Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

I was on my way back from New York reading Sarah Dessen's this lullaby and one of the excerpts from Remy's mom's writing totally inspired me for this idea so I got this Idea wrote down the prompt some of the story then typed it up and BAM! You got a one shot. Anyways just something I got inspired to do. Read it then Review it!

Challenged

I loved challenges. Where it seems like the world is against you, pushing you up against the wall so tight you can barely breathe. Where everyone is so close and crowding around you and it seems like there is no way out, but you manage to slip through the small gap in between people and then you're free. I loved being in that pressed position because it only made me work harder.

And I loved proving people wrong. Just when they're all sure I'm going to crack under pressure and give up I'll surprise them all. A bitch slap to the face. The expressions on their faces are absolutely priceless.

I love every moment of it. The adrenaline rush when you're going crazy because you think you won't finish on time and then the total bliss feeling when its all over. And most of all I love the shocked faces of everyone.

I loved it when everyone thought I wasn't going to college because I waited till the last minute to do my applications. When nobody thought I was going to get a job I proved them all wrong by snagging a part time job at the ice cream parlor—it was always busy and demanding fast service which was one reason I chose the job. One. Then I laughed in their bitch slapped faces when I proved them all wrong by actually affording a place of my own instead of rooming with friends. Small and cheap but my own place nonetheless.

So its very rare that you'll find me uneasy about a challenge or dare. But then again I said rare, not impossible.

-0-0-0-0-

"I got it." Kiba decalred, smacking the table for emphasis. "There is no way you'll beat this one."

I leaned back in my chair on its back two leg, a cocky grin, I knew, already gracing my lips. "Try me."

Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, and I were outside of a local restaurant that was cheap and close to where we worked during our breaks drinkings sodas, playing cards, and throwing down bets. So far I've won three games of Gin Rummy, two of BS, one of spades, and about seven bets—all similar to "I bet you can't eat…"—earning me much moremoney than tips at the Chill(the ice cream parlor) got me.

" I bet," Kiba paused taking a sip of his sprite. "that for a hundred bucks," I raised my eyebrows high on my forhead at this. Our bets never went over twenty bucks, this had to be good. My grin grew wider. "You can't get Sakura to fall in love with you."

My smile fell instantly at this and dropped by chair back on to all four legs. Not only was this imposible—Sakura is extremely annoyed by me and challenge lovers and stubborn crushes don't mix—but it is against the Challenge rules that there no personal feelings should be involved in challenges. Period.

Sakura Haruno—the girl of my dreams—is way out of my league. She is all orderly, stict to the rules, and doesn't exactly enjoy my spontaneous behavior all the time. She's my coworker at Chill and the first time I saw it was like someone stroke a match and lit me on fire. I was hooked.

"That," I threw a card down on top of the pile as we went into another match of BS, "is against the rules."

Shikamaru faked a gasp. "Is Naruto, the challenge king, refusing a dare?"

"Call the news!" Choji shouted standing from his seat and attracting attention. "Naruto just said no to a challenge!"

I yanked him back down into his seat. "I didn't say no." They all gave me skeptical looks. "I simply said that it was against the rules."

"So you're going to deny the ultimate dare because of some rules." Kiba took another swig of his drink "You've lost your touch man."

And there I was, back against the wall facing basically impossible measures and my three best friends laughing in my face thinking I wouldn't be able to do it. This is what I get for loving the Challenge.

"Make sure you have those hundred bucks ready."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Its not that I hate Naruto, no. I simply love the chase. It was a test I did with all guys who liked me. I avoided them, acting as if I wasn't attracted to them—as annoying as Naruto was he was pretty damn hot and sweet—so I could see just how important I was to them. If they gave up they weren't worth my time but if they kept at it and had a good personality and intentions I will find myself falling for them.

And so Naruto was hot, sweet, determined, messy and annoying, but the kept up the prusuit so after a half a year I've working with I must admit that I've actually fallen for the blonde. So on this lovely day I've decided that the after a little more torture when he asks to buy me dinner, which he always does, I'm going to agree.

I finished wiping down the table that had gotten all sticky from some two year old who had ice cream earlier and looked up to see Naruto walking toward the parlor. He was scratching the the back of his head—he always did that when he was nervous—and my curiosity instantly spiked.

The bells rang over the door announcing that he had finally passed over the threshold. "You're late."

"Oh! I uh, I was with some friends." He mumbled making his way to the counter, which he slipped behind, grabbing his smock. He then turned his attention to the customer waiting. "What can I get ya?"

I stood frozen for a second not believing what had just happened. He walked into the door and barely cast me a glance. No cocky remark, flirty compliment, nothing. Had I judged Naruto just a second too soon? That he really wasn't as ambitious as I thought. As I wanted him to be.

I wiped the dazed look off my face and moved behind the counter opening a second register to take orders. "May I take your order?"

I side glanced a Naruto as he bent down to scoop some strawberry ice cream into a cone and as the lady ordered a banana split. I rung up the price for her taking her money with a polite smile before going to make her sundae and join Naruto at the ice cream cartons.

"I'm surprised," I commented scooping up some chocolate ice cream into a bowl. "You didn't try to seduce me when you came in." I said as if it didn't bother me though it did. Extremely.

"Ah, yeah well…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Well what? My mind was drawing up a blank. It was part of the bet to get Sakura to go out with me but there is a reason personal feelings are left out of the Challenge. If a girl finds out you won money for going out with them they think it's the only reason and get totally pissed. So as much as I love a challenge, I really, really, really like Sakura.

Up against a wall. I loved it.

"I'm working on a new approach." I told her, leaning against the glass counter that contained the ice cream, watching her scoop up vanilla ice cream. "Seeing if staying quiet would get you to notice me. It worked."

She scooped up some strawberry ice cream. "Seems liked it worked." She then looked up shooting me a smile before going to grab a banana.

I stood frozen for a second. After working togetether for eight months I never got a more genuine smile out of her. Shit. She's finally responding and its for a bet. Kinda.

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

"Hey! I'm waiting here!" I looked up to see a customer giving me those pissed off, impatient looks and I hurried back to the register. Sakura still on my mind and me being pressed closer and closer to the wall.

-0-0-0-0-0-

He covered up nicely before but now I could see his jittery movement. It was almost closing time and I still hadn't been asked out for dinner yet and I myself was getting anxious, and impatient. And god damn nervous. Why was he being so…out of character. It was throwing me off.

I handed over a rocky road cone to our last customer, giving him a polite smile before turning to Naruto, my patience finally snapped.

"Whats up with you tonight?" I demnaded to know turning on him crossing my arms over my chest. The shop was now empty and I was free to let out my frustration.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked taking out a rag and going out from behind the counter to begin wiping down tables. I followed behind him wiping down the same table as his so he would be forced to talk. Look at this. Now I'm the one on the chase.

"I mean you haven't hit on me at all since your lunch break." My face flushed now that I spoke it out loud. Now he knew I liked his stupid comments. "Its bothering me." I mumbled slightly.

The circles he was making with his rag stopped. "So you like it when I flirt with you?"

I looked up and there was his cocky grin on his face and I felt my body instantly relaxed. His smile was used to. This I could handle.

-0-0-0-0-0-

There it was, starting to form. The small gap between people where my getaway was starting to form. It was the signal marking that I was about to win the bet. Sakura likes it when I flirt with her, making my chance slightly bigger.

"I never said that." She said indignantly moving on to the next table to wash it down and I followed her. "Just said it felt…weird."

"To not have my soothing voice in your ear whispering compliments."

"No."

"Not have me staring at your every move."

She flushed and my get out route got bigger. "No."

I moved closer so I was standing beside her now, our shoulders touching as we cleaned the table. "Then why were you so…weird feeling today."

Her hands clenched tighter around her rag before she looked up, piercing me with her green eyes. "Why were you so quiet earlier today?"

I hesitated. "I made a bet today." She looked at me expectingly. "They, my friends, bet I couldn't get you to go out on a date with me." Her entire face fell as if she had been slapped and I hurried up to continue my story. "And I've never been able to refuse a dare but if I went out with you and got money you'd think it was only for a bet and wouldn't see that I really, really like you." I finished off with a whoosh of breath.

And there was a smile, big and bright, breaking over her face making her eyes twinkle. Along with the smile was a big gap in the people and I slipped through it breaking through the crowd defeating my biggest challenge so far.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Best part of being in the chase is when you're finally caught. Wrapped around by somebody else in a warm grasp was what I lived for. I looked up at Naruto, his bright blue eyes with his blonde hair falling into his eyes and couldn't help but smile.

"You really, really like me?" I asked stepping closer to him and he followed in suit.

"Depends," he leaned down a bit closer to me. "How do you feel about me?"

"Hmmm," I pretended to really think about how I felt about Naruto. "I feel that maybe, just maybe, I might really, really like you too." I stepped closer taking his bigger hands in mine.

"Really?" his head was coming down closer and I could feel his warm breath on my face.

"Really."

Our lips touched then and I felt that after all the pursuits I've been apart of this was the first time that my heart was truly caught.

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Sakura and I finally finshed closing up the sun was already long gone and the sky dark. The wind was blowing and cool so I threw my arm over Sakura's shoulder bringing her close into my chest so she will stay warm and her hand—the one that wasn't gripping my own—instantly clenched my shirt keeping her in place.

"So whats for dinner?" she asked as we walked down the street since neither of us had cars.

"I'm thinking Ramen."

"Figures."

We laughed as we walked by shops and right before the turn to Ichiriku's Ramen there was Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba waiting to cross the street and I couldn't help but smile at their bitch slapped faces.

I loved challenges.

I ducked my head and set a kiss on Sakura's forehead.

Every bit of it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Well I was bored so I finished this while I was watching the Degrassi marathon. When an idea is sparked I have to write it. Anyways please review!!!!!!!

~Kimiko888~