Chapter 21
Saturday
"I can't believe this is my last full day here." April said as she ate her breakfast with her new group of friends.
"We still on for dinner?" Odd asked, sounding as if he couldn't wait.
"Of course." April said.
"Anything with food." Jérémie said, smiling.
"How are you going to get home now, with Maggie with the cops?" Aélita asked.
"I have still got the two tickets." April said. "So I will still go by plane. It also gives people proof that I do not just pop to where I want to go."
"What are you going to do with the second ticket?" Ulrich asked.
"I do not know. One of you could probably keep me company till we get there. Than I could teleport you back faster than it took to get there." April said.
"I'll go. I won't be missing any classes." Odd said.
"Just food." Jérémie said.
"Trust me, I have got plenty of ways of getting food without worrying about airplane service." April said. "So you do not mind?"
"No." Odd said, smiling. "And I might also get to see your Michael."
"Who?" Aélita asked, about to take a bite out of her banana only to look at April with surprise.
"Ya, who's this Michelle?" Ulrich asked, smiling at her.
"It is Michael, male." April tried to correct. She sighed before continuing. "He's my boyfriend."
"How long have you two been together?" Aélita asked, smiling.
"Three years." April said, proudly.
"Three years!" Jérémie exclaimed, almost choking on his breakfast.
"Does he know about Xanadu?" Ulrich asked.
"No, he does not. And I do not wish for him to." April said, shaking her head. "I fear what he might think of me after he finds out that I have abilities."
"If he truly loves you, than that won't do any damage." Ulrich said.
"And, if he does dump you, you've always got me!" Odd said, leaning over onto April's shoulder.
"Oh, get off!" April said, pushing Odd off, smiling. "Always on the rebound, huh?"
"That's Odd for you." Aélita said.
"Oh, have you put the video together?" Jérémie asked.
"Ya, about that." Odd said, smiling. "I've got it all together, except for one thing."
"Let me guess, you cannot color." April said, smiling.
"Ha ha, very funny." Odd said, smiling back. "No, lip-sync. I can't get the program to work right, so I'm going to have to do it old styled."
"Good Luck. It is hard." April said. "I have tried."
"Well, I'm working on it." Odd said, "Hopefully it will be done with enough time you can see it here."
"Let's hope." April said. She swallowed her food and looked at Ulrich. "Hey, this may sound weird, but could you stand up?"
"Uh, why?" Ulrich asked, his food about to go into his mouth.
"I just thought of something." April said, standing up herself. "Come on, stand up."
"Ok." Ulrich said, not sure as he stood up. He looked up at her, wondering what she was trying to figure out.
"Come on, stand straight." April said, realizing he was slouching a little.
Ulrich straightened, still not sure what she was after.
"I am taller than you." April said, smiling.
"Ya, I thought you realized that by now." Ulrich said, nodding his head before sitting back down to finish his food.
"I am normally the short one in my group." April said. "Except for the ninth graders, but I stay with mostly guys."
"But Americans are normally tall." Jérémie said. "Males get to be a little under two meters."
"Two meters?" April asked, not used to metric.
"About six feet." Odd explained.
"Thanks. Whereas most of the men here are about five eight." April said, guessing their height.
"Mostly." Ulrich said. "Yumi's the tall one for around here."
"I thought Japanese where actually short." April said, realizing Yumi was around her own height.
"It depends on what you eat." Aélita said. "Most Asians eat rice and sea food, whereas Yumi has had more of the red meats and everything else we have."
"Makes sense." April said, nodding her head. "Rice and sea food are not high in the right stuff for growth."
-.-.-.-
"Man, I like your next class." April said, smiling as they waited for the bell to ring to tell them to go to their next class.
"Why?" Aélita asked. "Oh, right. English."
"How long have you all been studding it?" April asked.
"Well, with me..." Odd started, smiling. "I've learned it my whole life."
"Show off." Ulrich said. "Just because your grandmother lives in New Zealand."
"As far as I know, I've always known English." Aélita admitted. "But the earliest I really remember was when I was living back in 1993."
"According to my mom, I could spell in English when I was little, but I guess it was an unpracticed art that died away with me." Jérémie said.
"And with English and German being closely related, I can understand a bit of it." Ulrich said. "But I guess I started studying it in year 3."
"In Japan, it's kind of like with what you had said earlier about America and Spanish. You have to know it to get around." Yumi said as the bell called them. "Well, wish me luck. I've got to go and do a speech."
"Bon chance!" April said, as the two groups split.
-.-.-.-
"I wonder what April has planned." Aélita thought out loud as the five friends walked down the hall.
"With her, who knows." Jérémie said.
Odd opened the door for them all to hear music and April singing along.
"En direct life, on surfe sur les vibes. D'un mouveau monde, en une seconde L'univers. A portée de nos mains, L'UNIVERS! Ensemble nous appartiens de mains."
"Hey, that's the Subdigitals." Ulrich realized as they headed into the living room.
Set up on the coffee table was her laptop with speakers. April turned around, embarrassed about being surprised. "It is Planet Net in English." April replied, turning back to what she was working on the stove.
"Planet Net?" Ulrich asked. "What does it say?"
April listened for a second before saying, "In a direct life, they surf on the vibes. Of a new worked, in a second universe. A door of our hands, UNIVERS. Together we appear tomorrow."
"Nice." Aélita said, sitting down on the sofa.
"So what are we having?" Odd asked as he leaned over the island to look at some of the stuff there.
"Total American." April said, pulling out a bag and showed her friends that she had gone back to America just a second ago.
"Fast food?" Aélita asked.
"That is as American as it gets." April said, smiling. "I only went there for the popcorn chicken. I am making homemade French fries and Mac and Cheese."
"Mac and Cheese: The staple of America." Ulrich said, imitating someone from TV.
"I have proved that one can live off of it." April admitted as she steered the noodles in the pot.
"Out of the box Mac and Cheese." Yumi said, reading the box. "In English."
"You can't get more American." April pointed out. "Oh, and I hope nobody has a problem with coke."
"Why would we?" Odd asked. "We drink it every day."
"Ya, but yours has sugar. Real sugar. American Coke as other stuff." April said. "My opinion, yours tastes a lot better."
"Might as well give it a taste." Jérémie said, trying to read the ingredients.
"Oh, and do you all like Tom and Jerry?" April asked, turning around to face her friends over the counter as the song changed from Subdigitals to a song in German that got Ulrich nodding his head to the beat.
"Ya, why?" Odd asked. "It's not like they really had to translate them for any other country."
"No, but for The Movie, they would've." April said. "Have you seen it? It is from 1992."
Aélita shook her head, looking at her friends.
"No, I don't think any of us have seen one from then." Yumi said, shaking her head.
"You want to watch it?" April asked.
"Sure." Ulrich said. "What is this song, it's good."
"Major Tom. There is a Japanese version out there, but one of my school friends, Kaitlyn, has not found it yet."
"Really random here, but what's Kailyn's last name?" Odd asked.
"Oh, Kaitlyn is not her real name, just her nick named." April explained. "But her last name is Della Robbia. Do not tell me she is your relations!?"
"Yap." Odd said, nodding with the rest of his friends.
"Do you all know her?" April asked, seeing their reactions.
"She came here earlier last year." Jérémie said, still remembering her death hug.
"Oh, so you all are those people she was telling us about!" April exclaimed when it hit her.
"Someone start singing "It's a small world after all." Ulrich said, singing the title.
"I'm sorry for you, really." Yumi said.
"Why?"
"You have to go to school with her." Yumi explained.
"It is not that bad. She is over the top a little, err, well, a lot, but I have gotten used to her." April said, turning around to stir the noodles again, only to grab her chest as a pain shot through-out her body, freezing her.
"April, are you ok?" Odd asked, the only one close enough to notice.
April acted as if she didn't hear Odd. She started to double over, causing Odd to race around the island to her side to hold her up. "Ulrich, get over here! April's having some type of problem." Odd ordered, holding April up.
Their friends all rushed over, Ulrich taking the spoon out of April's hand and stirring the noodles so the water wouldn't over flow.
Odd and Yumi helped April over to the sofa and sat her down on it.
April was able to move her hand way from her chest and looked at them, surprised.
"Are you ok?" Jérémie asked as he and Aélita stood not too far away from Odd and Yumi.
"Ya." April said. "Man, have not had that happen in a while."
"What was it?" Aélita asked. "Was it a side-effect from Xanadu?"
"No, I have had those pains for years. I just thought I had fixed it all." April said. She noticed Ulrich was over at the food, making sure that none of it messed up. "Thank you Ulrich." April called into the kitchen getting the boy to nod his head to say he had heard.
"Do you need to lie down for a while?" Yumi asked.
"No, I am fine." April said, standing up. "It is letting up."
"Are you sure?" Odd asked, worry in his eyes.
"Do not worry Odd." April said, smiling at the boy. "I am used to it."
"You seem to have to be used to too many things." Odd said, knowing about what her mother does now that he knows who his cousin was talking about one time.
April walked over to Ulrich just as a song started to play, saying "You and me, baby, we can do it like they do on the discovery channel"
"Oh no! Somebody hit next." April said, turning around, fast.
"Why, it sounds like a good song." Jérémie said.
"Uh, trust me, it is not really." April said.
"Now you've got me curious." Ulrich said, walking over to his friends from the stove. "I want to hear it."
"I am not translating it for you." April said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"That's ok." Odd said, going over to the computer and opening to a window of files. "We can just read the lyrics."
"Fine, whatever." April said, giving up as the buzzer went off for the fries.
As April put on the oven mitts and opened the stove, she heard Odd exclaimed, "April, why do you have a song about sex?!"
April straightened up and sat down the pan of fires as she said, "It has a cool beat."
"Ya, well, hit next." Yumi said, after getting down to something about balls and south seas.
"Oh I know this song." Aélita said as the next song started to play.
"Now every time I hear it, I think of you." April said, smiling as she looked at the group from over the island.
"Why?" Jérémie asked.
"Well, the words go saying that the girl is finally human after being a fantasy or not real. And is not that how it happened with you?" April asked. "Was not it that you were the virtual being who, like a dream, became real?"
"Ya, you've got that all right." Aélita said, blushing a little.
April took the pot off the stove that held the noodles and went over to the sink to poor out the liquid as they all listened to the song as she sang it.
April mixed together the ingredients, not realizing that everyone had gotten closer to her to hear her sing instead of the original singer.
April turned around to grab the cheese and was startled. "Whoa! What?"
"You're a good singer." Ulrich said.
April shook her head. "I do not believe so." April said, turning back towards the pot to mix in her Mac and cheese together.
"You have a very low self-esteem, don't you?" Yumi asked.
"I guess I do." April said, nodding her head. "But with my family, how could I not?"
"I'm guessing Jim's never been one for giving high self-esteem?" Aélita asked.
"No, he has not." April said.
"Ya, he told her that her smile was ugly!" Yumi said, remembering what April said earlier that week.
"I, for one, can't believe it." Odd said, shaking his head.
April blushed, not sure what to say to all the praises her new friends were giving her as she mixed in a cheese powder, milk, and butter without any real measuring.
The song changed again, this time to a language everyone was having a problem figuring out.
"What language is this?" Jérémie asked, finally giving up.
"Swedish." April said, mixing in the noodles. "He is singing about how this robot turned out to be a real girl but in his heart, she will always be a robot."
"Kind of harsh, isn't it?" Ulrich asked.
April shrugged. "According to something I read, it really happened."
"Ouch." Odd said, sorry for the girl he guessed name was Anna.
"Who is hungry?" April asked, holding the pot up to show that the Mac and cheese had finally finished.
Odd opened his mouth, only for April to smile and say, "Other than you, Odd."
They all laughed as April started to fill up plates of chicken, Mac and cheese, and French fries. They sat around the coffee table, American cokes in front of everyone but April and the computer so that everyone could see the movie as April slid in the old VHS into the tape player attached by USB cord.
-.-.-.-
"They talked." Aélita stated, as the ending credits scrolled over the screen.
"That is why I said they would have had to translate it for you." April said, rewinding the tape.
"I didn't know they could actually talk." Odd said.
"Ya, every episode you ever get to see has only screams because Tom got hurt." Ulrich said.
"Or Jerry writing on the ground." Jérémie said.
"But you liked it, no?" April asked.
"Oh, yes!" Yumi said, smiling and nodding her head. "And the food was terrific."
"Thanks." April said, collecting the plates.
"Oh, I've got it." Odd said, taking her pile as well as Jérémie's, Aélita's, and his own.
"Thanks." April said again. "Who wants dessert?"
"I know Odd does." Ulrich said, smiling.
"Ugh, I don't think I could eat any more." Jérémie said, patting his stomach.
"I'll take some." Yumi said, standing up.
April walked into the kitchen with Aélita, Yumi, and Ulrich behind her. They waited in front of the island as April uncovered a pan. Odd handed her five plates and forks.
"Thanks." April said.
"What is it?" Aélita asked, seeing something brown and green.
"Looks like something out of Green Eggs and Ham." Ulrich said.
"It is cinnamon Apples with brown sugar." April said as she dished out the apples slices onto the plates. "My mother's family really southern, so I think this counts as a southern delicacy."
She sat the five plates down on the island and pulled out a container of brown sugar to sprinkled on top of the slices.
The five took their plates and went back to sit down as music started to play, thanks to Jérémie, from April's computer.
"It does look weird." Jérémie said, looking at everyone's plates.
"But it is good." April said.
Odd took a bite out of his and smiled. "It is! Come on Jérémie, at least take a bite out of mine. You've got to try this."
Jérémie took a slice from Odd as he handed it to the blond haired boy and looked at it, wondering what happened to the apple. He put the slice in his mouth and smiled at the sweet taste.
"Good, is it not?" April asked.
"Yes, it it." Jérémie said, sounding surprised. "You mind if I get a plate?"
"Sure, go ahead." April said, smiling. Her smile faded as she remembered what was going to happen the next day. "I am going to hate going home."
"Other than your mother?" Odd asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, other than her." April said. "The good food, the great friends, the techno radio station, and the good coke!"
"I did notice the difference between the two." Aélita said.
"I, personally, like yours better." April said. "Hey, this may sound really random, but what type of elementary school did you all go to when you were little?"
"Why you ask?" Ulrich asked.
"Uh, sorry. I was just curious." April said, worried she had offended him. "Last year, my French teacher had a DVD called Etre et Avoir. It was about a central part of France and an elementary school that was old styled where everyone had one teacher."
"That's how my classes were when I was little." Jérémie said, smiling as he remembered his old school.
"I never had a normal education." Ulrich said. "Since in Germany you can't home school anyone, I had a privet teacher before coming to France and went into Sissi's class. But that school was like this one, separate classes. They were getting everyone ready for middle school."
"New Zealand's elementary schools are supposed to be like American. One teacher for each grade." Odd said, sitting back down.
"So's Japanese." Yumi said.
"And I can't tell you, 'cause I don't remember." Aélita said, bluntly.
"I know how that is. To not remember." April said. "I still have not remembered everything from before the accident and probably never will."
"Here's a question for you." Odd said as he watched April get the computer to play music again. "How many years have you been learning French?"
"In a school class, uh, two years." April admitted as she sat back. "But I was trying to self teach myself beforehand. And, actually, my mom said that French was my first language. Her friend spoke French all the time and I picked it up quicker than I did English."
"That's actually kind of funny." Yumi said, smirking.
Ring
April looked at her cell, sitting next to her computer and growled at the number as she picked it up.
"Your mother." Odd asked.
"Oui, cette garce!" April said, growling her English.
"Whoa, language!" Odd said, surprised at what April had just said.
"Excuse me, so I can go and kill myself as my mother yells at me." April said, sarcastically as she stood up and walked into Maggie's room, shutting the door behind her.
"I hope she doesn't actually kill herself." Aélita said, worried.
"Don't worry." Odd said, leaning back on the sofa next to Ulrich and Jérémie. "She told me she can't die."
"How does she know?" Ulrich asked.
"She's tried." Odd said with a sigh. "According to her, she's tried lethal medications, strangulation, fire, and even made sure that they would crash in the car. All never really hurt her as much as her family has."
"How has she survived?" Jérémie asked, surprised.
"She said she believed it was God saying she had to do something before she died. Right now she believes it's because of her boyfriend, Michael. She feels that she was able to save him from killing himself."
"Sounds like the two are holding each other up." Ulrich said.
"In a way, yes." Odd said, nodding his head. "I hope she'll be better once she can get out of her mother's house."
It got quiet as a song played on, saying stuff about how suicide was painless.
"Can you hit next?" Aélita asked, hopping the next song would be better and more up-beat.
Ulrich reached over and moved the mouse, tapping it and getting a new song to play.
The words were Japanese, getting Yumi to smile as she knew what they were saying.
The song almost ended before April walked out, her hand going white where her phone was as if she had been gripping it too hard.
"You ok?" Odd asked as April walked over and plopped down in the recliner.
"Can I kill her?" April asked, looking serious.
"No! No more talk about death! Please!" Aélita exclaimed, surprising everyone.
Everyone looked at her surprised.
"Is everything ok, Aélita?" Jérémie asked, worried about her.
"I'm sorry." Aélita said, standing up. "I need some air."
"Um, ok." April said, wondering if she said something to offend her.
Aélita walked out, leaving her friends confused.
"Jérémie, why not you go and see what is wrong." April said. "She will talk to you, no?"
"I guess." Jérémie said, standing up. He walked out of the apartment and found Aélita had just slumped down to the floor outside her door.
"Aélita, what's wrong?" Jérémie asked, sitting down next to her, his back to the wall.
"I'm just tired of all this talk about death." Aélita said.
"But we weren't talking about death all that much." Jérémie said.
"No, but..."Aélita took a breath before continuing. "but I had a flash back. It was of my mother. It was as if she knew something bad was going to happen to her and she didn't want it to happen, or something. But I remember Franz getting mad at her and I remember seeing blood. I know that it all happened when I was about five because we were still in the mountain house and she was with us." Aélita hugged her knees closer, biting her bottom lip.
"It's ok now, Aélita." Jérémie said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "We'll find your mom and get your father out of Lyoko. I'm sure we will."
Aélita looked up at him. "Thank you."
"What are friends for?" Jérémie asked as the door to the apartment opened, startling the two.
"Come on, please. Tell me." Ulrich pleaded as he walked out of the room first.
"Don't look at me." Odd said, shaking his head as he walked behind Ulrich with Yumi and April right behind him.
Ulrich turned to Aélita and Jérémie as they stood up and asked, "Do you know what a Disco Stick is?"
"A what?" Jérémie asked, not having a clue.
"No." Aélita said, shaking her head. "What is it?"
April shut the door behind her and said, "Fine, I will tell them."
April turned so that she was looking at her friends and said, "Only Jérémie, Ulrich, and Odd have it. Aélita, Yumi, and I are supposed to "ride" it, according to the song."
"Ohh." Jérémie said, his voice dropping as if he really didn't want to know.
"Ok, you were right." Ulrich said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Curiosity killed the cat."
"Where are you all going?" Aélita asked, changing the subject.
"We were going to show April all of the sights at night." Odd said, happy to get away from the Disco Stick thing. "You two want to come?"
"Sure." Jérémie said, nodding his head. "Some fresh air should do us some good."