The first thing I notice is that my head hurts; a lot! Groaning I move my hands up to cradle my head, but as I do I notice something.

I'm in a hospital bed! My eyes fly open and I scream.

"Looks like you had quite a shock." someone stated. Then I realized it was the school nurse.

Not in the hospital. Whew…I sigh inwardly and look at the light blonde haired lady in front of me. "What happened?" I whisper, as I look right into her eyes.

She thinks for a moment, "Aelita and Yumi dropped you off here about an hour ago. Said they found you like this. You look like you got quite a nasty bump."

I nod, trying to not let my surprise show. I recognize the first name; Aelita. Who is she? I don't want to get the nurse suspicious by asking further questions. "Thanks," I mumble, still holding my throbbing head.

So, if Aelita was in the book, is Yumi the one who was writing? I wonder, as I don't know either of the girls personally, or at all.

I lay back on the bed, though it's not all that soft. I just worked up the nerve to ask the nurse another question when, of course, her mobile starts ringing.

She answers and mutters a few things I can't hear. Then she just looks at me, trying to make sure I understand, as she rushes out the door, still on the phone.

Whatever… I sigh. I wish she'd told me their last names, though the names are uncommon enough without them.

Forcing myself up I stare over to the window. It's still raining; though when you've relived a day three times over how can you expect to keep your internal clock straight?

Walking out of the infirmary, down the steps and outside I notice there are several people playing soccer. I might as well watch and listen to the latest gossip; who knows? Maybe I'll find out something useful.

I do. The moment I get there I hear yells and calls of, "Go Ulrich!", "Get it past 'em!", and one very off key screech of "I love you Ulrich!"It's obvious he's used to all this.

Well, here's mister soccer star, and the only person I actually know of the names mentioned, though "Odd" sounds awfully familiar. I take a seat in the back of the stands, watching silently. Several students stare, wondering why I'm not screaming my heart out.

I shrug it off and look off to the side; that's when I notice it's that girl again. She's standing at the outskirts of the woods, staring over at the soccer field, though I know she's got her eye on Ulrich. It's beyond obvious.

Maybe her other friends are busy and she's too shy to just come on her own and watch him? I wonder as I discreetly go around the back of the bleachers, not letting her see me. I'm not sure what I think she'll do if she sees me, but I feel better that she doesn't.

I'm behind her now; "Yumi?" I ask questioningly.

She spins around, shock and surprise vivid in her dark eyes. She doesn't say anything for a while. She just stares, probably wondering how much of her mushy, gushy diary I read.

"What do you know?" she asks in a quiet, hushed voice. There's hidden fear in it; her eyes give it away.

"That some guy William tried to do something to you, Ulrich got upset, of which you have a major crush on him, and your other friends are Aelita, Jeremie, and Odd." I state, thinking she at least has the right to know, as I have been snooping in her stuff.

"What about you? Do you know anything about me?" I ask, feeling it's a fair question.

"Not really. I do know that you were snooping in my stuff and you banged your head pretty hard on that door when Aelita rushed up to see me." Yumi replies, and shrugs. After a moment she whispers, "You won't tell Ulrich, right?"

I can tell she's concerned about it. "Promise." I sigh lightly, smiling somewhat. "What's a little secret between girls?"

She just nods, obviously in great relief at hearing this. "Thanks," she hums, looking pleased.

We stand there for a moment longer. I really have nothing left to ask her. I'm about to just say something when we hear the lunch bell ring. The boys on the muddy soccer field stop, girls cheering for Ulrich's victory, and they all start off towards the cafeteria.

"I'd better go," Yumi sighs, pointing back towards the lunch area.

I nod and watch her walk off. She's about half way there when two blonde boys and a pink haired girl join her. The one in the lighter blue sweater seems to spark a memory in my mind. I think he was that boy at the abandoned factory.

Following behind them, making sure they don't spot me, I chose a table where I can see them. Ulrich joins them, making it a five-some for lunch. When the boy, either Jeremie or Odd I guess, turns around to welcome his darker brown haired friend I know for sure it is that boy from the Factory.

I pick at my food in front of me. It seems extra unbearable today.

"You gonna eat that?" I hear a voice call from behind me. There's that one blonde boy, the other one I don't know, standing off to my right.

"Sure, but you have to answer a question first." I state as he sits at the table next to me. I now notice the others have left.

"Shoot," he shrugs; looking hungrily at the unappetizing food sitting on the table.

"What's your name?" I ask, noting the purple patch of dyed hair on his head. Obviously this kid has an affinity for purple.

"Odd," he replies nonchalantly. "Odd Della Robbia."

I stand up and start to walk off as he digs into the food with the appetite of a starved hippo. I know he has some connection to that kid, who must me Jeremie by process of elimination; and this whole mystery too. It's their group that knows; I'm sure. But what can they be hiding? I wonder.

I'm about to head off to the library to see what I can find in the old school news papers, plenty of gossip there, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Ryka Qualinki?" they ask. I freeze; too scared to turn around…