Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice

My Last Love Story by Hotaru Imai

Chapter Two: Finding You

Walking across the school was so daunting.

People stared and gossiped. I was the Hotaru Imai. The genius destined to overcome cancer.

I hurried my steps towards a small group of girls, known to be friends of the 'Ice Queen'. Its not that I wanted the name, it was just who I was.

"Hi." I said as I neared them

"Hey Hotaru!" Shouted my best friend, Mikan Sakura. She was running at me full speed and I got my baka Gun ready.

Baka! Baka! Baka!

Oh when will Mikan learn?

"Mi-chan!" Shouted another friend of mine. Her name was Anna.

"Hota-chan…" sighed my other friend Nonoko.

"It's the baka's fault anyway," I countered.

Standing up, Mikan rubbed her head with her hand a little and said it was all right, by now, she was immune to my gun.

As if; but if that was true, I better upgrade my gun. It has been two days since I have updated it. Must be losing its baka resistance power.

"Have you met the new student Hotaru?" Asked Anna; overcoming any emotions she had from the scene before.

She knew that I was always the one who got to meet new students first, after Shouda of course.

I nodded my head and pointed from the direction from which I had come.

"Shouda put his locker next to mine. I saw him just then," I answered, getting nods in return.

I looked in the direction of my so-called best friend as she rubbed her aching head while clumsily standing up right. Yeah-right Mikan, you are so immune to my gun aren't you?

Nonoko was tending to her bruised head, applying some ointment to it, while muttering something about learning from your mistakes.

I rolled my eyes at the thought. If she could do that, she wouldn't have to study like crazy every time we have a test.

Anna saw my expression at Mikan's stupidity and playfully told me off.

"Oh Hota-chan, why don't you let Mikan hug you? Someday Mikan may find someone else to hug every single day."

I smiled at Anna. I know what you are thinking. I actually smiled. Of course I can smile, I am only human, but of course, no one besides my friends will see such a weak Hotaru Imai.

"She already has. Hyuuga remember?"

Maybe the devil was right next to me when I said that, because from behind me I heard such a menacing voice.

"Someone mention me?"

I spun around and was face to face with the Natsume Hyuuga himself.

"Natsume!" Cried out Mikan as she bounded towards her boyfriend, jumping into his arms.

He couldn't contain his smile as he hugged her back.

They are too clichéd at times.

Sometimes I would wonder if this was the same Natsume Hyuuga I met on the first day I transferred here.

He was so cold back then. Don't get me wrong, he is still cold now, yet whenever Mikan is around, its like his ice barrier gets melted immediately.

She was the fire to his heart.

From behind me, I heard Nonoko cough suspiciously. Obviously she was hinting to the two lovebirds to realise that there were other people on the planet besides the two of them.

"Anytime now guys," grinned Anna

I laughed inwardly. My best friend is so ditzy sometimes.

"Oi; Hotaru. The new kid, you met him?" Natsume said to me rudely.

I frowned. How dare he call me by my first name? But nonetheless, I answered him.

"Yes. What about it Hyuuga?"

Natsume ran his hand through his messy raven hair, so similar in colour to my own, and answered.

"Oh, its just that –"

'Natsume!' Someone from far away shouted out, cutting off all sound from Natsume.

Running up to us was Ruka. He was waving frantically at someone, as if he had not seen them in ages.

At the time, I had thought he looked stupid. Why would a guy be acting like a fan girl, running after her prize?

As he neared us, I heard such a surprising sound from Natsume. It was so gentle, as if he was talking to Mikan. Yet I knew he wasn't.

"Welcome back, Ruka-sempai."

"It has been awhile, Natsume."

As I looked back and forth at the two, how, in all the worlds, could I have known that this was the first step in my relationship with the love of my life?

Fate was just starting to spin its web.

My Last Love Story – Chapter End.

Author's Note: Thank you to the people who reviewed (:

xxxangelHoliCxxx: thanks for liking my story and reviewing again! I want to build up numbers for Rukaru because I absolutely adore this pairing 3 Hope you keep reading ^^

Lunarpelt of Waterclan: Thanks for reviewing both the chapters! You are awesome. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :D

Sitting in the Silence: LOL. Yes, she was bullied. I want to actually show Hotaru's growth in this story. Hope you follow along. And to answer your question, yes, they do, but you already know that don't you *winkwink* Keep reading, ne?

NOTE: in the previous chapter, the review reply that had no penname before the colon was directed to rukaru-romance(dot)passion. But since fanfiction does not allow "websites" on the stories, there was nothing. SORRY RUKARU!

Chapter Dedication: Given to xxxangelHoliCxxx; two time reviewer and the first one for chapter two =]

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