I Thought… I Wasn't Interested In Girls –

Naruto's P.O.V –

You know how adults think that little kids can't feel the things they feel? Like for instance, 'love'? Well they are dead wrong about that! I remember the day I first was ever interested in a girl. I was in Iruka sensei's third grade class; we were going into our fourth week of school, my friend Sasuke Uchiha and myself were sitting at our lunch table. It was always the fourth one in the middle, and no one was allowed to sit there without our permission! Anyway, he and I were sitting at our usual spot talking about the "facts of life". Well the third grade boy version of it!

"Fact, milk chocolate is better then that disgusting dark chocolate!" I said.

"Fact, I knew that." Sasuke replied, taking a drink of his chocolate milk. "Fact, cheetahs are faster then my brother Itachi."

"Yeah Itachi is fast, but he is not as fast as a cheetah."

"So true, though he does have the best time on the entire track team, he's not faster then a cheetah, as he says…"

"Heh, heh! Fact, ramen is the best food ever!" I exclaimed, slurping down my food.

"Fact, Naruto is going to choke one day eating like that!" said a gruff voice.

"Fact, eat vegetables will make you stronger and stronger!"

"Fact, ramen is high in sodium and calories."

"Ehhh, three facts that are not true!"

"Kiba, Lee, Neiji… Have a seat; share your facts of life with us." Sasuke said.

They all sat down at the table and for the rest of the time we all were going around the table sharing out facts of life. Then when lunch slowly came to a close, I saw Iruka sensei coming in the room, talking with someone. I couldn't see who because they were obviously short. A student! Maybe it was a new guy to gather to our "facts of life table"? Hopefully!

"Hey Sasuke." I said, bumping him with my elbow.

"Yeah?"

"Look, Iruka sensei is talking to someone and I can't see em'! Can you?"

"Mmm…? Naw, I can't see them either." He replied, craning his neck.

"I wonder if it's another boy, or another girl that is just as crazy as the rest."

"Eh, who cares?" Kiba said, looking up. "I'm ready to get outside and go wild!"

"Well I kinda do! Heaven forbid it be another girl!" I said, putting my hands behind my head.

"Well what game shall we play today guys?" Lee asked.

"What about… tag?" suggested Neiji.

"Wait, wait, wait! What tag are we talking about here Hyuga?" I asked, looking at him.

"Are we talking…?" Sasuke began.

"Tackle tag?" The four of us said in unison.

"Alright tackle tag it is!" Kiba hollered,

*RINNNNNNNNGGGG!*

We all sprung up and headed for the trash cans,

"Alright, who's going to be it?" Lee asked.

"We'll have to settle this… the old fashion way!" Kiba said.

"Okay, which old fashion way are we talking about?" Sasuke asked, throwing his instant ramen bowl and broken chopsticks away.

"Whoever is last in the race to the door is it!"

"Sounds good to me! Everyone line up!" I said, going to front of the trash cans.

"Alright, I want a good clean race… Ready…" Sasuke began.

We all got in position to take off running down the hall to the double doors that led outside to freedom.

"Set,"

The pressure was on!

"Go!"

"Naruto!"

Everyone took off running, well all except me who was stopped dead in his tracks by Iruka sensei. I cringed and saw all the other guys that were now running free outside with the other kids.

I turned and answered,

"Yes Iruka sensei?" I grumbled.

"You're on table duty with Hinata today, do you duty and wipe off the tables."

"Yes sensei."

I lifted my head and at that moment thought I was in some dream; with Iruka sensei this beautiful girl stood! My jaw dropped a bit; never in my life had I seen such a pretty girl, well beside my mom.

She had beautiful, long, silky, pink hair, the most gorgeous emerald green eyes, and though her skin was pale it was perfect.

"Wow… Wh-who is this sensei?" I asked.

"Do you care to introduce yourself young lady?"

"My name is Sakura-Sakura Haruno, a pleasure to meet you."

"Naruto Uzumaki standing before you Ms. Haruno. Welcome to Hidden Leaf Academy!" She smiled as she put a strand of her pink hair behind her ear, I felt my heart swell. She had the cutest smile I ever seen! Wait what was going on with me? I wasn't into girls yet! I thought girls were… BLAH! Didn't I?

"Well thank you Naruto…"

"Okay, okay Mr. Uzumaki; Hinata is waiting for you to help her." Iruka said, pointing over to the short indigo haired girl.

"I'll finish the job right away sensei." I said, as I turned and started over to Hinata.

As I started over to Hinata, I could not stop looking back at Sakura; man she was seriously something else. I hoped that the guys didn't find out that I found a girl cute though.

They all most likely laugh at me…

"Na-Naruto he-here's your cleaning rag." I heard a voice say.

"Huh?" I hummed, looking at the girl in front of me. "Oh thanks Hinata."

I took the rag from her and began to wipe off the tables our class was assigned to, I also was looking Sakura. But immediately I found her and Iruka were gone, darn…!

My attention went back to just wiping off the tables, but it slowly came to me that Hinata was watching me. I turned and looked back at her; she blushed fiercely and turned away from me. I raised a brow and shrugged, what was with her?

"Na-Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Um I-I was wondering… Wha-what you were do-doing at re-re-recess."

"I was just going to play tackle tag with my friends." I replied, wiping of the last table.

"Oh well I-I thought that ma-maybe you-you and I could… Talk?"

"Talk about what?"

"Well just to-to get to know each other bet-better."

"Hmm we know each other pretty well Hinata. So I think I'll pass on that!" I said, putting the rag back in a bucket of soapy water. "Well I'll be seeing you!"

"Nar-Naruto wait!" Hinata exclaimed. "Do you think I could wat-watch you-you guys?"

I stopped and looked back; she now was standing by my side, looking up at me blushing.

"Umm, tackle tag is a pretty rough game, I don't know…"

"I'll watch you from the swi-swings, I-I know how you-you guys feel about girls."

"Alright, fine by me, now I'd better get going before recess is over."

I took off towards the double doors again, I heard Hinata running behind me. I burst open the doors and ran outside, and immediately saw her again. She was sitting on a bench talking to Ino and Tenten, her hair was swaying in the fall breeze, her eyes shone in sunshine.

My eyelids dropped, she was soooo cute! As in matter of fact my mentioned to me one night…

"Naruto, what are you look-looking at?" Hinata asked, looking at me and trying to follow what I was looking at.

"Oh nothing! I was just seeing how nice a day it was."

"It is a-a nice day, A ver-very be-be- beautiful day."

"Dog pile on Naruto!" I heard Kiba shout.

"WHA? Guys wait!"

But before I could say anything else, Kiba, followed by Lee jumped on me and knocked me to the ground.

"Heh! Heh! So whose it guys?"

"Well since it wasn't fair to you Naruto, Sasuke decided to be it, though he beat us all." Neiji informed.

"Hey what's Hinata doing here?" Lee asked, looking up at her.

"Oh um, I was just going to watch you guys… I-if tha-that's okay."

"Yeah sure, just don't get in the way; we don't want to get in trouble if you get hurt." Sasuke said.

"Yes, I'd have to answer to your father if you got hurt."

"Of-of course."

Hinata nodded, and started over to the swings, Kiba, Lee, and I stood to our feet. We all looked at each other and nodded.

"Are you guys ready?" Kiba asked. "I'll never get caught!"

"Don't be so sure Kiba, I out ran you all."

"Alright, let's get this started!" I said. "We don't have all day!"

"Alright everyone, count down!" Lee announced. "On 3… 2… 1…! DISPERSE!"

And with that said, the game began! We all went into different directions, so Mr. Quick-On-His-Feet Uchiha wouldn't catch us all in a heartbeat.

I looked back and saw Sasuke was chasing Lee first, but Lee also being quick on his feet, wasn't being caught that easily.

I looked back, further away I saw that Hinata wasn't the only one that was watching us! But also Sa-Sakura!

I turned back around and found Sasuke and Lee were now closer!

"WHOA!" I exclaimed, turning and running in other direction.

"Watch it Naruto!" Lee exclaimed. "The Uchiha is coming! The Uchiha is coming!"

"I can see that!"

"I'm coming for you now Naruto! You slowpoke!" Sasuke shouted.

"I'm not a slowpoke!"

Sasuke and I ran down to the playground, towards where the girls were, I had to keep away from Sasuke, I couldn't be tackled by him and look like a loser! I couldn't look like a loser in front of her!