Well, here it is, Chapter 2, which is actually Chapter 1 because the first one was just a prolouge. I'm so sorry it took me this long to get it out, but I just had a huge writer's block. I can't post anything for a week (a summer camp) but as soon as I get back I'll move my story right along. Again, sorry for the delay, and enjoy Chapter 1: Matt!!!!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko, just the twisted things I add to it! (Muahahaha!)
Ulrich and Odd dashed across the grounds of Cadick Jr. High, pulling on miscellaneous articles of clothing as they ran. They were late for science class (again), but for once they had a valid excuse. Unfortunately, if they tried to use it to justify their tardiness, their teacher would just tell them to take their seats and put their ample creativity to better uses.
The truth was, Ulrich, Odd, and their two friends Jeremie and Yumi had been awakened in the middle of the night by an explosion, and had spent the rest of the night fighting Xana. Needless to say, when they returned to the past, they were dead tired, and had overslept (at least Odd and Ulrich had).
"You know...Xana...is really...starting to bug me," huffed Odd, hopping along as he pulled on his right shoe.
"So...what else...is new?" Ulrich panted as he donned his favorite olive over shirt.
"He always attacks...at the most...inconvenient...moments," Odd wheezed, now running a comb through his blonde hair.
"Gee...well...maybe...if we ask real nice...he'll only try and kill us... when we say it's O.K.," said Ulrich, rolling his eyes.
"I mean," continued Odd, as though Ulrich hadn't spoken, "He had to attack...in the middle of the night...on a Sunday! If it could have been Friday...or Saturday...but noooo...it had to be...the day before...Monday. It's bad enough...he attacks at all...but to interrupt...our sleep...of all things...when he does...that's just -"
"Odd," Ulrich interrupted as they skidded to a halt outside the classroom door, "Shut up." Ulrich pulled open the door and the two of them stumbled into the classroom.
"Where have you been?" cried their frazzle-haired teacher, Mrs. Hertz. "Class started twenty minutes ago!"
"We overslept," gasped Ulrich.
"Yeah," sighed Odd in defeat, "Overslept."
"Very well," Mrs. Hertz grunted. "Now take you seats." As the pair shuffled off to their chairs accompanied by sniggers from around the room, they caught a nod from Jeremie. They took the seats directly behind him, and, as Mrs. Hertz was busy with the blackboard, they leaned their heads forward to talk.
"Bad luck," whispered Jeremie, grinning. "Overslept, huh? Adequate, but only half true."
"You would have preferred it if we had told her the whole story?" said Ulrich, raising his eyebrows.
"Well, no, but-" he was interrupted by Odd.
"You see, Jeremie, while our version isn't completely true, it is one- hundred percent believable."
"Oh, come on! I was just kidding!" cried Jeremie.
"What is going on back there?" The sharp voice of Mrs. Hertz cut their conversation short.
"Nothing Ma'am!" they chorused, quickly sitting back in their seats. Mrs. Hertz narrowed her eyes suspiciously. In response, Odd gave her the cheesiest grin he could muster.
"Honest! We were being good little boys...like always!" Mrs. Hertz gave a snort of laughter, shook her head, and returned to the blackboard.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. As Mrs. Hertz went to answer it, Ulrich, Odd and Jeremie all leaned to the side to get a better view of the newcomer.
"I wonder who it could be?" asked Jeremie, thinking out loud. When the door was pulled open, however, Mrs. Hertz's billowing lab coat completely blocked their view.
"Ah! Yes! I've been wondering when you'd arrive!" The mystery visitor gave a quiet response, and Mrs. Hertz chuckled softly. "Well it doesn't really matter anyway. Please, come in!" Mrs. Hertz whirled around and walked back to her desk, followed by a small, slightly overweight boy. The kid stood in front of Mrs. Hertz's desk, facing the class. "Everyone, I would like you to meet a our new student. His name is Matt, and I want you all to make him feel as welcome as possible."
The Lyoko kids could now get a good look at the new student. He was wearing long, camo-colored cargo shorts with his hands buried in the pockets, and a plain navy tee. On his feet was a pair of tattered brown shoes, topped of by ankle-high socks. Perched on his head was a navy baseball cap, with the bill facing forward. His face was wide, round, and very friendly looking, and the hair they could see below his hat was brown. However, Ulrich, Odd, and Jeremie took in very little of that. Their attention was on his eyes. His ice-blue eyes.
Despite the small, friendly smile he wore now, his eyes had a different, less open quality about them. They seemed to have a keen alertness, almost wariness emanating from them, like he didn't trust a soul in the room. It was creepy, and as Matt was gazing around, taking in all the new faces, the Lyoko boys felt shivers run down their spines as his eyes met theirs. They could tell his slight grin was only a mask, and they had no real urge to meet the person behind it, at least for now.
"Hi, everyone. Glad to meet you all." His voice was deep for a kid his age, and although he sounded genuine, the irony of his second statement almost caused Odd to burst out laughing. The strange thing was, even though Odd didn't make a sound, Matt still looked at him as though he had just been insulted. When his accusing gaze finally lifted, leaving Odd squirming uncomfortably, he turned back to Mrs. Hertz. "So, where am I going to sit?"
Mrs. Hertz scanned the room, looking for an empty seat. "Ah! The spot next to Jeremie is open. You can sit there for today." She pointed the vacant chair out, and Matt walked over to it and sat down. Jeremie felt distinctly nervous about having Matt in such a close proximity, and the feeling was not lessoned when Matt turned to him and gave him a stare that seemed more penetrating than an X-ray machine. Suddenly, Jeremie felt an odd tingling all over his head.
"Ow!" he mumbled, touching his temples. All at once, Matt's expression changed. He now had genuine kindness shining from even his icy eyes. Jeremie had just enough time to wonder what had brought about the abrupt change of disposition when Matt stuck his hand out, and Jeremie, more out of instinct than acceptance, shook it. Matt grinned at him. "Hiya Jeremie. Nice to meet you." With that, he took his seat.
The rest of the lesson continued without incident, unless you counted Matt's sudden acceptance of Jeremie. Whenever Matt had a question, he always asked Jeremie, and only Jeremie. In fact, Jeremie was the only person he even looked at with his friendly smile. Everyone else still got the cold, unfriendly stare. When science finally ended, Jeremie shot out the door, eager to be as far away as possible from Matt. As he was walking through the grounds, he met up with Odd and Ulrich.
"Man, that Matt kid was weird," Odd exclaimed.
"No kidding," replied Ulrich. "Jeremie must have been the only person in science he didn't glower at."
"At least not for the whole class period," Jeremie said in response. "Remember, he didn't start liking me until after he came to sit with me. Also... well, it was weird. He walked up to me, staring at me as cold as ever, but then all at once he started smiling like we were old buddies! Either he has some type of mental disorder or-"
"Hello, Jeremie. Are these friends of yours?" The three Lyoko kids whipped around to see Matt standing not five feet from them. He had a jovial smile plastered on his face, but the minute he saw Odd his eyes narrowed into slits. "You I remember," he said, scowling, "But if Jeremie likes you... you can't really be all that bad..."
Odd stole a glance at the others, clearly dumbfounded. Suddenly he grabbed his head.
"What is it?" Ulrich asked, looking concerned.
"N – nothing, I... it just tingled for a moment, that's all."
Jeremie glanced at Matt after hearing this. When he saw Matt's friendly smile now directed at Odd, his eyebrows shot into the air. "Nice to meet you, Odd!" Matt cried, before turning his attention to Ulrich. "You I don't recognize."
"Oh, me? I... I'm ...Ow!" Ulrich raised a hand to the back of his head.
"Ulrich! Yes, Ulrich. Nice to meet you." Matt said, beaming at him. "Well," said Matt, pulling out his schedule, "I'm off to...Algebra..." Jeremie felt his head tingle. "Cool!" Matt cried, "See you there, Jeremie, and you too, Odd and Ulrich! Bye!" and he dashed off, leaving the others with incredulous looks on their faces.
"I don't remember telling him my name," said Odd, puzzled.
"And I certainly don't remember telling him our schedule. He knew we were going to Algebra!" Ulrich growled.
Jeremie was startled to see Ulrich and Odd both glaring at him.
"Why on Earth would you tell the weirdo a thing like our schedule, eh Einstein? Now he can follow us around all day if he wants to!" Odd cried, throwing his hands into the air.
"But I... I didn't... I'm just as confused as you..." The three boys watched Matt's retreating back, trying to make some sense of the last five minutes.