Chapter Three: When Hope Was High

Anabel drummed her pencil on her desk as Sister Angela lectured about classic literature. Anabel didn't pay attention to her young teacher, as usual. Sister Angela was just too boring, just like the other classes.

During AP Italian, Nick Caputo kept flirting with her while Anabel just ignored him. In AP Physics, Oceane Laurent suffered a large of questions by Miss Spelling. In AP Geometry, Anabel fell asleep while Mr. Horniman was boring the rest of the class.

What a great day. Not.

Just as the bell rang, everyone scambled to get out of AP English. Anabel grabbed her satchel and peacefully left the class. Anabel went straight to her locker and emptied her satchel. Anabel was about to leave when out of nowhere, a pair of familiar strong arms hugged her waist. Anabel could recongize the smell of rich cologne…

"Carlos?" Anabel exclaimed. A cute chuckle was followed by her answer.

"You're one and only." A cute boy with spiked-up dark hair should as Anabel turned around. He had an adorable face and lonely black eyes.

"What are you doing here?" asked Anabel. "You couldn't have called, you know."

"I know," Carlos blushed, "but I wanted to surprise my one and only baby girl."

"You're so sweet."

"You know me. I go crazy when I'm not with you."

"Still, you shouldn't have called. I was planning to go home."

"But I'm here," pointed Carlos, "and I was planning to take you out later." Anabel bit her lip. This wasn't what she suspected. She loved that Carlos' here with her, but this was unexpected.

"I can't go out tonight," admitted Anabel. "Sorry."

"Is there another guy you're seeing?" Carlos asked, with jealously and anger coloring his tone. Anabel flinched. What the heck? Anabel always knew that Carlos was jealous whenever she's with another guy or mentions one, orcan't make their plans work.

"No," Anabel honestly said, "I just can't go. I have to go somewhere with my dad after school. I'm transferring schools next week."

"Why are you transferring? I thought you were gonna stay here," said Carlos, with relief and concern in his deep voice.

"There's no place for me here. All the guys wanna get with me and all the girls wanna kill me. Plus, my dad put me in a smarter school," revealed Anabel.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm not really wanted here, so what's the point of coming here every morning, knowing that the same things goes through each day?"

"Well, what school you transferring to?" asked Carlos, with hope in his heart.

"I think Kadic Academy," replied Anabel. "It's too close to where I live but whatever. I heard it's one of the top schools or something. I'm only going there because my dad's teaching there."

"Oh." Carlos' voice had a hint of disappointment. "So, you're going there so that he keep an eye on you?"

"It's not that, Carlos," said Anabel. "I never come home happy. My dad thought it was an issue I was going through. He talked to my consueler and it turns that I wasn't with fitting in or whatever, which is true. The consuelor thought I needed a buddy."

"But you don't need friends. Who cares. You got me, that's all you need," said Carlos unexpectigly. Anabel stared at him like there was something on his head.

What did he say?

"What the hell did you say to me?" Anabel asked. Anabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was from her own boyfriend!

"What?" asked Carlos, with a questioning look on his face.

"Oh, you don't think I need friends? Who cares?! You're only saying that because you're so selfish to the point where you just want me to yourself," replied Anabel angerily. "It's bad enough coming here everyday knowing I'm just a prize to the boys and a slut to the girls. And I care. You don't know what it's like to be alone everyday. You don't know what it's like to eat lunch alone. You don't know what it's like to gossiped by the girls that hated me and they don't even know me. I'm telling you something and yet you're saying who cares. Yes, I do got you. But you know what? My boyfriend can't always be my only friend I go to. I do need friends like you have at school. I can't tell you everything if you're gonna act selfish. When you're ready to say sorry, call me. But you can't walk me home."

Anabel started to walk away, from a shocked Carlos. Anabel wasn't sure but she thought she heard Carlos hit one of the lockers.

Odd Della Robbia with Kiwi on his lap sat on Jeremie Belpois' bed, along with his best friends Ulrich Stern, Yumi Ishiyama, and Aelita Stones. Jeremy was standing in front of everyone. It was a silent moment.

Not much has changed since the defeat of Xana. Aelita and Jeremie were still happily together. Just last week, Yumi and Ulrich started going out. Odd isn't in the middle of a relationship, but he's still laid back and the same old Odd. Sissi became offically their friend after Xana. Sissi still hangs out with Nicholas and Herve, but they too bury the hatchet with the Lyoko warriors. The gang are still together, even when they doubted they ever be froends again after Xana.

No one really talks to William anymore expect Yumi, sometimes Aelita, and maybe Odd. William was still the same, but he got no one. It was obvious that William had got over Yumi ever since she went out with Ulrich, but no one really knows what's going on with him. Yumi thought he's been acting weird, but that was the least of her problems for now.

"I called everyone here because," started Jeremie, "well, I have something to confess. After we defeated Xana, I started having these weird dreams."

"What dreams?" asked Aelita in concern.

"I think these dreams tell of a prophecy," Jeremie replied. "Tomorrow, just to be sure and be on full alert, we're going back to Lyoko to check on some things."

"WHAT?!" shouted everyone. This was not what they totally expected…

"But I thought we were done with Lyoko," said Yumi, as she put her head on Ulrich's shoulder.

"Yeah," agreed Odd, "it's like Xana suddenly came back from the dead. And that our job wasn't finished yet."

"That's the thing Odd," said Jeremie. "After Xana, I thought we would live normal lives like the rest of the other kids. But ever since I had these dreams, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe we aren't done yet."

"So, you're saying that maybe there's something not right?" asked Yumi.

"Excalty," said Jeremie. "I won't do anything for now. But if there's something unusal on Lyoko, I'll just be careful. Starting tonight, I'll put a superscan just in case."

"Speaking of tonight," started Odd, "I hope they serve my favorite for dinner."

"Which is?" asked Ulrich.

"I don't know. But you know me, I'll eat anything," replied Odd.

"Of course you do," coughed Ulrich. Yumi giggled a little.

"If we go back to Lyoko, than maybe my father's alive?" asked Aelita with hope in her voice. Jeremie didn't want to burst his girlfriend's bubble, but he had to be honest…

"I can't make any promises," said Jeremie, "but I will promise that we will search your father on Lyoko and on the Net."

"Thanks, Jeremie," Aelita blushed. If anyone saw blush on Jeremie's face, his face would turn even redder.

"I gotta go. Have fun lovebirds," says Odd. Kiwi jumped from Odd's lap and follow Odd as he heads the door.

"Me and Aelita are going out. Catch you guys later," announced Yumi as she grab Aelita by the hand and head out the door.

"Do you think he left because he's the only one without a girlfriend?" asked Jeremie skeptically.

"Yep," replied Ulrich. "You know Odd, he'll get around. Twenty bucks says he'll get a girlfriend as one of the new transfer students."

"I doubt it," said Jeremie, "but you got yourself a deal." Ulrich and Jeremie shook hands as if they were professionals.
"So," started Ulrich, "you think Xana's back?"

"I have no doubt that Xana is gone. But there's something not right," revealed Jeremie. "Hopefully, we get to track it down before anything happens. For now, the Lyoko warriors are back."