AN: Here we are again with another chappie to satisfy your cravings! We are sorry though if this chap is short and if we didn't update earlier. Thanks for all of your reviews! We do accept flames...tell us if we have any mistakes so we could change it for some other chaps to come! Well, sorry too if we made Ruka the bad-boy in the 1st chappie...We're terribly sorry for all Ruka fans! Well, on with the chap!

Jealousy Hurts

Chapter 2: The Cat Out of the Bag

By the time the flashback past through Mikan's mind, she ran back to her room. (Let's say she found her way back) The next day, the usual thing happened...But she felt kinda better. She wasn't sad anymore. She didn't know why...no one new why...

She opened their classroom door and greeted her best friend, Hotaru

"Good morning Hotaru!" Mikan happily and excitedly greeted. She jumped and ran to Hotaru to hug her. She always did that EVERY SINGLE DAY...yeap...she had that much energy...

"Get away from me..." Hotaru said. In that instant, she brought out her "baka" gun and shot Mikan, leaving Mikan to the corner of the room with pieces of debris falling to her head.

"Ahh...ouch..."Mikan said and twitched her shoulders and legs.

"I can't feel my self Hotaru! (laughs) help me up!" Mikan jokingly said.

"Never will I will...I don't wanna touch your hand..." Hotaru coldly said.

"Oh come on Hotaru...You're so cruel..." Yue said as he closed the door.

"You're 'baka' gun could be heard from the gym!" Yue added, and then he chuckled...

"It's to keep Mikan away from me." Hotaru said with no emotions.

Mikan and Yue just sighed and sat down...knowing that they couldn't change Hotaru's attitude.

The bell then rang...signaling that all students should be in the classroom. Mikan turned around to see if all students were there. One wasn't...of course it would be...Natsume...

Mikan still heard footsteps from the corridors...'Maybe Natsume's not that far from here...argh...I better catch him!'

She stood up from her seat but then stopped, 'oh never mind...he wouldn't listen to me anyway...that dumb Natsume...ARGH!' Mikan said to herself. She sat down again...

The teacher then came in. He wrote a sentence on the blackboard without even saying anything...Well, maybe it wasn't really a sentence...but a phrase. It said:

"NEW MATH PROJECT"

Then he underlined the word 'Math' once so it looked like this:

"NEW MATH PROJECT"

Half of the class yawned and half of that half said "NO!"

"All of you will be paired...no one will have no partner" the teacher said

The teacher then explained next what to do in the project.

"I wonder who my partner will be..." Mikan thought to herself.

"I have here a box, and you will pick out a piece of paper. Your partner's name will be there. Only the girls will pick out papers." Then the teacher brought out a box.

"I hope I get Hotaru as my partner!" Mikan thought with a big content smile, almost reaching her ears!

It was then Mikan's turn. She stood up and picked any folded paper. She then went back to her seat and opened the paper that said:

----Ruka Nogi----

Mikan's life then broke into pieces. Her body sank into the deep oceans...poor, poor Mikan...

"Okay, now I suppose every girl has their papers now...go to your partners in any place and decide on how you guys would make it creative" then the teacher left.

Mikan didn't want to stand up or anything...She just wanted to freeze time. She leaned her head to the left and saw that Ruka was approaching her.

"Mikan, I suppose we're partners...no other pair is left in the classroom. Oh and... we need to talk...let's go to the gym." Ruka said.

"Err------I--ah------okay..." Mikan stammered.

---------- In the gym ----------

Ruka let Mikan sit and face him.

"You see Mikan, I------I-----"Ruka started to stammer.

"What?" Mikan said. Releasing all of her nervousness in one heavy sigh.

"I LIKE YOU!" Ruka said swiftly, not believing he already said it to Mikan.

"I like you too Ruka, You are my friend..."Mikan said with a slight smile on her face.

"NO! I mean more than a friend!" Ruka corrected the innocent girl.

"What!" Mikan thought. Her eyes widened. Ruka's eyes cut straight into Mikan's She could feel Ruka's intense glare. It took forever to get all of the things and words altogether. Mikan's throat had somewhat like a knot. She couldn't swallow it all into herself. Not now, she was too surprised...too surprised to take it all.

No sound came from Mikan's mouth even though she opened it. Mikan's chest felt like a load of bricks was piled on it. Darn was it heavy!

"Uh...Ruka you see...I----ah------"Mikan wasn't able to continue when Ruka interrupted her.

"I see that you're having a hard time deciding...I can give you time. Think about it well." Ruka said. With that, he headed back to for the classroom. Leaving Mikan dumbfounded.

The next morning in Mikan's room, the morning sunshine spread across the dark and dusty room. She would have to think on Ruka's question well...That is...if she didn't want to lose friends...

---------- End of Chapter 2----------