Disclaimer:

All rights belong to the brilliant Higuchi Tachibana, creator and of course, owner of Gakuen Alice.

Author's Note: This is my first fic and I'm basically writing it as I go, though I do have a general idea of the story. Slight OOC especially Mikan and Natsume; but I'm tired of reading a happy-go-lucky Mikan and a brooding Natsume, so I decided to shake things up a little bit. Enjoy!

Mikan Sakura woke with a start. Her heart was hammering and her hair was sticking to her skin. It was still dark in her room and so so quiet. As she tried to steady her breathing, she searched for her cellphone, buried somewhere under her pillows.

3:24AM. No notifications- not that she expected any. Nobody really contacted her anymore ever since that. She was something to be pitied, but never approached. And moving to a new school where her uncle's the principal would not change anything despite her uncle's assurance. Once word got out that Mikan is an orphan child with no one left but her uncle, who might as well be a stranger to her, everyone will treat her the same. She hated it. She missed the city already.

Trying to sleep seemed useless now as Mikan felt wide awake, so she rose from her bed, adjusted her eyes to the dark and watched her newly assigned room. A nice queen bed at the center, a study table by the door, an ensuite bathroom, a wardrobe and her luggage opened and still unpacked by its side. No trinkets, no decoration. Nothing personal. Granted, its only been less than 24 hours, but Mikan felt like she'll never make the effort anyway.

Just as her mind started to feel hazy, Mikan started listing in her head. It was a habit she got into after her mom taught to make a list everytime things get too overwhelming. It helped her sort her thoughts but these days, the list seems counterproductive:

Reasons Alice Academy is a shit hole:

The water tastes different.
The room is too stuffy.
This new bedsheet itches like hell.
I have a stranger for an uncle.
I'm turning 17 soon without a mother to celebrate with.
No more mom's homemade cakes.
No more mom's horrid singing.
No more mom.
Mom's gone.
Mom's gone.

Mom's gone.

Feeling that listing didn't help, Mikan opted for a second option: smoking. It was something she picked up after her mom died and Mikan knew it wasn't the best way to cope, but no one's there to guide her anymore so screw it. Just as she was about to light a cigarette, Mikan saw a smoke detector on the ceiling. "Fuck," she breathed. Now that nicotine was already calling for her, Mikan sighed as she grabbed her jacket and went out the door.

"Seems like this place really does not want me to smoke, huh," Mikan spotted smoke detectors placed strategically throughout the hall rooms, stairs and common lounge. Feeling there was no other option, she walked out of the dorm building and headed for a bench not far from the main entrance.

Once lit, Mikan breathed in the smoke and sighed. Looking up, the stars were so clear unlike back at home. But again, Mikan still felt it was too quiet and it made her unnerved. In the city, there was always noise. Cars passing, dogs barking, sometimes sirens and alarms. Mikan is fully aware that those were all noise pollution but the interruptions became like lullabies to her, and it certainly stopped her thoughts to fully encase her.

When the cigarette was halfway done, Mikan heard the main entrance opening and steps coming towards her. Dimly thinking whether smoking was actually allowed in campus or not, Mikan hoped it wasn't her uncle. Then again, there was no reason for her uncle to be in her dorm at 4 in the morning. Everyone she's related to was already dead.

Instead, it was a boy. He had black hair that seemed effortlessly slick and eyes that even in the dark Mikan could tell was a striking crimson. Fine jawline and very kissable lips. This boy was nothing short of handsome. He was wearing sports attire and looked confused to see Mikan. "A runner's build," she thought to herself, adding another point to what seemed a long list of this guy's attractiveness.

"Is it too late or too early to be smoking?" he asks. He looked unsure whether it was a good idea to be talking to her.

Mikan shrugged, uncaring that this guy caught her smoking within the premise (she was still unsure whether the campus actually allowed smoking or not). "Probably too late."

Silence. Why was this guy still standing there? Mikan thought giving a short reply would make him go away, but he still stood there as if waiting for a nonexistent conversation. "And you?" Mikan added, "Way too early for a morning run, no?"

"No, this is an early morning run."

"Right."

Thinking this guy had too much chivalry to leave her alone, Mikan decided to end his misery. She stood up and headed for the main entrance. "Well, I'm leaving now. Happy running, I guess."

When she neared the entrance, the boy called, "Do you run?"

And out of all things, that made Mikan laugh, "No."

As soon as she reached her bed, sleep came for her not long after.

A/N: End of chapter 1! I'm really considering this fic as a platform to polish my writing skills and creativity. A lot of this are on-the-whim ideas and of course with reference of other things here and there. Hope you read and review!