AN: It's ready, it's ready! The next chapter is here! Just so you know, all the stuff in ' ' is stuff pulled from the diary and stuff in italics is thought. Also, the winner of last chapter's contest was Drafonis with the title: Startling Revelations. Congratulations! Now to answer reviews...
Drafonis: I don't typically put author notes in the text, but this time I did so the image wouldn't be skipped over. As you can see, I'm still using contractions. I'm in the habit of it and for now I don't think it's going to make too big of a difference. During my next story maybe I'll try it without them.
Luna: This does have a plot, the diary switch proves that. I'm just trying to get the plot moving without slapping you in the face with it. I like to be subtle.
Yumi-clone: Yes, the symbol, Theo's signature symbol, was in one of Ulrich's dreams.
Kulis: No, I did not edit it so the colors of the diaries matched. I had that planned from the very beginning. See? I do have some sort of a plot:P
Doggiegal: It was Yumi's diary that Ulrich thought was his.
Xandra: Ari will be staying for a little while, I think. I haven't made too many plans with her yet.
Well, that's it for answering reviews today! On to the story. As always, read, review, and enjoy!
It was barely an hour after dawn when a peal of thunder woke Ulrich up. Blinking a few times, he let his eyes adjust to the darkness before sitting up. Still agitated over last night, he pulled the journal from under his pillow and went to the bathroom, where he could write in peace without disturbing anyone.
Seating himself with his back against the tub, he opened the book and was surprised to find that the writing was not his. If it isn't my diary, whose is it? Ulrich flipped back until he was at March 2nd – that's when he saw it. Lyoko. Fourth word, 1st sentence. 'Another trip to Lyoko this morning.' How did this person know about Lyoko, and how did they get there? Had we been careless? Had someone followed us and found out how to be transferred? Normally, Ulrich wouldn't read the diary of another, but this was an emergency. His eyes skimmed the entry and he relaxed as he realized it was the journal of one of his friends – Yumi to be exact. Look, there was the same flourish he had seen her use on all of her U's, like on his name right there. Then it hit him – he had stolen Yumi's diary. His face flushed with embarrassment at his mistake and he shut the book. Wait, did I just see my name in there? Curiosity started to outweigh embarrassment and he opened the diary slightly. Guilt crept into his soul and he shut the book, ashamed that he had almost read her secret thoughts. Her secret thoughts that include me… It wouldn't hurt to just take a peek, right? And… something's wrong with Yumi and I deserve to know. If she won't tell me, maybe her diary will. After all, how can I help her if I don't know what's wrong? Quelling his misgivings, Ulrich opened the diary once again and flipped to where he had first noticed a change in Yumi, March 1st.
'I only started dating Theo to make Ulrich jealous.' What is she talking about? Why would she want to make me jealous?
'Now I'm afraid that if I try to leave Theo, he'll get mad and hurt Ulrich. I can't let that happen, so I must endure.' You don't need to be afraid for me, Yumi. I can take care of myself, and you, too. Now on to March 2nd…
'After we found Aelita, we were attacked by six crabs. I destroyed the first two before I was devirtualized. Once I was back on Earth, I felt so lightheaded that I couldn't stand. I stayed curled up on the floor of my scanner, waiting for the warm blue light I knew would come soon. I had complete confidence in Ulrich. I didn't have to wait long, either.' 'I wish I could find a way to avoid going on our date.' So that's why you didn't go back up to the supercomputer room after you were devirtualized… You didn't end up going on your date… You stayed with Odd and I, remember? Ok… now the next one.. Hey, it's still March 2nd, only the time says it's 11:32 p.m. Let's see what it says.
'Ulrich's mad at me.' Wait a second, where'd she get that idea! I'm never mad at her. Well, at least not usually.
'I wish he'd given me the chance to finish what I was saying.. And, I wish I could tell him the whole truth. The whole truth that I died inside when the Theo in my dream killed Ulrich. And that it isn't Theo I care about or want to be with. In fact, I wish I had never met Theo. Then maybe I wouldn't have ruined even the slightest chance of Ulrich liking me. Then maybe I wouldn't be afraid to go back to sleep for fear of seeing Theo. Then maybe I wouldn't wish the last part of my nightmare was real and I really was dead.' Ulrich leaned back against the tub completely shocked. She likes me? He groaned softly and placed a hand over his eyes. I've been so stupid! Why couldn't I see that she was unhappy with him? That she likes me? All this time we've been lying to ourselves, but now Yumi's getting the worst deal because she's stuck with Theo, who she's afraid of. Though he felt sick to his stomach and didn't want to read more, he turned the page to March 3rd.
'I don't know what's wrong with me… I haven't eaten anything since supper on Thursday. Maybe I'll try something later.' I knew she wasn't eating much, but I didn't know she wasn't eating at all. Maybe that's why she looked so weak the night she stayed in my dorm…
'It would be so much easier if I could tell Ulrich what was going on. But, Theo warned me and this time I'm going to work things out by myself.' You can always tell me. And, what do you mean Theo warned you? Is that why you left so quickly that morning?
'Too bad I can't go to the dance with Ulrich. Before Theo came, I probably would have gone with Ulrich.' I knew it! "I wonder why he kissed me this morning.' Ulrich blushed and touched his lips, remembering the contact. 'Does that mean he really likes me?' Yes. 'I'm confused. Sometimes he acts like he cares, but others it's like I don't exist.' Don't exist! Of course you do! You're all I can think of sometimes, and my grades reflect that… Now March 5th.
'First my boyfriend hurts me, then at the dance he forbids me to talk to my best friend.' He hurt you! When I get my hands on him the only thing he'll be hurting is soft foods! I can't believe this! Yumi, why didn't you tell me? I can protect you, I swear he'd never hurt you again. 'Imagine my delig- I mean surprise when I woke up in Ulrich's arms.' I was surprised, too, but happy. Ulrich dwelled on the memory for a moment longer, then read on. 'After Odd saw us kissing and Ulrich and I separated, I checked my cell phone and found a text message from Theo.' I knew it! ' "Meet me in the park – alone." ' So that's why you left so fast… 'When I got to the park, the first thing Theo did was insult and yell at me. That I could take, but not what came next. He hit me.' What! 'Then he grabbed onto my arm. I would have fought back, but I was so surprised by what had happened that I couldn't defend myself.' Yumi, why? You shouldn't be around a jerk like him. Why didn't you tell me what was going on?
'Theo had seemed so nice in the beginning.' 'I guess that's why I chose him when I wanted someone who'd make Ulrich jealous. That and he looked a bit like Ulrich.' He does not! Well ok, maybe a little. 'His hair and clothes were different, but their faces were similar. And, if you look closely, you can see they both have the same distant, almost sad, look in their eyes.' Ulrich resisted the temptation to look in the mirror and went back to reading. 'That's what drew me to Ulrich in the beginning.
The first time I saw Ulrich was when I made my first trip to the park after moving here. If the wind hadn't tousled his hair, I doubt I would have seem him at all, for he was sitting on the far side of a wooden bench, staring at the fountain.' 'The brown-haired boy sat on the second bench to my left and I was given only a profile vision of him. His head was tilted down and his eyes closed; it was almost as if he was asleep. With his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped, he was drawn into himself. Or at least, that's how it seemed. I broke the hold he had on me and continued my trip to the fountain.'
That's when I first saw you… I heard you walk by and watched you through half-closed eyes. I had only seen you from the back, but I knew you were beautiful. I was about to go up and welcome you… well, actually for the first time in my life I was shy… Anyway, from the corner of my eye I saw Kiwi bound past, followed by Odd. Seeing that the dog was on a collision course with Yumi, I shouted out, hoping to warn you. My warning came too late, though, as Kiwi jumped up at you and knocked you into the fountain. I leapt up and ran to you and pulled you from the fountain, and I asked you if you were ok. You never did answer me… Then Odd came back and the introductions began. Ulrich skimmed the rest of the paragraph, then moved on.
'After I didn't fight back, Theo threatened my friends and I. He said that if I fought back or told anyone, he'd hurt them and kill me.' Ulrich's blood turned to ice, and he almost dropped the diary. That's why you wouldn't tell me, you were afraid he'd hurt someone. All this time I've been pressuring you, and you wouldn't tell me because you were afraid of what he'd do.
'I wasn't afraid for my life.' You never are, Yumi, and that's what scares me. 'I came up with a plan to tell Theo that I promised Ulrich, Odd, and Jeremy each a dance. I never did find Ulrich. He was the one I wanted to dance with most.' I was hiding. If I had known about your plan, I'd have stolen you for the rest of the night.
'Then, when I went back to Theo after dancing with Odd, Theo told me I was supposed to stay away from Ulrich.' That jerk! I knew he had been saying something to you to make you upset, but I didn't know that's what it was. You argued with him about it at the hospital, but I didn't make the connection until now.
'Anyway, after I left the dance, I remember running, then pain, then nothing until I woke up in the hospital. I have never felt so helpless. When I awoke, Ulrich filled me in on all the stuff I missed. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be able to take it in stride. But, most of all, I wanted to go back to a time before all this had happened. I wanted to be Yumi, a single member of the Lyoko gang.' You don't have to be strong all the time, Yumi. That's what I'm here for. 'Then Theo came back while Ulrich was gone. He said he was sorry for what had happened before and promised to make it up to me. I felt sorry for him… What if it was just a one-time thing? I was ready to trust him again when Ulrich walked in and overheard Theo telling me not to be around Ulrich. Then things went downhill, and I had to make a choice. Even though Theo's my boyfriend, I knew I shouldn't let him rule my life so I sided with Ulrich.' I wasn't sure if you were going to side with me at first. I thought you were going to agree with Theo. Flipping the page, he saw a poem scribbled on the back of the March 5th entry.
Bondage
Locked inside
afraid to speak
frozen words
I am so meek
freedom lingers
beyond my touch
I must be silent
I know too much
through the hurt
through the pain
my tears stay hidden
like frozen rain
Loving words hurt me
I'm raw inside
I want to scream
yet am forced to hide
I struggle
to break free
After so many years
I finally see
Tears of shock and understanding welled up in Ulrich's eyes, but he quickly blinked them away, flipping to the next entry on March 7th.
'Mom tried to keep me home today when she heard how the kids were talking about me. I'm starting to not care what they say about me, but I wish they'd stop talking about Ulrich. I heard one rumor that Ulrich hit me with the branch.' Never! How could they think that! 'And another that he carried me all the way to the hospital.' I would have, but an ambulance was faster. The next entry wasn't until the 10th.
'Every day after class one of them will walk with me and chatter about something. With Odd, it's some prank, and after English, he confided in me about Sam. He said he wants to double date with me sometime because he's nervous about going out with Sam alone.' Odd, afraid? That's new. Ulrich read over the conversation and chuckled. Then skimmed down to where he saw his name, again.
'Another change since Saturday is Ulrich and I have been spending most evenings together. Either after classes or after supper, he comes to my house, and we either study or we plan strategies for Lyoko. The principal gave him a pass so not even Jim can stop him. The whole thing is almost creepy… it's like my dream from the hospital is coming true. Well, the strategy planning part of it, anyway. I hope the Lyoko part of my dream doesn't play out…. I'm afraid to go back to Lyoko.' Ulrich was shocked at this last statement. Of all of them, he considered Yumi the most level-headed. You know I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you. Even so, Odd and I'll go to Lyoko during the next attack so you won't have to. The last entry was from the first day at camp.
'I am a terrible, terrible person. Not only have I put myself in danger, but my friends, too. One person has already been hurt because of me. Ari didn't deserve it, I did. If only I would have been able to get up and defend her… Now he's going to hurt her, too, and there's nothing I can do about it. I tried breaking up with him, but that didn't work… I'm afraid that if I try again, he'll get even madder and hurt one of my friends. For now, I'll do as he says.' So that's why you were all bruised up yesterday and wouldn't tell me why…. Now that I think about it, Ari had some bruises, too… Ulrich flipped through the pages, but he only saw a few pencil sketches – a few of him and his friends. These are pretty good.
A loud knock on the bathroom door pulled him from the diary, and he stood up slowly, shutting the book. His mind was clouded with guilt, anger, and… love? His heart ached for Yumi and longed to see her to be sure she was ok. He absent mindedly brushed past the boy who was impatiently waiting outside the door. The other boys were starting to wake so Ulrich shoved Yumi's diary under his pillow, vowing to return it while she was out of her cabin.
After changing into his regular clothes, he pulled out his diary and added a new entry.
March 14 – Wednesday
I feel so helpless, and guilty. Last night I looked in on Yumi to be sure she was ok, and I saw her holding a diary – one that looked exactly like mine! I snuck in and took it from her, and when I saw it was hers, I started to read it. I didn't want to, but something's been bothering her, and now I know what it is. Theo. I'm going to kill him. He won't hurt her anymore. If he lays a finger on her again, I swear I'll make him wish he was never born.
In Yumi's cabin, chaos reigned. The black-haired girl had practically turned the cabin upside-down in her search for a small blue-green book. Confused younger girls milled around and had joined in the hunt, not sure why it was important, but willing to help. Yumi was a generally well-liked counselor so the girls trusted this was important to her. So far, all they knew was that it was a blue-green book. Before they knew it, the bell rang, forcing the girls to go to class, the missing diary still at large.
AN: Ooooo... I can't wait to see what you guys have to say about this chapter! And, that was my original poem, Bondage, just in case you were wondering where that came from. Make sure to ask any questions you have and I'll try to answer them the best I can (as long as it's not related to what's going to happen because I just can't tell you everything!) Leave a review before you go, thanks!