If you get the music reference, kudos :3

My first real "fanfic" for a long time. I'm in college and I feel like I'm back in middle school xD It's quite fun actually!

I own none of the Naruto character mentioned, the naruto world, etc. The only thing I own are the OCs and some of the plot.

Darkness, all consuming. It was all I know now, had known then, and will know tomorrow.

"Look. There goes the freak."

Like a wall of water crushing you beneath it's weight; unable to pull yourself back above the surface. Was it normal for someone my age to know this much hardship? I didn't think so, but if it wasn't, then why had it happened? Why do things like that ever happen?

"She's so weird. I mean, just look at her. She doesn't act like a ninja. Does she really think she'll become as good a ninja as Iruka sensei?"

Words. They cut like knives, leaving scars in their wake. Whoever said words could never hurt you had obviously never been the target of a bully. Or ten. I shot the gossipers a glare before continuing to my seat in the classroom.

"Oh, look! Now she's mad!" The girls laughed, their blonde leader keeling over from her perch on top of her desk like a crow.

I closed my eyes, reminding myself to ignore them. I sat in a random chair at an empty table, staring straight ahead. The raven haired boy sitting at the desk in front of me turned around, giving me a level stare for a few moments before turning back around.

That's right. He's been through some hard times, too. Only, his hardships were a few years in the past. Mine happened last week.

"I hear she caused the acciden-" I took a deep breath, trying to tune them out. I felt a wave of nausea and closed my eyes tight, trying to breathe. When i opened them again, the raven haired boy, Sasuke, was staring at me again.

"I bet you she killed them for attention. I mean, no one noticed her before. She probably just wanted to be the center of attention for once in her-" the blonde girl, Ino, got cut off mid sentence.

"Shut up." Sasuke said, deadly quiet. Ino gasped and stared at him in shock. She laughed nervously and put her hands up in a defensive position.

"Well, Sasuke, I just meant that-"

"I said shut up." he growled now. She had clearly hit a sore spot.

I hope I'm not still hurting that much when a few years pass. I thought to myself. The nausea hit again, and Ino went to open her big mouth again. I jumped up and fled the room. Thankfully, the tears didn't start pouring from my eyes until I was half way down the hall. I tripped near the exit door and slid on the floor a few feet. I dragged myself into a sitting position, leaning against the wall, pulling my knees to my chin, and burying my face in my arms. I couldn't stop the sobs now. I tried to be as quiet as possible.

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up into a pale face framed by raven locks, tears coming down even harder as a sob wracked my body. Sasuke sat down next to me, not saying anything. He knew better than anyone what I was feeling right now.

"They don't understand. You can only blame them so much for that." he said. I leaned my head back against the wall and said nothing. "The cruelty, though, is uncalled for."

I took a shaky breath, hiccuping before getting my sentence out. "Is that why you don't talk to anyone?"

He said nothing.

"Thanks for earlier. For defending me."

He shot me a quick half smile before it faded from his face. It was fleeting, and for a minute i wondered if I had seen things. He nodded.

"I don't know where to go from here." I said quietly. "I have no body."

He was quiet for a few moments. "Me too." He looked towards the ceiling, clearly lost in thought.

"Want to stick together?" I asked. He just stared at me.

"We don't know where to go, so I'll just get lost with you."

He was silent for a few more moments, and I was starting to think he didn't like the idea.

"Sure, why not." he shrugged, getting to his feet. "My first act as your friend is getting your butt back in there. By staying out here you're letting them win." He reached his hand down to me. I stared at it for a few moments, pondering. I was honestly scared to go back in there. I looked up into his face, swallowed the fear down, and took a deep breath. I took one last look at my new friend, and took his hand.