Kadic Academy Kids

Claustriphobia

Jeremy Belpois Kadic Academy Ninth grade student

"What? Why?" I asked Tovah while we sat in my room. She was still a little sick and recovering from the flu, but getting better, she was feeling well enough to come to my room for a visit.
"Well they aren't sure about me here, they say that they miss having me at home, not that they paid much attention to me at home. But they said for me to think about coming back to Africa,"
"You said no right?" I asked turning away from the computer. I couldn't believe that she was even thinking about it! First, she annoys me and infiltrates my friend group but now I couldn't imagine life without her at Kadic. It would be kind of lame, and she isn't considering Aelita.
"Is this because of Ulrich?" I asked.
"No, I just don't think that I belong here," she said laying back. "I mean, you guys were happier without me,"
"That's not true, I mean you're a pain, but you're family, so...you have to stay," I shrugged. "It's decided."
"It's decided?" She said crossing her arms. "Is that so?"
"Yeah, it's simple, I don't want you to leave,"
"So since you don't want me to do something I shouldn't?"
"That's not what I meant!" I protested.
"You're so annoying," Tovah said stomping away, once again.

Lunchtime came and it was just T and me at the table. She set her tray on the table and looked at me, "where is everyone else?" She asked raising a brow, she and I weren't exactly best of friends right now.
"I think they're in the gym getting ready for the dance or something," I said picking at my lunch.
"Oh, that," she said. "I don't think I'll go," she shrugged as she looked down at her potatoes, she picked up her water glass and took a sip. "Did both of your dates cancel?" I asked as I took a hesitant bite of my broccoli, I felt as if I was fanning the flame of our ongoing feud.
"Hah," she rolled her eyes, "yes, Ulrich broke up with me and I'm not going with Odd either," she said leaning her head on the table, "thanks for reminding me," she stood up, "I might as well go eat with Nicholas and Sissi, they'd be more glad to eat with me than you," she put her hands on her hips. "You may be smart but you're a royal pain! You know?" She went to walk to the door but was lit up like a candle by some kind of electric charge, I got up and pushed her away from the door and she was out cold. "Tovah?" I shook her, "T??" I called.

Odd Della Robbia Kadic Academy Ninth grade student

"This dance is going to be totally electric!" I said as I started up the mixing board.
"Odd, move, you'll break it," Aelita laughed as she moved me out of the way so she could put her records on and plug her headphones in. She was so cool, the way she mixed was a killer, it's probably because she was from a computer and it all her skills translated...or something like that. Ulrich and Yumi bickered as they hung streamers on the sides of the gym, Ulrich held the ladder as Yumi climbed up.
"I think they're fine here!" Ulrich protested.
"I think they'd look better over there," Yumi hissed.
"Then you can move them," he crinkled his nose looking up the ladder at her, they had a weird way of showing they liked each other.
I was enjoying this time with my friends but I was thinking about the possibility of T leaving and going back to her home in Africa, had I upset her? What could I do to make her want to stay? I know she said she just wanted to be friends but maybe I could change things between us.
My phone buzzed and I answered, "Hey, Jeremy! Are you not gonna help with dance planning? It's totally lame of you to skip you know? Also, I wanted to talk to you about-" I was cut off as he said. "Odd shut up, the cafeteria is electric, Tovah and I are here," I was confused about what he was saying. "That's a weird thing to say about you and your cousin..." I interrupted. "Just come to the gym,"
"We would if we could, but the cafeteria is literally electrified. Tovah is out cold and I don't know a way out."
I looked over at the others and waved them over, "what do you mean?" I asked softly into my mobile, "the cafeteria is electric, it's like a prison and we're trapped in it," he said, "you guys need to go to Lyoko, there's probably an activated tower. I'm such an idiot! I left my computer in my room," he went quiet for a moment, "Aelita can get you guys in. I'm gonna see what I can do here," he hung up abruptly and I looked over at the others.
"We have to get to Lyoko, come on,"

We ran to the factory and Aelita got the virtualization process ready, "alright, I got it all ready, I can't get any vehicles because of the delayed virtualization program."
We got in and we're virtualized into the desert sector. "Just as we left it," Ulrich said pulling out his saber.
"This way," Aelita pointed.

Jeremy Belpois Kadic Academy: Ninth grade student.

"Wake up," I didn't want to but I guess desperate times called for desperate measures, I pulled my hand back and slapped Tovah across the face. She sat up holding her glasses, "did you hit me?" She asked. "What even! Why did you...why are we in the cafeteria? Why am I on the ground?" She asked.
"You got electrocuted," I shook my head. "I had to wake you up,"
"That's how you wake people up?"
"I saved you,"
"Rude,"
"You're a brat!"
"You're unbelievable,"
"Well anyway, we have to get out of here,"
"Have you tried a window?"
Sissi screamed at the top of her lungs, "we have to get out of here! Oh my gosh! We're going to die!"
Nicholas and Herb moved to comfort Sissi but ultimately she shoved them away, "not you! You dorks! I wish Ulrich were here!"
Tovah walked over to Sissi, "it'll all be okay," she said sweetly, Sissi looked a bit shocked that Tovah was being nice to her. I was a bit shocked too, I guess T hadn't figured out that Sissi stole Ulrich from her. Or she had and was being the bigger person, unlike her. But Tov had always been a warm person. She was always comforting.
"Thanks," Sissi said leaning into T's embrace. "I just don't want to die in here. My father said that the firemen are coming. I just hope it's soon!"
I hoped that Aelita, Ulrich, Yumi, and Odd hurried up! Or soon we would be toast...
Tovah came to sit next to me, I looked over at my cousin, thinking about how we had been arguing, "I'm sorry," I shrugged. "Me too," she said softly, she leaned in hugging me as we watched the chaos of everyone around us.
"If we don't die, don't leave, stay at Kadic...I like you being here, even if you do date my friends," I felt as though this might be the last things I would say to my cousin, the building was collapsing and we were under it, I looked at Tovah as tears poured down her cheeks. We both were incredibly scared, but then as we huddled together hearing the building's support finally give out, we were back in my room that morning, where we had been arguing.
"We didn't die!" Tovah said clasping her hand over her heart. "Wow, I really thought for a second, 'we're done for' but we're not! Unless we are dead," I smiled and shook my head. "No, they did it," I swiveled my chair around to look at her. "So, where do you stand on moving?" I asked.
"My stuff is here...and you know, the flight is really long, so I guess I'll stay here and help you guys fight XANA for now if you'll let me," she smirked.
"I guess," I shrugged. "Moving is annoying. You should go tell Odd," I said turning back to my computer. "He'll be glad to hear it,"

Tovah Pressman Kadic academy: Ninth grade student

I walked down the stairs from the dorms heading to the courtyard trying to find Odd, I wanted to tell him I had decided to stay. I figured that he would be happy, he was of course my good friend and all. I found him sitting on a bench with his game boy and I sat next to him, "hey, Space Girl," he smiled closing his game, "what's up?" He asked.
"I'm staying," I nudged him softly.
"Is it the Odd charm keeping you?" He teased.
"Yes, that's it, it's irresistible, something about-" suddenly Maryjane, a girl in our class who I had never spoken to walked up to us, "who's this?" She asked with her hands on her hips. Odd looked over at me and stood taking Maryjane's hand, "this is my friend Tovah," he introduced me.
"Hi," I said trying to comprehend what was happening. She looked me up and down and pulled Odd closer.
"You're the new girl who broke her ankle on like her first day right?" She giggled. "It's funny, right?" She kept saying right like I had to agree with her.
"Right," I said crossing my arms in a sign of weakness. "I'm not really new anymore though, I've been here for a while." I shrugged.
She tilted her head. "Well, new to me!" I wanted to snap her neck, I don't know if it was the jealousy or what, or why I was jealous...we were friends! He could date who he wanted, right? Right?!