A Desperate Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.

Chapter 10: Crazy Predicaments

"Hiroki," Dr. Anderson said kindly, "I know you're lying."

Hiroki shuffled uncomfortably.

I can't believe Yumi told Mom and Dad about Ulrich, Odd and Jeremie, Hiroki thought angrily, what a rat.

"Your sister said that she didn't know the names of the boys she let in the house," Dr. Anderson said, "do you know their names?" he asked.

Hiroki glared at the doctor.

"I'm not going to tell," Dr. Anderson promised.

"Liar," Hiroki accused.

"Give me fake name then," Dr. Anderson said kindly.

Hiroki continued to glare. He didn't trust this doctor one bit.

"Larry, Gregory and uh…Brian," Hiroki chose.

"Were there other boys, a girl maybe?" Dr. Anderson asked.

Hiroki shook his head.

"Good," Dr. Anderson said approvingly, "now about the intruder…"

Hiroki pulled his legs close.

Dr. Anderson sighed.

"Hiroki," Dr. Anderson said, "did this man touch you?" he asked for the tenth time in the session.

Hiroki shook his head.

"Did he threaten to?" Dr. Anderson asked suddenly.

Hiroki gasped in surprise.

Dr. Anderson nodded and too notes.

"Now Hiroki," Dr. Anderson said, "Yumi claimed that the boys left willingly with this man then ran off," he said, "then one of the boys came back to tell her that they were safe," he continued, "then that young man left and never returned," he concluded.

"It's true if Yumi said it," Hiroki responded.

Dr. Anderson sighed.

"I'm cutting your session short today," Dr. Anderson said.

Hiroki was surprised.

"In fact," Dr. Anderson continued, "I think you liked that man threatening to touch you," he accused.

"No I didn't!" Hiroki shouted upset.

"How do you know?" Dr. Anderson countered.

Hiroki looked at the doctor at a loss for words. Soon tears littered his cheeks.

"What if I told you that I knew the boys who escaped that house," Dr. Anderson said shocking Hiroki, "Odd, Ulrich and Jeremie?"

Hiroki's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"I met one of the blondes, Odd recently," Dr. Anderson revealed, "for an evaluation," he added.

"Why?" Hiroki asked.

"His guardian thought he had severe mood swings," Dr. Anderson said.

"He seemed quiet," Hiroki commented.

"And nice?" Dr. Anderson added, "wears clothes that covers most of his body."

"Yeah!" Hiroki shouted, "you really do know him," he realized.

"Very well," Dr. Anderson said grinning, "but you're unfortunately making their lives a burden."

"What, how?" Hiroki asked.

"The longer you have nightmares and wet the bed," Dr. Anderson said, "the harder it will be for you to get over it," he explained, "also if the news gets wind of boys being at your parent's house," he said, "how long do you think it will take for them to figure out who the boys are?" he asked Hiroki.

Hiroki looked at his feet.

"If you let me help you," Dr. Anderson said, "I'll make the nightmares and bedwetting go away."

"I'll always have nightmares," Hiroki commented.

"Well I plan on tackling the big ones first," Dr. Anderson said brightly, "ready?"

Hiroki nodded.

Maybe I can get over this, Hiroki thought, then I can sleep over at my friend's house again, he thought happily, and I won't wake up screaming from nightmares or eww…wet the bed again.

----

It was 6:30pm at the Stern residence as Mr. Stern tried to absorb everything Ulrich had told him.

"You sold drugs?" Mr. Stern asked.

It was just ecstasy, Ulrich thought, great, anyone hearing this will think I pushed crack.

"We rarely did it," Ulrich said, "it wasn't something we're proud of," he told his father.

"Well I'd hope not," Mr. Stern said loudly.

"It's hard earning money on the street," Ulrich pleaded his case, "we had to move around a lot dad."

"You couldn't find a better…you couldn't…?" Mr. Stern tried to ask.

"We just had to do things sometimes okay," Ulrich told him.

"Do things," Mr. Stern said nodding.

Ulrich's face darkened.

How dare you, Ulrich thought greatly hurt.

"I have to ask," Mr. Stern started, "did you ever…"

"Hook, prostitute, drop my pants for some cash?" Ulrich finished for him.

Mr. Stern immediately slapped him in the face.

After a moment of shock Ulrich touched his stinging cheek.

"You monster!" Mrs. Ophelia Stern shrieked and ran into the room.

"Ophelia!" Mr. Stern shouted in surprise.

"Oh Ulrich I just came back to see if you were okay," Mrs. Ophelia Stern said hugging him to her chest, "I didn't…I never thought he'd hit you," she said tearfully.

Ulrich was too shocked by her reaction to answer.

"Ophelia I…" Mr. Stern started.

"Is this the kind of house that we're going to run?" Mrs. Ophelia Stern asked upset, "I rule with my fists?" she demanded.

Ulrich's eyes widened.

Mr. Stern was at a loss for words.

"He gets out of hand, we punish him," Mrs. Ophelia said slowly, "grounding, boot camp, anything but hitting," she said upset, "we will not bring him up in an abusive household," she told him.

"Ophelia I…" Mr. Stern started.

"I don't want any excuses," Mrs. Ophelia Stern interrupted, "Ulrich will not be hit in this house while I'm around," she told her husband, "not as long as we're married."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Ulrich could hear his step-mother's heart beating in overdrive.

She's nervous, Ulrich realized.

Mr. Stern looked at his young wife.

"Okay, Mr. Stern said softly, "I won't hit him," he declared, "you're grounded for what I found in your room Ulrich," he said and left.

Mrs. Ophelia Stern hugged him tighter.

"I heard most of it through the door," Mrs. Ophelia Stern told Ulrich, "I've covered many reports with street people," she revealed, "it's a hard life."

"The hardest part of my life wasn't lived on the streets," Ulrich said honestly.

"I know baby," Mrs. Ophelia Stern said kissing him on the head.

"I didn't want to sell…" Ulrich started tearing up.

"Shhh," Mrs. Ophelia Stern said, "it's okay," she told him.

"I just…" Ulrich broke down in tears.

"Shhh," Mrs. Ophelia Stern comforted him, "don't cry," she said resting his head on her lap and stroking his hair, "don't cry," she repeated.

----

Yumi sighed and got ready for bed. She was grounded indefinitely. No TV, no computer (except for research), no going out, no extra-curricular activities, nothing. It was school then home. The only fun thing she got to do was read books and stare at the ceiling.

Just as she climbed into bed her father walked in.

Oh great, Yumi thought.

"Dr. Anderson said he had a breakthrough with Hiroki today," Mr. Ishiyama revealed.

Yumi stiffened under the covers.

"Do you realize the trouble you've caused?" Mr. Ishiyama demanded, "Hiroki's scarred for life."

Yumi didn't answer. This was a nightly ritual now.

"I could say so many things," Mr. Ishiyama said, "but I know it's no use."

Yumi looked at her father astonished.

Mr. Ishiyama chuckled.

"Shocked?" Mr. Ishiyama asked, "that I won't go on for hours about your stupid act and that I notice Mr. Hopper isn't heavily punishing Aelita?" he asked Yumi.

Yumi looked away.

"I'm disappointed," Mr. Ishiyama said, "I'm angry," he continued, "but most of all," he said, "I'm sad," he told her.

Yumi looked at her father trying to understand.

"This world, there used to be a simpler time," Mr. Ishiyama reflected, "a safer time," he added and left.

Yumi looked after her father worriedly.

What have I done? Yumi asked herself.

----

Odd sat in his room eating cake. He had slipped out and cut three huge slices of chocolate cake.

He loved food.

At the whorehouse and on the run, he couldn't exactly binge. He had come to believe he had a small appetite.

Not anymore.

Now he ate lots of food at different intervals. He rarely did this in front of anyone and mostly maintained a decent food intake publicly.

But his food binging held a dark secret.

Odd had been raised in the whorehouse to never become fat. While it was almost impossible with how he was treated, it was instilled in Odd that fat equals bad. He had heard of fat kids who fell to his level at the whorehouse being killed. Even he and Jeremie admitted that a few of those used as whores were overweight.

Therefore Odd saw fat as bad and this as good. Jeremie had never seemed interested in gaining weight and Ulrich was determined to stay fit. So Odd decided he'd stay thin. Gaining a little weight didn't bother Odd. But gaining too much, that scared the daylight out of him.

So after gaining ten pounds, Odd decided to ensure his weight went no higher. That led him to purging. He had seen Ulrich do it a few times even though Ulrich would mostly jog off anything extra he had eaten. Odd himself had purged before. But mainly it was at the order or request of someone back at the whorehouse.

Now he did it at regular intervals. But still ensured to take vitamins and eat regular meals. He also ensured purge no more than three to five times a week. Less if he could.

Daily purging could kill, he knew that.

That's why he was careful.

Or at least as careful as a bulimic was.

----

Today is February 8, 2009. Please read and review.

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