Disclaimer: No matter how hard I try, I will never own Gakuen Alice.

I will also never own Thirteen Reasons Why or the random manga that I read in the library, which is why I credit it as my inspiration.

Author's Note: Once again, sorry, sorry and sorry for degrading the characters that I chose from Gakuen Alice.

Also, sorry about my OOC-ness, because I happen to be really bad at staying in character. :P Well, hope you like it anyways.


Ruka Nogi couldn't sleep through the entire night. He didn't know whether it was his emotional conflict, or whether it was because he just couldn't get her picture out of his head. Either way, his pulsing hand almost hurt as much as the headache that he developed and he agreed with his body to stay at home.

And yet, the back of his mind told him, that he mustn't stay at home, only because Hotaru Imai had done that. He knew very well that walking away from his problems would only cause him more conflict. Reluctantly, with that in mind, Ruka Nogi got ready to go to school.

The moment that he walked into the room, he knew he was uninvited. Everyone growled at him angrily, their gaze uninterrupted until the moment he sat down. He took a peek at Natsume, who was in his usual spot, sitting next to Mikan. Slowly, Ruka started to understand what Hotaru Imai was talking about.

Ruka Nogi and Natsume Hyuuga's eyes met for a moment, and what can only be described as awkwardness followed. To ease the pain, Ruka quickly found something else to focus his attention, which was the back of a certain 'Permy' that everyone knew. She noticed him:

'Oh, hi Ruka. I know that everyone thinks that you hit Natsume across the face, but I believe that you weren't the one at fault. After all, I am the president of your fan club…' But after that, to Ruka, the words seemed indecipherable. He stood there and nodded, grasping the headphones in his backpack. He waited for her to finish her monologue, and then retreated to his seat.

His ears were waiting for the voice of Hotaru, and for the comfort of the headphones to his ear. As soon as he got a glimpse of free time, he quickly put it on, and listened attentively.

I guess you're bored of me already. But hold on, the good part's just about to come.

Again, I'll tell you this: I'm not here to be pitied. In fact, if you want to hate me, do so freely.

Sumire Shouda.

Every time I think of how this possibly could have happened, I never forget to mention your name. I don't know why you hated me, and to be honest, I didn't hate you back.

But it was what you did, what you said, that got me into where I am now.

You took that picture of me taking a punch at Hyuuga, didn't you? You're always that girl who stays behind for a little while until little Natsume falls asleep. Honestly, I have to say I'm proud of you. To be able to take such blackmail-worthy shots, it requires a lot of talent and luck. And you had a lot of both.

Oh, I can guess what you were thinking when you took that shot. Maybe something along the lines of: 'I'm going to kill that freak for laying her hands on dear Natsume', or 'She really thinks she's worthy of hurting Natsume?'

So I guess that's what you were thinking when you sold those shots, too.

The next day, I got released from the hospital. I walked into the classroom and can already sense the emotional barrier that everyone had with me. Suddenly, I could hear people talking behind my back:

'Watch out for that Ice Queen.' 'The moment that she looks at you, you'll turn into stone.' 'I heard she ate her own parents in her backyard after chopping them up.'

I shook it off, not believing that it was me that they were talking about. After all, how could it be? I was supposed to be respected, cared for.

Lunchtime was normal, and I realized that once again I sat alone. I glanced around and found that Mikan, Nogi and even Tobita had left already. So I didn't bother with trying to sit next to someone. I carefully opened up my lunchbox.

Suddenly, I found that little ants and cockroaches were streaming out. I was in shock, and my hands could not stop shaking nervously. It was like clockwork, how everyone laughed and pointed at me at the same time.

'I guess she forgot to fry them today!' 'Do they look even more delicious alive, Imai?' 'You like a challenge, don't you?' 'Eew, do you always catch your food?'

No, that couldn't have been it, and Ruka thought about it for a second. How was it possible for him to miss that kind of bullying?

And the one thing that popped through my mind was not 'Oh God, help me', but rather: 'who was that familiar looking face that was smiling at the back?'

I found it suspicious, because, after all: who would wear gloves during a math class? Out of the blue, it dawned to me. Of course, it was someone who couldn't possibly get her hands dirty. Of course, it was someone who had to hate me.

Of course, it was someone like you.

After they started calling me an Ice Queen and a heartless freak, because of my insecurity, I believed them. Maybe this was the time that I stopped wanting to go to school. For once in my life, I was afraid. Afraid that they would call me names, afraid that they would hurt me. But most of all, I was afraid that when the worst things happened, no one would be there to save me.

Ruka looked up at Sumire Shouda, and called her to come closer.

'Hey Shouda, can I ask you a question?'

Because of you

'Yeah, sure, Ruka. Anything.'

I couldn't face the world as Hotaru.

'Did you ever put bugs in Imai's lunch?'

Nobody wanted to approach me

Sumire Shouda was silent for a while, as Hotaru continued.

And because of you,

'U-um, well, just once, because I was angry that she hurt Natsume. You would be, too, right?'

I felt ashamed to be myself.

'Sure I guess.' Ruka managed to mumble, and faltered back into his seat.

There, he took two small breaths, and slammed his head on the table. He mustered all of his strength, and whispered:

'I'm so sorry, Imai.'

His head on the desk, he knew that it was useless to speak to her now.

But he wished, somehow, wherever she was, those words would reach her.


Author's Note: Wow… I made that pretty quickly, I think. -_- And it was short. It's no good, and I have no idea where I'm going with this. Well, I hope you like it more than I do.

BTW, again, I'm sorry about this chapter. Feel free to hate it if you want. I love Sumire, I really do. And I'm thinking of making a fic about her alone.

I may not be able to update for a while after this, because I'm starting to get pretty busy. But I'll try my best. :)