One shot because it just popped up in my head. I was inspired by some stories I read, Da Capo by bickeringgibberish, Loved and Lost by Aquamarine Cherry Blossom-chan and The Necktie by bickeringgibberish. Please check them out!
It's just another day.
Yes, it was just another day.
I sat there, at the very back corner of the cafeteria, where it was darkest and least crowded, along with my friends—our friends—just laughing and talking.
I could vaguely hear the twins, Anna and Nonoko, speaking as everyone laughed at whatever it was they said. Out of pure instinct, I laughed along, pretending that I was listening.
I could hear, yes, I could hear and smell and feel the things going on around me on the small cafeteria table with all my friends gathered around me, but my eyes never once looked at them.
I never even once touched the perfectly palatable food right there in front of me, ready for me to eat.
For the whole hour of lunch break, my eyes were only trained on him, Natsume Hyuuga, my best friend.
He was always popular, and very, very handsome, even when we were in elementary school. The adults, children, sempais would gather around him, swooning at how striking his features were, how intelligent he was, but he never cared.
He was popular, gorgeous, smart...but despite this, he chose me as his best friend.
My chest stirred with pride, knowing that the most perfect person on earth has chosen me, a clumsy, dumb, and utterly unattractive girl, as his best friend.
We met out of pure chance, he liked to say, an accident. Each time he said that, I would pout, unhappy with his choice of words. He made it sound like he never intended to meet me, to become my friend, and that our special friendship was just 'an accident.'
But I know he cherishes our friendship because he tells me anything that he wouldn't tell others, save Ruka, who he has known since the age of 2.
I know he cherishes our friendship because he tells me how important I am occasionally, using well crafted words in order not to make it sound too obvious, but I can tell. I can tell he cherishes our friendship.
I can tell he cherishes our friendship as much as I do.
I was so sure that he cherishes our friendship, but why? What went wrong? What made us fall apart?
"Excuse me?" I was young, very young then. I had just transferred to this unfamiliar place, gotten lost, and was on the verge of tears.
I had walked aimlessly around my new school, Gakuen Alice, seemingly going around in circles, and found a beautiful sakura tree with a beautiful boy perched on top.
"What do you want?" He asked, his eyes closed and his voice grumpy, cold.
I winced.
"I-I'm lost. Can you please take me to class 2B?" I waited and waited for his reply, but he kept silent and didn't even bother to open his eyes.
Still, I waited.
"No." I pouted and attempted to climb the tree as well, but I ended falling down and scratching myself on the knee. How had he climbed up so high?
Tears brimmed my eyes as I saw blood trickle down my leg, the pain was excruciating.
I heard rustle of leaves and a second later, the boy was kneeling next to me, his crimson eyes inspecting my knee.
"You really are clumsy." He mumbled, his eyebrows creased.
"It doesn't look too deep." He took a handkerchief out his pocket, a plain blue handkerchief, and gently wiped the blood off my leg.
I screamed. I cried, kicking my legs and trying to get him to stop doing whatever it was he was doing, because it hurt. It hurt.
"Stop it!" He grabbed my shoulders roughly and forced me to look at him, his beautiful eyes burned with anger.
"Just bear with it." He hissed as he continued cleaning my wound. I bit my lips but he gave me his arm instead.
I stared at him through my teary eyes and he stared back, raising a perfect eyebrow. The rough surface of the handkerchief rubbed a particularly painful spot and I bit down on him, tasting blood.
It must have hurt him, the way I was biting down mercilessly but he didn't once complain or even make a sound. Minutes later he stopped cleaning the wound and I released him, seeing the awful mark I left behind.
"I-I...I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to..." More tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared at his arm, crimson liquid dripping down. That was how hard I bit him.
"It's ok. It doesn't hurt." I stared at him wide-eyed as he stared at me blankly.
"Can you take me to my class?" I asked dumbly as he walked away, his raven hair swaying delicately with the wind.
"Go away, polka." It took me a while to figure out why he called me that but once I did, I screamed and cursed him, but he had taken up a part of my heart I didn't even know existed.
"...lka."
"Ow!" I screamed out loudly, clutching my throbbing head. "What was that for?"
"You weren't answering." I glared at the male next to me, his face as calm as always.
"I was just thinking." I answered, turning my body away from and and crossed my arms with a huff, showing my anger.
He grunted.
"Thinking? You? Thinking? The end of the world can't be far." His voice dripped with heavy sarcasm and that only made me fume more.
He poked my ribs a few times, but I refused to speak, refraining the urge to roll over and start giggling.
"What were you thinking about?" I rolled my eyes at his attempt to change the topic. Still, I kept my moth shut.
He made a low growl, a sign that showed he was losing his patience.
"Mikan." I turned slightly towards him, my eyes narrowed. He called me by my first name, and that surely means he wants my attention.
"Apologize." I smiled triumphantly at his reluctant expression and I knew he was going to give in.
He gave loud sigh.
"Fine. I'm sorry for hitting you. Happy?" He gave me a glare. I giggled and nodded my head.
"Very." Silence followed for a few moments, but it felt soothing as we watched the swaying of leaves as the autumn wind blew.
"So...What were you thinking about?" Natsume and his curiosity.
"Nothing important." He groaned at my answer.
"Nothing important? That's what you say every time." He gave me the 'you-better-tell-me' look.
"But it's true! It's really nothing important, and really, you wouldn't be interested." I defended quickly, my voice rising a pitch higher just like every other time when I panic.
He raised his eyebrows at me, clearly not believing.
"Tell me."
"No."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Tell. Me."
"No!"
He hissed at my persistence.
"Why the hell not?"
"Because you wouldn't like to know!" I screamed at him, tears forming in my eyes but I blinked them away.
"Just fucking tell me, already." I huffed angrily, my mood instantly falling.
"Why do you want to know so badly?" He shrugged.
"I just do. Now tell me."
"I was just thinking about how we met." He nodded slowly, a grin growing on his face and I knew he was going to tease me again.
"Ne, Natsume?" He hummed a reply. I knew I shouldn't have told him.
"I love you." His averted his eyes from me and focussed on staring at the sakura trees.
"I know." I knew I shouldn't have told him again after so many times I've told him the same thing, only to get the same answer each time.
"Mikan, I can't."
I struggled up the stairs with my heavy bag, my arms filled with thick books. Damn it, Jin-Jin is really giving too much homework, not to mention even my favorite teacher, Narumi-sensei, gave us a huge project that would greatly impact our grade.
I groaned with annoyance as my hand slipped, the heavy books falling down the long stairs with loud thuds.
"Great. Just great." I mumbled under my breath, resisting the urge to drop down and swear loudly until a teacher catches me and takes me to the principles office for sitting and cussing in the middle of the school stairs.
I picked up the many books slowly, careful not to lose balance and roll down the stairs.
Why was I even here?
Oh right, Natsume promised to tutor me for the upcoming math test.
Just the thought that after picking up these books, climbing the rest of the stairs to the third floor, I can have a whole hour with just me and Natsume, despite the fact that we're talking about math—my least favorite subject.
I was already panting heavily, my arms shaking wildly, when I reached the third floor.
Still, though I was dead tired from the exercise, I continued to grin maniacally as I got nearer and nearer to the place where we were supposed to meet.
I froze as I stared at the doorknob, wondering how I was supposed to open it with so many books in my hands. I adjusted them slightly so I could support them with my left arm, barely opening the door with my right.
The books were instantly on the floor when I found the room, completely empty. I trudged over to my usual seat in the classroom, glancing at the clock. Was I too early or too late? Did something happen?
I sat down heavily, my heart pounding. Something was in my desk, I noted. I hadn't put anything in there ever since last week. I peeked inside only to find a piece of paper, evidently ripped from a textbook, neat cursive that was distinctly his was written on it.
Forgot to tell you that I had a date today. We have to cancel the tutor session. Don't be mad.
- N.H
My hands shook violently as I crumpled the piece of paper up roughly, wishing I had a lighter with me. I wanted to burn the piece of paper with his handwriting so badly, it was almost scary. I let out the breath I was holding and threw the paper into the trashcan.
How very stupid of me.
"Polka!" I sped up my pace.
"Oi! Can't you hear that I'm calling you? Polka!" I continued to ignore him as a sempai greeted me. I flashed him a cute smile and gave him a goodbye hug for the day, knowing it would get on Natsume's nerves.
"Polka!" Then it happened, the thing I dreaded most, he caught up to me and had an iron grasp on my wrist.
"Polka." He breathed out as he forced me to face him. My eyes refused to meet his and I waited for him to speak.
He sighed and ran his hands through his soft raven locks.
"Look, I'm sorry. I just suddenly had a date pop up that day and I really couldn't turn her down—"
"Just because she's Luna Koizumi, the hottest and most popular girl in school?" I glared at him, cutting him off. He stared at me for a heartbeat.
"No." Anger flashed through his eyes for a second.
"Is that how you see me? A teenage boy hungry for popularity and hot girls?" I almost felt ashamed for a second before anger bubbled up inside of me again.
"Yes!" I snapped. "Yes, that is exactly how I see you as!" I yelled angrily and turned around, wanting to get away.
"Mikan." He caught my wrist again and I groaned in annoyance.
"Let. Go." I hissed but he made no move. Why would he be afraid of me anyways? I was a head shorter and I wasn't even half his strength.
"Please Mikan. You know how much I wanted to ask her out. Now she asked me on a date. How could I possibly turn her down?" I stared at him and I realized he was right. Why would you turn down your dream date for a tutor lesson with your best friend?
"You're right." He blinked at me a few times, confused.
"You're completely right. I'm sorry. I was being shallow and unreasonable. There's no way you would ditch the prettiest girl in school for me." I said bitterly and snatched my hand back.
"Wai—That's not what I meant!" I turned around sharply and he looked surprised at the sudden movement but recovered quickly.
"Please," He drawled out. "That's not what I meant."
"That's exactly what you meant." He opened his mouth before closing it, just staring at me.
"I'm sorry." I shook my head and started walking again.
"No. Don't be." I didn't look back.
I stared at him wide-eyed.
"Hey." He had that smug smirk on his face again as he stood at my doorway, wet from the rain.
I stared for a few more seconds before I snapped out of it and attempted to slam the door close, but apparently he predicted my move and his hands flew to keep the door open before I could do anything.
"Mikan," He groaned. "You're not still angry, are you?"
My hands fell to my side as I looked at him, his scarlet eyes seemed to glow in the dark as they continued to hold my gaze.
"No. I'm not." He raised a perfect eyebrow like he usually does and I sighed.
"Really, Natsume. I'm not angry anymore."
"Anymore." He repeated slowly before he ran his hand through his wet locks and no matter how hard I tried to repress it, I couldn't control my heart from beating faster.
"Here." He held out a soaked pink box that I could easily distinguish and my eyes instantly sparkled. He gave a dry laugh before taking the box back, not even bothering to give it to me.
"Sorry, I should probably get you another gift. It's soaked." I stared at the box that was indeed soaked but I shook my hand and let out my hand.
"No, it's okay. Give it to me." He stared at me.
"No." I huffed.
"Why not?" I grabbed the box from his hands and clutched it closely, not caring that it wet my shirt.
"How stupid." He mumbled and I gave him a glare.
"I'm not stupid. I merely want my box of howalons." I reasoned before opening the box and popping one small pink cloud in my mouth.
"It's not that wet." I grinned as he shook his head in disbelief.
"Hey, there's going to be a party next week and the host said I could invite anyone I wanted." Natsume leaned against the door frame, his beautiful eyes watching as I popped howalons into my mouth, one after the other.
"And?" I questioned, only three more howalons left in the box. Natsume groaned with obvious annoyance.
"I want to invite you." He stated and I froze, the ends of my hair standing on end and my heart beating loudly.
"I..." My mind went blank and the only thing I could think of was that he was asking me out to a party.
"You're not inviting me as your partner, right?" I asked dumbly and he scoffed.
"Of course not. I'm going with Luna." Of course, I thought bitterly. Of course it's Luna. Why go with me?
"Right." I forced out a laugh.
"So I can choose a partner to go with me?" He nodded and I stared at the box of howalons, the three remaining candy suddenly looked disgusting.
"Cool." I mumbled.
"Alright. I'll be going now." He whispered and I nodded, before slamming the door in his face, not even remembering to offer an umbrella.
It was the worst day of my life.
It was torture.
I stood there, in my best dress, a golden single-strapped cocktail dress. My hair was in a half up half down braid letting my naturally curly hair fall to my mid-back, a yellow crystal tiara finishing the touch.
A slim wine glass filled with Apple Ginger Sparklers was in my hands, but I barely took a sip out of it.
The ball room was richly lit, filled with a warm amber glow. Groups and groups of people made the room lively and loud, but it only gave me a splitting headache.
I shooed my date off ages ago, though now I truly wished I hadn't. I knew no one in this stupid party, all of them were 'popular,' rich. This was definitely not a place for someone like me.
I stared at my glass, watching the ice drift about, hitting the side of the glass with a loud clink.
Where was he?
My mind unconsciously flew to him again, and my eyes aimlessly searched for him in the large crowd.
I immediately dismissed the thought of him. He came with someone else, not you, I reminded myself.
The thought made my stomach churn.
I set my glass down on the table next to me before heading towards the one that held alcohol. I took a class of brandy, who cares if I was underage? There was alcohol here for a reason.
One and a half cups later I was feeling tipsy, the room spinning around me. My whole body felt light, and I started giggling for no apparent reason.
"Hey, gorgeous. Wanna dance?" A man with midnight blue hair walked over towards me and I flashed him a smile.
"Sure." He reached for my hand but I shook my head and made him put his on my waist instead. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him a little too close. He gave me a surprised look, but gave me a flirty smile and pulled me closer.
I'm not going to care about Natsume anymore.
I swayed my hips as a new song played, moving with the beat. My partner gave me a mischievous grin as he moved along with me, matching my movements. I started laughing, pulling him even closer, his face centimeters from mine.
Out of the corners of my eyes, I saw a flash of raven and crimson. I was slowly coming down from the high, but it was too early, I want to stay in that happy place forever.
My partner's hands were creeping a little too low for comfort, but I didn't care. I pushed us even closer, as close as physically possible.
Not even a second later he was on the floor, a red, bruising mark on his cheek.
I screamed.
Everyone stared at the male who was lying on the floor, clutching his aching cheek, then at the male who was holding me tightly on the wrist, dragging me away.
"Natsume!" I struggled, trying to pull my hand back. I was instantly sober when we exited the house and the cool air hit my face.
"Natsume!" I screeched and he finally stopped. He turned to me, his eyes blazing with anger.
"What were you doing in there?" He hissed at me, his hold tightening painfully on my wrist.
"What are you talking about?" I spat, still trying to wriggle free from his grasp.
"Don't play dumb, Sakura. You let him feel you up!" He glared at me with such force I would have cried if I was under different circumstances.
"So what if I let him feel me up? So what if I slept with him? It's none of your business!" I snapped, my anger finally getting the best of me.
"Why are you angry? You don't even care! You never care! You never did, not when I was carrying tons and tons of books to that tutor session you didn't even show up on. Not when I tried to confess to a sempai of mine and got horribly rejected. Not when I cried myself to sleep everyday, feeling lonely, when you went away on vacation. You never cared, why start now?" I started crying and I felt pathetic. I was disgusted in myself, the way I blurted everything out.
He stared at me with those beautiful eyes and he looked like he did ten years ago, that boy that had cleaned my wound after I fell down, who let me bite into him to cover my own pain.
"Hey..." He spoke in a hushed whisper, trying to soothe me. "Don't cry."
His grip loosened considerably, his other hand rising to brush the tears away from my cheek, but I revolted against his touch. I don't want him touching me.
"Don't." I wiped the tears myself, wiping them roughly with my sleeve. "Don't touch me."
His eyes softened and showed a tint of sadness...but that must be my own imagination. My heart clenched and unclenched. Why would he care whether we were still friends or not? He didn't need me like I need him.
The way he was looking at me, that look again. I gulped. That look again. The look that made me feel special, like I was important to him, like I was the only one he could see.
This is stupid, my mind scolded myself. I agreed completely: this was stupid, but I'm going to do it anyways.
"Natsume, I love you." I said it again. I know his answer already. 'I can't.' My mouth tasted like bile. Why couldn't he love me back, when I love him so much?
He opened his mouth, his eyes turning into a darker red, almost black and I knew he was going to say it again, but the way he still held my hand gave me a hope he might say something different, like he suddenly changed his mind and would return my feelings.
"Natsume? Babe, you here?" My mouth went dry as Natsume closed his mouth, let go of my wrist and turned around, a small smile tracing his lips.
"Hey, Luna. I'll be right there."
It was snowing.
I always loved snow, it made me feel happy, peaceful, all the things that could make me smile all day long.
But somehow I felt lonely tonight.
I sat alone in my room, my parents were out to some party. They generously invited me along, seeing that I've been depressed for the past few weeks, but I politely declined and said I would be seeing my friends.
It was a lie.
I wanted to tell them that there was no reason for them to go out of their way and invite me to a party full of adults I barely knew just because I was feeling depressed these few weeks, years, I wanted to scream. I've been depressed for years, and not even my own parents realized.
Even inside my lovely home, with the heat on high, I was still shivering. I didn't even bother opening the lights, the whole house completely dark. A comfortable kind of dark. I stared at the calendar next to my bedside table, the moon as my only light.
December 24. Christmas eve.
I breathed out, and for a second I wondered if my breath would fog up, but deemed it silly since I was in my room with the heater on.
Looking out the window, I saw children in mittens and scarfs, running around laughing, playing.
I used to be like that.
My mood turned sour at that and I decided to make myself a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. That always seemed to lighten my mood a bit.
I hummed a small tune as I stirred my hot chocolate, staring at the brown liquid, relishing the warmth on my palm as I held the cup. The smell made my stomach rumble a bit and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since this morning.
My parents would kill me if they found out I hadn't eaten anything for the whole day they were gone.
I brought the cup to my living room, setting it down and let it cool for a while. I stared at nothing for a few minutes, just sitting there, my mind completely blank.
Then I heard a knock.
It was a calm, loud knock like a clear note I used to play on the piano. It came once, twice, thrice before it paused, and I thought whoever it was knocking probably left.
It isn't anyone important anyways, I decided, tucking my legs against my chest on my couch. I started to shiver and I reached for my hot chocolate when the knocking resumed.
I groaned and got up from the soft sofa and grumpily walked over to the door, dragging it open with such force I thought the door might just fall off.
"Polka." I hissed.
"What are you doing here?" My voice was colder than I wanted it to, but it didn't matter. Natsume didn't even flinch as he leaned against my doorframe, his composure relaxed and that smirk still on his face.
"Just came over to spend my precious Christmas with you." He cockily said and I sighed.
"Please, Natsume. Don't come running to me every time you don't have a date and then ditch me when you do. Can't you for once actually do something you promised me?"
He lifted a delicate eyebrow at me.
"I don't make promises." I wanted to slap him.
"Then what was it that you told me last Christmas!?" I screamed in his face, furious with his attitude.
He merely shrugged, that stupid smirk still intact and I just wanted to wipe it away. He had said he wouldn't treat me as a toy, an old toy that he would take out every once in a while when his new ones break. He forgot what he had said, and my heart dropped to my stomach.
"I—I've had enough of you," I seethed. "Just go." I pushed him harshly out the door, his cold jacket freezing my fingertips. Being so exposed to the cold air with nothing but t-shirt and jeans, I started shivering again.
"Polka," Natsume impatiently called when I quit pushing him out. "Polka, let me in."
"No!" I stubbornly said, heading back to my house and preparing to slam the door behind me.
"Let me in. You're going to freeze to death and by how you look, you haven't eaten at all today, have you?" Curse him for knowing me so well.
"I don't need you. Leave." I gave him a glare but he only grabbed my arm, not allowing me to close the door.
"You do need me." He insisted and barged into my house, his hands still tightly wrapped around my forearm.
"No I don't!" I thrashed and screamed, yelling for help, bloody murder, rape, fire, anything.
"Shut up." He warned, his cold eyes glaring into me. I shivered again, despite his warm hand on my arm. The icy air finally seeped into bones.
If he wanted to 'help' me so much, then so be it.
My whole body started quivering from the cold, goosebumps rising on my skin. I wrapped my arms around myself and pursed my lips.
"I'm freezing." What was I expecting him to do? Even with the heat so high I still felt cold, and that night I thought I would really freeze to death, alone in my house, sad, cold, gone.
But then he stared at me for a heartbeat before wrapping his strong arms around my small body, and almost instantly the cold was gone. That moment I knew what I wanted.
I wanted him to wrap his arms around me just like he was now and never let go. I wanted him to take away my pain that I kept inside me for so long. I wanted him to whisper sweet nothings into my ear as I fell asleep each night. I want to wake up next to him each morning and let his beautiful scarlet eyes be the first thing I see each day. I want him to love me like I love him.
His arms tightened around me, his hand rubbing me comfortingly, the warmth melting the ice in my bones.
I cried.
Softly, trying to keep the pathetic sound in, biting my tongue so I wouldn't cry out. I grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer, letting his scent envelope me.
I crumbled. My perfect mask finally crumbling. Everything that I hid away from him came pouring out, and I crumbled.
I finally fell like I had when we first met, tripping and falling, my wound bleeding furiously, and just like when we first met, he didn't catch me, but he came to help me.
His arms shielded me from everything, like a shelter of warmth, letting me cry in his arms.
His arms loosened around me and I thought he was going to push me away, but he surprised me by regathering me in his arms, his hand shifting so it could caress my hair.
"I'm sorry." He whispered on the top of my head, planting a soft kiss in my hair. It only made me cry harder.
"Don't say that." I gasped out harshly, trying to catch my breath. I could almost hear my heart cracking. I'm sorry. What was that supposed to mean? Will he leave me, after everything that happened in the last ten years?
"Please don't say that," I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, my voice cracking. "Please."
He stayed silent, his hands holding me firmly against him.
"Natsume." I called his name urgently, a sudden need to hear his soothing voice overpowered me.
"I'm here." He whispered. "I'll always be here, we're best friends, right?" My heart ached, throbbing with pain.
For a second, it almost forgot to beat.
We're best friends, right?
That's right. Best friends is what we'll always be. He'll drop signs here and there, making me go crazy and actually think he would like me in another way, not just friends. But he made it clear now that we're only friends, that he only thinks of us as friends.
It hurt.
It fucking hurt.
"Yes," I croaked. "We're best friends." I slowly detached myself from him, willing myself to let go no matter how much I wanted to stay in his arms forever.
"I...I'm okay now. Thank you for staying with me." I rubbed my tears away and flashed him a fake smile, hoping it would be enough to make him leave. He stared at me, his eyebrows knit together in a worried way.
"Mikan." He called my name, something that always made me melt and come running back to him.
"Thank you for staying with me." I repeated and grabbed his arm, guiding him to the door.
"Mikan, wait." His voice sounded almost pleading, but I knew better. I always knew better.
"Natsume," I drawled out patiently, staring straight into his eyes. "I'm okay now."
He didn't seem convinced. He refused to leave the house, holding the door shut fiercely.
"You're not going to throw me out." He growled, his eyes burned with anger.
"I'm okay now." I insisted, not knowing whether I was reassuring him or myself. "I'm okay."
"No your not," He scoffed, taking a step forward as I took a step back. "You're not okay, and I want to know why."
He was making me frustrated.
"You're the reason why!" I snapped. "You were always the reason why I wasn't okay!"
"Mikan." He reached out for me and it was like déjà vu. I recoiled as his finger brushed my cheeks and I stood away from him, at arms length.
"No," I muttered. "Never again." I made him move from his spot in front of the door and opened the door, waiting for him to leave.
"Mikan, I—"
"I'm sorry, right?" I finished for him, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "I know."
He gave me a smile that made my heart beat pitiably for him again not matter how irritated I was with him at the moment.
"Mikan." He called again, his eyes glowing in the dark, leaning towards me so he was only a hairsbreadth away.
A blush creeped to my cheeks, tainting them a dark red and my body felt hot all over.
"Say it again." He commanded and I stared at him, confused.
"Say what?" I asked, my mind not functioning properly with him so close.
"Tell me you love me." He murmured in my ear, his hair tickling my cheeks. My whole body started malfunctioning, though I couldn't understand what he was requesting. Didn't he hate it when I said that?
"B-But you—" His hand rested on my cheek, warming the skin there.
"Just say it." He demanded and I nodded obediently, captivated my his powerful scent.
"I love you." I breathed out shyly, though I've said it so many times. I saw his eyes light up momentarily before he leaned even closer.
"Good." He praised softly, sending shivers down my spine.
Then he kissed me.
My first kiss.
My first kiss was with him, slow, sweet, and passionate, just like how I always dreamed it would be. His lips burned on mine, even when he pulled away I could still feel his lips on mine.
Even after the door slammed behind him, leaving me alone in my house, I still couldn't fully comprehend what had happened. Staring at my cold cup of chocolate sitting there on the table, I couldn't stop the smile the made it's way on my lips.
Outside, it had started snowing and my mind drifted to the thought that Natsume must be freezing in the snow, though he only lived a few blocks down. He will be fine, I decided. He's always fine.
As the snow drifted past my window, the world outside became glamorously white, the flakes gathering on the cold concrete roads.
It was a White Christmas.
A week passed ever since Christmas, everything seemed normal, a little too normal for my taste.
Natsume had kissed me for heaven's sakes, and now he's acting like nothing happened, ignoring me, avoiding me all over again.
He carried me so high up, only to let go so I would fall even deeper.
The worst part? I felt in love all over again.
I sighed for the millionth time that day, carrying my heavy bag, heavy books in my hand, towards the cafeteria. I was drained and famished, hoping the cafeteria food today would be good, but didn't count on it since the food never was.
"Well it isn't the idiot of 2B." I mentally groaned as I saw a group of 'popular' boys walk up to me, their eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Excuse me." My voice was hard and I narrowed my eyes at the boys, who stood in front of me, blocking the hallway.
"Don't be so cold." They cooed before laughing loudly. I took a step back cautiously, a chill running down my spine. All the teachers and students went off to lunch, none of my friends were with me. I'm dead meat.
"What's with that terrified look? Hm?" One of them grabbed my arm before I could run, grasping me so hard I winced from the pain.
"Let go." I demanded, throwing my arm around wildly, trying to lose the grip.
"Come on," They whined playfully. "Let's have some fun."
"Sorry," Another hand grabbed my free arm gently. "There's no fun here." I stared wide-eyed at Natsume, who had a hard look on his face. The boys evidently backed off, their face showed fear.
"W-We're sorry, Natsume. W-We didn't know..." They trailed off, taking a few steps back. Impressive, I thought. Who knew popularity had that kind of influence?
"Well now you know. Scram." The boys nodded furiously before turning on their heals and running, almost tripping on the way. Natsume's released his grip on me and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
"You okay?" I nodded dumbly, awestricken by how he saved me. He would have never done that in the past no matter what happened to me, even if it happened right in front of him.
He gave me a grin before he headed towards the cafeteria. I stood there for a few minutes, the gears in my head turning but no matter how I looked at the situation, it was weird. I couldn't stop the red tint from painting my cheeks and my heart from beating twice as hard.
I sat there, at the very back corner of the cafeteria, where it was darkest and least crowded, along with my friends—our friends—just laughing and talking.
Koko and Kitsu were doing something stupid again, the girls gossiping while everyone else were engrossed in their own conversations.
"Mikan?" I stared blankly at Nono and Anna as they asked me something, but I didn't pay attention to anything they said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Natsume staring at me, and he wasn't even hiding it. We made eye contact, and he gave me a flirtatious smirk, making my face turn tomato red.
It's just another day.
Yes, it was just another day.
How was it? The ending was...not really sad, not really happy, I guess. Did they end up together? Hehe, guess. Or maybe I could add some more chapters but it's all up to my readers! Oh no I'm procrastinating again. I seriously need to write up my chapter for my other story, Bite, after this.
Please R&R!