Revisited on 6/4/06 for minor changes and crediting.

The Ugly Duckling

Chapter I: The Asshole

by The Teeth Collector

At six thirty, the alarm clock's face blinked bright red. Not soon after Karen O's croons filled the air, making sure to pierce the eardrums of all who slept. The room of which her voice was confined was stuffy and had a sense of neglect to it. Even so, it was someone's entire world. Dust covered everything, tacky clothing littered the brown carpet, and the whole place smelled like dirty laundry. There was a rustle coming from underneath a thick floral printed comforter and a hand shot out. It started groping for the alarm clock.

Oh so far my lovin' goes
Under the fog, fog, fog
And I will leave them all
Well, I'm just a poor little baby
Cause well I believe them all

Oh, so while your growing old
Under the gun, gun, gun
And I believe them all-

Before Karen could finish the rest of her verse, a hand slammed down on the off button. The occupant of the bed turned his head around to meet with his blind-less window. The sun was starting to rise and the birds happily chirped outside the window. It took a minute for Naruto to remember what day it was. With a groan, Naruto kicked his comforter back and sat up. He yawned and stretched out his tired muscles.

"It's only Thursday," Naruto said to himself. "You only got one more day."

Naruto cursed under his breath as he rolled out of bed. Going to sleep in jeans is not something that he recommends. He picked a shirt off the floor and stiffed it. Naruto wrinkled his noise before throwing it across the room and repeated this until he fount a shirt to wear. Without a second thought of changing his jeans, Naruto tugged on shirt. Suddenly, Naruto remembered that he couldn't see anything ten feet away from himself. Naruto grabbed his glasses off his dresser and put them on before heading straight to the kitchen.

As usual, the cupboard was filled boxes of brightly colored, sugar-coated cereal. Naruto picked Fruit Loops and started to pour himself a bowl. He ate his breakfast in the living room as the news played on the television. With his feet up on the couch and hutched over the bowel of cereal, Naruto shoveled food into his mouth. The weather girl stood in front of a screen where markers with today's temperature dotted the map of the city. She wore a huge smile on her face as she informed her audience of what they should wear today. After the weather announcements were over, the camera switched back to news reporters.

Naruto drank his milk as rather overzealous anchorman reported on a story. As the anchorman continued to ramble, Naruto stood up and went into the kitchen. He washed his dishes before going off to find his sneakers and hoodie. Naruto slipped on his beat up Adidas before heading out. He walked a few blocks until coming across a bus stop. It was deserted. Most people are still asleep at six thirty-two in morning.

The boy yawned and pulled out his CD player. He listened to music while he waited for the bus. The bus finally showed up ten minutes later. By the time the bus made it to Naruto's stop, he had listened to the whole album. Naruto waited patiently for the school to open its doors for the students. Suddenly, someone tapped Naruto's shoulder, tearing his attention away from the beetle he was watching not moments ago. Naruto jumped. He turned around to see a girl with strawberry blonde hair standing behind him.

She had bright green eyes and a large forehead. She wore her unusually colored hair in spunky short cut. She was neither ugly nor beautiful. Her appearance was not bland or too common, yet she stood out of the crowd. Her name was Sakura Haruno, Naruto's best friend unbelievably. Right behind her was a very irritable looking girl with platinum blonde hair. Unlike Sakura, she was wearing a rather flashy purple top appose to Sakura's rather casual outfit. Naruto vaguely recalls Sakura calling her Ino.

"Naruto, do you have any idea how long I've been calling out your name?" Sakura asked in annoyance before continuing, "Ten whole minutes."

Naruto stopped himself from snorting. He doubted it that long. Sakura sometimes love to throw things out of proportion. It was probably only for thirty seconds.

"You really need to stop spacing out," said the girl, while sitting down next to Naruto. Ino continued to stand all the while glaring daggers into the back of her girlfriend.

"I'll try, but that bug. It was so cool," said Naruto.

Sakura gave him a look a doubting and said, "You're weird."

Just then, Naruto heard soft footsteps from behind him. He looked over his shoulders to see a boy about his age him beside Ino. He threw and arm around her narrow shoulders. He had unruly hair, much like Naruto, but his hair was brown, not blond. His beetle black eyes were silted like a cat's, and he had an air of arrogance and pride to him.

"Hey, Sakura," the boy called out. "I didn't know you have a boyfriend… He's a bit too scrawny for you, ain't he?"

Scrawny?

Sakura looked up at the new comer and her expression darkened. "Oh," she said. "It's just you. What do you want?"

"'It's just you'?" the boy sputtered. "That's not fair! I only wanted to talk to you."

By this time, Ino had enough. She made of sound of frustration and sulked off without the loud boy.

"Humph, I care to talk to you, and Naruto isn't my boyfriend."

"You're so mean to me."

Before Naruto knew it, that loud abrasive boy was sitting much too close to him- in his personal bubble. Much to add to Naruto's displeasure, a finger was thrust into his face.

"I know you," said the brunet boy. "You're that quiet kid, Nahfoodroe."

Naruto's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. Nah… foodroe?

"Yeah, I am one-hundred fucking percent certain that's your name."

"It's Naruto," said Naruto meekly.

"Really," said the other boy who was now oblivious to everything around him, including the school bell ringing and Sakura leaving. "You still have a weird name… I like my version better. Name's Kiba."

The boy now known as Kiba held his hand out to Naruto. Naruto stared at the hand dubiously before clapping his own hand against Kiba's. The blond boy thought his arm was going to pop out its socket as Kiba furiously shook it. It do not help that this guy had one hell of a grip. The onslaught on Naruto's arm stopped when Kiba finally noticed that both Sakura and Ino were gone. Kiba let go of Naruto's hand and stood.

Naruto barely had time to register what happened when Kiba pulled him up by his hood. Luckily, Naruto was wearing his over the shoulder book bag. The other boy proceeded to drag Naruto into the school building like a dog owner whose poodle decided to be stubborn. As soon as the two enter the crowded hallway, a group of boys called Kiba over to join them. Naruto let out a sigh of relief for he was alone once again and went off to find Sakura's locker.

Never in Naruto's life has someone been as… bold as Kiba was in his advances. Not even Sakura was that pushy when Naruto first met her. She slowly made her way to his life, even though Naruto had a very low opinion of her back then. Who could blame him? She was a little snot, but she was compassionate and understood that Naruto wanted space- lots of it. Unlike Kiba of whom Naruto just met not very long ago… Well, that would be a lie. Naruto knew who Kiba was. He hung out with a group of boys who were bullies, and on occasion, they would bully Naruto. Kiba did not, but the others did. While Naruto did not have an opinion on Kiba yesterday and the day before that, he did now.

He did not like Kiba, but knew the other boy would be completely ignorant to his dislike of him. Moreover, it wasn't like Naruto could tell him off. He was not that outspoken.

Sakura was put her books into her bag when Naruto made it too her locker. Naruto could not get his locker to open. He does not know why, Naruto knew that he can't. It wasn't like he did not have the combination to his locker, it's just that he couldn't time the amount turns right. Naruto did his daily routine of mooching off Sakura's locker and headed off with her to homeroom.

Naruto hoped the rest of the day would go by fast, in the back of his mind, he knew it wouldn't.

Naruto was tired. Kiba insisted on sitting next to Naruto at lunch. Sakura was less than ecstatic about Kiba's sudden urge to hang out with them. Kiba, as it happens, likes to talk, a lot. The boy loved to hear his own voice, and no one else's. He talked while Naruto ate. Kiba talked while he eating. He talked when Naruto was drinking. Kiba also talked while drinking. Just how he pulled that off was baffling. Naruto, of course, did not engaged in conversation with Kiba. He only nodded his head while Kiba's mouth ran, but he wasn't listening at all.

During the last thirty minutes of last period, Naruto's bladder had the sudden urge to defy him. As he entered the boy's bathroom, Naruto was yanked into the room by his collar. The smell of bleach drifted into Naruto's nostrils as he got a clear view of his attacker. It was Sakon. He was one of those bullies that Kiba hung out with, and Naruto always had a sneaky suspension that he and his twin brother, Ukon, where gay. Well, it's not every day you meet twin brother who wear purple lipstick.

Sakon let go of Naruto's collar and wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulders. "Hey, Naruto, got any money?" he asked.

"I don't have any," said Naruto.

That was a lie. Naruto had money, but it was carfare and he was not about to give up his carfare.

Sakon narrowed his visible eye. "You're lying," he spat.

"I am not-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Naruto's feet were kick from underneath him. The air was knocked out of Naruto's lunges as his back hit the cold floor. Dazed and confused, Naruto looked up to see a foot hovering over his face. Without warning, Sakon's foot came down on Naruto's face. Naruto heard a sickening crack as his nose broke under the pressure. Blood started flow out of Naruto's nose when Sakon dropped his entire weight onto his chest.

"This would have so much easier for you if you just handed over your money to me, Naruto," Sakon said in an even tone. "But nooo, you had to be so selfish and stubborn."

Sakon's elbow pressed hard into Naruto's chest.

"Hand over the money."

"Okay, okay," gasped Naruto. "It's… in my p-pocket."

Sakon finally let off his weight and begin to pat down Naruto's front pockets. Naruto felt blood rush to his cheeks as Sakon's hand dove into his right pocket. The feeling of a hand other than his own in his pockets was foreign and unwanted. Sakon's hand was way to close to Naruto's inner thigh, but it soon retreat. When Sakon took the fist full of notes out of Naruto's pocket, the bathroom door opened.

Both Naruto and Sakon looked up to see who had walked in. Standing in the doorway was a boy from Naruto's class. The expression he wore was that of disinterest that went well with his dark hair and eyes. He had a pale complex, but it wasn't sickly at all. He was what most people descried as a pretty boy. His was Saucegay or something like that. Naruto recalls him being in the same group as Kiba. Saucegay's inky black eyes went from Naruto to Sakon.

"Get off him, Sakon," said Saucegay.

As if receiving an order from a commending officer, Sakon let up all of his weight and stood up. He pocketed Naruto's carfare before pushing passed Saucegay. Now alone with Saucegay, Naruto sat up. He bent over with his legs parted so that the blood wouldn't ruin his shirt. Naruto fixed his glass when a hand shot out in front of him. In it was a bunch of paper towels. Naruto took them, muttering a small "thanks" before bring them up to his nose. Carefully, Naruto stood up. He looked over to see Saucegay standing in front of a urinal.

"Sakon's an idiot," he stated while finishing up. Saucegay walked over to the sinks to wash his. "You're not petty are you? You could always tell the nurse that you slipped."

"Are you telling me to lie?" Naruto asked. His hand muffled his words.

"Yes."

Naruto glared at the back of Saucegay's head. How dare he tell Naruto to lie about this! He was mugged not too long ago for god sakes! Just how tactless can this guy be?

"I am not lying for your friend," Naruto said curtly.

As Naruto turned around to leave, a strong grip took hold of his arm. He turned around to see Saucegay standing behind him.

"Get off my arm!" said Naruto, as he tried in vain to yank his arm free from Saucegay's grip.

"No," the other boy replied.

Naruto started to protest as Sasuke dragged him out of the bathroom. Naruto gave up on protesting and glared at the back of brunet's head instead. Who the hell did this guy think he is? He makes Kiba look like the most pleasant person in the world! Naruto has never met anybody as pushy as Saucegay in all of his life! Naruto takes everything that he said about Kiba back. This guy is even ruder and bold than Kiba ever was! Saucegay could least tell him where they were going!

"Where are we going," said Naruto. His question was like a demand.

"Where else, but the nurse's office," Saucegay simply replied.

Great, just great now he wants to make sure that Naruto lies for Sakon.

Saucegay let go of Naruto's arm when they finally as they reached a door decorated with many colorful, medical related cutouts. The brunet reached out and knocked on the wooden door. Not soon after a female voice called out, telling them to come in. They were greeted by the sigh of a blonde woman behind a desk when Sasuke opened the door. She wore her long her in a girlish style of pigtails, but that wasn't the most impressive thing about the school nurse. The nurse was quiet popular with the male students for being a rather attractive young woman, but also for her ample breasts. Which were very hard to miss. On her blouse, she wore a nametag identifying her as Tsunade Matsura.

Tsunade looked up at Naruto and sighed. She stood and went over to the sink. She washed her hands before putting on a pair of gloves and grabbing a bundle of paper towels.

"Okay," she said while walking over to Naruto. "Take and seat and tell me happened, Naruto."

Naruto sat down in one of the plastic chairs lining the wall. He was about to open his mouth to talk, but Saucegay beat him to it.

"He slipped and fell in the boy's bathroom," the other boy said.

Tsunade shot a glare at Saucegay's direction. "I was asking him, not you, Mister Uchiha," she snapped. She then turned back towards Naruto. "Is that really what happened, Naruto?"

Biting his lip, Naruto nodded his head and said, "Yeah."

Both Tsunade and Saucegay raised an eyebrow at this. "Are you sure?" she asked in doubtfully.

"Yeah," said Naruto.

Naruto could not believe he just did that! God, he was such a loser.

"Alright then," said Tsunade. "Mister Uchiha, you can go back to class now. You're not needed any longer. I'll call up for Naruto's thing in a moment."

Without a single word, Saucegay left.

"Now let's take care of that nose of yours. Hand your paper towel, Naruto," said Tsunade.

Naruto could look down Tsunade's blouse when she bent over to retrieve his bloodied up towels. The boy's face turned beet red. Numbly, he handed over the towels. Tsunade tilted up Naruto's chin to get a better look at his injury.

"It's swollen alright, but there isn't much I can do right now," she said. "Here take these paper towels. The only thing we can to right now is stop the bleeding. This will hurt a bit. Now pinch your nose- yeah like that. Tilt your head forward- that's good. Now continue doing that for ten more minutes. In the meanwhile, I'll call your teacher so you can get your bags. What class do you have right now?"

"Art," Naruto replied.

"That's Mister Sarutobi's class, right?" said Tsunade.

"Yeah."

Naruto stayed there like that until his book bag came also most ten minutes later. When the time was up, Tsunade instructed him to meet with her again once the swelling went down. The school bell rung as Naruto walked down the hallways. He ignored the stares of onlookers as he walked towards Sakura's locker. The girl gasped when she saw him. She rushed over to him and started to inspect his face.

"What happened?" she asked, fingers inching closely towards Naruto's swollen nose. She touched it and Naruto gasped in pain. "Ooh, sorry."

"I slipped," said Naruto. "How bad does it look?"

"Like a red pepper."

There is one thing that Naruto loved about Sakura. She always told the truth. To hell with cheering people up, make them feel bad. They'll appreciate it later.

"Did you break it," Sakura asked while opening her locker.

"Yeah," replied Naruto.

"That's bad," said Sakura. "Oh well, it'll be fine. I'm sure of it."

Sakura handed Naruto his hoddie, which Naruto then put on. The sound of a locker being slammed shut as heard as Sakura put on her sweater.

"Do you want to see your nose?" Sakura asked while Naruto shrugged his book bag on. She was digging around in her purse for her compact mirror.

"I'd rather not," said Naruto, as he followed Sakura towards the school entrance.

"Aw, it's raining," said Sakura once they got outside.

Naruto looked up at giant gray blanket of clouds that covered the sky. Indeed, it had started to rain. It was a light drizzle, but Naruto knew it going to start pouring any moment. Most of the students were covering their heads with anything could find, but some of them were wise enough to bring an umbrella. Naruto looked over to see Sakura pulling a tiny umbrella out of her book bag. Once the umbrella was open, Sakura invited Naruto underneath it with her.

"Do you want a ride home?" asked Sakura, as they began to walk.

Naruto shook his head; he never took up Sakura's offer to get a ride home. This time, however, was different since he robbed and he taking up Sakura's offer now would be suspicious. Naruto couldn't give off the impression that he was robbed.

"I'll just take the bus home," said Naruto, but in reality, he had to walk home. The school wasn't that far from Naruto's house. He just liked taking the bus because he was lazy. The bus ride there was actually longer than walking.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," said Sakura, as they walked towards the parking lot.

"Here," the girl said once they got to her car. She handed Naruto her umbrella so she could get into the car. Sakura did not wait to get her umbrella back as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"Your umbrella-," Naruto started, but was cutoff by Sakura.

"Oh, you can have, Naruto. I don't need it," she said.

Naruto nodded before walking off towards the bus stop, but kept on walking when he saw Sakura driving off. Naruto walked for about a block when a boxy blue car pulled up to curb.

"Do you want a ride home?" a voice asked from within the car.

For some odd reason, this reminded Naruto of a kid safety video that he saw once- the one about "tricky people". He stopped walking and turned around to see the person who called him. Naruto's eye narrowed when he saw the driver. It was that Saucegay guy.

"Well?" Saucegay asked.

I do not own Naruto or Y-control by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs