Yes, I am still alive! :3 And here's chapter 5! R&R please?

Disclaimer (which I now realize I had forgotten to put several times. Eheheh): I would gladly own Gakuen Alice, but sadly Higuchi Tachibana hasn't realized that it's his destiny to give it to me. So for the time being, I don't own GA D': neither do I own that pancake recipe.

Replies to anonymous reviews:

To *_*: Yeah, it is kind of weird, but I thought it would be weirder if she called his name without the "-kun" when they've just met. And happy veery belated new year to you too, thanks! :3

To qwertyuiop: uhh… then I suggest you don't say anything? O.o I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to take that.

Chapter 5 ~ How Peer Pressure Results In Witches

By ShiroKoneko

Mikan's POV

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

I dumped the ingredients into the green plastic bowl and started moving it around.

Natsume swore under his breath. "You idiot!" he hissed. "Let me do that." He grabbed the bowl and started to sift the contents smoothly.

I pouted. "I'm supposed to sift it! You're supposed to do the next step!"

"You want us to fail? Because that's what's going to happen if I let you near this freaking bowl."

"Oh?" I hissed. "And you know because?"

He snorted. "Maybe because of the events of the last ten minutes?" He pointedly looked at his apron, which used to be crisp white. Now it was a nice mix of yellow, orange, and tan.

"I'm telling you, it's not my fault I spilled it! You freaking stepped on my toe!" I shrieked.

Natsume raised an eyebrow. "How do I step on your toe when I'm sitting across the counter from you?"

I didn't have anything to say to that, so I ignored him.

"Why are you so clumsy with this stuff anyway? Don't you know how to cook?"

"That's Anna's specialty, not mine," I snapped. "But for your information, I can cook awesomefully. And last time I checked, cooking and balancing three bowls at the same time were not the same thing."

"Tch." He sifted the ingredients expertly and started doing the next step.

"Is that even a word?" I was sitting on the stool across from his, swinging my legs and watching him do all the work.

"Awesomefully isn't a word either, smart one," he drawled.

I crossed my arms and stared in the other direction. "I hate being partners with you."

"The feeling's mutual, Polka," he muttered sullenly.

"Why do our teachers always make us sit together anyways?" I tried to shriek while at the same time keeping my voice down. "It's a freaking conspiracy, that's what it is! We were paired for everything except math! It's so unfair!"

He blinked. "Obviously, because I'm your assigned partner?"

"Assigned partner?" I parroted.

"Everyone in Alice Academy has an assigned partner who shares all the same classes with that person and is supposed to be at the same academic level, although we were forced to be partners because no one else is partnerless. Partners are assigned in Homeroom, so we weren't partnered in math today. It was in the handbook, stupid," he sneered.
"Handbook?" I repeated like a moron.

"Yes. What are you, a parrot?"

"Wait." I suddenly realized something. "We share all the same classes?"

Natsume shook his head and looked away with a sigh.

"Stop doing that!" I tried to kick him under the table. After painfully stubbing my foot, I remembered that the Home Economics classroom had counters, not tables. "I'm not a freaking little girl."

"I'm sure you aren't, little girl."

Oh, this guy was so asking for a handful of flour thrown at his face.

Assistant Sensei passed by our table just when I was about to lose it. "Not fighting, are we?" he asked timidly. Natsume sneered at him, and he scurried away, cringing.

One thing that had become obvious during the first few minutes of class was that Assistant Sensei – apparently, that was his name – had a backbone made of crushed, blended, ultra-soft jelly. Unlike Jinno-sensei, who bullied the students, Assistant Sensei was bullied by the students. The classroom was practically anarchic.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.

I watched as Natsume did all the work. He was a pretty bad cook by my standards, although he did better than most of the people in our class. But then again, his family had cooks and maids to do everything for them. In Nagoya, I had done most of the cooking, although now that we were in Tokyo we had hired staff too.

"You cook really, really badly," I commented as he tried to flip the pancake over and almost burned himself.

"Tch. Like you can do better, little girl."

"Bring it!"

I was extremely tired out and extremely relieved when Home Economics ended, even more so when I found out that Natsume wasn't in my choir class. According to Mouri Reo, my choir teacher, this was due to "no other people in all the same classes and Sakura transferring here three weeks before school starts".

Reo was one of the most popular teachers at Alice Academy. According to the reviews for the Best Teacher Award nominations two years ago, it was because of his expertise in music and his efficient teaching methods. But judges suspected it was more because of Reo's good looks and his former career as a pop star, and thus he was disqualified. Since then, Reo has held a grudge against all his students, particularly girls. According to Misaki, "He's a real slave driver of a teacher, but he's too damn hot to completely hate."

Unlike Misaki and the rest of the girls, I found Reo perfectly hate-able.

"Sakura!" he snapped. "You're off tune. Sing this measure for us."

I sang it obediently.

"Still off. Too low."

Again, I sang it.

"Too high this time."

I fumed. I knew it was perfect and everyone else did too, but I restrained myself from kicking him and repeated it.

"Sakura," he drawled out insolently, "it sounds too unemotional. You have to capture the feeling in the measure."

I blinked. That was bullshit and he knew it.

"Sing it again for us," he ordered with a hint of a smirk.

I lost it. The guy was just too infuriating. "Why don't you sing it, if you're so much better than me?" I snapped.

Gasps sounded in the classroom. Reo's face was devoid of all emotion as he ominously raised a hand.

And he sang the measure. Perfectly, I might add, with plenty of freaking emotion. Everyone melted at his deep and slightly lilting voice.

Damn it, why do teachers always find a way to pull one over you in the end? That was the thought in my head as I trudged to my next class after a period of embarrassment.

Creative Writing was something I had been looking forward too. That is, until I read that Narumi was going to be the teacher.

"Okay, class!" he said cheerily. "I want you to be kind to Mikan-chan!" he chirped. Then he seated me next to Natsume and proceeded to talk about ketchup.

Yes, ketchup.

"Ketchup tastes sooo good!" he squealed. "You know, I know this place where if you buy two bottles of ketchup they give you a third one free!"

There was an awkward silence.

"Narumi-sensei… this is… Creative Writing class, right?" I asked hesitantly. At that point I wasn't sure whether I should call 911 and have the guy put in a psych ward.

Narumi cleared his throat. "I know, Mikan-chan, I know. That is, er, class, let's review our vocabulary terms."

No one took Narumi seriously and we ended up spending the class having a free for all paper airplane war. So far, my first day at Alice Academy was turning out to be a major disappointment.

Art class was the highlight of all my classes. The teacher, a young woman who looked about twenty, was kind but couldn't stand misbehavior.

"Andou!" she snapped. "Detention after school."

Andou Tsubasa, a tall, dark-haired boy with sharp, good looking features grinned at Shizune-sensei. The star tattoo on his cheek crinkled adorably as he flashed his trademark cocky smile and drawled insolently, "I have a soccer game. So it's a no-go."

Shizune frowned. "Then you will simply not attend the soccer game."

Tsubasa rolled his eyes. "I'm the star player on the team. Coach will skin you alive."

Shizune leaned forward and peered down through her square glasses ominously. "Oh, will he now?"

Tsubasa merely smirked and pulled out a slip of paper. He handed it the paper to Shizune, who scanned it briefly and passed it back to him with a scowl.

"Very well Andou, you win this time," she said coolly before returning to the front of the classroom. "Now class, open up your sketchbooks please."

I opened my brand-new sketchbook with my left hand, as my right hand was texting furiously.

To: Harada Misaki

From: Sakura Mikan

tsubasa is hawt. and nice too :3

A few seconds later, my phone buzzed discreetly and I allowed myself a peek downwards.

To: Sakura Mikan

From: Harada Misaki

…u already have Ruka! quit stealing the hot guys xP

I snickered quietly and slid my phone back into my pocket.

"Okay, class," Shizune announced. "I'll be putting you guys in groups for a long-term project today."

We all scrambled to find partners.

Shizune smacked her forehead. "I said, I will be putting you guys in groups!"

"Awww!" the class moaned collectively.

She ignored us. "This project will require you to create storyboards of two assigned stories or plays. Each panel on the storyboard will be eight and a half inches by eleven inches, completely colored, in oil. The number of panels is your choice, but if I can't tell what's going on, expect to fail." She rambled on about technique, grading criteria, and some more guidelines before adding, "Due in three months. And now for your groups."

I crossed my fingers, hoping Misaki would be in my class and Natsume wouldn't. I wouldn't mind Tsubasa either. I'd heard he was a cocky, mischievous player but he was kind to me and helped me open my locker when I couldn't get the thing to open. On the other hand, that bastard Natsume had snorted and walked by briskly, ignoring my pleas for help. God, I hoped I didn't have that arrogant jerk in my group.
"Sakura Mikan, Hyuuga Natsume –"

I sputtered in disbelief and buried my face in my arms.

"– Andou Tsubasa, Misaki Harada, and Ibaragi Nobara."

I contemplated. Two people I liked and two I hated. Joy.

"You guys will be doing The Little Mermaid and Cinderella."

With the exception of Nobara, we all sputtered with indignation. My phone buzzed several times and I peeked downwards furtively.

To: Sakura Mikan

From: Andou Tsubasa

looks like we're going to be spending some quality time together, huh Mikan-chan? ;D

To: Sakura Mikan

From: Harada Misaki

u have rly great karma huh. not only do we get Natsume-kun and Tsubasa, we also get the Ice Princess?! OwO

I ignored Shizune, who was announcing the other groups, and started typing replies.

To: Andou Tsubasa

From: Sakura Mikan

u'd better watch it, Ruka can be pretty scary ;D

To: Misaki Harada

From: Sakura Mikan

Ice Princess?!

I clicked 'send' and waited for the replies.

To: Sakura Mikan

From: Andou Tsubasa

lol, i didn't mean it that way. but if u wanna hook up im not complaining. ;]

To: Sakura Mikan

From: Harada Misaki

yeah, u wouldn't kno yet. she's called the Ice Princess cuz she's rly shy and barely talks. and she's never gone out with a guy b4, even tho a lot of guys want her cuz she's rly pretty.

"Sakura! Harada! Andou!" Shizune snapped suddenly. "No more texting."

"Sorry, Shizune-sensei," we muttered, putting away our phones.

"Now," she continued. "let me review. We have four groups, the themes being The Little Mermaid and Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Peter Pan, and finally Snow White and Alice In Wonderland. Alright, now after I pass out a paper regarding what I just said and what many of you probably didn't hear, you may begin planning out your storyboard. Oh, and I suggest you each pick a part and model it, as it will be easier to sketch."

W congregated into our groups, some muttering discontentedly and some wearing happy smiles. I for one was wearing a neutral expression, while Misaki was all smiles.

"Hey ladies," Tsubasa said confidently after we had clustered around Misaki's desk. "So, who's modeling what part? Let's start with The Little Mermaid."

"I want to be the mermaid!" I interjected hastily.

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Heck no, you're too ugly."

"Nobara should be the mermaid," Misaki offered.

"Agreed. She fits the part perfectly and she's definitely prettier than Polka Dots," Natsume commented. I glared at him, while Nobara blushed a deep red. "Andou, you be prince."

Tsubasa frowned. "Heck no. You be prince. I'll model all the other guys."

"I'm not being the prince," Natsume objected crossly. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Aw why not Natsume?" I teased. "You've already got the arrogant stuck-up attitude."

"Shut up, little girl!" he snapped. "Too bad we didn't get Beauty and the Beast, you could definitely model the Beast."

"No seriously Natsume, why don't you model the prince?" I asked, ignoring his insult. "You're definitely good-looking enough, no offense Tsubasa."

Everyone looked at me as if I'd sprouted a second head, and after a few seconds I realized what I had just said and blushed. "What? It's true he's good-looking! Even if he is a jerk."

Natsume scowled at me. "You know what? Fine."

I glanced at him curiously. "Fine what?"

"Fine, I'll be the prince. That is, if Polka Dots plays the witch."

My jaw dropped. "Hell no!" I sputtered.

"You know, Natsume-kun?" Misaki said thoughtfully. I waited for her to defend me, but instead she said, "That's a good idea. And I'll model the other girls."

Tsubasa laughed. "Yeah, go on Mikan, do it!"

I glanced around me, from Natsume's triumphant face to Misaki's smiling one, and I said, "You know what? Let's do it."

And with that slightly belligerent statement, the bell rang and classes ended for the day.

Yes, veery short . and unedited, pfft. But next chapter's going to center around Mikan's mandatory sports try-outs, so I didn't want to mix them up into the same chapter.

And thanks to Swirly-chan, *_*, x'bLuE-AnGeL'x, Darkest Temptation, and Pathetic Rainbow for leaving such thoughtful reviews 33 there were others but you guys' reviews totally made my day. Thanks~

Review please? C'mon, click that button! CLICK! I COMMAND YOUUUU~

~ShiroKoneko (Shiro-chan)