The phone on the floor beeped. Perhaps because there was a missed call, a new text message, or that it was dying. But whatever the reason, Aelita Hopper did not pick it up. It was two in the morning, but for her it was the middle of forever. She was wide awake, listening to the thunder and the rain in a small area of London. She sat up slowly, her shoulder-length pink hair dropping into a tangled mess. Her green eyes watered from a yawn as she attempted to get up and solve the phone problem.
It hadn't been the phone that kept her awake. She knew. Aelita stumbled slightly and caught her balance as she pulled her phone out from under her bed. It was dying. She turned it off and searched for the charger. Where did I put it? Aelita mumbled words that didn't even make sense to her as she reached for a small box, which was also underneath the bed. Ah ha! What? No...Why did I move it? I thought I marked my stuff clearly. She pushed the box back under the bed with as much force as she could muster, being half asleep, and then debated whether or not it was worth it to search somewhere else. No. It could wait.
Aelita's apartment was small, but just right for her. The kitchen was right next to the living area, where her couch/pull out bed was. There was a small coffee table, a chair, a cabinet, and one small T.V in the living room. One wall was a giant window, with curtains draped over it from both sides of the room. The bathroom was right down the hall, where the closet was also located. The bath consisted of a shower/tub, toilet and sink, with a cabinet to keep towels and such. It wasn't Ulrich's condo or anything, but she loved it. At least there was a place to cook. Thank goodness.
She made her way to the kitchen. Perhaps a midnight...two o'clock snack would help calm her down. Aelita had been up like this for the past few nights and she was tired of it. What was there to worry about? Xana had been defeated nearly four years ago. And yet, Aelita could not convince herself that it was over. She fiddled with the cups in the pantry and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She smiled as she put the glass to her lips. Orange juice. Jeremy used to bring her orange juice every morning for breakfast their senior year.
She carried the half-empty glass into the living room and sat down on the bed. The frame squeaked for a moment and then stopped. Aelita laid her head back on the cozy pillows and listened to the rain pound the glass behind her. She was still trapped in the forever moment. Trying to separate dreams from reality, shadows from light. She reached toward the floor and picked up her laptop. It also made her think about Jeremy, since he had given it to her.
The thin Mac roared to life in a matter of seconds. Aelita went to Skype and searched for any of her friends. Jeremy? No, he's not on. Oh! Yumi is though. She clicked on the video chat link and waited for Yumi to respond. Sure enough, Yumi appeared on the screen. Her black hair was down and almost to her shoulders. She had green eyes and a nice frame to her face. She was a little older than Aelita in both age and looks, but they were both beautiful.
"Hi, Aelita," Yumi smiled, her voice was melodious.
"Yumi, it's been a while. How are things?" Aelita's voice was softer, but just as beautiful.
"Oh, they're pretty good, I guess. Japan is quite a lovely place, you should visit."
Aelita laughed slightly. "If I had the money."
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be asleep right now? What time is it over there?"
"Two fifteen."
"Are you pulling an all nighter or something?"
"N - no, I'm not. I haven't been sleeping very well lately."
"Why not?"
"I miss you guys, I guess. I've never really been out by myself, without being on Lyoko that is. You know."
"I see. Well, you'll be ok. Spring Break is coming up next month. Are you excited?"
Aelita's face suddenly lit up. "Are you kidding? Of course, I...I mean...I'm pretty thrilled, I guess."
"Does this, by any chance, have anything to do with some blond-headed kid?" Yumi laughed.
"W-what? What are you talking about, Yumi?" Aelita blushed.
"Your eagerness and stuttering, of course," Yumi answered.
"I haven't seen him in almost two years. We've talked perhaps three or four times on the phone, but, we usually just email. I don't mean to sound...desperate or anything..."
"I haven't seen or heard from him in person either. I was just messing with you. He'll be there, right? Wasn't he the one who wanted to meet up with us?"
"I believe it was Odd...but Jeremy said he'd be there. I - I just have a bad feeling about things...About Jeremy, in particular."
Yumi gave a puzzling look. "What is it? He's ok, isn't he?"
Aelita looked up at the computer screen. "Uh, yes, as far as I know. It's...well, the reason I haven't slept well in days. I keep having dreams about him."
Yumi didn't know whether to laugh or be concerned. "What kind of dreams?"
"About...Xana. Jeremy always seems to be fighting off something...I'm there though, right behind him. It's so real, but I can't see his face very well. There's this monstrous, armored creature, with a blade, attacking us. His eyes have the Xana symbol...and he is fast. Jeremy seems to be protecting me, but..." Aelita trailed off slowly.
Yumi almost held her breath waiting for the rest. "'But'?"
"It's all too fuzzy. Xana! He was there! It scared me so bad, Yumi. Jeremy told me not to worry...then the darkness and fires, from life to death! Oh, it's so horrible."
"The good news is, it's only a dream. However, dreams can mean things. I believe Jeremy is just fine."
"You think so? I mean, I know it's not real, but it seems like it. I can't help it. Xana has never really left my mind. It's like he's still here, lingering."
"Everyone has a different way of showing their fears - yours just happens to be through dreams...or nightmares, in this case."
"I wish it wasn't," Aelita sighed and sat cross-legged. "I suppose we'll never really forget, will we?"
"No. We've seen the evils that even a machine can do! I don't think any of us will ever recover from the battle. I still have a fear of Xana, somewhere. But I need to remind myself that it really is over. My friends are safe. My family is fine. And, as far as Xana is concerned, there is a world without danger," Yumi smiled when she finished. She hoped Aelita would at least feel some comfort, about the situation and about Jeremy.
"You're right. I need to be a bit more positive about the situation. I can't assume the worst...Jeremy is probably really busy...so he hasn't called me..."
"Keep going," Yumi motioned her hand on the screen for her to continue.
"He...uh...is most likely in a higher education type of school, with little time to spare," Aelita sighed.
"See? Thinking positively," Yumi smiled. "Well, one month and then you'll feel even better about things. Perhaps your dreams will change. Try to focus on some positive things, Aelita. Like, uh, your school!"
"My school?" Aelita thought about it for a moment, sipping her orange juice and frowning when it again brought back memories. "Well, there are a lot of nice kids here. And London is rather charming, even if it's cloudy. Yes, I think I like it here."
"Good! I...Uh...Oh, I think my room-mate is calling for me. I'll be sure to call you later, perhaps when it's not two in the morning your time. Remember, everything is fine. Be careful, Aelita! See you later!" Yumi waved on the screen, giving Aelita enough time to respond.
"Same here. See you later, Yumi!""
And with that, Aelita closed the lid of the computer and stared at the empty glass in her hand. First she dreamed about wolves and her past. Second, she dreamed about Lyoko. And third, she dreamed about Xana. She wished her dreams weren't so realistic, so...dark. She didn't even begin to describe the dream to Yumi. Could she? It was all too blurry to her own eyes, but also frightening.
Aelita sat in the dark, rain leaking through the clouds and dripping down her windows. She wanted a real person to talk to. A comical Odd. The serious Ulrich. A loving Yumi. Or perhaps the geeky blond kid who brought her out of a virtual world.