Finally here it is, chapter eight! 'crowd cheers' and now I am back on track. Let's hope I can keep it this way.

That morning, Aelita had woken up with a mission. She was going to figure out who it was leaving her all of these gifts.

After some careful thought last night, she had come to the conclusion that it was one of her friends doing it, so either Odd, Ulrich, or Jeremy were at work. She had hoped that today she would be able to spend all day keeping track of the boys to see who it was sneaking off to leave her gifts. But that plan when out the window when at breakfast and announcement came over the PA system, alerting the student body that, due to exams being so close at hand, the school would be holding special study classes today. They would only be half day classes, like Saturday, so the students would still have the afternoon off.

It totally ruined Aelita's plan. Sure, once classes were over she would be able to follow the boys to her heart's content, but by then it would probably be too late since, as luck would have it, there was a time when all of the boys were out of her site during class. She and Jeremy were in a different math class than Odd and Ulrich, so both boys would have the whole class period to sneak off and place her gifts. And Jeremy and Odd were both taking English while she was in German with Ulrich, so that was Jeremy's chance to scurry off.

Aelita figured she would just have to hope that the boys weren't allowed out of class during the study time, and that after class she would be able to watch them all like a hawk. But again, it would have to wait, and so for now Aelita trudged off to go spend the day preparing for exams.

She found herself only half listening in her classes, accepting all of the handouts and worksheets and last minute notes without really registering any of it. Her mind was on other matters.

The night before she had looked up the song that girl had been singing, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and had found what today's gift was supposed to be- Eight maids a milking. She was extremely curious as to what it was her gift giver had planned for that. She really hoped she wasn't going to get back to her room to find a cow sitting on her bed.

"I think she's getting suspicious."

"What?" Ulrich asked, turning to look at Odd.

"I think Aelita is starting to get suspicious," Odd said. "Didn't you see the way she was looking at us at breakfast?"

"Not really," Ulrich said, copying down some notes. "I was more interested in looking at my food than staring at Aelita."

"You mean looking at Yumi," Odd teased.

"Don't make me shove you out of your chair," Ulrich threatened.

"Like you would," Odd said. The look Ulrich tossed him had Odd quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, I think Aelita thinks it's either one of us or Jeremy leaving the gifts."

"What?" Ulrich asked, looking shocked. "She thinks I'm involved in this?"

"Ulrich, that's not the point," Odd grumbled. Ulrich grinned.

"Oh right, we were talking about your problems." Odd stuck out his tongue.

"Anyway," he said, "If she starts getting suspicious, it's going to be harder for me to leave my gifts for her."

"Speaking of leaving gifts," Ulrich said, "Aren't you supposed to be doing that right now before we get to French?"

"Oh crud," Odd hissed, gathering up his things and cramming them into his bag, his hand shooting up into the air as he thought of his excuse for getting out of class this time.

Aelita all but ran into the dorm building, taking the stairs two at a time as she did. There was no way she was going to be away from the boys any longer then she needed to. Hurrying down the hall, Aelita almost crashed into her door when she reached it, fumbling with her key a few times before finally getting it in the slot. She threw the door open, tossing her bag into her bed and feeling triumphant. The feeling vanished quickly when she looked down on her floor.

Sitting there waiting for her, each topped with a little red bow, where eight bottles of milk.