's a little too harsh..?
Camille: Shut it Delara, or we'll tell your boyfriend.
What..
Delara, one of the most popular girls in the school wasn't being mean to Nya? Holy shit. That was a big surprise.
Nya: What do you want?
Ash: You're about to be kicked from the swimming team, miss says your too fat.
Nya: I don't care. Goodbye.
Truth is, she does care. It does hurt her, like absolute hell. Being called this everyday reminds her that she's a fat bitch, and she needs to change that now.
Looking in the mirror, she sighed and felt a stray tear drop down onto the floor. She pulled the oversized bits of her hoodie and pulled them back to outline her body. Indeed, she had severe body dysmorphia. She saw something that no one else sees in her.
'Ooh! What if I say I'm sick?' She thought. If she says she feels sick, she won't eat any food! She thought that was the bed idea ever. She wasn't right at all. But who was gonna tell her if she didn't tell anyone. Nya smiles softly to herself and pulled the hoodie back. She then sat on her bed lazily and waited for Kai to walk in, getting ready to fake some information so she could loose some more weight.
"Hey Nya, get ya shoes on. We're heading out now." Kai said, texting someone on his phone and putting it away in his jacket pocket. Nya nodded and rubbed her eyes, then sat up looking at her twin. "Kai, I feel a bit sick. I'll still come, but I won't have anything." She falsely mumbled, hoping the brunette would believe her statement. She sniffled has pulled her hoodie sleeves further down, trying to keep warm.
"Oh, that sucks. I'm sure Sky will be fine with it. Come on, we won't be long walking there." Kai replied, pulling Nya's hand lightly and shoving her off the bed playfully. She gave a weak fake smile and got up, walking over to her trainers and slipping them on, and then quickly checked herself in the mirror again. Great, that had just destroyed her mood for the night. That's all she's gonna think about now. How she needs to lose weight.
Kai grabbed her keys and opened their door, made sure no workers were in the corridors, and snuck down the stairs. Nya was confused. "Kai-"
"Shh!" He hushed her. "We don't want to get caught. We're not allowed out past 5 today, remember?" Oh right. It was Monday, and for reason all the kids had weekly health check-ups, but they didn't bother anymore. It was the same thing; weight and height, then some stupid shot - which they hated - and then back to their room for 20 minutes until dinners ready.
Nya nodded and kept her mouth shut until they exited the door, closing it silently behind them and breathing in the fresh air.
"Still feel sick?"
"Huh-oh, yeah."
The walk there was pretty much silent, except for Nya's shivering and Kai asking if she needed to go back home and tell Skylor she couldn't come. Nya simply shook her head and said now, she promised Skylor, and she really wanted to see Jay.
She wants shivering for the faking part. Nope, she was seriously shivering, she was cold. Kai was fine, he actually took his jacket off as he was getting quite warm. His sister on the other hand was shivering while crossing her arms. Kai looked concerned, and wrapped his jacket around Nya slightly, and she wrapped the sleeves in his arms, making sure it doesn't fall off her.
Before they knew it, Skylor was walking up in front of the two and giving them a small smile, her work attire on and a notepad in her hand. Kai kissed her on the cheek and held Nya's arm gently. "Nya feels sick - and she's shivering. She doesn't want anything for today. Probably just an apple or something."
'Nope. Don't want an apple bro. Don't want anything. Food wise.'
Jay walked up to her and noticed how she was shivering, and he immediately walked her to the booth that Morro was sat in, and he gave a small wave and she responded, resting her head on Jay's shoulder and snuggling into him gently. She shut her eyes and shivered again, trying to keep herself warm from the world, and herself.
"Hey," The Auburn haired teen started, gently kissing her forehead and making the smaller blush slightly. She flashed a smile and sighed, her eyes opening and closing. "Hey Jay, how are you two?" She asks tiredly, smiling at Jay softly and snuggling into his arm.
"I'm okay. Kai said you're feeing a bit sick." Jay replied. She nodded slightly and squirmed on her seat. Jay picked her up and sat the smaller on his lap. Her showered her with kisses and held her hand, raising an eyebrow in concern, as she didn't smile or blush.
"Doing okay there sweetheart?" Jay asked, grabbing her hands and interlocking her fingers with his. Eyebrows creased, he waited for a response almost impatiently. Even Morro started to get worried, and looked at Jay, who shrugged his shoulders. He then looked at Kai, and pointed towards his twin sister, who kept silent, holding Jay's hands slightly.
Kai noticed and sighed, and Skylor looked at him quizzically. She then looked over at Jay trying to talk to Nya, and then he made a small realisation face. The Red-Head seemed to notice as well, and kissed his cheek for a quick 'see you later' then retreated to her work for the next few hours. The brunette then walked up to the three on the table and sat down next to Morro.
"Nya's sick - she won't really talk to anyone." Kai said, clearing the questions in Jay and Morro's minds. They both nodded and and Jay let the girl rest her head on his shoulder, and snuggle into him.
"How's the orphanage?" Morro asked, looking at Kai who practically slammed his head on the table and groaned into his hands, making Nya - who did not expect that - to jump in Jay's arms, who jolted as well. The black haired boy raised an eyebrow at Kai's mood change when he mentioned the place where he had lived for about three years now. Kai sighed and rubbed his eyes in frustration and defeat. "Pain in the arse; we weren't allowed out because of some dumb weekly health checkup stuff, I don't even know." He explained, shrugging his shoulders and placing his head on the table, and closed his eyes. "Nya really should go because of her immune system, but all they do is check your height and weight, and shoved you back in your room if you're actually sick." Nya nodded, and shuffled again.
"So you don't go anymore?" Jay asked. They shook their heads.
~~~
"Of course you can go Lloyd." Misako said, a small smile on her face as she washed the dishes. Lloyd held up a fist in a way of silent victory, (and a thank you) and his mother smirked playfully at him.
"Who's going where now?" A voice said from the doorway. The two family members turned around and saw a brownish-greyish haired man with a black coat on, a bad in hand a a stack of cash in the other. Lloyd smiled. "Hey dad! How you-"
"Lloyd, tone it down will you..I'm really tired.." Garmadon mumbled, rubbing his eyes and walking past his son, who looked guilty and worried. Misako smiled herself and kissed the man on the cheek, before getting that same stack of money thrown onto her hands. "H-How much-?"
"2500."
"Wow." Lloyd said, stunned. Garmadon nodded and resorted to the fridge, shuffling through to find a bottle of alcohol which was hidden at the very back, considering Misako had gone out for food a few hours prior. He shut the door and tried entered his room, but Lloyd stopped him by clearing his throat.
"Don't they put the money on your credit card? I'd expect business jobs to do that." He asked, looking over it the money that his mother was flipping through, before she put it into her safe and locked it. Lloyd raised an eyebrow.
"Credit Card don't work." He mumbled back for an answer, yawning and rubbing his eyes from being up all night and day most likely doing his work. "Neither does your mothers. Got anything else to say to me?" The man asked.
Lloyd couldn't think of anything-
Wait, that number!
Maybe his father knows!
"Yes, uh, this." The blonde replied. He sprinted off to where he found the piece of paper with my number and quickly swiped it off the radiator, then sprinted back to west his father was looking tiredly at him, an eyebrow raised and bags under said eyes.
He handed his father the slip of paper and he immediately took it and ripped it, then scattered it into the bin. "Nothing, Lloyd." He mumbled. "Just go to bus stop and meet your mates."
Lloyd sighed. He knew that Garmadon wasn't going answer him anytime soon, considering the man looked like he hadn't slept in days and he went through a midlife crisis but mostly, he'd be pretty angry if Lloyd or Misako tried to disturb him.
He picked up his own pair of keys and a tenner which he slipped into his pocket, before quickly grabbing a jacket, tying it around his waist. He grabbed his phone of the counter, quickly checked for any notifications and then went to door. "I'll see you later, mom!" He says his goodbyes, before shutting the door behind him and locking it. Damn, it looked beautiful outside. The pink clouds that spotted all over the practically soft orange and baby blue sky, the colours blending in beautifully like an ombré. The glows of the sun that beamed down on the earth, creating very visible shadows behind people. To put it flat, it looked like heaven had visited.
Lloyd opened his phone and checked the time. 5:30PM. The bus comes at 6 and he has to meet his friends by 5:45PM.
Scrolling through to his contacts, he decides that it's best if he calls Cole, just in case if Seliel hasn't snuck out yet and her parents hear the phone call.
He dials the number.
"Hey bro. You on your way to the bus stop?"
"Yeah. I'll be there by quarter past. Sel with you?"
"Nah, but I got a text from her saying she's already there."
"Alright. Have you heard from anyone else?"
"I saw Zane on his way to pick Pixal up, and Seliel said she got in contact with Kai and Nya before they left."
"That's good. Heard from Sky, Morro or Jay?"
"Nope. But they were probably there first."
"Uh-Huh. Uh..how do you think Morro's parent would react?"
"Morro will lie and say it's a school project and he'll stay over at Jay's. His parents probably couldn't give to shits."
"Okay. You got money? I have a tenner on me just in case."
"Nah, my mom gave me fifteen."
"Lucky bitch."
"Haha, shut it Lloyd."
"Heh, fiiiine.."
"Well, I guess I'll meet ya there. See ya Blondie."
"Peace Emo boy."
"Fuck you."
Lloyd laughed and ended the call, a smirk on his face from the last few sarcastic lines of their phone conversation. He placed his phone back into his pockets and carried on walking in silence, waiting to see the bus stop come into view.
And after a few minutes, his vision started to show a pink haired girl and a taller black haired boy in a bus stop, talking to each other and holding hands. Yup, definitely Cole and Seliel; those pesky love birds.
"Hey love birds!" Lloyd called out, waving his hands and walking up to the transport stop to greet his friends. They both rolled their eyes and smirked, a light blush on their faces. "Shut it Lloyd." Seliel mumbled. He laughed.
~~~
"And who are you here to see?" A guard asked, stepping in front of the blonde to stop him from just entering. "Pixal Borg. I am her boyfriend, coming to pick her up for a night out." Zane responded, a light blush on his face and a smile on there too.
The guard hummed and clicked his pen, scribbling on the clipboard of paper. He ripped the paper off the board, and slipped in in Zane's hands. "You can get up there now." He mumbled. The blue eyed teen smiled again, saying his thanks to the guard and making his way past him.
He pressed the elevator button, ready to wait a few minutes before the method of transportation made its way to him, as there was literally 100 floors of this tower and wherever Pixal lived wasn't the first 99. Although the boy doesn't come here a lot, he's been enough times to know that she doesn't have a present mother all of the time, too. Julien's wife died a year before Zane was built, so the only ways he had to commemorate her was pictures and stories that his father told him.
Ding.
The doors slid open smoothly, giving a clear entrance for Zane to walk into, and doing so he pressed the very top button, number 100.
"Access denied unless ID is shown."
Zane pulled out the paper slip the security guard have given him, showing it right at the camera which scanned it, and another ding of approval sounded through the speakers.
The robot sighed in relief and waited for the elevator to reach its destination, holding his hands on the railing and admiring the view that acme with ascending the tower. Hell, he could see the noodle house from here! It wasn't far away, maybe two blocks. Pixal and Zane could walk there just fine. As long as they had each other.
Ding.
"Zane!"
Green eyes met blue ones, and the one with the brighter orbs had a big smile on her face, a happy tone in her voice and a bubbly body expression that made the other blonde's heart melt.
Pixal wrapped her arms around Zane's torso tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. Zane smiled and blushed, wrapping her arms around her back gently and kissing her hair. "Greetings Pi-" His arms froze. Oh, no.
Pixal raised an eyebrow in concern and confusion. "Zane..?" She called out, moving his arms slightly to find them completely tightened up. "It appears that-"
"No, no! I got it!" She said, running off to goodness knows where for a few seconds, before becoming completely invisible. Zane stood there, his arms stuck to his sides like he was an idle statue, like a tin-man that rusted up over time from continuous rain.
"Who are you?" A high pitched voice said, a little bit of a disgusted tone in it and Zane snapped out of his thoughts.
A bright blonde haired women stood in front of him, with a short red and black skirt on, a same coloured crop top on that was basically a bra at this point. She wore black stockings with a red fade in them, with knee high boots with a heel. Her makeup was slightly messed up, eyeliner spotted around her eyes, vibrant red lipstick faded. A cigarette was in her mouth, the puff of smoke already mixed in with the air of the place.
Zane felt his sensors heating up as he realised that he hadn't responded to the woman he assumes is Pixal's mother. "Oh- uh- my arms keep tightening and sparking - Pixal has gone to get stuff to help with it." He stammered.
The woman took another puff of smoke and rolled her eyes. "Another love struck boy after her." She mumbled. Zane raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't love you, kid. She's only after 'ya cause you're a robot like her. She just wants someone to lean her problems on."
What the fu-
"Mom?"
The blonde turned around to see Pixal standing there with a shocked and 'What the hell is wrong with you' look on her face, as she held an oil can.
"Ah, Pix!" The woman put on a fake smile. "How about this, you tell your father I've got work while I sneak off for a night with my friends? It's Eleanor's birthday tomorrow, but I have work here then." She growled, rambling on about her two jobs. Pixal rolled her eyes. "Sorry, mother, but father doesn't believe me anymore. And plus, I'm going out with my friends too." She replied, going up to her boyfriend.
Her mother groaned and walked off.
"Sorry, that's my mother. Almost always out with her friends." She apologised to Zane. Zane shook his head and smiled, holding her hands when he could finally move them again. He kissed them gently, and waited for that adorable little blush to form on her face, and her eyes to dart up to his. Love struck eyes.
"It's is fine, Pixal. As long as you are okay." He tucked a strand of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear. "Thank you for doing that." She nodded.
"Ready to go?" The taller asked. Smaller nodded.
~~~
"Hey Sis, feeling better?" Kai asked, walked over to Jay and Nya who were lowly talking to each other, Jay's arms wrapped around her body to keep her warm, considering that it had been at least an hour and she was still shaking.
Jay looked at Kai with a concerned expression. The darker brunette responded with the same emotion. Nya squirmed lightly in Jay's lap, a sound of discomfort that transferred as a no to her brother. "She's still shaking. I think you two should head home a bit earlier, she needs to rest." The freckled teen responded, kissing her forehead gently and letting her rest her head on his shoulder. "I know sweetheart, I know."
Kai sighed, and nodded reluctantly. "I'll try my best, but the workers will probably stop to lecture us." He rolled his eyes at the statement, remembering the time him and Nya had gotten back from doing a grades catch up. They were tired, and just walked off on them.
"I'll tell you, that orphanage it's a clusterfuck of shit that I don't even understand." Kai muttered, looking over to Skylor and Seliel, who were working away along with five other girls, three on their breaks. No boys worked these days, surprisingly. Shit, there wasn't really any males who worked here in general.
Just then, Zane and Pixal entered, smiling and laughing to themselves as they greeted the two by the counter. "Hey Zane, Pix." Seliel said, waving at them slightly. Skylor simply smiled, and got back onto her work.
"Ohh, this is them?" Gracie asked. "I thought they came in like..uhh..yeah I can't count. 30 minutes ago?" Maria facepalmed.
(Yeah I just did add your OCs @ me. Okay back to sad boi hours heehee)
"Yeah I'll shut up." She said, blushing out of embarrassment. Zane and Pixal smiled. "Maria, we're going for a break. Wanna steal the others seats?" She smirked, walking up the stairs with the other.
"No, because Holly will murder us, and so will Ali, and Eliza.." She trailed off. Gracie sighed and groaned into her hands. "Yeah now I'm scared. Frick."
Seliel and Skylor laughed. "Food will be done in a few minutes. We just gotta put the rest of it in plates and stuff, and then it'll be my break, and me and pinkie pie can eat with you guys." She smiled, walking off to grab a few forks and knifes and spoons, placing them onto the trays. Seliel scoffed, and then put a plate into the dishwasher, shutting the door and put it on a setting, before it started going.
"Except for Nya, she feels sick. If you can't tell she's literally shivering in Jay's arms. Even Kai doesn't know what to do." The pink haired girl mumbled, taking off her apron and giving it to Skylor, who had hers off as well. "Wanna help me give these to the others?" They nod.
"Hey guys, sorry it took a while - the top right oven wouldn't start up for like 10 minutes." Skylor mumbled, placing the food down and then sitting next to Kai. He smiled and took her hand. "These look amazing, just not as amazing as the person who made them." He winked. Skylor blushed heavily and rolled her eyes at her adorably flirty boyfriend.
"So..I'm amazing too?" Seliel's eyes lit up, a smirk and smile on her face as she looked at Kai. Oh yeah, she had made them too.
Cole scoffed, and kissed her softly. "Of course you're are."