A/N: . . . I haven't much to write here anymore.


Chapter 8

Theories

When Odd and Raven exited the park, hand in hand, many other students were surprise although most of the boys who had been drooling over Raven at the assembly now glared at Odd in hatred.

Sissi should scream in three, two . . . Odd thought.

"SHY!" Sissi screamed at her cousin, as predicted. Sissi ran up to the two, she wasn't happy when she saw Odd holding her dearest cousin's hand.

"Raven, please explain why you're holding hands with this freak." She growled predatorily. Herve and Nicholas appeared behind her in a matter of seconds. Odd nearly growled back when Raven took her hand back.

"I'll explain later, okay Sis?" Elizabeth Delmas nodded, still glaring daggers at the blonde boy. Raven then walked away with Sissi and the drones; as she did this she turned (while walking) and waved at her (Odd hoped) boyfriend. Then the blonde dog owner walked off to get breakfast, this time though, he avoided the toast as it was stale last time. He sat down with his friends, again. They greeted him.

"How did it go this time?" Ulrich asked. Odd just smirked.

"Slightly different if you include the kisses." Odd laughed as his friends stared at him with the same expression. Aelita was the first to snap out of it and say something; which Odd had somehow made her remember.

"Jeremy?" The genius looked up, "Just before you initiated the time reversal I felt someone's presence in Lyoko. It didn't feel like Ulrich, Yumi or Odd and I'm positive it wasn't X.A.N.A." Aelita spoke slightly fast. Jeremy fixed his glasses.

"Hmm, that's strange and also a huge coincidence." Jeremy said as he typed, "There's a new avatar on the system, one that I didn't put on there." He turned his laptop so the others could see. The new avatar was in a card like square like the others (Odd, Ulrich, Yumi and Aelita's avatars) but the colour of the card was an incredibly dark purple. On the card, there was a figure in a blue-ish indigo cloak, you couldn't see his or her face because the hood was up and any visible part of the face was shrouded in darkness.

"Well that's not creepy as fuck." Ulrich mumbled sarcastically. Jeremy nodded in agreement. Odd was too busy staring at Raven who was laughing and smiling with Sissi, again, to notice. Although, when he saw the new avatar it looked similar to the cover of the book Raven lent him. Just as Odd opened his mouth to speak his thoughts to his friends the first period bell rung. The four 8th graders stood up and walked to their first class, passing and greeting Yumi on the way. When they got to Social Science Odd finally spoke.

"Do you think I can somehow get Raven to sit with me this time?" he'd spoken in hushed tones but his friends still heard. Aelita and Jeremy shook their heads.
"Sissi has developed a tighter rein on Raven since the dodge ball incident; that's most likely the reason she didn't let Raven didn't sit with you last time." The blonde genius explained. Odd let his head thump onto his arms which were crossed on the desk.

"This sucks." He mumbled like an over-emotional teenager, which he technically was. He's mood was slightly lifted when Raven walked in (albeit with Sissi) and winked at him. Odd smirked back at her; receiving a blush from the bird.

Class is always so boring after a time- Raven didn't wink at me last time. Odd was pretty deep in thought, maybe it was the kiss that changed what's happening today.

With Yumi . . .

Math was the same, almost. The gossip was different.

'Did you see Odd and Shyanne holding hands? Who knew he'd begin playing her that quick?' 'He's probably kissed her already.' 'Is she really stupid enough to fall for the school playboy?' Yumi almost engaged in the meaningless gossip, but only to defend Raven.

She knew what her best friend's roommate preferred to be called and many more facts about her; but Yumi didn't know Raven as a person, only as someone she was told about. Yumi's teacher continued to talk on and on about fractions and decimals and how to find their equivalents. The Japanese girl looked out the window and kept her eye out for monsters; she knew none would show up but a Scyphozoa in the real world? Not exactly normal for X.A.N.A. to attempt. Yumi was snapped out of her thoughts when the bell rang. She smiled a little, it was recess after all. She stood, placed her pencil case, calculator and ruler back into her back-pack (black with a cherry blossom pattern on it) and went to go meet up with her friends. As she walked to their usual spot under the tree she began to wonder; would Odd whisk Raven away from her cousin for the soul purpose of hanging out? Probably not. He probably wasn't even going to get anywhere near the semi-shy girl anyhow. Yumi headed straight for the tree to see her annoying friend tapping his foot.

"Do I want to know?" she asked as she sat on the back rest of the bench. Ulrich shrugged.

"Depends if you want to hear Odd drawl on about how his love for Raven is 'undeniable, unquenchable and unmatchable'." The samurai sighed as he watched his roommate shake with whatever emotion had consumed him.

"Shush, Ulrich. Sissi always goes to her room at recess so Raven might decide to come over here." Ulrich had to choke back his chuckles. Odd's theory was unlikely to the lowest point; yet he waited. This was rare for Odd to do.

"Odd, she's heading towards the park." Ulrich told the blonde whose leg had taken to jumping up and down. Odd then bolted towards the park; Yumi noticed he was holding onto a book.

"What's with the heavy reading? I thought Odd could only read books a centimetre thick." The Japanese girl chuckled slightly at her near true joke.

"Raven lent it to him, we would've told you earlier but we didn't really have time." The samurai smirked when Yumi sat (exactly) next to him.

In the park . . .

Odd slowed to a casual walk when he entered the park, mainly to calm his raging nerves. Odd had been waiting all periods 1 and 2 (first class runs for two periods on Wednesday's. Roll with it) just to hear Raven's heavenly voice again. Odd soon found himself at the tree, their tree (as he now thought of it). Sitting down under the tree with the porcelain Dollface covered book in her hands was Raven. Odd then noticed the ginger kitten playing with a chew-toy.

Metrion. His subconscious said inaudibly; Odd barely paid attention but heard his mind anyway. The blonde made sure his hair was perfectly spiked up then walked over to his bird. Raven, who was oblivious to her surroundings while reading, was in shock when Odd suddenly got on his hands and knees and kissed her. It didn't take long for Raven to kiss back though. After a minute of lip-lock they parted.

"Don't think you can kiss me every second of the day, Odd." She said with a playful yet serious tone in her divine voice. Odd nearly shivered but grinned instead.

"It's not my fault your irresistible, Rae-Rae." The bird flinched at the nickname. Odd's facial expression took on the emotion Worry.

"What's wrong?" The blonde cupped his girlfriend's face and made her look at him. Raven smiled softly at him.

"I just hate being called 'Rae-Rae'. It's alright if you want to call me that, just not in public okay?" Shyanne said softly. Odd then gained a dreamy look in his eyes and did the only thing he could think of; pecking his favourite bird on the lips.

"Meow" Odd and Shyanne turned to the kitten who was now staring at them, chew-toy forgotten. Raven gently picked up the ginger and sat her on her lap. Odd pouted.

"No fair! You don't let me cuddle into you when I start whining!" The raven haired girl couldn't help but laugh at this, a blush intruding on her cheeks.

"Almost like you, Metrion's a baby and need's her mother. Or in this case her owner." Raven then scratched said kitten behind her left ear and a soft purr erupted from her.

I told you the kitten's name was Metrion. Odd's subconscious said again. The blonde didn't hear though; he was too busy gazing at his bird's flawlessness. Odd crawled next to Raven, wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"Odd! What are you doing?" Raven said, blushing wildly. Never before had someone done this to her . . . except maybe Metrion.

"I'm cuddling, what does it look like I'm doing?" Odd yawned slightly and rested his free arm over Raven's stomach; effectively getting closer to the warmth next to him AND making Shyanne's face go even redder. Before Odd could get even more comfortable the bell for third period rang, "AWW! And just when I got in a comfortable position!" Raven kissed her boyfriend quickly before standing up with her satchel carrying all her books for the day (including The Silence: Whispers in the Dark). She kneeled down and patted Metrion's head.

"You can make it back to the room can't you, Metrion?" This was said as a whisper so quiet Odd almost missed it. The kitten ran off towards the dorm room after giving Raven's nose a good lick. Shyanne stood and turned back to her boyfriend, her face now it's normal pale colour. The couple then started walking to their third (technically second) class for the day; Art with Mr Chardin. As the two walked, Odd snuck his arm around Raven's waist yet again.

"You seem to like having your arms around me." The bird mumbled to him.

"Only to make sure you don't fly away, Rae-Rae." Odd whispered in her ear just before they entered the public eye.


End chapter 8.