Hope Lost
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Chapter 4
Pain and Sorrow!
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After I returned to school, I found that everything had changed during my absence. Jeremie was locked up in his room all day, probably trying to materialize Aelita. Odd was, as usual, sleeping in class, joking, and eating like a pig. But none of that mattered to me. What mattered was that Ulrich had found a replacement for me. I know that that sounds selfish, but it hurt me deep inside. And worse, it was someone who he had assured me he had no intention of going with.
I am talking about Sissy. Sissy, the girl that Ulrich had spent nearly all his time trying to avoid. Why was life so unfair? Not only was I forbidden to talk to him, he found a replacement – in one day! – that happens to be my rival! Is there a reality television show that's trying to figure out how many things can go wrong in one week, and I just happened to be it's guinea pig? I almost hoped that that was true, that I would get some reward after this.
I knew I had to confront Ulrich about this, but the question was how? In response to my mother's threat of removing me from the school, the principal had given all the teachers orders to make sure I didn't contact him, or any of the others from my clique.
In my mind, I made plans, and scrapped them as quickly as they came. I was so preoccupied that my teacher called on me to ask a question.
"Um... Turnips!" I blurted out, and I could tell, from the way my classmates were giggling, that not only was it the wrong answer, it also had no meaning in the given situation.
"Yumi Ishiyama, that is wrong. And please, in the future, pay attention! Next time, it will be a detention with Jim." My teacher said.
"Yes, sir." I responded, avoiding adding even a trace of sarcasm. If I wasn't careful, I would never be able to talk to Ulrich again.
"Very good. Can anyone else answer my question?" he asked.
After class, he asked to talk to me after class. Nervously, I agreed to stay.
"Yumi, I understand that this a very troubling time for you. Your life is changing so rapidly that I am afraid of doing anything. If there's anything you want me to do, please tell me now." My teacher said.
"Yeah, let me talk to Ulrich for a few minutes..." I thought, but, not wanting any more trouble, I said "no."
"Well, if you're sure... Please tell me if you think of anything." He said, and began writing me a pass so that I wouldn't be marked late to my next class.
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At home, I spent my entire time scheming a way to talk to Ulrich during the day without being caught and possibly expelled from school. I also had to think without being caught by my parents. They would surely discover my intentions. Then I would surely have another restriction imposed, making it even harder to talk to him.
But my mother decides to make it slightly harder for me to think up a plan. We went to the hospital to visit Father. He was better, but I could tell that he was very much beaten. Ulrich had apparently thrown him into a window or something.
"What's wrong, Yumi? You seem strangely... Quiet today." Father said.
I felt my rage boil. Oh, how I longed to strike out. I know that that sounds wrong, but it's true. But I had to contain my anger. Everything would be normal again... Someday. But when? How soon would it happen?
"No, Father. I'm just... Thinking about today's history lesson." I said, unwilling to lie, yet knowing that I couldn't show Father any desire to speak to Ulrich and the others. Doing so would ruin any chance of me going behind their backs and talking to them.
"Oh? What happened?" Mother asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh, erm... My sensei just said something that I didn't understand. But I understand it now, Mother." I said.
"Ah. That's okay, as long as you understand it now." Mother said.
But I could tell that Father didn't completely believe my lie. That was to be expected. Father was always good with seeing through lies. Could I use this to my advantage? Maybe make the truth look like a lie?
"So how was your day? Mother? Father?" I asked, and regretted asking Father. How could someone on life support have a good day?
"Mine was good, Yumi. Now, you can go home now if you want." Mother said. That's when I saw my chance.
"I think that would be a good idea. I have lots of homework." I said, and ran out of the room before my father could object.
I kept running towards Kadic. Pulling out my cell phone, I dialed Ulrich's phone number. Silently, I thanked Him that my mother hadn't taken my cell phone away.
"Hey, Yumi. What happened? You seemed kind of... Blanked out in class today." Ulrich said.
"Ulrich, I can't let my parents realize that I called you. Can you meet me by the forest entrance?" I asked.
"Sure thing, Yumi. I'm sorry about going out with Sissy. I... I don't know what came over me." Ulrich said.
"No problem, Ulrich." I said, and ran towards the factory. I wanted to get to the factory without getting caught by Jim. Realizing that Mother would call me once she found out that I wasn't at home, I turned my cell phone off.
When I got to the forest entrance, Ulrich wasn't there. That suited me perfectly, as I hadn't figured out what I would tell him.
Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, Ulrich came. "Hey, Yumi." He said.
"Hey, Ulrich." I replied. "Listen, I'm sorry for how I acted in the hospital."
"No problem, Yumi. I understand that you're upset with what's going on." He said.
I caught sight of a shadow hiding in the trees. "Whoever's out there, show yourself." I called.
Out of the shadows stepped the one person that, as I realized, was the worst person to see Ulrich here: Sissy.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Sissy asked tauntingly. "Two lovebirds in the middle of the forest." This was accompanied by a spit in Ulrich's direction.
Instinctively, I jumped in front of Ulrich. "Sissy, watch what you say and do right now." I snarled. "Or did you forget already the last time you upset me?"
"Oh, I haven't forgotten, Yumi," she replied. "It's just that Ulrich shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you, Sissy." I said coolly.
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A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but hopefully this made up for it.