Chapter 8 Rumors

"OH NO!!!" I screamed. Well, you would too, if you realized that you were late (No, make that really late) to school. Not to mention that because Hotaru had so cruelly left without even bothering to wake me up, (Instead, she had stuck a sticky note on my forehead telling me that I was late…like I didn't know that myself) I now had no mode of transport.

"Damn that friggin alarm clock!" I grumbled, fumbling with my school uniform while trying to brush my teeth at the same time. It wasn't my fault that the stupid alarm clock broke when I hit the snooze button…or maybe it was. I hopped out of the bathroom, trying to put on my socks and straighten my tie. Shoveling cereal in my mouth, I focused on more important matters such as – how the hell to get to school. I groaned when I realized that I would have to walk. And my shoes were new, too. I was probably going to have blisters the next day.

Walking down the sidewalk, I looked up at the sound of a car. "Natsume???" I asked incredulously.

He was there all right, sitting in his black sports car with his raven hair almost carefully tousled and a mask of casual indifference on his face as though he was used to picking up girls from the side of the road. Upon hearing my voice, he turned his head, his expression not changing. "Are you going to get in, or not?" he asked, his voice tinged with impatience.

"Let me think," I said, sarcastically, putting a finger on my chin. "Uh, NO." I hated to admit it, but I was more than pissed of at that – shudder – kiss last night. At least that would explain the reason why I hadn't been able to sleep all night, and why I had taken out all my anger on my alarm clock. (Maybe I should've saved some of that anger for Natsume)

"Suit yourself. But trust me, you'll want to get in the car soon enough." He followed right beside me, probably going at about five miles per hour.

I tired to hide my discomfort at walking with my new boots, but could tell that I wasn't successful by Natsume's snort. We were barely out of sight of the dorm, when I felt a small drop of water fall on my cheek. I looked up, and sure enough, I saw the sky darkened with clouds. I took a deep breath, and pushed away all my uneasiness to the back of my mind. Right now, I needed to get to school, without getting drenched. (Besides, I was definitely not going to get my new shoes wet…even if they were boots.)

As I slammed the door shut, I couldn't help but notice the smug look on his face. "Knew you wouldn't be able to resist me for long," he said, turning on the wipers and taking off down the road.

I scowled, a vein popping. How dense could a guy get? "You are so–"

"Sexy and irresistibly seductive?" he cut in, smirking.

"NO," I said with refrained annoyance, slapping his arm and relying on the dark October morning to hide my blush. "I was about to say arrogant and enormously big-headed."

"Look who's talking," he snorted.

I groaned, rolling my eyes. Frankly, I didn't want reminders of last night. "Thank God we're finally here," I said, looking out through the rain at the school building. As Natsume parked in the parking lot, I realized a problem. "Uh, Natsume? How are we going to get inside?"

He turned his head to look at me with a questioning glare. "By walking there?" he said sardonically. "Don't tell me you're too lazy to walk a few yards."

"I meant how are we going to get through the rain? I don't want my books to get wet." Or my boots, I thought inwardly. Not that I was going to tell him that, of course.

He grunted, getting out of the car and pulling something short out from the trunk. He emerged beside me after a few seconds, and I saw that the thing he was holding was an umbrella. "Is this good enough for you princess???"

I glared at him. "I told you, I don't care about getting wet, I just don't want my books to get ruined," I said, trying to defend myself. "And besides, where's mine?"

"There's only one," he smirked.

I groaned, carefully avoiding the large puddles in the shallow hollows of the asphalt.

Normally, I would've enjoyed walking in the rain. It was just so peaceful without the useless babble of people, the only sound being the rhythmic plops of large droplets. I'd always welcomed the rain, just as I welcomed the rainbow that accompanies it.

But with Natsume beside me…well that's completely different. No matter how much I tried, my eyes would just stray to him, due to some invisible force. I shook my head in disgust, turning my gaze forcefully to the ground. Just as I was about to stick my hand out, I started to feel uneasy, as though I was being watched. I glanced at Natsume, but he was busy staring out into the rain, a strange calmness possessing his body. So who, I asked myself, was watching us??

The answer was right in front of me. The windows that faced the parking lot were completely covered with faces, some that I recognized, some that I didn't, and all that were frozen in shock.

I looked over myself, feeling self-conscious. What were they staring at?? I mean, my uniform was a bit messy, but not that bad…right? I smoothened down my skirt, straightened my tie, and made sure that my blazer was completely free of creases. But the stares continued. What the hell were they looking at?

As we reached the front door, Natsume folded the umbrella, shaking it loose of any water, and stuffed it into his bag. We had arrived just five minutes after the bell had rung, and if we hurried, we could make it to class before anybody noticed us. (For once, the fact that Narumi almost always came late was working on our side)

I opened the door to the classroom and was instantly met by stares, just like the ones outside. The only sound came from my shoes as I walked I walked in hesitantly, trying not to notice the holes that people (strangely, most were girls) were burning into me. Even Koko, Yuu and Ruka were staring at me in confusion. Seriously, it was like the first day of school all over again…only worse.

As Narumi hadn't showed up yet, (no surprise there) I dropped my bag in my seat, and hurried over to Hotaru's desk. As I crossed the room, I noticed that everybody was actually in their seats, which never happened unless a teacher was in the class. (Which there wasn't. That is, unless if he was hiding under someone's desk.)

"Hotaru, why is everyone staring?" I whispered, wary of the silence in the room.

"You still don't get it?" she asked, her expression as dull as ever but her eyes gleaming with excitement, something I knew to be a bad sign.

"Mikan, you walked under an umbrella!" whispered Nonoko frantically, looking awed.

"With Natsume!!!" chimed in Ana, looking just as impressed as her friend.

"So…your point is??" I inquired, confused.

"Haven't you ever seen romance movies?" asked Hotaru, looking through the pictures on a camera. Finally, she found the one she was looking for and handed it to me. It was a picture of Natsume and me under the umbrella, both of us looking out in the rain. I had to say that we were pretty close, due to the umbrella being so small.

"Yeah, almost all of the old ones have couples kissing under an umbrella," said Ana, going into a dreamy state.

I scowled. "Unless you guys haven't noticed, Natsume and I are hardly what you call a couple. Arch enemies is more like it." I turned to glare at Natsume, who was to busy talking to Ruka and Koko to pay any attention to anyone else. (Like he ever does)

Nonoko sighed, looking exasperated. "Mikan, don't you think you're overdoing it? I mean, if Natsume actually offered to pick you up and then was willing to walk under an umbrella with you, it must mean something."

"You're right. He has been acting a little weird lately. I wonder if he's going to plan something evil. I better be on my guard." I paused, browsing through the pictures on Hotaru's camera. Surprisingly, (or should I say not surprising? I mean, knowing Hotaru, those pictures were probably meant for blackmail) none of them had her in it. They were all really embarrassing pictures of people that I was sure were in the school. As I was about to hand the camera back to her, I noticed a picture. It was me and Natsume coming out of 'The Killer'. But it wasn't this picture that surprised me.

It was the one that had him kissing my cheek.

"Hotaru," I growled, making sure that nobody in the vicinity could see the pictures. "How did you get these?"

Hotaru merely looked at me, shrugged, and said, "Sources."

"OH MY GOD, MIKAN!" squealed Ana and Nonoko. I gulped. By their tones, I could tell that they had seen the picture.

"Hotaru, I hate you," I scowled, dropping the camera in her lap and reluctantly subjecting myself to Ana and Nonoko's frantically whispered inquiries.

"No, for the last time, it is not true!" I stated, growing more annoyed with every passing moment. I was crowded by girls, all of them trying to find out whether or not me and Natsume were a couple. I looked longingly at my slice of pizza, completely coated with cheese. Thanks to the girls' babbling, (fan girls, not Nonoko and Ana, even though they were talking quite a lot too.) I hadn't been able to take one bit of my pizza, and lunch time was almost over.

"But, Mikan, we saw you guys walking to the school hand in hand!"

That did it. "Look, guys, please don't go listening to all those idiotic rumors. They're not true. In fact, I didn't even touch Natsume today."

"So that means that you touched him on other days?" they gasped in unison.

"God, save me!" I groaned, slapping my forehead. "Hey, if you want to know if it's true, I have a great idea. Why don't you ask Natsume himself?"

"Did I hear my name?" asked a familiar voice.

While Nonoko and Ana gasped, I groaned, hitting my head on the table. "Why can't I just eat my pizza in peace?" As I was about to hit my head for the ninth time, I felt a sharp tug on my hair. I straightened up and slapped away the tight hold on my ponytail, which was making it impossible for me to move my head. I twisted around in my seat, and looked up into a pair of crimson eyes. "What do you want, Natsume?"

"I need to give you something," he said in a tone that suggested we were taking about the weather.

I, on the other hand, was completely petrified. What did he mean, 'something'? I didn't like the sound of it, not one bit. And I especially didn't like the stares I was receiving. If Natsume tried to give me 'something', than there would be at least a hundred pairs of eyes ready to start gossiping. (Not to mention that Hotaru was probably waiting to take a picture with that stupid camera of hers)

"Why are there so many people here? Lets get out of this place." I looked longingly back at my pizza as he dragged me along with him and out the doors.

"So?" I asked, once we were out of sight of the cafeteria.

"I was walking by, and the office told me to give this to you." He pulled out a thick white envelope from his pocket.

I took the envelope from his hands and looked at the address. "Hey, this is from my mom!" I exclaimed, looking suspiciously at Natsume. "You didn't read it did you?"

He shrugged. "I just got it a few minutes ago. I didn't have time to read it."

I rolled my eyes, and turned my attention to the envelope. I slipped my nail underneath and dragged it through the top flap. I pulled out the paper in it and started reading.

Dear Mikan,

I would like you to know that I have contacted the principal and the rest of the school authorities, and they all have agreed to let me send your car over. It will arrive in approximately one week, just in time for Halloween. But the principal advised that you wouldn't show it off, as many other students will want to get their own cars, and that will crowd the whole campus.

We love you,

Mom and Dad

"Show off, yeah right," I scoffed, folding both the envelope and letter and putting them in my pocket.

"So you're finally getting a car, eh polka dots?"

I turned to glare at Natsume, but was surprised to find that he looked a little irritated. "Yup, I won't need you to drive me around anymore."

"You probably will. Knowing you, it's probably an old piece of junk that'll fall apart in a week. Then you're going to be car-less again."

"Actually, I have an Audi A4 cabriolet, and I for one, do not think it's a piece of junk."

I noticed with smug satisfaction how his expression changed to one of surprise. "Really? For an idiot, I have to say, you have good choice."

As I opened my mouth to retort, I realized something. "Wait, what did you just say?"

"That you're an idiot." He started walking away, probably heading to his next class.

"No, before that. You actually complemented me! Are you sure you're all right? Maybe you have a fever," I said sarcastically.

Natsume just grunted, saying over his shoulder, "Don't forget. You're coming to that Halloween party. You should probably try to get something besides the rags that you usually wear."

I shook my head, smiling. He was back to his arrogant self again. At least it was nice while it lasted. I turned around to go back to the cafeteria and was instantly met by curious faces. It seemed that everybody from the cafeteria was there, staring with their mouths almost on the floor.

One girl raised her arm, pointing from me to the place where Natsume had left. "But you…and he…and that…" she stammered, looking astonished at the letter tucked underneath my arm. "OH NO!!! Natsume is crossing over to the dark side!" she wailed, covering her face with her hands to stop the flow of tears just like many other girls were doing.

"Mikan, we have to go!" came Nonoko's voice. Suddenly, I felt someone pulling my hand, dragging me away from the crowded hallway. I started to fight back, but stopped when I realized it was Ana.

"Why were all of them there?" I asked, keeping up easily with Ana and Nonoko's small strides.

"They saw you and Natsume leaving, and, well, you know how rumors spread, right?" asked Nonoko apologetically.

"So they thought that they might see something going on with me and Natsume." I said blandly.

"Wait, don't tell me that there is something going on between you two?" asked Ana, looking hopeful.

"For the last time, no. Besides, wouldn't I tell you if it were true?" I asked. By Ana and Nonoko's expressions, I could tell that they didn't believe me. "Oh, come on guys. I really don't like him!"

They both sighed, shaking their heads in resignation. "There's no point anyway," grumbled Nonoko.

"Yeah, with all the rumors, you won't have to admit anything. The way they're spreading, everybody in the whole school will know about you both by tomorrow."

"Not to mention that that envelope looks unmistakably like a love letter."

I stopped in my tracks to stare at Ana. "No," I mouthed. "No, you've got to be kidding me."

"Nope, we're not."

"But this isn't a love letter!" I shouted in protest, shoving the envelope in their faces.

"Mikan, we know that," said Ana calmly. Then she pointed back to the hallway. "But they don't."

I turned around in silence to pound my head on the wall. "My life is ruined!"

"OH. MY. GOD." I ran to the sofa and turned up the volume on the TV. "You have got to be kidding me."

"And now for the latest gossip, we have just found out that our school's famous Natsume Hyuuga has finally found his dream girl," announced a bouncy girl with black hair and crimson eyes that strangely reminded me of...him. A few pictures filled the screen, most of Natsume and me yesterday, while a few of us walking in the rain. "They were seen yesterday on a date to Central Town's theme park, and walking under an umbrella together today." At least they don't have the other one, I thought with relief.

And you won't believe this, folks, but here it is." The girl's face zoomed out, replaced by my worst dread – a close up picture of him kissing me. "And that's all for today!"

"No…no, you have got to be kidding me…NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" And for the third time that day, I started banging my head on the wall. "Why me??? How will I ever go to school…no, how will I ever go outside??" I wailed, punching a sofa cushion.

"Mikan, why are you punching the sofa? It's bad enough that you have to sit on it," came Hotaru's irritated voice from her bedroom's doorway.

"Because, someone decided to show everyone some pictures," I said bitterly. "So what did they give you for it?" I asked, venom dripping from my voice.

"What do you mean?" asked Hotaru, sitting down next to me on the couch.

"I mean the fact that...that picture came on the news today, and I'm asking you how much they gave you for it." If it was anyone else, I would've pummeled them, but I knew that it would be a bad move with Hotaru. Maybe I could ask Ruka to get it from her…she couldn't refuse her boyfriend…could she?

"Actually, I didn't give anyone any pictures. I was hoping that you guys would start going out before I sold them." Her tone was slow and deliberate, as though she was talking to a toddler.

"First of all," I said, my eyebrow twitching, "you can hold your breath, because we will never go out. And second of all, why should I believe you? You'd do anything for money." I was sure that my voice would scare a lot of people away, the way that it was shaking with anger. But Hotaru didn't budge, her expression as blank as ever.

"Do you doubt me?" she asked, pulling out a menacing looking black weapon from her pocket. Stenciled on the side were the words Baka Gun- copyright of Hotaru Imai.

The word gun was enough to make me back off, not to mention that if it was made by Hotaru, it could probably pack quite a punch. "No, no," I said, shaking my hands and stepping away from her. "I'm just saying that if you didn't, then who did?"

"Find out yourself," she replied stoically, going into the kitchen and emerging with a can of crab roe.

"Hey, where did you get that?" I asked pointing at the can that I was sure had never been in our kitchen before. I would've known when I had completely scraped it clean (of food) a few days back.

"You're straying of topic," she stated, suddenly becoming very interested in the food in her hands.

"Right, so does that mean that you know who did it?" I said, a small bead of hope evident in my voice.

"No."

"Oh Lord!!" I wailed. "Today is really not my lucky day."

"You can say that again."

"Today is really not my lucky day!"

"You idiot. I didn't mean it literally."

Would a sorry help for the late update?? i was busy with the 7 chapter (in case u guys didnt notice, i rewrote it) and...so...yeah...

anyways, id like to thank Alexxis t swan and Videhi for thier help...

and i promise that i'll update sooner....for a price. dont worry, its nothing, just a few reviews!!

by the way, i'll dedicate the next chapter to the 100 reviewer, so keep em comin!