Chapter 7 – Odd’s Release

“Lunch isn’t the same without Odd. He’s not stealing your food from under your nose. I miss him,” Sam said, picking at her food with her fork.

“Well, if he’s made progress, they said he could leave early.” Yumi said, trying to comfort Sam.

“I just hope he gets out of the hospital before the skateboarding contest, it’s this weekend. I’ll have no true competition without him!” Sam said taking the flier out of her pocket.

“Yeah, you would win without a doubt, but if Odd can still be in the competition, you should watch out, he’s been practicing real hard to try to win. After all, he was kind of mad that he lost to you by so many points in last month’s competition.” Jeremie replied. Sam wore a confused look upon her face.

“He got mad, because he lost by five style points? It’s a lousy five points below me, and he got mad?” Sam asked hesitantly.

“Well, yeah. You see, with Odd, if he lost by more than three points, he feels like he’s a total loser and sometimes, if it’s more than five, he doesn’t even want to compete. So, when he lost to you by five points, he was really upset. He went into the dorm room and stared at the flier, muttering to himself ‘I didn’t win. I can’t win. I’m a loser’. It took me a whole week to coax him into competing again.” Ulrich said, digging his spoon into his mashed potatoes.

“He shouldn’t feel that way, he’s a great skateboarder, and he knows it.” Sam placed her spoon on her untouched plate, and pushed it further away from her.

“Sam, aren’t you hungry? You have to eat something!” Aelita said, slightly concerned.

“No, Aelita, I’m fine. I just can’t seem to eat when my full attention is on Odd’s recovery. I’m going over to the hospital again. I need to see him, and figure out if he has had any success with his memory.” Sam rose, and so did Yumi.

“Well, if Sam’s going now, so am I, she shouldn’t go into that horrid place alone!” Yumi made a face at the thought of Sam in that horrible place alone.

“I’ll go too, Yumi.” Ulrich said, throwing out his Styrofoam dish.

“Count us in too, we’re done eating!” Aelita said, as her and Jeremie tossed out there plates.

“Ok, let’s go,” Sam said as the group exited the cafeteria and headed to the outside gate.

Once inside the hospital, Sam ran up to the front desk.

“We need to see Odd Della Robbia! We’re his friends! We need to see him! Can we go see him?” she questioned frantically. The rest of the group joined her.

“Calm down, Sam. Relax. He’s probably just as he was or better,” Aelita said, comfortingly.

“Excuse me, who is it that you wish to visit? Odd Della Robbia?” the nurse at the front desk asked.

“Yes, ma’am, that is correct,” Jeremie said.

“Okay, can you just sign your names on this guest list?” The nurse handed Jeremie a clipboard and pen. Jeremie signed his name, handed it to Aelita, and she signed her name. She passed it to Sam, who then passed it to Ulrich and Yumi. “Okay, you’re free to go see your friend in room 325, three floors up.”

The group headed to the elevator. Sam pushed the button, and the doors opened. The gang all stepped into the elevator, and Aelita pressed the ‘4th Floor’ button. As the elevator doors closed and the elevator began to rise. It was so cramped in the small elevator that there was almost no room to walk at all. Sam was babbling to Aelita about something related to the upcoming situation. Jeremie was deep in thought about how he could get into the Internet to defeat X.A.N.A. Ulrich and Yumi were squashed in a corner, and Ulrich had his arm around Yumi.

Ding! The elevator arrived on the fourth floor, and the doors opened. Sam ran out of the elevator and down the hall to room 325, anxious to see if Odd has his memory back.

“Odd! Odd!” Sam flung the door open to room 325.

“Hey . . . Sam, right?” Odd questioned.

“Yes, Odd; how are you?!” Sam glanced outside, and saw Aelita wink at her.

Thanks, guys, I need some time alone.

The rest of the group had all agreed to give Sam some time to be alone with Odd, and took their seats in the sitting area.

“Hey, Ulrich, why did you and Yumi hide holding hands before from Odd when we were in the hospital room?” Aelita asked. Yumi blushed slightly.

“Well, Yumi and I had agreed that that may be too much to have him try to grasp and remember at the moment. We just felt that we should wait a little while before having him learn about us, because he’ll be a different person for a little while until he regains full memory. As soon as he gets his full memory back, we’ll stop being secretive when he’s around, this just seems like the best thing to do at the moment, don’t you guys agree?” Ulrich glanced at Yumi, and she nodded slightly.

“If this is how you want to keep things, than I won’t object. Let’s just hope he gets his memory back soon, for all our sakes,” Jeremie said, taking out his laptop to work on plans to get into the Internet.

“Yes, I will not object, either. I will respect your wishes,” Aelita said. Sam

Meanwhile, in Odd’s hospital room . . .

“Oh, I’m fine. I still can’t remember anything else, just what you and the others have told me. The nurse said they could let me go soon, though. Maybe even tonight, if the principle agrees,” Odd said, as Sam’s face lit up with joy.

“Odd! That’s great news! Oh, I have to go get the rest of the group!” She stuck her head out the door, and waved to the group, signaling to come in now. The group stood up, and walked into the hospital room, curious of why Sam was so happy. Jeremie closed the door behind him, and took his seat on the back of Ulrich’s chair.

“Hey, Odd, how is your memory?” Ulrich asked.

“Ah, it’s about what it was before, but I have great news! The nurse said I might be able to leave in a little while, possibly even today, if the principle agrees!”

“That’s great! Hopefully, you’ll be back to your self anytime!” Ulrich exclaimed.

The door to the hospital room opened, and the nurse walked in. “Good news, we just spoke with the principle at your school and the doctor, and agreed that Mr. Della Robbia would be able to leave anytime now. Whenever you feel ready, Mr. Della Robbia, just let me know, and we’ll sign you out, and you’ll be free to go!”

Odd glanced around the room to all his friends. Sam’s face had an ear-to-ear smile. “I think I’m ready to go now, Nurse.”

“Ok, if you meet me in the sitting room, we can sign you out.” The nurse exited the room and Odd began to make sure he had all his belongings.

“Did I forget anything, guys?” Odd asked as he checked his pockets and the bedside table.

“I don’t think so, so let’s get out of this place! You know how I hate hospitals!” Yumi said, walking towards the door. The rest of the group followed, and Ulrich placed his arm around Yumi as they walked out of the door. Yumi cleared her throat as a signal, glanced at Ulrich, and nodded her head back towards Odd. Ulrich whispered, “right, I forgot,” and removed his hand. Aelita and Jeremie just glanced at each other, and Aelita began shaking her head slightly.

They won’t be able to not show any affection towards each other for long. Odd will probably almost constantly be around until he gets his memory back, and if I know Ulrich and Yumi as well as I think I do, then there’s no way that they can completely stop all affection towards each other, no way in the world. Aelita thought, as she walked towards the reception desk in the waiting room.

“Okay . . . sign here on the ‘X.’” The nurse handed Odd a clipboard and a pen. He put his signature on the line below the doctor’s signature, and then handed it back to the nurse.

“Okay, thanks. Let’s go, guys.” He led the way to the elevator, and the rest of the group followed. The elevator dinged, the doors opened, and the group entered. This time, with six people in it, it was very cramped.

“I can’t stand these cramped elevators. I’m just glad to be almost out of this horrid place.” Yumi said, as Ulrich placed his hand around Yumi’s waste, making sure that it was hidden from Odd’s view.

“Well, the best thing is that Odd is finally out of that hospital! Now he can participate in the skateboarding competition!” Sam pulled the flier out of her pocket, and put it in front of Odd’s face. He had to move his head backward slightly to be able to focus on the words.

“Hey, yeah! That would be great! Could we practice sometime, Sam? I can’t remember any of the tricks, but I’m sure you’d be a great teacher!”

The elevator door made a ding noise, and opened. The group walked to the door of the hospital, and Yumi sighed in relief.

“Finally, we’re out of that place.” She glanced back at the hospital, and shuttered. “I -”

“Hate hospitals,” the rest of the group chorused together.

“Well I do!” The group laughed.

“Well, Yumi, you won’t have to go into another one for a while, hopefully,” Ulrich said, looking into Yumi’s eyes. He desperately wanted to kiss her, but dared not to, in fear that Odd would see. They still didn’t want him to know about their relationship.