Wow, it has been so long since I've updated. I've made this chapter almost about a year ago. Well, you might be wondering "What the hell..." But I create my chapters and just publish them when have time. And its summer again so I think I have all the time in the world. Yes, I hate going out on summer because of the heat which might probably kill me.

Anyway, thanks to this chapter I still had an extra time to create a new chapter so I could catch up with my writing.

Thanks to the following for leaving a review!

Sumire no kimi

Mikiramen

moonacre99

keraii

GakuenLover

Thank you so much! You've inspired me and cured my writer's block! ;) Please continue to leave reviews :D

CHAPTER 19

I went into our studio, as Nonoko, Anna and I have been practicing my song for Ruka, which we were going to play on the battle of the band.

"BOO!" Someone screamed right in front of me as I opened the door.

"AAAHHH!" I turned and saw it was Nobara, a bit tanned up. "Nobara it's you! You've returned! And you surprised me! You think that was cool huh? Creeping from behind when you know I'm a scaredy cat?" I blabbled.

"Hello Mikan! I'm back…" She said with a huge grin on her face. She was blooming!

"GREAT! OMG! We have to start practicing for the battle! We can't be slaves of Still Fire!" I wailed.

"Well, I'd be happy to be Koko's." Nonoko said dreamily. "Same for me!" Anna squealed in delight. "Ahhh, Kitsunemeeehhh…" She sighed.

I sighed happily, resisting so much to sigh Ruka's name. Ahh Ruka…

"These are the complete details on the battle of the bands." Hotaru gave us a flier with a black background and futuristic neon lines surrounding some musical instruments namely guitars, and drums. It has the Alice star logo on the upper right hand corner and below the instruments were the details:

Alice Wonderland Presents:

From Dusk 'Til Dawn XV

15 years of Battle

15th annual Alice Wonderland band competition

From dusk 'til dawn

Wonder Waves, South Beach, Miami Florida

"We're gonna travel all the way to Florida to battle?" I asked, amazed as I ate my lunch of white pasta with French bread sticks and lukewarm water (for I read over the internet on tips how NOT to lose your voice)

"Yes. We do it in different states. Last year we did it on Seattle, Washington." Yuu explained as he signed many papers.

"What are you doing? Why are there so many papers on our lunch table?" I asked him.

"You ask too much," Hotaru said coldly, "You wouldn't even know the purposes of these important document, so why bother, idiot."

"Mean, Hotaru!" I huffed.

"So we're gonna go to Florida?" Anna asked delightedly.

"Yes." Replied an impassive Hotaru.

"How are we gonna go there?" Nonoko asked, anxiously.

"The highway." Yuu said with a sigh. "And apparently, this is a bittersweet news." He said, dropping his pen, making everyone on the table quiet.

"Good news or bad news first?" Yuu asked as he massaged his temple.

"BAD!" I replied immediately.

"Bad news? You guys can't use the plane to go to Florida. If the company will use the plane to board every band and crew and production manager, apparently, that will cost too much. The good news is…" he paused dramatically, "THE COMPANY IS GIVING YOU A CAR!" he exclaimed happily. Suddenly, the four of us squealed in delight.

"So, is this like, we can choose?" Nobara asked eagerly.

"Of course!" Yuu said delightedly.

"I think we should buy a van! So we can all fit in." I said thoughtfully.

"That's not necessary, Mikan." Yuu said. "Our team had been given one bus and two trucks. The bus is for the bands we manage our crew. One truck for the equipment and one for your cars, meaning, each of you will have their own car." Yuu explained thoroughly.

"WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN CAR?!" I exclaimed. "WOW! As in we don't need to share? We have our own?" I asked, mesmerized.

"Yes." Yuu said happily. "Isn't that great?!" Yuu exclaimed.

"Great?! This isn't just great! It's my dream! All I ever wanted was to play in front of many people! I didn't know we'd have this much benefit!" I exclaimed.

"Yes. I've already fixed your license, working visa, bank accounts, whatever else do you need!" Yuu said proudly, gesturing towards the pile of papers on the table.

"Thank you so much Yuu!" I said happily.

"It's my job Mikan!" He replied with the same tone. "Just do your job too!" Yuu said happily.

Therefore, two weeks before the battle, we headed out south. We stopped by the first gasoline station on the interstate to fill our tanks.

"So, this will serve as our road check?" I asked Hotaru as I filled my own Mellow Yellow MINI Cooper Convertible. Our band has decided to buy MINI Cooper so that we all have the same type of car. Nonoko has chosen her car to be oxygen blue. Anna wanted hers to be chili red, and Nobara chose racing green.

"Yes." She said as she filled up her own pepper white MINI Cooper.

"HEY GUYS!" Koko's midnight blue BMW Z4 suddenly ran through our station. After him was Kitsuneme's shiny black Z4 followed by Mochu's electric violet Z4. "Let's race!" Mochu suddenly challenged us.

"WHAT?" Anna exclaimed. "You know I'm not really a fast driver." She whined.

"Dear, it's alright! I'll tail you." Kitsuneme said slyly. Anna screeched in delight. "Really, you will?" She asked as she ran towards his car, totally abandoning her station. "Of course. I just want you to experience how we drive across interstates." Kitsuneme said with a hint of flirting in his voice. "Aw, you're so sweet!" Anna said as she kissed him fully on the lips.

I was in shock. It was the first time I've seen a lip lock live. I quickly turned away, disgusted. Whatever happened to the conservative Anna?

"Mikan watch out!" Tsubasa's booming voice filled the gasoline station. I turned just in time to see a red Z4 approaching fast towards me. A screeching sound came. The car was slowing down, and yet, I was rooted to the ground. I was too petrified to even move. I held my breath and closed my eyes as the car engine's heat enveloped me.

"MIKAN!" Goodbye world.

"YOU IDIOT!" A familiar voice filled my ears. I opened an eye and saw Natsume standing on the driver side. An arm rested over the windshield and the other hurrying to open the door. "What were you thinking?!" he asked me furiously as he jumped off the car, not bothering to use the door and started advancing towards me.

"I could have run over you! You'd be as flat as a paper right now if I didn't turn of the engine and stepped on the break you idiot!" He stopped when his face was a few inches away from mine.

I looked up into his eyes, his wild, angry eyes that are staring intently at me. Searching my face as I was searching his. He turned his back and returned to his car with a frustrated sigh, leaving me feeling weird. Feeling guilty and dumb and speechless, more likely.

"Are you alright?" A gentle voice said, snapping me out of my reverie. I turned my back and saw that the voice belonged to Ruka-pyon. He slammed the door of his yellow Z4 and headed hurriedly towards me.

"Ruka!" I exclaimed as the near death experience finally sunk in. "Oh my God! I almost died!" I said, shocked, as collapsed on my knees. Not knowing whether to be happy or what.

Ruka pulled me up to my feet. "You shouldn't be standing in the middle of the lane." He lectured gently, making me feel like a child. I sighed.

"Now, can you drive?" He asked me.

"Oh no, you're not going to beat me." I said under my breath as I readied to overtake Mochu's violet Z4. I shifted to fifth gear. I stepped on the gasoline a little harder as I swerved slowly to the left. And in a matter of a few seconds, I was the fifth racer over thirteen. Natsume's red Z4 is taking the lead, followed by Ruka. Third was Kaname, then Tsubasa. Behind me, Mochu, Nobara, Misaki, Nonoko, Koko, Anna, Kistuneme and lastly, Yuri. And behind Yuri were the bus and trucks.

I slowed down when I was in a safe distance already from Mochu, making sure not to force my car's engine. It's 1 PM and the sun is hot. Yet, the interstate wind is cool. Or maybe we are just so fast. Again, I readied to catch over to Tsubasa. He was a hundred meter or less away. I can catch up to that. I shifted the gear and stepped on the gasoline a little harder and the car was getting faster.

"Hi Tsubasa." I said mockingly as I over took him. "Hey!" He screamed. "You can't do this! I'm a MAN!" He emphasized as he gained speed and he was already beside me.

"Just accept it." I screamed at him. "I'm better at this than you've thought."

"You scheming little girl! I'm thinking that you're just playing innocent and this was your plan all along."

"What the hell! I'm not. I'm just plain better."

"Cheater!"

"Well, this is cheating." I said as I exceeded the speed limit a bit and had a head start at him.

One down, three more. Ha!

Kaname was a few hundred meters away. I can see his yellow Eclipse ahead. I just need to over take these few cars and slow truck blocking my way. I smirked as I drove faster. And alas, he was only a couple of feet away and I tailed him. His bumper and my bumper were only inches away from each other. I'm sure he could see me through his rear view mirror. I swerved left but he didn't defend his position. He stayed put in his current place.

I started to over take him. I looked at his face. And he was looking at me, smiling. I smiled back at him. He gestured his hand forward, signaling me to go ahead. I stared at him dumbly.

"Ladies first." He said loud enough for me to hear. "If you say so." I said as I over took him slowly and hesitantly. He blew his car's horn. I looked back at him. He was signaling me to go faster. I looked ahead and saw Natsume and Ruka, bumper to bumper. Natsume was doing a fine job of defending his place. I smirked.

I stepped on the gas harder now, determined to make it. Natsume and Ruka was a bit too occupied. This will be easy.

I swerved to the right, taking advantage of the free space, and as soon as I was beside Ruka, Natsume's car went way past the limit.

"YOU CHEATER!" I exclaimed. I was so damn angry and stepped on the gas and forced my car to go faster.

"Whoa Mikan, careful!" I heard Ruka over the noisy slashing of the wind in the interstate. We are now driving through in Pennsylvania now, or at least I think. It was then that it struck me, I myself, too, had been cheating as I go beyond speed limits. But I gotta beat this Natsume.

I've strived hard to be where I am now. I'm the second runner in the race. And the gasoline station is just a good 20 miles away, or I think. "I wont let you beat me." I said as I slowed down a bit, readying to speed up.

I shifted my gear and swerved to the left and within minutes, I was only a few meters away from him. I smirked as I stepped on the gas harder and I was on his car's half. Four sixth, three fourths… and now, we're head to head.

"Give up you stupid lousy girl." I heard him say as his engine roared and he got ahead of me. I felt my jaw drop in amazement of his arrogance.

"No way! I'll never give up!" I said as I stepped on the gas pedal harder, "Especially to you!" I exclaimed as I forced my car and over took him when I saw the sign that the gasoline station was 2 miles away. I went in front of him to slow him down a bit, risking getting run through by his car. He went as planned and when he was slow enough I shifted to the fifth gear and got a head of him.

I heard the angry beeping of his horn as I swerved to the right, getting ready to fill up my tank again. And just as I thought that I was far enough from him, Natsume suddenly appeared headed to my right.

I can see the gasoline station ahead, the finish line. Oh no, you don't, I thought as I swerved to my right, and yet, he was still able to keep up with me.

"You're such a lame driver!" I exclaimed over the noise of the strong afternoon wind, "Nobody over takes at the right side!"

"Nobody but me."

"What the hell!" when he turned to the right towards our destination, which clearly meant he arrived on the gasoline station first.

I was so mad that as soon as the car stopped, I hopped off and immediately went to him.

"You jerk!" I exclaimed.

The sound of roaring car engines was filling my ears. The others must be here, or nearly. I saw a black eclipse and a yellow Z4. It was Tsubasa and Ruka. Tsubasa was leading.

"You're such a cheater! You… you… you overtook on the right!"

"That's not cheating, stupid. It's merely doing what I can and what I want. Just get over it. I won." He said arrogantly with a smirk playing on his lips as he filled his tank again.

"Why you-"

"MIKAN!" Ruka's joyful voice has interrupted me just as I was about to punch Natsume. "That was great Mikan!" He said as he went over to us. "I didn't expect you to drive that fast." He said.

"Thanks." I managed to croak due to the fact that there seems to be a lump on my throat. I can feel myself blushing. My heart was fluttering. My lungs were heaving.

"Mikan, are you alright?" Tsubasa said as he went towards me. "You look so out of breath."

"N-no. I'm- I'm fine!" I said as I told myself mentally to snap out of it. "I'm great!" I said more enthusiastically.

I saw Tsubasa raise and eyebrow. "If you say so. Hey Kaname," he turned his back on the three of us when Kaname arrived.

"I'm hungry." I said as I head towards the convenience store where Kaname and Tsubasa headed. I've decided that it's all right that he won for I am going to beat him in the battle of the bands.

Moments later, Misaki joined us. Mochu arrived with Nobara tailing him. Yuri came next and after her came Nonoko and Koko, together. Anna and Kitsuneme finally arrived after an hour or so. It was already 4 PM. And even the bus and trucks had already arrived.

"Geez! Your fingers may be fast, but dear, you gotta have courage!" I told her as I patted her back after I gave my key to the guy who will park my MINI Cooper in that truck for the cars.

"That was so sweet of Kit right?" She sighed, "Tailing me even if I'm so slow."

"Yeah yeah yeah." I said off handed, "we ALL know how much you admire him."

"I'm sorry, it's just I can't help but share what I'm feeling for him." She said as she hand the guy the key.

After resting, Tehnicolor Dolls, Still Fire and Digitally Manipulated decided to just stay on the bus for we were already tired from the race. Our cars were then placed on the huge multi-floored trailer truck.

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