A/N: So, welcome to this story if you're new. I'm cross posting this over from AO3. I appreciate you choosing to read my story, and I hope you enjoy it. There are more notes at the end of the chapter.
Her reflection in the bathroom mirror stared back at her with a dull gaze. She looked so different from how she had been just a few days before. Her skin was red from scrubbing dirt off of herself rigorously. It seemed as if it were embedded in her skin, no matter how hard she scraped, it still seemed to stick to her like glue, as if it were a part of her all along.
She turned her head over her shoulder, glancing at the door. Shut, locked, yet she still could not find it in herself to feel safe. Since her odyssey began she has hardly gotten time to rest, let alone breathe. The eerie environment of a cheap motel only exacerbated her anxiety.
Despite the more than capable duo who lingered in the main room, she still felt unease creeping into her like a slithering snake.
How did she end up here? And why was she chosen for this fate?
She was just a dumb high school senior with college prospects. All of that seemed so far away, so irrelevant. She longed for that simplicity.
She had so many questions and no answers.
How would she cope with a life like this-
A life as a superhuman?
Chapter 1
The bell rang for homeroom, chirping its unpleasant screech into classroom and hallway alike. At first, when she was a freshman, it would give her migraines that lasted seemingly until the weekend. But now, as a senior and with graduation inching ever so closer, it was background noise, inconsequential and just a part of her everyday boring life.
She sat at her desk, a hand on her cheek as she mindlessly stared out the window. Ino's desk was empty, as per usual. She had a serious case of "senioritis" and more often than not skipped out on coming to class in favor of beach trips as the warmer months rolled in. And if she was not at the beach, she was sleeping in and nursing a hangover.
All seniors had contracted the virus, even Sakura, as she pulled out her phone and checked her texts. Nothing from Ino, which was normal at this hour. She checked snapchat next. Ino's story was still rolling, it was a video of Sai surfing, rolling along the waves with practiced expertise as Ino cheered along with a happy "Woo!" before it ended abruptly.
"Good morning," Mr. Hatake called out boredly. "Attendance time and then a special announcement." No one moved a muscle or even made any effort to show their acknowledgement, yet Mr. Hatake seemed like he could care less. Either people were talking to each other, hiding their phones, or blatantly texting in the open without remorse.
As was normal, Mr. Hatake called each name out alphabetically and made a tick mark next to the names of those who did not respond, here or not. Sakura knew many who had gotten detention for falling in a lapse of absentmindness while attendance was being taken. Shikamaru, namely.
"Okay, now that that's taken care of," Mr. Hatake practically threw the clipboard out of the door, but as usual it landed where it was supposed to. "Come in."
Sakura swore he must have been a star athlete as a child. How he ended up as a teacher was beyond strange.
A rugged looking boy stumbled in with bright blue eyes and golden, spiky hair. "Hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm a transfer student here at Konoha High!" He greeted with all too much enthusiasm.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. Only a few looked up. Some mumbled a welcome, others just stared absently.
Naruto did not seem to note the general lack of excitement in the room as he sauntered over toward Sakura and plopped down at Ino's usual spot.
"That is my friend's seat," Sakura said immediately. No way did she want this pocket of sunshine near her.
"It's empty though," Naruto responded with a confused look. "Don't tell me you have imaginary friends?" He took on an almost horrified look. "Or can you see ghosts!?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Just- If she comes in please give her back her seat."
Any energy she had to argue with this new student was gone. Homeroom would be over in a flash and she would not have to deal with this boy any longer. He did not seem to be the brightest bulb, so she doubted she would face him in her other classes.
She was almost too eager to leave when the bell rang, leaping out of her seat and fleeing the awkward situation with the new transfer student. It was already odd enough that he transferred in April when they'd all be graduating in June.
It was not her business though.
Her day droned on as usual. Ino sent her a text around noon. Of course she was not coming in. Sakura let out a sigh as she dumped her lunch tray, eyes planted firmly on her phone.
It was as if he came out of nowhere. Normally, Sakura was pretty aware of her surroundings and moved out of the way when she saw someone's feet approaching, but she did not even notice him. He was solid, incredibly so, and she lost her footing as her phone went flying. It hit the floor with a sickening crack that made Sakura's stomach drop while she landed on her bottom.
"Oh no, my parents are going to kill me!" She whined.
"You have strange priorities of concern considering you just ran into me."
She looked up at him from her place on the cafeteria floor and was immediately taken aback. It felt as if her insides were being spun rapidly in a whirlpool. Her cheeks and ears burned with embarrassment.
One because he was right, and secondly, she was pretty certain she had never seen such an attractive guy before.
He had the blackest hair she had ever seen, and eyes to match. Puberty was especially kind to him, because he had near perfect pale skin and was definitely more suited to being on the cover of a magazine or on TV rather than a high school student.
"S-sorry," she stammered and suddenly very aware that she was staring.
He paused and kneeled down to pick up his spilled tray. "Hm." It was more of a grunt than a reply, just a displeased noise, as if he had nothing to spare to someone so inconsequential.
Sakura's shattered phone was completely forgotten as she stood. "Did I get anything on you?"
"No," the boy replied before giving her an up and down look. "You might need to look at yourself first."
Sakura looked down. Ketchup and mustard, as well as gravy stained her maroon shirt. She let out a horrified squeak. "Oh my god, I just got this shirt!" She near shrieked in mourning.
She could have sworn she caught the slightest hint of amusement in the form of a smile from the new boy as he turned and walked away. "Later," he said, tossing his styrofoam tray in the trash as he waved her off.
She collected herself off the floor, grabbing her shattered phone. The screen was completely destroyed, she could see bits of the electronic wiring in bits of missing glass. She sighed and tossed it into her bag. Looks like she'd have to face that fire.
A quick detour and she pulled a spare shirt from her gym locker, sighing at the stains on her brand new red shirt. Regardless, she still folded the fabric, careful to prevent the stain from spreading to her purse. So she carried on to her last class of the day. Anatomy and physiology.
Tsunade Senju was the greatest teacher in the world, Sakura was surely convinced. She was brilliant in every sense of the word, and it was the only class that actually engaged Sakura these days. She felt as if she were learning something important, and it was what inspired her to pursue a degree in biology, and then to continue onward to pursue a career in medicine.
When she pulled open the door, she was tardy of course, but she could explain if she needed to. Mrs. Senju did not care, however. She smiled and waved as her teacher raised an eyebrow, irritated but not saying a word as Sakura rolled in. Teacher's pet? Probably. Did Sakura care? Of course not. She took her usually seat. Ino still absent, of course. Ino had followed her into the course, interested in competing with her for best grade, but as Sakura revealed herself as a real pain in the ass, Ino took flight. It seemed that swimming with the sharks was much more entertaining than their rivalry.
"Why are you late?" Ms. Senju's low growl pierced through the room, sending shivers up Sakura's spine as she looked up, slight fear stabbing in her chest as she swallowed nervously.
What she expected was Ms. Senju to be glowering down at her with scorching eyes. Instead she saw her teacher facing the doorway to the classroom, her dyed blonde bun in shambles after yet another stressful day of dealing with the angstiest human beings in the modern world. Before her was a strikingly familiar face that made Sakura's stomach flip and the spirit of her phone ring from the grave.
"You should ask her," The smooth, icy voice of the new boy said simply. Frightfully, Sakura looked up to see him pointing right at her with his thumb, but his dark eyes were locked onto Ms. Senju who was likely equally dueling the unruly black-haired boy. "Considering she came in seconds before I did, and I know for a fact that the bell rang minutes ago," he added in a matter of fact tone.
Rest in peace, teen vogue. Sakura thought to herself, but was surprised when Ms. Senju took a step back. The rest of the class had been just as involved and just as shocked, murmuring beneath their breaths at the out of place reaction from Ms. Senju.
"Class, this is Sasuke Uchiha. He's new," she said, distinctly dismissive of the whole ordeal.
Most answers to his introduction were nervous mutters, shocked to see their fiery spirited teacher not kick this new boy's ass halfway across the school, down the stairs, and straight into the principal's office. There were naturally some dreamy sighs from some of the more shameless people, though if Sasuke had heard he seemed to give no intention of acknowledging it.
In fact, Sasuke did not even return the greeting and was keen to completely ignore the ruckus that he had caused in Ms. Senju's classroom.
"I suggest you find yourself a seat, Mr. Uchiha," Ms. Senju chided. Even she had her limits with the new student. He sauntered in casually, only sparing a grunt of acknowledgement given toward Ms. Senju.
He explicitly avoided the desperate crowd. Actually, Sakura noted, he tried to avoid the crowd altogether. As he went to the row behind her, he gave the boy behind her a stare, to which he responded by promptly getting up and scurrying on to sit beside a friend. Sasuke took the empty seat and leaned back in his chair.
"Now that that is out of the way…" Ms. Senju began her lesson, and Sakura paid attention, of course. The nervous system was especially intriguing to her. It was the way that neurons are like little electric conductors and messages transmitted like a radio to tell the body what to do, that Sakura's life was not completely in her control gave her some excitement.
She was painfully aware of eyes boring into her back, sending chills up and down her spine. However, whenever she turned to face Sasuke, he was staring down at his phone.
This little ritual continued for the entirety of the hour and fifteen minutes of the block, with Sakura becoming increasingly more flustered. When the bell rang she whipped around.
"What's your problem?" She asked him, brows furrowed and lips puffed in a pout.
"What's your problem?" Sasuke shot back coolly, face impassive. He did not even bring his eyes up to look at her, still locked on his phone. How mature.
Sakura rolled her eyes and stood up, gathering her things together. She made sure to take her time, wary of his gaze once more. Ms. Senju made her leave from the classroom before they did, headed to who knows where. Probably to talk about the latest assets to the school, who Sakura had no doubt were both skilled in seeking attention though for different reasons.
She finally walked out, still aware of those dark eyes, still feeling them like fire on her back.
A/N: Welcome to Transhumanism ! Thank you for reading. Reviews are greatly appreciated.