Secret Lover

How to keep a secret

Aelita lay in her dorm thinking. She had a sinking feeling someone had heard her in the janitor's closet. But who and what would he or she want in exchange for their silence? At least she was secure in the fact that the individual couldn't have known she was actually speaking to the school's Headmaster Jean-Pierre Delmas. But everyone knew she dated Jeremie and she could guess at a few people who would use that to their advantage if they ever found out she was cheating on him.

"Jean Bear will be devastated if anyone finds out," Aelita said using her nickname for him, "and Jeremie, the poor thing will never understand, he doesn't know the ways of love like JB does. Jeremie's too analytical, sometimes it's like dating a computer."

Aelita sighed and decided to get some sleep before her roommate returned.

Later that evening she was Ulrich and Odd's dorm room along with Yumi and Jeremie. Odd was off somewhere. Meaning he was off making out with his next set of conquest.

"So Aelita," Ulrich said his arm around Yumi's shoulders, "what are you and Jeremie doing tonight?" he teased.

"Who are you, Odd?" Jeremie asked automatically and Yumi laughed while Ulrich frowned.

Aelita sighed. Then she realized she'd done it aloud.

"Oh um, I..." Aelita said as the others stared, "we're doing nothing, I mean..." she just shrugged and looked away.

Jeremie's face burned in embarrassment. He hadn't planned anything but now they looked like the boring couple.

"Well since you and Yumi snuck in here," Jeremie said twiddling his thumbs, "we could...snuggle?" he tried but it fell flat.

Ulrich burst out laughing. "You're as romantic as a wet blanket!"

But Yumi only felt worry. If this was Jeremie trying to be romantic there was no way Aelita wasn't cheating. She loved Jeremie but his attempt just now was just plain horrid.

"You two can go to a cafe over the weekend," Yumi suggested, "drink lattes and listen to music or poetry reading," she said trying to think of something not even Jeremie could screw up.

Aelita looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Yumi's suggestion was a great idea but she had planned to meet Jean Bear at a book signing. The crowd would make them less noticeable and she planned to wear a dark green hoodie.

"How about Friday evening?" Aelita asked excited she found a way out, "we could invite Ulrich, Yumi, Odd and whoever his latest girlfriend is," she said brightly.

"Us?" Yumi asked carefully, "don't you want to be alone?"

"It's a cafe Yumi, people are everywhere," Jeremie countered.

Be quiet you idiot! Yumi thought incredulously.

"And I can't anyway," Jeremie said, "I have a huge assignment to deal with and its due Saturday morning. It's for my advanced class and I'm staying in on Friday to finish it," he explained, "but you guys can go don't drop it on my account."

Yumi hung her head in defeat.

"You're the best Jeremie," Aelita said kissing him on the cheek, "just get your A+ like always my little genius," she gushed though she was thinking about meeting her secret love tomorrow.

"Okay," Ulrich said slowly while Yumi sat back hiding a frown.

That's so obviously fake, Yumi seethed, are these guys blind or what?

But when Aelita looked at her Yumi was all smiles.

No one suspects anything, Aelita relaxed, I can do something romantic with Jeremie another time. Not like he's pushing for it anyway.

And Aelita knew that was the problem. Jeremie was unromantic and clueless.

The next day caught Yumi sitting under a tree with Odd. She had a free session and Odd was sculling drama. She didn't know how he found her. She didn't exactly share her schedule with him.

"What's up with you?" Odd asked suddenly.

Yumi jumped then calmed herself.

"Yeah, that," Odd pointed out, "you're usually calm and brooding, or angry," he said and she frowned, "I mean...you just seem scared for some reason. Ulrich noticed too," he added.

"What?" Yumi asked surprised.

"He's worried about you," Odd told her, "thinks he forgot some anniversary or something."

"Wha...no he didn't forget anything," Yumi said, "I have...a lot on my mind, he needs more things to do," she said with a shrug.

"I agree with you there," Odd said with a sigh, "I have to drag him to places most of the time," he said, "but I'm his friend and he doesn't have an excuse like Jeremie."

"What's Jeremie's excuse?" I asked with a snort.

"His genius brain would be bored in a party environment," Odd said, "I've forced him before but he either hangs back or gawks at party goers making out."

At a party Odd took him to? Who can blame him? Yumi thought.

"Earth to Yumi," Odd asked, "great you're spazzing out."

"I'm not spazzing," Yumi dismissed him, "Odd," she said turning to him, "do you think it's ok for someone to see someone behind their boyfriend or girlfriend's back because they're not romantic enough?" she asked him in a rush.

Great now I'm asking Odd for relationship advice, Yumi thought.

But instead of answering Odd looked at her in horror.

"No! No!" Yumi realized, "it's not me, Ulrich and I are fine, I swear," she emphasized.

"This explains so much..." Odd said not listening.

Yumi shook Odd like a rag doll. His eyes widened to saucers as he tried to control his chattering teeth.

"I-AM-NOT-CHEATING," Yumi told him, "say you believe me," she ordered.

Odd nodded fervently.

She's gone crazy! Odd thought.

"Ok," Yumi said calming down, "I overheard something and I think one of my friends is cheating on her unromantic boyfriend."

"If it's just that leave it alone," Odd said nonchalant.

"What!" Yumi cried, "you were all freaked out when you thought I was cheating on Ullrich!"

"That's different," Odd responded, "you're one of those 'deep' girls," he said, "you'd dump Ulrich if you found someone else not have a fling," he stated.

Yumi wasn't sure if she should thank him or slap him.

"You're a toad," Yumi decided.

"Hey, you came to me for advice," Odd countered.

"And I must be on something," Yumi muttered.

"Whatever," Odd said and started listening to his ipod.

In the evening Aelita slipped off school grounds. She entered a small building and went straight for locker 66. She took out a red travel bag and hurried to the bathroom. She changed out of a black skull cap, black sunglasses, camouflage jacket and white undershirt, green baggy pants and black sneakers. Her new outfit was a purple spaghetti strap dress covered by a clack overcoat, plain black shoes, a black bag, brown contacts in her eyes and a black hat. She also had a pair of expensive stylish purple stilettos in her purse. She placed the bag back into the locker and left.

Se headed to a payphone and called a taxi service while speaking in Russian. She had created a good over to throw anyone off that it was here going to see Mr. Delmas. She shoved her hat into the purse the moment she got into the taxi. The driver winked at her but she ignored him. He had picked her up a few times and assumed she was an escort. As long as he didn't figure out who she really was, she couldn't care less.

"Quiet as always," the driver said in a heavy Russian accent and laughed.

"Spasiba (means 'thank you')," Aelita said when they arrived at the hotel and paid him.

She was greeted by a doorman who called an employee to lead her to the front desk.

"Miss Lidochka Lebedev needs to get to Mr. Bear's room," the employee told the receptionist.

"Of course, Privet ('Hello')," the receptionist responded and picked up the phone, "hello Mr. Bear she's here. Send her up, of course," she said and gave 'Lidochka' the room key.

Lidochka walked straight to the assigned room and went inside. Leaning by the mantle piece was the well dressed Mr. Bear.

"Miss Lebedev," he said with a smile.

"Call me Aelita please," Aelita said as soon as she locked the door, "I've enough of anything Russian, Jean," she added putting away the overcoat.

Jean-Pierre pulled her close and kissed her passionately. She responded in kind, her fingers racing through his hair as her lips traced his lip, neck and shoulders. When they stopped both gasped for breath.

"I crushed the front of your dress," Jean panted.

"I can fix that, look at your suit," Aelita said then started giggling, "who cares anyway when we get to spend time together, in a penthouse no less," she added.

"Nothing compares to being with you," Jean-Pierre said and kissed her on the forehead, "swear you'll never leave me," he said suddenly.

"What?" Aelita asked surprised, "I love you Jean Bear, why would..."

"Of course you do," Jean Pierre said quickly, "forget I said that," he said and embraced her tenderly.

Soon both were swaying to slow unknown beat only they could hear.

"What are you thinking about?" Aelita asked almost dreamily.

"You and I in a beautiful ballroom," Jean responded, "dancing the night away before a group of jealous onlookers," he whispered and she laughed, "what about you?"

"Thinking of a beach," Aelita told him, "you and I running and laughing," she continued and he smiled, "we're throwing a Frisbee to our dog Dijon," she said softly, "and we have a beach house," she said with a laugh that suddenly had a edge of skepticism, "if only," she added with a sigh.

"We're together now, don't forget," Jean-Pierre reminded her, "it could be worse."

"Yeah, it could," Aelita said trying hard to smile.

And I definitely don't want to see it, Aelita added to herself.

Chapter Completed

This story is really blossoming. Please read and review and thanks for all your reviews and support!