True Smiles
Disclaimer- I don't own Gakuen Alice…
Time seemed to stand still as Ai was waiting for her answer. Everyone was frozen, as if by an invisible block of ice that had captured the fleeting moment when they were afraid.
Narumi-sensei was the first to regain control, "We ran out of elementary girl's uniforms… It's just temporary."
She grabbed at the uniform and began to change. When she took off her sweatshirt, a couple of pins fell out. A frog, a puppy, and a pig picture were embedded in them.
Ai picked up the pins, fastened the frog to the collar of her new uniform, and handed her old clothes over to Narumi-sensei.
"I think…I think…" Ai began to say, "I think I like this place!"
She cracked a true smile for the first time since arriving.
The tension disappeared and now everyone was smiling.
"That's great, Ai-chan," Narumi-sensei said, the color returning to his face," But first, you'll have to pass the entrance exam during your week of temporary stay, hmm?"
Mikan-san's smile faded.
"Don't worry, Mikan-san," Ai said, walking over to stand by her, "I already know what the entrance exam is! All we have to do is be nice, make friends, and be accepted by the class! Then they judge how you do and then they determine your Alice Level! Isn't that right, Narumi-sensei?"
"Of course, you two, it'll be easy! The exam is nothing to worry about at all!"
"Excuse me, sir." A voice said from outside the closed door," We're the class presidents from Elementary Division Class B. May we come in?"
Narumi-sensei struck a pose and exclaimed, "Ai-chan, Mikan-chan. Meet your classmates."
In came a boy and a girl, elegantly gliding towards them. Ai knew they couldn't be anyone but…Imai-san and Inchou-san.
Ai managed to get a "Hello, Imai-san" before Mikan began to hyperventilate.
"HOTARU, I MISSED YOU SOOOOO MUCH!" Mikan-san exclaimed, "AI-SAN AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!"
Ai looked away, embarrassed to be a part of Mikan-san's plan.
Mikan-san went closer to Imai-san while Imai-san backed away.
Inchou-san began to speak, "So…you guys are really best friends?"
"Not really, I was kind of 'adopted' into the whole 'friend' thing. But Imai-san and Mikan-san, they're the real deal, best friends to the end, even if it doesn't look like it." Ai-san said, looking away from the pair,
"It's really weird for me most of the time, I just get included.
We're the 'Terrible Threesome'. Imai-san is smart, Mikan-san is friendly, and I'm the ornery one that holds the friendship together."
