Cyber Love;; Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, this chapter is really short, I know even with the short segment I added which was supposed to be the next chapter. Srsly, I know this isn't worth the wait, at ALL. I'm hoping the next chapter will be better? I have a few ideas so... we'll see. :D

-

The Next Day

The chatter of students filled the hallway. Gossip and rumors flew around faster than a tornado in this school- in any school, really.

"Did you hear? Yumi was late yesterday with a soaking raincoat. Her hair was like, oh my godd. It was so freaking wet, and Mr. Hertz didn't even yell at her!"

"You serious? But she always looks perfect…"

"Today, she looks better, at least…"

And indeed, she did look better- much better. Not wet at all, in fact.

Yumi strutted into school with her black knapsack over her shoulder. It was decorated with a few random patches were knitted into her backpack. One of a smilie, others scribbled with big handwriting like the kind you see in New York on closed garages of stores. She wasn't goth, just… unique.

She wore a tight pitch-black t-shirt with a skull on the bottom left-hand side of it. Fading blue-black capris adorned her model-like legs. Stylish, squeaky clean boots moved swiftly through the hallway with confidence. Her face showed no worry, only perfection, confidence, and no worries.

It was true. She was popular. Though punkish and sort of goth, it was her uniqueness, beauty, and confidence that made her the most popular, wanted, and envied girl in school. Guys stared at her in uncomfortable places. Girls glanced at her enviously, sighing, wishing they were her.

With her head high, she walked through school, until she got to her locker, 978. She opened it up on the first try, while everyone else around her only got it on the second or third try.

Life looked so easy for Ms. Ishiyama.

It was just a façade. A lie. All of it.

No one would know how she was falling apart.

How she was being torn limb by limb. How she tried so hard to maintain her composure. How hard it was to just not break down in the hallway in uncontrollable sobs.

But, let's not get into details of her now miserable existence.

She continued to gracefully place books in her locker as if everything was great. Her face was filled with confidence. The thought that kept her strong replayed in her head: "I must be strong for Hiroki. I have to."

She sighed. It was hard being the bigger, older, supposedly-perfect role-model sister. She organized her books in her locker, and took out her morning books, then slammed her locker shut with abnormal force. The entire row of lockers shook, quivering. The other students jumped back and stared at her, scared.

Yumi stared back, her eyes narrowing. She wasn't in the mood. She strolled down the hallway, her head high.

The bell rang.

School had begun.

-

Ulrich finished neatly retrieving the books from his locker. As he slammed the locker shut, the bell rang.

Head heavy with thoughts, he left for his next class. On the way, he found Miss Ishiyama, walking with her head high, as if nothing was wrong.

She was such a great actress.

"Yumi," he greeted as he walked closer, "How's Hiroki?"

Yumi looked as if she were in an internal struggle. In the end, her head simply dropped down. "I-I don't know…"

Her body began to shudder and shake.

Ulrich, not knowing what to do, put his arms around her, one arm painfully carrying all his books.

"It's okay," he soothed. "It's okay."

In secrecy, the Ulrich Fan Club stared at Yumi enviously. She was probably just faking it so Ulrich would put his arm around her. Hm, the president thought sinisterly, another strategy.

"Milly!" she ordered. "Fake being sick."

"… W-what? B-but Sissy- w-wh-?"

"Do it." Commanded Sissy, president of the club.

"… Y-yes Sissy." Milly took a moment to collect herself, then started coughing violently. She fell to her knees. The girls of the club quickly walked away, peering at the scene at the side of a wall of lockers.

Yumi stopped shuddering, and took a moment to wipe her tears away. She held his hand as Ulrich walked to Milly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, somewhat concerned.

"N-no!" Milly looked pale, still coughing violently. "Help me, please!"

Ulrich looked around, then spotted a teacher. "I'll get help. Yumi, help her walk."

Yumi nodded worriedly, as she helped Milly up. Milly glanced at Sissy, who nodded and urged her to go forward with the plan.

"Is this really going to work?" Emily asked Sissy.

"Of course!" Sissy rolled her eyes.

Tamiya gazed at Milly, hoping that Milly wouldn't give them away.

Milly glanced back hopelessly at Tamiya, not knowing what the heck she was supposed to do.

Ulrich put helped Yumi pick Milly up- making Sissy smile evilly with satisfaction- then disappeared into the infirmary.

"Ah, well, that plan worked out fine, didn't it girls?" Sissy grinned, clasping her hands together in a job well done.

They shook their heads, rolling their eyes.

"HEYY! COME BACK!"

-

"So… Mr. Stern, Ms. Ishiyama, how nice to have you in class today." Mr. Hertz smiled sickeningly sweet.

He got pissed when his students were late.

Ulrich smiled back nervously, whilst Yumi just held her head high, her eyes icy blackish brown.

"Any reason for your tardiness?"

"Yes, in fact." Yumi held her stare, her icy eyes still boring into Mr. Hertz. "Milly was very sick and we sent her to the infirmary."

"Oh, sure. That's like hearing your dog ate your homework." Mr. Hertz glared at Odd, who chuckled uneasily. "We all know dogs are not allowed on campus, and still he uses that classic excuse…"

Odd coughed. He had his dog, Kiwi, in his room at the moment. So it technically was not a lie. But it'd be worse if he found out that Odd did have a dog, so… Odd wasn't complaining.

"Sit down."

Yumi and Ulrich immediately sat, this time not next to each other since Yumi had brought her textbook this time.

"Next time this happens, I will give you detention." He warned.

Then he cleared his throat, then began talking again.

"Oh, screw this." Yumi sighed. She already knew everything. She always convinced herself, 'You're not smart, everyone else is just stupid.'

And with that, she fell asleep.

-

"How's your day?" Aelita smiled pleasantly, still dreaming about nerd boy, most likely.

It was lunch- socializing time. Yumi and Aelita bought lunch and found a table near the window.

"Got detention from Mr. Hertz," Yumi frowned dejectedly, "for falling asleep in class. I mean, really, I can't help it. I know everything already…"

"I know you do." Aelita patted Yumi's shoulder. "You're just not smart enough to be with the nerds."

"Hey!" Jeremie teased playfully. He slid into the seat next to Aelita, smiling shyly at her.

"Heyyy," Aelita smiled dreamily at him, kissing him on the cheek, and ruffling his hair.

"Hey!" Jeremie cried again, trying to smooth out his hair.

"Stop it, it looks cool." Aelita told him, smacking his hand away from his hair.

"She should know." Yumi chimed in.

Jeremie sighed, and gave in. "Okay, okay…"

In spite of Yumi's sadness, she smiled at the kind-of couple. They were so cute together.

"So," she said, nonchalantly, "Are you two a couple now?"

Jeremie sat looking nervous, whilst Aelita glared at Yumi.

Yumi only smiled sweetly. "Well?"

"Um… I guess… we are, right?" Jeremie looked hopefully at Aelita. Aelita turned towards him, with her mouth open. "We… are?"

Yumi grinned. Hm. She wasn't so bad at matchmaking herself. Okay, well, it wasn't entirely matchmaking… but still.

Jeremie shrugged shyly, and looked at the table. Aelita turned his face towards her, and kissed him. Jeremie's face was plastered with shock, but he soon just melted into it, turning it into an intense make-out session. A crowd of students coming in saw, and stared, giggling and whispering.

But the couple were seemingly deaf to everything right now.

Yumi let out a small laugh. "I guess I'll be going now…"

And the girl left on a happy note, leaving her best friend making out with a nerd.

-

The day was over, at last.

"Ah, finally!" Yumi smiled as Aelita thrust her fist into the air. Aelita had been happy ever since Lunch.

RING, RING!

"Oh, that's my cell… I'll see you later, Aelita." Yumi waved Aelita away. Aelita waved, and rushed off.

Yumi flipped open her cell. "Hello?"

"Yumi!" her mother's voice.

"Mama! How is Hiroki?"

"Still in a coma, dear."

"… Oh."

"Look Yumi, go home now, I will be home around 6 to make dinner. I need to arrange things with Kadic. Hopefully, tomorrow, you will be able to have a dorm here."

"Wha--?"

"I'll talk to you tonight, okay? I love you!" her mother hung up.

Yumi stared at her cell phone. Things were going way too fast. But since her mother was going home at six, she might as well go to Aelita's dorm until then.

She rushed to her locker, dumping things into her backpack at lightening speed. She flung her locker shut and ran to Aelita's locker. Aelita was still there, talking to Jeremie and blushing.

"Hey Aelita, Jeremie!" Yumi panted.

"Oh hi Yumi!" Aelita grinned, stars in her eyes.

"Can I go to your dorm today? I have to talk to you." Yumi asked.

"Yeah, of course! Is it okay if Jer is there too?" Aelita smiled at Jeremie. "You can always invite Ulrich, Yumiii!" she teased.

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Let's go."

-

A/N: I hope it was good enough... x.x;; Please review, anyway. I know it wasn't worth the wait and everything but... I'm going to make the next chapter a lot better. This is sort of a filler chapter. Sort of. I assure you, the chapter will hopefully be better next time! I was rereading this chapter just now, and it gave me a surge of inspiration. xP Please review!

--jenn