Third Wheel

T.W./27/Rivals?

At lunch, Natsume picks at my food. Sometimes he acts cute and asks me to feed him but I cross my arms and glare at him.

"I just told you that she's been staring at me the whole week and all you want me to do is feed you?!!!"

"Yeah? Just ignore her... Can I have that?"

I shake my head and glance back at Syoda Sumire, she gives me a look and laughs with the other girls. The other 'fangirls'.

Why????

Ugh... its middle school all over again.

"She likes you. I think she hates me because we're going out now." I frown as I roll the tomatoes around my bento box. "What's going to happen on Saturday??"

"I dunno. Can you make me a lunch box tomorrow?"

I roll my eyes.

"I'm seriously scared."

"Why?" Hotaru turns a chair around and places her bento on my desk. Tsubasa and Koko have gone out to play soccer in the courtyard instead of eating with us.

"She thinks that the perm girl is threatening her." Natsume yawns. Hotaru starts to chew on her onigiri.

"If she fights you, aim for her hair." Is all Hotaru says. "Then aim for her face. Girls like her hate it when you mess up their faces and hair."

I start to whine as I sink down in my chair. They don't even know about the way she's been looking at me lately.

She hasn't started bullying me yet but I know that she's been spreading rumors about me.

There are girls whispering whenever I'm near and I'm not just paranoid, I can hear them utter my name and glance at me.

I try to ignore it but I hope they don't hurt my friends.

"Sakura Mikan??? Someone from the next class asks for you." Someone shouts at me, I wave back and get up from my seat.

"Ooh, confession?" Hotaru teases and earns a glare from Natsume.

I hope there aren't any girls asking me to go behind the gym again.

Okay... I'll aim for the hair then.

I start to crack my knuckles when I hear his voice again.

"Hi Mikan." He mumbles, his eyes evidently tired.

"Mahiru... what is it?" I whisper as I look back at the classroom. Natsume doesn't see him but he gives me a raised brow. I smile at him and head out the door. "Do you have something to say?"

"Uh... remember that I asked you out at the Firework festival?"

Shoot... I totally forgot about that.

I've been in so much drama but I unintentionally pushed the matter far away from my state of mind.

I bow before him, "I'm sorry Mahiru, I can't go out with you."

He gives me a sad smile, "Yeah I heard that you started to go out with Hyuuga-kun. I just wanted to ask if we could be friends at least?"

I start to remember the good memories of us and it leaves my heart feeling hollow. I no longer love him like I used to but something makes me feel a little pained.

It's like saying goodbye to an old toy. "Okay."

"I know it won't be the same but I haven't been able to sleep well at all in the past couple days since then. You've already moved on but I haven't. I don't want to bother you so I'll work hard to forget about you." He bows and heads back.

It completely drains me of energy.

I drag my feet as I go back to my seat and go back to eating like a zombie.

"So... who'd you reject?" Hotaru smirks. The words run out of me like my soul is escaping.

"Mahiru."

Natsume drops his food and puts down his chopsticks. "What does he want now?"

It makes me feel bad for saying it, "He came to say that he wants to be friends again."

"What did you say?" Hotaru eyes me carefully.

"I said okay because I don't want anymore problems."

"Wow..." I hear the a girl snort loudly, "Why kind of girl does that?"

The others start to laugh loudly and fall to the floor in amusement.

I look down and flush.

Are they talking about me?

"Well... if it were me, I would have told him to get lost." Hotaru chomps into her sandwich. I try to take slow breaths. Natsume looks at me but doesn't say a word.

After lunch is over, we turn our desks back to face the board and begin silent study hall. I try to zone out the noises by plugging in my earbuds but I can hear the heavy laughter, it starts to clog my ears. I'm starting to think that I'm going to cry so I try to close my eyelids shut.

Don't listen.

Just... ignore them.

They're not worth the tears.

"Hey strawberry... are you alright?" Natsume whispers by my ear. My eyes open and my ear immediately stop listening to the talking, laughing, everything but Natsume's voice. It's rather soothing to hear. I take a deep breath and nod at him.

"I'm good." I breathe and its true. "Thanks." I smile and head back to work.

I have to remember that this time I'm not alone and that I am strong enough to overcome the cruel words of people. That what they say doesn't matter because... I am the only one that can let myself down. I have the power over what I feel. No matter what they say... I am who I am. They're words mean nothing.

But honestly... its hard.

Natsume holds my hand under the desk even after class ends and we pack up to go home. He doesn't ask or force it out of me. He's waiting for me to talk to him and maybe I should. But I want to overcome this on my own.

I squeeze his hand as we walk down to my house. "I can't wait until Saturday."

"Mhm." His gaze tenderly looks at me. "Me too."