When he woke up he already knew this will be a shitty day. First of all, he was woken up the worst way he could imagine.
"Natsume ! Today is the prom ! You have to help me with my dress !"
That voice came from his cellphone, the second he answered her call. No that wasn't his girlfriend. It was his best friend. Not that he will admit it in front of her, but she was everywhere when he needed her and when he didn't.
"Mikan. Shut up and go annoy another person."
He didn't even have the strength to open his eyes.
"Okay Natsu. But can you give me a ride today to the prom ?"
That woke him up. "No! You know I have to take Luna too."
She tried to convince him but the answer was still the same. Finally, she stopped, understanding he won't change his decision and ended the call quickly, too quickly for him.
He could finally sleep again. But a second call woke him up again. Without looking at the contact ID, he answered "Mikan! I told you NO !"
A girly voice was heard. Luna, his girlfriend, was now angry.
"It's always Mikan ! Even when I call you early!"
Natsume calmed her down with promises that Mikan won't be with them tonight.
Time passed and it was already six o'clock. The black-haired boy was getting ready, the party starting at eight o'clock, he realized that he didn't know who will be Mikan's ride. Why not call her and tease her a little ? It will entertain him while waiting for Luna's call (that she is ready).
After numerous essays, Mikan wasn't answering. When he decided to close the call, she picked it up.
"Yeah ?"
He knew from her voice that she didn't look at the contact ID.
"It's me."
"Hey ! Why are you calling me ?"
Since when did she ask for his reasons ?
"Why ? You busy ?"
This time she didn't even waste her time to answer like everyday, she just hummed it. That made Natsume even more curious.
"Did you find a ride ?"
His voice was indifferent but his heart spoke another story.
Mikan hummed. AGAIN.
"With who ?"
"A friend."
Vague answer. Normally, Mikan would tell the entire story of how she found the ride and the life of every single person that will be in the a sec... A friend. Singular.
"Only one person ? Who is it ?"
"I don't exactly know if we are only two or more, but anyway, what will that change for you ? I will be at the prom. How I get there doesn't matter. Right ?"
For the first time in a long time, Natsume didn't know what to say. So he just answered the casual answer he gave when he didn't care. "Hn."
"Then see you there. Bye."
And there she was gone. Too quickly. Why was she so pressed.
He knew she didn't act like usual but didn't push it. That was when, things began to go bad.
"Natsume, I don't think we should continue this relationship. Let's break up."
There he was with his girlfriend, in his car, in the parking of the prom. To say that he was shocked was an understatement. But like every time, he tried to look indifferent.
"Why ?"
"You pass all your time with that bitch."
The red-eyed boy immediately knew who she was talking about. Mikan. Luna never liked her. Neither did Mikan. But the brunette always tried to stand her or at least she always respected her, as Natsume's girlfriend.
"You never stay with me."
He knew it wasn't right. Her reasons were lies. He took his distances with Mikan. And avoided her. But since she was in the same group of friends and very, very, open to everyone, he couldn't avoid her much. But their movie's night were cancelled, just like their trip to the park, and every single trip they planned.
He still could handle this but he really needed his friends to change his ideas. Not just any friends. He felt it in his heart. He only needed Mikan and her smile.
Every time he didn't need her she was next to him. But now, she was nowhere found. He remembered the fact that he didn't know who gave her her ride. Surely, Hotaru or Ruka. He saw next to the food, one of Mikan's best friend.
" Oi. Where is Mikan ?" He didn't turn around the question.
"Dunno."
"Do you know with who she came ? She told me she will come with a friend, so I thought it will be you or one of the girls …"
Sumire Shouda seemed a little embarassed but quickly answered his questions. "Well I can tell you that she wasn't in my car nor in Anna's car."
He didn't wait for more and went towards Hotaru Imai. That girl was like him, direct and emotionless. Let's say that Mikan could attract everyone to be her friends,
"Where's she ?"
The answer came short and direct. "On the dance floor, dancing."
The moment he turned to go find his best friend, she stopped him with a hand's move. One eye-brow raised, Natsume turned again to her.
" She's not alone, Hyuuga."
" What do you mean ?"
"Tell by yourself."
With that she was gone towards her date who was Ruka Nogi, Natsume's other best friend.
Shrugging his bad feeling off, the crimson-eyed boy continued his way towards the dance floor. Why didn't I look there since the beginning ?! Of course, she will be here ! There she- he quickly lost the train of thoughts when he realized that the brunette wasn't dancing alone or with one of her girl friends. She was dancing with a boy. Natsume stood there, on the dance floor, looking. Staring. The one she danced with should be one of her admirers of other classes. He doesn't deny it, she has a lot of admirer. Not only for her looks, but for her personality. She was the only one who could raise everyone's mood. Her partner was, he had to admit it too, very handsome. Brown-haired and green eyes. It was hard to see in the midly-lit room, but Natsume managed to make a resume of the boy.
He is the kind of boy every girl would glance at in a mall or street. The kind of boy who would play with a girl's feeling but he will end up finding the perfect girl and cherish her. The kind of boy Natsume was. Hell no, his perfect girl wouldn't be Mikan. She's my partner. Mine.
After analyzing him, he moved to Mikan. For the first time, he saw make up on her face. With make up, it was a fact that the face would appear better. More beautiful. Normally, she didn't have the patince to wake up early, before school, to put it on. Plus, her dress was made for her. Going all the way to the floor with many shades of colours. (The top was a pretty green bustier and the end was pure white, going lighter and lighter.) Her hair was in a long french braid while some wicks were falling in front of her big eyes. Some silver bracelet were decoring her wrist while on her left one was a corsage, green and white flowers. He suddenly remembered a conversation.
"Hey Natsume ! The prom is only in two months ! Do you think I should wear red or green ? Let my hair loose or braid it ? Maybe I should get a corsage, since I don't have a date yet …" wondered the brunnette next to him.
He, like always, didn't answer. It's been one week with Luna and she already began annoying him about his friendship with Mikan. Realizing that he won't answer, Mikan pouted and stood up, leaning on the sakura tree.
"I wonder if you ever listen to me …" He suddenly realized the hurt in her voice. When she took two step towards the cafeteria, he answered her previous questions
"Red is always better than green. You know your hair loose looks less ugly than braided, and for the corsage don't worry. I will get you one with red and white in it." The pretty girl turned towards him with a big smile before thanking him and skipping happily towards Hotaru Imai.
There she was. In green. With braided hair. A corsage attached to her hand. And judging from the boy's neck tie, which was green, he concluded that he was her date. How the hell didn't he realise the change in his best friend. So that person was her last minute ride. He snorted realising that she asked him before asking the other one. But his smirk faded quickly, when he realized that everything he told her to do was changed, surely to please that one.
He walked towards her, quickly holding from behind. He thought he felt her shiver lightly under his breath near her ear.
"Sorry, do you want something ?"
Natsume looked towards the source of the question, and was met by a hard glare, that was quickly returned.
"Oh ! Ryan, this is Natsume, my best friend. Natsume, this is Ryan, my date for the night."
The two boys didn't quit the stare but said with controled anger, that was remarked by everyone but Mikan.
"I thought Imai-san was your best friend, Mikan."
The red-eyed guy immediately realized the lack of honorific.
"I thought you didn't have a date, Polka."
"Well if someone didn't ditch me the same day of the prom, I wouldn't have one." answered Mikan Natsume's unsaid question and then passed to Ryan's " And I don't only have one best friend Ryan ".
They were interrupted by the D.J. "That song is for your best friend. So everyone take your best friend to the floor and dance with him or her, 'cause they are the one that pull us up when we are down"
down : jason walker.
Natsume stepped closer to Mikan "This dance."
Even with these two words, Mikan understood his demand, he had a problem, she could sense it. Smiling apologetically to the green-eyed boy, she took his hand.
I don't know where i'm at
I'm standing at the back
And I'm tired of waiting
Waiting here in line
Hoping that I'll find what I've been chasing
Her hands were on his shoulder and his on her waist. Swaying slowly. Listening to each other breath.
I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
Why do I try I know I'm gonna fall down
I thought I could fly
So why did I drown
"What happened ?" Whispered Mikan to the handsome guy. With this simple question he remembered everything. Bad morning, the break-up, and the worst, Mikan's date. He was sure she didn't except any of the last two.
"I ... Luna broke up with me." He replied expressionless. For the brunette, this resumed the grumpiness of her friend, the stiffness in his shoulder in the beginning of the dance.
" I... I'm sorry ! I didn't know ! Do you want me to talk to her ?"
He realized that Luna was his last problem, his most important one was "You never told me you had a date."
"Don't ignore my question ! And I didn't know who to ask for another ride. I wanted to go with the girls, but while going to the dress shop, I saw Ryan and he offered me a ride." Smiled the hazel-eyed girl, remembering the boy's shyness at first.
"Didn't I tell you I will bring you a corsage ? And that red looks better on you ? Plus your hair is braided …" Continued Natsume, ignoring her stupid smile.
"Well, Ryan told me that he liked my green dress more, and that braided hair would help me keep my bangs off my eyes while dancing. And for the corsage, you already had to bring Luna's. So I was sure you forgot mine. So I accepted Ryan's. He didn't tell me about it until he came to my house to take me." She explained with every step.
By now, they both stopped swaying and were standing face to face, calmly arguing, when Natsume began losing his patience slowly.
"You can't accept mine, and then accept his ! Without telling me !"
"Guess I can ! Plus, if you are making so much a big deal of it, let me see the corsage you prepared for me !"
Hearing no answer, she looked him in the eyes, only to realize that he was avoiding her. Laughing dryly, she added "See ? You are making a deal of something you forgot about…"
Not letting her win he counterattacked "You could have told me you had a date on the phone, when I called you."
"You aren't my father, nor my brother, nor my boyfriend ! Why should I tell you ?!"
By the end of the argument, Mikan was fuming and the tension and glares between the two could kill. Fortunately, before the black-haired boy could add one single word, the savior arrived. The savior known as Hotaru Imai.
" Sorry, Mikan is also my best friend. So if you don't mind." Emotionless as always, she took Mikan's hand leading her to the other part of the dance floor, turning them in circle. Before disappearing in the crowd, the normally-cheerful girl stole one last look at the boy she cared for, and met his eyes. The fire in them was still burning, though she took notice of another emotion, regret. And pain.
I thought I could fly
So why did I drown
I never know why
It's coming down, down, down.
Hey guys. So this is another one-shot I wrote. Actually I was thinking of doing it as a two-shot. But I just wanted to see other people's reaction to it. If you like it, I would be glad to continue it :) So just review about the things you like or didn't, and if you don't have the force, well, a favorite/follow would make me as happy as if I saw a unicorn in front of me XD
PS: I don't own Gakuen Alice, just the plot of this story.
PPS: The song Down from Jason Walker is just perfect I think *o* Listen to it if you don't know it :) I recommend it!
See you soon xx
YellowOrangeRed.