nothing on you

Callista Miralni

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

This was probably the toughest debate. Should I continue writing bubble tea in the same file or should I create a whole new story?

Stylistically, bubble tea is different than my usual style. If—and when—I was to continue the story, I would have written it the way I usually do, not in the style of rawrchelle.

Then came the second dilemma: do I write from the very beginning of the story or pick up where bubble tea left off?

I wrote out what would have been the first chapter if I started from the very beginning. But I didn't like that because it would have dragged on forever. Why bother telling the same story twice?

So I decided to go with option two. Without further ado, I present nothing on you.


.:loop00.1_1:.

.:meetings:.

Date: March 28th

The door to the sushi restaurant opened, admitting five teenage girls.

A few things happened at once:

[In the back corner by the cash register, a tall Korean nudged his shorter Japanese co-worker in the arm, grinning suggestively.]

In the front, a girl with vibrant purple highlights shot through her dark locks, hugged another girl in the newly-arrived group.

"Happy Birthday Sakura!"

["You should talk to her." The Korean, a Han Choi, said.]

The other girl, the one with cherry pink highlighted raven hair, grinned sheepishly. "Thanks Hinata. Although, was it necessary to lock Sai in a closet on his birthday too?"

"Oh screw your brother." The blonde dismissed. "Because what we hope to accomplish cannot be done in the younger twin's presence."

Sakura frowned.

[The Japanese teen, one Sasuke Uchiha, gave him a pointed look.]

"Ino..." She said as a warning to her cousin.

The hostess, a Mrs. Chu, interrupted her, waving their party over to a table in the center of the restaurant. "Over here!"

["Oh c'mon man." Han cajoled. "You know you want to. Quit being an anti-social freak and grab the girl's number. She's practically in the palm of your hand."]

As they walk towards their designated table, Sakura stiffened when she realized where they're headed.

Oh no oh no oh no oh no...

["She doesn't even like me." Sasuke pointed out. "And she's not in the palm of my hand."]

"Hey..." Ino leaned forward. "Do you think we'll pull the Paper Boy as our waiter today?"

"OMG, how perfect would that be!" Her other cousin, Tenten Nagasaki, cried excitedly.

Sakura smiled nervously. "Really now?"

["Just go. Strike up a conversation."

Sasuke sighed before leaving Han to do his job.]

Across the table, Sakura's best friend Shizune Senju, kicked her lightly in the leg and threw her a conspiratorial smile. "Really Saki. Maybe today will be the day when I'll slip him your phone number."

"Shizune, don't you fucking dare-"

Someone cleared his throat, halting their conversation. Looking to her left, Sakura tilted her head upwards and saw him standing there.

Dammit.

"What would you like to drink?" Their waiter, Sasuke, asked.

"Um... Sprite." Shizune ordered.

"Sierra Mist okay?"

"Yeah."

Tenten can hardly contain her excitement at the sight of their waiter, bouncing up and down in her chair like Tigger. "A Dr. Pepper for me!"

Ignoring her childish display, Hinata ordered a lemonade. Ino paused from perusing the menu. "Just water." She said.

"Lemon with that?" Sasuke looked at her.

"Sure, why not?" Ino shrugged.

Sasuke's gaze settled on Sakura and she gave him a wry smile.

"Is there any point in asking me anymore?"

He smirked at her. "I'll be back with your tea."


"Anything for dessert?"

"Can I see what's on your menu?" Shizune asked.

Briefly, Sasuke thought about telling the teen that he could have just told her what was on the dessert menu but he decided against it. Turning around, he grabbed a menu lying by the cash register and handed it to Shizune before leaving for the kitchen.

"Paolo," Sasuke approached the chef, "make an order of green tea tempura ice cream."

The Hispanic man grinned at him. "Got it kid. Say, is your girlfriend in today?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sasuke replied over his shoulder, picking up a plate of chicken teriyaki for another table on his way out the door.

"You know," Sakura leaned back in her chair. "I could have just told you what was on the dessert menu, Shizune."

"Hush." The older girl replied. "I want to see for myself. I can't make decisions with my waiter hovering over me like that."

"I thought you wanted to keep him around?" Hinata raised an eyebrow.

"Deciding dessert here Hina!"

"So what is on the dessert menu Saki?" Ino twirled a pen around her thumb.

"Green tea, red bean or taro ice cream or those same flavors with tempura batter over them."

"Tempura ice cream?" Tenten perked up. "I love tempura ice cream. Especially green tea tempura ice cream."

"Dude, that stuff's the best." Hinata agreed.

Closing the menu, Shizune set it down. "So green tea tempura ice cream?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We always get that. I don't understand why you wanted to see the menu in the first place if you're just going to end up choosing the same thing we always get."

"Whatever Sakura. When you see our waiter, call him over." Shizune dismissed.

"Why do I have to do it?"


"Sasuke," Han murmured. "Paolo says the ice cream's ready."

Nodding, the teen walked into the kitchen and found what he was waiting for. Picking up five spoons, Sasuke grabbed the plate and headed out into the restaurant.

The girls were waving for his attention, probably to order dessert.

"Green tea tempura ice cream." Sasuke announced, setting the plate in the center and handing a spoon to everyone around the table.

A few of the girls gaped at him in surprise. As Sasuke retreated to his usual post by the cash register with Han and Mrs. Chu, he couldn't help but smirk as he overheard their conversation.

"Woah, he's good." Tenten gaped. "He just asked if we wanted dessert and brought out what we wanted before we ordered it."

Sakura twirled her spoon in the air before scooping up another bite. "It doesn't matter; we end up getting the same thing anyways."

A sharp elbow connecting with his side distracted Sasuke's attention.

"What?" He snapped.

Han leered at him. "So," The older teen wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "You know what they want to order before they order it."

"Your point?"

"I'm just wondering if you know because you've secretly been obsessing over the girl."

Sasuke glared at him before his heel connected with Han's toes.

"Ouch!"

"One ticket?" Sasuke asked as they finish off the rest of their dessert.

"Yeah. And give it to me please." Sakura requested.

Shizune frowned. "Oh no." She chided. "It's your birthday. The birthday girl does not pay."

"Watch me." Sasuke heard Sakura say as he left.

Mrs. Chu rang up their ticket. "Hey, it's that pink haired girl's birthday right?"

His shrugged. "I guess so."

The final receipt printed out and the hostess neatly ripped out of the machine. Stapling it to their order form, Mrs. Chu smiled at Sasuke and said, "Tell her the ice cream is on us."

The teen reached out to grab the folder but she stopped him again. "Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"Be sure to wish her happy birthday. And get her phone number." Mrs. Chu laughed.

He felt the back of his neck grow warm.

"Whatever." Sasuke mumbled before walking away.

Handing Sakura the bill as she requested, Sasuke barely had enough time to move his hand out of the way before Shizune lunged for it across the table. The other girl moved the folder backwards, holding it out of reach.

"This is so unfair." Shizune pouted. "You're shorter than all of us but we can't even snatch the bill away from you."

Sakura laughed as she stuck her debit card inside the black folder. "Get over it." She told her best friend as she handed it back to Sasuke.

Taking it back to the register, Han ran her card through. "Sakura Haruno, huh?" The older teen grins. "Pretty name."

Sasuke ignored his jibes, choosing to walk back to the cardholder.

"By the way," He mentioned as he hands the folder back to the restaurant's regular patron. "The hostess wishes you happy birthday. And that the ice cream's on us."

She paused from reviewing the receipt. "Thank you." Sakura smiled softly before picking up a pen to complete the transaction.

The waiter left their table. "Can I see the receipt?" Ino suddenly asked. Wordlessly, Sakura slid out the order form and passed it to her cousin, still trying to decide what to leave for a tip.

What should I give? What is fifteen percent of sixty-three? It's about... nine... but...

And idea struck her.

One dollar for the treat.

Two dollars for putting up with my crazy family and friends throughout the years.

Three dollars for every year we've run into each other.

Glancing up, Sakura smiled when she saw that everyone else with her was preoccupied with re-reading their order. Assured that no one was watching, she flipped over the merchant's receipt and scribbled something on the back before closing the folder.

Nearby, Sasuke moved to pick it up.

"Let's go." She announced briskly, standing up from her chair when she saw Sasuke head their way.

"Hold on." Ino stopped to put the order form back in the folder. "Okay, let's go."

"Thank you for coming!" The hostess waved to them.

"Thanks for having us!" Ino yelled back.

Smiling to herself, Sakura thought about the note she would never under any circumstances write.

But for him, for Sasuke, she's willing to make this one exception.


Opening up the folder, Sasuke started to input the numbers into the computer. His eyes widened at the $13 dollar tip but he brushed it off. An impression on the back of the receipt caught his eye and he flipped it over.

Thanks for everything and for making this birthday memorable.

-Sakura

He stared at it for a while before smirking and resuming his previous task. On the order form, the one Sasuke used to write down their orders, there was a note addressed to "the Anime Paper Boy."

He knew it was their nickname for him, before Mrs. Haruno had the guts to ask him for his name.

She's totally going to kill me for this, but here's her number: 7346724468

-Ino

A hand on his shoulder startled Sasuke out of his thoughts, making him wince at the contact. "I knew you could do it." Han grinned before running off with a customer's bill.

Scowling, Sasuke moved to toss the form in the trash but he stopped to rip off Ino's note and slipped it into his pocket.

Maybe, as a reminder of Sakura Haruno, he would keep it just this once.


Author's Note:

If you guys are super confused, please read of bubble tea, sushi, lists, memories and meetings. This entire chapter is lifted from the meetings part of the two-shot.

In a few days, I'll post chapter two, which will be the formal introduction to the story. Please bear with me until then!

Ja ne-

Callista Miralni