Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own Alice Academy or the songs… only the plot!
I'M WITH YOU
I'm standing on a bridge
I'm waiting in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but there's no sound
The rain fell heavily from the dark sky. A certain brunette was walking crookedly on the dim street lit only by a single streetlamp. With a half-empty big bottle of gin on one hand, her tear-stained face mixed with the tiny drops of rain.
"It's over! My life's done! What's the use? What's the use of this stupid life?" she continuously screams to no one in particular but herself.
Early this morning, while walking on the quiet hallways of the school, Mikan suddenly stopped at a certain room where heavy breathing, gasps and puppy talking were heard. She stopped because the noise they were making sounds off and odd, not to mention strange and weird. And she also stopped because one of the two voices belonged to… her boyfriend, Ruka.
"Ruka, love, I can't wait anymore! Why don't you just go outside and declare your love for me? I want you and I want you NOW. I can't wait anymore, love," a seductive girl voice said.
"You know I can't simply do that," the male voice, Ruka, replied.
"Why? Is it because of that Mikan Yukihira?" she asked. "Just because she's the head cheerleader, the popular girl, that doesn't mean you'll stick to her right? Just because of peer pressure, you're going to risk your freedom to choose the girl you want?"
"No but just hang for a little longer babe."
"Hang for a little longer? I can't hang that long. And sometimes, I really doubt your love for me."
"You know I only love you and only you."
"And Mikan?"
"Like you said, she's just a cheerleader," he answered before adding, "Come here."
"Ruka, what are you doing? Stop it tickles!"
"But I thought this is what you love?"
"Yes and I want more of this tonight. For now, let's just settle for this."
Then there were few laughter and chuckles before the room fell into total silence. Mikan, who was all along outside listening, was already frantic of what's happening inside. The beat of her heart quickens every passing second. And when she couldn't take it anymore, when her heart finally scattered into billions of pieces, she mustered all her courage and open the door.
Her eyes widen. More tears threatened to drop. She cupped her mouth, trying not to gasp at the feat that slowly unfolds before her. Her boyfriend, her loving gentle boyfriend was on top of another girl, a girl who is supposed to be her best friend, her Beta in cheerleading –Luna Koizumi. But, as we all know, when the pain is caused by someone you love, it is always that type of agony that is hard to deny.
Her sobs become louder as she fell on the ground. Her eyes cloudier due to too much crying and all they did when they noticed her presence was… Luna merely looked up to her, breaking Ruka's butterfly kisses which Mikan thought was just especially for her –what a wish. As said, Luna merely looked at her and wave with a smile, saying, "Oh hi, Mikan!" before resuming to what they were previously doing, completely ignoring her now.
She sobbed while looking at what they were doing, more passionately this time. She kept on weeping but when she looked at them, she knew they didn't give a damn at what she felt. Anger slowly crept within her that she ran away, ran as far as possible from that ghastly view. Ran, ignoring even the ringing bell. She just wants to be away from all this drama. She's sick of it all –sick of all the people around her when all they did was to mask their real intentions, pretend to be innocent when deep inside they're not. Her best friend and boy friend was proof. And now, no matter how hard she tried to be strong, she just couldn't.
"Yeah, where are all the people? Where's the party?" she yelled, now in the middle of the bridge. Her hand still held the gin. She was ambling barefooted. She kicked her sandals away somewhere down the road, thinking that her million dollar stilettos were actually worth nothing, useless like what she felt right now. Looking useful on the outside, loved and worth-jealousy for but in the inside, it was just a piece of trash, a commoner like the rest.
Sitting on the edge of the bridge, she looked down only to see and hear the water running and the sound of the collision of both the water dropping and the liquid flowing. As she stayed still and listen, her memories went back to the things that happened a while ago. Another set of tears cascaded down her cheeks.
"Why does it have to be this way? Why?" she yelled as she finally threw the empty bottle away, to the river where it made a plopping sound. Slowly, she wiped the tears with the back of her hand. But as she tried, more seems to leak out of it. More… a whole lot more. If only she could just end her life as easy as A, B or C.
"If you're planning to kill yourself, why don't you just commit suicide and threw yourself on the ravine? It's much easier than debating yourself with it or keeping the problems you felt inside," a husky male voice said from behind her. She turned around but saw… no one besides a fair white skin that somehow glowed from the dull background and more… the unnatural crimson eyes. So, she therefore concluded that the voice came from the figure.
"Huh?" was her daring comeback as she wiped the remaining tears off.
Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
"I said if you're just sitting there on the edge, debating yourself whether to commit suicide or not, well, I say why don't you just do it? I gave you my full support," he answered as he advanced towards her. When he was already on the edge, he hanged both his hands in it and continued watching her. "Come on. I'll give you my best prayers."
"Are you freaking crazy? Why would I kill myself?" she yelled when she finally digested everything he said.
"Well, umm, I was just thinking, seeing you like that I mean."
"Thanks for the care mister but I'm better off without you, without any of you. You can go back now to-" she couldn't finish her sentence for her butt suddenly slipped because of the rain and from too much movements.
"Argh! Help me! Help me! I don't want to die just yet," she yelled frantically, both hands thankfully tightly gripping the barrier. But slowly, it was slipping off. She was hanging and all the lad she was with could do was to watch her with amusement.
"Aren't you going to help me, stupid? Oh well, never mind, I can take care of myself," she grumpily uttered as she miserably tried to climb up. She almost got it when… "Argh! Help me! Dear God, help me!"
"Come on, take my hand," the guy with crimson eyes finally offered. She only glared at him before looking down. Well, it sure is a long way down. She gulped. Having no choice, she took the hand. She was surprise with the strength he actually had when he pulled her effortlessly. And when both her feet were already on the ground, she let out a heavy breath before thanking him.
…
"What were you thinking back then anyway?" he started. They were now sitting on the sidewalk. The rain had stopped minutes ago and they were soaked all the way down their undergarments. I know right –yuck!
"It's a long story," she answered, quite sober from the experience moments ago.
"I'm all ears," he said as he looked closely at hers. Both eyes clashed, keeping contact with each other without blinking or any sign of planning to look away. She sighs, finally the first one to break their contact. "Well," he urged. Finally, she gave up and told him everything.
"Fine, laugh at me like I'm some major loser," she said after narrating to him her story.
"I'm not going to laugh at you. My story is not far from yours actually," he replied.
"How near?"
I'm looking for a place
I'm searching for a face
Is anybody here I know
'Cause nothing's going right
And everything's a mess
And no one likes to be alone
A certain raven-haired lad was sitting on the great black chair, listening to the different reports of his beloved secretary. Well, he is young to be called manager but he has to be. He needs to fill his sick father's place. Deprived from the privileges of being a normal teenager, he really can't do something about it. For almost a month, he did that –facing his father's disloyal business partners. He figured out that now his father's debating between life and death, the true scent of the people around him starts to show. Everyone tried to bring him down, taking advantage of him being young so that his parent's company could be theirs. But, yeah, no matter how hard they tried, this young lad here sure got the wits and the I.Q higher than theirs. So, their hard works were all for nothing, useless.
When he thought that he knew everybody, he was wrong. He found out his girl friend was just the same as the others. She only wanted him for the three Fs: Fame, Fortune and Figure. And worse, he found out all of her plans from a website, a pornographic website at that. He found out that she slept with not less than a hundred men. He found out what she really is –a gold digger. And worst, he figure it out when he was about to propose to her.
So, without second thoughts, the following day he broke up with her. He tried to move on. With the actual money he got, he could buy all the things he wanted. He pretended to be happy but deep inside he was all alone, all alone in despair and agony.
"So, don't think you're the only one miserable in this world," he told her as a tear fell down from his face. She bent her head low. She never knew the possibilities of people experiencing that because what she only thought of is herself. That beneath the happiness was the agony they each tried to hide. His story was much worse than her, come to think of it. So, without actually thinking, her hand reached out to his face, trying to wipe the single tear away. He closed his eyes at her touch.
Her hands traveled from his eyes to his cheeks before staying at his lips. With that, he slowly opened his eyes. Red looks at hazel ones. He held her hand without breaking contact.
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
"Well, I, umm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-," she excused when she finally realized what she has done. She was about to withdraw her hand, herself and just go back to her apartment and forget everything when… he grabbed her hand and pulled her. She heavily landed on his lap. She was about to stand up once again when he did something to her they both didn't expect. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her on the lips. He begged for full entrance and shockingly… she let him without protest.
Oh why is everything so confusing
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
Yea yea yea
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
…
FEW MONTHS LATER…
December…
Christmas vacation…
The bell suddenly vibrated across the hallways and the students energetically get up from their seats to head back home, free from assignments, quizzes and lessons. The hallways were now packed, filled with shouts and greetings when…
"Oh my God, isn't he hot!"
"Who is that boy?"
"He sure is sizzling."
A guy with black hair and crimson orbs wearing a polo with two buttons left undone and a tie messily wrapped around his neck was modeling himself in the midst of the students rattling, thus gaining attention because of his godly features. He was looking for something, someone actually. And when he found her on one of the lockers, busily stacking her books inside, a smile was slowly formed in his lips. He went towards her, whispers followed. When he noticed she was still unaware of his presence, he sneakily wrapped his arms around her waist, making her jump in shock.
Due to the sudden touch, she turned around only to see the person she really wanted to see. Her lips curved, smiling, before it was claimed by his. Murmurs and rumors started erupting.
"Well, of course, the hot ones always fall to their fellow hot people," one commented followed by nods and agreements.
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
After they broke the kiss, Mikan turned to her right only to see her ex with his mouth hung wide open with eyes as big as saucers. Luna stood by his side with the same look as his. She smirked mentally before waving at them with a smile. "Oh hi, Ruka! This is Natsume by the way, my fiancé and… lover."
"Hey," Natsume greeted before looking back at Mikan. "So, should we go?" She merely nods.
"We'll be going," she bid before turning her back on them. His hands found its way back on his waist once again, wrapping her with his warm embrace.
"I guess Mikan's a total whore after all," Luna commented before wrapping her hands around Ruka's arms which he immediately jerked away.
"Ruka, love," she called. Ruka glared at her. Out of annoyance, he yelled, "Get away from me!" His voice echoed across the halls only to be followed by louder whispers. For the final touches, he walked away from her, obviously pissed.
"God!" Luna yelled, aggrevated as she threw both hands up in the air. The students who saw everything merely laughed at her.
Meanwhile, Mikan and Natsume were already inside his car, laughing and enjoying the time of their lives. And as they passed by the same bridge where they first met on that fateful night, they couldn't help but smile, remembering everything they've been through. That was how everything came to be… how the people broke their heart, thus leading them to each other's embrace. That was their love story which all started when they were in each other's arms on the bridge. And since both have broken hearts, they learned to fix each other, mend both their hearts with their own experiences, their own lessons and their own… love.
Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you...
END
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