Title: In My Small, Bizarre World
Author: Ryuk-chan
Rating: T
Chapter: 1 (Two-Shot)

Disclaimer: Why do I feel so sad after I say this? Naruto is not and will never be mine. :(

Warnings: SasuNaruSasu, tardiness, confusion, cowardice, etc.

Chapter 1

I was running a bit late today. Which was definitely unlike me. I have a reputation for being prompt; and certainly have never missed a day of class. That for an Uchiha was unheard of. And the reasoning behind my sudden tardiness was a blow to my ego for sure.

I headed for class that day, and since it was a Tuesday, I had Chemistry at eleven. I left my apartment around the time I usually did, and briskly walked down the sidewalk. The quickest way was down Pandora Ave., busiest street in the city. To be honest, I didn't like this route very much. It took me past a shopping center, where most of the girls liked to hang out when they didn't have classes. Which meant I was constantly hooted at by women that I would never be interested in. Therefore, to avoid the annoyance, I tended to walk a bit faster in this part of the neighborhood.

This trek, my entire routine, was tedious and repetitive. Some world to live in.

But today, on my way to class, I caught a glimpse of something golden. I stopped for a quick moment to see what it was; normally few things changed around the stores, only a sale sign here and there. The bright colored signs certainly weren't uncommon, but this wasn't a sign. It was too round and bouncy.

The loud hue belonged to a boy sitting in the restaurant. It was one of those quaint, family run shops lined up on the outskirts of the shopping center. The kind with the big windows in front so attention desperate people can sit there and say "hey, watch me eat" to every passerby. He was there, slurping up ramen noodles with a pair of chopsticks. His eyes were closed peacefully, as if he were savoring the taste, as if those noodles were the best thing in the world.

He didn't see me watching at first, and I noticed him heave a lonely sigh as he fiddled with the broth in his rather large bowl. Until he looked up at me – a brief glance at first – but then his crystal blue eyes connected with mine, and for a second I was taken aback.

I had never seen anyone like him before… blond hair, tanned skin, cerulean eyed, I wondered where he was from. I wondered what his name was, what his voice sounded like. And idly I wondered why I cared so much.

That is, until he smiled at me. Then all thoughts fled my mind. It was the purest, sweetest grin ever directed at me. A smile of my own unconsciously spread across my face, surprising both myself and doubling over the blond boy's grin. I was tempted to touch the glass, and even more tempted to go inside and ask his name. However, my hopes were dashed at once when a pink haired girl sat down at the boy's table. The smile he gave me was instantly gone, and his attention was directed at the girl, much to my dismay.

I felt my heart drop into the pit of my stomach, and immediately turned away from the window. I hurried down the road, feeling like an idiot for even hoping the boy was single… or gay in the slightest. I frowned. The good looking ones never were.

Maybe I could convince myself none of this happened. And with any luck I could get his face out of my mind.

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The next few weeks, I avoided the short way to Chemistry class. I couldn't and wouldn't risk seeing that boy again. Instead I went the longer way, the scenic route, around the neighborhood park. It was working at first but one Thursday morning ruined my perfect plan.

Naturally, with my luck, I saw the very person I had been trying to avoid.

I cursed the ill fate, and put my hood on, praying the guy wouldn't recognize me. The human mind processes thousand of things each day…. surely my face would have been forgotten by now.

Even though I had never forgotten his.

I let my eyes roam over his face and his form, noting the lean, but toned limbs revealed by his orange muscle shirt and shorts. He was lying underneath a tree in bloom, with what looked like a notebook, scribbling into it vigorously. I wanted to know what held his attention so well, but knew I couldn't ask.

The boy stopped the energetic doodling to run his fingers playfully through the grass. And then he looked up, and his bottomless eyes found me again, picking me out of the crowd. I could see them widen, white expanding around the blue irises. The sudden look made my heart skip a beat. I watched him make a move to stand up, and left immediately, without seeing his intentions.

The last thing I needed was confrontation. Besides, I was already fifteen minutes behind schedule. My Chem professor would be disappointed for sure.

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The next time I had Chemistry, I simply took the usual, quicker way. I was hoping to break the unexpected habit of tardiness, and refused to let some strange blonde kid throw me off any longer. It was time to get back to reality. No matter how much I wanted to believe I actually had a chance at something with him.

I sighed. The trip to class definitely felt much shorter, probably because there was nothing to distract me. I began my solemn trek up the stairs the science building, until I glanced upward and saw the boy looking back down at me.

I wanted to turn around and run.

"Wait," he said, obviously sensing my distress. "Just wait one second." He descended quickly, meeting me eye level on the step above me. Absentmindedly I noted that fact; he was perhaps an inch shorter than I… but really the only thing I could focus on were the deep blue eyes peering into mine. They were far more breathtaking up close.

"Just tell me one thing," he continued softly. "What is your name?"

I was startled; probably because that was the exact same question I had been dying to ask him. I smiled and replied, "Sasuke Uchiha." The boy relaxed visibly at my response and flashed the honest grin I had seen the other day. "Tell me yours," I added.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he answered simply. "Thanks for your time," and then he turned to walk away.

"Hold it!" I called after him. "Wanna get some coffee or something?" I asked quickly, reluctant to let the conversation end. I couldn't chance losing him again… or losing this moment.

"Don't you have a class right now?"

"Skipping won't kill me."

He smiled again, and skipped down the stairs ahead of me. I turned and followed, gladly ditching Chem for the day.

One more chapter after this...! This is just something I was writing on my cellphone while shopping with my sisters. lol Don't question my methods.

~ Ryuk-chan