Take Care Ch.9

It was morning. The sun was shining to Jeremy's room. Jeremy was opening his eyes, even though he knew that it wasn't necessary to wake up now. However, he felt guilty of making Odd feel depressed. He had to get forgiveness from Odd, and that's why he had woken up to go to talk to him.
Jeremy dressed up, and locked his door. Then he headed towards Ulrich and Odd's room.

Ulrich was laying on the bed again. This time however, it was Odd's bed. He was squeezing Odd's pillow on his lap, and stared at the ceiling red eyed. He couldn't hold any tears, which were running down on his cheeks to Odd's bed. Ulrich's cheeks were all red.
Someone knocked the door. Ulrich laid still for a moment, not moving or reacting to this voice. That someone knocked the door again. Ulrich got up to sit and put Odd's pillow back to it's normal place. Ulrich dragged himself to the door, and opened it. Behind the door there was standing Jeremy.
"Hey Ulrich... umm... you surely have red eyes... Is something wrong?"
Jeremy asked worriedly. Ulrich didn't say anything, just let Jeremy in.
Jeremy checked the room, noticing Odd was missing.
"Where is Odd?"
Jeremy asked.
"Or is he eating something right in the morning already?"
Jeremy tried to cheer up the atmosphere, but didn't succeed. Opposite. Ulrich glanced at Jeremy.
His eyes filled with tears again.
"Odd is... Odd is..."
Ulrich tried to say, but then he burst to cry again. Jeremy looked puzzled at Ulrich and walked to him. He put his hand on Ulrich's shoulder and stroked it comfortingly.
"Just take your time. No need to hurry..."
Jeremy said and after saying it he felt himself like some sort of curator. Ulrich took a tissue from his pocket, and blew his red nose. After a moment of silence Ulrich was able to talk.
"Odd... got into a car accident... he's at the hospital."
Ulrich explained finally. A shocking expression appeared to Jeremy's face. How had Odd got into a car accident and when? And why?
Ulrich and Jeremy sat silent for a moment. Then Ulrich turned to look back at Jeremy.
"Why did you come here by the way?"
Ulrich asked to change the subject. Jeremy sighed deeply.
"I came to apologize from Odd again but... anyway you have to calm down. This won't get to anywhere if you walk on the streets with red nose and red eyes."
Jeremy said and Ulrich nodded with a small smile on his face.

Odd woke up in the hospital. With his blurry eyes he saw that someone was standing next to him.
"Ulrich...?"
Odd wheezed. Someone lifted Odd's hand and then put it back to where it was.
"Good. You woke up. How do you feel?"
Some unknown voice said. Odd shaked his head lightly. He couldn't really think right now. He was tired and not feeling good.
"You...you're not Ulrich."
Odd mumbled. The doctor next to him smiled.
"No. I'm not Ulrich. My name is Roberto. I'm a doctor. You were in a car accident, but you survived with a small damage. You're very lucky!"
The doctor explained, but Odd couldn't concentrate. Now the only thing he wanted to do was sleep.

It had been two days since Odd had gotten into a car accident. Jeremy, Ulrich, Aelita and Yumi were eating in the cafeteria. Yumi and Ulrich hadn't spoken to each other since Saturday. Yumi sighed. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Ulrich...you're still not mad, are you..?"
Yumi asked from Ulrich. Ulrich was silent for a while. Then he lifted his head and looked right at Yumi.
"It's okay. I'm not. It's ok that we're just friends."
Ulrich said without smiling at all. Yumi sighed, but accepted that. Aelita waved her hand.
"Hey Jeremy. About the previous X.A.N.A. attack..."
Aelita started. Jeremy turned to look at Aelita, and the others after Jeremy, a little less interested.
"X.A.N.A. has raised the stakes, and added extra monsters every single time. From now on we need everybody's help."
Aelita explained. Jeremy nodded slowly.
"When Odd gets back to school, I apologize from him again and try to get him come with us on the next time."

The group had eaten. They moved out, and headed to one of their favorite places, to the bench. On the way there they saw someone sitting there. Ulrich recognized the person immediately.
"ODD!"
Ulrich almost yelled and ran to him. The others ran behind him. Odd smiled to everyone warmly, with little tired eyes.
"How are you?"
Aelita asked. Odd sighed once and switched his leg's position.
"Tired. Otherwise I'm okay."
Odd said and yawned. Ulrich stared Odd for a moment in his own world. For some reason Odd looked like so delicious that he could've eaten him. Then Ulrich started to think something else. Was he holding a grudge against him? Ulrich thought that he was guilty to all this. He looked at the plaster in Odd's hand. Ulrich looked worried. Odd noticed Ulrich's facial expression and suggested him to sit next to him. Ulrich obeyed.
"It doesn't hurt."
Odd said like he had known what Ulrich thought. Ulrich smiled, but the smile disappeared almost immediately. The others sat down as well. Jeremy whispered to others to leave those two to talk privately for a while. So they three started to talk their own things.
Ulrich wiped his nose, almost like it was tickled. Odd chuckled about that Ulrich's weird instinctive move.
"Odd... do...do you hold a grudge against me...?"
Ulrich dared to ask. Odd looked puzzled at Ulrich.
"What do you mean?"
He asked puzzled. Ulrich took a deep breath to prepare to explain his thoughts.
"Well... I evicted you away with my bad sayings, and then you had to wander in the streets because you couldn't come back to dorms because of me..."
Ulrich said. The moment of silence fell between these two young boys. The sounds of other people were heard around them. Odd started to laugh.
"No I don't. You're so silly. Besides you were in a messy state and didn't know what to say. I was selfish to think only myself."
"You're not selfish... I was the..."
Ulrich was just continuing before Sissi appeared in front of him.
"Hey Ulrich! There you are!"
Sissi said with her high-pitched voice. Ulrich turned to look at Sissi, angry look on his face.
"What do you want?"
Ulrich said meanly, like he always did to Sissi.
"Ah, don't be so mean, come rather to eat with me."
Sissi said hopefully. Ulrich snorted.
"I've already eaten."
He said shortly. Ulrich definitely wouldn't want to talk with this girl.
"Well then let's go after school, like to a date... okay?"
Sissi said eagerly. A smile appeared on Ulrich's face.
"Sorry but I'm taken."
Ulrich said grinning to Sissi. Sissi looked at Ulrich stunned.
"What do you mean? You don't have anyone else but me!"
Sissi tried desperately. She had gotten angry about the thought that Ulrich was dating somebody else.
"Yes I have..."
Ulrich said shortly and turned Odd's face towards his own. Then he kissed Odd. Sissi looked shockingly at the scene, like many other who had turned to that direction. When Ulrich stopped kissing Odd, he grinned at Sissi and waved his hand telling her to leave. Odd had turned all red, and frozen still. Everyone was staring at the two now.