Odds POV
A week or two after the confusing incident with Astrid and he supercomputer and Aelita, we are in our last week of school. They've decided to have a winter dance, we've all signed up to help and Astrid was boosting me to tape a streamer to the wall.
"I could've boosted you ya know." I say, I didn't particularly like being on top of my girlfriends shoulders.
"No trust me,I would've freaked. I don't do heights." She says laughing and I hop down. The streamers were falling from the ceiling in straight lines. I have absolutely no idea how we came up with that design. I laughed at the simplicity of it and started gathering the materials. One job done, maybe we can go and help out one of the others. After all there was still some work to do before tomorrow night. We walked over to Aelita and Jeremy who were getting ready go post the cheesy flyers everywhere.
"Need help, we finished with our job." Astrid says and Jeremy raises an eyebrow at our pathetic excuse for a design. Neither me or Astrid really liked the job of putting up streamers.
"Pay no attention to the catastrophe behind us." I said in a bugs bunny voice. Astrid and Aelita giggled and Jeremy snickered. I kicked his shoe lightly and he handed us half if their flyers.
"The only reason is cause Jeremy and I can go work on a new program after this." Aelita said smiling. I don't think she really cares about the flyer job. By the looks of it neither does Jeremy. I snagged a roll of tape and Astrid and I ran off to go put up the flyers. Even though it would've been more efficient to seep rate we stayed with each other and talked.
"So what's the best Christmas present you've ever gotten?" She asked and I pondered it for a second.
"Well you see I used to have this tamagotchi toy. It was really fun too. It wasn't a Christmas present but I really liked it. Does that count?" I asked and she shakes her head with a sly smile.
"Hmm well in that case a few years ago I got this set of walky-talkies, those were the best." I start and go on explaining about how I would prank my sisters and cousins.
"It is not right for a girl to be rudely interrupted and scared during a shower. Trust mei know." Astrid said shivering but smiling too. I laughed, I'm guessing there's a good story behind that.
"Well what's the best gift you've ever gotten?" I asked her and she stops. A look of deep sadness flashes on her face along with regret and longing.
"A necklace, in the shape of a torche. the flame was white and jewels were around the handle in a random pattern. They were all blue. Across the top of the handle was a little bar with snowflakes sticking out of it. There was a single wing on the left side. On the back was a little mechanism. It would be able to attach to create a whole torche. Oh, the torche was kinda split down the middle. But it would only attach with the matching wing.." She trailed off But quickly caught herself. We continued on tapong the flyers everywhere.
"Why don't you where it anymore?" I say before I can stop myself. She looks shocked for a moment as if just remembering she doesn't have it on.
"Oh, I... I gave it to a friend a while ago. Ha, I gues a LONG while ago." She says laughing. And the mood is suddenly lightened. I gaze at her smiling for a few moments until she looks at me with that bright smile of hers. I turn away shyly and we keep on chatting, more casually now, about things we would do if we could design anypartty we wanted to. Throwing money out the window.
"I guess we're all done." Astrid said as we put up our last flyer. "Wanna take a brake and get something for lunch? I've got to pick up so mail so I'll meet you there."
"You hardly ever get mail." I say curiously, I wondered who couldve mailed her something.
"Probably Christmas cards." She said casually but I saw another wave of sadness flash in her eyes of a moment. thenshe gave me a bright smile and walked towards the office. I headed back to lunch, wondering why I didn't walk with her.
Astrids POV
I picked up the mail and sat down at a bench to open them. I had five letters and most of them were from old orphanage girls that I made Frieda with. However I alsogot one from Jimmy, Gwen, and go my surprise, Alex. Jimmy and Gwen were my other best friends. Alex, Jimmy, Gwen, and I all went on the adventure I vowed never to think about again. Jimmy and Gwen's cards were kind and sentimental. They both wrote a small letter saying we should all meet sometime during Christmas breaks. Even though my heart skipped happily after seeing two of my best friends still thinking about me, the one I wanted to open badly was the one from Alex. My hands shook as I carefully peeled open the card. Inside were a card, a letter, and a small package.
I quickly scanned the card and read it over again.
'I hope by the time you get this everything will be fine again. Right now you have just gone into a coma. I visit you everyday but nothing has changed. You already know I'm bad at writing and this isn't much of a Christmas card but my heart tears at the thought of you never waking up. I suppose I'm only writing this to appease my own worries, but I mean it all the same. I love you Astrid, and I wish you a merry Christmas.'
I read the card over a few more times and look at the date on it. This was the first Christmas after I went into a coma. The first Christmas after that stupid supercomputer ruined my life. Anger swelled inside of me for a second until it dissapears all at once. Being angry won't help, loving him still won't either. I simply have to let all my feelings go. I set down the card and pick up the fresh later, the date that states it was written last week. My breathing stops for a second, staring at this letter I haven't begun to read terrifies me. I've already been rejected silently, I would've preferred not to have a verbal one at all. I start reading.
'dear Astrid. I wrote that letter a long time ago. Nine years to be precise. I was worried then, and I never stopped worrying. Even after you woke up, I was already married, I didn't have the courage to look you in the eye and tell you I had gone off and loved another girl. But now, even after you've already had time to get over it, I want to tell you what I've done. I've gone and fallen back in love with literally the same girl I loved ten years ago. My wife noticed, and before long she divorced me. After all I couldn't even pretend to love her the way I love you. I guess not even time can stop true love huh? Isn't that what the monk told us? I guess he knew all along. Or maybe he didn't. As you can see I'm still awful at writing, let me get back to the point. I know it must be awkward imagining me as a twenty some year old man, but I don't care. I hope you don't either. I want to talk to you,in real life. But for now I'll just give you my email and phone number. Also there's one more gift I have to give you. Or return I guess. Do you remember the last Christmas we shared? You gave me a little red heart made out of wood On a necklace. I've never stopped carrying that around with me. I want to give it back to you, maybe you've missed having your heart. That's what we used to joke about remember? Or maybe I've been keeping it active too long. Either way I can't bare giving it all away. I broke it in half, I need some thing remind me of you. It's in this letter. This letter is getting too long, but there's just one thing I have left to say.
I love you, always.
As I finished the letter I read it again several times. Impossible, but he did. Coming out of my trance I place the letters carefully in my bag and head to lunch. I'll message him later. It's not right to odd for me to be mixed up in all of this. I don't want him to suffer. Even as I say this to myself all the way go lunch I can't deny two facts. I love Alex, but I love Odd too. I pushed my thoughts away as I walked to the cafeteria.
"Hey sorry I'm Late" I say casually as I sit down to a table full of conversation.
"hmm, well now that your here you can help me debate my argument on our awesome streamer design." he said with a smile and I remember the pitiful excuse for a design. Laughing I rooms night of my food and thought for a second.
" Awesome design? Come on you two barely thought of any thing." Ulrich said Aelita frowned. I looked over to her and she raised an eyebrow, smiling to indicate shouldn't worry.
"I think it's a perfect symbol of our school." a voice says just as I open my mouth. I turn around and am hit with a a wave of dread. Ugh, Brynga again. That girl must plan on staying here per anatomy. "Of course is that the only thing you can think to talk about?" She smiles like she won something and I moan, I really hate this girl.
"Well it was a much better conversation until you joined it. In fact I officially veto you out of it. Goodbye." I say and turn around from her unamused face. Hey she can deal with it. Just as she was about to say something Jeremy interrupted.
"actually there is something we need to talk to you about." Jeremy said officially, looking up from his lunch. The others seemed to realize what he meant, every one except me.
"We want you to know that we don't take black mailing lightly, never have never will." Yumi said with a dangerous look in her eye that must go back to something I don't know of.
"So if you ever try to pull something like that again." Aelita said, looking at her now she looked dangerous. Normally I thought of her as a sweet peaceful girl, but oh geesh I wouldn't want to be on the other side of this glare.
"we will nit hesitate." Ulrich said pure loathing came from this glare.
"To make you regret it." Both Odd and William said simultaneously. Odd stood up with his hand still in mine. I couldn't resist smiling till I thought my cheeks would burn. I have such good friends, I'll make sure to let them know.
Brynga huffed, clearly more disappointed then scared. She swung her beautiful hair back and walked away. I stuck my tongue out at her as she walked away. Then I turned and smiled broadly at everyone. That was pretty cool what they did. they all smiled back at me and we ate the rest of our lunch in a silent happy mood.
just as we were about to head back to the gym to continue our decorations my phone rang. Odd looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I hardly ever got phone calls, except from...
"Hello?" I asked cautiously into the phone. Terror coursed through me as I heard the other side.
"Hello Astrid. It's Kathy Bethers. Remember me? Your due for another check up tomorrow night. After that you will stay at the orphanage until after your winter break. I presume you have no other school work you will be doing in classes?" Oh great! Tomorrow night? Our break is there days away. Well really two. We won't be doing anything god the next few days. Besides, all classes were canceled for people working on the dance. I groaned inwardly at the thought of explaining everything to the doctors. They always want to know every detail of what's been happening.
"Yes mam, I'll be able to come. What time will I be picked up?" I ask walking away from the others so they wont hear. Still I can tell odd heard something judging be the more than curious look on his face.
"5:30, I believe you have a dance tomorrow right. you'll have go skip it." She said unsympathetically. the dance starts at 4:30, maybe I'll be able to go for half of it.
"Yes mam. thank you. Goodbye." I say and hang up. Odd will be disappointed but maybe this way none of them will feel bad about me being at the orphanage during Christmas. Besides since I've kept my grades up maybe I'll be able to stay at the school during break. Oh well. That'll have to be discussed later. I put a happy smile on my face as I walked back go my friends who were politely waiting. Who knows maybe going back to the orphanage dill be fun. Maybe I can visit someone during break. heading back to the gym we continued talking about me and Odds pitiful design.
Maybe.
Hi guys! I want to thank you for staying with me all this time. I hope my story continues to be enjoyable to you and give me any suggestions if you want. However I've seen a few stories where the author will ask for a review before they write another chapter. I don't want to do that. I'm happy with my reviews right now and I'm really happy with how my story is going. So I want to tell you guts thank you. Nothing more. Nothing like please post a review or because I got a review Im posting this chapter. IF you want go right a review you can but I know its bothersome and easy to forget. So I say my words now.
Thank you.
now after that I want to tell you I know what you might be thinking. Three romance figures of Astrid, that's too much right! Well I wasn't my story to last a while. A long while. I'm even planning on doing multiple sequels. So along with some well needed more action I will bring alot of details into this story. But don't worry! I will try to make it as un confusing as I can. anyways I'll close off here. This is getting to be a long note. Bye!