Chapter 12 A Real Friend
Yumi frowned as she pressed the 'end call' button and handed the cell phone back to Odd. Sissi. Why did she have to be so persistent? Why couldn't she just leave them alone?
Because, it's Ulrich. It's about him. she thought. She asked herself: What would she do, if she was in the same position? Yumi was afraid to answer that question. Jeremie patted a hand on her back.
"Yumi… don't worry. It'll be alright, you'll see," he said, smiling. Jeremie was like that. He was a friend exactly when you needed a friend.
"Thanks, Jere."
Jeremie turned and began talking to Aelita. The group was walking, heading towards a bus terminal, in the cold pitch black of the night. What was Hope thinking? How were they supposed to just walk to the airport? Sometimes Yumi didn't know what to think about Hope. She knew Ulrich was suspicious of her, but she couldn't quite bring herself to see from his perspective. Hope was their savior—she'd risked her life many times for people she didn't know. How could Ulrich suspect her of anything? Well, true, it did seem like Hope was a little too perfect at times. But does that automatically make her evil? Dangerous?
Yumi looked over at Odd, the slim, strange haired boy. She could see that he was a little worried too. After all, Ulrich was his best friend.
Well, why shouldn't I try and make him feel better? Immediately after that thought, the bad thoughts came plowing into her mind like a dark storm cloud. The dark thoughts. Those suppressed feelings of anxiety that she tried to hide, that she let out through martial arts.
Is he my best friend, like Ulrich is to him? Are any of these guys my best friends? I hang out with them, they sort of understand me, but are they really as close to me as I like to imagine? Come to think of it, despite all the nice things Ulrich had done for her, it was hard for her to try and think of him as an actual 'best friend'. But… why not? What was she doing wrong? Why didn't they joke around with her like they did with each other? Yumi shook her head, trying to dispel the bad thoughts.
None of that is true. These guys really do care about me, I'm not alone, not like I was before. she thought this and they finally arrived at the terminal. They walked in the door, Jeremie holding the door open for Aelita and Yumi first. Jeremie looked fondly at Aelita with that silly expression he always got when they used to talk on a Lyoko connection. He didn't look at Yumi at all. …Right?
The gang was on the bus, riding towards the airport. Jeremie and Aelita sat in one seat, and Odd sat in another. Yumi sat alone. She began to think about the recent events. Well, for one, they didn't have any luggage, since… her house blew up. That evil, twisted EMPIRE. Dr. Gibson. Who was he? Why was he doing these crazy things? And most importantly, where did that whole organization come from? It's so orderly and structured, expansive and prepared. But it was like it came out of thin air. If they had that big faux-military force, why hadn't anyone ever noticed them before? Did they all train and operate underground until the Lyoko-goers thought it was safe to leave the factory, and then burrow upwards like little moles?
Yumi wanted to ask Jeremie, to see what he thought, but he and Aelita were in deep conversation, talking about something like the "theory of general relativity". She'd only heard that phrase in combination with Einstein somewhere before so she didn't quite feel like joining them, and she didn't want to interrupt. Still, there was Odd. He wasn't quite as smart as Jeremie, but at least he was someone to talk to.
She got up and sat next to him. He had his eyes closed but he wasn't asleep, probably thinking about something. He looked a little strangely at her for a brief moment and Yumi's confidence was almost shattered. She gathered herself up, and mentally took a deep breath.
"Hello, Odd," Yumi said cheerily.
"Hi, Yumi. Did you want some company?" he replied. See? she reassured herself. He's not mean, he'd never try and do anything to hurt my feelings.
"Well, actually, yes. So, how're you doing?"
"Um… well, let's see. EMPIRE tried to kill us, we're wanted dead and not likely alive, Ulrich's somewhere in Sissi's clutches, and Hope…" he broke off there and turned to the window. Yumi felt a little embarrassed. Why had she asked how he was doing? Of course he wasn't gonna say, "Oh, yes, Yumi, everything's peachy. Some whacko's trying to take over the world, but that's okay!"
"Sorry," apologized Yumi. Odd turned back her way.
"No, it's not your fault. I'm just in sort of a bad mood." Yumi felt impelled to be the friend Jeremie often was for her.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Odd gave a soft, weak smile, and, while at first hesitant, he nodded. "Where to begin… first, Samantha died and I felt like there was nothing left for me in the world. That's why I was so reckless that last day in… you-know-where. Then, we got kidnapped by EMPIRE. I didn't know if things could get any worse, but then I met Hope. I'll admit to you, as long as you don't tell anyone, that well… I guess I'm smitten with the girl."
Yumi was speechless. Odd was confiding in her, treating her like… a true friend. She tried to smile a knowing smile.
"But… remember, when she was talking to that boy on the phone?" Odd asked. She nodded. "I remember the last thing she said… she told him she loved him."
Yumi suddenly understood, for real this time. The poor boy was heartbroken. "I'm sorry," she apologized again.
"Don't be. It's not like you or me could do anything about it. So she has a boyfriend. Oh well. I guess that's just how it goes…" he turned away from Yumi yet again. She heard him sob very softly, trying to stifle sounds and tears. Yumi gave Odd a big hug. It was the best she could do, and all she could think of to comfort him. He was silent, and then he sniffed.
"Thanks, Yumi." he said. The bus pulled into the airport parking lot. "You're a real friend."