What to Learn

The slivery clouds crowded to see her do the Ollie. Sissi smoothly glided on the pavement, stomped the board, kicked it up, and slammed the stake board back down as she glided past Sam. "Yeah, there we go. A little more practice and you'll get the hang of it in no time. Have you been practicing your turns?"

"You mean my crashes?" Sissi remarked. Sam giggled. "Yeah, I have. It would be easier if I had more space."

"I told you about the new skating park."

"And I told you I don't like falling in front of that many people."

"You worry too much about what other people think," Sam said, "But I guess being the principal's daughter isn't easy."

"I knew you were smart," Sissi smirked. Giggling, the girls went on with their practice routine just outside a weed-torn parking lot. Suddenly, Sissi took a tumble and her back struck the ground. "Dah! Hmmm, that's gonna sting."

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Sissi sighed, getting up with Sam's help.

"I think that's enough for now."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, I don't want you to push yourself too hard. I can't be responsible for putting the principal's daughter in the hospital." Sissi rolled her eyes with a huff. "By the way, why do you want to learn skateboarding?"

"Everyone I know rides on something. Since having a motorcycle was out of the question, I decided skateboarding was the next best thing."

"Hahaha, I thought the principal's daughter had perks."

Sissi gave a small smile, "Not really." After giving Sam her skateboard back, Sissi grabbed her cane. Sam glanced at her cane.

"Does... it hurt?"

"Oh no, no, no," Sissi interjected, "Well, not as much. It's more like a lingering pain that just doesn't seem to go away."

"And you think skateboarding is safer?"

"I'm not crippled."

"Hehe," Sam smiled. "I don't doubt that,"

"Anyway, I should get back to- AHHH!"

"Sissi?"

"I'm fine! I'm not hurting. This leg just gives out at the strangest times," Sissi looked down at her leg. If the traitor–the leg–kept this up, she might just look into prosthetics. "I'll be fine."

"Why don't I walk you back to school?" Sam offered.

"I told you. I'm not crippled."

"Just let me help, limp-shot."

Sissi huffed, "Fine. But don't tell the others about this. And don't tell Odd about the limp-shot nickname. He'll never let me live it down."

"Hehe, okay," Sam smiled warmly. They walked back under the cloudy sky. Sundays were the best. Buses and cars lazily moved by to the slow hours of the sun. As they neared the school gate, with Sissi walking in front, they caught a glimpse of a purple-wearing small teen leaning by the arch entryway.

"Odd?"

"Ah, Your Majesty. And where were you this fine day?"

"Odd?"

"Samantha!" The blonde fell flat on his back. Because Odd was leaning on the gate arch and the girls came up the road facing his back, he didn't see Sam at first. Sissi and Sam hovered over the forlorn Odd while Kiwi licked his face. "Wh-wha-what are you doing here?"

"I was helping Sissi back home."

"Helping?" said Sissi, lifting an eyebrow. "You limped along with me."

Sam planted her hands on her hips, "You're so stubborn."

"It's a queen thing," Sissi smirked. She gave Odd the end of her cane, careful to not press the hidden button, and pulled him onto this feet. Odd's wide eyes shifted from Sam to Sissi. The Mechanist huffed with a roll of her eyes, "I met Sam at the tech-shop and we hit it off pretty well. She agreed to teach me skateboarding."

"Wh-what?" Odd narrowed his eyes, "Why didn't you ask me or Ulrich or Yumi?"

"Really?" Sissi rose an eyebrow, "Ulrich and Yumi?"

"Oh. Right, that," Odd mumbled, shaking his head. "But what about me?"

"You're not really the best teacher for this. I'll be honest, you've fallen off your skateboard in more worlds than anyone else I know." Odd frowned and tried to bury his head in his shoulders while the Dragon Queen grinned from ear to ear. "Anyway, that's why I'm with Sam. Is there a problem with that?"

"No, no, no, of course not," Odd quickly answered.

"Good. Anyway, I'll be in my room nursing my wounds. Why don't you two catch up?" Sissi smiled. Odd hadn't seen that naughty, cheeky smile on Sissi in a long while, and he shivered at its return. After a strong pat on his shoulder, Sissi walked back to her room. Her smile evaporated as her back slightly hunched. She felt the heaviness of her bruised leg; her entire body felt heavy. As she got to the girls' floor, Aelita waited by her door. "Not now, Aelita," Sissi said nearly under breath.

"I saw everything," Aelita replied.

"Stalker."

"Why didn't you stay there?"

"And what? Confess-"

"So you do have feelings for him then?"

"Aelita, shut up!" Sissi barked. Aelita's lip slightly quivered. She stood like a straight board and shivered like a cold puppy. Sissi sighed quietly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I just... I don't know. It's probably best to just have-"

"Is it best? Or are you just afraid?"

"YES!" Sissi struck her hand against her door. Her head rested against its wooden frame as she gritted her teeth and shut her eyes, desperately trying to shut out the pain. "I don't know, Aelita! I just don't know. I don't want to mess up something like this. I didn't even think I would ever see him like that! I just... I'm scared. My advances toward Ulrich failed. What if this fails too?" Spinning around, she rested her back against her door and looked up. Her body grew heavier and heavier until she slowly sat on the ground, hugging her legs. "I don't wanna make the same mistake and push people away."

"You won't." Sissi looked at Aelita. "In the previous timeline, all you could think about was getting Ulrich, right? But now you know your mistakes. You learned. You've already been through the pain. It's like fainting. Once you've done it, you don't fear it anymore."

"You would know, huh?" Sissi slightly smirked.

"Hmph."

"I'm sorry, but you're right." Rubbing her forehead, the Mechanist got off the floor and opened the door. "Any word about our missing sector?"

"No, the forest sector is gone. I can't believe I-"

"You didn't do anything, Aelita. XANA got control of you using the Scyphozoa and manipulated you to erase the Forest Sector. It's okay. It was either lose the sector or lose Yumi and Ulrich to the class. One can be replaced."

"Hmm?"

"If Lyoko can be created," Sissi said, plopping into her seat, "it can be recreated."

"I guess," Aelita sighed.

"Anyway, I could use some help with some of my inventions. You want in?"

"Sure."

After a long day, the night replaced the sun, and she wouldn't have known had Aelita not told her. Sissi had a sloppy recollection of time. She walked toward the showers, wearing her pink robe when Odd ran to her from the other double doors. "Sissi! Perfect, I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait until I take my shower?" She sighed and looked away.

"It's about Sam."

"So it can wait?"

"I really need to talk to you. Pleeeeeeease!" Sissi rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked.

"I want you to stop meeting Sam."

"Wait what?"

"I need you to stop seeing Sam."

"Why?"

"Because... things are awkward between us."

"Between you and her?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. It's just better if you don't meet her anymore."

Tilting her head, Sissi rose her eyebrow. His hands were too jittery when he spoke, and that toothy grin kept shaking between a smile and a frown. A long pause hung on the air until she said, "And if I want to see her?"

"Sissi, please."

"I want to know what's going on."

"It's just that... I need some distance between you two."

"Why?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because it's not like you to keep secrets without a reason."

"But there is a reason."

"I thought you liked her," She said quietly.

"I... don't know... anymore," Odd finally said. Sissi silently gasped. She pushed off the wall and clutched her robe.

"Well, I hope that you can finally figure it out."

"You'll stay away from her?"

"Nope," Sissi smiled widely.

"Why not!"

"Because me being around her shouldn't affect you. Besides, if you want to meet her privately, just talk with her after my skateboarding lesson."

"I... I guess you're right."

"You know I'm right," Sissi smirked grandly. Odd huffed as the Dragon Queen patted his head. "Sam's a very nice person. You shouldn't be afraid to take a chance." She passed him, heading for the showers when he said,

"And if I pick the wrong person?" She stopped, sighing and looking back over her shoulder.

"Then you can only learn." With that, she quietly walked to the shower.

Continued...