DML: I do not own GA.

Leave Me Alone

The brunette entered her room with a big smile on her face. Setting her keys on the table and removing her shoes, her heart kept racing as she remembered how she spent her night with the raven-haired lad. She begin to hum a tune and skipped to her room, turning the knob and about to pounce on her bed when she noticed a dark figure on her bed. She immediately flipped on the light switch and met a pair of violet eyes.

"You're late," the violet-eyed girl said stoically and pushed a lock of her black hair behind her ear, "And what's with the really big and goofy grin?"

"Hotaru!" the brunette cried and her chocolate brown eyes lit up upon seeing her best friend.

"So," Hotaru raised an eyebrow and walked towards Mikan, "You really went to do a project with Hyuuga?"

"Yeah!" Mikan giggled and smiled even wider.

"So what happened?" Hotaru rolled her eyes and let out a smile small. She had known how her friend felt about Hyuuga. The way she talked about him, the way she acted around him. Mikan just radiated a bright aura when she was with him. Even if he didn't feel the same, or did he?

"He totally flirted with me today," Mikan babbled on, feeling her cheeks flush and redden, "I mean, what's with him! And Hotaru! Guess what! He told me he doesn't like that Luna anymore!"

Luna is the prettiest girl in school. Totally fake though. She was plastic. Everybody knew that. But the boys still wanted her in their pants and the girls' still wanted to be her best friend. Not that she was a nice person, she only cared about herself and saw others as nothing but blocks of wood. Natsume was not spared by her spell. And he fell. So for Hotaru to hear that Natsume wasn't in love with the fake girl meant good news for Mikan.

And he flirted with her.

"So when are you guys going to get together?" Hotaru stated flatly, watching Mikan's reaction. "Or are you guys already together?"

Mikan blushed tenfolds and stuttered before shouting, "I... He... I uhh, I DO NOT LIKE HIM HOTARU."

"Sure you don't."

"Argh! We are not continuing this conversation! Natsume and I are just friends! Maybe a little more, but that's it!"

"Oh, so you're on first name basis now?"

"Hotaru!"

And that was Hotaru's confirmation that her best friend was in fact in love with Natsume Hyuuga, the boy with the red eyes.

"Hey Polka," a husky voice called out. "Hey, stop sleeping. Jinno's here."

"Mm-hmm," and Mikan just turned her head and continued sleeping. "Call me when the food comes."

The lad could hardly suppress his chuckle and thought of a way to wake her up before their Math teacher from hell really arrived.

He whipped out his cellphone and pressed a few buttons. He then held it to her ear and pressed another button.

'I'm on a highway to hell! Highway to hell! I'm on a-'

"WHAT THE WHO'S THE IDI-" Mikan was unable to finish her sentence as Jinno had just walked into class and he was staring, rather angrily, at the brunette.

"Detention after school," he said with distaste and glared at Mikan, "Sakura."

Mikan's jaw dropped and she slowly turned towards Natsume, "You. Planned. This."

"I didn't," he cooly said with a smirk, "I tried to wake you up. And the song fitted. You're on a highway to hell with detention with Jinno."

"Just shut up and never speak to me again."

Hotaru, who was sitting behind the class could tell that Natsume was hurt by what Mikan had said. His crimson eyes softened and he looked like he was resisting the urge to touch her. But instead, Mikan just moved to the far end of the long table, leaving Natsume hurt and speechless.

"So, he likes her too," Hotaru muttered softly, "huh."

"And you may go now," Jinno said and pushed up his glasses, "Please refrain from shouting in class or sleeping, for that matter, in the future Sakura."

Mikan nodded her head obediently and packed her stuff. Thanks to that black haired freak, she could not go to Central Town with her friends. A scenario had formed in her head where he was eating a big box of Howalons and laughing at her sad state. What a jerk. To think she thought they had such a great night a few days ago.

With her stuff packed and ready to go, she spun her heel and saw her most favourite person by the doorway, holding a big box of Howalons. She walked pass him but stopped in her tracks when he called out her name.

"Mikan," he whispered.

Mikan slowly turned to face him, hatred visible in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he flinched a little by how scary this dense idiot could be but continued with his apology, "I just wanted to wake you up. I didn't mean to get you into detention. I'm really sorry."

She eyes him suspiciously and stopped short at the big box of Howalons in her hands.

NO! A part of her mind said. He's using the Howalons as bait!

And so she looked up at his piercing crimson eyes. They were full of sincerity and honesty.

Okay, so maybe he is sincere about it after all.

"Are those for me?" she asked and pointed at the box.

"Yeah."

She let loose her big and bright smile and snatched the box from his hands, "Forgiven."

Hotaru knew the only reason that Mikan wasn't home yet was because Hyuuga had apologized to her and they were probably out somewhere, talking. She smiled at that thought. It was about time those two got together.

A few weeks later

"Natsume-kun?" a sickly sweet voice said.

Natsume looked towards his left and saw a strawberry blond looking up at him with green eyes. She smiled sweetly and batted her eyelashes once in a while.

"Luna."

"So you do know of me?" she giggled and blushed a little, making Natsume turn away to hide a blush of his own. "Well anyway, I was wondering if you'll like to go out sometime. I heard there's a really good cafe just a few blocks from school. So, what do you say?"

Natsume pondered on the thought of him and the prettiest, hottest (and most slutty) girl on a date. Yeah, he'd like that. He'll just cancel his study session with Mikan. She'll understand.

"Yeah. I'll pick you up?"

"6 o'clock, dorm lobby."

"It's a date."

And she sashayed her way out of there, a triumphant smile etched across her face.

Natsume was stuck somewhere on cloud nine, but he was surprisingly calm. He thought he had forgotten about Luna, but he guess not. Oh well, it didn't matter. They were going out tonight, and on a date.

"What was that all about?" Mikan questioned, breaking Natsume out of his reverie.

"Polka," Natsume looked down at her, "Can we postpone the study session to tomorrow? I'll inform Ruka and the dudes, you tell Hotaru."

"Why?"

"Luna asked me out. How awesome is that?"

And that hit her. Hard. It took all Mikan had to keep a straight face and not hit Natsume. How badly she wanted to punch his good-looking face right now, how badly she wanted to cry and just kick him and slap his face. But no, she kept a straight face and smiled at him.

"For real?" she said, a fake joyfulness present in her voice, "So I guess you've never really given up, huh?"

"Good observation," he noted and scratched his chin, "Well, sorry about the last minute change. Thanks Polka!"

And he dashed off.

"You're home early," Hotaru said without looking up from her technology magazine.

"He's out with Luna," Mikan said softly.

"What? I thought you said-"

"Yeah, I thought so too," and Mikan rushed to her bedroom, locking it.

Her phone was ringing, her head was spinning, her tears were falling.

The pathetic looking brunette dried her eyes and picked up her phone.

"Hello?" she said rather waterly.

"Hey, you okay? You sound weird." Natsume was on the other line, concerned.

"Nah, you just woke me up," she lied.

"Oh, sorry!" and he continued, "Luna asked me if I wanted to be her boyfriend and I didn't know what to answer! Oh man, did I screw it up?"

"Why didn't you just say yes?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what are you afraid of? I mean, you've liked her since forever, so why not just commit?"

"Cos, well," and he paused for a moment to think, "I really don't know."

"I see."

"Well I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow! Bye."

And without bidding him goodbye, she hung up on him. And right on cue, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Mikan said.

"Hey," Hotaru walked in with two mugs of hot chocolate.

Mikan gave a weak smile to her best friend and told her about the phone call.

"I think that I'll skip tomorrow's study session. You go ahead without me," Mikan added.

"Mikan, don't tell me you're going to-"

"Be missing in action for 24 hours," Mikan interrupted Hotaru, "again."

Hotaru shook her head, "All this because of Hyuuga?"

Mikan didn't answer that, she felt really tired now.

"Hotaru, can we continue this tomorrow?"

"Yeah, okay. Get some rest." Hotaru cleared the mugs and tucked Mikan into bed. She switched off the lights and went out, but not before she caught a glimpse of a tear rolling down Mikan's cheek.

"I'm home," Hotaru called out. She had just returned from the study session which Mikan did not go for, and it was a mess.

"How was it?" Mikan asked. She looked a little better that before.

"Hyuuga's mad at you," Hotaru said. "You guys should talk things out."

"I don't want to."

"Mikan, don't be stubborn. You want to know the reason why he can't commit to Luna? Because he has feelings for you too."

"No he doesn't. And how would you know?"

Hotaru raised an eyebrow at Mikan.

"Oh, right."

"Well now, get ready in 5. I told him you'll meet him at the dorm lobby. And no excuses."

Mikan did as she was told and went to freshen up.

As soon as the lift doors opened, Mikan felt nervous. There Natsume was, angry and annoyed.

She cleared her throat to make her presence known and called out his name, "Natsume."

"Why didn't you pick up my calls? Or reply my texts?" he questioned menacingly.

"I.. uhh, I wasn't feeling well."

"But you feel well enough to meet me here?"

"Hotaru said that you wanted to see me."

"Yeah I did. To ask what the fuck your problem is. Do you know how worried I was? You were freaking MIA for 24 hours!"

Mikan flinched at the harshness of his tone and looked away. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and blinked them away.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?"

"If it angers you so much to care about me, then don't. Just leave me alone," Mikan looked up at his eyes and felt her heart ache the moment she said that. But before Natsume could even respond, she turned and dashed towards the lift.

Goodbye forever.