Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Gakuen Alice character...sigh

Tai - wow! A new story

Maia - don't you still have another one to finish?

katreena - don't remind me...

Chapter One

Mikan awoke to the warm rays of the sun hitting her face. She turned away from her window only to be greeted by her friend, Hotaru standing at her door waiting for her. It had been five years since they had arrived at Alice Academy and things were finally going Mikan's way. She was now a 'triple star' and the teachers had held more respect for her, even though Jin-Jin would occasionally look at her like she didn't deserve to be there. He never used to pick on her as much and chose to focus most of his sneering comments to the younger students. Which was a good thing for Mikan.

Over the years, she had grown out of her child like habits. She wouldn't burst into the room and run up to Hotaru, attempting and failing on many occasions to hug her. Her hair had grown longer and instead of tying it up, she chose to let it hang loose down her back. Mikan sat up in her bed, stretching her sore muscles.

"Hurry up Mikan. You're going to be late," Hotaru said in her monotone voice. Mikan grumbled. She didn't want to get up, not yet at least. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. Hotaru had all ready left to go and eat breakfast with the other Alice students. She had changed as well.

She still spent most of her time in her lab, inventing new things to torture other students with and she always managed to get pictures of Ruka in compromising positions and using those to blackmail him. How could she not? It was just way too tempting and besides, she had her reasons. Only Mikan knew them though. Like Mikan, her hair had also grown but only up to shoulder length. Her beautiful purple eyes held a bit more emotion in them and she wouldn't hit Mikan as much. Again, another good thing for Mikan.

Speaking of which, she was still in her room getting ready for school. After brushing her hair and making sure there was nothing on her teeth, she packed her bag for her first lesson with Narumi-sensei. She had learnt to control her Alice a while back but didn't like to use it unless it was necessary. Looking over her shoulder, she heard the alarm go off on her clock. Sighing, she packed her bag quickly and ran out of the building. She didn't want to be late, not for the first lesson of the new term. Running up the stairs of the school was no big thing for her. She does it on pretty much on a daily basis.

Swiping her hair away from her eyes and opening the door, she walked into a loud classroom. Students all around her were using their Alices. Looking around, Mikan spotted Hotaru sitting at her desk with a screw driver in her hand and fixing up one of her smaller inventions.

"Hi Hotaru," she voiced happily to her friend. Hotaru simply nodded her head in acknowledgment. Mikan leant against the desk after placing her beg beside her chair.

"Hey Hotaru," she started. Hotaru gave a quiet nod to show she was listening, "wouldn't it be great to go back to the country? I would love to see Grandpa again." Hotaru nodded.

"Yeah, it would."

The opening of the door signaled the arrival of another student. Mikan looked up in time to see a very annoyed looking Natsume enter the room. She didn't even bother to greet him. He never answers back anyway. She gave up trying to talk to him a while ago and since then, they hadn't even looked at each other, let alone hold a decent conversation. She let him pass without letting out a peep. Over the years, they had formed a sort of agreement; to stay out of each others' way. They were fine with this but it was sort of disturbing to see from other people. It wasn't right to see Mikan not talking to someone.

Natsume sat down beside Ruka and rested his feet on the table. Closing his eyes, he let his head lean back against the back of the seat. He was tired. He had been up all night thinking. Everytime he closed his eyes, he would see images. Pictures of when he was younger and in the Elementary Branch of the Academy. Instead of all the bad memories, he would see the good times. All the people who cared about him and helped him had embedded themselves in his mind but none no more so than a certain brown haired girl. He opened his amber eyes to stare at her. She was talking to Imai and Iinchou. Smiling and laughing with them. He never really understood why no matter what came her way, Mikan always managed to smile.

He tried to understand but he came up with more questions than anything else so he decided that the subject of Sakura Mikan was way too complicated to understand. Though no matter how many times he told himself he would stop thinking about her, the one thing he would have on his mind for the rest of the day was her. He remembered all those times he was able to see her underwear and he smiled. Those were really funny times. Ruka saw the small smile on his face but decided to confront him about it later. If he guessed right, it had something to do with Mikan. He looked down at the rabbit in his arms and pet his small head.

Narumi-sensei finally entered as the students went to sit at their seats. Mikan sat down, feeling a slight shiver run up her spine. If she had bothered to look around, she would have noticed a set of fiery amber eyes staring at her.

The lesson went by with nothing much happening. Most of the students were bored and some even fell asleep. Narumi noticed but didn't feel it were necessary to speak up just yet. Mikan had her head resting against her hand with the elbow on the table. She had stopped listening to Narumi-sensei a while ago and was now just drawing random pictures in her book. She had a free period next (not sure for real so I'm just guessing they get free periods) and intended to spend it catching up on much needed sleep. She loved to sleep outside and let the warm sun rays hit her face, relaxing her tense muscles. She sighed happily just thinking about it. Mikan looked up and took a quick glance at the clock.

Ten more minutes and she would be dreaming about going back home and introducing all her friends to her Grandpa. Hotaru, Iinchou, Tsubasa, Misaki, Ruka, Natsume...She snapped out of her thoughts right there. What the heck was she doing thinking about Natsume? She shook her head and mentally slapped herself. She was loosing it and it was still the first day of the term. No. It was the first period of the first day of the term. Mikan knew she was going to have a hard time concentrating. Natsume hadn't been concentrating since Narumi-sensei walked into the room.

He looked up again and stared at the back of Mikan's head. He hair had grown and he liked how she let it down like that. She looked so much older and prettier. She had changed since the first time he saw her. She was so whiny then. A real cry baby but now, she had matured. She still says some things that just aren't meant to be said but she wouldn't cry over the smallest of things like she used to do. She would work hard and that was the main thing that Natsume noticed. She had moved up from a no star to a triple star in a matter of a few short years and earned the respect of many of the staff. Narumi-sensei looked up at the clock and decided now was a better time than any to end the lesson.

He might as well spare his students the bore of listening to him talk about who know what. He closed the book he had been reading from and dismissed his students. Everyone was happy to get out of that classroom. No more so than the sleeping students. Hotaru waited for Mikan at the door as they had a free period together. Throughout the years, Hotaru had let Mikan help her around her lab. She wasn't as clumsy as she had been and she really knew how to clean. Mikan walked up to her and smiled. She stared out the window and looked at the Sakura Trees. They were in full bloom now and the petals were gently falling towards the ground.

"I think I'm just gonna go and sit under the Sakura Tree. I'll talk to you later Hotaru." Mikan waved to her friend and ran out of the building. She sat under the tree after laying her bag on the ground. Closing her eyes, she remembered her childhood days in the country. When she and her Grandpa would sit outside under the shade of the tree and enjoy the Spring sun. She lay on the ground on her side with her bag acting as a pillow. She closed her eyes slowly and fell asleep. Natsume was sitting in the tree above Mikan. He watched as she slept and smiled softly to himself. He wouldn't bother her yet.

AN- Well, that's it for the first chapter. If you like it so far and are somewhat intrigued please leave a comment. Any criticism of my work is greatly appreciated too but nothing too hurtful please :(

Maia - well, it is sort of short for a chapter.

Tai - that's true.

katreena - sigh i know but we should let the readers decide...so press the little purple/blue button (pretty please)...