Peeking open from his slumber, Odd blinked from the mysteriously different room above his head, only to realize he was sharing a bed with another warm body tucked against him. With the turn of his head, a fuzzy glimpse of Aelita's messy red hair met his eyes, and his heart beat with unexpected surprise, listening to her slow breathing.

Right, yeah. So I just spent the night in her bed. But she demanded I do so.

Head rising from the pillow, his chest tightened as he held his head upright, admiring the young woman resting peacefully against him.

Pretty sure this is beyond explanation. Nothing happened, just cuddles and snoozing. Easy and comfy and amazing... And a massive violation of dormitory rules. She probably doesn't care at all.

Her head slowly rose from the mess of sheets and pillows, and with a meeting of tired eyes, mouths curled into crooked morning smiles.

"Hello."

"Hellloooo." She whispered, bringing hints of mirth to their faces from the greeting.

A hefty breath parted his lips as he eyed the closed door to her room, only to flop his head back down onto the pillow

"Now for the tricky part."

"Oh hush. If you were actually awake, all we'd have to say is that you came in here early... Or something."

Odd lay still as she snuggled up closer to him, tucking her head up underneath his chin.

"You're barely awake either."

"This is my room though. I can sleep in as much as I want."

"Oh okay. So now I'm magically the early riser?"

"I'm sure it happens once in a great while."

A light chuckle left his nose from the remark.

"Yeah. Pretty rare usually."

Listening to the following silence, his arm folded around her back, hand resting lightly on her side.

"We both just broke a major school rule, you know."

"Mmhmm."

"So... You're alright with that?"

"Sure am. The hours of cuddles have been worth it."

Eyebrows rising, and then lowering, his nose tucked down into her messy hair, taking in a gentle, ticklish inhale.

"Yeah. Rules aside, it sure was nice."

"Should do it again sometime."

Face cracking into a grin, he squeezed his arms tighter, met with a tighter bodily squeeze in return.

"Alright."

"I'm serious, Odd. I haven't slept this peacefully in a while."

"We'll see what we can get away with."

Hearing occasional voices and footfall outside of her bedroom door, Odd exhaled.

"In the meantime... I should probably find Ulrich before he finds me in here."

Twenty minutes later, breaking reluctantly from their lazy morning cuddle, Odd shuffled out from the mess of sheets and sank down onto his feet, and Aelita quickly appeared by his side as he fumbled over to her door.

"Hold on."

Setting his hand upon the handle, he turned in a pause from her voice, watching her hand settle on top of his.

"Me first. You'll see why."

Odd blinked, and retracted his hand.

"Ladies first." He mumbled, watching as she pulled open the door. Peeking outside past her, he discovered a strange scene of several dozen female students standing in a line leading from the girl's bathroom.

What in the world...

"...Is this normal?"

Aelita's eyes rolled, face turning into a momentary grimace.

"Yes. Every morning."

"What's the reason?"

"Misses Delmas."

Mouth opening, he slowly shook his head.

"Ah. That explains everything."

Slipping out past the door into motion, Odd casually followed Aelita into the hallway, purposefully ignoring the gathering of female students alongside as they neared the stairwell.

Say nothing, do nothing. Catching up on homework. That's the alibi.

Pausing at the foot of the stairs, their eyes met, and warm smiles were exchanged amongst a hidden flutter of heartbeats.

"Thanks again."

His head lowered in a single confident nod.

"You're quite welcome, Princess."

Watching her eyebrow quirk with interest, he began descending down individual steps, hands slipping into the pockets of his shorts.

Now to see what the next few hours bring..

Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, Aelita patiently observed his movements until he disappeared around the corner, and then sighed silently as a restless ache grew inside.

...And just like that. A day long date is over. Even with the mishap at the pool, I still enjoyed the time we spent together yesterday. Eating at that cafe and sitting together in the trees... And all the kissing we did. I loved every single moment our lips met.

Her heart tingled from the imagery dancing across her imagination.

He's a real good kisser. And I need his kisses in my life. Even if we've only been on one date together.

Turning away, Aelita quietly stepped over into the line to the restrooms, lost in thought.

I guess yesterday really was our first date. It sure was easy, being ourselves with our feelings. We've been best friends for years, so we're not trying to figure each other out.

Arms crossing again, her hand gently gripped her shoulder.

No matter what's happened though, we're not truly together until I end it with Jeremy. That will probably happen today. I can't let this withering thing go on any longer. Not with how I feel about Odd. I've made up my mind, and I'll make my own decisions from now on. If I'm going to be with anyone, it'll be somebody that makes me happy. Someone that keeps me going when there's not much left to go for.

Everyone else will just have to deal with it.

Slowing to a halt at the door of his room, Odd tip-toed up to it and pushed it open, poking his head through. Upon inspection of the interior however, there was not an Ulrich to be found.

Eyebrows furrowing with curiosity, he began to take a step forward, only to jump from a confused grunt behind him. Pulling his head back out of the doorway, and whirling around, he discovered Ulrich was standing in the hallway, staring at him.

"YOU."

Odd's face instantly turned into a grin as the brunette's arm raised, finger pointing at his nose.

"Me?"

"Yeah you! Where the hell were you last night."

"Somewhere."

Ulrich narrowed his eyes.

"Is 'somewhere' Aelita's room?"

Odd blinked, and his own arm rose up alongside Ulrich's, finger pointing at him in a comic countermove.

"It was her idea!"

"...Wait, her idea?"

Odd nodded.

"Ask her. I'm not making this up. She politely demanded it."

Ulrich's hand returned to his side, and he furrowed his eyebrows at his friend.

"I thought you were the rule breaker around here."

"You're telling me. I told her we would both be in a heap of trouble if we got caught."

"And both of you did it anyway. Good one."

"Need I remind you, Stern, we hosted Yumi in our room the other night..."

"That was an emergency measure. You're just stirring up trouble."

Ulrich walked over and pushed the door open, and Odd followed him inside, safe inside his normal room once again.

"Yeah right. We've all done our share around here."

"Some more than others."

"I think you're just jealous."

"Sure Odd. Sleeping with a girl you've just started seeing. That's normal."

"Hey. Nobody said either of us are normal."

"Whatever you say, good buddy."

Aelita's eyes rose along the shaft of sunshine streaming in through her bedroom window, sighing as she pulled on one of her boots.

Worried. That's an understatement.

Getting to her feet, she plucked her phone from her desk, slipping it inside her pocket as she walked to the door.

Stepping out into the hallway, she shut the door behind herself, and started walking towards the stairwell. Without a single glance, she passed Sissi, who was leaning against the wall with two other girls, but slowed her pace slightly when she heard her name mentioned in a whisper.

"...What about her?" Sissi drawled, mouth curling with a hint of amusement.

"Odd magically appeared from her room earlier this morning. Whatever they were doing had her blushing after he left."

Aelita's face hardened as she quickened her pace.

Yeah, so what, you stupid drama queens. How about you three just...

"Miss Einstein's spending quality time with Della Robbia, huh?"

Eyebrows rising, Sissi looked down the hallway for the red-haired girl, but she was already gone.

"You should have seen them."

Arms crossing, a huff of breath left Sissi's lungs.

"Well, knowing the way that boy works, I doubt they were sharing homework if it got her red in the face."

Aelita ground to a halt at Odd and Ulrich's room after hurrying down the stairs. Pushing it open, she peeked inside, but was greeted by nobody within.

"Odd?"

Stepping inside, her heart sank, confirming the empty interior. Hearing footsteps looming from behind, she quickly slipped behind the opened door, waiting for whoever was out in the hallway to pass.

Sitting down on Ulrich's bed, her hands settled onto her lap, and she silently stared at Odd's bed, which remained an unmade, disheveled mess as usual.

Where are you?

At first reaching for the phone in her pocket, her arm hesitated, and she stood up instead.

You're around. Somewhere. I'll just find you or somebody.

Slipping around the ajar door, she pulled it shut behind, continuing down the hallway.

Sure hope I don't encounter Sissi again. Guess she'd find out something sooner or later but... Ugh. So what if Odd was in my room. Maybe she's never had a boy in hers...

A single humored breath left her nose, drowned out by a quiet sigh shortly afterwards.

Whatever.

Turning the corner in the hallway, footsteps registered in her ears.

"Aelita?"

She looked up, and her feet stopped dead.

"J-Jeremy?"

The blonde blinked at her alarmed expression, and she tried to back away, but only mustered one step.

"Hey, Uhh... Is something wrong?"

Yes, yes there is and its been wrong for years and now everything's about to...

Aelita watched dreadfully as he walked over to her, and reached down, grasping a hold of her hand, but she automatically jerked it out of his grasp, watching as his face contorted into a frown.

Yeah, everything's about to fall apart and nobody is ready for it and ohhh this is bad news!

She looked at the corner fearfully, and broke into a run, away from him, around the corner, and after a few moments of getting his wits back together, Jeremy ran down the hallway after her, intent on finding out just what was going on in his absence.