Rest Of My Life Chapter 3: Today My Life Begins, a gakuen alice fanfic

Summary: Sometimes life is to difficult to tell in words, so we sing about it. Because sometimes singing or even writing a song is easier than telling a story. This story takes us through all of Mikan and Natsume's life, starting from the first time they met to their last moments. It has all the ups and even all the downs.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or Bruno Mars.

Author's Note: I've taken this challenge, from myself, to write a multi-chaptered song-fic with songs only from Bruno Mars. Every chapter will follow the same story, but will also take the theme of the song I have chosen.

Today My Life Begins

I've been working hard so long
Seems like pain has been my only friend
My fragile heart's been done so wrong
I wondered if I I'd ever heal again

I change my mind. With Mikan in my life, it was like every day was the best day. No one day was better than the others. It was just a great life over all. I don't think we went a single day that summer that we did not see each other for at least an hour. It was possibly one of the greatest summers of my life.

Junior year, it finally happened. The day I had always dreamed would never happen, but only in some parallel universe far away.

"Natsume, you are such a jerk." Mikan called to me. I rolled my eyes. We were with Hotaru and Ruka, the four of us hanging outside my house by my pool. It was a nice September afternoon. Summer was going to be over soon, so we spent a lot of time at the pool lately.

And may I point out that I was not being a jerk. She was just being her normal self, so what else could I do but pick on her? She's also just too cute when she is furious at me, so how can I not pick on. "Maybe I would stop being a jerk if you work stop being so easy to pick on." I say back, folding my hands behind my head.

She is currently standing in front of me, soaked. Her shirt stuck to her slender body, and her shorts, which were a little top big for her, her being held up by her hands. She had the funniest look on her face. Her bangs stuck to her forehead, partially covering her eyes which were stuck on me with a look of hatred. I smirk. "You threw me into the water!"

Oh, just like all the seasons never stay the same
All around me i can feel a change

I will break these chains that bind me, happiness will find me
Leave the past behind me, today my life begins
A whole new world is waiting it's mine for the taking
I know I can make it, today my life begins

I shrug nonchalantly. "You should have gone in when I told you to."

"I would have gotten in eventually!" Mikan yelled back automatically, brushing her bangs out of her face. She was red with fury. "You have some nerve." She mumbles to herself, grabbing her towel.

"You know how to swim." Hotaru said with the same monotone. I'm so glad she's always on my side. It makes things so much better.

Mikan pouted, turning to Ruka. He was looking down at a book, staying out of this like he always did.

This all started became Mikan was complaining about being too hot. I told her to get in the pool with Hotaru - who at the time was in the water, but was now seated comfortably in a chair not to far from me. When she wouldn't stop complaining or go in willingly, I picked her up and tossed her in. To the deep end, of course.

If anything, she should be thanking me.

Yesterday has come and gone
And I've learn how to leave it where it is
And I see that I was wrong
For ever doubting I could win

Mikan took off her wet clothes, revealing her polka-dotted printed bikini. I smirk. "Did you do this for me, Polka?" She glares at me, not on speaking terms at this point. "I'm going to take that a yes."

She wraps a towel around her waist. "Why would I ever do anything purposely for you, your pervert?"

I raise an eyebrow, still grinning. "Maybe because you like me."

She pauses. She knows I'm teasing her, like I always do, and soon she will come back with some stupid thing to say back. Of course, she'll never know that every time I have ever said it to her, I'm secretly wishing she will say yes. Mikan looks at me with those big hazel eyes. She opens her mouth, ready to speak, but shuts it again. A goofy grins appears on her lips. "Yeah, right. As if, Natsume." She says sitting down in the empty chair beside us.

I let out a soft laugh, yet I do wish she would. I know it will never happen. We are friends, and that is all we would ever be. Or at least that's what I thought.

"Time for me to get going." Ruka said a half an hour later, stretching his arms over his head. "I told my mom I would be home for dinner tonight." He said smiling at us. Since he and Hotaru had come together, because they live so close to each other, the short-haired girl left with him. This left Mikan and I alone.

Oh, just like all the seasons never stay the same
All around me I can feel a change

I will break these chains that bind me, happiness will find me
Leave the past behind me, today my life begins
A whole new world is waiting it's mine for the taking
I know i can make it, today my life begins

Mikan and I sit in silence for a while. The sun is starting to set, which means she will be heading across the street any minute. "You know I don't mean any harm, right?" I asked.

She turns to me, mostly dry now. Her hair is still a little damp. I can tell because her hair is naturally a light auburn brown, but when wet, it turns almost black. Right now, it's like a mixture – a really good look for her. "Yeah, I know." She smiley sweetly at me. "But you will always be a jerk in my eyes."

I chuckle. "Ok, Polka." I say turning to her. Our eyes meet for a second. "As long as I'm your jerk."

Her cheeks turn pink – which happens a lot. She paused for a moment, our eyes still locked. Did she know I was being serious? "Sh-shush up, y-you j-jerk." And she turned away.

How could I get her to know what I'm really feeling?

Life's to short to have regrets
So I'm learning now to leave it in the past and try to forget
Only have one life to live
So you better make the best of it

And that night, I couldn't get her out my mind. Not that was any different than the other nights, but it was different that night. Like I should go and talk to her now. Like I should tell her how I fell. But I was scared – yes, scared – that she would deny my feelings.

I am Natsume Hyuuga for crying out loud. Since when did I get scared about telling a girl my feelings?

Since that girl was Mikan Sakura.

Somehow, I ended up convincing myself to sneak out that night. It was Sunday, so I knew Mikan would be up – or at least, I hoped she still was. She usually didn't go to bed til midnight or so. When I got to the back of her house, her light was on. I was right; she was still up. I threw a pebble up at her window. When she didn't answer, I threw another. After that, a small stick.

Finally, the window opened. "Are you trying to break my window?" She whisper-shouted, glaring down at me.

I grinned up at her. "Come down."

She gave me a weird look. "And why would I do that?" She asked, resting her head on her arms which folded on the window sill.

"Because I have something to tell you." I swore to myself that if I didn't do this now, I would never do it.

"It can't wait til school tomorrow? I am doing school work." She asked with a yawn. I shook my head, smiling. The thought of her actually doing work amused me. She turned around, listening for her parents. "Give me five minutes." She said before shutting the window.

Those five minutes were the worst five minutes of my life. I kept thinking to myself, why was I even doing this? Mikan and I were fine the way things were. She dated guys, I dated girls, but we always had each other. - best friends But that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be her boyfriend. I wanted her to be mine and only mine.

I looked over when I heard the sound of a footsteps on leaves to see Mikan walking. "What is so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow, jerk?" She had on black pajama bottoms with a white camisole and a light-orange, zip-up hoodie. Her hair was back in a French braid, and her hands were shoved deep into her pockets. "Well?"

"I-I-" I stopped myself. I was stuttering. She raised an eyebrow, catching my stutter.

"Are you okay, Natsume?"

"I'm great." I lied. My stomach was in knots. You can do this, Natsume. You are a Hyuuga for crying out loud. "I have something to tell you." I forced out – a little too fast. She raise an eyebrow. "Okay, let me get the right." I took a deep breath. "I know this is going to sound weird, and totally not what I would do, but I can't sit around waiting and hoping that your idiot self will get everything, so here I go." She opens her mouth to protest, but I quickly say, "I like you." I look at her, waiting for some kind of answer. But her face is blank. She is just starring at me.

I should have never done that.

"I should have never said that." I said rather quickly. "I apologize. I will be heading home now. I might not see you at school tomorrow because I might be dead. Or worse." I don't know what was worse than death, but I would find it.

"Natsume!" She said after me. "You.. you like me?" Her cheeks were bright pink. I could only nod. "Like, like like?" I laugh at her words and nod again. "This isn't some joke by Hotaru or Aoi is it?" She asks in a serious voice. "Because I know them, and they would make you pull a stunt like this-"

I roll my eyes. She would do this. I grab her by the shoulders and do the only thing I can think of. I crash my lips to hers. At first, she's startled, but off from her words. But in a matter of seconds, her lips are moving in rhythm to mine. When we finally pull back, she's out of breath. I smirk. "Does that seem like I'm kidding?"

And through my sappy confession, which I still deny to this day happen, Mikan and I confessed out feelings to each other. When she asked what finally made me tell her, I told her I couldn't wait for her slow self to finally catch on – which she hadn't.

Hotaru and Ruka saw it coming. Our parents were pleased, saying we were perfect for each other. Yuka and my mother started talking about wedding plans and such the day we told them. Aoi was thrilled, squealing something about Mikan being her real sister or something.

No one seemed surprised by us. Everyone seemed happy by us.

I know I was.

Today my life begins...