Yes I know people don't usually play soccer in the winter but lets just pretend for the sake of the story!
Chapter 2
Sasuke's POV
--
2 weeks later and 3 days later. (It's the second week of November)
"Congrats on making the team Naruto!" squeal Sakura and Ino.
The tryouts just ended and Naruto made the team of course. He was being a modest when he said he was okay.
He's amazing.
He has footwork like no one I've ever seen, I mean I gave him some pointers but most of the time we spent hanging out. We even made some moves up together, I had so much fun and after that we've hung out everyday after school.
So I wasn't surprised when he made the team. But no one else had seen him play yet…so their reaction was similar to mine the first time I saw him play.
Which is more or less mind-blowing shock.
The guys still hadn't gotten over his amazing scissor kick. Unfortunately it was winter so we'd played on the inside field.
He looks at me and I nod in approval. "Hey lets go celebrate at the mall!" "Yeah there's a new place opening" say Sakura and Ino. The guys call their parents to let them know where they're going and to brag that the made the team.
I go to my locker quietly and try to change before anyone else. Whenever they see me in here, they mess with my stuff.
When I get out the guys are just going in to change, I stop and chat with Naruto to waste time before I have to go home. When the guys get out they're all glaring at me while I talk to Naruto. Naruto walks over to Sakura and Ino to ask them if he's invited.
Idiot. Of course he's invited. They all love him.
The guys' laugh and give jump on him and the girls tell him of course he's invited.
The guys begin to dump water on him and three minutes later they're in a full-blown water fight. Since Naruto's going with them and I'm standing here looking like and idiot, I turn to leave.
"Hey Sasuke!" I stop as Sakura and Ino run to catch up to me. "Do you want to come with us to the mall?"
I don't know why they bother asking, it's always the same answer. I look up to see Kiba and the rest of them giving me a cold stare. Except Naruto who's clueless.
"No, I should go home."
I bet your wondering why I said no when I'm always complaining I'm so lonely.
First off I've only ever went out them once, it was around the same time I started sitting at their lunch table.
I was so happy when Sakura and Ino asked me to hang with them (I even Hn'd them when they asked me a stupid question), it was the first time anyone had asked me anywhere.
To bad it ended up being up being completely embarrassing and a waste of time.
The guys cracked jokes about me the whole time and they made me pay for everything at the arcade. And when we went to eat, near the end of the meal I went to use the bathroom and came back to find out they had left me with the bill.
A few tears slipped onto the bill as I signed the check. And on Monday they acted as though it never happened, at least Sakura and Ino had the decency to look guilty.
I begin to walk home when someone else runs up behind me, and turns me around.
"Why aren't you coming?"
I look at the guys who are still glaring at me.
"Hey Naruto hurry up we're hungry!"
"You should go" I say quietly.
"No. Not until you give me an decent reason on why you're not coming"
I go for the obvious one. "I don't want to." "Bullshit, you never want to go home"
"…"
"Sasuke, I don't understand-" "They don't want me to go with them. Why would they? Its not like I'm any fun to be around." his eyes widen.
Then he grabs my arm and drags towards the group. "Sasuke is coming." Naruto says in a voice that left no room for an argument. No one did.
"Whatever" the guys mutter. Hinata and TenTen don't seem to care. Kiba throws me a nasty look and I immediately look down.
"Stop glaring at him before I pluck your eyes out." Naruto growls.
The guys all whoop as if to edge them to fight. Kiba ignores it, I guess he knew as well as I did Naruto would win the fight. We begin to walk to the mall.
"Sasuke stop bowing your head like that, it's like telling them to pick on you" he says sternly. He sounds like my father a little. I nod quickly. Then he squeezes my shoulder and swings his arm around me.
That's something my father would never do.
Everyone is looking at us and my cheeks are begging to burn, I cautiously put my arm around his shoulder too. And I vaguely wonder if this is what its like to have real older brother.
Instead of Itachi.
We get to the mall and Sakura and Ino drag us to the new café that opened up. But it was to full and we end up going to a fast food joint called Fuddruckers. We order and sat down waiting for our food. Naruto sits next to Hinata instead of me and I tell myself that unlike me he has other friends. That way I don't feel ignored.
The group engages in conversation and I sip my soda, quietly regretting coming here. Then they call out table name and announce the food is ready. "Hey Sasuke why don't you make yourself useful and get the food" says Neji. The guys howl in agreement.
And carry all the trays by myself? How the fuck would I pull that off?
"No, why don't you get up and your own food." I say.
Neji opens his mouth to retort, but Naruto cuts him off by saying, "Sasuke why don't you Sakura and Ino get the food." He offers with a smile.
I feel my cheeks sting in embarrassment. Could Naruto only have brought me along to… no Naruto wouldn't do that he's my friend. Right?
Naruto POV
Okay that felt a lot worse than I thought it would. I turn away so I don't see the pain or embarrassment on Sasuke's face. I bet he regrets coming now. In fact I kind of regret bringing him. I've basically been talking to Hinata the whole time.
I turn to the table as Sasuke and the girls get up to get the food.
"Okay this is passed cruel. If you have beef with him fight, then kiss and make up"
Everyone gives me an odd look.
"Not literally!" I snap. "Its an expression. What I mean is if you don't like him, why don't you just tell him or something!"
They all shrug.
I huff angrily. "Well why do you guys dislike him anyway?"
Silence falls over the table.
Finally Hinata breaks the silence. "I don't dislike him for any particular reason. I just don't like the way he treats Sakura and Ino"
I nod.
"What about the rest of you? What's your problem with him?"
The guys scoff and mumble.
"You guys really don't have a reason do you?"
I can feel my blood boil and heat rise in my chest.
"He's a spoiled ass"
"Thinks he's all that'
"Jerk"
"Bastard"
Are we talking about the same guy? I mean Sasuke isn't cocky and he's definitely not spoiled. He's kind of quiet and super shy but other than that…
"Do you even know him? I mean have you even talked to him before? I mean really talked to him."
They don't meet my gaze.
"So you just assumed that he's a jerk because he's what rich?"
They mumble things under his breath.
"Well he's actually really nice. And he's lonely. The only reason he acts the way he does is because you isolate him he doesn't want you to see that he's hurting."
"…So he's not stuck up or anything?" ask Shikamaru
"No in fact he's lacking in the self confidence area."
"R-r-really?" ask Kiba his face pales.
"Yeah. Why don't you— I don't know, give him a chance?"
They all contemplate in silence.
Sasuke POV
I was still stinging with embarrassment as I carried the trays. I hadn't even considered Naruto might just be acting nice to use me. To take advantage of me.
It wasn't my fault, I wasn't used to someone being so kind. I wasn't used to someone actually listening to what I had to say.
I hadn't even thought about why he was being kind to me. I of all people should know that people aren't just kind for no reason. Well at least not to me.
I stared at the trays.
It wasn't so bad. I mean I let him boss me around and in return for a couple hours of the day I feel like I'm not invisible. I can pretend that someone is actually gives a damn about what I say— even if they actually don't.
Yeah I could do this. It's not so bad. At least its better than before. And Naruto was a pretty convincing actor.
When I reach the table I start handing out the trays as do Sakura and Ino.
"Hey umm is their any honey mustard?" Kiba says looking through his tray.
"I put some on you tray," I mutter quietly. I don't look up. He's probably just rolling his eyes and thinking. 'Oh he's such a know-it-all'
The truth is I only knew because he had talked about it before at lunch. Its not like I had anything to do but listen to their conversations and wistfully wish they would include me.
Wish that they wouldn't just ignore me.
But I knew better.
"How did you know I liked honey mustard?"
"I heard you say it once when you guys were talking" I'm careful not to say "we" because I wasn't part of the conversation.
I think they got the idea.
I still refuse to look at Naruto's eyes. I'm afraid of what'll I see. I'm afraid to see if my guess was correct.
I give out the rest of the trays and sit down and quietly nibble on my food. I daydream a little.
"Hey dude you ok?" says Kiba. I continue to stare at my soda. He wasn't talking to me.
"Sasuke?" I turn and realize the whole table is looking at me. I flush. "u-u-umm sorry did someone say something?"
I felt like an idiot. Finally they include me in something and I screw up.
"I was ah uh daydreaming." "Oh its cool we were just talking about what we want for Christmas. What do you want?"
I blink. Did Kiba just ask me a question in a civilized manner? No death glares? No rude names? No death threats? No promises of castration?
"Umm I want a new iPod" It was lame but true. Mine had finally bit the dust. I was crushed when it broke.
I had the money to get a new one.
But I hadn't wanted to yet if my dad found out it didn't work, he'd make me throw it out.
"Trash belongs in the trash Sasuke" he loved to remind me. Like I'd ever forget I was trash.
But the iPod was the first thing I'd ever bought with my own money, the one thing he couldn't control. I could have whatever kind of music I wanted. It was my way of saying he couldn't dictate everything I did.
"Really I was thinking you'd want like a new pool—" Kiba says.
"Or some game console that hasn't come out yet." Shikamaru drawls.
"Yeah! Or your own personal theme park called Sasuke-O-Land!" Choji adds enthusiastically.
Then I realized that they were just making fun of and I turn back to my food. I guess it made sense why would they—especially Kiba— want to include me in their conversation all of a sudden.
"Dude we were just joking." Kiba says lightly.
"Yeah." Neji chimes in.
I wont be fooled again.
"But seriously that's all you want. A new iPod?" Choji ask with his burger filling his mouth.
I weigh my options I could ignore them and avoid being made fun of or I could enjoy the fact that I wasn't being ignored.
I could enjoy the limited amount of attention I was getting.
I caved.
"Yeah. Well and maybe a new digital camera. My 2099xPhotoprof Challenge is outdated." They all look at each other and exchange glances. I still wont look at Naruto.
I guess I'm afraid of what I will see.
"Isn't that the camera they use in studios?"
"Yeah"
"So you have a studio camera that just came out this year and your getting a new one?" Tenten asked she looked at me as though I had grown two heads.
I guess that sounds really bratty. "Umm I was just thinking about it…"
"No no that's cool. But…if you're getting a new one. Then maybe I could have your old—"
Oh! I'm so stupid I forgot Tenten was into film.
"You know I could get you the one I'm getting. The Photoprof LX Platinum."
Her eyes widen "R-r-really?"
"Yeah. I'm getting it and its not that expensive." Tenten grins at me to happy to believe it. "Are-are you shitting me?"
I raise my eyebrows before smiling. "No Tenten I am not 'shitting you'"
The table cracks up. I laugh to. But it comes out coarse, then I realize that I couldn't even remember the last time I'd laughed.
--
"Hey it's getting late" Hinata says checking her watch. "Yeah she's right," says Sakura.
I look at my watch. It was 7:50 on a school night and I was still out.
After we ate we went to the ice-cream parlor. Then to the some video game stores, I was in such a good mood I bought all them something from Gamestop.
"Bye Sasuke-kun!"
"Bye" I say "See you tomorrow" they latch on to me as usual but this time I hug them back.
They tense up in surprise but grin and blush after. Hinata waves goodbye to Naruto and kisses him on the cheek and the guys whoop. "I'd ask you to walk me but you have something to take care of."
Then she looks at me and gives me a smile. I don't think she's ever smiled at me before. "Later Uchiha" the guys say their goodbyes and pat me on the back. "Your not bad Uchiha" Neji says quietly.
Then it's just Naruto and me. I was still avoiding his gaze. "Umm I guess I'll get going," I say before I rush off.
"Sasuke." I stop, his voice reminds of my father. It commands obedience.
He rushes up behind me and grabs my shoulder. "Sasuke about earlier…"
"Its fine." He raises an eyebrow. "What's fine?" my face burned.
"I get that you don't really want to be my friend…I get that you were just…" my throat tightens. And I couldn't finish the sentence and I blinked the tears at my eyes away.
I was getting worked up over someone who didn't give a shit about me.
The Naruto pulled me into his shoulder and grinned.
"Yes Sasuke I just hung out with you everyday for the past 2 weeks even though I cant stand you" he says dramatically.
"And I dragged you hear to have a good time—and you did bye the way. Just because I cant stand you." He says his grin widens.
"And you're probably my closest friend even though I can't stand you! Oh lets not forget I convinced your posse to give you a chance and stop being jerks to you!"
My eyes widen like saucers I'm pretty sure I look like some kind of freak
"You-you-that-th-that's-you. And the table and th-the-the trays" I wanted to say so many things it sounded like gibberish. Naruto ruffled my hair. So I just settled for tackling him in the mall in front of a bunch of people who probably though I was out of my mind.
But I didn't care. I had got what I wanted. My Christmas gift had come early. Like a month early. But what did it matter?
I had gotten someone who would listen.
/