Inspiration: My outrageous, and completely irresponsible, HP Chemistry class

Music: 2 AM Club. I love themmmmmmmmm.

Main Pairing: Sasuke and Sakura

Summary: Signing up for HP Chemistry, I expected uncontrollable stress and cruel amounts of homework. However, what I didn't expect was gaining three best friends, one-on-one time with my long-time crush, Sasuke, and the misplaced but frequent outbursts of random stupidity and idiocy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chemistry 101

Chapter 3

I don't think I reacted the way she thought I would.

"What? NO!" Ino-pig looked at me with puppy dog eyes.

"Just let me. Please, I see so much beautiful potential." My jaw dropped to the floor. I don't know what shocked me more: the fact that she wanted to give me a make-over, or the fact that she saw potential (I have self-esteem issues, can you tell?).

"Excuse me, what's wrong with the way I look now?" Who am I kidding. I know perfectly well what was wrong. My long pink hair came down to my hips, its only styling was my long blunt bangs that came over my forehead (a very poor attempt to hide it). To finish off my impeccable style, I accessorized with thick black-rimmed glasses (which I didn't even need).

"That's not the point." Tenten finally stepped into the conversation. "What matters is that you were just dared to have a makeover done by wonder-pig, and honey you're going to have to deal with it." If I wasn't so panicky right now I would have laughed at the wonder-pig part.

"I-It'll be fine." Hinata's hand rested on my shoulder in an attempt to reassure me. Ino looked positively radiant once she realized she would get her way.

"You have to look like this when you go to school tomorrow, okay?"

"That wasn't part of the dare! No!" I stomped my foot on the ground and looked away. A little childish, I admit, but it demonstrated my point.

"What's the point in doing this if nobody will see it? It's implied in the dare." Ino nodded her head to emphasize her own point.

Well, I guess it won't really hurt. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

"…Fine." Ino clapped her hands happily. She grabbed a camera and began snapping pictures of me sitting there in the chair.

"What are you doing?"

"It's for the 'Before' and 'After'. Alright, first things first, give me your glasses." Ino placed the camera down while I took off my glasses off my face. I handed them to Hinata, who took them into another room where they were probably tossed.

There goes my security blanket. My shield to the outside world has been abandoned.

"Okay, what contacts do you need? Do you have your prescription?" Here comes the shocking truth. Ready? Drum roll, please…

"I have perfect vision." The three of them looked at me like I grew a second head.

"Why? WHY WOULD YOU HIDE YOUR EMERALD EYES TO THE WORLD?" Of course, Ino-pig would get excited about this. Emerald? Emerald eyes? Someone likes to use figurative language.

"You know how in middle school there was this fad to where fake glasses?" The blonde woman 'oh'-ed and nodded her head in understanding. "Yea, well… I liked them a lot."

Hearing a slamming noise, I realized Tenten had come back from another room in the house. She was carrying a pair of razor sharp scissors.

Oh, HELL no.

"You're not cutting my hair." Before I knew it, Tenten and Ino had me pinned to the chair. After that I really wasn't motivated to fight anymore. I sat there like a rag doll awaiting her doom. They gave Hinata the instruments of death, which relaxed me a little.

Then the floor was flooded with strawberry pink.

"I-I-It's still long… It ends at your shoulder blades." I was relieved I could still touch my hair, but… it's like someone just cut out a piece of my life, you know?

"Here." Ino-pig handed me a sleek black head-band and pulled my bangs back with it. "Wow, it's such a dramatic difference already. We hardly did anything!" I didn't see a mirror anywhere, so I just continued sulking in my chair.

"Did you really have to do all that?"

"Yes! Here I'll explain. I removed the glasses because, as the saying goes, 'Guys don't make passes, at girls who wear glasses'. Along with that, they were hiding your eyes. I took off the extra hair because the length made you look really short. You looked a little disproportional. The bangs need to be swept out of your face, because you have an amazing complexion that for some reason you're hiding." Having my previous self picked to pieces did not make me feel any better.

"That didn't really help. Besides, I have bangs to cover my forehead." I looked down embarrassedly. Tenten leaned closer to my face.

"What's wrong with your forehead?" Do I really have to say it?

"…It's big." I heard Ino laugh from across the room. She was currently sweeping up my former hair from the floor.

"Calm down, forehead-girl. It looks bigger when you cover it like that anyway."

"Hey, Ino-pig! I do not appreciate you critiquing my very recent self in such harsh language." She ignored me and snapped her fingers together.

"Look! I got your nickname, forehead-girl!" I sighed in response, even though I was slightly happy. Well, hardly happy. I was .001% happy and 99.999% in agonizing emotional pain.

"Alright, so go to school tomorrow like that, okay? Also, make sure you look confident. You don't have to be, but fake it until you believe it." Ino-pig, I would never have expected the mess this caused.

I was nervous the entire day. I mean, I looked much better than I had. I'll admit that. However, I did take my hair and instead wore it in a piece-y ponytail, to give it more of an edge. The headband look was a little too sweet for me. I had a few annoying habits that I still had to break, like reaching to adjust my glasses when they weren't there.

None of this mattered right now, though. I was about to enter chemistry after an…eventful lunch. As usual, I had eaten my lunch with Shikamaru.

Flashback

"You get a make-over?" Shikamaru looked at me peculiarly while I ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"No duh." He lied back down to look at the fluffy clouds floating past us.

"Why?" Did I look bad?

"You don't look bad. It's just I wouldn't expect that from you." Shikamaru always read me like an open book.

"Ino did it. She dared me." I looked for a response from Shikamaru. Maybe I could begin my matchmaking now.

"Ino? That was nice of her." He turned to look at me. "Do you think Sasuke will like it?"

I felt myself blush at his statement.

"He never noticed me before, so I don't think it'll matter either way." Shikamaru smirked as he turned his head to look at me. He lazily plucked grass blades from the ground.

"This is about to get a lot more troublesome."

End

I shakily entered my fifth period chemistry class. At least I could see Tenten, Ino, and Hinata.

"FOREHEAD! I love the ponytail! You look more mature, more sophisticated. I like it." Pig touched my hair and twirled it around her finger.

Hinata, Tenten, and Ino moved towards my desk in the corner. Ino took out her camera and snapped a picture of me.

"I was so stunned yesterday, I forgot to take an 'After' picture." I fiddled with the school uniform as I looked at people entering the lab. As far as I know, it looked like none of them were paying attention to us. Good.

Mr. Hatake got up as the bell rang and motioned for everyone to sit in their assigned seats. He began as usual. His orange book held before him, as he motioned for everybody to start the warm-up on the board. After going over the answer and allowing us to talk for a brief intermission, he moved on to his next order of business.

He took a deep breath before he continued talking. "You can get the first half of your class period to finish the lab, if you haven't already. If you're done, well…good for you."

Naruto began bouncing up and down in his seat.

"We can do whatever we want?" Mr. Hatake looked at him before hesitantly saying his next sentence.

"…I'm not saying 'no'." Ino, Tenten, and Hinata, were already moving to a table in the middle of the room. However, I also noticed Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, and even Shikamaru were sitting by them as well.

…

I'm not sure I'm wanted there. So, I'll stay put.

"Sakura, get over here, will ya?" Tenten was leaning on the back of her chair. Her body was tense in several places, but she was obviously trying to force herself to relax. I was glad that I was wanted, but the fact she was uneasy put me off. Why would she be like that? I moved my line of vision to Hinata, who was busy calling over her dear cousin and his entourage. Why was she calling Neji?

OH, HER DARE.

I almost fell over trying to get there I was in such a hurry. People need to learn to not put their bags in the hallway, it makes locomotion difficult for uncoordinated creatures like myself. Upon arrival, I sat down between Hinata and Ino, leaving an open space beside Tenten. The men filed in the chairs as well, with Shikamaru next to Ino and Neji next to Tenten. Sasuke sat on Neji's side, directly across from me, and Naruto on Shikamaru's.

"So," Ino, being the most social out of the group, initiated conversation, "You guys are done early. You guys work on it over night?"

Naruto nodded his head in agreement. I could see him surveying the people at the table before his eyes rested on me.

"Hey, I haven't seen you before." He leaned over the table and got right. In. My. Face. Since I'm a little nervous, uptight, shy and everything else that leads up to being highly unsocial, I immediately backed away and almost toppled my chair.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Shikamaru yanked back the sandy blonde by his shirt collar. "Do you remember what happened last time you did that with Sasuke?" Whew, Thank you Shika.

"Yea, Naruto. I'm sure you can get a perfect view of her without being three inches away from her face." Tenten interjected into their conversation. When was she going to do her dare? I hope I didn't miss it.

"Hey pretty lady, I'm Naruto! What's your name?" Who was he talking too?

Oh, me. Right.

"I'm Sakura." I smiled politely at the end. Naruto took my hand off the top of the table and started shaking it vigorously.

"Oh, yes. I see. Well, this guy is Neji, this one is Sasuke, and this one is Shikamaru." I wanted to point out to him that I already knew them all, because I mean…who didn't?

Sasuke, number one in the class, academically and in the social pyramid. With undeniable god-like looks and a mysterious past (that no one but Naruto seems to know) that made him irresistible to the ladies. I think it's unfair when the world has people like him. I think talents should be spread out between people…but nope, God bunched all the skills in the world together and named it "Sasuke".

Neji was older than us. He was actually a year older, like Tenten. So I really don't know much about him until he entered this class, except for the fact that he was also widely desired by girls in our school…and Tenten. Yup.

Shikamaru, I've known forever (5th grade). He's a genius, but he's just so lazy that he never applies himself. Never pays attention in class, doesn't do his homework, receives an "F" for every class participation grade…so how does he pass? His tests (quizzes, midterms, finals, you name it) are always 100%. I mean, how is that even physically possible? I told him to just skip high school, but he said he wants to cherish the time he has. Whatever, the dude got 2400 on the PSAT (hasn't taken the SAT yet). He's already into Harvard, so he doesn't need to worry about anything.

"Idiot, I already know her." Shikamaru had turned to talk to Naruto, but he seemed to be in some far away distant land.

"Huh? What are we talking about?" ADD, man. It kills me.

"Hn. Dope." I think I might have blushed. I mean, can you imagine sitting right across from the guy you like? I'm amazed that Hinata didn't even look nervous. Personally, I felt like running out of the room and dancing like Michael Jackson (I love you MJ!).

"You know, this is nice and all, but I think we should do something more eventful." Ino seemed to be staring at Tenten, as if a silent hint that she should get her dare over with. The guys looked at Ino questioningly, waiting for her to continue.

"Let's play telephone!" What the hell? Ino, you are such an idiot. That game is really, really juvenile.

"No." Three voices had said that. Sasuke, Neji, and myself. I guess you could label us the pessimists in the group. However, that was not enough to sway the others compliance…or better yet indifference. Naruto and Ino were the only ones who wanted to play, everyone else just followed the motions.

"Okay, I'll start!" Naruto waved his hand wildly before whispering to Shikamaru his selected phrase. When it came to Ino, she quickly whispered to me what she heard. It was rather…incoherent.

"Uhh…Can you repeat?"

"No repeats." Tenten wagged her finger in my face. "That's against the rules."

So…I don't really think I heard correctly. In fact, I'm sure that I'm entirely wrong. But, it's worth a shot. I leaned over to Hinata and whispered the phrase in her ear.

"Stars do lick sushi fast."

Hinata looked quite disturbed when she heard that, but nevertheless, she passed on the message to Tenten. Who passed it to Neji, who passed it to Sasuke. Every single person seemed slightly perturbed by the statement.

…I'm sorry I have bad hearing.

"Okay, Sasuke. Say the statement for the world to hear! Say it loud!" Naruto puffed out his chest and glanced at his hand, like he was expecting something. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and recited what he was told.

"Stars do lick sushi fast." There was silence after that, until Ino started laughing hysterically. Shikamaru joined her, chuckling on the side. Naruto was furious.

"What? I said, "Naruto kicks Sasukes ass!' How did it become that?" Naruto inspected all of the faces of the table.

"I got your exact, boring sentence from Shikamaru. This is much better in my opinion!" Ino laughed at the ridiculous end product. Hesitantly, Hinata also answered Naruto's questions.

"I-I got the f-f-f-inal statement." Well, then. That only leaves one person to mess it up.

Everyone eyes flicked to me. I swear a blush had exploded across my face.

"Umm…I have bad hearing." Neji scoffed.

"Apparently." Ohhhhhhhh, I don't like him. At that point in time, Tenten scooted her chair before swing her arm over the back of his chair and facing him.

"Hey, what's with the rude remark?" Neji rolled his eyes at the baby voice Tenten was speaking in. "Awww, it's one of those days. Someone needs a hug." Tenten then proceeded to crush Neji in a teasing embrace.

"Get off." Tenten dropped Neji so fast and sat back in her chair that if someone blinked, they would have missed it.

"Fine. Don't say I didn't try." Tenten was trying to cover up her obvious discomfort, she was doing a good job of it too, but I was pretty keen when it came to body language. Wanna know the juicy part?

Neji was affected, too. He was doing the exact same thing as Tenten. It's a shame, they don't realize it yet, but they like each other. Both of them are just equally in denial.

That is how Tenten swiftly performed her dare. Nobody even suspected anything. I forgot about the whole thing until the end of class. It was that seamless.

"Alright, kiddos." Mr. Hatake began waving at the front of the class, signaling for us to take our seats again. He grabbed at all the papers from the lab and put them in a folder.

"I think these lab groups aren't going to work out. These groups are too big, I'm afraid you're making one person do all the work." WHAT? KAKASHI, NO. JUST NO. STOP THAT TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

"I think I'll change them." I looked at my former groups members, all of us equally disheartened. Only one lab together? We were unstoppable!

"Lets make Teams of three. Now, let's see…" Mr. Hatake began fiddling with the pen in his hand before he began scribbling things down. "Neji and Tenten, you'll be a team because you're in the same grade. Oh, plus Lee." Lee…never talked to the guy. He freaks me out a bit too much. "Umm, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, you're one team. Another one is Kiba, Hinata, and Shino. Lastly, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. Any questions?"

…

Oh hell no. Evil teacher say what?

Review, please. Por favor, si vu plea (is that how you spell it?).