Hi guys! I was so happy seeing how many people like the story so I got pumped up and wrote Chapter 5 teehee! You won't believe how many times I had writer's block though hehe. As I was typing this chapter up, I kept thinking "Will this even make sense?" "Am I doing too much?" "Are they too out of character?" but I pushed my doubts aside and here ya go! Hope you enjoy! ;D

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice and it's characters, Dream High, and Along for the Ride do not belong to me!

Ch. 5

"Here's your homework." Youichi said as he handed my papers.

"Put them on my desk." I said, coughing. "Hye-mi just admit you love Sam-dong, it's so obvious!" I yelled at my computer screen. I was watching the recent episode of 'Dream High'. The doctor said I had a whopping fever of 103.05 degrees Fahrenheit so I had to stay home. He also said it was cos of stress so I should relax and do recreational activities to take my mind off things. Psh, yeah right.

"Hey sis?"

"What?"

"When's mom coming home?" I looked up to see his back turned to me. I looked back at the computer screen where Hye-mi had pushed Sam-dong against the wall (rawr).

"Soon." I lied, it'd had already been a couple of weeks since she's left. I didn't know when she'd be coming back now. I saw Youichi drop his head and left my room, leaving the soft click behind him.

No phone calls, no letters, I had a feeling it'd be like this. There hasn't been any contact with her thus far that it's also having me worried. I turned my attention back to the show to get my mind off of it.

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" a shriek came out of nowhere.

"Hi to you too Sumire."

"Oh my gosh, you'll never know who was asking for you!" I was still attached to my drama, Sam-dong look so cute as ever.

"Not now! I'm watching 'Dream High'." Her eyes widened.

"It's out already?" she rushed to my side, but I pushed her away.

"Don't look! I'm already at the end, it'll ruin it for you."

Dissatisfied, she plopped down at the chair at my desk. "So who was looking for me?" I asked her. She brightened up again, "Just the hottest guy ever!" When I didn't know who she was talking about, she gave a sigh.

"Mikan, I swear it's like you don't know guys exist outside the TV screen!" she shook her head.

"And you're not the same?"

She shot me a look, "Anyways, Natsume! He was asking for you! I swear, when he came up to me I was gonna faint." She had that dreamy look on her face.

"Bullshit." I said, simply. She scoffed, "It's true!" The few weeks after that one Friday, passed by like a storm. I avoided the Ruka and the other guy completely. No eye contact, iPod in at all times, made sure I was with someone at lunch, etc. Ruka, of course, tried talking to me when I was at my locker and the other just stared at me thinking communication telepathically was gonna work. Well one thing is for sure, my antenna ain't gonna go up for you Red Eyes.

"Then what'd he say?" I asked.

"Well..I wasn't sure either, but he asked where you were today." she fidgeted. I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "What'd you say?"

"I said I didn't know where you were. He looked annoyed and walked away. Don't tell me he's still tryna get back at you for making his perfect face bleed!" she said a little over-dramatic, but hey, that's Sumire for you.

"How should I know? I could care less about that fool." I slumped further in my bed. Sumire examined me, "When are you coming back to school?"

"Probably tomorrow. It's not even that bad, the doctor was being melodramatic like you are."

She pouted. We talked some more before she left. I started to work on homework knowing how strict Ms. Serena's homework policy was. She didn't accept late homework unless you were absent. Sure enough, the pile of homework I got were mostly from here.

It was six when I finished, the sun spewed the orange-pink colors across the sky. I've been stuck inside the house for three days straight, so I wanted to go on a walk. I got up and put on a pullover sweater with a pair of skinny jeans and vans. Cozy casual was the best style I could ever have.

;p

The sun was slowly falling behind the mountains, the light breeze I could feel on my face, the sound of kids playing at the park. I sat at a near by bench, feeling the lightweight breeze against my face again. I looked at the colorful sky, closed my eyes and took a deep breath, it felt great.

"What are you doing?" I opened my eyes and only saw red. His eyes were looking right at me as he stood before me. I jerked back a little, only sputtering nonsense, "What the hell, you scared me!"

"You're the one sitting there smiling to yourself like a creeper." he replied, still eyeing me. I turned my head to watch the little munchkins play on the slide. I could feel his eyes burning holes on the side of my face.

"What?" I turned back to look at him. He shrugged.

"I heard you were looking for me." I said not wanting to prolong this conversation anymore. He looked away, not saying a word.

"Hey Natsumeee!" a shrill voice yelled. I leaned to look behind Hyuuga, to see Luna running over here. I looked back at him, this time he looked at me.

"Hey, so this is where you ran off to huh? I thought you'd went home or something, but now that you didn't let's continue our date." Luna seemed completely oblivious to the fact that I was sitting down, right in front of them. Hyuuga still stared at me, while I felt a surge of embarrassment.

He didn't reply, but Luna followed where he was looking. At first she looked shocked, but quickly narrowed her eyes.

"Oh. Hey Sakura, man-hunting in the park today?" she spat, her voice toxic.

"That's your job remember, HSIB?" I replied. She narrowed her eyes even more (if that was possible) then looked sweetly at Hyuuga and attached herself to his arm, "I don't know what this freak is talking about Dear, let's go before we get infected with her disease." He looked at Luna then looked at me.

"No need." I said, getting up. "I'll leave, enjoy your date." emphasis on date.

I started walking, then when I was out of the park, I started running. I felt a mix of anger and embarrassment, that if I didn't walk away just then I would've slapped Luna. I went another round around my neighborhood to cool down. Thinking about it, I don't know why I felt those mixed emotions. That guy and Luna—especially Luna—meant nothing to me. I shouldn't have to worry about these meaningless problems and just focus on school.

;p

After returning to school, it was back to the usual schedule: get through my classes all the while doing my best ignoring the two (or three if Luna counted) people I wouldn't want to see. Trying to be inconspicuous was hard, becos those two were everywhere. I ended up sitting on the floor behind the farthest bookshelf in the library reading of the latest Sarah Dessen book Along for the Ride. I felt like I could somewhat relate to Auden. Doing one's best to keep the interest of their divorced parents but losing it too quickly. I wish I could find an 'Eli' who'd introduce me to another lifestyle I've never experienced.

I felt pathetic as I sat in the library, hiding, comparing and feeling envious of a fictional character from a book. I got up to put the book away, but I guess I got up too fast and all the blood rushed to my head making my vision a little blurring thus knocking into someone.

I waited till the blurring went away, "Sorry."

"You gotta stop doing this." the familiar voice said. I groaned as I got up rubbing my head.

"It's not like I do this on purpose." I walked to the shelf and put the book back with the other books written by Sarah Dessen. I felt my arm being tugged roughly, "What the hell?" I said as his red eyes enchanting me once again.

"We need to talk." he whispered. "Then talk." I said.

"The park, it wasn't what it looked like." he let go of my arm.

"It's your life, why are you explaining this to me?" When he didn't say anything, I felt a knot in my stomach.

"I felt like I had to." he looked away, the knot growing bigger. I took a step back, "You didn't have to. It's not like you mean anything to me anyway." I blurted without even thinking. We stood there, looking away from each other, silence engulfing the air.

I slowly backed away from that awkward situation, but only after a few steps he spoke up, "Then what about you and Ruka?" The knot dropped, I didn't know what to say. "What about us?" I asked.

He walked over and stood in front of me once again, "What happened between you guys?"

I looked down, remembering what went on last year. All that embarrassment, false hope, depression, the relapse was coming back. I didn't know when the tears dared to come out but it did and Hyuuga was shocked. "Me and Ruka are just friends so don't feel the need to be jealous okay?" I said, wiping the tears away.

I pushed passed him, in need of air. Once I was out of the library, the relapse came back and I could barely catch my breath. 'In. Out. Mikan.' I thought as I tried calming down. "Fool. You made me into a fool." I said to no one in particular. I closed my eyes and took one last breath before heading back to class.

;p

"Well look who's back from the dead." Mrs. Tanaka said as I walked in the girls' locker room.

"Ha ha ha, very funny."

She smirked and went back to her computer. I put my backpack down and went to work with filing all the forms for new locks and clothes. "How's your good friend?" Mrs. Tanaka asked suddenly.

I sighed, "I told you, he's not a friend."

"Not from what I could see. When you were gone, he'd come to me everyday asking me if you were really here. He seems really concerned about you." she grabbed her pink binder, "Let's go."

I stood up, taking it all in. 'What the hell is he thinking?' Sixth period. The walk home. Before I was laying in my bed, all I could think of was our conversation and that look he gave me when he saw me crying, the knot was back. My face felt warm and my palms sweaty. "What the hell!" I screamed in my pillow.

"Mikan, we need to talk." Ruka's voice firm. 'Why can't everyone just leave me alone?' I thought as I faced Ruka.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked.

"What makes you think that?"

"Cut the crap, Mikan. You're obviously avoiding me." his voice shaking now.

"Ruka, why are you acting as if nothing happened last year? Did you forget what you did? Suddenly acting nice and whatnot, that's just selfish." I felt the tears brimming.

"I know it was bad last year Mikan but-"

"Bad? You call that bad? Shit Ruka, you still got me questioning why I even liked you." he winced.

"I know you play that nice guy thing, but after last year, it's better if you'd play those games with another girl." Damn, here it comes.

"Mikan, it's not like that I-"

"What's going on here?" Hyuuga came out of nowhere. I looked at him, he stared at me his eyes a little wide. I walked passed both of them, trying to get away from all of this.

Atleast the relapse didn't come, but I still felt like crap. Sumire started talking about Dennis Oh and Kim Soo-hyun to soothe me, but the tears wouldn't stop. It was a good thing Youichi wasn't here to see me like this. He'd go into protective little brother mode.

"What an asshole! I can't believe him." Sumire said angrily. She started hitting my stuffed bear with a pillow, "Take this! And that Nogi!"

"Calm down." I sniffed. "The past is the past, I'm the one over reacting anyway, Ugh, I made myself look like an idiot again."

She got up. "Where are you going?" I asked her.

"I'm gonna kick his ass." her flaming charisma took over.

"Stop stop stop." I blocked the door. She shot me a look, she was gonna run me down along with the door.

"You can't let him do this to you Mikan! He's making you so sad without even doing anything, ruthless." I didn't know whether she complimented him or ridiculing him. I belly flopped my bed and rolled myself up in my blanket. Sumire sighed, defeated.

"I'll just keep ignoring him." I suggested.

She scoffed, "Yeah like that worked the first time."

"I'm home!" Youichi yelled from the front door. I sat up quickly, "Shit, do I look okay?" Sumire nodded.

"Hey, what's for dinner?" Youichi came in without knocking. "Croquettes." I answered.

"Okay. Oh! Hey sis, that guy we met at Q-Cup is outside." he said walking out of my room. Sumire eyes widened and quickly looked at me, I shot back up, "What!" I groaned, "Freakin' stalker."

Hope you guys liked it and didn't think it was random :)