Uzumaki Naruto

Sasuke peered anxiously out the window, his eyes burning with curiosity as he watched the lorry drive up to the front of the driveway.

"Must be the new neighbours," a voice came from behind him.

Sasuke swiveled his head to look at his brother who was gazing at him with a soft smile upon his face.

"Should we go meet them?" Itachi asked.

He shyly nodded. "Okay,"

Together, they walked over to the house across their own, watching in fascination as the workers carefully maneuvered the furniture into the house.

They hadn't realise they were staring until a young girl around Sasuke's age leaped out from the back of the lorry. Her big blue eyes blinked adorably as she took in her surroundings before landing her gaze on them.

As she bounded over with an impressive show of speed, Sasuke subconsciously took a step back behind his brother.

"Hello," she chirped happily. Her two blonde pigtails sashay gently as she alternatively balanced herself with the heels of her feet and her toes.

"Hello," Itachi smiled. "I'm Itachi and this is Sasuke," he said as he pushed Sasuke forward, "We live across the street," he gestured back to their house.

Sasuke felt like a deer caught between headlights as the girl's attention came upon him.

"I'm Naruto, but you can call me Naru. We're moving in this week," she said as she smiled at Itachi. "How old are you?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement as she looked at Sasuke.

Itachi knew the question was not directed at him, but answered, "I'm ten,"

Sasuke was more reluctant to reply, "I'm…six," He was starting to regret leaving the house.

A strong force knocked him over balance. The crazy girl was hugging him! He could feel her clammy hands around him as he struggled in panic. She didn't seem to want to let go anytime soon either! "Help," he mouthed to his brother.

Itachi chuckled silently. "Naru," he called. Immediately, the suffocating feeling went away.

"I'm six years old too," she proudly announced. "We have to be friends,"

Sasuke sent her a disbelieving look before angrily tugging onto one of her blonder pigtails. "I don't want to be friends with a loser like you," he stated haughtily. Then, with a change of 360 degrees, he turned to his brother, a bright smile plastered across his face. "We have to go home. Mother specifically mentioned not to take too long or we'll be late for dinner," he said.

Itachi watched as Naruto turn red at the insult, her eyes shining with revenge. Sighing, he patted her head gently, "Sorry, we've got to go. We'll see you around, ok?"

He was rewarded with a timid nod and a tight hug the moment his hand lifted away from her head. "Okay," she said.

Itachi nodded, pleased, unaware of the burning gaze of jealously behind his back.

Sasuke had decided. He absolutely loathed this Naruto girl.

The subsequent days were horrible. In some sick, twisted fate, his mother turned out to be an old friend of Naruto's mother and now, both their families had taken on the blasphemy of a tradition to take turns hosting dinner every Sunday.

Sasuke had always thought of God to have a mean streak but this was just diabolical.

He glared heard at the door, hoping it would combust in flames as his mother gestured for him to change into a new, cleaner T-shirt.

"Sasuke dear, please wipe that horrid look off your face,"

Sasuke tried tensing the muscles around his mouth, feeling accomplished as he felt the corner lift in response.

His mother swept a critical eye over him, lingering just a little longer on his face. "That's…better, I suppose," she said.

"Mikoto, is Sasuke ready?" asked his father.

"We'll be there in a second," she called back in reply. "Come Sasuke, we should go now," her hands clasped tightly against his as they walked out the door together.

As their family gathered outside the doors of the Namikaze residence, Itachi reached up to ring the bell.

"I'll get it," a loud voice hollered.

A few seconds later, the door swung open and the Uchiha family were greeted with the sight of little Naruto in a white knee-length dress. "Welcome to our humble home," she grinned.

Before dinner, the adults gathered around the living room to engage in conversation whereas the kids were sent off to play in Naruto's room.

Sasuke really hated Naruto's room.

The room was bright and annoying, just like her. And he simply refused to play Monopoly with her!

Instead, he sat in the far corner and watched as his brother read to her. He refused to acknowledge the minor tantrum he had thrown, convincing himself how fun it was to draw on the walls with his fingers. Really, who cared about Naruto's stupid stories. He was having fun on his own.

What was so good about her anyways? She was clingy, loud, and above all, a total idiot.

It was during dinner that he discovered that things could get worse. The bloody girl had a comment about every single thing! It didn't matter if it had nothing to do with her, she just kept droning on.

Mikoto laughed. "Oh Kushina, if only my Sasuke was as cheerful as your daughter," she trailed.

Sasuke could feel his blood bleed out his veins. Him? Be more like that monkey? Maybe it was something in the food but Sasuke was starting to feel nauseous.

Naruto's mother smiled a pleasant smile, "Yes, she is rather like me, isn't she? Although she does take after her father a lot too," she added, much to the chagrin of Minato.

Sasuke inwardly scoffed. Naruto was nothing like her mother. At least, that was what he thought. She didn't have the slight elegance that her mother had so wonderfully displayed. She was slouching on the table, her greens rolled between her fork and spoon…

"-suke? Sasuke dear, are you listening?" asked Mikoto.

He bleakly nodded an affirmative to his mother, not missing the fact that his brother was looking on with barely concealed amusement.

"You hear that Sasuke? We're going to the same school!" exclaimed Naruto.

Sasuke's eyes promptly rolled to the back of his head, and he threw up.

"Oh dear," Mikoto laughed apologetically. "It must be the nerves. I bet he's just a little too excited, making him feel all jittery…"

Sasuke stared at the remains of his dinner.

Yeah right.