Woo! Chapter galore!

Disclaimer: …

Claimer: …

-Kadic, Monday Morning-

x

Ms. Yumi Ishiyama was in a… mood that morning.

Let us point out the obvious, shall we? Yumi was downright agitated.

But she isn't the (total) innocent here. Yumi knew she was throwing herself into the school-gossip-frenzy-pool when she agreed to go to the movies with Ulrich, alone, after he implied that Jeremie was getting married to his computer. No harm in that, right? she thought. Besides, they had already paid for the tickets, and the last thing Yumi enjoyed was wasting money.

Worse. When he walked her home that night, she accepted his offer to take her to the dance. Though, she made it clear that it was a "just friends" date.

The following morning, it was more than clear that her intentions were misinterpreted as she walked down through the courtyard, listening to the rumors like an old man listening to some flocking pigeons.

"I heard that Chinese girl is going to the dance with Stern."

"Seriously, it was gonna happen. They're like a match made in heaven!"

"Poor Emilie. Think she's taking it hard?"

"Well, Sorya did say that she was going to ask him."

"Did you hear about that Olivia-girl?"

"Too bad. Sissi's gonna be furious!"

"Who? The American chick? Oh yeah. Quite a thing, she is. She's not boarding here anymore, with the Eberly incident. Aw, but he was so cute!"

And that's how the morning started. Yumi walked right passed Milly, whose red tufts of hair were flowing in the same motion as her tiny little bounces against her heel. She had planned on asking some questions for her article "The Latest Hot Couples" for the big dance issue.

Frustrated and angry, Yumi stormed through the courtyard on a silent rampage with only one objective in mind: Find the one and only snitch, Della Robbia.

Fortunately, the whole gang (except Jeremie) was neatly spread in between their two "meeting trees". Not exactly a high tech hiding spot with walls and windows, but their spot nevertheless.

Her appearance softened slightly at the sight. Odd and Olivia were sitting down against one of the maple trees. Despite her darkened features and torn up legs, the young American girl still held that intense cerulean gaze, giggling as Odd gave her a friendly shoulder nudge.

Ulrich was standing across from them against the smaller tree. Before Yumi could come in earshot, he snapped something at Odd when he saw her approaching. Aelita kept her distance in between, sighing once, then walking up to greet her older friend.

"Nice weekend?"

Yumi shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess so."

"Good enough."

Aelita led her back to the group just then. There was no mistaking the silent "Gasp!" that echoed against each and every student. Some didn't acknowledge it, others glanced one way, and some just plainly stared in anticipation as Yumi flared. Her boots making little sighs of their own, Yumi stalked up to stand rigidly in front of Ulrich.

She gave him a half rough/half unconscious punch in the shoulder. "What did you tell them?" she demanded.

Ulrich, while trying to rub the blood back in his arm, glared past her.

"Odd you little pea brain!" Yumi snarled, whipping around on one heel until she was towering over the blonde and his girlfriend. "What did you say?"

Poor Yumi. For years she has tried to intimidate Odd, or even zap some humility in him. Too bad for her, because Odd just returned her accusations with innocent hazel eyes.

"I just said you were going to the dance with Ulrich to Emilie. It's not like I could lie. She asked me if he was going with anyone, so I told her the truth."

Yumi was seconds away from spitting out a reply, but Olivia shyly broke in, much to Yumi's surprise. She was sure the shock of last week had made her permanently inept. "Don't tell me you've never been struck by the gossip wave. Things happen, Yumi, people exaggerate for their own amusement." She suddenly looked down, her eyes narrowed on something no body else could see. "Just forget about it."

-X-

Well, that turned out easier than I thought, thought the ever-so victorious Odd Della Robbia.

After that little episode, Olivia stood up calmly, averting Yumi's bemused eyes, and trekked her way through the throng of students to make her way to art class on time. Odd let her go. Although, he did throw Olivia's half-eaten apple core toward Xavier's way when he almost broke out in a fit of laughter.

His girlfriend was getting better. She had to be. The first thing she did when she stepped inside the gates was give Odd a huge hug that left him partly breathless. After that, she and Aelita started giggling like the stereotypical school girls for a millisecond about the dance, what they were going to wear, whose make up to borrow, it went on.

He was glad she was all right, but was careful not to show pity when Olivia had remarked, "Feel sorry for me, and I'll dump you right before the first song." Of course, she was kidding, though it was hard not to feel such a nagging emotion. Odd cared. A lot.

Odd turned just in time to see Ulrich with his arms crossed. Yumi had disappeared when Odd wasn't paying attention, and by the looks of it, he looked positively guilty, and especially embarrassed.

"Dude, don't go all downy-face on me! That's the last thing I need right now."

Ulrich didn't reply. He grabbed his backpack emotionlessly and walked away, not even looking over his shoulder to see if Odd was coming. Now he was left alone with Aelita, although she shrugged and left to join Jeremie in their next class.

-X-

Jeez…

Olivia Allen never realized that that same word would be acting as her conscience the rest of the day. Her enthusiasm for art class was about as large as her pinky, she didn't eat this morning, and now she was in a possible fight with her friend. Oh, and did we mention that Olivia lost her dance dress while moving her stuff?

This week couldn't be any worse.

But it did. And that sucked big time.

On her way through the art building, she was very well aware of cautious stares and sympathy glimpses. Anything else was just plain distaste that did not agree with her stomach. God, if only she had her necklace right now. She needed something cold to ward off this oncoming fever.

"Olivia!" It was Heidi. "What are you wearing for the dance?"

From there, the two girls and a few others just gawked and giggled senselessly. Students Olivia never knew were speaking with her about how they should hook up before the dance and test out make-up for their dates, though she knew it would be short-lived. It was the calm before the storm, when the boys were shut out of the girls' lives for a short time before the little group would never speak to each other again. Until another dance, that is.

Art class went by too quickly, being that it was basically a free-day period. Olivia discovered a drawing talent and sketched out a bunch of little skater boys for no reason.

GAH! Curse my writer's block.

You have my permission to flame this chapter. Or filler.