Disclaimer: Do not own Gakuen Alice and never will.
P.S I will not repeat this again so get this disclaimer in your head.
Anyone who is a fan of Indie Rock, be sure to check out Razorlight (my fave band.)
Sorry if this chapter disappoints you, my eyes twitching (I had a total of 4-5 hours sleep for the past two nights.)
And not so long ago I collapsed on my sofa due to over-exhaustion.
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Chapter 3 – The Start of Something Terrible
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If there is one thing Class B of the middle branch is famous and most capable of it is definitely gossiping.
"Koko, did you hear? Our new classmate is coming today."
"I heard the teacher say that it is a girl."
Nonoko joined in, "I heard someone say that they saw her coming out of the car last night when they looked out of the window."
Whilst the class joined in their babbling and added the pieces of information they knew a certain boy decided to confront a girl, known as Imai Hotaru.
Meanwhile, the raven-haired girl sat in her own seat, lost in her own thoughts.
She was worried about her best friend, because Hotaru just realized that the letter was written to her almost 2 months ago, and lots of things could have happened during that time.
I haven't seen you for a long time Hotaru; send me a picture of yourself.
Hotaru sighed. Even though she hated to admit it, she missed her airhead of a best friend.
"Oi." A cold voice broke her from her thoughts.
The class watched for free entertainment.
"This best friend of yours," she looked at him, "she's an Alice, isn't she?"
Hotaru froze on the spot. How did he know?
The class gasped.
She looked at the floor to avoid eye contact, "What are you talking about? If she was an Alice she would be in this school by now."
Natsume gave her an I-don't-believe-you look.
The conversation was cut short when Narumi decided to come in with the new student. Hotaru has never been so thankful in her life.
Hotaru sighed in relieve whilst Natsume cursed "tch" due to frustration and the class looked at the new student but they couldn't see her properly.
The girl looked down at the floor, she didn't want to meet anyone's stare. She had long hair but it was a bit disheveled and fuzzy and it covered her face so they can't really distinguish her features.
Her uniform looked a bit untidy. Her shirt is tucked out of her skirt (you can see it hanging out beneath the blazer) and her blazer is unbuttoned and her tie was hanging loosely around her neck.
"Meet your new classmate, Sakura Mikan."
Everyone gasped and Natsume's eyes widened.
"Mikan" Hotaru said quietly but it made Mikan looked at her, "Hotaru?" she whispered.
But the state of her made the class wonder. They just thought she was being arrogant by not looking at them directly but her face that she was hiding…her face was pale and she had a big bruise on her leg and a small one on her right cheek and her eyes radiate 'fear'.
They were all thinking of the same thing but no one was dense and insensitive enough to say it, except for one…
"Is she like this when you found her, sensei?"
Narumi was stuck with what to say and Mikan quickly looked down and mumbled, "Excuse me." And she quickly walked out of the door.
Narumi looked worriedly at her retreating figure then the door slammed tightly shut.
It must have been a sensitive subject. The class thought.
Well, at least Hotaru doesn't have to worry about her anymore. Mikan is just in front of her. But then, nothing good will come out of this situation.
Because Hotaru knew her best friend swore never to step a foot inside the Academy.
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"Have you heard that the new student locked herself in her room. She hasn't come out for the past week. The teachers are getting really worried about her."
Hotaru flinched as she heard those words during her walk in the corridor.
Yuu who was at her side the whole time asked her, "You are her best friend. Why don't you comfort her?"
She looked emotionless but Yuu knew that she was worried, "Because how can I do that if I don't know what's wrong with her."
"You can find out. Maybe Koko knows something."
He didn't even finish his sentence. Hotaru has already left him and took off with her Duck Scooter. The first thing she did when she reached the classroom was to confront Koko.
She was determined, she didn't even notice that the class was watching her every move.
She took out her Baka Gun and aimed it Point Blanc at Koko.
"What's wrong with Mikan?"
Koko scratched his head nervously.
"I don't know…" Hotaru placed the gun even closer to his head, if that's even possible. Koko was pushed to answer her. "But all I know what's that she was about to commit suicide if Narumi didn't stop her."
Hotaru dropped her Baka Gun due to the shock.
The class couldn't believe what they heard. From the picture they saw they couldn't believe that she would do that. She looked…happy.
Hotaru turned around and rushed out of the classroom at once. She continued searching until she found who she was looking for.
"Narumi-sensei, tell me what happened to Mikan."
Her face was blank but somehow Narumi felt frightened by it.
"Very well, seeing that she's your best friend maybe you could do something."
"When we found her she was about to be gang raped and then she tried to commit suicide but I stopped her."
Hotaru couldn't believe what she's hearing. But she knew Mikan well, Mikan wouldn't seek death just for that reason, there must be something else and that just helped her to that conclusion.
"Narumi-sensei, please excuse me from lessons today."
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Knock Knock…the door creaked open by itself.
Hotaru walked into the room to find it bathing in absolute darkness.
The curtains were shut closed and the atmosphere of the room in general was…gloomy.
She walked through the room with only one aim…
A trembling figure could be seen rocking herself on her bed.
The wooded floor creaked, making the trembling figure look up at its culprit.
"H-Hotaru?"
"Mikan."
Hotaru walked up to her slowly and when she got there she hugged Mikan around the head.
"I know." Hotaru said simply to answer the question in Mikan's head.
"Hotaru…"
And Mikan started crying her heart out on Hotaru's shoulder.
"You don't have to keep it to yourself anymore."
"H-Hotaru, it's just that since you and Grandpa left me it seems like my whole existence has no purpose. I can't even protect myself."
"Mikan…" Hotaru wiped the tears away on her face.
"I just didn't want to continue living like that."
"I-I don't want to be alone anymore." She cried even more.
Once again Hotaru held her head and brought her down to weep on her shoulder.
"It's okay. I'm here now."
Those simple words re-assured every worry in Mikan's head.
It's okay now. Everything is okay, she can live how she wants to…for now.
And that night, Mikan stopped crying because she found what she was looking for.
The hole that she felt was slowly filling up again.
The emptiness that she felt was slowly easing away.
Because now she knows that she's not alone.
Mikan held onto Hotaru's hand tighter as they slept next to each other on her bed.
But what would happen if they take her away…it would leave her feeling emptier than ever.
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