Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me… waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh…
I don't know how I came out with the title… it just sounded dramatic to me…
Childhood's Vague Innocence
Hidden.
Shadows of the Past…
Gripping all of my being.
I can not see.
I can not feel.
I can not think.
I stood…
Wondering.
Walking past blurry figures…
Twisted in black and white…
But covered in blood and
Melting on fire…
So unsure…
I was in pain…
Too much.
But I was free…
And I was laughing…
Laughing for no reason…
Yet I am not aware of who I am…
Who I was…
On foot…
Still wondering.
Questioning myself…
Then more blurry figures came…
Rattling in the dark…
Shrieking every second…
As if it was their death…
Cries of grief…
And now I'm conscious…
I know where I am…
I'm justly in hell…
Chapter 1:Morning Habits
It 's been a habit for me to doze off in class during the first period, like anyone cares if I fall asleep, my classmates doesn't even care to wake me up, so they let the fuckup teacher do the waking up and the crappy sermoning.
They enjoy the 'individual' lecturing more than school lessons… plus, they could rest themselves while I'm being lectured… so it's ok with them…
That way, they won't have to fall asleep like me, and they're wide awake, listening like obedient students and nodding all the while, while the fuckup teacher lectures me, as if they're really obedient when said teacher turns her back and they go back to being normal, fuckup students.
"Blah blah blah blah blah…" her words sounded like 'blahs' stringed together into one long paragraph. I don't know if my hearing is impaired or her talking is impaired. I can't decipher the words with how fast the words came out of her mouth.
Maybe, that's how martians talk, she even looked like an alien, even the alien from E.T. is better looking than her. She's scary, the way her nostrils flare, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, her large mouth in thick red lipstick, her wrinkles showing up, the veins in her head and neck appearing.
I think the worst part of listening to her is that she's just a feet away from me and I usually have to wipe off the saliva coming from her mouth that splatters on my face like rain, maybe what I needed to buy was an umbrella and not a hearing aid, and worst, I must restrain myself from covering up my nose because she has bad breath. Did she even bother to brush during mornings, or maybe she's just doing that on purpose to piss me off and brushes only after giving lecture to me.
"blahblahblahblahhahablahblah…." The crappy teacher droned on and on, like forever. She never gets tired lecturing me. It's like a daily routine to her, her day won't be complete without giving me at least one lecture a day.
"Blahblahblah. Did you understand?" the teacher said in a low, husky tone.
It's that only part of the lecture that makes sense to me, and like an obedient student, I nod and give an apologetic look.
Everything seems to be melancholy, the days repeating itself all over again, like déjà vu.
However, it didn't happen today. Instead, I was woken up by a sudden uproar. I jolted out of my sleep.
I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and yawned aloud, usually, Sakura would rant at me for not covering my mouth, but not today… I could see all the girls staring dreamily in front, like they've been hypnotized. Their eyes glittered with anticipation like they've seen a holy vision.
I tried to see for myself, but the girl in front of me is still blocking my vision. The girl is Haruno Sakura, I really like her. She's been my crush ever since I stepped into high school. She's the prettiest and smartest girl in the entire batch. "She's got beauty and brains" the adults would often praise her. She's 'perfect'. That's how almost everybody calls her. 'Almost', because she's not 100 perfect. Why? Because she isn't the nicest. Sure, she is kind and sweet but whenever she's mad or if she's busy doing something, you would think twice about talking to her. Which, I am afraid to right now.
It's not my fault if I'm not as tall as them but I am often teased because of my height, or rather, my lack of it, especially the girls, because they're taller than me. And arguing with Sakura would only bring up that topic and being called a midget…
The only reason I could give as to why they placed me at the back despite of my height is that the teachers must have agreed to place me at the back, the better less chances of seeing me and ruining their day.
"Bothersome…" Shikamaru murmured then sighed aloud. Shikamaru sits between Sakura and Ino.
Yamanaka Ino, Sakura's bestfriend-slash-rival.
Usually, Ino would 'hmph' or say 'whatever' when Shikamaru says that word or ask him if he could say anything else rather than bothersome or tiresome. I heard they have been classmates since Kinder and I bet hearing the same word from the same person can really get on someone's nerves…
Everytime I get lectured, he gives side comments besides 'bothersome' or 'tiresome'. Usually his opinion about anything, and particularly everything starts and ends with the word 'Bothersome. Period. '…
but not for me. He says the reason when it comes to me… like, "You're wasting everybody's time when you're being lectured. You're too bothersome" or "You're wasting our money in class. The whole first period is dedicated especially for lecturing you…You really are bothersome Uzumaki."
Did I say it was 'ok' to everyone? Everyone that is, except Shikamaru…
Today, as I should describe it, is totally out of place.
Something awfully weird is going on, did the aliens brain washed or body-snatched my classmates? A minute ago, they were like shouting and now, all of a sudden, they're quiet… like a tv suddenly switched off…
I finally gave up into my conclusions about the alien thing. The best person and the only person available to ask right now is Shikamaru…
The last person I would probably ask about 'anything'…
"Shikamaru…" I murmured. "what's going on?" I asked in a hushed tone.
No reaction.
"Shikamaru!" I murmured albeit a bit loudly this time…
I heard him sigh once again…
"A new student…" He murmured.
"bothersome…" He continued.
I don't know whether I'm the one being referred to as bothersome or the 'new' kid…
"Wow. Really?" I asked, half-wondering, half-doubtfully…
Shikamaru tilted his lazy pineapple head to his side. "Stop bothering me Naruto... Why don't you go see for yourself…" he murmured, with a hint of annoyance in his monotonic voice, anyway, he always sounds annoyed…
Naruto made a face as soon as Shikamaru turned his back on him…
"Go see for yourself..." Naruto said, mimicking Shikamaru's words
Naruto crossed his arm on his chest as he slumped on his seat, practically annoyed by the other boy's attitude…
"Duh… who cares?" Naruto kicked the books that were piled in front him. He sat uncomfortably in his chair…
…
…
Damn his curiosity!
He half-stood from his seat, trying to take a glimpse of the new student, as curiosity overwhelmed him...
"Uchiha Sasuke." He heard a person, probably the new student introduce himself…
Without warning, the girls suddenly shrieked.
Clumsy in nature, Naruto jerked, stumbling across the pile of books he kicked previously lying aimlessly on the floor…
Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!
A loud 'thump' echoed across the room. Everyone turned their heads towards Naruto's direction.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" the teacher spat angrily.
"Ouch…" Naruto whimpered as he tried to stand up.
"What do you think you're doing!" The teacher placed her hands on her waist, making her look scarier than usual, if that was still possible.
"I fell…" Naruto mumbled as he winced.
"Stop fooling around… and get on your feet … You should be ashamed of your behavior Uzumaki! Don't you know that we have a new student? Could you behave even just for today?" the teacher said in low serious tones, rubbing her temple.
"It was an accident!" Naruto blurted out at the teacher's lack of concern. The teacher didn't even ask him if he's alright, and now, she's blaming him for an accident!
Naruto slumped on his chair, fuming at the snickers and murmurs around him...
"And will you sit properly? Don't slouch on your seat or else… you might fall asleep… again…" the teacher said in a mocking tone…
The students giggled a bit loudly this time.
"Devil lady…." He muttered, but enough to be heard by anyone within 2 feet…
The teacher glared at the girls who were giggling and tried their best to straighten their faces… then transferred her gaze at the blonde
"What did you call me?"
"Nothing."
"You said something…"
"How do you know… you're not me…" Naruto mumbled.
"And now, you're answering me back in riddles? You even have the nerve to call me names… you should be thankful that I'm not dropping you out from my class even if all you do here is sleep all throughout the period."
"Paranoid…" Naruto mumbled.
"I heard that."
"I didn't say anything…"
"Uzumaki, step out of the classroom. Now." The teacher commanded in her military-like voice. Naruto often thought if the teacher should've taught in a military school instead.
Naruto could hear his classmates murmuring to each other. He rolled his eyes as he shot up from his seat… glaring at the teacher
"You should learn how to behave and you better think about it, starting today--- and don't stare like that at me young man… You're staying outside the corridor… facing the wall, that would be your punishment for making unnecessary interruptions during my class…"
So… this is how teachers teach their students proper behavior? By sending them out of class to look at a friggin' wall?
And why is the teacher so grumpy today? Was that student so important that she have to get rid of him?
"And please take your bag with you…" The teacher quickly added before he could even set foot at the aisle
Naruto "hmphed" as he whirled his bag to his shoulder…
"…and the books please…" the teacher said.
The snickers and the murmurs became louder…
Naruto gathered the stupid books which were scattered on the ground.
Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped towards the aisle, mumbling curses under his breath….
He walked past the students who were snickering and he made it to the front.
A boy stood by the platform.
He caught glimpse of the new student, the other boy was also looking at his direction, their eyes met.
His eyes widened in mild amusement, as his blue eyes peered into the black depths of infinity, a.k.a. the raven-haired boy's eyes…
Never in his life had he ever seen eyes as black, as empty… so devoid of any kind of emotion. It was like looking at a bottomless cliff… he seemed lost in thought in a flash of a second.
Naruto snapped out of his Sasuke (if he remembered it correctly)-induced trance when he became conscious of the other boy's steady gaze.
Said boy was now raising an eyebrow, with a smirk plastered in his very pale face. Naruto flinched…
His previous thoughts about the other boy dissolved, leaving behind a scowl on his face.
Naruto interpreted that look as a look of disgust… how long has he been looking?
Gah! He wanted to poke those eyes and pull them off their sockets and wipe off that smirk off that raven-haired boy's very ugly face… and since that would be brutal… he settled into raising a fist, and shook it threateningly at the other boy, unmindful of the teacher's presence. It no longer mattered to him whether the teacher was looking or not since he will be sent out anyway.
"Uzumaki!" the teacher snarled, catching the blonde's attention.
"Out." She said, pounting towards the door…
"But he is smirking at me!" Naruto said, pointing towards the other boy…
The teacher turned around to face the Uchiha, who's face suddenly became void of any expression.
"He isn't smirking… and stop making up stories…"
"But it's true!" Naruto yelled defiantly…
"Still feeling sleepy, aren't we?" the teacher said… "I don't need slackers in my class… if you want to sleep… do it somewhere else… "
Huh? Wasn't he smirking a second ago? Was he hallucinating?
His smirk was gone in a flash, in a blink of an eye, and replaced by a stoic look…
Naruto blinked… 'but just a second ago-' his thoughts were interrupted by the teacher…
"As for you Sasuke… you could take his seat …" The iciness in her voice melted into honey… but to Naruto, it tasted like sour milk… he made a disgusted face…
…
"Wait a second…" Naruto put two on two together…
He is being sent out of the classroom so that the other boy could take a seat…
in his seat…
"My seat!" Naruto yelled as soon as it registered in his mind, which took him 5 seconds…
"I warn you… Keep your tone down Uzumaki… or I won't think twice about sending you to detention right now…" the teacher said.
Naruto heard Sakura and Ino's shrieks of delight as they hugged-strangled Shikamaru who was sitting in between them. Naruto could decipher Shikamaru's words from afar, who was at that time, struggling to free himself from the deadly grasp of two girls… "Bothersome…"
"But it's MY seat…" Naruto said, lowering his tone this time… in a dangerously low tone… emphasizing the word MY…
"No it isn't yours… it's school property… and as class adviser, I have every right to assign who sits there…"
"But what about me? Where will I seat!" Naruto yelled.
"That Uzumaki… is not my problem…"The teacher said, sneering, with a look of triumph in her face...
Naruto stuck his tongue when he realized Sasuke was looking past the teacher towards his direction.
The Uchiha glared at him. Naruto glared as well…
"OUT!"
Naruto stepped out of the room, the teacher, turning her back towards the class, then, without warning, he banged said door behind him…
He heard the teacher yelp.
"UZUMAKI!"
Naruto ran for his dear life when the teacher went after him, with a whipping stick in hand… but she was no match for his stealth… she was left behind, the big bulges in her waist and the tons of fat slowing her down, panting heavily, raising her stick threateningly…
When Naruto was out of sight in the labyrinth of corridors, he heard his teacher shout for him
"GET BACK HERE UZUMAKI!" she yelled furiously, at the top of her lungs… interrupting the other classes, some students, peeked from their own classroom door to see for themselves, a gush of wind went past them… like a blur of orange.
The mischievous blonde looked behind him, relieved to see the monster wasn't able to catch up with him… he slowed down, catching his own breath, sneaking as he made his way towards the fire exit which leads to a forest-like garden…
He knew for himself that the monster purposely drove him out of class to give the other boy a seat…
Naruto soon found himself sitting on a tree branch, the leaves rustling against the wind…
He closed his eyes listening to the sound of chirping birds and crickets, while he let the cool wind blow his blond locks freely… letting his previous thoughts of plotting revenge against the monster and the raven-haired boy slip away with the wind… trying to forget the humiliation, the anger, the hatred…
Naruto decided to stay there until recess. Since he has no money to buy food from the canteen and since there is a chance he might encounter the monster and get chased with a stick around the whole campus and be laughed at… the tree was a good hide-out…
he clutched his stomach as it made weird sounds…
Finally, after 20 minutes, he jumped off the branch and ran straight to the corridor…
he rushed his way along the crowded hallway, bumping into some students… he turned around a corner and was caught surprised when he collided into a person, holding a pile of books, said books flew into the air, and a thick, Biology book landed on his toe…
"OUCH!" he shrieked, holding said toe, wincing as he skipped and leaned to the wall for support…
"Hey! Watch where you're---" he was cut off when he became aware it was a girl he had ran into, trying to stand up, also wincing…
He went to her side, expecting her to rant at him…
"Miss… are you okay?" he said with worry and concern in his voice, all the while, he helped her back to her feet…
"Uhhh… I'm alright…. Thanks…" Naruto immediately recognized the meek and gentle voice which belongs to only one girl…
"Hinata!"
"Oh N-Naruto-k-kun… it's… y-you…" she said, as she was pulled back to her feet…
Hinata's white eyes widened and her face turned into red... avoiding the concerned gaze from Naruto…
"Uh… m-my books…" she stuttered as she knelt down to pick her things up…
"Oh… let me help…"
"N-no… it's okay… N-Naruto-kun…" she said without looking up
"Here…" Naruto said, adding very heavy Biology book to the already very heavy pile of books Hinata was holding, unaware that the girl was having a hard time to keep the books on balance.
"Uhh… thanks… N-Naruto-k-kun…" Hinata stuttered, her face turning as red as a tomato…
Gee… I hope she's alright…
Naruto mentally said to himself, running but careful not to bump into someone this time...
Her face looked swollen… maybe, because of the impact…
Even thought Hinata had been his classmate for a year and a half… Naruto still wondered about Hinata's strange behavior of turning red when he comes face to face with her… and not being able to say a word properly without stuttering… oh, and her eyes… he freaked out when he first saw Hinata's eyes… but he found it cool at the same time…
Hinata looks nice, compared to the other students in his class… she is probably the only one who never became annoyed of his presence… whenever he tries to have a conversation with her, she avoided him just like his other classmates… maybe, she's not different from them after all…
He heard that she came from a very well-known, well-respected family in the society… like most of the students in his school… belonging to very prominent families…
Since then, he thought that having a friend in class would be impossible…