Ask Me What It's Like to Never Win
By: Leelei
Disclaimer: I don't own Code:Lyoko.
Author's Note: Thank you for your wonderful reviews. I am so sorry, there is nothing else I can say. In all honesty, I have left the fandom but, trust me, I am fighting like hell to get back in…until then, I promise to do my best to finish posting this story for you guys. And, if you are reading right now, I would be absolutely honored if you posted this fic on your website, Star Way. : ) Thank you.
Chapter 3
"I'm going to be in the Science Olympiad this year," I state as I sit at a table next to Sissi and her friend. They had paused from their gossiping and I used the silence to speak up.
"Oh, really?" Sissi replies smartly, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a roll of her eyes. Her friend tries to stifle her laughter and fails.
I really hate what Sissi has become. She's a freshman now, too, but Daddy doesn't exactly run the school anymore. Sure, Principal Delmas is now the new superintendent of the Kadic school system, but he's still in charge back at our Junior High. Now we have a principal and an assistant principal at our new boarding school, and no one can win them over.
But as for Sissi herself…other than the color of her now shorter hair, she seems like a completely different person. Well, she still keeps up with fashion and being evil at getting her way, but she just seems…different. She's ignorant, self-absorbed, and fickle. I never saw her with those traits before but now…it's just apparent. She's a damn prep. Not that I have anything against the popular girls here (except the fact that they refuse to admit my existence), but she's just that kind of stereotype now.
Me? I've just always remained myself. Same hair, same body type, same person. I grew out of my sweater, though, so my mom sent me new shirts to wear with a great new pocket protector to hold my pens. You know, people really underestimate those things. Just because I don't want to keep my pen in my pants pocket and have it fall out when I sit down, or loose it in my book bag doesn't mean that the other kids should make fun of me. They used to leave me alone back in Junior High when Sissi was always around me, but now I know that she joins in when she thinks I can't hear her.
I probably should get contacts, but at least my acne is starting to clear up. My parents bought me an expensive system to use that's been working really well lately. I still have pimples, but they're not all over, or are as many. I thought that would help Sissi accept me again, but she has officially disowned me. That's okay, though, because I have another girl in my life now…
We get up to leave and I have to follow behind Sissi and her friend. Not because I want to, but now they've met up with two big football players from our school whom they would much rather be seen with. After a while, I simply walk away from them. I got tired of stopping every five feet and listening to their moronic conversation anyway. She doesn't even notice I'm leaving.
I make my way from the mall back to the high school. The new boarding school is still located in Paris, but we're further away from the Junior High now. When I get back to the grounds, I head straight to the band room where I know that Odd kid is allowed to hold practice for his group.
And to think, a band with a stupid name like "Pop Rock Progressives" is still playing together after this long.
They're just finishing up as I walk in. It seems like they're sounding a little more rock now with Ulrich on a regular keyboard instead of an enhanced electric one, and of course without Jim. They're probably trying to imitate that 'Emo' crap that comes over from the United States. Don't they know that there's no good music besides the classical genre?
They've all said they're good-byes for the night and the Odd kid takes off in a hurry to meet his girlfriend, I think her name is Sam. Ulrich and Yumi leave hand-in-hand, since everyone knows that they've been dating for a long time now, and Nicholas stays behind to practice a little more on his drums. It's amazing to see how his friendship has grown with them since what it was when he hung out with just our old group. He's not exactly in their 'gang,' but he's a hell of a lot closer than Sissi and I will ever be.
"Nicholas," I call as I jog up to him.
"Hey," he remarks plainly. He knows we've grown apart.
"I need to ask you something," I say and he stops playing his drums.
"What," he replies more than asks.
"How close of friends are you with Jeremie?"
"Belpois?"
"Yeah. I mean, you've been in a band with his best friends for a couple of years now. Have you been hanging out with him, too?"
"Well, not really. I mean, he listens to a lot of the same music now that the other's have gotten him into it, but Aelita really likes to sing more classical stuff, so he'll go to one of her concerts or choir practices over our rehearsal any day," he explains. "Why?"
"Eh, uh…no reason," I fumble my words, as usual. "It's just…He's in my science class and…I wanted to ask him about the homework."
Nicholas snickers and shrugs a shoulder. "Good luck finding him. He's off with Aelita tonight, like always."
I can feel my eyebrows almost fuse together. "I bet…"
"You need anything else?" He's obviously trying to get rid of me so he can keep practicing.
"No. Good-bye," I turn to leave with my hands shoved into my pockets.
"See ya around," he calls and starts drumming again. He's gotten really good now, but I'm too pissed to admit anything positive like that.
So I continue on my way through the school.
Chapter 4 coming shortly (for real this time!).