Title: My Closest Enemy
Rating: T (high, sexual situations)
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Notes: Dedicated to my crush that I "despised".
Summary: It all starts with Naruto receiving his punishment…what is the significance of that?
It All Starts At the End
It was the first day of school on this particular September morning. The warm humid air of summer still lingered about, lighting up the sky despite the early hour. Most of the kids in Konoha walked to school; only the rich kids had cars or a ride. There wasn't much of a need for a vehicle, though, because everyone lived within a mile of the building.
The front gates of the school were open when Uzumaki Naruto arrived, bag slung over his shoulder and walking alone. A few other groups of students shuffled by him, giggling and chattering about the summer, but he ignored them. It wasn't like he was late or anything. In fact, he was a full twenty minutes early. Why, one might ask? Well…
Other students did not like the blond haired teenager. In fact, most mornings, certain groups of people in the school would even cause him misery. Whether they steal his school stuff, pour hot beverages on his uniform, or 'accidentally' kick him in the shin, Naruto had had enough of the cruel actions. To solve the problem, he just arrives early enough to avoid undesirable confrontations.
Naruto had never been the type of kid that is overly concerned about appearing cool in front of his classmates. Just because he arrives early doesn't necessarily make him a loser or a loner, right? No. But also, he comes to see Shikamaru.
Nara Shikamaru is a boy who is frightfully ill with a case of excessive apathy. At first when Naruto met the boy, he was sure that Shikamaru was just stupid. But in reality, the teachers don't even hold a candle to his genius. Surprising, isn't it? But Shikamaru is the kind of guy that one can talk to. They might never get a real response, but he sure does listen. He cannot help but do so.
Shikamaru was on the roof of the school building when Naruto finally put his stuff in his locker and went to find him. The apathetic teenager usually could be found anywhere there was a window to look out of, or somewhere that he can lounge. His eyes were glued to the few wisps of white dabbing the blue ocean of the sky.
"Hey, there," Naruto greets enthusiastically, taking a seat on the end of the ratty recycled plastic bench. He does not receive a verbal reply, unless a grunt and a twitch of the shoulders counts, but yet he grins, slowly breathing in the coolness of the air left over from nightfall after dawn snuck over the horizon.
He and Nara weren't friends per se. But he never told Naruto to get lost and he never messed with his stuff, so he was alright in his book. And at least Naruto was not the only kid in school eating lunch alone. Of course, Akimichi Choji sat with them as well. Ask any student in Konoha High School and they will tell you that the two losers of the school are named Shikamaru and Choji, but then there is one idiot beyond repair called Naruto.
The thought makes Naruto chuckle, which earns no acknowledgement from the partially-sleeping boy next to him on the bench. Five minutes later, however, the school bell does. The two boys meander down the stairs and into the school, separating without a word when Naruto does to get his school supplies from his locker. If he left his books and notebooks in class, they usually would be ripped and stolen.
The warning bell sounds just as Naruto steps into the classroom, as it has done every day in the past years at this school. Unlike in the city, everyone's seat in class is determined by the first letter of their last name. Luckily for the blond boy, his last name starts with "U" so he gets the farthest seat in the back of the classroom on the right side. Why is this so lucky? It is the best seat in the classroom! You can practically get away with anything back there. Staring out the window? Sure. Throwing paper? Of course. Shredding erasers? Why not. It is also possible to see every student in the entire classroom, including the ones entering the doorway. Perfection.
Choji, who is much more talkative than Naruto's other comrade, turns around in the front seat to greet Naruto. The sight is rather upsetting because Choji is continuously eating from a box of cereal and not swallowing before he talks. But then again, that is just how Choji is.
The rest of the class files in begrudgingly, remembering where their seats are, but still grouping up and chatting. What is there to chat about, anyway? Naruto never knew. He really is not soft-spoken or anything, but he never has endless subjects to ponder with multiple people. That's when a very delicately featured girl with hair the color of flowers walks in with her crew. Naruto feels his heart rate suddenly pick up, and he gets a bit jittery. ADD, his doctor had informed his parents when he was seven. But Minato and Kushina didn't want Naruto to be taking weird drugs and they knew that their son could deal with it in his own way. And Naruto did.
Haruno Sakura. Even her name is beautiful. Naruto knows pretty much everything about her. Her mom is a housewife and her dad is a traveling businessman. It makes her sad that he leaves so often, but they still have a loving relationship. She is an only child, but is still kind-hearted and selfless. She has worn the same perfume every day since the sixth year of school. It is a soft tame cherry blossom scent that she always applies to her neck. She is very smart; always getting within five places of the best grades in class. Did Naruto mention that she is athletic? Yeah, she is on the soccer team and from what he heard, she is their best kicker.
Naruto is certain that no one looks at good in the school uniform as Sakura. The navy blue and white goes perfectly with her hair, skin and eyes. He must have been staring because suddenly he sees her looking back, but quickly recognizes a glare and averts his gaze. Oops. That is the only thing about Sakura that is off; she finds Naruto to be extremely annoying. Naruto recalls that her exact words were, "an infuriating waste of space and time."
Ouch. She had even punched his head after that. Naruto thinks that perhaps she was a boxer in her past life. Her gang consists of Yamanaka Ino, Himura Tenten, Yuu Kagura and sometimes Ametsu Konan hangs out with them. Ino is definitely a wannabe of her. Tenten is the kind of girl that is endlessly spunky and fun. Kagura scares Naruto a bit with her aggressive attitude and towering height. Who knew girls could be six feet tall? Naruto knows nothing about Konan; she is in twelfth year and rarely hangs out with Sakura. Sakura is without a doubt the most popular girl in school, though. Everyone knows her name. Most students look up to her, if not only for her help with homework or studying. That is why she is Naruto's ideal girl. Now if only she would like him, too.
She is more preoccupied with that Uchiha Sasuke. There is nothing nice Naruto has to say about the one associated with that name. In fact, there is no one in the school that he hates as much as Sasuke. And for a good reason. He is the type of guy that would sell out his friends if it made his reputation look good. Not to mention, he is ugly. His hair is plain, straight and black and his eyes are dull and grey. He is too skinny and has an angry expression all the time. Naruto, on the other hand, finds himself to possess all of the attractive qualities that Sasuke lacks.
And Naruto did not even mention how much of a jerk Sasuke is. Sakura bared her heart to him, asking him out to the basketball game at the start of last year, but the bastard turned her down. He apparently mentioned having 'better things to do than go to some stupid game with some nitwit.'
Naruto could just punch him for that. Fold his fist into his stupid smirking face. Show him how nobody likes him. His fists clench at the intensity of the thought.
"What's with that face?" Says a vanilla smooth, deep voice from a chair in front of him. "Trying to look less girly with that grimace?"
"Fuck you," Naruto bursts out, clenching his hands on the surface of his desk. The other school bastard, Hyuuga Neji, was leaning over the back Usahara Makoto's chair, knees planted on the seat and face extended forward.
"You would like that, wouldn't you, fancy boy?" He sneers.
"Look who's fancy with his long girl hair," Naruto retaliates, making the other boy grimace and make an annoyed sound.
"Neji?" Calls Tenten from across the room. She giggles a little and the sound is followed by the other girls giggling as well.
"What is it?" Hyuuga calls, voice drastically more friendly and curious.
He leaves, upsetting the chair on his way over. Great. Even the bullies won't spend much of their attention on him. Why does he even go to school? It isn't like the teachers care what grades he gets.
Even if Naruto's grades are probably the lowest in the class, not even Naruto's parents will criticize him. They just do not have the heart to yell at their son for something he is trying every day to improve. Sometimes that fact makes Naruto very mad because he blames his parents for not pushing him hard enough.
Naruto is left with that thought at Iruka-sensei walks in and stands behind his desk, doing the necessary introductions for the few new students.
It isn't until lunch time that anything unusual happens. In fact, the day had been quite boring so far. Stupid start-of-the-new-school-year activities and long winded talks about personal lives in each class. It isn't as if everyone doesn't know everybody already!
The day got significantly hotter by noon, and Naruto was sweating slightly in his blue blazer and tie. Damn the board of school directors making students wear formal clothes in already uncomfortable situations. At least there were shorts.
The line for food was long, as it usually was the first day back. They always served spaghetti, which was a school favorite. Naruto didn't like it much, though. He stuck with the bowl meals. They had a lot more food in them, and the blond can surely pack away a lot.
As Naruto paid, counting the change he got just in case, his eyes swept over the cafeteria. He, Shikamaru and Choji have sat at the same table ever since they met in seventh year. Before that, Naruto ate in the bathroom, or not at all. What can he say; he sure liked recess.
Just as the blond was sure that he was looking in the right direction, he noticed something was off. Shikamaru's spiky hair and Choji's large stomach were nowhere in sight. In fact, their usual table was overflowing with…Naruto's personal opinion of some of the worst people in Konoha High.
"Move it, lardy," some girl with purple hair complains, shoving Naruto's elbow. He ignores this, but moves to the side wall in favor of having a shocked reaction.
What. The. Hell. Is Uchiha Fucking Sasuke doing at his table? This cannot happen. Never. He is going to march up to Shikamaru and Choji and tell them that they must demand their spot back! It is their table. No one else's. What kind of nerve does it take to steal the loser table? The nerve of Sasuke, that's who.
Shikamaru and Choji are awkwardly standing by the wall just as Naruto is doing, but across the room. Naruto's waves a hand to signal, and runs over to greet them.
"What's with the crowd at our table?" Choji asks, eyeing his overflowing tray of specific delectable items.
"How annoying," Shikamaru adds, hand gripping a brown lunch bag by his leg.
"Those bastards," Naruto exclaims, to which Shikamaru has no reaction. Choji gulps loudly. "We cannot let this happen. Let's go take it back."
"I'd rather just find another table," Shikamaru says, glancing at the ceiling, arm behind his head.
"Yeah, let's do that. I'm starving."
"What?" Naruto shouts suddenly, making a table of boys and one girl glare at him.
"What's wrong, Naruto?" Shikamaru asks with no concern.
"We can't give in to their bullying," Naruto explains, trying to reason for his side.
"What bullying?" Choji asks between munches.
"That's what is going on! He is forcing us out of our spot just to spite us!"
"Who is 'he'?" The lazy boy asks, suddenly a bit more attentive.
"Him. The guy who took our table. Uchiha Sasuke, remember?"
Shikamaru raises and eyebrow and looks pointedly at their former home base. "Naruto, he isn't the only one sitting there."
"Yeah," Naruto sighs in relief, "he recruited his horde to make matters worse."
The other two best friends exchange glances, concerned over the determined, furious look on Naruto's face. However, they both come to a silent consensus and shrug.
"We'll be sitting over there," Choji point to a table very nearby. "Come join us if you wish."
Naruto does not seem to notice, but he mumbles to himself nasty phrases under his breath. Plans are forming. Plots are hatching. Time for action. Sasuke's head bobs in a nod when Juugo speaks to him.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" Booms the voice of one Tetsuya Jiraya, principal of student discipline at Konoha High School. He had dealt with more cases of misbehavior than any other, yet none compare to how much of a repeat-offender Naruto is.
Naruto glances sheepishly up from where he is sitting on the floor, awash in soapy grime-slicked food. The substance is rather disgusting, but it is easy to ignore when your heart is pounding a mile a minute as he gets in trouble for the billionth time.
The original plan had been to soak the people sitting at their table with the filthy dishwater, but it obviously backfired. Seriously, that foot had come out of nowhere! Naruto cannot help the fact that he tripped and spilled the dishwater on himself.
But it was truly frustrating how the blond teenager didn't even get close to the table, let alone far outside of the kitchen doors. Lunch was ending and Sasuke, Juugo, Karin, Deidara, Sasori and Kimimaro were all walking away without getting an earful from one outgoing loser about their crime.
Blue eyes glared at the back of spiked blue-black hair as it got farther away, not really noticing the chaos surrounding him. Right as the Uchiha was about to exit the cafeteria, his head turned at a ninety-degree angle to the right. In that flash of a second, Naruto swore just for a moment that he saw a smirk grace those lips.
But surely not. That bastard had not paid the school loser even a glance in the past two years. And why should he? A goody two shoes genius should not care about a prankster with no friends and hardly any points on his tests. The showoff.
Jiraya sighs loudly and obnoxiously, sitting down with a plunk at his desk. Naruto sits in a familiar chair across the way, arms folding and lips pouting. He had an opportunity to wash up a bit before being disciplined because Jiraya did not want him stinking up his office. It was a stupid office, anyway. Lame posters with motivational phrases that really have nothing to do with the picture are decorating the walls and a cheap looking green curtain shields the student from the outdoors.
If Naruto had to see the poster that said, "Reading Can Take You To New Places", one more time, he would go insane.
"What exactly was happening with the dishwater and the bucket?" The man asks, eyes closed, elbows on the wooden surface.
"Some jerkasses stole our lunch table," Naruto claims, unrestrained.
"Anyone can sit anywhere, Uzumaki," Jiraya looks contemplative. "Why did this upset you so much?"
"Hmmm, I dunno, let me see. Me and my friends have been sitting at this one table for four fucking years! And you expect us to just back off?"
"Language, please, Naruto. And I didn't see Shikamaru or Choji acting out. Just you. Why?"
Teachers are so infuriating. It is so obvious! "Because! Can't you see that I'm being harassed by him?"
Jiraya's eyes go wide. "Harassed? That is a very serious thing to say. Who did you think is harassing you?"
Naruto mumbles something under his breath and sinks back into his chair.
"What was that? Didn't catch it."
"Uchiha."
Jiraya laughs. But then he stops, stares, and laughs again.
"What?"
"Uchiha is a model student. He has never so much as been told to quiet down and he gets straight A's. He is partially the reason why our school has decent state testing scores."
"Yeah, well, you don't know what he acts like to me," Naruto retorts, anger rising.
The white haired man sighs once more, which really irks the teen. Steepling his fingers on the desk, he goes quiet for a full three minutes. Naruto gets really fidgety.
"What exactly are your goals, Naruto?"
"Goals? Like what?"
'"Academic goals, career goals, anything that comes to mind," the man explains. "Your grades are abysmal. Judging from them, I would say that you are no smarter than a three year old. Why do you keep at it?"
"Hehehe," Naruto laughs at his knees where they poke out from his shorts. "I don't think you noticed it, sensei. Every year, I submit myself as a candidate for class president."
"I've never seen you run."
"Exactly. I'm always immediately rejected. But this year, I won't be. This year I will be elected class president!" The determination in the blond's eyes was kind of frightening, but it was evident how much thought he had given this.
Jiraya nods, albeit curtly and unfolds his hands, standing and stretching towards the ceiling. "You can go, Naruto. I believe there is still one class period left."
"You mean….no," Naruto gulps, "punishments?"
"Well, I wasn't going to, but now that you mention it…"
"You have got to be kidding me." The light of hope in his eye fades.
"Cleaning duty," the teacher nods, holding his chin with his hand. "You will clean the cafeteria after lunch for thirty minutes."
"What? That is not fun at all, sensei!"
"For a month."
"Gahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Naruto grabs his hair, and storms out of the office, swearing like a sailor down the halls.
Jiraya sighs and grabs his hip flask, taking a long swig and letting out a gust of air from his lungs when he is done. It really surprised him when Naruto stated that he was trying to become class president. Kami knows that they could all use a guy like Uzumaki Naruto shaking things up in this school.
A/N: I wasn't really satisfied with this. But it will have to do. I'm using a cafeteria even though a lot of Japanese schools have lunch in their classrooms and the school lunches are brought on carts. Has anyone seen the Naruto Gakuen manga thing? Well their school uniforms are essentially that. I hope you enjoyed reading! And maybe you will review?
