Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.
Chapter 11
Yumi grudgingly knocked on the door. Her pink-haired friend opened up and ushered her inside to be greeted by her mentors.
"Well?" asked Claire.
"I made it," growled Yumi. She rolled her eyes at the explosion of cheers. "Why did I agree to do this?"
"Because you can't stay away from Ulrich," answered Azra.
"It was a rhetorical question," spat Yumi through gritted teeth.
"Ulrich wouldn't be able to take his eyes off you in that," said Heidi, smirking as she took in the new cheerleading uniform.
"I hate this," muttered Yumi, throwing her pom-poms on the floor.
"Hey, aren't cheerleaders supposed to respect those?" asked Aelita, raising an eyebrow.
"The only reason you aren't dead yet is because I'm afraid Jeremie would go all evil genius on me," said Yumi.
"This is a thankless job," said Aelita. She glanced back at the other girls. "Was I this bad?"
"For our personal safety, we have no opinion," said Camille, shrugging.
"Oh, and I got another one," said Yumi, tossing a piece of paper into Aelita's lap.
"This is the third one," said Aelita, pretending to read through it. "Any gifts?"
"No, finally," said Yumi. "I don't need another giant teddy bear. What am I going to do?"
"There are a few options," said Aelita. "You could tell Ulrich, which would be for the best."
"I'm assuming lack of sleep is affecting your judgment," said Yumi. "He'd blow up!"
"Remember how he reacted to William?" reminded Jean. "He was cool then, maybe he will be now."
"Yeah, right," said Yumi. "All telling him will do is get him angry."
"Why would he be angry?" asked Aelita. "Face it, Yumi, you are pretty. Any guy would be nuts not to think so. I'm sure Ulrich would understand, and it can only bring you closer."
"But, if you're afraid, you can continue hiding this from him and hope the notes stop," said Melanie.
"I pick that one," said Yumi quickly.
"Or, get to the bottom of who's sending these and let him down easy," said Lola.
"How do I do that?" Yumi asked.
"Where did this letter show up?" asked Emily.
"The same place as the last two," said Yumi.
"Tonight, drink a few cups of coffee and stay up," said Aelita. "Catch him red-handed."
"What then?" asked Yumi. "How am I supposed to not hurt his feelings?"
"Tell him you're flattered, but you can't return his feelings," said Naomi. "Give him back the flowers, the letters, and the bear."
"You think that will work?" asked Yumi.
"It should," said Aelita. "By the way, when are you going to start cheering?"
"We'll be at the basketball game next Thursday," said Yumi. "I've got Sissi on my back reminding me of the routine."
"Ulrich's going to figure it out when he sees you," said Camille.
"I know, I know," said Yumi.
Ulrich had his hand on the rain gutter and the other one holding the love letter. He still didn't know why this was his job. He looked up at the window. For the last three days he had climbed up and nearly gotten caught. If there was anything he had learned, it was that Yumi was a light sleeper. She also tended to dream about him.
He pulled back from the house. Yumi hadn't looked him in the eye in three days. This wasn't helping their relationship. He knew Jeremie and Odd only wanted the best for the both of them, but they didn't notice how much quieter Yumi had become.
Ulrich spotted a garbage can on the sidewalk and threw the letter inside. He would be caught eventually, and what then? There was no way to explain himself. And it killed him to do this when he was her boyfriend. Ulrich sighed and started the walk back to Kadic.
"Jeremie?" Aelita opened the door and smiled. "Am I disturbing you?"
"Hi, Aelita," said Jeremie, turning away from his computer. "No, not at all."
"Wasn't Ulrich supposed to deliver another letter to Yumi last night?" asked Aelita, sitting on the bed.
"Yeah, he did, why?" asked Jeremie.
"Yumi didn't get one," said Aelita. "She stayed up all night like I told her to so she could catch him, but nothing happened."
"Ulrich said he delivered it without a problem," said Jeremie. "One of them must be lying."
"That's only making things harder," Aelita.
"Should we give up on this plan?" asked Jeremie.
"If Ulrich's lying, then it's a waste," said Aelita. "If Yumi is, then we wouldn't even know if it's turning into a catastrophe."
"There is a way to find out," said Jeremie. "We could follow him and see what's happening."
"That could work if we're quiet," said Aelita, nodding her approval.
"When will he find out about the cheerleading?" asked Jeremie
"Next Thursday, make sure he gets a front row seat," recited Aelita.
"Expect Odd with a camera and twelve rolls of film," said Jeremie. "He considers this the ultimate blackmail."
"Not surprising," said Aelita, rolling her eyes. "I just feel lucky Yumi didn't make me try out with her. What a nightmare that would be!"
"Yeah, the plan would've failed because Yumi wouldn't have made it," said Jeremie. Aelita blushed and kissed him on the cheek.
"I knew you'd say that," said Aelita.
"Am I really that predictable?" asked Jeremie.
"A little," said Aelita, giggling. She felt the delicious sensation of his lips connected to hers and moaned. Jeremie grinned through the kiss at her surprise. They pulled a few inches apart and she laughed again. "Okay, I take it back!"
"That's more like it," joked Jeremie, hugging her close. She tugged a finger at the neck to his shirt and planted a gentle kiss on the exposed collar bone, then looked at the computer over his shoulder with distaste.
"Working on the antivirus again?" asked Aelita.
"Yeah," answered Jeremie. "I know I'm on the right track."
"Why not take a little break?" Aelita suggested.
"I don't think so, Aelita, we're kind of behind," said Jeremie, frowning. "The sooner we're done with Xana the better."
"You've been working all afternoon," Aelita pointed out. She pressed another kiss on his mouth. "Just a small break."
Jeremie knew she was going to win in the end. "All right," he agreed, running his hand through her hair. "A small break. Very small."
"Right. Small."
Ulrich cringed when he heard the voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
"Ulrich, dear!"
"Sissi, what do you want?" asked Ulrich, turning around reluctantly. She was in her cheerleading uniform, waving her pom-poms around.
"I was just wondering if you'd like me to sit with you tomorrow at lunch!" she said brightly.
"Do I have to let you?" asked Ulrich. She pouted. "Your week was over yesterday."
"Yumi isn't here, you don't have to pretend!" Sissi said loudly.
"I'm not pretending," said Ulrich. "Sissi, I don't like you. How many times do I have to say it?"
"You'll come around, don't worry," said Sissi, setting a hand on his shoulder. He pushed it off.
"Yumi is my girlfriend," said Ulrich slowly, as if she couldn't speak the same language he did. "Not you. Yumi. And I really hope she stays my girlfriend."
"You only like her because she's on the squad!" huffed Sissi. "I'll have you know I'm the one who got her there out of the goodness of my heart!"
"What are you talking about?" asked Ulrich. "What squad?"
"Ugh!" Sissi stomped her foot and stormed away.
"I'll never understand girls," muttered Ulrich. He strolled down the rest of the hallway and knocked three times on the third door to the right. He heard a muffled groan and a disheveled Jeremie answered. "Woah, what happened to you?"
"N-Nothing," said Jeremie shakily, his glasses askew. "What's up?"
"Seriously, are you okay?" asked Ulrich.
"I'm great," said Jeremie. "What's the matter?"
"I just came by to get the homework assignment for algebra," said Ulrich.
"Right," said Jeremie, nodding. He went back into the room and grabbed his backpack, looking through it while blushing. Ulrich poked his head inside and saw Aelita sitting on the bed, staring at her knees with a crimson face.
"Oh," mumbled Ulrich. "Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to...intrude."
"We were just working," said Aelita quickly. Ulrich smirked.
"Sure you were," said Ulrich.
"Really, we were," defended Jeremie. He scribbled down the assignment on a piece of paper and handed it to the brunette. "There you go."
"Okay, you two can get back to work," said Ulrich. Jeremie went back to his computer, muttering to himself, and Aelita frowned.
"Thanks a lot, Ulrich, I just got him off that thing!" said Aelita.
"He's your boyfriend," said Ulrich simply, shrugging. She rolled her eyes and walked over to Jeremie to help him with his research. Whatever happened after Ulrich left the room was a secret unknown to him, for which he was grateful.
A flash of gold and purple caught his eye. He froze, thinking it was Sissi back to bug him. Instead, it was Yumi. Her eyes were cast down on the ground, her shoulders sagging, and she was covered in perspiration. In short, she was the definition of exhaustion.
"Yumi?" Ulrich called out. She nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Oh, hey, Ulrich!" replied Yumi, biting her lip.
"What are you doing in a cheerleading uniform?" asked Ulrich, puzzled. "Are you trying to pull a prank on Sissi?"
"Er, not exactly," said Yumi.
"You look beat, are you all right?" asked Ulrich.
"I'm fine," said Yumi.
"So, what's with the outfit?" asked Ulrich.
"Close your eyes and I'll tell you," said Yumi.
Ulrich hesitantly complied. She didn't say anything. After a few seconds of waiting he squinted through one eye, then opened both to find that the hallway was deserted.
"I should've seen that one coming," said Ulrich, sighing.
Jeremie crept about twenty meters behind Ulrich. Many nights he had spent sneaking past Jim to get to the factory late at night; it was hardly a challenge with the samurai. So far, the brunette had been taking the usual route to Yumi's house, letter in hand. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"Ah," Jeremie muttered to himself as they approached the iron gate. Ulrich paused in front of the house, then tore up the envelope and tossed the pieces in the garbage. Now Jeremie understood. Ulrich would walk the distance and back to help make the lie more realistic. The only reason he was caught was because Yumi was taking lessons, too.
A bright light flashed out of the window. Ulrich immediately ducked behind the garbage can, spotting Jeremie. His jaw dropped but he didn't utter a sound. Jeremie peered around the corner to see Yumi's silhouette with a flashlight shining through the darkness. The little he could see of her face showed an absolute determination.
"Who's out there?" called Yumi. The boys were rooted to the spot. "Look, I just want to talk to you!"
Jeremie raised an eyebrow and jabbed his thumb towards her. Ulrich shook his head. If looks could kill, Jeremie would be lying in his grave.
"Go," mouthed Jeremie, still crouched on the ground.
"No," Ulrich silently replied.
Jeremie winced as the flashlight focused on him. Yumi squinted, trying to see the figure behind the bars of the gate, and gaped.
"J-Jeremie?" asked Yumi incredulously. Jeremie sighed and straightened up. It was time for everything to get out in the open.
"Hey, Yumi," greeted Jeremie casually, waving at her.
"Does Aelita know you're here?" asked Yumi.
"Yeah," said Jeremie simply. Disbelief was quite apparent in the young woman's face.
"Jeremie, I think you two have a problem if she's okay with you giving me love letters," said Yumi slowly. Jeremie jumped.
"Woah, you think I'm your secret admirer?" asked Jeremie, shaking his head energetically. "No! Ul--"
Jeremie was sprawled on his back before he could finish. Ulrich had pounced on him to keep his friend from talking, without realizing he was giving himself away. Jeremie rolled his eyes, shooting Ulrich a glare that plainly said Nice going, genius.
"What is going on?" asked Yumi. Things were happening far too quickly for her to keep up.
"I was wondering the same thing."
The world seemed to freeze. The flashlight nearly fell out of Yumi's hand. Ulrich rolled off Jeremie and glanced up. Jeremie scrambled to his feet. A man was standing in the doorway of Yumi's house, donning a robe and slippers.
"Er...hi, Mr. Ishiyama," said Ulrich meekly. "H-How are you?"
"Fine, considering the fact that two boys seem to be fighting over my daughter at two in the morning!" roared Takeo Ishiyama. "Get in," he barked, pointing to the open door. "In!"
Jeremie and Ulrich exchanged glances. They couldn't exactly argue. The lights had gone out from Yumi's bedroom window; she was going to be a part of this mess, too. Sure enough, she was perched in an armchair in the living room. Her father slammed the door behind the boys and they hesitantly took a seat on the couch. Takeo remained standing.
"I want the truth," he said shortly. Jeremie gulped. The truth would have been fine under normal circumstances, but with a father involved, it was completely different. It would take one hell of a lie to pull this off.