This story is rated M for now. I am not really sure what its rating should be. It might become graphic after a while so that will make up for it. If it takes to long I will add interesting language so I don't feel liked I lied about the rating.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or the characters. They are all property of the author. Only the plot idea and putting together of this story is mine.

Chapter 1

"Oh isn't he so cute?" A girl squealed. Ruka Nogi sighed lightly as he heard the words behind him. He was all too used to girls squealing and gushing about his looks. He didn't see the big deal or what they found so intriguing. Girls confused him and he doubted he would ever understand them. It was times like these when he wished he had ear plugs or headphones, something to keep out their voices.

"Hey Ruka-pyon." A happy voice cheered. Ruka looked up to see Mikan Sakura coming in her arm linked with Natsume's. He tried not to flinch at the sight. Even though he had long given up on his crush it still hurt a little to see her so happy with his best friend. Mikan steered Natsume over to him not really giving the boy much of a choice.

"Ah good afternoon Sakura and Natsume." Ruka wasn't really sure why he still called Mikan by her last name. Were that not good enough friend for him to call her by her first name? He really wasn't sure about the answer. "What are you two up to?" He asked. He had chosen to get some reading done since he had nothing better to do. It was a day off from school and he just wanted to relax. Not to mention it was raining again. It had rained quite a lot that day.

"I'm looking for Hotaru. Have you seen her?" Mikan asked looking around. Natsume looked at her with a tender expression that sent a pang through Ruka's heart. When was he going to get over it? He needed to stop feeling sorry for himself and get himself a girlfriend.

"No I haven't sorry. If I see her I will tell her you were looking for her though." Ruka said giving them a smile.

"You're coming to the party right Ruka-pyon?" He stared at her for a moment not sure what she was talking about. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The culture festival was coming to an end and the big ball thing would be the next day. It was interesting how the rain had only been falling at night and not during the festival. Perhaps a weather Alice was in a bad mood when it ended. We might never know.

"I was planning on coming. I just might not do much dancing." Ruka replied. This answer seemed to satisfy her. She and Natsume bid him goodbye and started off.

"You really should think about getting a partner." Natsume said over his shoulder. Mikan didn't seem to notice for she was busy chattering beside him. Natsume knew him far too well. The again perhaps he should be grateful his friend wanted him to be happy. Ruka sighed and went back to his book. It seemed only a few minutes later her was looking up to look at the rain. He glanced out the window and saw a lone figure walking through the rain. It looked like Hotaru Imai. Ruka turned to call Mikan and Natsume back only to find that they had long gone. He glanced back at the girl. She looked positively soaked. With a sigh Ruka closed his book and stood. He grabbed his umbrella and made his way outside. He didn't want the poor girl to catch a cold. Why didn't she have an umbrella? He frowned lightly as he made his way through the rain. There sure seemed to be a lot of it. He hoped it didn't soak through his shoes.

"Hey Imai!" He called as soon as he came in hearing distance. The girl paused and turned to look at him. Her hair was plastered to her face probably making it hard for her to see. She pushed strands of hair away trying to make him out through the rain. He sped up and approached her. "What are you doing out here without an umbrella?" He asked. She looked up at him with a light frown. Her expression turned a little less cold as she identified him.

"I must have forgotten it. This rain is unpredictable." She said. A normal person would have said it thoughtfully but Hotaru said it calmly and without emotion.

"Well we can share mine. I don't want you to catch cold out here." Ruka said moving to cover her with the umbrella.

"What will it cost me?" She asked. He blinked in surprise at her question. Why would it cost her? Was she not used to friendly gestures? As he thought about it he concluded that she wasn't. People weren't exactly won over by her cold personality and she didn't really let anyone in.

"It won't cost you anything. It's a nice thing done for a friend."

"So we're friends are we?" Hotaru asked rather quietly. Ruka turned to look at her with a light frown. Hotaru Imai was indeed an interesting girl. He had known this since their first year together in Gakuen Alice. She hadn't really seemed to change over the years. Now they were in High school and Ruka thought he could see something different about her. Even though he wasn't sure what it was. She was quite the beauty now that she was older not that she didn't have her charms before. She was small in a female kind of way with soft looking skin. Her hair was the color of a raven's feathers kind of like Natsume's. Then again to Ruka it seemed completely different. She was a girl with soft features while Natsume was a boy who happened to be his best friend. He probably should never mention to either of the two that he had compared them. He wasn't sure they were the most found of each other. Ruka gulped lightly as she turned her eyes to capture his. They were captivating orbs that immediately grabbed his attention. They were a deep and mysterious amethyst. And stone would be jealous of her eyes. He could have stared at those until he was lost in them or until the rain soaked him through. Then the girl beside him spoke. "If we are friend then will you do me a favor?"

"What kind of favor?" Ruka asked rather weary. Hotaru was not one to ask for a favor and she was a devious girl.

"Be my date to the dance tonight."