Author's Note: Alright, here's chapter 2. I updated my summary, so hopefully it's a bit better now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Usually I try to come up with a creative disclaimer, but, I'm just not feeling it today.
"Ino!" I yelled into my cellphone. "Where are you?" I was aggravated. This was the second time this week that she was late. "If you're not here on time, I'm taking the train without you." I ended the voice mail and slammed my phone shut. I can't believe I still trust her when she says she won't be late. Every single morning...
"I'm here. I'm here!" I whipped my head around. Ino was disheveled looking and out of breath as she jogged over to me. "Sorry, I was checking up on your blog this morning and I got distracted. You should check it out." I pulled my cell phone out of my bag and navigated to my blog. She was right, there was a good reason to check it out.
There were several comments of encouragement, more than the usual amount for a week night post. Several posts were demanding information on Itachi Uchiha.
"See! I knew this was a good idea." Ino patted me on the back. I stood there, dumbstruck for a moment.
"...Which one is Itachi again?" I could tell it was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what he looked like.
"He's the one with the long black hair and glasses, you know Sasuke's brother? Kind of dreamy—no, my heart belongs to Sasuke." She dramatically rested a hand on her chest, as if she was really resisting the pull of Sasuke's older brother. I pulled out my databook and wrote down a few things. Ino interrupted her day dreaming session and returned back to reality just as the train pulled up in front of us.
"Of course he's Sasuke's brother." I whispered to my self. I should have figured that one out, seeing as Sasuke was the class heartthrob. We walked onto the train, and took our usual seats in the back. "Uh, what kind of stuff do they want me to find out? Their blood type? Girls are still into blood type compatibility right?" I flipped through my notebook and started writing down what I currently knew about them.
"Well, that's a start, but I don't know how you're going to get that information." I rocked my head back and forth, pondering possibilities.
"That's too hard, I can't break into the nurses office for their files. That's definitely illegal, right?"
"Pretty sure..."
"Dammit." I spent the rest of the commute thinking about easy information to gather. I can't exactly saunter up to them and a start grilling them on their blood type or if they're a boxer or briefs kind of guy. The train pulled up to the station. After squeezing through everyone to get off, Ino and I made our way towards the school, and stood outside the front gate. I squinted at the morning sun and stared at the crowd of girls. Ino nudged me.
"You're observant right? Let's stay and see if you can figure something out." I looked at Ino, raising an eyebrow.
"What the hell am I going to figure out just by looking at them?"
"I don't know genius, I'm not the observant one." I rolled my eyes and leaned up against the concrete support pillar of the gate. A black car drove by and pulled into the student parking lot. When I squinted I could see Sasuke step out from the passenger side of the car with the biggest scowl I'd ever seen on a human. He leaned up against the car and flicked his thumb across the screen of his phone. Itachi stepped out from the driver's side, and I could feel the anticipation in the atmosphere start to rise. If I could just figure out a way to harvest all of this energy...
"If only senpai would notice me..." I heard someone whisper near me. I watched as Itachi walked the short distance down the side walk and up to the gate, looking about as fed up with the crowd of girls as I was fed up with pushing through them every morning. I almost feel bad for him, but not quite. With great fame, comes great fan girls...or something like that. Sasuke remained exactly where he was, leaned up against the car. I wiggled my way around the crowd until I was at a spot where I knew I'd be able to see. Heads bobbed in an out of my few as Itachi walked by, keeping his attention on his phone. I took a quick glance at his phone and could tell he was just staring at the home screen to look occupied. I grabbed Ino's wrist and meandered a way out of the crowd and through the gate, keeping my distance from Itachi and his ravenous pack of groupies. I looked briefly back at the parking lot. Sasuke was making his way towards the school with Naruto on his right. I don't blame him for waiting. Ino and I walked up to our classroom and settled into our seats. Tenten was looking intently out the window before she turned toward me.
"I see you stuck around with the crowd. You learn anything?" Tenten said, trying to hide her curiosity behind a smirk.
"Well...no." I sighed, already feeling a bit exhausted, and slumped further into my seat. Class went by as dreadfully dull as it normally did. I spent most of the class looking around Tenten's hair and out the window. Eventually, the lunch bell rang.
"You want to eat on the roof again?" Sakura turned towards me, packing up her school supplies to bring them up with her.
"Sorry, I think I'm going to work on gathering information." I smirked and winked at her. "Actually, would you be able to lend me your phone? Just for lunch, and I'll give you my laptop as collateral." She hesitated before handing it over to me, it was a basic pink candy bar phone with too many charms. I passed her my laptop in its case.
"I'm trusting you." She furrowed her brow. I grabbed it excitedly and ran out of the classroom quickly, nearly tripping as I made my way down the stairs and out to the court yard. The weather was nice, and there were bound to be some of them eating outside. I dialed Sakura's number into my phone, and picked up the call, effectively making a two way radio. I muted my end of the call, all I would need is for them to hear an echo of themselves, whoever shows up. I crouched behind a bush underneath a tree, watching the droves of students making their way out to the courtyard. I inched further into the leaves and kept a careful eye until I caught my target.
Bingo.
"I respect your opinion. Really, I do. It's just that it's crap. Doesn't art get boring if it's just always there. Where's the excitement, yeah?"
"I am not arguing with you Deidara, let's just eat and get back. I don't want to keep anyone waiting. You know how Kakuzu is with poker."
"You and your impatience." It was the two from yesterday. I looked around, scanning for anyone else more interesting, perhaps Itachi, but I didn't catch anything. The two sat on the ground, under a tree and started eating whatever they had packed. Unlike yesterday, they were mostly left alone. Occasionally a girl walked by trying to nonchalantly stare at them. They picked up on it real fast, and didn't seem the least bit amused. I stood up from my bush and walked behind the the tree they were sitting at, dropping Sakura's cell phone next to them. I returned to the safety of my bush and peaked through the leaves.
"One lunch outside with privacy would be great." Deidara, clearly grumpy.
"There's no use wasting time over trying to change it, that's just how it's going to be."
"Whatever, hm. It's pretty rude if you ask me." Whiny. They continued to hold aimless conversation, mostly stuff I couldn't use. I sat huddled with my notebook in my hand, pen in the other, listening carefully. They had another conversation about art. Seems to be a hobby of both of them. I took careful notes. Deidara complained about people I assumed they were friends with. He also complained more about the girls. Deidara, enjoys whining, complaining. How anyone could be obsessed with him is beyond me. Seems like he just has a permanent bad attitude. "Say, Sasori, you want to stop by the shop after school?" Sasori hm... I took down his name.
"No, I'm all set today. I don't burn through supplies like you do." I could see the annoyance on Deidara face while Sasori smirked in response. Another girl walked by, short spiky black hair, holding a small cloth bag tied with a ribbon.
"E-excuse me, Deidara-senpai, I-I made these for you. I hope you like them." She held out the bag, and squinted her eyes shut, expecting rejection. Sasori elbowed him, and he slapped on a slight, artificial smile.
"Thanks, Aya." He sounded unconvincing. He took the bag, albeit gentler than I would have imagined, and set it in his lap. Aya gasped and ran off to her group of friends and started whispering with a huge grin on her face. I never really understood how girls get crushes on people they hardly know.
"You finally remembered her name." Sasori said, matter-of-fact.
"It's not like she doesn't bring me something everyday." He sighed deeply, searching through the ribbon tied bag ."Green tea cookies? Well I guess that's not so bad..." I heard the rustle of the leaves above them as they sat silently. Deidara offered a cookie to Sasori, who in response shook his head. After a few minutes the two of them gathered their stuff and started to head back inside, Deidara still munching on the remaining cookies.
"Aki, what are you doing?" I gasped in surprise and lost my balance, falling onto my butt. I whipped my head around and Tenten was standing behind me, looking confused. She eyed the notebook in my hand, now a whole page full. "Never mind." She put two and two together and held out a hand to help me up. "You know, I had a bad idea about this at first, but I think this might actually work. Ino showed me all the comments you got, you even got another one this past lunch period." I felt the excitement rising within me.
"Not only that, but I got some good information I can share on Sasori and the whiny one."
"The 'whiny one' is Deidara you know."
"Oh, I know, I just think he's whiny." Tenten laughed.
"Well, I wouldn't know, it's not like I spend my lunch stalking them. Either way, if you hurry up, you'll have time to eat your lunch."
"Mmm. Tamagoyaki." I imagined the savory taste of eggs in my mouth and dashed over to grab Sakura's phone. Lunch time!
Good evening loves!
Given the responses I got from last nights post, I went ahead with the idea of gathering information. I don't have too much for you today, but that should start to change as soon as I set up a schedule.
Deidara: Likes art, hates rice pilaf, and doesn't mind green tea cookies.
Sasori: Likes art as well, lives with his grandmother.
Itachi: Enjoys traditional cafes.
On to the school news!
According to rumors, room 313 is inhabited by the ghost of a girl who was bullied so severely, she committed suicide. I have yet to find sources that any such thing happened, but I will keep you informed as the details unfold. I have yet to launch a full investigation, but will, hopefully in the coming months if rumors don't quell.
I'll be back tomorrow with some more information.
Hugs and kisses,
Ranjo