I'm very sorry it took me a couple of days to update. :c

I had this big project in my Digital Media class and I just finished it
so now I'll probably update again tomorrow or Sunday! ^^

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor ever will, own Gakuen Alice.

Summary: Ruka and Natsume were poorly treated hot bodyguards, awaiting their next customer, who happens to be Mikan Sakura. Natsume believes that this is another girl like before. Ruka thinks otherwise.

CHAPTER 14: TIME FOR THE MID-TERMS.

Wednesday.

Usually it's a day of celebrating the week being half over. However, at Alice Academy this Wednesday was full of loud groans and whines. Yep, you guessed it.

It's mid-terms day.

Although no one was happy with the mid-terms, Mikan was quite content, she studied all weekend plus Monday and Tuesday with Natsume. She was glad he helped her and she was feeling smart already!

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!

Mikan felt three familiar baka bullets hit the back of her head, sending her face right into the desk. Wincing in pain, she slowly pulled her head up and gently touched her nose, flinching in pain and noticing the blood on her fingers. Glaring, she turned to none other than Hotaru.

"Hotaru, that was actually very mean."

"Ignoring someone when they're calling out to you is mean." Mikan sighed, she couldn't help it that she was day dreaming, "What is it, Hotaru?"

"You ready for the mid-terms?" Mikan's expression slowly changed back to the cheery face she always wore. With one nod of the head, she smiled, "Yep!"

"Nogi told me that Hyuuga helped you study. Is that true?"

"Yeah, I was a bit shocked also-"

"Who wouldn't be? He was teaching YOU."

"-but I feel a lot smarter now!"

"Good because then my hard work would have been for nothing." Turning her head to the side, she noticed Natsume and Ruka, who were now sitting down, "Where were you two?"

"Bathroom, stupid. We're humans too."

"Oh gosh, Mikan, what happened to your nose?!"

Mikan blinked at Ruka's sudden outburst. Slowly, she touched her nose again and raised up her finger, noticing much more blood was on it. Wow, Hotaru really has some power in that baka gun of hers.

"The baka gun, that's what happened." Mikan rolled her eyes as Ruka looked over at Hotaru, who was still holding her baka gun as she let a small smirk take over her face, causing Ruka to sweat drop, "Imai, you're scary."

"I know, Nogi, no need to tell me." Ruka looked over to Mikan again, "Here, Mikan, I have some tissues." Slowly, he took out a pack of tissues, pulled one of the thin white cloths out and walked over to the brunette, "Don't move okay?" He gently began to dab the tissue over her bloody nose.

Mikan slightly blushed at the close contact, but it vanished when he touched a sensitive spot and she winced, "Ouch!"

"Oh, sorry, Mikan."

"It's alright, I'm fine!" Smiling, Ruka continued to dab the rest of the blood away, totally unaware of the furious crimson eyes glaring into his back.

In the end Ruka couldn't stop all the blood so Mikan went to the nurse for help. About five minutes later she returned, smiling happily as usual, "I'm back!" Ruka smiled as he noticed all the traces of blood off her face, "Did the nurse help?"

"Yep!"

Hotaru shook her head, "You need to stop getting injuries all the time, dummy." This statement caused Mikan's mouth to gap, "But you were the one who shot my head into the desk!"

"I did. However, you are accident prone, so you better get that fixed." Mikan rolled her eyes and giggled, "Alright, I'll talk to the nurse about it, then!"

Mikan realized through the mist of all this, Natsume hasn't really said anything. Slowly, she glanced over to him, he was reading his manga and (for some odd reason) kept occasionally glaring at Ruka, who was totally unaware.

"Uhm, Natsume?" The boy blinked and turned to the girl, keeping the same stoic expression, "What?"

"Are you mad at Ruka?"

"Tch, why would I be?"

"You keep glaring at him." Ruka turned towards the two and looked over to his friend, "You have? Gee, did I do something to make you mad, Natsume?"

"Tch, you didn't do anything, this idiot is just hallucinating from that kiss with the desk." Mikan glared, "I am not hallucinating!"

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are, stupid."

"No I'm not you-"

"You both better shut up or I'm going to make sure you both kiss the desk." Mikan glanced over at her best friend, who was now pointing the baka gun at her, and she immediately flinched, looking away from Natsume, "Alright, alright, there. We stopped."

Hotaru lowered her baka gun before finally putting it away, glancing at the clock, "It's going to be time for the mid-terms soon. The bell is about to ring." Mikan looked up at the clock as well. Hotaru was right, it was about five minutes until the bell rung.

"Ah, I'm starting to get a bit nervous..."

"You are just being a big baby." Mikan glared at Natsume, who was back to reading his manga, and pointed a finger at him, "Who are you to say that when you are just lazing around reading a comic book!" Natsume seemed to be offended by Mikan insulting his precious manga and he turned to glare at her, "It's called manga."

"Yeah, sure, and I'm called Mikan, but I don't hear you saying my name!"

"That's because your name is stupid."

"I swear I'm going to-"

"Clam it, Sakura, can't you just see that Natsume is right?" Mikan turned and her eyes narrowed as she saw Sumire standing there, smirking. Yes, Permy was in the same homeroom as she was. Luna wasn't and she silently thanked god about that.

"What do you mean he's right?"

"Your name is really stupid. It's a pain to even say it."

"What? How is it-"

"Whatever Natsume says is right, Sakura, so you better live with it. Just because me and Luna got threatened by your so-called 'friends' I'm not going to let you go easy." Hotaru was now glaring at her, placing her hand on her pocket just in case she needed the baka gun. Like she said before, no one insults Mikan but her. Oh, and Natsume.

Speaking of Natsume, he didn't like the idea of Sumire calling Mikan's name stupid, that was his job, and to have someone agree over it so easily made him mad. Truth to speak, he didn't think Mikan's name was so ba-

RING! RING! RING!

The bell rung and Mr. Narumi walked- well frolicked inside the classroom, smiling, "Good morning, class! I'm sure you've all heard that the mid-terms are today-" Loud groans and whines, "-so we're going to get into our test seats and separate so no one cheats! I'll give you two minutes."

The class began to walk around, seating themselves a bit far from each person. Mikan glared as Sumire walked off with a smirk on her face, she didn't even get to finish arguing!

Sighing, Mikan turned to Hotaru and smiled lightly, "Good luck, Hotaru! Ruka, Natsume, you two don't have to take it right, what will you do?" Ruka smiled a bit, "I'm actually going to take it and see what your school's tests are like." Natsume rolled his eyes, "I'm going to read my manga, what else?"

Mikan slowly nodded, "I see. Good luck, Ruka!"

Ruka knew that Sumire's words hurt deep inside, however, she still can smile, which is what he lov- admired about her. "Uhm, Mikan, sorry about what Shouda said-"

"Don't worry! I'm alright!" Mikan smiled lightly at the blonde, however, he could tell by her eyes that she wasn't really fine. In fact, he figured she might even cry if there was no one around.

"Alright, Mikan... if you're sure-"

"Trust me, I am!" She kept cutting him off, he knew she just wanted to end this conversation.

"Anyways, good luck, Mikan." Ruka smiled at her.

"Good luck, dummy." Hotaru gave her friend a small hit on the head, causing her to giggle slightly, "Thanks guys!" Then Hotaru and Ruka walked to their testing seats.

"Hey, Polka-dots, you better pass or I'm going to have to hurt you.." Mikan turned to Natsume and frowned a bit, but soon covered it up with a fake smile, "Don't worry, I promise I will try my best!"

Slowly, she began to make her way to her seat, until a voice called out to her, "Oh, and idiot?" Glaring, she slowly turned to Natsume, "What is it?"

...

"Good luck."

And that's when she fully smiled at him.

CHAPTER 14: END.

I'm a bit glad this chapter came out a bit longer, since I owe
all of you guys a huge apology! I'm so sorry once again for not
updating soon enough. D:

See ya next chapter!

~!Peace!~