Chapter 10 – Listening In

Odd was laying on his bed, tossing a bright orange bouncy ball in the air, with a very puzzled expression. Odd was very confused, he wasn’t sure whether he should be happy, mad, angry, alarmed, alarmed, or what. He was also not sure why Ulrich and Yumi would keep this from him, or how long they had been together.

Betrayal. That word seemed to stay in his pointy little blond head. Betrayal.

He wasn’t sure exactly why he should feel betrayal, he just did. He was starting to compile all his feelings, when two sharp, quick knocks broke the silence. Odd sighed, predicting it was Ulrich. “Come in, whoever it is,” he said, as if he couldn’t care less.

With his predictions being right, a brown haired-chocolate eyed thirteen-year-old stepped in the doorway, holding out one finger in the hall, as a “wait, don’t follow yet” signal to his pin-straight black haired friend outside.

Taking the signal, Yumi waited in the hall, and leaned against one of the walls. Ulrich walked farther into the dorm, closing the door behind him. Sitting himself on the bed, he smiled slightly. Odd acted as if he didn’t see, and continued tossing the ball in the air.

Odd, slightly annoyed by the silence, finally spoke. “How long?” he questioned.

Ulrich turned up one corner of his mouth, confused. “How long for what?”

“That you and Yumi’s been going out.” Ulrich shifted uncomfortably on his bed. Yumi moved closer to the door in the hall, pressing her ear against the wall, trying to hear.

“Hmm . . . about a month now?” His words were soft, quiet, and awkward.

“Oh.” That was it, one small syllable in one, small word. A silence hung around the room, pestering the occupants. Yumi ventured closer to the door, placing her ear on the cold wood. She was slightly curious about the silence.

As if a year passed, Odd got annoyed once again of the silence. “Are you happy?”

“Happy about what? Just in general, with Yumi, or with you seeing us?”

“Number two, and three.”

“Yes, I am happy with Yumi, but I’m sorry about you seeing us . . .”

“What I don’t understand is you and her,” he began. Ulrich rolled his eyes slightly, fearing what he expected to come up next. Yumi shifted outside the door, and switched listening ears. “I mean, you’re a soccer star, – like the best in our grade – and she’s like, a Goth. I just don’t see how you are going out. A soccer star and a Goth, it’s not a good match, buddy. Not a good match at all.”

“Odd, for one, Yumi’s not a Goth, she just likes black. It’s part of her heritage. Two, Yumi and I care about each other, we really do. If you were really my buddy, you’d accept that.” Yumi bit her lip slightly, afraid herself with where this was going.

“Ulrich, seriously. A superstar soccer player like you deserves someone . . . I don’t know, better. Like that Sissi girl, she seems nice. Yumi . . . she’s just not your type. Plus, I saw that black haired kid in her grade staring at her the other day. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of her, and I say he’d be a better fit for her; he seems to like what she likes.”

The two voices got quieter during the silence. Yumi no longer could hear what they were saying very well. Once in a while, she could pick up a word or two, but not enough to form logical sentences.

Ulrich came to Yumi’s defense, not knowing what she could be thinking, even if she couldn’t hear. “William is not her type, she hates him. You know what, why do you even care? Me and Yumi are happy, that’s what matters, don’t even think about messing us up. The real Odd wouldn’t do that, he’s happy for me and Yumi, and I hope that the new Odd can accept that too.” Ulrich was furious. Odd, frankly, was slightly scared.

“I – I – all I’m saying is that William has his eyes glued on Yumi non-stop when she’s around, and that he seems to be tough competition. He seems to like the same things that Yumi does, take for example, her favorite color. Black. She wears black every day, so does he. Also, think about age wise. How many boys really go out with older girls? It’s usually the other way around, if anything. Think about it, Ulrich, you’re a whole grade below her, a whole year. She’s in ninth grade, you’re in eighth. William is in her grade, likes the same things as her, and never stops looking at her. He’s a better match for Yumi, Ulrich. If you could see that, it would really make your life better.”

Ulrich felt anger, hatred, and sorrow fill up in his veins. His head raced with questions.

What if Odd is right? What if Yumi and I really aren’t made for each other? What if William is a better match for Yumi? No, no, Ulrich. Calm down. Think about it, Odd really isn’t himself, he’s just overwhelmed right now. Yumi and I are really happy together, we care about each other. Don’t let Odd’s thoughts get to me, I can’t. It would ruin me and Yumi both, not to mention confuse the others severely.

As if not already bad, Odd commented once more. “Buddy, she’s better off with William, not you. Too many differences, it’ll never work between you two.”

This pushed Ulrich over the edge. As if he was standing on top of a mountain of emotions, he cracked, falling down. “No! I won’t let you break us apart, Odd!”

With that said, he began stomping to the door. Upon hearing the loud footsteps approaching, Yumi moved her ear away from the door, and pressed herself against the wall to avoid the opening door. Ulrich stepped out, red faced with anger. He turned to Yumi, slammed the door, and took her hand, leading her away from the dorm door.

“Where are we going?” she questioned, as Ulrich lead her down the stairs.

“Anywhere but here. How about the park? We never spent that much time in the park earlier, and I need a place to cool down. That sound okay?” he questioned, opening the door to the outside world, holding it so that Yumi could exit.

“Okay, it sounds wonderful. What happened in there, anyway Ulrich?” she questioned, avoiding his eyes, unsure why though.

“Ah, Odd was really upset, and he said all of this crap that didn’t make sense at all. He tried to get me on his side, and away from you.” Ulrich said, as they crossed the soccer field.

“I hope he gets his memory back soon, otherwise he might try to break us up.” Yumi’s grip tightened on Ulrich’s hand.

“He can try, but he won’t succeed. I won’t let him; I care too much about you.”

“Me too, Ulrich. He can try as hard as possible, but he won’t succeed.”

God, I hope not. Odd does have a tendency to be persuasive, though. Ulrich thought as he led Yumi over to a stone bench near the pond.