Instant Message
By Keelah
The two were basically frozen, just drowning in each other's pools, so completely in the moment.
Something was there.
Chapter THREE
Connections
"What?" Ino asked, intentionally oblivious of the willful glares I clearly sent her.
"You know very well what," I snapped.
hsiaidt: … Haruno Sakura
I struggled to breathe.
I couldn't believe it. This person; he knew me. But how? Was he a part of that gang-like group back in the alley? Had they somehow managed to get hold of my contact? My name, even? Thoughts swirled in my mind.
hsiaidt: lmfaoo!
My mind then came to an immediate halt. I blinked.
hsiaidt: aahahahhahah Look at a mirror quick! Your face is PRICELESS!
Bewildered, it took me a couple of seconds wondering just what exactly was going on, before finally, it snapped to me. I growled.
lilpinkchiq: Ino? Ugh you stupid little—
hsiaidt has logged off
I glared as she spoke in between her giggling fits. "Your webcam… was on…and, like, how could I resist?"
"That was not funny."
"But your face sure was." She doubled up in laughter. "You know that new e-mail I made up for you? It's an acronym for, Haruno Sakura Is An I-D-io-T. Genius, eh?"
"That's stupid." I glared at her. It was only Monday morning and yet I've already lost count of how many times I've glared at Ino. "You scared the hell out of me. I really thought you were some stalker."
She scuffed, "Like, who in their right mind would stalk you out of all people? You're dense…fat…ugly… huge forehead…the list just goes on and on…"
Rolling my eyes, I waited for Ino to finish her daily rituals. Any normal person would've simply grabbed what they needed from their locker and headed to class, but Ino had always insisted on applying final touches with her make up, hair…really, she should be forbidden to have a mirror in her locker.
Noticing my sudden silence, she asked, her voice slightly serious yet with mirth. "You're not mad… are you?" I shook my head. "So what's up?" I shrugged. Ino glared, unsatisfied by my silence. "Tell me."
Truth is, the amount of stories and information there was contained inside of me was overfilling that I just couldn't help but tell her everything—despite consciousness's directive otherwise. After a few second's hesitation, I did.
I excluded my little awkward visit to the Rec and basically any detail that gave away the men's possible identities—not that I'd seen much anyway. It wasn't exactly telling everything, but it was still more than I've told anyone else: which was nothing to no one. I said I had only seen the man nicked, and then I ran away; the end.
Ino was thrilled nonetheless. "Awesome!"
I shook my head. "No telling anyone. Anyone."
"So you won't even let the idiot know?"
"No!" I said as though it was the most obvious answer there was, "Naruto will only make a big fuss about it. So—"
And then she was gone, not anymore in front of me but hiding behind my back. She muttered, "Oh crap."
I turned to wherever she was looking at. There, in the middle of the hall, was a large man, standing with his ever-present fearsome façade—Morino Ibiki.
He worked alongside Kakashi as the school's liaison officer, every now and then turning up to confiscate illicit materials or break up an archetypal fistfight that happened on occasion; and sometimes for talks about violence and crime—what not to do and such, boring stuff that most of us chose to ignore. They were the type who walked around with walkie-talkies, and whenever they were present meant trouble also was.
"He's supervising today." Ino explained, "…It's weird, Kakashi-sensei's here too." she paused to think for a moment. "So who do you think's dealing?" she asked, gossip in her tone now present, the one that always sounded eager for the dirt. "Or maybe possession? My guess: Kin and Dosu and their mob. They're the type to bring in guns. Or maybe it's the smokers. They always look high every time I see them."
"Okay, I'm going to class before Morino hears you and screams at us," I chided. "It's none of our business, anyway."
"Well, if it's of any interest to you, I heard we got new students coming in." Ino explained brightly, "All guys. Probably exchange from an all-boy school."
I heard, I heard, I heard… Ino would not live without the trend of gossip. I doubt even half of what she said was true. I nodded absentmindedly and turned to leave.
"Sakura, your class is this way," Ino said, pointing the opposite direction of where I was headed, towards the direction where the big grouchy-looking Ibiki was situated.
"And have Morino yell at me? Forget it, I'm taking the long way."
Our school, The Hidden Leaves, was a circular structure surrounding in its center a spacious, round courtyard. The longer way towards my first class, Science, meant walking all the way around that arc, instead of cutting through the garden like I usually did. I began to regret my plan of action when I noticed the lessening crowds in the hallways.
I was running by the time I reached the back portion of the school building, when something through a little window brought me to halt. Quietly, I tiptoed my way beside the double-door exit and peered through one of the embedded panes.
The doors lead out to the school's staff parking lot, and there, gathered on the loading zone, was the principal, a couple of the school admins, Kakashi and, to my surprise, several younger individuals who had just recently come out of a silver van.
I recognized them immediately as the ones I saw at the Rec just yesterday. Why were they here? They couldn't be the new students Ino had talked about, could they? All-boy schools are usually private institutions, meaning rich, meaning lads with signature clothing and gold watches, whereas these guys looked just the exact opposite.
Faded, ripped jeans; dark shirts with its variety of visible off-putting prints; black hoodies… and these weren't the JanSport-North Face-type jackets that well-off, gangster-wannabes wore along with their low-hanging bling-blings. It was more the kind a hoodlum would wear while bashing car windows and nicking stuff off convenient stores. Perhaps the only thing that broke their threatening image as a group was the little puppy cheerfully running around, and the equally energetic boy who was playing with it.
Morino appeared beside Kakashi while the adults went on exchanging words. I wondered subconsciously what could be serious enough that had to involve both the school's stationed officers.
I scanned the small crowd of young men, all of whom had remained silent throughout the whole discussion, until one caught my eye. I didn't know what made him any different from the rest, so I stayed still, thinking.
Then, it hit me.
He was the same boy from yesterday, the one who might've-might've, although I genuinely otherwise—caught me staring by the sidewalk. What I did not understand though, was why just the sight of him sent me squirming out of discomfort.
Just as I was about to leave, a loud, boisterous, instantly-recognizable voice exclaimed in my ear.
"Sakura, there you are! Hey, what are you looking at?"
I immediately clasped the ever-so-strident mouth, "Shut your—!"
In mid-sentence, I shrieked as I tumbled forward when the door I'd been presently leaning on had all of a sudden swung open.
"You." The roar boomed and echoed, effectively attracting everyone's attention in the parking lot. Not that it mattered anyway; the idiot's deafening greeting earlier had already done that very job.
It was hard to look up, not entirely because of Morino's downright glare, but also in account of knowing just how many stares were now focused at our direction. Yet hard as it was for me, the idiot simply grinned, and pointed towards our principal, Tsunade.
"Hey, old hag. What's up?"
Tsunade growled temperedly, "Get the hell back to class! That means you too, Uzumaki!"
"But I didn't even do anything!"
"Let's go," I whispered sharply and smacked him on head in the process. In no time, I was already walking away in such a hurried manner that I was almost running; almost.
As I strode away, with the idiot ambling beside me, I felt a firm and steady gaze drilling on my back. Although it was only a hunch, I felt almost certain that someone was staring at me. Despite the great urge to walk faster and escape out of sight, another urge to do a different act proved greater and my body gave into it.
I looked back.
Everyone had started entering the school building through another one of the entrances.
All but one remained, and I was met by a pair of eyes staring back into my own.
"Sakura!" Rock Lee waved, "I missed you! Why weren't you in Art?"
I laid down my tray of food, and glared at a certain blonde idiot, "Detention. Blame him."
Lunch, my second-most favourite class after dismissal. Everybody sat down, gradually filling up the once-empty chairs that encircled our characteristically designated table: located in the farthest corner of the cafeteria, only five steps away from the beverage counter and adjacent to one of the vast windows that viewed the peaceful streets of town. The perfect spot.
"Sorry, Sakura…" Naruto grinned sheepishly, "But it wasn't all my fault. I didn't even know that…"
"Sakura got caught snooping around," Ino interjected, "Big deal. That's like catching Naruto tripping on his own foot. Happens every time, so enough about that. Saturday with Ren was so fun! We went—!"
"Torture." Choji Akamichi covered his ears dramatically, "Spare me, please."
We all laughed except for Ino. "Shut up, Choji. I'm in love with him. He's the one, I tell you, and he's Mr. Right! No guy could ever outshine him. He's gorgeous, an awesome kisser, and did I tell you he has a six-pack? And biceps. And—" She paused. "Man, look at that!"
How typical. Ino hadn't even finished talking about one boy, and she's already got her eyes on the next. Though I wasn't as intrigued and fascinated in guys as she was obsessed with them, I turned my head in search for what had captivated her utmost attention.
"Forget Ren. I got a whole hottie selection right here."
Gathered around the cafeteria's entrance, opposite of our setting, was Ino's ideal "hottie selection"; it was the guys from the parking lot.
"Hey, it's them," Ten-Ten whispered to us, sipping her can of juice in the process, "Careful, Ino, they're bad. But then again, that's exactly how you want 'em." She rolled her eyes.
"What do mean?" I asked confused.
"They're staying here for a while," Ten-Ten explained "for space and facilities. HL's supporting this program that involves helping kids or something. That's all Gai-sensei really said."
"Like a tutoring program?"
"More like suspension program. Totally messed up dudes. I heard they all got kicked out in previous schools." I thought about the things they could've done to get expelled. Constant skipping, swearing at teachers, inappropriate behavior, low grades, failing classes, bullying…what were they doing in our cafeteria?
"No," Ino protested with a certain twinkle in her eyes, "I heard they got in trouble with the law!"
I stared at them. With the way they appeared and behaved; a single look was enough to assume that they were most-likely trouble.
To my surprise, a girl was amid them, standing out distinctively with her skinny denim shorts, and a coat with a slit that showed much of her bare stomach. Add all that plus the fact that she was flirting, equaled to a successful exploit in bringing the word "tramp" up a whole new level—that was, excluding her thick-framed glasses. That, on the other hand, was an amusing contradiction.
"I love how I don't even know her, and I already think she's a bitch," Ino spat as she looked at the same girl with disgust; she had noticed her too, but who couldn't have when she was the only girly-girl amongst a mob of…well, manly-men?
"I mean, skin much?" Ino went on, "She's all over him. It's like he can't even breathe anymore! And some glasses are completely classy, but that thick-framed, thick-glass she's wearing is just not. What's she trying to dress up as? A nerdy whore?"
"Guys," Choji, surprisingly, bothered to actually speak instead of eat. "Don't look now, but there's a freaky red-head staring right at us."
Despite that, everyone looked. I easily spotted the said red-head standing with the guys; but unlike the other guys who occupied themselves with filling their trays with food, he stood at a corner and stared at our direction.
I didn't pay much heed to him however and intuitively directed my gaze back over to where Four-eyes was. But, despite her characteristic sluttish outfit, she wasn't as riveting to me as much whom she was currently clutching onto was.
It was starting to get bothersome how I always seemed to espy the same particular boy when I had no idea whatsoever who he was, nor why my gaze was always drawn to him. Maybe it was because of Four-eyes effectively drawing attention to both of them as she always seemed to have him locked him in an obviously unwanted embrace. Or maybe it was because he was, to some odd extent that I will never acknowledge, rather…eye-catching in his own darkly appealing way. Though I doubt it was attraction given that I, for one, was never really "in" to bad-boy types the way Ino was so overly magnetized to them.
Or maybe, I considered, it was because of this familiar yet indescribable sensation that surged throughout my body every time I laid eyes on the boy.
I watched with inquisitive surveillance as he turned away from the counter, his tray of food in hand, and then halted in a sudden manner.
There was no question of why. It was clear despite the room's length distance that was between him and me. I knew for certain the awkward and unfortunate fact that he had caught me staring at him for the second time (the first by sidewalk, but the parking lot episode didn't count. He had been the one staring at me.)
I snapped my head so hard in the other direction that I felt as though my neck went snapping too.
"They're heading here!" Ino whispered blissfully, "How do I look?"
"What is wrong with you?" I asked with shock, "They're suspendees. Meaning, trouble."
"So?" she replied nonchalantly.
Groaning, I sunk back in my chair and covered my face as the guys occupied the table to our right, and the other empty one next to it. Kakashi was with them—an odd sight of a teacher eating with students.
"Ino," I whispered, "Ino!"
"What?"
"That's them."
"What?" her face twitched with annoyance, "Would you stop mumbling?"
"That's them. The ones I told you about, yesterday."
"No kidding?" she exclaimed loudly, as if she'd forgotten the little fact that the subjects of our tête-à-tête were just on the next table. "They're the ones who stabbed an old guy in that alley? Holy crap."
I glared at her. "No, I meant the ones I saw hanging out at the Rec."
"Oh. Well, they are cute," she remarked loudly.
Ino was fixated upon the said guys like an overly-fanatical devotee of the hot-posse organization. Conversely, I, too, couldn't seem to take my eyes of them.
I couldn't help it. I turned to stare in a position where I obtained a good prospect of the next table. In spite of that, I couldn't seem to find the single word that would describe them. They were particularly an odd bunch indeed.
Although most had appeared to be rough and tough, some others, surprisingly, looked not-so-bad. The strange red-head sat in the table next to ours, neither speaking nor eating, and though they didn't possess an atmosphere as tough or scary as the others, the frown he wore was enough to make up for it. I noticed a lot of them sported tattoos. One of them had scarlet triangles on both his cheeks, and while I found it uncultured to have his dog anyone or the table, his shoulder or atop his head, with his goofy grin, he indisputably fell under the not-so-bad list.
Another had languidly laid his head on the table (dead or asleep, I couldn't quite decipher) while someone else was staring… I blinked—I supposed that dot which presently crawled on his finger was some kind of insect. He had an oversized collar, dark round sunglasses… perhaps this boy was blind?
There were a couple others who had their backs turned away. There was a blue-head, but I couldn't make out anything more than his hair colour. The boy who always caught my eye had once again done so; I saw him sitting on the other table, the one farther from ours, and I watched as he jabbed his food with a fork. I watched and lost track of time.
"You know, it isn't very polite to stare."
I jolted with surprise and thought it was him. But it was another person. An amused smirk had been very much a good hint of who had spoken. He was not the same guy that I've been staring at up to that time, but rather, an analogous duplicate in appearance.
I narrowed my eyes at the individual that sat not so far on the other table; the cocky jerk probably thought I was staring at him when I was actually staring past him and towards another boy much cuter than he was.
"Who said I was staring at you?" I snapped.
"It isn't very polite to retort at someone who had just kindly admonished you either."
"Polite my ass! Ow!" I exclaimed, feeling a sharp nudge.
"Excuse my friend." A glare from Ino, "She has… um, anger problems. Can't control her own temper."
"Ah." He nodded, that irksome counterfeit of a smile still wedged on his face. "Yes, I know what that's like." What did that mean?
"Go to hell!" I snapped.
"Ladies first."
"That would be you."
Chuckling, he said, "I have to go…unfortunately. But I'll see you both around."
I glanced at the clock that hung above the cafeteria's walls and noticed that it was already half way through lunch. I must've been staring for longer than I thought.
He stood up along with the others in his table, and I noticed the other table next to them began leaving too.
He gathered several pieces of papers and pencils that were dispersed before him on the table.
I scuffed, "I hope we don't."
"I hope we do." Ino chirped in.
"No we don't!"
The boy rolled his eyes and had started to strut backwards, facing us as he spoke, "Try and relax, you hag. I'll see you around."
"See ya!" Ino called out.
He grinned, responding to her flirty smile with a playful one, "Bye, Beautiful."
He left. Then, something snapped to me. I growled.
"What did he just call me?"
omg-its-ino!: then I saw them in field 2 with dogs and they're so cute, but that girl was there again and she just ruins the picture; I just wanna strangle her! Don't you?
omg-its-ino!: and did I tell you that she tripped?
I groaned. Ino's blabbers were haunting me; in the phone, in face-to-face conversations, and right now, over the 'net.
I glanced at the digital clock on the bottom right corner of my computer screen, 8:44PM.
omg-its-ino!: …and I only did the typical. There's a whole array of hotter men that goes to my school, so would I stay with someone who doesn't? But he's all like what-the-eff and stuff
lilpinkchiq: you broke up with him through a text message, you idiot; what do you expect?
It was only earlier today- to be more precise, right after lunch- that Ino decided in the spur of the moment to end her short-lived relationship with Ren- the boy who she met over the summer- with the clear-cut yet absurd reason that she met "hotter men"- in her own words.
omg-its-ino!: pfftt he was too pathetic anyway. And lighten up, will you?
lilpinkchiq: I'm still mad at you
omg-its-ino!: stop sulking! I got a gift for you. kinda like a peace-offering or whatever
lilpinkchiq: what is it?
omg-its-ino!: luuuuvvvv 3 you'll see. And then you'll thank me. xD
omg-its-ino!: nywayz, gtg. peace out
Suddenly, the computer chimed.
I stared upon the new window that had just popped out my screen. It was an email announcing that someone had sent me a private message in one of my many social web-network accounts that I had made (and yes, I do realize that I should get a life.)
From: Rogue
[Message 20:58] Do you want to play a game?
Rogue. I tilted my head as I waited for something to click; nothing. The name was unfamiliar to me, though it was probably one of my classmates with a new email.
From: lilpinkchiq
[Message 21:04] umm... who are you?
From: Rogue
[Message 21:04] who I am doesn't matter. Well, are you game?
From: lilpinkchiq
[Message 21:06] what…game?
From: Rogue
[Message 21:08] lets play…the math game.
From: lilpinkchiq
[Message 21:11] what?
From: Rogue
[Message 21:12] don't worry, I'll teach you. just follow instructions.
From: Rogue
[Message 21:13] first, add you and me…
From: Rogue
[Message 21:13] subtract our clothes…
From: Rogue
[Message 21:14] divide you legs…
From: Rogue
[Message 21:15] then multiply. Don't forget to leave your solution.
From: Rogue
[Message 21:16] so, you in?
…
From: lilpinkchiq
[Message 21:21] Go to hell.
Inuzuka Kiba
He couldn't help it, he was grinning so widely that it hurt his cheeks.
Kiba saw it. He caught with his own sharp eyes, although even an idiot could identify it. And it wasn't just imagination, because, really, it couldn't be more obvious than it already was. The two were basically frozen, just drowning in each other's pools, so completely in the moment.
Something was there. Though it was unseen, invisible, a secret passed on between the two, something was without a doubt there, floating like an aura, a spark, even –though saying that would be way too girly.
Kiba was not the only one who noticed it either. The rest had seen it too, and were most likely thinking the very same thoughts he had at the same moment. But how could it not be missed? Their daze lasted for a whole, entire second, before the witch butted in jealously, because even someone as dimwitted as her could tell that something was there.
No one was making a move though. Everyone's just pretty much stealing glances, looking for some kind of emotion on The Cold One's face, and of course, failing.
But Kiba just couldn't contain it. It was an event, a chance, of a lifetime that almost never ever came. Now it had, he was going to take advantage of it.
Kiba nudged him in the ribs. "Hey, Uchiha—" yet before he could finish, the boy he was talking to walked off. Ch, typical. But Kiba wasn't about to give up. In a matter of a second, he had caught up and nudged him a second time. He didn't budge.
"Dude…" a third nudge. The boy flinched; finally, a reaction.
"What," he barked, "do you want?"
Kiba grinned, so widely that his pointed teeth had shown, almost looking like fangs. "You wanna tell me what that was about?"
"What what was about?"
"That."
"What that?"
"That thing you got going on with that girl."
"What thing?" he asked, clearly frustrated. "What girl?"
"I'm talking about Karin," Kiba replied sarcastically, causing the boy to glare.
"The girl!" Kiba exclaimed, "Who else? She's got to be the only person in this world who can get you all pensive like this."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Now you're just being an ass in denial. C'mon, admit it!"
"Go screw yourself, Inuzuka."
"Nah, man, I'd rather screw her." Again, a twitch. Now Kiba's grin was simply unstoppable. "Seriously, do you know what this means?"
"That you're a horny little boy?"
"No," Kiba replied triumphantly, "That you are not gay." Another dagger-sharp glare. "But that's not the point."
"You have a point?" he asked sarcastically, but Kiba ignored it.
"There was something there, between you and that chick. I sensed it. There was like, you know, a connection."
"Shut up or you'll be sensing a connection between my fist and your face." He snapped angrily and walked off.
Kiba grinned. Yep. He was in complete denial.
Read, Review and Thank You!
Keelah