Disclaimer: GA isn't mine. Enjoy!

In the Margins

"A picture is worth a thousand words."
-Napoleon Bonaparte

Chapter 1: Impending Doom

A skinny brunette idly doodled in the margins of her spiral bound notebook, Geometry notes forsaken. Math in general was not the brunette's forte, so she usually stared out the window, choosing oblivion over the Pythagorean Theorem. The girl, Mikan, sighed and contemplated fluffy white clouds floating by. It was monotonous days like this that she missed him.

"Mikan! Wait up!" A small, black haired boy reached forward in a vain attempt to catch the flapping shirt-tail of the girl running ahead of him. "I can't keep up!"

"Natsu, it's just exercise. Grandpa said it's good for you, so keep up, okay?" Mikan continued to sprint, messy pigtails flying out behind her.

"Bu…" Natsume's face crumpled as he fell even further behind the brunette, "Wait!"

But she just laughed and continued running. "Catch me if you can!"

And, with that all of Natsume's restraint crumpled and he began to cry. "Don't leave me behind!"

Mikan backpedaled. Even at six years she knew when somebody was crying one had to comfort them. "I'm not. See? I'm right here!"

The black haired boy looked up tearfully, "Promise?"

"Of course!"

-----

"Goodbye!" Seven year old Mikan waved sadly at Natsume from the window of her mother's rusty pickup truck. "I'll come back, promise!"

Natsume stood in the dusty street, watching as the car faded into a small speck in the distance. A single tear made its way down his cheek. He wiped it away angrily, "You promised the first time. Stupid liar." The black haired boy kicked at a rock before stuffing his hands in his pockets and trudging home.

An atrocious sound shook Mikan from her reverie; "Mikan Sakura - to the principal's office!" announced the crackling loudspeaker, emitting a series of rather painful sounding squeals that had the rest of the class cringing in their seats.

"Okay, Mikan, you heard the man," repeated the girl's badly dressed teacher, giving her a dirty look. It wasn't much of a secret that Mikan didn't pay attention during class. Although, seeing as she was only a freshman in high school, who could blame her?

The girl in question picked her way across the crowded classroom, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. The majority of her classmates were jeering, "Oooh!" and, "She's done it now!"

Mikan bit her lip - had they found out about her monthly movie escapades during Biology? Or was it the cherry bomb incident? The fifteen year old girl shivered as she trudged down the increasingly menacing hallway. Being called to the principal's office was never a good sign.

Mikan hesitated before the wooden door labeled "Principal" before summoning up her courage. 'I can do this!' she proclaimed to herself, before barging in without knocking. Two men stood behind the principal's desk in place of the man himself.

"Excuse me?" Mikan asked confusedly. One of the two men looked up and back down again, as if deeming the brunette inconsequential.

The other smiled kindly. "You're Mikan, correct?" Blonde hair flopped over his deep violet eyes.

"She's not much to look at, is she, Narumi? Rude as well…" commented the other, idly raking a hand through jet black hair.

"I'm standing right here, you know!" Mikan growled. Who did this person think he was? He didn't even know her.

"Excuse Persona," smiled the blond one. "He didn't get much sleep last night, did you, Mr. Cranky?"

The black haired man, Persona, shot an annoyed look at Narumi. Annoyance, however, was too nice a term. If looks could kill, well… suffice to say, Narumi would have been long dead. Persona was a formidable man. The half-crazed look in his eyes did nothing to soften his looks, either.

"If you hadn't been so goddamn loud..." Persona trailed off menacingly.

"It's not my fault I like to sing in the shower! At least I have a good voice." Narumi shot back. Mikan stifled a giggle, what was he wearing? The blond was dressed, to put it nicely, rather flamboyantly.

Mikan looked at the two bickering adults, not quite sure what to make of the situation. "Where's the principal? I think I'm supposed to be meeting with him right now."

"He's at a conference, but he wanted us to tell you the good news!" chirped Narumi, a big smile plastered on his face.

"…news?"

.tbc

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this, review and tell me what you think! Revised September 27, 2009.

~SL~