A/N. Yippee, another AU high school fic. Apologies if I got any details about the American school system wrong, but I'm British and I've never been to American school. I just think your school system is waaayyy better for this fic.

Well, on with the story!

1. The Importance Of New Beginnings

There was nothing wrong with being lazy. In fact, it was quite an admirable trait, really. Oasis even wrote a song about it: The Importance of Being Idle. It was a good song to watch clouds to, which was why Shikamaru Nara was, at this moment in time, lying on his back in a meadow listening to the song on his MP3 player. Above him, the clouds were drifting by slowly, and by his right ear, a bee was buzzing in one of the flowers.

"SHIKAMARU! SHIKKAAAAMAAARUUUUU!!!"

He was jolted from his rather pleasant state of nothingness by an almost ear-splitting yell from his mother. She was leaning out of the kitchen window, shouting into the back garden, where Shikamaru was reclining.

He contemplated pretending not to have heard her, but he was quite sure she must have noticed him almost jump out of his skin at her yell. He had no choice but to get up and go and find out what she wanted. He wished his dad would hurry up and get back from his business trip, so that she could yell at her husband instead. Really, Shikamaru's mother was the most demanding woman he had ever met.

"SHIKAMARU! Don't ignore me you idle, good-for-nothing! Get your butt in here this instance!! I know you can hear me!!"

Shikamaru delayed it as long as possible before dragging himself to his feet, hitting pause on his MP3 and sauntering towards the back door, taking as long as he could.

"Want to say that a bit louder, Mum?" he drawled lazily, "Might be a few people across the border who didn't hear that,"

"Don't be insolent, young man! Now, are you ready for tomorrow?" his mother snapped. Shikamaru looked at her blankly. Tomorrow?

"Your first day of high school, remember!" she shouted, and began sorting out the laundry.

Oh yeah, Shikamaru thought. High school….troublesome.

***

In the morning, Shikamaru got up as late as he could without being late for school. He slipped on his favourite jeans, a cleanish string vest and his battered old trainers. He tied his long brown hair into his trademark high ponytail, and made sure his earrings were in place. This all took about ninety seconds. What was the point in making an effort?

On his way down stairs, he swung his backpack over one shoulder and grabbed a piece of toast as he passed through the kitchen. He kicked his skateboard to the floor, from where it rested against the wall, shouted a quick 'See ya', and banged the door behind him.

High school, huh? Shikamaru thought to himself as he rolled idly down the hills and through the streets of Konoha. He knew he was clever, and could have done so much better in school if he'd tried. It was like that in middle school; Shikamaru could have been top of the class had he put a bit more effort in, but he just drifted along in the middle - neither top nor bottom, doing as little work as he could get away with. Getting into fights wasn't Shikamaru's style, nor was trying to be popular and impress girls. Nah, Shikamaru preferred to just get on with his life so he could spend as much time as he could relaxing or playing the odd game of chess.

"Hey Shika!" he heard his friend Choji call out. Choji joined Shikamaru on the pavement, slowly pedalling his bike. Choji had been Shikamaru's friend since elementary school, and was one of the few people he could actually be bothered with. Choji was strong and beefy, and his brown hair stuck up in a rather alarming way round his head. Although he maintained he was by no means fat, his large body type made him an excellent fighter in several different martial arts.

"Hey Choji," Shikamaru returned his greeting, "High school, eh? I'd just got used to being on vacation,"

"You treat every day like a vacation," Choji scoffed, "Reckon you're gonna work hard this year?"

"Nahh. Reckon you're gonna go on a diet this year?" replied Shikamaru sarcastically.

"Nope," Choji had just finished a large bag of barbeque flavour crisps, and his backpack was bulging not from school supplies, but because of the size of the packed lunch he'd crammed in it.

"Where's Ino? She going to Konoha High too?" Shikamaru asked after the boys' best girl friend from middle school.

"Yeah, she is. Her mum was thinking of sending her to that private all-girls school, but Ino wasn't having any of it. You know what she's like with boys," Choji smirked.

Shikamaru let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like 'Sasuke'.

"Besides," Choji continued, "Her sister's at Konoha,"

"Speak of the devil," Shikamaru muttered. He had just seen a pink soft top sports car with 'Yamanaka Florists' written on the side, pull round the corner, going at least 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. In the front seat sat two blond girls, both dressed trendily and wearing a bit too much makeup. From down the road the boys could hear their music -Vengaboys' Boom Boom.

Shikamaru laughed and shook his head, "That girl has no subtlety,"

As they drove past, Ino leaned over and beeped the horn at them and the boys waved at her.

Aside from Ino, Shikamaru wasn't sure who else was starting high school with them. Upon arriving, he reported to the office, like all new students were supposed to. There, he was given his timetable by a stroppy looking woman.

He looked up his name on the list of homeroom form groups, to see who was in his class.

Form Group: C Rm. 105 Tutor: Jiraiya

Akimichi, Choji
Haruno, Sakura
Nara, Shikamaru
Sabuka, Gaara
Sabuka, Temari
Rock, Lee
Uchiha, Sasuke
Uzumaki, Naruto
Yamanaka, Ino

He was in the same class as Choji and Ino, that was good. Unfortunately, they'd got both Naruto and Sasuke in their class. He remembered them from middle school and both of them were extremely irritating. Also, Ino's major rival Sakura was in this class, which could be potentially troublesome, especially as both girls were more than a little fond of drama. And a few names he didn't recognise. He hoped those kids wouldn't be too much bother.

With Choji at his side, he wandered through the corridors, passing a couple of faces he recognised, but mainly those he didn't, until he got to room 105. In true Shikamaru style, he was late and all the best seats were gone.

He scanned the room quickly, taking in what he saw. Naruto Uzumaki, a distinctive vision in a bright orange hoodie was waving at him from the back of the room. Shikamaru half-saluted in return, but there was no way he was going to sit anywhere near Naruto. He was hyperactive at best, but normally he was thoroughly annoying. Besides, Naruto seemed to be in conversation with someone dressed in a similar style to himself i.e. absolutely ridiculously. This guy was wearing, seemingly through personal choice, a green, skin-tight jumpsuit. Shikamaru threw up a little in his mouth. He wasn't a fashion expert, but that garment was nasty.

That left Sasuke Uchiha, who was listening to his music and staring out the window, deliberately ignoring both Sakura and Ino, who were competing for his attention. Ino waved to Choji and Shikamaru, motioning them to come and sit with her.

Shikamaru trooped to the back of the classroom, following Choji. But there was only one seat left next to Ino, and Choji had already plonked his butt in it.

"Sorry, Shika," Ino and Choji both grinned sheepishly.

"No worries," Shikamaru muttered.

How troublesome. He got stuck in the same form as Uzumaki and Uchiha and there weren't enough seats left to sit with his friends. High school was turning out to be such a drag.

He scanned the room for a free seat.

"Hey Ponytail-Boy!" an unfamiliar voice called out to him, "Why don't you come sit next to me?"

He turned slowly to see who speaking to him. A pretty blonde girl was smiling at him; he didn't know who she was.

He weighed up his options, and decided that, although women were generally troublesome, he could have chosen a worse seat.

"Okay," he replied, and sat down next to her.