Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

Chapter 1: Detention

"If by chance that I was given the privilege to make things right again, I swear with all my heart that I will… Even for the last time…"

RING!

"Hmm…" I clicked the snooze button on the alarm clock for the nth time. I'm too exhausted to get up. RING! This time the alarm clock rang with more intensity. Still in a daze, I took the second alarm clock underneath my covers and tried to go back to sleep. "Time to wake up, Mikan or you'll be late!" Mum's voice was all over the house.

"Yes, mum" I shouted. As I brush my teeth, I can't help but look at my reflection in the mirror. I noticed the dark circles around my swelling eyes. I must've cried more than I thought. Who wouldn't cry if they were rejected? And to think that I haven't even confessed yet! I scrubbed my arms with soap and winced a little when I hit my bruise. I also got it from yesterday. I have the worst luck ever!

"Oh my, what happened to you?" Mum examined my face as I sit on the chair.

"Clumsiness" I lied. I saw Sumire, my older sister (a year older), approaching the table with her recently perm hair. She was grinning at me as she sat beside me.

"Oh mum, I think I know what happened! It's nothing big, actually… R–" I stuffed a large toast in her mouth. She munched a little and placed the toast on her plate. "Ruka, one of the heartthrobs at school, rejected her. To think, she didn't even tell him how she feels! It was so embarrassing." Sumire was uncontrollable, especially her mouth. I swear I hate her! "I told you that you won't stand a chance didn't I, little sister?" I gave her a fake smile. I will never give her the satisfaction of victory.

"What's more tragic? I think I know! It's about the issue that you were trying to k–" she covered my mouth. "Hmmm-hmm! Ha!" I broke free and continued. "…trying to kiss him but then it turned out that he was already gone and you've kissed the wrong man!" That shows her. She looked down and flushes a bright red all over.

"Oh… my little pumpkins are starting to mature huh." Mum ignored our argument.

After few minutes, Sumire left without finishing her food. Mum started talking to me.

"You should apologize to her later" she said in a gentle voice.

"Why should I? It was her who started it first! My situation is more complicated!" I said.

"Now, now… it's embarrassing for her. You should understand it, Mikan." She smiled her sweetest smile and I gave up.

"Let me guess, you're still not over him right? You don't deserve someone who won't even believe you" Hotaru said. She was standing near the gate of our school. Obviously, she's waiting for me. I feel grateful for having her by my side! Or else I wouldn't know what to do anymore. I met her first two years ago when we transferred to Tokyo. I didn't have friends and it was like fate let us met. No… more like destiny! She was our neighbor but last month, they transferred to another city. I was so sad.

"How can I? It all happened JUST yesterday! And almost everybody saw it!" I tried not to shout.

"Chill. Here, I made a new drink to comfort you up" She handed me a thin can and I immediately drink it, feeling touched. She's really the best! She was always there when I needed her and she's always here to cheer me up!

"Thank you, Hotaru!" I tried to embrace her but she shoots me with a baka gun.

"Ouch! That hurts!" I said and felt something weird inside me crawling its way up to my mouth. "I… feel like I'm going to vomit…" my voice was a hoarse. Suddenly I felt as if everything's turning around. I'm feeling rather dizzy.

"Invention no. 820: The Self-confidence Juice. It will boost your self-confidence and guts for a day. It has a very strong flavor that no man can endure. No one would like to try it out so I thought you might want it. Uhmm but I didn't know that it can be reversed as to have side effects. But you're still fortunate because you didn't feel internal pain" she said. "Here, sit down for a while." She said as we reached one of the benches in the school.

"What happened to Mikan? She looks really purple" Anna said as she passed by.

"It's nothing" Hotaru gave an evil smile with an evil aura. Anna felt chills and gave a nervous look as a response. "I'll see you then" she went off.

"Ho-Hotaru… what's going to happen to me?" I asked.

"Five—four—" she looked at her watch. "Three—two—" she turned to me. "One" I saw her grinning and—

PLANG!

"Ouch!" I glared at Hotaru and Aminatsu who hit me. "Why did you hit my back?" I added.

"We need to… to take away your dizziness. It worked." Hotaru was emotionless. "You can go back now, Aminatsu" she said and started walking.

"Yes, Miss Hotaru! Glad to be of help" she said and ran away. Aminatsu is Hotaru's invention. She looks like me but I'm still better even though she claims that she's the best. Hotaru really is clever.

"Wait for me Hotaru!"

"AAAHHHHHHH! No! Don't!" I screamed and woke up.

"Don't what? Dreaming aren't you, Miss Sakura? Detention later!" Mister Jinno looked furious. "How dare you sleep in my class!" his voice was firm. I lowered my head.

The class went by so fast. Hotaru gave me a long lecture as to sleeping in Mister Jinno's class. Fearing of Mister Jinno getting angrier, I went to the detention classroom after school. There was no one except for a boy who's sleeping with a manga on top of his head. I took the chair next to him and he moved the manga out of his face.

"You're quite nervy little girl… seating beside me." His voice was cold. He had crimson eyes and his hair is a bit untidy.

"T-this is the first time I g-got a detention..." I said nervously. He looked scary. It was like he's shooting daggers to me with how the way he looks.

"Hn" he replied and before he could go back to sleep, I talked.

"I'm Mikan. Sakura Mikan" I held out my hand to shake his but he only looked at it.

"When you meet someone new, you shake hands" I smiled hoping that it wouldn't look like an insult to him.

"Don't tell me what to do. I'm not a grade schooler." This boy is rude. I was trying to be friendly since we're the only ones who are here. Mister Jinno told me to stay here for five hours and it's only four o'clock. That means I'll be staying until nine o'clock. Oh no, I'll be home late. Mum will scold me. And I'll be alone with this frigid boy. What's he up to, anyway? What if he goes home before me? It will be dark and scary. What if there were ghosts in here and they haunt me? How will I go home? Will I go home alive? I haven't apologized to Sumire yet! I'm starting to feel goose bumps all over me.

"You look like someone who was rejected recently." he said while studying my features.

"What? How did you—" I stopped and saw that he was grinning. Here I am thinking that he could be nice and he's a bit handsome… Scratch that. I take it back! Ugh!

"It's none of your business!" I didn't face him. The feelings from yesterday came rushing in my mind again. Why?