Author's Note: Hi! Thank you to ruin princess, 101MikanSana101, claireponcherrii, Spotedleaf, and dominiqueanne (that person is awesome, she reviewed twice…lol) since they reviewed… I hope you like this chapter… ; p

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Mikan's P.O.V

Uh-oh, that wasn't good… Hotaru and Natsume were having a stare down. That sucked because if Hotaru lost and I made a single peep, I'd be totally dead. Actually, I'll be worse than dead if that's possible.

I sulked to myself as I glared out of the window with my arms crossed at my chest. I felt my pigtails swaying around gently, now I'm mad… My hair was acting like it didn't have a care in the world and I'm here all mad.

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Hotaru's P.O.V

I grinned mentally as I saw my surroundings through side glances. I saw Mikan's reaction at Natsume's and mine stare down… She's good like that; she would give me space when I need it and attack me when I'm better…

Natsume's crimson red eyes were irritating me to death, I mean seriously, most guys would be backing off by now…

Was he some weirdo alien? Wasn't he scared, scratch that, petrified of Hotaru Imai, the renown Ice Queen of the States?

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Natsume's P.O.V

I could feel my crimson eyes twitching… Jeez, that girl with crop black hair and violet eyes was so stubborn! I could see that burning edge in her violet eyes that told me that she was challenging me.

Didn't she get the concept that I'm not some sissy who's going to back down from the challenge?

UGH! American girls were BAKA! Girls in general were BAKA!

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I briefly looked at the guy putting a hand on my shoulder with the corners of my eyes.

"Hn?" I grunted to my "dad."

"Well, son, we reached home," my dad paused, "you should help the girls with their luggage… I have to go see the school board right now…"

I broke the stare down and jumped out of the car.

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Hotaru's P.O.V

Muwhahaha! Yes! He broke the stare first, so I WIN! I'm so special…

I walked out of the car, in an effort to show him that as his lost, he needed to get my luggage and drag it around until I stop.

He's lucky he got off the leash so easily…

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Natsume's P.O.V

NO! That proved my point that ALL girls were evil. Mikan was okay, I guess because at least SHE tried to carry her suitcases, but that Hotaru!

She walked away, expecting me to follow her like a maid with one hand on her suitcase! God, I'm a MAN and THE Natsume Hyuuga! People are supposed to wait on me, not the other way around!

My God! That really pissed me off; that violet eyed girl walked right next to Mikan that was struggling to carry her own luggage and effortlessly carried it! That girl then smirked at me and walked away with my "sister."

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Mikan's P.O.V

"Hotaru, give me back my suitcase!" I whined lightly at my best friend. I wonder what urged her to carry my suitcase…

"No," that was her simple reply.

I let the subject go, but somehow I felt like the purpose of her carrying my suitcase was for an evil cause. I mean, Hotaru isn't really the type to do random acts of kindness you know? There is a reason behind her actions… Always.

"C'mon! Please, please, with a lizard on top?" I whimpered. I said lizard because Hotaru just loved lizards…

She glared at me as I said, "I KNOW you're planning something evil so either give me that luggage or spill the beans!"

Hotaru's face stayed unchanging as she responded, "I'm doing this because you'd have less chances of tripping over thin air."

"Hooootaru!" I squealed with joy since this was her first time actually stating that she cared for me as I jumped for her. She briskly walked out of the spot and I fell, face first.

"You are a baka!" she remarked, "See? Even when I take some load off you, you still trip over nothing."

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Hotaru's P.O.V

Her eyes watered as she started to sniffed, "Hotaru, that's not fair! You're the one who moved out of the way!"

"So? You're the one that wanted to hug me," I shrugged as if she was to blame. Which she technically was.

I felt bad because I kept lying to her about why I wanted the suitcase… I wanted it because I could feel Natsume's irritation grow and grow.

I swirled around to see that Natsume was walking right behind us, only about 4 feet away.

I looked directly at him and asked, "Where are our rooms?"

"Hmm, uh… Hotaru?" Mikan started to stuttered, while interrupting Natsume who had open his mouth, probably just to say some snappy comment.

"HN, yeah?" I asked her, while keeping my eyes trained on Natsume.

"Watch out!" she shrieked as she pushed me aside.

I looked around in a daze, what just happened?

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Ending Notes: Sorry, I can't get enough of cliffhangers… ; p but like always, REVIEW and REVIEW!! ; p love reading them and it helps me feel better (sick with a sore throat) Oh! And btw, I'll talk more about Mikan and Natsume, and Hotaru's past later on, so deal with me please….