Lloyd's hoody was extremely soft and comfortable. I know this, because over the course of the week, I'd been wearing it.

Now, to some people, that might be - who am I kidding? It's totally and absolutely odd. But it smells nice, the sleeves are fluffy, and it reached mid-thigh. All in all, it was pretty much the god of hoodies and nobody can convince me otherwise. It would be odd not to wear it.

The rest of my week consisted of sleeping in till late (while wearing Lloyd's hoody), binge-watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine (in Lloyd's hoody), and biting my lips raw in contemplation of whether I texted Lloyd or not (accompanied by his hoody).

I knew that I'd have to sort out a time and place to meet up with Lloyd for the exchange, but just like schoolwork, I procrastinated in contacting the blonde-haired boy. There wasn't even a proper excuse as to why I didn't text him. But then again, isn't that what procrastination is?

In the end, it was Lloyd who made the first move - again. It was Saturday morning when he texted me, but it wasn't until an hour later when I actually woke up and saw it.
I was still groggy and out of it, rubbing my eyes and yawning, when I unlocked my phone and read the text. It took me rereading the message four times before it actually clicked in my head and - holy shit we're meeting in less than forty minutes.

I fell out of bed, before scrambling to my feet and stumbling my way to my closet and selecting jean shorts and a random top.
I scampered down the hall and into the bathroom, sliding the door shut behind me with a foot. Frantically, I grabbed the hem of my pyjama shirt and pulled it upwards, but the neckline got stuck on my low ponytail, causing me to curse and stumble around like a madman. Finally, it popped off and I have a sigh of relief before getting dressed. I shoved a hairbrush through my hair and didn't bother to do anything with it, and with a couple of spray of deodorant, I was ready... ish.

I raced my way back to my bedroom, grabbing my phone and Lloyd's hoody (that I had washed the night before), shoving the device in my back pocket and flinging the hoody over my shoulder.

"Himumloveyoubye!" I rushed as I crashed into the kitchen and made my mother spill her coffee in fright. She sent me a glare, but I was already out the door and shoving on my slip-ons.

In retrospect, although slip-on shoes are extremely easy and fast to put on, they're also exceedingly difficult to run in. So as I raced my way to the cafe where Lloyd wanted to meet, I was also trying my damned hardest to not trip and injure myself. That would be embarrassing.

For the majority of my running I spent scuffing my shoes every other step. I feared them falling off mid-run. I was just glad that summer decided to actually be summer and that it wasn't pouring down with rain, because that would've been an absolute travesty.

I skidded to a stop just a block away from the cafe, wiping my forehead from beads of sweat and fluffing up my hair. I spent at least two minutes trying to regain my breath, before pulling out my phone when it alerted me of a text.

I'm in the booth by the window.

My heart stuttered as I glanced up and spotted a head of blonde by the window. It was too far to actually see his face, but I was fairly certain that it was Lloyd.

I tried to steady my breathing, which only did work a little. Time was ticking on. Either I sort my shit out here and now, or I don't, and Lloyd would think... I don't know what he would think. Probably negative things about my truancy. Maybe.

With a final deep inhale, I tried to look at least a little sane before grabbing the hoody from my shoulders and holding it in my arms. I was stalling. Definitely stalling. Absolutely stalling. Without a doubt stalling-

I slapped myself across the cheek, before sheepishly glancing around the street at the various passerbys that looked at me weirdly. The longer I stall, the more horrible it's going to get.
With that... reassuring thought, I swallowed back my irrational fear and started off down the street towards the small, aesthetic cafe that looked worthy enough to be on instagram. I stared at the sidewalk when I neared, as to not catch Lloyd's gaze. I was sure I'd stop working if I did.

I pushed open the door and let the overwhelming smell of coffee and newspaper flood my senses. There was no one lining up at the counter, so I went straight up and ordered a hot chocolate.

After I had paid and taken a number, I scoured the window booths for a mop of tousled blonde hair. To my right, I found him, staring out the window while grasping a tall glass holding the contents of a banana milkshake. I inhaled deeply, before approaching with a small, timid smile.

"Hey, Lloyd," I greeted with a quiet voice, but the blonde still heard me as clear as day. His face broke into a grin once he recognised me, and he gestured for me to sit.

"What's up, Y/n?" Lloyd said comfortably, as if we weren't essentially complete strangers.
"T- the sky," I tried, but comically failed, and I had to fight the urge to off myself right there and then.

Lloyd chuckled in amusement, though from the carefree grin on his face, I got the feeling that it wasn't aimed to poke fun at me. Abashed, I rubbed the back of my neck as I tried to regain the little scraps of my dignity that I had left.

"What a- about you, Lloyd?" I asked, mentally cursing myself for stuttering yet again. The blonde glanced up from his yellow milkshake, before shrugging.
"What's up for me?" he began, diverting his gaze to the roof before goofily grinning at me and pointing at it. "I don't know about you, but I reckon that ceiling is looking pretty snazzy."

Deciding to play along, I chortled, before following Lloyd's gaze. I nodded along with him, frowning in consideration.
"That is one snazzy ceiling."

We both softly laughed for a while, before Lloyd perked up as a thought struck him.
"Oh, right," he began, glancing under the table. "Your skateboard."

In all honesty, my skateboard had completely slipped my mind. If it wasn't for Lloyd, I'd left without it.

"Of course," I replied in surprise, handing Lloyd his hoody. He grabbed it with a grin. My heart sunk at the fact that our fingers didn't brush one another - what the fuck I've known him for not even a week, why am I like this?

"Hot chocolate?" Lloyd asked as he paused, dumbfounded as a waitress placed the steaming sweet beverage in front of me. Lloyd's confused gaze turned to mine as I shrugged. He

"Some people eat ice cream in the winter and society doesn't think that's weird," I defended nonchalantly as I sipped the chocolate drink. Lloyd pondered, before shrugging.
"Got me there," he admitted with a small chuckle. I softly laughed along with him, before taking another sip.

"So, I haven't seen you around," Lloyd began, in an attempt to start a conversation. "Are you new to Ninjago?"

I shook my head as I placed my mug back down onto its plate.
"No," I replied. "I used to go to Jamanakai Girls, it's just outside city limits."

Lloyd raised his eyebrows in interest as he drank some milkshake through the straw.
"Really?"

"Yeah, it's going to be my first year next year," I explained as I slid my index finger around the slick, ceramic rim of the mug. "My friends all went to Ninjago High, but my dad wanted me to go to Jamanakai Girls to get me to" I used air quotes to emphasise; "'focus on my studies rather than be distracted by boys.'"

"Why'd you move?"

"My-" I barked a short, soft, amused laugh as I recounted the memory, shaking my head. "My mum got into a fist fight with the principal's wife."

Lloyd, who was taking a sip of his milkshake, spluttered with widened eyes. He struggled for a second, before coughing.
"Did I hear you correctly?" Lloyd asked in disbelief as he regained his breath. "A fist fight?"

I snorted, nodding my head with a tight smile to stop myself from bursting out laughing.
"No lie," I pledged. "It was in front of the PTA members as well."

"Oh my god!" Lloyd laughed a loud bark, and I was suddenly struck by how attractive he looked laughing, with a big grin on his face. He almost had a golden aura around him that emitted pure boy. "Do you know why?"

My gaze darted to the side as I tried to remember what it was about. I bit my lip, furrowing my eyebrows as I filed through my memories.
"It... was about how the wife didn't want to fundraise for a new cafeteria system. She and my mother got into a heated argument, and fists ended up flying, I guess."

Lloyd huffed in amusement and awe as he shook his head.
"That's incredible," he complimented with a wide, half-grin. "I wish I was there to see it!"

I scoffed beguilingly, nodding along with Lloyd as I raised the mug of hot chocolate to my lips.
"You and me both."