Out Of Place

Chapter 9

"It's nearing the end of the semester, Odd," Jeremie said.

"I know that, it's just…do we have to keep studying?" he replied as he clicked buttons on the laptop.

"Why stop?" Aelita asked from beside Jeremie.

"Because I'm tired," Odd pouted, the ring in his lip catching a glint from the library lights.

The doors to the library made a small squeak as Yumi and Ulrich entered. Ulrich sat to the left of Odd and looked at the laptop screen.

"You'll get an awesome grade in Space Invaders class," Ulrich said.

"Space Invaders?" Jeremie's head shot up. "You're supposed to be studying!"

"Thanks, Ulrich. You got me in trouble with mom," Odd said, making Yumi laugh.

Jeremie continued staring at Odd with a stern look until Odd sighed and clicked out of the game tab.

"Oh, good," Ulrich said with a smirk. "Now he can continue talking to Samantha."

Odd put a hand on the side of Ulrich's face and pushed him away from his laptop screen.

The sound of another girl's name immediately caught Aelita's attention.

"Who's Samantha?"

"Just a friend from back home," Odd answered simply as he typed something else.

"A, uh…a girlfriend?" Aelita asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Yumi and Ulrich looked at her curiously.

"If you mean a friend who's a girl, then yes," Odd answered before closing the laptop.

"Speaking of friends and girlfriends, any interest in anyone yet?" Yumi asked with a grin.

"What?" this question caught Odd completely off guard.

"I have heard from a little birdie that a couple of people have crushes on you," Yumi said slyly.

Jeremie snapped his head up, bewildered, "What? Who the heck are you talking about?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Jer," Odd glowered.

Jeremie smirked at him from over his laptop before saying, "No doubt that this Samantha girl is pretty though."

Odd's eyes widened, "How the hell did you find her so fast?"

"Your profile page, went to your friends, typed her name, and bam. Found her," Jeremie replied, not looking up at him.

Aelita glanced over at the screen, tuning out the conversation. In some pictures she could see a beautiful blonde girl who could possibly be a model one day; another with the said Samantha. There was a picture of Odd giving a piggy back ride to a girl with a bright red mohawk. Of course there were pictures of Odd with boys, but every time a picture with him and a girl popped up on the screen Aelita clenched her teeth a bit.

Odd stood up from the table and put his black jacket on, snapping her attention away from the screen.

"Well boys and girls, I'm going to head off. Now that my homework's done I need to get going."

"Where?" Aelita asked.

"I, uh…have plans," he responded as he zipped up his dark purple jacket. "It's just a huge party going on downtown at a venue."

"And you'll be out how late, young man?" Ulrich asked jokingly.

Odd rolled his eyes and said, "You guys can come if you want. I'm not planning on staying out all that late."

"Wait really?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah, we have class tomorrow so-"

"Not that," Yumi interrupted.

"You care about class?" Jeremie spoke up simultaneously.

Odd looked at both of them, not sure of who to answer, but Yumi continued, "I meant, you're inviting us?"

"Well, yeah. You guys are my friends. The only reason I haven't invited you out before is because I didn't think you would want to go," he shrugged. "You…want to go?"

"Well…"

"Heck yeah!" Aelita leaped up.

Yumi and Jeremie looked at her in shock.

"What?" she said. "It sounds fun. We haven't really done anything exciting for a while and we can meet some of Odd's other friends like that…that Samantha girl."

Yumi raised her eyebrow at her and made a questioning noise, Aelita sent back a small, quick glare.

"So, what? We're just going to leave school past curfew and all of us sneak back in at an even later hour?" Jeremie stated more than asked.

"I'm down," Ulrich said simply, making Jeremie smack a hand to his face.

"Alright, me too," Yumi said. "I'll just tell my parents I'm staying with Aelita tonight."

For a second, Aelita thought about saying 'nevermind' to the whole idea, but once she looked at Odd and envisioned those girls all over him she felt a surge of jealousy go through her. He caught her eye and smiled at her, giving her all the confidence she needed to continue with the party plans.

"So…Einstein?" Odd said, slyly making his way closer to him.

"What?" he snapped.

"So…?"

"Wanna come to the party?" Yumi asked just as slyly.

"No," Jeremie said seriously.

"Come on," Odd coaxed.

"No."

"Do it."

"No."

"Do it."

"No."

"Come on, please?" Aelita urged.

"Alright, fine," Jeremie said with aggravation as he closed his laptop shut with a 'snap.'

"Sure, listen to her," Odd teased.

Jeremie blushed and continued packing stuff into his bookbag. Normally, a comment like that would have made Aelita blush as well, but at that moment she felt nothing of the sort.

"Alright. It's a plan!" she said too loudly, making the librarian shush her.

Odd laughed and said, "Alright party animal, I have to make a couple calls. I'll see you and Yumi tonight."

Aelita waved, the smile not falling from her face. Yumi stared at her knowingly, but Aelita did not notice.

It was definitely going to be an interesting night.