Greetings everyone! Just got back from vacation and had an AWESOME time. Thankfully though, I was able to find some time for writing so I'm updating a lot sooner than I thought. Hopefully you'll like this new development in the story! Thanks for all the reviews and support!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.

"I love you, Mikan."

Mikan shook her head from side to side as she desperately ran towards the school. She needed some time alone and the school was the emptiest place she could think of. Mikan had a lot on her mind and all she wanted more than anything was to clear the clutter of emotions swirling around in her head.

Riku's words were constantly ringing in her ears, making her heart beat spasmodically as if it was going to come to a dead stop in any second. She couldn't believe that he loved her. How could somebody like him be interested in someone like her? It wasn't possible. Riku had the entire student body practically eating out of his hands and in the end, he chose Mikan, the most ordinary and simple girl in the entire Academy.

Although a part of Mikan was flattered that he cared about her, she couldn't help but feel that it was impossible. Riku couldn't love her because he barely knew her. Sure they were partners and spent a lot of time together, but does that really constitute love?

Mikan sighed heavily and placed her hand on the doorknob of the backdoor to the school. Thankfully, it wasn't locked so Mikan quickly made her way through and found herself standing in the familiar, deserted hallway. She looked up and down the corridor, making sure that she was completely alone.

Satisfied, she made her way down the left side, hearing her soft footsteps echo all around her, until she eventually reached her classroom. Mikan didn't expect it to be unlocked, but surprisingly enough, it was. Staring into the dimly lit room, Mikan quietly shut the large, oak door behind her and leaned against the door.

Her breathing was slightly ragged since she put in a lot of effort to run as fast as her legs could carry her, but when her mind slowly wandered to Riku, she suddenly felt as if someone had their hands around her throat. Mikan slowly slid down to the floor and placed her head in her hands, trying to calm herself down. She didn't know what to do anymore. Mikan had never felt so lost.

Riku was an undeniably great person and Mikan knew how incredibly lucky she was to have found such a good friend. He had never once hurt her feelings and always made her feel as if he wanted to be around her and no one else. Besides, during the carnival, when it seemed as if everyone had turned against her, Riku was the one who offered her his hand and shoulder as comfort. He was the one she turned to when Natsume had left her.

Mikan quickly raised her head.

"Natsume…"

Slowly, she brought her hand to her lips. Mikan knew that it wasn't possible, but she felt as if she could still feel Riku's lips against hers. The kiss was sweet and gentle. It was exactly the kind of kiss she would want to receive. But when he had placed his lips against hers, Mikan didn't think of Riku. She didn't see him at all. All she could think about was…

Mikan groaned in frustration as she brought herself to her feet. She stood beside the window and looked down at the crowd of students enjoying their Saturday. Mikan could see practically everyone…Hotaru, Inchou, Sumire, Kokoro, even Riku. She bit on her lower bottom lip as her gaze fell on his icy blue hair and the bright smile he had upon his face as he watched the other kids play tag.

After the confession, Riku had told her to think about what he said. He wanted her to sincerely consider his feelings because she was extremely important to him. And even though Mikan was highly distraught at how easily he confessed his feelings for her, she couldn't help but realize how understanding he was. Riku didn't push her. He even volunteered to give her some space, until she was absolutely ready to speak to him.

But Mikan wasn't ready. In fact, she had never felt more confused. Mikan knew that if there was any guy out there she should like, it would be Riku. He was perfect for her, the exactly kind of guy she always thought she would end up with. But Mikan didn't know if she had feelings for him. It was true she cared about him and that she enjoyed his company immensely, but did that mean she loved him like he loved her?

Mikan looked up at the bright sun and felt the heat beat down upon her face. Even in the classroom, she could tell that today was warmer than any other day. She breathed in deeply and brought a hand to her forehead. Wiping away the beads of sweat, Mikan leaned her forehead against the window and closed her eyes.

And just like every other time when she was allowed some peace and quiet, Mikan could feel everything turn to a slow stop as she saw his face hover before her eyes. She could still feel the intensity from his eyes as they bore into hers. The sound of his voice, the rapid beating of her heart when he looked at her, the desire for everyone else to disappear except for the two of them...Mikan couldn't get over any of those feelings that practically screamed for release.

"I'm ridiculous," Mikan murmured softly to herself. "What's wrong with me?"

She laughed feebly, feeling her heart ache within her.

"Why should I care about him so much when he doesn't care about me at all?"

Mikan shook her head as she clenched her hands into tight fists at her sides. Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she said quietly, "Natsume never cared."

"You're wrong."

Mikan froze in an instant.

He didn't know what he was thinking. In fact, he didn't even have a single clue as to why he was here in the first place. All he could focus on was the girl in front of him, who believed that he didn't care about her. Natsume had never heard anything so ridiculous in his life.

He had only intended to hide his feelings from everyone else, but not from her. More than anything, he wanted her to have at least a glimpse of how he felt so that she would understand. But to hear those words come out of her mouth made him realize more than ever how he truly hurt her.

Natsume could clearly see the tension in her shoulders. He saw how she slowly raised her head, but refused to turn around. There was no doubt that she knew it was him.

He slowly shut the oak door behind him with a soft thud. She jumped in surprise and immediately turned around to look at him. Natsume could feel his heart constrict as he saw her eyes shimmer in the light. She'd been crying.

Her eyes were filled with disbelief and she mechanically shook her head from side to side as she asked, "Why are you here?"

"I was worried about you."

Mikan swallowed the lump in her throat as she took a step away from the window. Averting her gaze, she said in a breaking voice, "I don't believe you."

"Why not?" Natsume murmured softly even though his eyes seemed to burn with more intensity by the second. He took a step forward, noticing how she was trying to avoid getting too close. Natsume knew that he should give her some space, some time even, but letting her go again wasn't an option anymore. He was tired of running—running away from what he truly wanted more than anything in the world.

"Because you don't care," Mikan said tearfully.

Natsume clenched his fists together. "What makes you say that?"

And suddenly, without a clue as to why it started, an irrational anger flamed in the pit of her stomach as she cried, "Because you hate me! You're the one who doesn't want to be around me! You never did! I'm nothing to you!"

"That's not true," Natsume said stiffly.

"Yes, it is true!" Mikan exclaimed in exasperation. "It has always been true! We were never partners, Natsume!"

Natsume shook his head.

Irritated, Mikan swung herself around and slammed her hand on the window pane. The fury boiling up inside of her was starting to spill over and there was nothing she could do to stop it. For so long, she had wanted to say this to him, to scream her frustration at him, and now she finally had her chance. Mikan couldn't take it anymore.

"You think I'm the worst thing that ever happened to you ever since I stepped foot inside this Academy," Mikan said with clenched fists as her voice started to rise. "I was the one who always tried to be your friend! But you're the one pushing me away! I'm so tired of this pain! I'm so tired of how you treat me! I'm done with putting in the effort to be your partner when you don't even notice me!"

"You don't know what you're saying," he replied quietly

Mikan closed her eyes together and let out a cry of frustration. "STOP LYING TO ME!"

"I'm not."

Mikan shook her head vigorously. She didn't know what to say anymore. She couldn't even find the strength to breathe normally. He wasn't acting like she expected him to. Where was his coldness? Why wasn't he hurting her like he always did? What was going on?

Wanting nothing more than to disappear, Mikan said in a quiet, wary voice, "Please go."

"You want to me to leave?" he asked in an empty voice.

"Yes," Mikan replied with difficulty. "I don't want you here."

"Would you rather have Riku instead?"

Mikan's head sprang up. She was staring directly out the window, but she couldn't see anything before her. All her senses were focused on the soft voice behind her.

"Why did you say that?" she whispered with wide eyes.

"Answer the question," he replied in a hard voice.

Mikan slowly turned around and immediately felt her legs lose all of their strength. Natsume was standing right in front of her. His arms were hanging with ease at his sides, but his eyes seemed to smolder as he looked directly at her.

Mikan didn't know why she said it. She didn't know why the words suddenly tumbled out of her, but it was almost as if she had no self control. At the sound of his name, Mikan opened her mouth and said the very words that she never wanted to say out loud.

"Riku is the best partner I could ever have."

Natsume didn't reply.

"He's been everything to me," Mikan continued with more vigor. "He's always there when I need him and even at times when I don't."

With the words involuntarily flowing out of her now, Mikan could feel her voice start to get more desperate as she said, "Riku is everything I could ask for in a partner. I'm happy when I'm with him and I'm sad when I'm not. He treats me as if all he wants is to spend time with me. I feel appreciated around him. I feel wanted."

Natsume watched her eyes fill up with tears. He could hear the truth in her voice and it nearly tore him apart. He didn't want to hear this. He couldn't stand it anymore, but he couldn't find the strength to get her to stop.

"He told me that he loved me," Mikan murmured softly. "On the dance floor. He whispered it in my ear." Then very slowly, she brought her hands to her lips. "He even kissed me."

Natsume's eyes widened.

"He asked me how I felt, if I loved him just the same."

His heart throbbed painfully.

"I stared back at him and could hear sincerity ringing in his every word."

Natsume couldn't breathe. His lungs seemed to have stopped working.

"I wanted to say yes. I wanted to tell him I cared."

He felt as if he was being ripped apart. Her words pierced him like a knife, stabbing him repeatedly until it practically had him gasping from the pain. But not a single noise escaped his lips. Natsume couldn't even look away from her face. She was still staring at the opposite wall, refusing to look back at him.

However, minutes passed by and Natsume realized that the silence had stretched on. Mikan didn't continue. She stopped talking as if all words had escaped her.

Swallowing the heavy lump in his throat, Natsume was about to open his mouth and tell her that it was enough, when suddenly, she murmured in a barely audible whisper,

"But I couldn't."

Natsume froze.

"I tried so hard to tell him," Mikan said as the tears flowed freely down her face, "But I didn't have the heart to lie."

Her voice broke as she placed a hand on the table beside her, leaning her body against it. "How could I tell him I loved him, when all I could think about—"

Mikan turned her tear-stricken face to Natsume.

"—was you?"

He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He couldn't even breathe. All he could do was stare back at Mikan and see so clearly how much he tore her to shreds. She suffered because of him. And to make it worse, she suffered alone because he was the one who abandoned her.

Not hearing him reply, Mikan laughed feebly and murmured, "I don't want Riku."

She slowly walked in front of him and stood there, looking directly into his wild eyes. "I want someone I can't have."

Mikan smiled weakly.

"And that's what hurts the most."

Without another word, she walked passed Natsume, feeling her heavy heart beat within her chest. She had never intended to speak those feelings out loud. In fact, she never even noticed they existed until now. Even though they were always there, buried deep within her, Mikan refused to accept them because she knew how much they would hurt. And right now, she felt as if she was dying from the inside and nothing was going to save her.

As she placed her hand on the doorknob, Mikan could feel a violent sob beginning to rip out of her chest. But before she could make a run for it, she was suddenly whipped around and slammed against the wall.

And in one fluid motion, she was staring directly into Natsume' fervent eyes with each of his hands placed at the side of her head, caging her within his arms.

"This whole entire time," he began quietly as his arms began to tremble, "you've said all the wrong things."

Mikan stared back helplessly.

"You assumed what I felt and thought you had everything figured out without even bothering to ask me."

He took a step forward until they were only an inch apart. Leaning forward until their foreheads nearly touched, Natsume whispered, "You're the one who says I don't care. You're the one who says I don't want to be around you."

"Don't you?" Mikan croaked as her breaths become shallower.

Natsume shook his head.

Mikan closed her eyes, feeling new tears stream down her face. Slowly opening her eyes and looking back into the familiar flames, she managed to ask with a heavy heart, "How do you feel about me?"

Natsume gently cupped her face in his hands. "I love you," he breathed as he pressed his lips against hers.

At first, Mikan was too surprised to react. All her senses were overwhelmed by him. She could smell the grass upon his skin, feel the warmth of his hands on her face, hear the gentle sounds from his throat, and taste the softness of his lips.

She nearly drowned within his arms and when she finally found the strength to respond back, Mikan could feel the desperation increase. Her back was still pressed against the wall and when her legs started to fail on her, Natsume's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her to his chest, never breaking the kiss.

It was nothing like Riku's. It wasn't gentle and slow, but desperate and fervent, as if it was the last thing he was ever going to do. But when their breaths were becoming more and more ragged, they both released each other with Mikan's head placed on his shoulder.

Natsume held her closely, feeling her breath come and go. He closed his eyes as he realized how her arms were snaked around his neck, pulling him closer to her as if she never wanted to let him go.

"Mikan," he whispered huskily as she gently placed both her hands upon his chest.

"I love you."

And all Natsume could remember from then on were her hands tightly gripping his shirt as she pulled his lips toward hers.