Chapter 1
"Naruto!"
"Naruto!"
"Wake up! It's time to go. You'll be late!"
Naruto opened his sapphire blue eyes, only to be met with the bright rays of sun coming through his window as Iruka opened the curtains.
"How late did you go to sleep last night? You've been reading till late again, haven't you?"
"No, I haven't!" started defensively the blond, while rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, yeah? And what is that?"
Iruka pulled his pillow from underneath his head to reveal an old looking scarlet red book with thick cover and a title, beautifully written in corsive letters - The Other World.
" Naruto..."
The teen looked to the ground guiltily.
"Get dressed. We have to go." was the only thing Iruka said and left.
Naruto took the book and held it closely to his chest, gently caressing the ribbed texture of the cover.
"I'll be back soon." he whispered softly to it, then put it again beneath his pillow and quickly got up.
He showered and brushed his teeth as quick as possible, slicked his hair back and put on a striped buttoned up shirt and dress pants, long with his Oxford shoes.
Iruka was already waiting at the door when he got down the stairs.
"Come on" he urged. "You'll eat your breakfast in the car."
Two minutes later they were driving towards Konoha High, Naruto silently munching in his cheese and ham toast.
"We need to talk. After you finish school."
"Is it about me reading again? Come on, Iruka! It's not like I go out to party till late, get drunk and screw whatever I see!"
"Language!"
"The point is! You should be gratefull that I am not like the majority of people in that school. It's reading, Iruka! Let it go."
"Naruto, that' s not the problem and you know it. You know that I am proud of you. It's just that... I am concerned... You have only one friend! And you see him only at school. You never socialize! And that book! You've probably reread it a thousand times! I just don't get it.". Iruka looked exasperated as he said that, but still trying somehow to keep a cool face as he drove.
"If that's the problem I can make Shikamaru come over sometimes.". murmured Naruto, deciding to keep the rest to himself. Iruka wouldn't understand. No one would. They'll think that he's a pathetic creep, he knew it.
The only one who knew avout the book was Iruka and Shikamaru and he intended to keep it that way.
Actually, Shikamaru found out by accident, while Naruto and him were working on a school assignment and he decided to get touchy freely with Naruto's stuff. He only knee that Naruto slept with his book. Not to what extent was the boy obsessed with it.
Iruka choose to keep silent for the rest of the ride and they soon reached the gates of Konoha high.
They quickly got out of the car and both left to their classes. Naruto to learn- Iruka to teach.
Naruto quickly entered his homeroom and immidiately saw the brownish pineapple styled hair of Shikamaru, snoring lightly, head sprawled on his desk.
"Hey! Get up." said Naruto as he lightly shaked the lazy teen.
"Mmm... Did the class start?" murmered the sleepy head.
Just as he said that the bell rung and students started coming quickly through the door. Happy chatter filled the room. The girls giggling and trying to look pretty as they surrounded a tall brown haired guy with two red triangles tattoed on his cheeks. That guy was Kiba the captain of the football team and the biggest jock in Konoha high. Naruto hated his guts and not suprizingly the feeling was mutual. Kiba took every opportunity that he could to torment him. It wasn't full out beating, after all Naruto's guardian was a teacher in the same school. It was more like a mental torture. Making fun of him, insulting him and childish things like making him drop his books or pushing him in his locker... One time Naruto had to stay for about an hour locked in a locker on the fourth floor, where no one went, untill Shikamaru found him and managed to release him.
The blond really didn't know why Kiba was acting like that. It wasn't that Naruto was annoying him in any way. On the contrary he always tried to stay out of trouble. If it wasn't for Kiba he would he practically invisible. He was an average slightly nerdy guy with average grades. He just wanted to go througj the day and go back to his room. To his book.
It seemed that what he wanted didn't matter at all, because Kiba chose that moment to glance his way. A wicked grin spread in his face and he strode cockily in the blond's direction with a blonde and pinkette latched on his arms. Shika was fully awake now, patiently waiting for the confrontation.
"Hi, geek! How was your weekend? Did you have some fun with your pillow?"
"Very original as always Kiba, don't you have your little puppets to tend to?" Naruto gestured towards the small crowd of fans of Kiba watching the interaction.
"I am attending to them." laughed the jock. "I am entertaining them. With the misfortunes of the biggest nerd in school." he grinned cruelly as he grabbed Naruto's bag and spilled all its contents to the ground. The students started laughing and Kiba was just about to step on his stuff, when the teacher entered the room.
"Kakashi-sensei!" exclaimed the pinkette next to Kiba.
"Good morning, class! I had to help an old lady cross the road! Nevertheless, let's start the lesson we're already late!"
"You mean you are already late" murmured a random student, but Kakashi was busy looking at the mess at the back of the room.
"What is that? How unfortunate. Naruto dropped his books. Kiba, be a dear and help him pick his things up." Kakashi smiled sweetly.
Kiba gritted his teeth, but didn't dare to argue with the teacher, as he hatefully picked Naruto'a stuff off the ground and back in his back.
The lesson passed quick as all the other. Fortunately without anymore assaults from the jock. Naruto was about to go home, but he remebered Iruka's words. He didn't really want anyone over, but if Iruka saw no improvement he may take his book and Naruto wouldn't have that.
"Shika, wanna come over for a few hours we can watch a movie or play video games."
"I'd like to, but mother wants me straight home. We'll have some guests from Suna and she wants me to help clean the hous. So troublesome."
"Oh. Ok. See you tomorrow then."
"Yeah, see you." waved Shikamaru and left.
Naruto took a run home. Iruka had a few more hours work and now was the perfect time to read.
He reached his house in about fifteen minutes and got upstairs to his room, breathing heavily.
He was sweating so he took his shirt off and threw it on the ground.
He took the time to examine himself in the full body mirror near his bathroom door. He was tall, about one eighty and toned. He wasn't overly muscular in any way, but certainly did not lack muscle mass at all. He actually loved sports and would gladly join the football team if it wasn't for Kiba. He was in the swimming team instead and because of his frequent trainings in the outdoor pool his skin was caramel tanned.
Naruto quickly finished his inspection. It wasn't like he was trying to impress someone.
Actually there was only one person he wanted to impress and unfortunately, that person wasn't real.