Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice belongs to the lovely Higuchi Tachibana.

Author's notes: The academic year in this fic is based on America's school system since I'm not all too familiar with Japan's.

This fic was formerly titled 'The Day She Lost Her Mac' but I decided to change it because this story is so much more than just a girl who lost a MacBook. I've also took down the previous chapters and revised the following chapters, though nothing major has changed from the plot itself but there are a few added scenes.

To old readers, thank you for sticking around. We have grown old with this fic.

To new readers, I hope you enjoy this story. It's been around for quite sometime now.

Happy reading!

-Vanilla Coated Love

First time I met you
I knew you would be trouble
You turn my world to rubble baby
-Hey Violet

Chapter 1: Spilled Coffee
Mikan Sakura

It all started the day I lost my laptop.

Well, I wouldn't say that I lost it since I left it in a bus. But according to Merriam-Webster, the word 'lost' meant 'no longer held, owned, or possessed' so, yes, I suppose it's safe to say that I did lose my laptop.

My mom got it for me for my seventeenth birthday. I'm not a materialistic person, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't fall in love with it almost immediately. I needed it for writing articles since I was a staff in our school's newspaper and also for creative writing purposes. We had a PC back at home where I used to do all my writing but it was old and would immediately shut down for no good reason so getting a new laptop was a breath of fresh air.

It was the last week of August and I was at this café where I normally go to since we've moved here. I discovered it around June when I checked the school I was transferring to.

My mom said that she wanted to go back to Japan out of nowhere almost half a year ago. It surprised me at first, we were doing fine in Australia. Mom had a steady job as a businesswoman and I was doing sort of okay with school. So why bother leaving, right? But mom said that we needed a fresh start, a clean slate, especially after the accident. I wanted to tell her that it's been more than two years since, so why only now? I knew she was just looking out for me and I love her for that. I never really gave it a long thought. I didn't have friends that I'd miss, ever since the accident the people at school treated me differently. That's why last June, after months of fixing our papers and packing, we moved to Tokyo, Japan.

"It'll be fun there." My mom reassured when we were on the plane, "You'll love it, Mikan. I promise."

"Sure, mom." I answered trying to sound excited for her. Mom talked nonstop about our new house in Suginami which was in the western part of Tokyo and she enrolled me to the high school she went to. The school was at the Tokyo Metropolis area so it wasn't a far commute.

She peered at me, "What are you typing?"

Not this again, I thought.

"Stuff."

I was writing a short story I'd been working on for about a week already. It's been nagging me because I have no idea how to end it. I've always loved reading but writing stories were a whole lot different. You get to create the characters all on your own. You're the master, you have control over them and I absolutely loved that. Mom however wasn't a big fan of my writing. I mean yes, she's supportive and is proud of me that I found a hobby but that's just it for her. A hobby. Anything more than that is a big no for her.

Before she could ask more questions, I changed the subject to one her favorite topics.

"What's the name of my new school again?"

Her expression changed almost instantly. It was like taking candy from a baby.

"Alice Academy," she answered, I swear if eyes could sparkle, hers did. "Top three in the most prestigious schools in the world, Mikan. In. The. World. You're lucky to be studying there."

I nodded and smiled. "That sounds great."

The thing about me was that, ever since I had my laptop, I brought it with me almost everywhere if I can. WiFi was more or less in all places now. Just go to the mall or a café and you have internet access. That's what I was thinking last August when I brought my laptop with me when I decided to visit to mom's infamous Alice Academy.

First impression: the place was huge.

High concrete walls surrounded the area (along with a lot security cameras) and I couldn't even get a glimpse of the campus inside. But from the scope of these walls? It looked like a little town could fit in it.

"God, this looks more like a prison than a school," I found myself saying as I continued to stare.

There was only one entrance to the entire Academy, from where I could see, and those black gothic gates were beautiful to look at but weren't as appealing. The words "Alice Academy" were written on top of the gates. I was surprised to find only one security personnel guarding the entrance. He saw me walking towards him and asked, "How may I help you, miss?"

"I'm a transfer. I just wanted to check the campus out?" I explained politely.

He had this smug look on his face like he didn't believe a single words that I had said. "I.D.?"

I fished my pockets. I knew I had my school I.D.; I received it a few days ago, along with my books and uniform. But my pockets were empty, I even checked my bag. "I must have left them."

"Sorry. No I.D. No entry."

I sighed in annoyance, not wanting to argue, and turned the other way. So much for a campus adventure.

It was still early to go home so I ended up exploring the city. It wasn't my first time out in the streets of Tokyo. It was, however, my first time alone. It didn't bother me though, I liked being alone, it helped me think. I window shopped, people watched, and walked around a park. Thinking that I've made most of my day two hours later I headed for the bus stop to go home. I was tired from all the walking and just couldn't wait to sit down but two blocks away from the bus stop I spotted a little café across the street called Star Alices. I rolled my eyes. What is it with Japan and the word Alice? I couldn't help myself, I was a sucker for cafés.

The smell of coffee beans greeted me like an old friend when I entered. I walked up to the cashier to order.

"Hi, there," she said and smiled. "What will your order be?"

I scanned their menu quickly. It wasn't just a café, it was also a bakery. I glanced at the cashier again taking note of her pink hair which was in a loose pony tail. I read her name tag, 'Anna'.

"Just a cappuccino." I answered.

She asked, "Won't you like to add our cinnamon rolls? They're to die for."

I smiled. "No thanks."

She thought for a while as she punched my order, "You're new here, aren't you? Not a lot of people go here. Mostly students from the Academy since this entire thing was organized by them." Then to her co-worker, who was behind her, she said, "Nonoko, one cappuccino, please."

Oh, so that's why it was named Star Alices.

"Yeah, I am. I just moved in a couple of months back." I told her as the dark haired girl, Nonoko I presumed, started to make my coffee.

Anna nodded, "Cool. Which school will you be attending?" She asked as I paid her.

"Alice Academy actually."

He face lit up. "You should've said so! Students get discounts here. My friends and I go there too obviously. That's Nonoko and that's Sumire." She pointed to another dark haired girl who was busy texting, "And our other friend Hotaru, she's not here right now. The student government decided to open up a branch outside the school just for the summer since there aren't much students taking up summer classes for the in the campus. We'll be working back at the main branch part-time once the school year begins." she explained enthusiastically.

"Wow, Alice Academy's a really fancy school, huh?"

"Well, it's fancy for a government funded school but don't be alarmed! There's nothing much going on behind those scary looking walls."

It was a good thing I was the only customer in line. "What is up with those walls anyway?"

Anna shrugged. "Security. Kids of politicians and VIPs attend the school. It's annoying, really. They think they're so powerful with their parents' money and treat us like we're bunch of stupid commoners." She rolled her eyes. "Please."

"They don't go to private schools?"

"Nope. The school ranked third as one of the most prestigious schools-"

"In the world," I finished. "Yeah, my mom told me."

She nodded. "Anyway, what's your class section?"

"4-B." I remembered. Senior B or 4-B.

"We're in the same year! You're in the same class as Sumire and her boyfriend! And with Hotaru too, I think" She turned to the girl behind her again,"Hotaru's in class B too, right?"

"You know Sumire and Koko's class but not Hotaru's?" Nonoko mumbled, raising an eyebrow. "Yes. She's in class B." She then passed Anna and handed me my order. "One Cappuccino. Here you go."

I blinked at all the new names that I was hearing.

"Hotaru never tells us anything," Anna defended. "Sumire on the other hand tells us everything."

Anna's comment earned a grin from Nonoko. "Touché."

I laughed. "Thanks," I said to both of them, rather amused by their conversation. "It was nice talking with you."

"You too… uh..."

"Mikan."

Anna smiled. "Mikan. Like the fruit. Cool name."

I thanked her and sat in an available table. I took my laptop out of its bag and started to type. Surprisingly, I ended up finishing my short story that day.

That's how I spent my remaining days of summer. Almost every day I was at Star Alices where I'd write or read or just hang out with the girls. Mom never minded that I was going out almost every day. She actually seemed happy that I had found new friends, schoolmates even, already. I had gotten to know Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, and even Hotaru. My orders where always the same even when Anna practically begged me to try the others but I politely declined her.

Then a week before classes started I dropped by the café again. I was in the middle of writing a novel length story but writer's block decided to pay a little visit and I'm stuck. I desperately needed inspiration.

To my surprise there were already people when I came. I was usually the only customer when I arrived at this time. It was a group of boys. Their voices were so loud that I could hear their conversations when I made my way to the cashier.

"Hi, Mikan." Anna greeted me, "The usual?"

A usual. I have a usual. "You know me."

"Hey, Anna! Can I get more of these?" One of the boys asked.

My friend rolled her eyes. To me she said, "Mochu. He has a huge crush on Nonoko." And to the guy named Mochu she said, "Sure thing."

"Oh." Was all that I said.

Anna got a plate and sliced a chocolate cake. "Here you go." She said to Mochu then she started to make my coffee.

"Natsume, can you get it for me?" I heard the guy named Mochu say, my back facing them.

"You get it. It's your order."

"But you're the closest," the Mochu guy reasoned.

I heard him let out an irritated sigh. "You owe me."

"Thanks, man."

Anna handed me my cup of coffee and when I turned I bumped into someone, spilling my coffee all over my shirt.

It was hot. The coffee, I mean. On a normal day I would have just felt embarrassed but I'm not in the best moods today since I was still frustrated at my writer's block.

To make matters worse, for me that is, he was obviously clean. "Watch where you're going," he told me as he passed and took the chocolate cake from the counter and went back to their table, his friends looking at him then at me.

What the hell just happened?

I tugged my shirt forward a bit so that it wouldn't stick to my skin and walked straight to the raven haired boy, "Excuse me." I said, already fuming. "But you spilled my coffee on my shirt."

"You bumped into me, lady."

Never in my life has anyone talked to me like that.

"Even so, I need an apology."

He narrowed his eyes. "You were the clumsy one. You're not getting an apology from me."

I was about to retort when Anna dragged me away. "You do not want to argue with that guy," she whispered. She handed me an extra shirt, she always brought one, and made me change in the restroom.

"That was Natsume. I am so sorry. He's always like that."

"That jerk."

"Yeah but, well, you were technically the one who bumped into him."

"But wouldn't a sane person still say sorry? Out of freaking respect?"

"Natsume's got an attitude and he's been through a lot lately."

I laughed it off. "Like I haven't? Like every other person in the world isn't going through anything?" I sighed, realizing I sounded like an immature brat. Anna's right. I was the one who bumped into him so maybe I was the one who should've said sorry. "I shouldn't be letting this all out on you. I'm over reacting, sorry."

Anna gave me a soft smile. "Just try to understand. I'm not taking sides if that's what you're thinking. Go change, I'll make you another coffee."

I sighed and thanked Anna.

When I came out of the restroom the guys had already left. I was still pissed with that Natsume person that I took my coffee and left early.

But when I rode the bus there was only one vacant seat left and recognized a familiar face sitting right next to it. This cannot be happening, I thought. I walked down the aisle and contemplated whether to just stand or take a seat.

"You're going to fall if you don't sit down," he said.

"I'd rather fall."

He caught my eye. "Seriously. Take a seat. The bus won't go if you don't."

Swallow your pride, Mikan Sakura. Swallow the remaining pride that you have left.

"Fine."

I sat down next to him and placed my bag on the floor.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," I told him.

He didn't.

"Nice shirt by the way."

This was going to be one hell of a bus ride.

I was already home when I noticed that I didn't have my bag with me.

"Where is it?" I asked myself over and over. My laptop was in there!

I went to the cafe. I had it with me when I rode the bus and...

Shit.

I left it in the bus beside Natsume Hyuuga.