The Letter Game
Authors' Notes: Okay, phantom1ntheshadows was supposed to be writing the second chapter author's note but she is currently getting Confirmed (conformed) and can't really be typing in church…so it's balletphantom. Very disappointed by the number of reviews. You are definitely free to review just to tell us what's wrong with it. We accept all criticism you have to offer! And then we can try and fix your suggestions and become better writers. So, PLEASE REVIEW!! Thank you to Victoria, who actually reviewed. You're the awesomest. XD I'll probably still post even if no one reviews, because, as with A Midsummer Night's Dream, we have already written like half of it…
To: Sakura Haruno
From: Ino Yamanaka
Date: September 15, 2007
Alright it is like midnight right now and I should be sleeping or something, but I HAVE to email you back.
DO NOT GIVE UP ON SASUKE YOU HAG!!! (I seem to notice this word strikes a chord with you. I shall use it more often. Hehehe. ::evil look::)
Okay, I know he can be a jerk sometimes, but it's so obvious you are perfect for each other.
AT LEAST DON'T DO ANYTHING DRASTIC UNTIL I HAVE TIME TO WRITE A COHERENT RESPONSE!!!
Sincerely,
Concerned for Your Love Life
PS: I resent the insinuation that I am a slut, or that I have low expectations. None of the guys are really hot yet…well, again, more elaboration with the coherent response.
To: Sakura Haruno
From: Ino Yamanaka
Date: September 16, 2007
…This does not seem as dire in the daylight. I may have overreacted last night. But still that does not mean you should give up on Sasuke! I know you're still in love with him. LOVE LIKE YOURS DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY!!!
Hell, you even made ME back off him.
And now I have no one to like…You officially destroyed my love life.
But I've got some good advice for you.
"If the guy you love with all your heart and who isn't going out with you suddenly seems like a jerk in your eyes it is only because you're mind is trying to protect your heart by distancing yourself from him. As soon as you get over yourself, it will work out for the better. ::insert make out noises here::"
This is coming from Tenten, aka bun girl, who said that in a single breath. I'm shocked I was able to actually write it down. By the way, the guy with the freaky eyes she was nearly having sex with in homeroom is indeed Hinata's cousin Neji. He has somewhat warmed up to me but refuses point blank to even speak of his cousin.
You may be wondering why I'm suddenly calling people by their first name and, you know, TALKING to them.
It all started the day after my first email…
I had just walked into homeroom (where Asuma was still smoking, by the way. I've decided to keep a count of how many cigarettes he goes through in a week. I've got eleven so far.) And then bun girl immediately jumped up to me.
"HI!" She said, far too enthusiastically. "I'm Tenten, you must be the new girl! I'm so, sooooo sorry about yesterday. You see, my family went to China for the summer and I hadn't seen Neji for like two months and I really, really missed him, and I had just gotten back and that was the first time I had seen him so I HAD to make out with him." She smiled as I stood, apparently frozen. "Of course." Neji had been watching this entire thing, and looked sort of disturbed, almost as disturbed as I was at his girlfriend's outburst. "And sorry for his behavior yesterday. He doesn't like meeting new people." She said with a patronizing smile and a pat on his head.
"That's right I don't really like new people." He said bluntly. "But at least I'm a bit better at it than you. Have you even asked the poor girl her name?" His icy white eyes turned to me, and I remembered how long it took me to get used to Hinata's eyes.
"Ah…I'm Ino." Was all I managed to say. Real classy, right?
"Coolio!" Tenten said. "Where are you from?"
"I just moved here from New York." I said, just as the bell rang for first period. Tenten stole my schedule for a moment.
"Awesome! We all have English…granted we're in different classes, but it's the same general direction. We can walk together!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me through the crowds, Neji trailing behind us. And with that, I had made my first friends at The Academy.
The day got much better from there. I finally learned the name of the kid I sat with at lunch. Shikamaru. I sat with him and Chouji (the fat kid, who is NOT to be called that) again yesterday and today. Tenten and Neji apparently sit there too (though on my first day here they were too ::cough:: busy to come to lunch), as well as this kid with sunglasses who's always reading bug books named Shino, who was out sick the day I arrived.
"What did you pick for your elective?" Tenten asked me. Every other day we have the afternoon as our elective. I chose Psychology. The human mind is such a fascinating place. XP. But this is sooo dangerous. Giving me the power to analyze people's minds. Monahan.
"Psychology." I answered. (Duh). "What did you guys pick?" Everyone at the table appeared not to be listening (except for Tenten) but answered me perfectly anyways.
"Entomology." Answered, of course, Shino.
"Home Ec." Answered Chouji.
"Honors History." That one was Neji, who sooo looks like the Honors type.
"I took Gym." Why would anyone want to take Gym as an elective? This makes me further question Tenten's sanity.
"I took Psychology too." These were probably the first words out of Shikamaru's mouth in the entire time I have known him. Alright, that was two days, but still. He NEVER talks.
No one said anything further, as Tenten, who was normally the only other person at the table besides me who spoke, had bitten into a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup and was in nirvana.
The bell rang, ending this stimulating conversation. Tenten headed off to the sports fields, Chouji to the kitchen, and Shino and Neji to the main classrooms. Just Shikamaru and I were left.
"So I guess we should go…" I said.
"::loud sigh:: I guess so…" He said. We walked down the hall and I was finally able to study the boy's uniform. It was dark blue pants, the same color as our skirts, and a white shirt with a blue tie. Shikamaru's shirt was sort of unbuttoned and his tie was loose, making him seem extremely uncaring about the rules of the school. A rebel apparently… I don't know, I think the girl's uniforms are better.
We walked through the door to find a dusty room wallpapered with books. The teacher, a Ms. Kurenai, was talking animatedly to Asuma, who, guess what, what smoking another cigarette. All I noticed was the fact that she was blushing far more than a person would in a normal conversation. Love in the air, I sense…::more evil looks:: I think some matchmaking is in order…
Anyways, this class is pretty interesting. Shikamaru and I managed to find two seats next to each other, which was awesome since no one else seems worthy of my presence. All the girls look a tad bit fake and the guys kept staring at me sketchily. I AM NOT A PIECE OF MEAT STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!! I came EXTREMELY close to screaming that at the top of my lungs. Kurenai was lecturing us on the basics when a small piece of paper fell across my text book.
Those guys are getting on my nerves.
Oh em gee. More words from Shikamaru. Granted, they were written but he is at least talking. Amazing. Let's watch what happens next as I transcribe our entire note conversation…
I know I AM NOT A PIECE OF MEAT STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT. (Okay, I sort of did say it…but not to them…Next class though there is going to be some major ball-busting…)
So where did you say you came from?
New York.
Oh.
(Says the man of many words.)
So, lived here long?
Not really. We moved here like a year ago. Don't worry, most of them warm up.
(YAY! A fellow outcast!)
Don't take offense at this…but you still eat pretty much alone and I don't think I've seen you talk to anyone else…
I said warm up. Not become best friends. Everyone else has lived here forever, and they don't like outsiders, troublesome idiots.
So everyone at our lunch table has moved here recently?
(Huzzah! I have found my own kind!)
Yeah. Tenten moved here two years ago from China, Chouji a couple months after her from Seattle, Shino just a couple months after me from someplace in Canada, and Neji a year before Tenten from New York.
Yeah, I know his cousin.
Really? I heard they hate each other.
I didn't even know Hinata had a cousin until I came here. And Neji only confirmed the fact that they were related, he wouldn't tell me anything more.
It was something about Hinata inadvertently causing the death of his father.
Whoa, I don't blame him for hating her. How did you find out?
Tenten knows all. Seriously ask her anything and she'll be able to tell you.
What about you? Where's the mysterious Shikamaru from?
I-
At this point Kurenai broke us up into pairs and set us to work on a worksheet for the Introduction of the book and we weren't able to talk anymore because she split us up. Apparently Kurenai was more observant that I gave her credit for and noticed our note-passing. I unfortunately was paired with one of the guys who had been checking me out all period.
"So, what's your name?" He asked, in the sketchiest voice.
"Ino…" I said, sort of concerned.
"I'm Jacob…" I thought I felt his knee brush against mine… "If you're not doing anything later tonight, I know a really quiet place we could go and…talk." And this time…HIS FRICKIN HAND SLID UP MY LEG! I obviously freaked out and Kurenai let me leave the classroom. A couple minutes later, she sent Shikamaru out, because she figured that we were sort of friends. (She told me this afterwards.) He was only okay on the comforting side, as evidenced by his behavior on my first day. But he was alright. There were only like five minutes left of last period, so Kurenai just let us go. We wait outside for school to get out and that was that.
The next day I found out that stupid Jacob didn't even get in trouble. Something about being an accident. Kurenai said she didn't believe it in the least, but the principle believed his story. Sexism, alive and well.
Kurenai has fast become my favorite teacher. I definitely have to set her up with Asuma now…they look so cute together!
Anyways…nothing much happened today…I got that advice for you from Tenten after freaking out at her in homeroom…yeah and that's that.
So when is Naruto going to figure out that Hinata's perfect for him? And when does Sasuke get back from suspension? And apparently you have surpassed me in the ways of freaky classmates? You find out anything more about the redhead? Email me back soon or I shall die of suspense!
Sincerely,
Eagerly Awaiting XP
PS: I just noticed you said "future boyfriend" at the bottom of your letter. Freudian slip? XP
To: Ino Yamanaka
From: Sakura Haruno
Date: September 22, 2007
OH MY GOD. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED. Hehehe. I'm not going to tell you…at least not until the end of this letter anyway XD! By the way…HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY INO!!!! So…how are things going with Shikamaru? Do I sense a budding romance::raises eyebrows:: So, anyway, Sasuke is back. It turned out that his suspension was only a week…not a month as I had thought. I guess I may have overreacted with the flipping over it a little bit…but really, his brother is an asshole. And a freak. He walks around wearing red contacts all the time…it's sketchy.
So yesterday was my first bi-weekly health class. The teacher insists we call her just "Tsunade" and nothing else and has to be one of the most laid back teachers I have ever had. She doesn't give any homework and really doesn't care what we do in that class as long as we don't hurt ourselves or get her sued. I mean really, half the time she's not even there! Our only grade for the entire term is that stupid egg project thing. You know…the one that EVERYONE HAS TO DO at some point? Well, anyway…good thing about that class: Sasuke is in it. Bad thing: so is Naruto. Fortunately I am paired with Sasuke and not Naruto. Wait a second…I'M PAIRED WITH SASUKE! OH MYGOD IM PAIRED WITH SASUKE! That's nothing compared to the earth shattering thing at the end of this letter. AREN'T YOU JUST DYING TO KNOW?!?!?!?! WELL TOO BAD! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Aren't I evil?! Ehehe. Of course I am. Continuing on. I thought that working with Sasuke would be great, but it's really not. I can't trust him with the stupid egg because he keeps talking about eating it and we ALL know that we can't trust Sasuke with anything that has even a remote chance of breaking. Besides, I was worried he might throw it at his brother/Naruto/a building/me. So I'm doing all the work. He thinks we would be better off just writing diary entries that are fake, I think he might be right. Anyway, I'll email you in a few hours, my mom needs the computer.
To: Ino Yamanaka
From: Sakura Haruno
September 22, 2007
Hey, Ino! How's life? How's Shikamaru::hint hint:: I know you're never going to admit it since you haven't known him that long, but I can already tell. You so like him.
Hinata says her cousin is in fact coming to stay with her for a moth or so starting next week. I feel bad for her, every time anyone even brings up his name she practically cowers in fear. I think you're probably right about the whole they-hate-each-other thing. Another thing…we had a dance Friday…and she was with Naruto the whole time! I mean, they weren't making out or anything, but they were definitely together. I'm so happy for her…go Hinata! Naruto seems to have come out of that oblivious stupor of his, seeing as how he was with her at the dance, and willingly. As in without me or someone else in our group forcing them together. I don't think we should ever attempt that again, anyway. We both know we don't want a repeat of the last dance of the year last year…
Home ec class is TORTURE. That Sai kid is just as much of a jerk as I thought a week ago. "Hag" seems to be my new nickname and I am PRAYING it doesn't catch on with any of the other immature jerks in our class. Maybe I should have Naruto beat some sense into him before I'm forced to do it myself, he seems to be good at that.
On a happier note, Gaara isn't as creepy as I first thought. I mean, the first day he seemed like a complete and total WHACKO, but it turns out he has some kind of brain disorder that prevents him from getting sound sleep. He told me it's not a mental disorder or anything, just when he gets too wound up he can't sleep at all, and then he gets kind of weird…he says he's been trying to find a way to fix it. Actually, he seems pretty nice, I think maybe we might wind up with friends. As long as I don't try to punch Sai, miss, and get him instead. He seems to have kind of an…unstable…temper because of the whole lack-of-sleep thing.
I've decided to tell you my earth shattering news. Well…there was a dance last Friday…and so I went to said dance…hm…how to tell you this so you won't have an absolute heart attack…I MADE OUT WITH SASUKE! I WIN! I SO WIN! I GOT THE HOT GUY AND YOU DIDN'T!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA::continues evil laughter:: I don't even know how it happened…it just kind of…did. Obviously everyone sees us as a couple now, which is getting slightly annoying because his little fan club keeps sending me death threats. I found five in my locker this morning alone! Apparently he's a bit embarrassed or shy or something because he won't be seen with me and he like…runs away…every time he sees me… I saw him in the hall this morning and he literally STUFFED HIMSELF IN HIS LOCKER to avoid being seen with me. HELP! I have to find a way to get Sasuke out of his little panic attack phase!
Freaking out, Sakura Haruno (EMAIL ME BACK BITCH!)