A/N: Sorry for the belated update…I was…like…whoa. Anyway here ya go now, and please don't forget to review:

"Did you hear?!? It's official…they really are going out! See? What I told yah…and they tried to get away with what they did. They should be SEVERELY punished! Yumi doesn't deserve a guy like that anyway!" A student shrieked, still with the newspaper in hand.

The news spread throughout the school immediately. Setting a record on how many newspapers were ever sold within an hour. All the students who the "couple" sought as 'trustful peers' were snickering, envying and gossiping within the hallways.

They were overacting over ONE silly picture of the two hugging. A sincere, intimate moment between friends but come on…these are teenagers we're dealing with, a picture of the two holding hands might look like they've just been engaged or something.

--

Yumi was wide awake in her dorm room. She was in her bed with the shades closed, she didn't want to see daylight. Yesterday was more than mortifying…she's never even thought of the possibility of Ulrich and her being together.

There was a slow creek following a blinding ray of light, and a recognizable figure approaching her bed.

" Yumi--I um…there's something that…maybe you shouldn't come out of bed today. I mean…I….uh. It's not like anything is going on o-o-or anything…eh..hehe" Aelita couldn't find the right words to explain to Yumi that it was a REDZONE outside this room. Aelita didn't want to worry her best friend…so much for everything will be better tomorrow.

This best friend of hers was no idiot though. She knew when Aelita stuttered like that something serious must be bothering her. So she sat up, alarmed and wide eyed…what the hell must be going on out there!

"Aelita…just tell me…what is it? Is it about yesterday, what's spread out now?" Yumi demanded. She had scared the pink haired girl to death with that tone. She promised herself she'll try to keep Yumi as calm and collected as possible…but at this rate she doesn't know if she could hold up.

"I--bu---….che…..nm…..By any ch-chance…did you and Ulrich hugged or anything yesterday? Like maybe outside the dean's office, after school, eh?" Aelita asked while trying extremely hard to avoid eye contact. This isn't going to work out, that bitch can read me like a book, she thought.

Yumi's eyes widened…there was no way in hell…could have not had been possible, someone saw them?

She stood up and exited out of the dark room in Pj's and everything.

Aelita quickly followed her.

Ah great…whoever took that photo should be buying a one-way ticket to Iceland or something. Aelita sympathized half-heartedly. She really wanted to see Yumi beat the idiot senseless.

----

Ulrich roamed the halls with his cheeks tainted beet red in anger. Odd was right behind him, with his arms supporting his head. Ah, how troublesome. I kind of feel bad for the asshole behind this. Odd thought nonchalantly.

Students snickered and pointed at the fuming Ulrich who was too busy thinking about how he's going to kill the guy who started this. What's wrong with hugging one of your best friends? He doesn't think of her that way! He never will think of Yumi that way, they're just friends. He was doors away from the newspaper committee….and wanted a good talk with that editor and chief.

"Ulrich what are you going to do to them? Are you going to risk everything for just one measly fight?" Odd sighed.

"Only if I have to…."

---

"Millie this is gold! Congratulations, I think you've just earned your spot on the gossip column!" Editor and Chief, Sissy Delmas said darkly. Millie was too happy to even trace the columnist's dark tone. She was too excited to have had finally had a spot in the committee…one that was only limited to juniors and seniors…sophomores if they're lucky.

Little did the small club know, someone was approaching the headquarters…which was literally a room half the size of a classroom. Sissy was known to have a major crush on Ulrich Stern since kindergarten…so many found it strange on why was she so happy for him and Yumi.

"I wonder what she's up to," whispered a committee member secretly to another.

"Beats me, but whatever it is, those two better have a strong enough relationship to go through the hell we're gunna put them in," whispered back the other.

Yumi were Ulrich were too well-known in the school and hardly anyone suspected the two were an item. She was student president…ruling over the board and most male underclassmen hearts. He was the captain of the soccer team, with 2 perfect seasons and one championship so far also spelled out I-R-R-E-S-I-S-T-A-B-L-E to his female fanatics. As cliché as it may seem the two were basically on the top of the social status chart, so these rumors are to seriously be written down in history.

Loud and angry footsteps were approaching the room and the members inside were too smitten in joy of how successful they are to even notice it. That's when Ulrich Stern…angry and red as he could possibly be, was standing inside the room. Everyone went quiet as they anticipated what he was going to breathe out.

A couple of quiet barefoot steps behind him was Yumi. She was dressed in red plaid short shorts and a fitted black tank top. Her hair was disheveled and ran past her mid-back. Bangs covered her forehead and almost the dark upper lined eyes in which she forgot to wash off yesterday. Aelita placed a hand on her shoulder and held Yumi to a halt. That's when Yumi noticed Ulrich. She didn't know if she were angry or relieved to see him…but for right now it didn't matter.

Sissy spotted Yumi behind him and smiled in delight. Oh this certainly will be interesting, she thought.

" Listen…I don't know who took that picture, or started that rumor but this has gone long enough! I'm here to make clear to everyone that there is ABOULTELY nothing going on between Yumi and I! We're just friends--NOT even…she's like an older sister to me and for this school to be insisting incest between us both is disgusting! I WANT THIS TO STOP. I swear if this goes on any further all of you won't see the light of day! Do you understand?! I can't believe---"

Hiccup.

It sounded like someone was weeping behind him…he wouldn't believe it were Odd that were making those sounds. But, if Ulrich turned around he'll be afraid that the last person he would ever want to hurt would be there.

But there she was rubbing her temples to prevent the minor migraine from taking over. Stop crying….stop it…he's right! Why the hell are you crying? Get it together!

Yumi told herself. The girl hated those rare occasions when she's so bare in front of others…so helpless.

"Yumi…why are you…" Ulrich managed to choke out. It seemed like he forgot about the committee and focused on his beloved 'sister' before him. Incest? If it were really what he claimed their relationship to be….why did he feel like taking it all back? If he really loved her like a sister…he wouldn't be feeling like this. Ulrich need to think he needed--

" You're right Ulrich we are just friends…siblings maybe. But if our friendship is so strong maybe it's time we take a break. After all, we both know this is just going to get worse. I hate crying…I hate feeling so weak, and it seems like I only feel this way whenever you're involved so please…for the rest of my senior year, don't speak to me" She spoke every word with more desperation after the other. She was strong…and didn't care how much she would have to lose to have to stay that way…had to set an example.

" We can't…I can't…why?" Ulrich's mind was too much like jello to even process such an impossible request. It's something he can't swallow down.

"Didn't you here me, Stern?" she began. The tired girl turned around about to pace herself back upstairs for the day. She need closure on this matter…so it would never come back up again so Yumi half faced Ulrich and said:

"I hate you." with the coldest stare his no longer friend could possibly pull off.

He watched her walk back with Aelita following…taking back sympathetic glances with a 'I'll fix this' face. Sissy was the only unfazed person…to her…everything was going according to plan.

A/N: UGH, Jeremy and William will have some slot in next chapter, promise!!