Sorry for the long wait. I know there's at least a few people out there waiting for this. Right? xD
(Ulrich P.O.V.)
"Ulrich… Ulrich… wake up, love…" I hear vaguely, and I feel someone gently shaking my shoulder. After another second or two of this, I feel someone kiss me for a split second then pull away.
"Mmmm… Yumi, I really hope that's you…" I say, still half asleep.
"And what if it wasn't?" I snap my eyes open and see Yumi's hazy silhouette above me. After a few more blinks, her face comes into focus and I smile.
"Then you would have a very unhappy Ulrich." I say, sitting up. I pat the bed beside me and she sits down.
"So, what brings you to my dorm room this early?" I ask, slipping my arm around her waist. She just laughs slightly.
"Ulrich, take a look at the clock." She says. Leaning back, I look around her and see my clock blaring 11:18 in bright green numbers.
"Oh wow. I really overslept, didn't I?" I say, leaning my head on her shoulder.
"Yeah, you did. But just look at Odd." I look across the room to see Odd still sound asleep, lying fully clothed on top of his sheets.
"Heh. He looks like he could sleep for another couple of hours."
"I think we're all tired after last night's events. I didn't wake up myself until about an hour ago. Mom actually came in and woke me up."
"So why did you come here?"
"Well, where else would you rather have me go? After all, it's Saturday and you didn't answer your cell." I reach over and grab my cell phone from my table where it was laying. Flipping it open, I see it says two missed calls, both from Yumi.
"Sorry about that. It was on vibrate." I say, switching it back to normal.
"That's okay. But since you two were asleep, the others probably are as well. So I'm gonna go wake them up too, okay?" I nod tiredly. She stands up and I begin to lie down again.
"Oh no you don't!" Yumi says, grabbing my arm and halting my downward descent. She pulls me up until I'm in a standing position next to her. "I need you to stay awake. I don't want to have to wake you up again when I come back. Okay?"
"Mmkay." I mumble, just now beginning to really wake up. I still must've looked really tired though, because she just looks at me disbelievingly.
"As a matter of fact Ulrich, I want you to wake up Odd and Macas, go take your shower, and meet the rest of us out at the bench at about noon." I look her in the eye to show her I'm awake and I nod.
"I can do that."
"Thanks Ulrich. I hate to be bossy, but someone has to get you guys up." She says with a smile. I give her a quick kiss and she leaves to go wake up the others. Looking around, I see that it's 11:21. So I have just about half an hour. Grabbing a random article from the cluttered floor, I toss it in Odd's direction. It hits him on the head and he groans.
"Whatimsit?" He mumbles. Luckily for me, years of speaking 'Odd' have allowed me to easily translate into actual words.
"It's almost eleven-thirty. Get up, we're supposed to be at the bench by noon." I say, grabbing a towel and a change of clothes. After I get Odd into a vague sitting position, I walk out to Macas' room down the hall.
After knocking a few times with no answer, I try the handle to find that it's open. And it only takes a moment to realize that Macas isn't there, and that he hasn't been. His sheets are still made, there's no shoes on the floor or anything. He obviously hasn't come back since last night.
Refusing to make any guesses as to where he might be, I close his door and go take my shower.
I get to the bench just after noon with Odd in tow, who is still yawning profusely even after his shower. Yumi and the rest of the gang are sitting there, waiting for us. Well, everyone except for Macas.
"Hey Ulrich. Um… good morning, Odd." Yumi says to Odd, who still looks half asleep.
"Goo-ood morning." He replies, yawning again.
"I thought you were supposed to go wake up Macas." Krys says, tilting her head to the side.
"Well… I went to his room, but he wasn't there. I don't think he'd been there at all."
"What makes you say that?" Aelita asks.
"His sheets were still made and stuff."
"Yeah," Krys says, "Macas hates to make his bed. He got in trouble for that all the time when we were younger." I sit down next to Yumi, and Odd leans against a nearby tree.
"I thought her memory was going haywire and stuff." I say quietly to Yumi, so Krys can't hear.
"It has." She whispers back.
"Hey Ulrich? Who's your friend? He's cute." Krys says, looking over at Odd.
"She's been doing that all morning. Remembering and forgetting like crazy. Xana didn't fix it, he made it worse." She says spitefully. Before Xana modified it, she was doing good. Now she can't even remember Odd."
Speaking of Odd, I look over to see him slump down against a tree. I remember him telling me that he was nervous about asking out Krys because she would forget and he'd have to ask her over and over again.
Looks like it's happening. Poor Odd.
I stand up and grab Odd by the hand, pulling him up and over to where Krys is sitting. Sitting him down next to her, they both look at me strangely.
"Krys, this is Odd. He's your boyfriend." I say and Krys looks over at Odd again.
"Oh. Hi Odd. How long have we been going out?" She asks innocently.
"Since yesterday." He replies.
"Oh. I'm sorry I can't remember you." She says, and she snuggles into his chest. Odd wraps his arm around her and holds her tightly. Looking up at me, he has the most grateful face I have ever seen on him.
"You're welcome." I say and sit down next to Yumi again.
"Aw, Ulrich. You're so sweet." Yumi says, kissing me on the cheek.
"Well, you know me." I say smugly, stretching out.
"Yeah I know you, I'm in love with you after all." She says, smiling at me.
"Love you too Yumi." I say, and kiss her gently.
(Jamie P.O.V.)
Looking around the group, all of the sudden I feel incredibly lonely.
Odd and Krys are talking and laughing with each other. I don't know if she has her memory back for the moment or not, but they look so cute together.
Jeremie and Aelita are doing what they enjoy. Working on the computer. I have no idea what this entails, but they're sitting very close to each other, talking excitedly and pointing at the screen.
Yumi and Ulrich are just adorable. Ulrich is leaning against the bench, and Yumi is snuggled into his chest. They're not talking, just enjoying each other's company.
I have no one. Everyone in the group has a significant other but me.
And suddenly, I have the irrepressible urge to leave. I can't stand to just sit there and watch everyone enjoy each other's company while I feel so left out.
So I stand up and walk off. I must've gotten at least 25 feet away before anyone realizes I'm gone.
"Jamie! Where are you going?" Jeremie calls to me. I just turn around, shrug my shoulders, and walk off.
(Yumi P.O.V.)
I watch as Jamie walks away, going further and further. And I feel such pity for her that it hurts.
"Yumi, I'm going to go with…" Ulrich begins, and starts to get up, but I pull him back.
"No Ulrich. Just let her be. If anything, she's just like Macas. She needs some time alone." I say, looking him in the eyes. He looks hesitant to obey, so I throw in the clincher.
"You're not going to leave me, are you?" I ask sweetly. He sighs and sits back down next to me.
"I just don't feel like she should be going off by herself."
"Ulrich, don't feel like I don't care about her. I do, but she needs to have her space. Do you know why she left?" He shakes his head, looking bewildered.
"She's lonely, of course. I mean, look at us." I say, looking towards the others, who are also listening in.
"Jeremie and Aelita are together, doing what they do best. Odd is trying to keep Krys from forgetting him again. You and I are practically wrapped up in each other. And the only one she wants to be with has gone off by himself for a while. I think she was just following his example."
"What, you think Jamie and Macas like each other?" Ulrich asks me, totally sincerely. I can't help it, I just begin to laugh.
"Ulrich, I love you to death, but sometimes you are as dumb as a rock." I say, kissing him quickly so there is no hard feelings.
Looking around at everyone else, the girls seem to agree with me, and the boys just have blank expressions.
"Odd, Jeremie. Did neither of you notice either?" They both shake their heads. "Did you see them at the pool? They were all over each other. And I always catch them stealing glances at each other. I guess girls just notice this stuff more than guys do."
"And that's why I'm glad I have you." Ulrich says, and pulls me in close for a hug. I hug him back, enjoying his warmth.
"And don't worry about Jamie. She'll be fine. Hey, maybe she'll find Macas while she's out there."
One more chapter down. R&R please.