A/N: I UPDATED SOSOSO QUICKLY. Aren't you proud of me, Mommy?

So a lot of you were like "Make it SASUSAKU not SASUINO!" and I think I have to set a few things straight before I continue on with the story.

For the time being, I'm not going to tell you the final pairing. I'm going to give SasuSaku some of their moments and SasuIno some of their moments too but the final pairing is a secret. Hell, I might not even put in a final pairing for this story so please, don't tell me what pairing it should be and don't ask me what pairing I'm going to use in the end because guess what, I'm not going to tell you!

I still hope you keep reading though. XD And please, no flames to either pairing. I really don't want things like "Ew SasuIno sucks!" on my review page, thanks.

Other than that, thank you for the kind reviews! :) Reviews get me motivated, ahemahem. ;) XD


Chapter Two: Chemistry

"Please tell me why we're watching this movie again," I groan as I reach out for the popcorn and jam some more of the buttery goodness into my mouth as I roll my eyes at the screen where apparently the two main characters – I still haven't bothered to memorize their names – are having an intimate scene of kissing.

"It's romantic!" Sakura protests as she throws a pillow at me which hits me smack across the face, making my hair all static-y. Thanks Sakura.

"Besides," she says, "they have great chemistry."

Chemistry. They're just characters! But I don't say it out loud. Instead, I wonder if Sasuke (I have later found out that the boy's – the one who has the locker beneath mine – name is Sasuke Uchiha and he's in five out of eight of my periods. That's a lot. Can I get a booyah?) and I have great chemistry. I don't know because I've never really talked to him... yet.

I grumble some more as I then take out a chocolate bar and unwrap it as I bite into it and chew thoughtfully.

Sakura takes a handful of popcorn and begins eating it too. Even still though, while I'm pigging out on loads of candy, soda, and popcorn, she just continues to eat a little bit of popcorn since she never eats too much because she just doesn't like to eat, frankly. Perhaps that's why she's so effortlessly skinny. Of course, I'm fairly skinny too but I have to work for it since I tend to pig out, especially at sleepovers. My name doesn't help any of it either.

"It's horrible, that's what it is," I say and I pretend to gag. "Romance movies suck."

Sakura turns to me and rolls her eyes. "You're just jealous of the characters in the movie 'cause they're in love and you don't have a boyfriend."

I scoff. "Boyfriend? Who needs a boyfriend when there's chocolate?" I wave the half-eaten chocolate bar in front of her face and she swats it away like a fly.

But as I continue to watch the two characters gaze at each other affectionately and speak words of gushy love, I can't help but think, what if that was Sasuke and me? And I can't help but imagine him being the male character there, and me being the female character there as he tells me 'how much he loves me but our parents don't approve of our love.' But for some reason, I can't imagine Sasuke being like that so I quit thinking about it.

I know that what I feel for Sasuke is merely physical attraction. I'm not dumb. I know that what I feel for him is what I'd feel for a hot celebrity I'd see on TV. The only reason my heart beats so fast whenever he passes by me is because he's so hot and his mysterious attitude and behavior just adds onto it. I have later discovered that he is the quiet and stoic type. He doesn't say much and when people bother him, he either ignores them or acts cold towards them.

Some people hate him because they think he's stuck-up (these are mostly the guys and the girls who already have boyfriends they love too much to care about Sasuke), other people (like me) admire him because he seems like a fairly interesting person and we want to know more about him.

I turn to Sakura and vaguely wonder if she even knows he exists. Neither of us have ever really discussed with each other things like that – which guy is hot, and such. We never really talk about who we like because frankly, I have never had much of a crush over the past few years and really, neither did she. It's sad, but true because most guys here are either jerks or losers and I frankly don't think I have to stoop as low as them (no offense, jerks and losers).

I actually think that even if she knew about Sasuke, she wouldn't care so much. Sakura has never been the type who went googoo gaga over a boy. She was always more so concentrated on her studies and grades and friends. The only boys she ever showed affection towards were celebrities (and she has posters of them on her walls) and her male friends, in a totally platonic way, of course.

Even still though, even though Sakura has never showed much interest in wanting a boyfriend, she has always shown much interest in romantic stuff like The Notebook and Twilight.

I, on the other hand, never really liked reading, period. And as for movies, I like comedy ones only.

So I try my best to pretend and enjoy the movie because after all, at least I'm with my best friend and even cheesy romance movies are better when watching it with your best friend.

- & -

Briiiiing! Briiiiiiing!

I breathe out a sigh of relief as I place down my pen. Finally, class is over.

" – and, oh well, that's the bell. I guess that's all for class now. Homework is to finish up the reading we started in class today and answer all the questions at the end. Class dismissed," Kurenai says as she closes her teacher's edition and takes off her glasses.

I get up as I gather my books and hurry out the door as I weave through the sea of people as chatter and laughter and shouts fill the hallways.

I suddenly feel a pat on my back and turn to see Naruto as he grins his trademark smile at me. "Hey Ino! Are you going to the library after school today? Sakura-chan said that she is and I'm going to drag Shikamaru down too no matter how many times he says that it's 'too troublesome' since as much of a lazy ass he is, he sure knows how to help out on homework."

I chuckle as I nod. "Yeah, I have some Chemistry homework that I really need help with so I'm there."

He beams at me and nods as I turn back around and make my way to my locker.

It's only the second week of school and yet, I'm already exhausted. The teachers bombard us with so much homework, it's really tiring but expected. It's enough to make me wonder if I can even graduate from high school.

As I sigh and open my locker, suddenly, my literature workbook falls out and lands smack Sasuke's head. Before I can react though, an empty paper coffee cup comes tumbling down and drops onto the literature workbook and rolls down and falls onto the floor.

I gasp a little as I bend down but he already took the workbook and coffee cup and hands it to me. "Er, I'm – I'm sorry, are you okay?" I stammer as I take the workbook and coffee cup and peer over at him. It shouldn't have hurt that much. It's only a workbook and the cover's really bendy.

He seems okay as he turns to me and raises an eyebrow – which I try my hardest not to blush at – and nods curtly before turning back to his locker.

I bite my lower lip as I continue to fiddle with the workbook and cup before clearing my throat and asking, "Uh.. so, you're Sasuke, aren't you?"

He pulls out his backpack and closes his locker as he stands up and turns to me. He nods at me in the same manner as before and before he can turn to leave, I shoot him another question, "Do you know my name?"

"Ino," he answers, "right?"

I nod feverishly. "That's right. I'm in some of your classes," I say stupidly.

"I know."

That makes me feel really dumb.

"It's hard to miss you," he says, smirking slightly. "You're always talking."

I'm not sure if he means that as a compliment or an insult so I just smile awkwardly at him. "Well... you're always quiet."

"Hn," he says and I'm not too sure what that's supposed to mean.

His eyes then drop to the coffee cup in my hands and then back at me. "It's not good to drink too much coffee..."

I look at my cup, then back at him as I shrug. "Oh, I don't drink that much... just a little." That's a lie. I drink a lot of coffee but only to prevent myself from falling asleep in boring ol' classes and besides, cappuccinos taste good, but that's just a plus.

"Yeah, that's the reason you have about a gazillion other coffee cups in your locker," he says dryly as he jerks a thumb towards my locker.

I turn to my locker and see about a ten empty coffee cups littering my locker and I blush feverishly.

"W-well, that still isn't that much," I mumble and he smirks.

"So, um," I begin, trying to change the subject as I quickly cram my workbook and coffee cup back into my locker, "do you want to come to the library right now with me and some of my friends? We're going to do homework there... and stuff. We always hang there after school to work on homework together since sometimes we need each others help and all – like tonight's Chemistry homework... oh my God, I really don't get it. I mean, what, with all – "

"You're rambling," he interrupts dryly and I blush feverishly at that.

"Ah, um, you're right," I say and I chuckle sheepishly. "I tend to do that a lot. After all, I do like to talk."

"Hn," he says again.

A moment of pause passes by before I ask, "So, uh, do you want to stay at the library with us?"

Before he can respond though, a shout calls out, "Sasuke!" And we both turn to see Suigetsu running up to him as he throws an arm around the raven-haired boy's shoulder and grins widely, a grin just as wide as Naruto's but slightly different in his own way.

His eyes flicker over to me and his grin widens (if that's even possible) in a devious way as he says, "Ooooh, sorry, did I interrupt something?" He turns to Sasuke and smirks. "Karin is not going to like this."

My ears perk up at this as I try to hide my blush from Suigetsu's former comment. Karin?

"Hn," Sasuke says as he pushes Suigetsu off him.

"Anyways, sorry for ruining your lil chat here," Suigetsu says, smiling at me, "but I have to steal pretty boy over here 'cause we have some hoops to shoot."

I turn to Sasuke and he says, "I'm on the basketball team... and there's a game tonight. We have to go get ready so I guess I can't come, sorry."

"Oh, that's alright!" I say, a little too over enthusiastically as I force a smile. "Actually, I'll try to make it to the game. It's at seven, right?"

Suigetsu nods. "And there's free pizza, so all the more reason to come!"

I smile at him as he throws an arm around Sasuke's shoulders once more and says that they need to go before Coach Gai makes them run fifty laps for being late and so I wave (fifty laps?!) and watch them leave as I pull my own backpack on and head towards the library.

"Ooooh, sorry, did I interrupt something? Karin is not going to like this."

I frown at the thought as I wonder why he said that. I do know for a fact that Sasuke hangs out with Suigetsu, Karin, and Juugo a lot. They're all from the Sound village so they might have known each other long before, but the chances are kind of slim. I don't know much about them since I never really talk to them but I do know that Karin and Suigetsu are both loud and I often see them bicker. Juugo, on the other hand, is sweet and quiet and keeps to himself, kind of like Sasuke.

I wonder if Karin likes Sasuke and I think, there's a high possibility for that. After all, Sasuke has a face straight out of a magazine. Girls flock to him like he's a celebrity. And in our school, he is. He's even well-known by the seniors. I also think that there's also a high possibility that Sasuke and Karin are dating, but I'm not too sure since Sasuke doesn't seem like the dating type.

I shrug off the thought. So what if Karin likes Sasuke? And so what if they're going out? It's not like it matters. It's not like I really do have a chance with Sasuke.

I push the doors into the library and look around for my friends before hearing, "It's about time!"

I smile as I turn and walk over to my friends; Sakura, looking curious as to what took me so long, Naruto, looking highly irritated at my tardiness, and Shikamaru just staring at me with bored eyes that says, 'kill me now.'

"What took you so long?" Naruto grumbles. "We're already halfway through our Chem homework."

"Aw guys." I sigh. "I thought I told you, Naruto, that I wanted help with my Chemistry homework. Couldn't you have started on something else while you waited for me?" I sigh again as I pull off my backpack and take out my Chemistry textbook, a notebook and a pencil.

"You didn't answer his question," Sakura muses with a quirk of an eyebrow.

I grin widely and sheepishly. "Sorry, what was the question again?"

Naruto rolls his eyes. "What took you so long?"

"Oh," I say and I look down and pretend to be highly interested in the maroon carpeted floor of the library, "you know... I was just talking to Sasuke." I say it like it's no big deal talking to the school's heartthrob.

I slowly meet Sakura's gaze and she looks mildly confused. "You know, everyone's like, 'Sasuke this' and 'Sasuke that.' But I've never really seen him. He's not in any of my classes. What's he like?"

"Tch, he's an arrogant bastard," Naruto says as he holds his head up high with dignity.

"Nn, have to agree with Naruto here," Shikamaru mumbles. "He's a troublesome guy.. smart, but troublesome."

Sakura quirks an eyebrow and then turns to me.

"Oh... well..." I say and I don't really know what to say as I feel all of their eyes on me, awaiting my response, "he's... he's a nice guy. I guess."

"You guess?" she says. "All of your descriptions were pretty vague and Ino's was kind of different from the rest of yours. I mean, 'nice' and 'arrogant bastard' doesn't really go together."

I exchange looks with Naruto and we both turn back to her.

"Well... he's really quiet and..." I say, "blunt."

Not to mention mega hot, I think but I don't say it out loud.

"Eh. He doesn't seem worth meeting," Sakura says as she shrugs and the subject of Sasuke is pushed away just like that as we get back on topic of Chemistry but the only chemistry on my mind is the kind of chemistry I felt between Sasuke and me when we had our first conversation today. And it was great chemistry.