Author's Note: Based on a true story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.
Aelita smiled as she looked at a picture from the old days. The picture itself was lovingly framed and well cared for in sharp contrast to the rest of the apartment. Noise from cars day and night led to frustration being taken out on the furniture. Aelita knew being a teacher wouldn't pay much, but she didn't think it would pay so little.
They had promised to stay friends after everything with Xana was over, but it didn't work out that way. Odd was first. He got a job right out of high school. Construction. He promised to keep in touch and he did until another company bought out his construction job. Odd followed the money to a different part of the country and things got too difficult to keep in touch.
After Ulrich and Yumi broke up, Ulrich moved away and started attending a community college with William. Neither bothered to keep in touch. Yumi would rant about the break up being Ulrich's fault for as long as anyone would let her. She claimed that Ulrich tricked her. Aelita thought that Ulrich didn't know. Whatever the reason, Ulrich never spoke to them again.
Aelita and Jeremy's relationship didn't work out. Though they didn't part on bad terms, Jeremy buried himself in homework and went off to a prestigious college where he became too busy for friends. Aelita was honestly happy for him despite being a little sad that he wasn't around anymore.
That just left the girls together. Yumi was always happy to hang around with Aelita. They did everything together. Whether it was schoolwork or vacation, they were the best of friends.
The week before everything ended was one of the best weeks on Aelita's life. Hiking wasn't really Aelita's thing. Too many sweaty people. But the view was breathtaking. They could see the green tops of trees just beginning to change color, the clear blue lake water, even people dotting the land below them all to the sound of buzzing insects and chirping birds.
"Hey, could you take a picture of us?" Yumi asked, offering the girl her camera.
"A picture lasts forever!" Yumi said cheerfully as she and Aelita continued their hike.
"See you on Saturday!" Yumi called after Aelita as they both headed to their separate homes.
Saturday arrived and Aelita couldn't wait to tell Yumi all about the new classes she was taking. Five o'clock couldn't get there fast enough. After what seemed like forever, the clock struck five. Then five fifteen. Five thirty. Aelita tried calling Yumi. Yumi's cell phone was turned off. Five forty five. Six o'clock. Six thirty. Seven. Finally, at seven thirty, Yumi called.
"Hi Aelita, you called?"
"Where were you today? I was waiting for you."
"Oh, I got a new job. Sorry, I forgot to tell you."
"Well, do you think we could hang out on Tuesday instead?"
"Yeah, I'll be there."
Once Tuesday arrived, Yumi called to tell Aelita that she wasn't feeling good.
"Will I see you on Saturday?"
"Maybe."
Yumi never showed up on Saturday. Not even a call. Aelita felt confused and angry as she waited in her lonely apartment listening to the people below her play their music way too loud. A car honked outside. She stuck her head out the window and yelled for it to shut up.
Yumi texted Aelita on Tuesday. Aelita eagerly texted back right away. Yumi didn't text back for three days.
"Do you want to come over?" Aelita asked.
"Someday." Was Yumi's response.
Aelita made out invitations for her party. She didn't hesitate once as she wrote Yumi's name. On the day of the party, everyone showed up. Except Yumi. She was sick, apparently. Aelita didn't believe her. Two months of excuses had made her jaded to Yumi's claims. Two months of "forgetting" to call when she promised. Two months of ignoring text messages for days. And Aelita had no idea why.
Two months after the party, Yumi called Aelita to talk and got her voicemail. Aelita didn't bother calling back.
Author's Note: A former friend of mine did this to me. No idea why. I think it would have been way less hurtful if she had just said that she didn't want to be friends anymore.