Gaara will eat the whole school!

Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto. Don't sue me. I'm broke! Naruto © Kishimoto Masashi

The Boy in the Picture

Chapter 2 : Interferences

© eiirisa

"Ha, I thought I'd found you here," Sakura suddenly appeared beside them. "You're gonna get in trouble for ditching Iruka-sensei's class."

"Ah, Sakura-chan!" the blond boy excitedly patted on the space beside him, gesturing her to sit as the other hand received the bento handed to him. "We were talking about going for some bowling this Saturday. Please say you'd join. Please!"

Uzumaki Naruto is another hot guy in Konoha High. He's the quarterback for the school's football team and is a swift runner. The athletic type; built body and toned with muscles. He's the kind of guy who can just go out in the fields, and conquer it as well as monopolizing all fan girls cheers. Plus he's blond with a pair of warm blue eyes. Who can resist skipping out their own club activities just to watch the football players in training? Who can keep their eyes off the blond quarterback when he's topless? Who cannot be turned on just by the sight of him covered with mud but still sexy?

Naruto is an all-time jovial and outgoing person. He can just smile and with less effort, brighten up a room. Or he can just piss you off to bring you back to life if his smile won't work. Either way, it makes him a caring person. Not so sensitive but still, he cares. The fact that he enjoys company made everyone, even a stranger, felt comfortable around him. Besides being loud and having average grades, he's irresistible.

Damn irresistible that the football's cheer squad have a tight cheerleading member selection because that's the only method every girl could think of just to be close to him. The privilege of being in the cheer squad is that they can watch him in a game closer than any first class seats in a stadium. All the cheerleaders would brag to other girls that the offside line was the only thing separating between them.

But everybody knew Naruto was going out with a certain pink haired girl so they can't mess with him. The two had been going out ever since he was still in the fullback position, where he did some sprinting, some blocking and short receiving. It was just last spring that the seniors knight him as the new quarterback and that's when girls noticed him more than ever. So that's why, being a cheerleader was now or never.

"Please, Sakura-chan!" he was still begging.

"Just you and Gaara?" she looked at the redhead sitting beside Naruto.

Gaara has a pale skin complimented by two green jewel eyes that can penetrate through anything. His red hair crowned him like a burning flame and it was neatly trimmed. He's good at studies and is the top at his class; batch-wise, Shikamaru effortlessly overachieved but it didn't matter to Gaara. It was just numbers and there was nothing to compete about grades.

He became best friends with Naruto since elementary school. Although the two had different personalities, they simply got along very well like they were brothers. Gaara can be described as a quiet and cold, observant person. He digs details just with his eyes. If you're lying to him, chances are he knows you are. This made people think he's somewhat scary and discriminative towards others; perhaps because he came from a wealthy family of great influence. He had seen so many hypocrites while growing up that he only trusts himself and no one else; until the blond showed up in his life and dragged him out of his own blizzard. But that was an old story.

Now, he's always seen alongside Naruto and he mingled well with the others too; Kiba, Shikamaru and Chouji. People started to get used to his smile and his new found caring attitude, but they still think his serious side makes him hard to get along with. Until he became the Class Rep, people just had no choice but to get along with him.

Although he's not declared as one of the hot guys, his rejecting-girls record was surprisingly just as close as the Uchiha boy! Only that most of them came from other high schools and private tuition classes, where his reputation outside the walls of Konoha High seemed more pleasant. Often he kept his hand to himself, folding them on his chest whenever girls handing him love letters or valentine chocolates, saying, "Leave me alone"; but girls from the outside were more persistent and they'll try anything to melt his heart of stone.

"We've asked Kiba, Shikamaru and Chouji too," Naruto started to unfold the bento covers. "But they had agendas. So you'll join, right?"

When he said that, there was no way doubting that they had all escaped their class to relax up here.

"Um..." she thought for a moment, but with Naruto's pleading face, she can't absolutely refuse him. "Sure, why not. You're okay with it, right, Gaara?"

"You have to be there," he monotonously said with arms folded. "He needs someone to cheer on him while losing to me."

"I am not going to lose to you!" Naruto fisted his best friend's shoulder. "Try me!"

A soft breeze blew on their face. The weather was sunny and the air was fresh too. This is something you can enjoy only when you're up on the school's roof. It had been the favorite spot for the boys to chill out on their escapade. Although some students do come up the roof to lunch, it was never crowded. They were the few who realized the quality of this place.

"Eh? You do not have your bento this time?" Naruto blurted at Gaara with his mouth full.

"I forgot it at home," he replied as he leaned on the fence wall.

"Here, I don't mind sharing with you," Naruto took a meat with his chopsticks and gestured to feed him. "Sakura makes the best meat!"

Right when Gaara struggled to get away from Naruto's grip on his chin, who was all too eager to shove the meat into his mouth, a shadow fell on them.

"And here, I was worried you'd starve to death because you hate having lunch in cafés," a tall blonde girl in a Suna High uniform uttered. "Looks like your pal gonna feed you till you can't take it anymore."

"Temari, what are you doing here?" Gaara's face twisted in question. He went to a different high school than his siblings. And seeing a strange uniform appearing in Konoha High was very rare and quite surprising. Even Gaara who always saw her in it was surprised himself. Most of the students who were up on the roof had their eyes on them now. The scene was peculiar and not to be missed.

"Dad kept reminding me to send this to you," she shoved a bento towards him. His forgotten bento. "Said you'll eat the whole school if you're left hungry."

"You don't have to send it!" he refused. Looking away from her, arms folded. Naruto and Sakura chuckled at her remarks.

"Thank me later, little brother," she placed the bento in front of him. "Hi, there, shrimp. Cute girlfriend you got there."

With pride, Naruto pulled Sakura closer to kiss her head. She was too surprised herself to know what he was doing.

"She tastes like bubblegum!" he grinned.

"Naruto!" she pushed his hands away. The way he said that made her embarrassed. She was already blushing.

"Nice to meet you!" Temari appeared all so sudden and now making an abrupt exit. She was uncomfortable enduring the stares she had the moment she entered the school. She felt like an alien, but sending the bento was what she had to do.

"Oi, Gaara," Naruto called. The redhead was now busy unfolding the bento covers as his sister was out of sight. "Isn't it better for you to go to the same school with them? Not that I'm saying you shouldn't be here, but..."

"Are you kidding?" he took a bite of his meal. "You saw her just now. This is why I don't want to be in the same school as them."

Naruto frowned. It was still unclear to him.

"I'm enduring them at home," he continued as he chewed. "Don't make me endure them during school. It's too much!"

"They're spoiling you, huh?" Sakura guessed. She knew Gaara came from a family of political background. They live in a penthouse in the middle of the city, and his brother and sister went to a prestigious high school just a few streets away. It was good enough his family believed in free thinking. If not, he can never go to the same school with his best friend, and would be force to be somewhere else he refused to be.

Gaara didn't need to explain more. Her remark was the perfect answer and it was something that Naruto knew about too. The three of them continued their lunch as the two boys chatted with mouthfuls. Gaara seem to be lively now that he's not grumbling in the stomach.

"Usuratonkachi," a low familiar voice broke their little world. "So you only lunch down when it's Ramen week, huh?"

"What do you want Saskay?" Naruto did not welcome him much. Sasuke had always been a pain in the neck. They weren't in good terms to say bluntly. "Go eat your own bento!"

"I'm done with that."

As he took a step towards them, Sakura scooted a little closer to Naruto, staring at Sasuke who did not get his eyes off the blond kid.

"I'm just thinking of something we can do in the weekends," Sasuke looked down at him with a smirk. Something was playing at the back of his head and he's already enjoying the thought. "What do you think?"

"Buzz off, Uchiha," Gaara snapped him back to reality. He knew what Sasuke was up to. "You're not welcomed here."

"I'm not here for your ass, browless," Sasuke's eyes hooded in irritation. "I'm here for Naruto."

Sakura gasped. It never stopped to surprise her why Sasuke was chasing after Naruto. Her Naruto. She and Ino had come across his journal about a year ago and it shocked the hell out of them when they found out he's attracted to Uzumaki Naruto. He even wrote descriptively, all the things he would do to Naruto... 'When he's mine!'. What certainties! Instead of 'if', he used 'when'. The memory still scares her.

Ever since Naruto and Sakura started going out, Sasuke had started to reveal his intentions on him. It made her more terrified that Sasuke did not regard her as an obstacle, nor a rival. To him, she wasn't even close to being a threat!

This was what Ino was about to say back at the hallway... "He's waiting forever for your boyfriend!"

Somehow, Ino was incorrect about it. Sasuke does not plan to wait until forever!

"Go away, Saskay!" Naruto chided. He was getting uneasy.

"Oh, don't play hard to get, usuratonkachi," he jingled the coins in his pocket. The sound of it eased him into patience. "I haven't proposed my point yet."

"I'm not interested with anything you're up to!" he decided to resume his meal and ignore the Uchiha.

"I'm having a party this Saturday night," he continued in spite of the ignorance. "I thought I'd invite you..."

Silence. Ignorance.

"And also your friends, if you want to," he suggested half-heartedly as he eyed the two person sitting at each of his sides. "Ah, if it isn't Sakura. Not snooping around on someone else's belongings again, huh?"

The story about running into his journal with Ino did not end there. Sasuke actually got back from the field much earlier than they thought. The idea first came when both girls decided to intrude his class that was out on PE, where the girls actually bumped into each other. Back then, they were rivals; fighting over Sasuke. That is, until they found the little black book. Quelle surprise!

Naruto's mine!, she mouthed at him.

"Tch!" he snorted as he took his stare from her and back to Naruto who kept gorging down his meal. "You can always change your mind. I'm sure you'll show up. You know where's the mansion, right?"

Sasuke lived with his brother after their parents died. His brother took over the family business and it bloomed well. They own several villas and penthouses, but the Uchiha Mansion was a spot in the outskirts of the city that was far too famous due to numerous global corporate dinners held there. You will be a laughing stock if you say you never heard of the Uchiha Mansion.

"Take it back," Gaara suddenly blurted as Sasuke turned around to leave. Both Naruto and Sakura turned their head towards him.

"I'm not taking back an invitation," Sasuke responded. "You can choose NOT to come. My ONLY special guest is Naruto."

"What you called me just now..." Gaara shot him a tempest glare. "Take it back!"

"You mean that?" he chuckled. "But isn't it the truth? Browless?"

Within a second, Gaara bolted at him and grabbed him by the collar; dropping his half-eaten bento on the floor. It fell in a splattered mess. Naruto was already behind him, trying to pull them apart.

"It's not something you should make fun of," the redhead mumbled beneath his breath. "Take. It. Back."

"Yeah, take it back!" Naruto chirped in.

"Come closer, usuratonkachi," in the midst of Gaara's fury, he still managed to smirk and lift a hand to caress Naruto's cheeks. "I can't hear you."

PUNCH!

THUD! Sasuke fell few feets away from the impact. A few seconds later, he was struggling to get up with his elbows but fell back groaning in pain. Alas, when he was able to sit up, he touched his swelling lips.

"Shit!" he cursed at the sight of blood. His jaws were clicking and his cheekbone was hurting. He frowned at them and later, glared at the person who punched him.

"To imagine you had such insane strength," he managed to pull himself up to his feet, regaining balance. "I'm really amazed at you, Sakura."

Yes, it was Sakura. She reacted all too sudden to protect Naruto from the sick minded boy. Even the two best friends were gaping at what just happened. They knew she attends a dojo but no one ever saw her display her true strength in open. It was not an everyday event and this was Sakura they were looking at. She punched Sasuke!

"Don't touch him," she warned.

All eyes on the roof once again had found its way on them. They started to whisper among each other. Their whispers were like hisses blown in the wind. Someone will open a new topic for the forum, she can predict. A girl had punched Sasuke or worse, a girl punched him because she was rejected. Such rumors will surely go around for a period of time until a new rumor brought up to the surface.

"I shall take my leave," Sasuke turned around to head for the stairs. Refusing to cast more oil on fire. "The invitation is still good. I'll be waiting."

All the time when he mentioned about the invitation, it was as if he was talking only to Naruto, while everyone else around was invisible. Sasuke was out of sight by the time the school bell rang again, indicating the end of lunch time.

"Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Naruto checked her hands then held her shoulders. His concern was as if she was the one got punched. "I'll beat him into a pulp next time, I would!"

"No, I'm fine," she immediately answered. She didn't want him to get any closer into the claws of the Uchiha. "I surprised you guys... I-I'm very sorry."

"He deserves it," Gaara turned around to collect his bento box, now empty. His stomach was still upset. "Let's get going."

"I'll send you, ne? Sakura-chan?" Naruto was awfully concerned for her. Her emotions seemed to be disturbed after what happened.

"C-can we stay here?" she stammered, head bowed. She never skipped class before but now she felt like it, and she don't know why. "Just for a while? Please?"

"Okay, I'll stay with you," he took her around his arms and stroked her head softly.

"I'll be going then," Gaara walked away. He didn't want to bother them all the time. He'll leave them alone. "See you tomorrow, Naruto."

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow, Gaara," he bid him.

"You know, you don't even have to lay a finger on him," he whispered to her when the roof was finally deserted and there were only two of them. "We're boys. We can settle it in our own way or with our own fists if we had to."

She was still silent. Only her breathings were heard.

"Besides, I've promised to you that I'll protect you, right?" he chuckled. "Not the other way around... or defending Gaara. - Hey, were you defending him just now?"

No, silly, she thought. I was defending you...

"I feel fine already," she looked up at him. "Let's get back to class?"

"A-ah! And I just thought we can proceed to something more romantic," he complained. "Sakura-chan, kissu?"

Without hesitating, she stood at the tip of her toe and laid a peck on his forehead.

"C'mon!" she pulled him towards the door leading to the stairs. She had changed her mind about skipping class. She wouldn't dare to do so, to tell the truth. "We're gonna be late for class."

"Hey, no running away!" he halted in his steps and easily pulled her with his strength, back into his embrace; and Naruto kissed her full on the lips.

Her hands reached up to cup his face as she parted her mouth to let him in. He savored every inch he can reach with his tongue and was doing it slowly, it was killing her. So slow and enticing, she was going to disappear with the wind. She held him around his neck as her legs were getting weak from his passionate kiss. He was seriously killing her.

"Nhh!" she whimpered in protest when his right hand glided down to her thigh and into her skirt. "N-no, don't."

"Just a little bit, okay?" he sounded different whenever he got to this point. Voice was low, more manly and seducing. "Besides, there's no one here."

"But... – mphh!" she couldn't finish her words because he came back to her lips, exploring more with his tongue.

Naruto slowly pushed her back to lean against the door. He needed to touch her with both hands; she needed to be held from melting, so the door was a good supporter for her to keep on standing while he continued to glide his hands on her smooth thighs.

Their kisses were getting wild and their body was heating at every touch they made. Slowly, Naruto pulled Sakura down. He's now kneeling on the floor and she's sitting with her back still against the door.

"Take your clothes off," Naruto breathed when he pulled away, eyes were locked on her's.

"N-Now?" she barely made a sound but he heard her.

"Yes, sugar," he squeezed her hand. "Now..."

"Okay, if that's what you want..." she leaned forward and their foreheads met. She caressed his cheeks.

"Close your eyes," she ordered in a sultry voice.

He did as he was told to and Sakura stood up.

Suddenly, he heard the knob turned and the door swung. He opened his eyes just to see Sakura giggling as she ran down the stairs.

"Sakura-chaannn!" he disappointedly groaned. "No running away!"

"See you after school!" was all she said as her steps echoed through the stairways. "Love you!"

"Yeah, love you too..." his voice was only audible to himself. He wondered how Sakura recovered from her jelly legs and took off.

He let out a heavy sigh as he mustered his strength to get up on his feet and walked for the stairs. He shoved his right hand in his pocket, as the other hand combed back his hair. He wasn't sure if their making out session had ruffled it but he swept them back just in case. He then wiped his lips knowing that Sakura's gloss was still on him. What would his classmates think if they see him all glittery and glossed?

When he reached the third floor, he walked into the hallway towards his class. It was just in front of the stairs.

Sakura must have got into her class by now, he thought, looking at her class sign in front, still upset that she ran away. Oh, well...

Naruto slide the door open and sighed in relief when he saw that the teacher hadn't got in yet. The class was shuffling with several chats, uninterested with who just walked in through the door. Naruto strode towards his desk at the back, situated beside the window. He went pass Sai whose seat was in front of him. The bookworm had all his attention drawn in his biology book since their next hour was going to be biology. Sai was preparing early. Naruto was not surprised.

The blond kid took his seat and slouched down with his chin on the desk. He sighed and sighed and sighed as he recalled the hot make out with his girl, unfinished.

"Hey, Sai," Naruto called.

"Hn?" the Class Rep did not turn back. He flipped a page from the textbook.

"She really takes my breath away," Naruto was getting dreamy by now.

"I'll remember that this time," Sai touched his red cheek and continued reading.

To be continued...

I love American Football! I just have to make Naruto a quarterback... he's worth it. And yeah, Saskay is gay. Hope you enjoyed it!

–Yes, it's not the plot yet.-