Hey everyone, sorry for taking so long with this chapter. I was having a severe case of writers' block, but I overcame it. So here's the tenth chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter Ten

The silence that had overcome the room was so thick that it was almost suffocating. Yumi's eyes were wide as she stared at Orrick. Jeremy had a pained expression on his face. Yumi looked to Jeremy as if expecting him to reassure her that what Orrick had said was just a joke. None came.

Orrick had closed his eyes a while ago, not wanting to meet the stares of his friend. He felt as if a heavy burden had been laid onto his chest, for he had difficulty breathing. He was somewhere between sleep and consciousness when a low moan sliced through the silence.

Orrick's eyes snapped open immediately, and all eyes were on the blonde. Od turned his head slightly to the side, and moaned quietly again. In an instant, Orrick had climbed off his bed and was at the blonde's side at once. He held onto his head, his eyes wide, and he felt as if some of the burden had been taken off.

"Od?" he called gently, laying his free hand onto the blonde's shoulder. Yumi kneeled down on his left. The three friends watched as Od's eyes fluttered open. A smile slowly crept onto Orricks face as Od turned his head and stared at all three of them.

"Yumi? Orrick? Jeremy?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse. "What are you guys doing here?"

"This is my room, too, silly," Orrick answered, now holding the blonde's hand with both of his. Od looked down at the contact, and withdrew his hand, earning a slight frown from Orrick.

"Od, are you ok?" asked Yumi. Od sat up, and shied away from them. He doesn't seem to notice his movements, thought Jeremy, his eyes narrowed in slight frustration. The virus must've finished its circulation.

"What do you mean, Yumi?" asked Od, surprised by her question. "I feel perfectly fine!"

"Are you sure?" asked Orrick, his frown deepening. Od nodded, and smiled.

"Of course!" he said. Jeremy walked towards the door.

"I have to go," he said. "I've gotta check things out with Aelita." And before anyone could say anything, he left. Yumi stood up, and walked towards the open door, smiling at the two boys.

"I have to go too," she said. "Class starts in a little bit. You two better hurry, or you'll be late." She closed the door behind her, and they heard her footsteps fade away.

"You heard her," said Od, swinging his legs over the bed. "Let's go. What do we have next?"

"Science with Mrs. Hertz," answered Orrick, his eyes following the blonde as he stood up, fixed his hair, and headed for the door. Od looked back at him and smiled.

"Well?" he asked. "Aren't you coming?" He seems perfectly fine, thought Orrick, standing up also. Nothing seems to have changed.

"Sure," he answered, following his friend out. He locked the door, and walked down the hall with Od, suddenly noticing that said boy was walking farther from him than usual.

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"Was that boring or what?" asked Od, sitting down at the table and immediately starting on his lunch. "I mean, we have tests for every single subject in two weeks—on the same day too!" Orrick nodded in agreement as he sat down next to Od.

"It's like they think we're super kids or something," he said. Od, unable to talk, only nodded, before continuing to stuff his face. Orrick sighed. Some things never change, he thought, before starting on his own lunch. He looked up as Yumi and Jeremy headed towards their table, and he smiled at them.

"Can this day get any worse?" asked Yumi, sitting down, Jeremy next to her.

"What are you talking about?" asked Jeremy, smiling at her. "My day is just great."

"For you, maybe," said the Japanese (I know I made a mistake the first time) girl said, sighing. "You actually like tests." She looked down at her desert and grimaced slightly. "Hey Od, do you want my cake?"

"No thanks," said Od, pushing his plate away. "I ate my own, and Orrick's. I'm full now." Yumi blinked.

"But you almost never get full," she said. "I thought you love chocolate cake!" Od's smile quickly dropped to be replaced by a bemused frown.

"'Love'?" he asked, as if saying that word for the first time. "What's...love?" Orrick's hand froze; Yumi's fork fell from her hand and clattered on the table, and Jeremy stared at the confused blonde, worry on his face. "What? Was it something I said?"

"N-no, Od," said Yumi, hurrying to pick up her fork. Od smiled slightly, before standing.

"Ok, if you say so," he said. "I have to go now. See you guys later. Oh, and don't forget to tell me what love is!" and with that, he ran out of the cafeteria. Yumi turned wide eyes to her friends.

"Did you—?"

"Yes, we did," said Orrick softly, finally relaxing his grip on his fork, and placing it back down. "I knew it was too good to be true." Yumi sighed.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, looking down at her uneaten food. Jeremy shook his blonde head, not having an answer for one.

"I seriously don't know," he said. The three pushed their trays to the middle of the table, unable to eat anymore as worry filled their stomachs.

So, how was that? I think it was a little too short. Oh well. Later.