Best Kept Secret

Ignacia, Lemons, and Blazers

I sat in the passenger seat of Misako's car, keeping my eyes fixed forward. If I didn't look at Misako, maybe she wouldn't pry into my love life.

"How did it go?" Misako said. I sighed, wishing I could drive myself to Ignacia. But I wasn't old enough for my license yet. My birthday was in a few weeks. I wasn't intending on taking my test as soon as I turned sixteen but now I was considering it. Then I could visit Seliel. And Jay... if he would even want me to visit.

"Fine," I said.

"Did you two kiss?" Lloyd said with disgust from the backseat.

"No," I said, "He didn't want to. He doesn't want to be with..." my voice trailed off. That's not true. Jay did want to kiss me. He wants to be with me. But Kai's holding him back.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Misako said, "I know you really liked him. I was rooting for you two."

She started the car and hit on her turn signals. The consistent beeping echoed in my brain as I thought about Misako's poor words. I blinked at my foster mother (or ex-foster mother). She steered the car into the streets of Ninjago City.

"If you were rooting for us, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Misako said.

"The big secret. Jay wants to be with me. But he can't. And you know why. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you do something so we can be together?"

Lloyd leaned in from the backseat to hear the drama.

"The situation is more complicated than that," she said, "Jay and I both want to tell you sooner than later. But we're only a small section of the puzzle. We didn't have a choice."

"You keep saying I'll know everything in time but that's not true. You're getting rid of me so you won't have to tell me. You're keeping Kai around."

"He's moving too," Misako said.

"Not right now! Not until this all blows over. I bet I won't see him until after this stupid 'final battle'," I said.

"Nya, it doesn't make sense now. But it will," she said, "Please trust us. Trust me. Or Jay. Or Kai. This is best."

"I want to be a part of this family. But that feeling isn't mutual," I said. Misako pursed her lips.

"You are a part of this family," she said. I popped open my door. Misako's eyes widened. Her arm snapped out, pinning me to my seat.

"I want to sit in the back. With Lloyd," I said. Lloyd was the only family member that hadn't betrayed me. And he never will. Lloyd was loyal, unlike everyone else in my life.

"Please, mom!" Lloyd said. Misako sighed. She pulled over. There was a box of my belongings in the seat beside Lloyd. Misako rearranged the vehicle. I crawled into the seat beside Lloyd.

He grabbed my hand immediately.

It was a quiet ride to Ignacia. Lloyd read a Starfarer comic while I stared out the window. Our hands were intertwined the entire journey. I replayed my few months in Ninjago City over and over in my head. Searching for anything I could've done to make my situation better. If I figured out Jay's secret sooner, we could've worked it out. If Seliel had told me that she knew, I could've avoided my rivalry with the ninja. If Misako had not forced Lloyd out of Garmadon's life, I wouldn't have pitied him enough to let him into mine. If Kai was a good brother... all my problems wouldn't exist.

The sun was low in the sky when we arrived in Ignacia. Misako pulled in front of my old foster parent's home. I opened my door and gazed at the home I grew up in. It was small. A lot smaller than I remembered.