ok, so i'm only a day or two late. sorry. thanks to blueflame87 and angelnessa101 for the reviews. they made me smile!
please remember i don't own naruto, but kiba owns my heart. unless kankuro wants it. or maybe even shino.
CHAPTER FOUR Filling in the Gaps.
"Sakura chan!! Come sit with us and stop standing there like a noob!" screamed a voice from the back of the classroom. Her feet obediently began to walk toward the Whisker boy's shouts.
'I'm going to kill him.' Inner Sakura said.
A loud POOF!! caused the students to take their focus from Sakura, to the teacher that just appeared in the room.
"Good morning class." A handsome man said to his pupils. His hair was tall and white, and he wore a dark green shirt with a blue tie and matching dark blue pants. His face was somewhat of a mystery, having the left eye covered with his hair and a mask over his nose and mouth. The lazy tone of his voice sounded as if he had just woke up from a good nap. "Today we will cover Edgar Allen Poe's, The Black Cat."
He stopped when he noticed Sakura still standing in the middle of the class. For what seemed like several moments he did not say a word. It looked as if he wasn't even breathing, and despite having one eye covered she could see a small expression of shock on his face.
"Oi Kakashi-niisan wake up, you perv, she's just 16!" the Whiskered kid shouted and received several laughs from students in the class.
"Naruto kun, I'll see you after school, if you don't watch that tone." The sensei finally replied. "Well, it looks as if we have a new student. Please come forward, Sakura."
Sakura walked to the head of the class. "Class this is Uzumaki, Sakura. I'm sorry, Haruno, Sakura not Uzumaki. Forgive me Sakura chan, I'm afraid Naruto has rattled my cage this morning. Please be seated."
Sakura gave a small bow to the teacher and began to walk toward the empty seat in front of Shikamaru. Beside him was Naruto and Shino sat in the desk beside the empty seat. Swirl boy, Kiba, and Neji occupied the last three seats on the row beside the window. Sakura got her notebook out and began taking notes. She noticed Shikamaru, Kiba, and Naruto were all asleep, while Neji and Shino were taking notes. Swirl boy was munching on chips and watching a butterfly outside the window.
'How the hell do these guys pass' she thought.
During his lecture Sakura noticed Kakashi sensei staring at her several times. Also the girls sitting with Orimi were glancing back at her. Sakura began to think of how Naruto had addressed Kakashi sensei. They must be relatives. That would be weird to have your brother also your teacher. Not that Sakura knew anything about siblings, but she could only imagine. Naruto. That's a nice name she thought.
"Ok class please read silently, and begin the outline for your upcoming assignment." Kakashi sensei stated ending his lecture. "Sakura, just take one of those sleeping boys' books. I'm sure they won't mind or notice."
Sakura looked and noticed none of them had books. 'Well, isn't this great. What do I do now?' Shino stopped reading and poked Naruto.
"Idiot, what?" Naruto said lifting his head. Shino merely looked at Sakura and returned to doing his reading.
"Do you have your book? I need to borrow it." Sakura asked.
"Yeah, sure Sakura chan." Naruto reached in his bag to remove a book that looked brand new. Sakura took the book from him.
'Since when did we say he could call us Sakura chan?' asked Inner Sakura. 'I don't know, but I like it.' That was the truth. It made her feel comfortable. Like she belonged.
"Thanks Naruto kun." She replied, smiling. The boy returned a soft smile to her. For a moment there was a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't quite place it, but her stomach started churning. Naruto must have felt it also because his face went from happy to confused. Sakura looked down at the book, and Naruto went back to sleeping. Class ended, and Sakura looked over to Shikamaru. "Are you in my next class too?"
"Yeah." Shikamaru got up with the rest of his friends to leave.
"Sakura, you have to sit with us next period. This group of boys will only get you in trouble." Juri called. She was smiling broadly at the group of boys. "Especially Shino."
"I know, Kiba is a big trouble maker too." Eika said giggling. She attempted to touch Kiba's arm, but he kept walking. Looking embarrassed she locked arms with Sakura instead. Sakura gave a slight 'help me' look to the boys, but they were already making their way down the hall.
'Stupid, clueless boys.' Sakura thought.
'Great, they've got me locked in.' Inner Sakura thought. 'And how obvious is this crush they have on these boys.'
Eika led Sakura away from the group and down the hall. "See we have time for the bathroom, since Iruka sensei's class is just next door."
Sakura noticed something very phony about Eika's smile. The girls led Sakura into an empty bathroom. The sweetness that had been present on Eika's face disappeared. The other girls also stopped smiling. They were all looking in the mirror, primping, while Sakura stood behind them watching.
"Listen Sakura," Orimi began, "I'm sure you had a pecking order at your old school, right?"
Sakura noticed the other three girls nodding in agreement.
"Well, our school is no different." She continued. "I'm guessing at your old school you were on the top of the food chain, but you're in a different place now." Oirmi tossed her long brown hair as she brushed it. Juri began busying herself applying lip gloss. Eika stopped primping and turned to lean on the sink to look at Sakura. The fourth girl who had not been introduced to Sakura followed suit, and crossed her arms on her chest.
Sakura tried to surpress a laugh. Are they serious? Are they threatening me? "What are you trying to say?" Looking from girl to girl.
"Here we live by certain standards. The kids from the Noble Clans tend to be the most popular, and since I don't see a crest over you leaf emblem, you are not. Now, second to that group is us." her voice was becoming more and more a sugary sweet, condescending tone that Sakura disliked.
Eika looked at Sakura, and began to tap her fingers on the sink. "So, when we allow you to sit with us, you just don't 'one minute' us with your finger. You're pretty lucky to have us wanting to associate with you."
"I mean honestly, do you actually think one of those boys could be interested in you?" Orimi laughed as she placed her brush in her bag and pulled out lip gloss. "Naruto and Chouji have girlfriends, but you are not good enough for any of the rest of them. God only knows how you landed Gaara at your old school."
"But I'm sure I can guess what you didn't give up to him that caused you to lose him." Juri said and her friends began to laugh.
"So I suggest you take your rightful place behind us." Eika said. Standing up trying to intimidate Sakura.
Sakura had had enough. She didn't care if this was her first day, these girls would not talk down to her. Trying to control her temper, Sakura walked toward the mirror.
"Are you finished?" Sakura tossed her hair back and stared at the girls' reflections. "First if you mention Gaara one more time, I will kick your ass. I'm not like your little friend Yuki, who sleeps around and gets dumped for it." Sakura noticed the girl she had not been introduced to staring at her three friends with her mouth open and tears in her eyes.
'Guess that's Yuki.' Inner Sakura said.
"Second, if you think that scares me, then you are stupid. I don't scare that easy, and I watch NO ONE'S back!" Sakura said turning to face the girls. Her head cocked to the side, challenging the group. None of the girls noticed the two other students that had entered the bathroom.
"Well Tenten, what have we learned here today?" a tall blonde asked a brunette standing beside her.
"Hmm…Let's see," the brunette said smiling, placing her thumb under her chin and her index finger on top of her mouth. "Yuki learned the same lesson that Juri and Eika did about Zaku, and the new girl is going to kick some ass."
"We have to get to class," Orimi stated, and the left with the other girls behind her.
"Hello, I'm Ino Yamaka." The blonde stretched out her hand. Sakura noticed a family crest on the girl's blazer. A small boar's head. She was tall and had blue eyes. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail on the top of her head, with the exception of the hair brushed across her face.
"And as you heard this is Tenten." She said gesturing to the other girl. The brunette had her hair pulled into two puffs on the top of her head. Her blazer was like Sakura's and had no family crest on the leaf symbol. "My Chouji was right you are mouthy, but I like it."
"It's good to see someone knock those four off their pedestal. They love to give all the other girls a hard time." Tenten replied. The bell sounded signifying the group was late. "Come on, Iruka sensei is still downstairs, we may not get into too much trouble."
Ino gestured for Sakura to follow. The three left the bathroom and walked across the hall toward their history class. "Hinata is still out sick, but you'll meet her when she returns. We haven't decided if she got sick from kissing Naruto, or if it's just a regular cold yet." Laughed Ino.
"Why are you being nice to me?" Sakura asked. A little confused, but not wanting to be bullied again she thought she'd cut to the chase.
Ino stopped before opening the classroom door. "Because Kiba and Naruto asked us to." Ino answered.
"Yeah, our group has been friends since like grade two. They both said there was something special about you. Kiba's feelings are probably hormone driven, so be careful with him. But I'm not so sure about Naruto since he is dating Hinata. He may have an illegal crush on you." Tenten said.
"Well, we will deal with that if it happens. But hopefully it won't, I couldn't bare to have Hinata hurt." Said Ino looking thoughtfully. Shaking her head, she continued, "There is a pecking order around here, we just happen to be at the top of it. And to be honest, you whole demeanor says you belong with our group."
"Don't worry about those girls, they are jealous over the new girl getting all the attention they want." Tenten smiled.
Sakura felt better. She felt wanted. She felt she belonged. It didn't even matter if the was the popular group or not, but she felt a kind of comfort with these two girls. It did feel natural, and she wasn't going to question it. She smiled to the two. "Yeah, it's just hard being new."
"Don't even worry about it." Tenten said with a smile. She put her arm around Sakura's shoulder and squeezed. The half hug felt genuine and relaxed Sakura. "Oh crap, I hear Iruka sensei coming down the hall, let's go."
Opening the door the three girls entered the classroom, and made their way to the back where the boys were sitting. Ino sat beside Swirl boy, who gently touched her arm. Ino smiled at him. That must be Chouji. Tenten looked nervously at Neji, who gave her a slight smile. She blushed and put her head down.
Ahh, I see Sakura said to herself. Ino is dating Chouji. Tenten must like Neji, since Orimi said there were two of the boys with girlfriends. Tenten had confirmed Naruto was the other one, who was dating Hinata.
Their teacher entered the classroom, apologizing for his lateness. He asked Sakura to stand as all her other teachers had and introduced her to the class. Sakura could see Orimi's group of friends staring daggers at her. Sakura returned the looks with a smile that said, "Bring it." Iruka sensei began his lesson, and Sakura could see secret notes going back and forth between Ino, Chouji, and the rest of the group. She concentrated on the material and notes being given. It was the second week in September, but school had been in session since the first week of August. That put Sakura behind in almost every class. Especially this class, Fire Country history. Sakura had lived in Wind Country for as long as she could remember. That history class she had an A in, but this class was completely different, and she felt the stress.
"Do you think you can manage to get to Physics without me?" Shikamaru asked in a note to Sakura.
"Through the double doors?" she wrote back. Instead of a note, he just nodded. She mouthed ok.
"We'll see you at lunch, Sakura." Ino said as the class was dismissed. "We have to go to regular people science classe now!" Sakura could feel the teasing in Ino's voice, but it made her feel good. The light teasing between friends, made Sakura realize she was going to be accepted.
"Sakura chan, your book." Iruka sensei handed her a large history book. "If you need help catching up, I suggest either Neji or Tenten's notes. Even Shino, takes great notes. Don't feel overwhelmed, I've seen your transcript, you'll do fine."
Sakura thanked him leaving the classroom and walked down the hallway. Her science classroom was full and she sat down in the first available seat she could find. She noticed someone waving at her, and it was Lee from earlier in the day. She smiled waving back. Her teacher called roll. Sakura noticed Neji's, Shino's, and Shikamaru's names were called but none were in class. Class came and went. Her teacher was nice and offered Sakura notes from the last two weeks lessons to help her catch up. Sakura was starving, and wondered which way the cafeteria was. She walked from the classroom, and felt a presence beside her.
"Need an escort to the cafeteria?" Lee asked. Gesturing to take her books, but Sakura waved his hand away.
"That would be nice Lee, thanks." Sakura answered. She looked around for Ino or Tenten and did not see either one.
"So how is your first day going?"
"Weird."
"How so?" Sakura told him what happened with Zaku and Kiba. She also mentioned Orimi and her friends.
"Even though Kiba and his friends were wrong for starting a scuffle in the halls, I can understand why. Zaku is not a nice guy." Lee explained.
"Really?"
"A year ago, he and Ino dated for a while. He tried to force her into having sex with him. It was bad. Chouji almost killed him. He was in the hospital for a week."
"Wow." Sakura suddenly felt bad for Ino.
"He likes to play, and you are a shiny new toy to him. As far as Orimi and her friends, well, they are just crazy. They are hung up on status and things like that. You are better off without them." Lee said opening the door for her to the cafeteria.
"Thank you. I kinda got that impression about them." Sakura walked into the cafeteria. It looked just like any other cafeteria at any other school. Friends sitting together, laughing, making noise, free from their classes and teachers.
"The invitation is still open to join my friends and me." Lee said.
"No thanks. I want to call my mom, and at least start looking over some of my history notes." Declined Sakura. "I think I have a test next week."
"Understandable, you have a lot of history to catch up on not living in the Fire Country for so long. Iruka sensei's tests are always difficult." Smiling he gave her a thumbs up sign. "I am sure you can do it!"
"Thanks Lee." Sakura grabbed a sandwich, chips, and water. After paying she left the cafeteria and walked outside to a small hill. 'Here is a good spot.' Happy to put down the books she was given for science, history, and math.
'Time to do a little work.' Sakura pulled out her history book and notes. She unconsciously began to twirl her hair.
'Oh this is so boring!' Inner Sakura screamed.
'Oh hush, this has to be done. Stop complaining.' Sakura argued.
'Blah, blah blah.' Inner Sakura fell over faking faint.
Fine. Sakura pulled out her iPod and cellphone. There were two text messages. One from mom. The other from Temari. She felt a twinge of sadness took over her stomach. The sadness was mixed with the guilt of finding new friends. She didn't like the thought of forgetting or replacing her friends from Suna. She answered both text messages with a generic, 'I'm fine' message. The turkey sandwich was no longer appealing.
"Why are you here by yourself?" Sakura looked up to see who was talking to her. She was shocked to see Shino standing there in front of her.
so i hope you guys liked it! please review, you've already read it! thanks.
Kiba: I need a hug.