Chapter 7

Aelita's P.O.V.

"I just eel really bad though Aelita. She was crying. Yumi was crying." He emphasized pacing my dorm floor.

"Ulrich… You had to let her know where you two stood. It's better for her to be hurt over the truth then for her to be happy over a beautiful lie."

I stood up opening my knocking door.

"Yumi…"

She tried to bolt when she saw Ulrich but I held her back. "No you talk to him."

"There's nothing left for him to say." She crossed her arms looking at the floor.

"Yumi please talk to me."

"I think you've talked enough." She snapped.

"Would you stop being so damn stubborn to hear me out for a second?"

"Fine. Talk."

"Yumi I know what we had is over, but you're still special to me. You're the very first girl I've ever liked." He grabbed her elbows, looking down into her eyes. "And you're still my best friend. I don't want to lose our friendship because we can't be together."

She looked up in his eyes fighting back tears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything we've been through these last few years. I just don't know anymore. I don't want to lose my best friend either."

Ulrich pulled her into a hug smoothing her hair down.

"I love you Yumi. Just not in that way."

"I understand. It's fine." Yumi nodded wiping away her tears, pulling away. "Just promise me you won't…. put me on the back burn for your girlfriend. Whether it's Lexington or not."

"Promise."

"And about Lexington… Maybe one day." She gave a small smile as she left my room.

"You did the right thing Ulrich. I know it was hard for you. It must be hard to see your childhood crush walk away."

"You're telling me." He sighed. "It hurt. Not in a heartbroken way, but in a 'I don't want to lose my friend' kind of way."

"It'll be okay."

"I hope so Princess."

"I know so." She shrugged. "Love works in mysterious ways."

"So what's going on with you and Odd?"

I blushed at what he was suggesting. I opened my mouth to deny the statement, but my door was busted open.

"Is it true Ulrich? Is there no more Yumi and Ulrich?" The little red head Milly questioned.

"What are you two doing here?" Ulrich asked the girls.

"Reporting. What else?" Tamiya answered from behind the camera. "Don't avoid the question Stern."

I giggled at the young girl.

"Look ladies, no comment."

"But Ulrich." The red head whined.

"No Milly. Now leave and go find Hiroki." He shooed closing the door.

I sat on my bed when the door busted open again.

"Aelita I need to talk to you." Jeremy called excitedly.

I was pretty flattered since usually his computer is the first thing on his mind.

"What's up?"

"Well I heard that prom was coming up… And I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

My heart sank as I watched the genius.

"I'm sorry Jeremy but no."

"Someone already asked you?"

"No I was planning on asking this boy that I like to prom." I looked down at my feet sad that I broke his heart.

"Oh. That's fine then." He said before turning on his heel.

Ulrich grinned at me from my desk. "Not so easy is it?"

"No sir." I shrugged. "It's just that a year ago I would have died for Jeremy to ask me to prom. Now he's nowhere near my first choice."

"Things change Lita." He shrugged. "So you're asking Odd then?"

"How does everyone already know?" I cried blushing. "But yeah I am. Are you asking Lexington?"

"I want to."

"But what?"

"I really do want to go with her. But…. Things with Yumi. I don't want her to think I'm asking her out as a rebound. So I think I should wait a while."

"You really care about her don't you?"

"More than you know. It's just hard to explain."

"I understand."

We sat in silence for a while before Ulrich stood up. "I have to get going. We have practice soon."

"Kay later Ulrich."

"Later."

He was gone for about five minutes before Lexington entered the dorm."What are you doing here? Don't you have practice soon?"

"Yeah.""Are you going?"

"Nope." She said indifferently.

"And why not?"

"Because I don't feel like it Mother."

"Is something wrong?"

"Nope."

"Lexington." I pressed.

"I'm avoiding Ulrich alright."

"Why?"

"I don't know okay? I just am. Which is really weird for me, because I don't run away from my problems. I usually run to them." She shrugged crossing her arms.

I sighed sitting beside her on the bed.

"It's okay to be scared. But just so you know Ulrich really does care about you. I do understand why you're avoiding him though."

"Odd said I stole his heart." She sighed. "And I really do like Ulrich. I saw how him and Yumi were. So I don't want to like him anymore."

"Honey you can't turn off your feelings." I laughed at her logic.

"Really? Watch me?"