I'm kind of liking this random drabble thing. It's better than making 5 million one shots and shooting my story count up like a psycho woman. Oh, and by the way, I still don't own Gakuen Alice. Don't worry, Plan B is coming up.. BWAHAHA! Anyway, I want people to note that THESE ARE DRABBLES. In case you haven't noticed, THE CHAPTERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER! It's like a one-shot series with a motif. A motif of a character (namely Natsume) getting hurt ;)

03: Shin Kick

Characters: Hyuuga N. Sakura M.

Summary: "I'd rather be happy and poor than rich and miserable!" "Well then, you must be as happy as they get."

Word Count: 2652

The Painful Drabbles

--By: Heartbroken Confession--

Shin Kick

You know what kind of people I hate? I really hate people like Nogi Ruka and his friends. They're popular, fairly(really) good looking, rich, smart, and athletic. Was God giving out hallmarks when I was on vacation or something?

Not to say Ruka's bad or anything. In fact, I used to be best friends with him when I was 5. Our parents were good friends so we'd have little play dates. Good times. But then, that happened. Hyuuga Natsume moved into town. And let me tell you, the world went psycho. Speaking of Hyuuga, he's the kind of person I hate the most. Not only is he popular, godly looking, filthy rich, smart, and athletic. He goes and beats me at everything else I'm good at. He's probably the only person in the entire school who can out-play me on the piano and violin. He's the varsity soccer captain and during our school soccer face off, he beat me, the girl's varsity captain. He also gets better grades than me. And he's undoubtedly more popular than I am, and more of a jerk. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people sitting next to the trash can at lunch talking to myself about vampires and aliens. I'm not extremely popular, but I fair well enough for myself. At least, as well as a scholarship student taking on 2 part time jobs, a varsity sport, and caring for her overachiever mother and alcoholic dad can do.

And I'm also not saying that I hate all popular and rich people. Hotaru, Permy, and Koko being 3 of my best friends and 3 of the most popular people in school makes that hard. But I like to be friends with everyone. From thespians like Nonoko and Yuu, singers like Anna and Kitsuneme, jocks like Nobara, to skaters like Tsubasa.

What I'm trying to say is that I hate conceited, over-their-head jerks like the occasional Nogi Ruka and the 24-7 true to his name Hyuuga Natsume.

"Sakura." Speak of the devil. "The beaker is starting to crack."

Did I mention that Natsume's my lab partner?

Smoothly kicking my stool backwards (getting my foot caught in it by accident, cough, cough) I caught it and set it straight with my heel as I concentrated on turning off the furnace.

Hyuuga scowled at me and turned back to his portion of the lab assignment. I rolled my eyes and went back to doodling in my notebook as the beaker cooled. See, so totally conceited? Okay, well, not at the moment. But trust me, he is. But, couldn't he have turned off the furnace if the beaker was about to crack?

We continued to work in silence and I finished up mixing the contents of the beaker. I handed him the beaker for him to do his portion of the assignment. The other lab partners chatted excitedly about the rest of the day. I sighed and leaned against my arms on the desk. I sent an idle glare at Hyuuga. A few minutes into the glare he looked up from his work and stared at me with a bemused expression. Sighing, he put down his pencil and ruffled his hair.

"Yes, Sakura?" He inquired with a raised brow.

I glanced around as if to check if there was anyone else with the name Sakura. "Er, nothing?"

He rolled his eyes and went back to his work. How unfortunate am I to get him as a lab partner? This year's going to suck.

"Excited for the soccer game today?" I was rather thankful that I didn't sit there ogling at the fact that Hyuuga Natsume-- the Hyuuga Natsume-- just tried to start a conversation. With me. Well, that's just weird.

"Not particularly," I frowned thinking of our opponent. The Zero district's team consisted of some rather unpleasing-- Luna!-- members. The sad part is that she's good at it. Too bad she's too busy eyeballing Natsume. "Well, you do help us win the match," I mused.

He smirked and I immediately regretted thinking out loud. Here comes the conceited side! "I'm flattered that you consider me your good luck charm. I'm surprised, you didn't seem like the type to be subdued to me."

If it makes any sense, I swear that his eyes are laughing at me. I glared.

"But you do need all the help you can get in soccer."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm too busy getting over the fact that I'm being acknowledged by the great Hyuuga to be good at soccer." I replied vehemently.

"You should work on your kick." He shrugged, completely ignoring my sarcasm.

"Oh, you mean like this?!" And then I did it. I kicked Hyuuga Natsume in the shin. As God-damn hard as I could.

He dropped his pencil and groaned; rubbing his leg.

I scoffed. "Watch who you criticize, Hyuuga." I picked up my tote bag and stormed out of the room just as the bell rang.

Yeah, Hyuuga? YOU CAN SUCK IT!

Swoosh.

I wiped a sweat bead off my forehead as I kicked the scoring goal into the net as the buzzer went off.

I grinned and ran up to the rest of my teammates and we began cheering with appropriate school spirit (if you count Wakako Usami pulling down her pants and flashing the other team appropriate). We lined up to exchange high fives and I spent Luna a triumphant smirk. She glared and huffed haughtily; lifting her chin and slapped my hand as hard as she could.

I winced and sprinted forward to finish the high fives as soon as possible. I need a drink of water. Really badly.

I jogged over to the water dispenser and thrash around a bag of plastic cups in an attempt to jiggle one out. I swept up my phone from the side bench and dialed my mom's number, only to get her answering machine.

"Hey, mom, so we won today. I'm going to start walking home now, so I'll be home earlier but I'm going to work so I'll leave you some dinner on the coffee table. I don't think dad's coming home tonight, so you should have a nice, peaceful, free of vomit night! Love you."

"You know, part time jobs are strictly forbidden." I nearly dropped my phone into my cup of water. How was I so careless? Shit. I need both school and the jobs, I can't afford to lose them. This better not be a teacher.

I turned around on my heel only to have hazel meet crimson (ha, I'm so cheesy).

"You better not tell anyone." I attempted in my most intimidating voice.

"Depends, will you kick me?" He scoffed. I glanced down at his left shin and true enough, there was a big black bruise. "I was just kidding about the getting better at soccer thing," He mumbled. I ignored him.

"Uh, well, no--"

"How do you afford it?" I blinked in confusion.

"Afford what?"

"Alice Academy, it's not really in your budget judging on your discussion with your mother."

"It was her answering machine," Not that it really mattered. "And have you never heard of a scholarship?" I thought for a moment. "Actually, someone as rich as you wouldn't understand that."

"Alice Academy doesn't offer full scholarship. Even with the most financial aid you can get, you're paying at least 3 times more than a normal public school."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to be successful when I grow up!" Should I throw my cup at him?

He merely scoffed at me. "Why don't you just save up the money and go to a public school? Or does it make you feel better to be around rich kids?"

Now do you see what I meant about him being a jerk? I must have ran over a puppy in my past life to deserve this.

"Being rich does not mean being happy!" I defended. "I'd rather be happy and poor than rich and miserable!" At this point, I was ready to burst in tears. Knowing Hyuuga, he would tell the school because he hates me so much.

He laughed derisively, "Well then, you must be as happy as they get."

I tossed the plastic cup on the floor in an attempt to hit his shoes and missed. I titled my bangs in front of my eyes to hide the oncoming tears. Slinging the bag over my shoulder I made my way to the exit.

"Don't tell anyone... please," I pleaded one last time before taking my leave.

Hyuuga Natsume is going to be the death of me.

My house is about 5 miles away from Alice Academy. Which means I'll be taking a rather long walk in a dirty uniform, crying tears of mud. Did I mention my hair looks like birds attempted to make a nest in it?

I trudged my feet forward and wiped my palm against my cheeks to blot the tears. A rather familiar looking black Ferrari began slowing down next to me. The only person I know in my school that has a black Ferrari would be Hyuuga Natsume. So, I hope this person isn't from my school.

"Get in." The deep voice said. Okay, so, now I hope this is a fellow classmate and not a kidnapping rapist. I am wearing an Alice Academy soccer uniform. Alice kids tend to get kidnapped for ransom. Shit. I don't have any ransom money.

I pretended not to have heard the voice and kept walking forward and the car slowly kept pace with me. "Sakura, I'm sorry, okay?" The voice groaned. Now I had to check.

And indeed, peering at me from his window was Hyuuga Natsume looking fantastic as ever. So, he really did he just apologize. That moves Hyuuga down one spot on my "kill-if-ever-go-emo-and-crazy" list.

"Why should I?" I sneered stubbornly.

"I know you live ridiculously far. Will you just take my ride as an apology and shut up about it?"

I threw my arms up in exasperation, "Oh! Well, when you put it as nicely as that, how about HELL NO!" I lifted my chin defiantly proceeded to walk myself right into pothole in the sidewalk. Smooth, Mikan, smooth. I winced in pain and gripped my possibly sprained ankle. I heard Hyuuga emit a choked back laughter sound that sounded like something dying. Oh yeah, he is sooo number 1 on my list now.

"I'm glad my pain brings you joy, fucking sadist!" I yelled through uncontrollable sobs. I must look like such an idiot. But, man, does it hurt.

"I'll help you up." I glanced over my shoulder. When'd he get out of his car? I took his hand-- only because I had no other choice-- and he hoisted me up. He smirked and I glanced at him begrudgingly.

"Well, I guess you can walk home now--" He let go and began walking toward his car.

"Wait!"

"Oh, yes, Sakura?"

I resisted the urge to twitch in irritation. I grumbled, "I could use that ride now..."

"It's this one." I pointed to the rather unimpressive modern Japanese styled house. "Uh, thanks." I pulled open the door and began making my way out. Hyuuga rolled his eyes at my struggle and got out of the car to help me up.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him as he helped me up the stairway to the door.

"Doing what?" He asked in a bored tone.

"Helping me."

He paused--to think I assume-- for a moment. "Maybe cause you had a point."

"I did? I mean, of course I did. About..."

He chuckled-- oh my god, an apology and a laugh. What next? A belly dance?

"Maybe... it's better to spend money on that fairy tale classic you've seen 20 times already. Even if you don't have that much money, just to make you happy. Maybe it's better to do that than have caviar for breakfast everyday and be miserable."

Wow. That's really sweet of him. Wait..."You have caviar for breakfast?"

I could hear my stomach grumbling.

"Glad that you were paying attention to me pour my heart and soul out."

I quirked a brow at this, "If that's all you got, Hyuuga, you don't have much depth."

He shrugged, "That depends on how well you know me. Which isn't very well by the way."

I gave him a look, but a nicer one than usual as I pulled my key out of my pocket and shoved it through the door. "Let's hope it stays that way, eh? I don't really want to turn into a stalker fan girl going through your trash for a used tissue."

"The feeling's mutual, about the trash that is."

"See you tomorrow, Hyuuga." I rolled my eyes with a grin on my face.

"Hey, wait."

"Yes?"

"You're not still going to work today are you?"

"I think we've already established that I kind of have no choice." I replied.

"I'll take your shift for you."

"Look, Hyuuga, you already apologized. I think--"

"Just shut up and stop being difficult." Did I ever mention Hyuuga is GREAT at persuading people? Tactless prick.

I grinned. Him taking my shift would be a great punishment for him, nice or not as he has been today. "Fine, the shift's from 7 to 10." I began to close the door.

"Where is it?" I set him my best cheshire cat smirk and tilted my head evilly.

"Victoria's Secret."

Then I slammed the door shut.

So, I may be out of soccer for the next 2 weeks for my ankle. But it was so worth it.

--DribbleDrabble3 End--

I liked this one. :)! I think it's one of my favorites.