Chapter 1 [Part 1]

Call Animal Control

It was a high-pitched scream that woke Naruto. Piercing and full of terror, it ripped him from sleep and had him moving before he was awake. He started up abruptly only to curse as one of his foot got tangled by his bed sheet covers and landed face first on the floor.

Groaning at the pain vibrating through his skull, Naruto closed his eyes against the stars dancing before them and press a hand against his aching nose. He'd really cracked himself good and would like to clasp his face in both hands and roll in agony for a moment, but the tight tangle on his legs wouldn't allow it.

And then a second terrified shriek reminded him of why he was awake.

He reached out and tried to untangle himself with his hand not holding his nose. He then had to release his bruised nose to get up. Getting up from the floor was a two-handed job, and ridiculously strenuous first thing in the morning. Especially when he just got home from his part-time job and had only managed to get a few hours of sleep.

Naruto cursed his way up from the floor, his bare feet slapping on the hardwood surface as he hurried out of his room without bothering to grab a shirt to cover his naked torso revealing a semi-feminine lean but chiseled body. Another scream cut the air as he got out of his room. A fourth was being issued just as he burst into his kitchen/living area.

He spotted Sakura at once, standing on top of the kitchen counter, back against the wall, pink hair a chaotic mass around her head and turquoise eyes wide with panic. The young teen was holding a frying pan shielding herself as a raccoon was reeking havoc in the kitchen floor scavenging for left over food. She was also screeching and throwing random items (mainly his instant cup ramen) from the counter every time the huge rodent came anywhere near her.

Naruto watches as the scavenger veer to the side to avoid objects being thrown at it; the raccoon ran through the open broom closet and briefly out of sight. Naruto rushed over and slammed the door close, trapping it inside.

"Oh!" Sakura collapsed on the counter hugging the skillet to her chest. "Oh, thank God."

She then glared at her best friend and scowled at him. "You left your window open last night. And your apartments a pig sty. Don't you ever pick up after yourself?"

Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and laughed weakly at the accusation in her voice. "Sorry Sakura-chan, but you know as well as I do that I'm too busy or too tired to do it myself. And besides isn't that the reason you always come here?" he said and gracing her with his signature grin.

The pinkette sighed dejectedly. She knew Naruto had to manage school work and had to work at a part-time job just so that he could be able to support himself. She and Naruto had been childhood friends since kindergarten. She knew how Naruto had been orphaned at the age of four and had been transferring from foster homes to foster homes. She knew that every foster home he'd been in would either neglect him or abuse him. Naruto would always smile and claim his wounds were made by his own clumsiness. But she knew it was all just an act because it was her mother being a doctor would always treat the poor boy's wounds and nourish him every time he comes over to play or sleepover. He would always toss and turn and murmur in his sleep whenever he had a nightmare of his abuse and she would always comfort him and reassuring him that he was safe and everything would be okay.

His last foster parent was a pediatrician by the name of Orochimaru and every one of his colleges says that he loves children. At first they thought that he was good for the young spitfire and that finally Naruto could be able to live happily. So child service and her parents had no doubts that he was good for the young bundle of sunshine and would be able to provide for him and more. Little did they know that that man was an in-the-closet-obsessive-compulsive-sadistic-psychopath who would torture, abuse, and threaten Naruto every time he couldn't fulfill the mans wishes (e.g. getting an A on his test, being top of his class, and etc…).

Everyone was convinced that the man was a good father because of how well Naruto had been performing in school. They thought that finally Naruto has become happy and the boy would always convince them and himself that he was happy. But it was four years ago when Sakura's mother found Naruto in a hospital (which owned by the Haruno family) surrounded by reporters and security officers lying in bed with bandages wrapped all over his abused face. It was when Naruto had turn twelve that year, when Sakura's parents decided to file for child custody over Naruto.

It was one and a half years ago when Naruto asked for the Haruno's permission to become independent seeing as he was old enough to live on his own. Sakura and her parents were reluctant at first but seeing as Naruto was already fixated with the idea and knowing how stubborn to the core the blond teen could be they finally caved in at his request and helped him find a small apartment complex (at Naruto's request) for him to live for himself. They offered to pay for his rent and other necessities but Naruto humbly declined and said that although he is truly grateful for what they had done for him and would definitely find a way to repay them for their kindness, he didn't want to burden them any further. Although they insisted and eagerly told him that it was nothing and that he didn't have to repay them because they wanted to do it, and they thought of him and loved him as their own son. Even though Naruto was happy to be a part of their family and he loved them to death and is forever grateful to them but he stubbornly decline and explain that he would like to live independently from now on. That he would prove to them that he was finally okay and is ready to move on with his life despite of what he had gone through.

Even though Naruto was leaving the Haruno mansion to live on his own Sakura's parents and Sakura told the blond teen that if he ever had any problems living on his own he was always welcome to come back home and told him that he should come visit them every week whenever he has free time. He promised that he would do so and thank them and hug them tightly from the bottom of his heart before he left the mansion.

Although the Haruno family, most especially Sakura was sadden by Naruto leaving them, they respected his wishes and thought it was finally time for them to move on, forget the past, and look forward for the future.

Sakura shook the memory off her mind. She didn't want to remember the past anymore because seeing as her surrogate brother has moved on with his life, she is moving on with hers too. "You know Naruto, I'm not your servant to always have to pick up after yourself." Although she said that, she started to pick up the messes that she had made and also picking up the left over food cartons that the raccoon had scavenged.

"Heh. Although you said that, you can't help but do it. Why? Because that's how much you love me." Naruto smirked.

"Shut it, idiot." Sakura fumed.

"But you love this idiot." Naruto added while dodging an instant cup ramen that was thrown at him.

"Che!" Sakura snarled, and then shot up with alarm when Naruto moved from the spot he was standing and walking towards his bedroom. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Back to bed." Naruto said as he covered his mouth with his hand and yawned out loud.

"Well, what about the raccoon?" she asked in dismay, scrambling to her feet and she hurried after him.

"What about it?" he asked, holding the knob of his bedroom door.

"Well, aren't you going to get it out of the broom closet?"

"Do I look stupid to you?" Naruto asked with disbelief. "I'm not going near that thing. Call Animal Control."

"To answer your first question: yes you do, but Animal Control? They won't be open now."

Naruto glared at her stereotypical remark. "They must have someone on call for emergencies. Call and find out." Naruto said firmly over his shoulder.

"But that could take hours," the pinkette protested. "Can't you just get it out? I mean, you should have some sort of affinity with it."

Naruto paused stopped turning the knob of his bedroom and turned on her in amazement. "Do I look like a thieving rodent to you?"

"No, of course not," Sakura said quickly, then added, "but you're good friends with Gaara, right, and it's a raccoon… There should be some empathy or understanding or… something. Maybe if you tried you could talk to it."

"Right, and by that reasoning we should all be able to talk to animals that resembles our friends. Let's try that the next time we're near a zoo," Naruto snorted, then repeated, "call Animal Control."

"Naruto!" Sakura cried and stomped her foot when Naruto turned to continue on into his room, "I can't start cleaning without the vacuum cleaner with that thing in there."

"Sakura, there is a broom over there by the stink. Use that one."

"But–"

Naruto closed the door on her further protest and moved toward the bed, but paused when his eyes caught the time on the digital clock on his dresser. Whipping back around, he yanked his door open and scowled at Sakura's retreating back. "It's seven forty-five!"

"So?" Sakura was miffed and continued to clean the semi destroyed kitchen.

"So why didn't you wake me up at six o'clock like I asked?"

"Because you haven't been sleeping well, and you're exhausted, and I decided to let you sleep in… aren't I sweet, but then I'm a sweet and considerate person… unlike some people who won't even try to talk to raccoons for a dear-sweet-faithful almost sister-like friend."

Naruto scowled over the attempt to put him on a guilt trip, and then ground out, "Sakura, the new transfer students are scheduled to come today. I have to make arrangement for their class schedules, and informing their assigned teachers, and welcoming them, and a tour, and–"

Heaving out a long-suffering sigh, Sakura paused and stopped cleaning the floor. "I saw to their class schedules yesterday when you left earlier and I already called to informed all the teachers that are assigned to them that they will be arriving today before I came here. And as for welcoming them and their tour around campus…" She shrugged. "They'll wait. The welcoming committee can't start without you. Mr. Student Council President."

When Naruto just stood glaring at her, Sakura waved him away. "Go get ready already. I'll try to quickly finish up cleaning the kitchen manually since I can't use the vacuum cleaner. Then will leave and get to your precious transfer students."

"Call Animal Control," Naruto growled, refusing to feel guilty, then slammed his door shut.

14th's CORNER

Hello, I got this inspiration from a book I was reading a few months back called "The Accidental Vampire" by Lynsay Sands although there are some of the scenes here that are the same of the story, the plot is entirely different. And no, this is not a Vampire fic. So I hoped you enjoyed the 1st chapter, although this is only the 1st part of it. I was supposed to just make it as one chapter but I'm still deciding on whether I would make it as the same scene as the book or make it entirely different… but, oh well, come what may.

Fun Fact:

Did you notice how Sakura and Naruto changed personalities? Sakura, has become the childish one while Naruto, has become the mature and smart one. Although I doubt that Sakura is like that with inner Sakura and all but still… Anyway, I wanted Naruto to be mature and smart and cool at the most, since he has come of age and all… so yeah!

Thank you for reading. I hoped you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.