Why am I updating this so early? WHY? WHY?
Naruto: Shut up, Fallen and move on with the A/N.
Me: Fine... fine... PUSHY DX! Hey guys... I'm thinking of changing my Penname... but idk. o.o Maybe to something like Minuscule Thoughts or Vibrant Insanity... dunno ;o. Thoughts?
Sasuke: No one CARES, Fallen.
Me: I care...
(Can't believe I made dialogue with myself... WINNING)
Warning: One day I'll start switching up POVS... you just won't know when c; Also this is LONGERRR and you get to see school life for a J-pop star. So.. uh... bring a condom? JKAY. KIDDING. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. KLSFJLSAFKAKLJFALKFJ.
Disclaimer: Derp.
Happy Poultry Day c:
Chapter Four: K Academy
RIIIIING.
BRIIIIIIIIIIING.
RING. DING. DONG. RING. DING. DONG.
Oh my God shut up already! My stupid alarm clock can never take a damn hint that if I haven't gotten up on the first ring, why in the fuck should I get up on the second, or third, or fourth damn ring? I roll over in bed and jam my pillow on my head. I'm not about to get up. Not on a Monday. Not when it's only 6:00 in the morning. And surely not for school.
But my alarm clock has other plans. It connected with my back and made me jump five feet in the air.
"Fuck!" I landed on the bed with a "Uumph," and rolled over with a groan. Since when does my alarm clock fly...?
Right. When Temes make it fly.
"Welcome to the land of the living, Dobe." Don't look so cocky when you're leaning against my doorframe. That is my doorframe and I don't like bastard's touching it!
Dammit he looks so sexy with bedhead. Shut up, brain! You're sleep-induced. You're not making any sense. Oh good Lord that blazer looks fantastic on him.
I shoot him my best glare even though it makes his outlines all blurry and stuff. My eyesight's not the best in the morning. Decked out in our school's uniform, I don't know how he has the energy to get up before me, wake me up, and somehow find strength to put on his clothes. I can barely make it to the shower without passing out.
"Was throwing my clock necessary?"
"Yes," he smirked. I wanted to punch that smirk off his face. Then kiss it. I mean... kiss it... with my fist... that will punch him... in the face.
Eff me.
"No. It wasn't. I was gonna get up soon..."
"Sure you were."
"I waaaaas."
"Right," Sasuke snorted and out of the little corner of my eye I could see him getting ready to walk out. "If you're not up in the next three minutes consider yourself screwed."
I would very much love to be screwed by—oh wait, he didn't mean that provocatively.
"Ha!" I pulled up my covers all the way to my head, "You ain't gonna do shit."
It was all quiet for a little bit until...
"Remember the bucket?"
Oh good Lord...
"I'm up! I'm up! Oh what a beautiful Monday morning it is!" I sprang up like a jack-in-the-box and rushed around the room picking up my uniform and trying to find a pair of socks that didn't smell like a gas bomb blew them up. "Jeez, Uchiha! What are you doing bumming around? We gotta go to school!"
He was glaring at me so hard I thought I was going to explode into flames. Figuratively my body erupted into flames. My skin got all hot, I'm pretty sure I was blushing (dammit) aaaandd yep I'm getting aroused.
I'll blame that one on morning wood.
"Four minutes. Don't be late." he hissed and trudged downstairs. Now, let me take this moment of alone time to fill whoever is confused in. I may be a top class idol to the eyes of the Japanese public, but really I'm just an ordinary senior living it up in the company dorms. No mansions, no fancy cars, no beautiful women passed out on my floors; it's just me and the Teme living on one huge floor called the "Penthouse" where the top performing groups live.
We also have to go to school like every other senior living in the Tokyo area. It's a part of our company's policy that we get a full education or else no sponsorship. I'm not complaining. School's... tolerable. The food's good, I guess. And a lot of my friends go to the school I attend.
Slipping on my sweater with our school's fancy blue letters ingrained above my right pectoral, I tugged on my jeans, grabbed my boots, quickly put a barrette in my hair while brushing my teeth at the same time—I know, I'm freaking skilled—all within the three minute range. By 6:10 I was downstairs sitting at the table eating at a delicious stack of waffles made by no one other but our mom, Iruka.
"Mom! You make the best waffles in existence! I bow to you!" Iruka was our caretaker at the Penthouse. At age twenty-eight he had the skills of a master chef yet he chose to work here under Charisma—our company—and help out with our growth. I definitely don't have a problem with that since Iruka's been there for us ever since he's started and boy oh boy does he make the most banging dishes you will ever taste.
Iruka rolled his eyes at me but I could see him smiling. His hair was pulled into a low ponytail today with his customary blue apron all put on and spiffy. "Don't chew with your mouth open, it's rude."
This just made me chew even more obnoxiously, thus earning major eye rolls from the Teme I share a room with and the mom I love the most.
"I told you we should make him eat outside," I heard Sasuke mutter under his breath.
I threw a strip of bacon at him.
"Dobe!" he screeched, ripping off the piece of meat like it burned his skin. Good. I hope it did. Then I can lick off the grease and—
Oops. Dirty thoughts at the table. I promised I'd stop doing that.
Iruka turned on his heels and pressed his greasy spatula right up to my nose. "Naruto, I love you, but if you don't grow a pair I'm banning you from the kitchen for a week."
"But Teme had it coming to him!" That bacon literally wanted to make out with his face!
Iruka narrowed his eyes at me and that's when I knew it was time to shut the hell up, shovel all the food into my mouth, and make a run for it before laser beams shot of his eyes and vaporized me on the spot.
I saw Sasuke smirking at me from the corner of my eye, all proud and cocky like.
Ugh. I really hate when he subtly rubs in my childishness.
Then again…
Nope. Not straying down that path.
Five minutes later and breakfast was successfully completed without any more hitches (hooray!). Sasuke and I were booking it down the hallway for the elevator that would take us to the main lobby where our driver would be taken us. I'm more of a train guy myself but our school is waaaay out there. Like, on the outskirts of the city two hours away. I guess you could call it prestigious. It's sparkly enough. And has the majority of Earth's assholes gathered together in one place.
So yeah, it's pretty much up there in "Schools I wish I could send my children to but I'll never have enough money to get them there".
Gotta love Charisma.
Going back to my train of thought dealing with assholes…
"I don't get you."
Huh? That's weird. Normally Sasuke never struck up conversation with me. Hell, he barely looked at me unless we were working in the studio or on a show. This… this was new.
"What don't you get?"
Our eyes kinda met in that awkward glance where you know someone is trying to stare you down long enough to find something. What he wanted to find… I really don't have a clue but our glance didn't last long and he took his eyes to stare at the passing scenery.
"Nothing. Never mind."
I blinked… Uh… Okaaay? What the literal hell, Uchiha? "Seriously. What is it?"
"Nothing."
"Obviously it's not nothing. I'm not stupid."
He snorted. I punched him in the shoulder. He glared at me. I shrugged. It was a reflex!
"It's really nothing important. Don't stress what little brain cells you have trying to figure out something out of nothing."
"Oi!" I shot up like a rocket, jostling the car around a few times and causing our driver to shout at me—I didn't listen—and shoved my finger right between Sasuke's eyes. "You can't just start something and let it drop. Of course I'm going to ask for more information!"
Sasuke not so gently grabbed my finger and dropped it to my side. He gazed at me like I was nothing more than a hindrance to his existence (Yeah, because I wanted him to start a conversation only to drop it) and smirked, "Watch out."
"Wha—Ouch! Fuck! What the hell!" apparently we ran over a freaking big speed bump because I was thrown back into my seat and not in the nicest of ways. I could hear Sasuke chuckling madly but the pain ringing through my body was thankfully drowning him out.
Okay, new rule: No standing up while the Hummer is in motion.
+MAXED-OUT+
First period I had World History, which was actually, my worst class—yeah, shocker huh? I'm pretty decent with English. Math and I were on again off again enemies. I didn't bother with Chemistry but I had to for my career (Charisma expected us to take all core classes for our year). And Music… well… that's pretty obvious. Music was where I shined. K Academy was founded on the hopes that talented children, teens, and young adults could all come together and prove Society wrong that we were just a bunch of brainless idiots with good looks.
We all had fully functioning brains, most of the time, and acted like normal kids… some days.
Sadly today was Monday—stupid day of the week, it should be removed—and nothing great happens on a Monday. Now just wait till Friday…
"Naruto! Psh, Naruto! Kakashi's giving you the stink eye!" Kiba whispered. He even flicked a paper football at my head.
"Whaaaat?" I drawled, probably sounding as much of an idiot as I looked like right now. Snickers erupted all around me and I had to force down the blush that wanted to take over my face. Nope. Not about to give any of this stuck-up brats the satisfaction of me being publically embarrassed.
Kakashi sighed and brushed back his hair, showing off the blue headband he always wore to cover his left eye. He never told us the direct reason for his missing eye. Sometimes it was because of a narwhal, other times it was a rabid bear attack, some days it was a drunken circus clown… Yeah. We pretty much gave up trying a few months into the new school year after his reasons became more and more ridiculous.
"Students, take a very close look at Naruto Uzumaki; number one slacker. He feels like it's a privilege for him to sleep during my lecture. Now tell me, is Naruto special enough to take a nap in my class?"
The whole class minus Kiba—he's a keeper—replied "Nooooo!"
Traitors, all of them. When I become an assassin for a spy agency they're the first to go.
"But Kakashi-sensei, I was totally paying attention!" now anyone who could tie their shoes knew I was bluffing but hey… whatever saved me from punishment was okay by me!
"Oh really?"
"Yes!"
"Then what page are we reading from?"
Oh shit… uh… Uh… Will everyone quit looking at me like I'm about to fuck up?
I leaned forward in my desk and tried to look like I knew exactly what I was talking about. "We were reading from chapter five, paragraph twelve…" I let my voice hitch up a bit, you know like how you would act if you were trying to fish for answers.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Chapter nine… paragraph four?"
A snort.
"Uhh… page 112?"
"Let's try page one, paragraph one. It would be appropriate since I've just finished handing out these books today."
Oh. That got the class laughing. Don't even know why since it wasn't even that funny.
Right. It's because he was picking on me, the slacker. Gotta love how the social food chain works.
"I was gonna get to that…" I mumbled lowly and slunk down in my seat. That was enough idiocy to last me… oh, probably a week at most.
Kiba leaned over and flicked me in the ear, "Dude, I gotta say. You may be my best friend but even I find it hilarious when you get in trouble with Kakashi."
"Thanks, man. Glad to know you've always got my back."
Kiba winked, "What are friends for?"
I punched him on the shoulder when Kakashi wasn't looking.
Yeah. That's what friends were for.
+MAXED OUT+
Now time for a little rundown on the social kingdom that is K Academy. You'd think a bunch of kids all pining for the same dream would be on good terms with one another right? No nasty rumors, no backstabbers, just a perfect school experience with people you can actually relate to.
Let me just tell you this right now: If you ever thought like that for a fraction of a second, you're an idiot. And dead wrong. But mostly an idiot.
You see everyone in K Academy wants to make it big. Really big. Even if you're at the top you'll still be wanting more and more—which is ridiculous because I don't even know what's left once you've had it all. No one's really your friend; it's more for personal appearance than anything else. Almost everyone is out to get you when you least expect it. One day you're extremely popular but if you did terrible in your last movie or your album didn't do as well as you were boasting it would, say hello to the trashcan.
Not everyone is like that, obviously. The few friends I've managed to gather around me actually have some common sense and a human soul. Kiba, Gaara, Lee, Sakura, and Ino were all really close friends of mine despite our professions. They were probably the small minority of human beings left.
And then you have Sasuke Uchiha. I'll get to him later.
As usual, our little group of six was camped out at our picnic table, passing around food and sneaking some by when the other wasn't looking. It was nice out since spring was starting to poke out early. With the coming of spring, Jiraiya wanted Sasuke and I to find a new feeling for our songs. Whatever he could have meant by that I wasn't too sure about, but Sasuke nodded along like he actually understood.
I called it out as complete bullshit.
Moving on, then.
"So that test today in World History… yeah…" I picked up a French fry and popped it in my mouth, "I bombed it."
"Agreed!" Kiba and Lee shouted after me.
Gaara snorted. He was pretty quiet and kept a lot to himself but him and me were one of the same—kindred brothers so to speak. I knew him better than anyone and he knew me more than I knew myself. "Maybe if you studied you wouldn't do so bad."
"I was busy!" I defended. "Do you know how hard it is to get a break when you've got Jiraiya and Kyuubi breathing down your neck every two seconds?" another fry took the journey to my lovely stomach. "Yeah. I didn't think so."
"You have excuses for everything don't you, Naruto?" Sakura grinned cheekily and stole one of my fries. That bitch! Nah, kidding.
To retaliate for my loss of a fry, I took a sip of her 7-Up. "No. I just have explanations for everything. There's a difference."
"Sure there is, Naruto." Ino gave me a sidelong glance and waggled her eyebrows, "What about that one time where you—"
"No! Don't even go there!" I shouted. I could read Ino like a book sometimes, mostly because I have dirt on her and she has dirt on me—like all good friends have—but she didn't care when and where she used said dirt. I, on the other hand, had a conscience. Ino did not.
Gaara cocked an invisible eyebrow, "Something you'd like to share?"
I shot him an eyebrow back, "No not really…"
"Oh don't be a stick in the mud, Naruto! Why not tell them about the time you—"
I swear to everything that is beautiful if she finishes that sentence…
"Look! Ino, shut your huge mouth and look!" Sakura practically screeched. She cradled Ino's face in her hands and spun her around in the direction she was geeking out at. Over by the school mural was Sasuke and his… "friends". They were all sitting at this spotless, white circular table and were chattering like monkeys over something that probably wasn't even that funny. Sasuke was in the center of it all, as usual.
Because he pretty much had it all.
I'll list them for you just in case you want to know:
Sasuke had the looks.
The talent.
The smarts.
The reputation.
The freaking money to get whatever he wanted. And he usually used three out of the five to get his way. It's up to you to figure out which three.
Ino and Sakura had reverted to their bubbling, giggling mass of girly affections once their eyes found Sasuke quietly snacking on a sandwich while Karen—his obsessive redheaded stalker of the month—blabbered away about something he probably didn't care about.
Yeah. Even if Sasuke and I hated each other's guts, I could figure him out easily too… well, sometimes.
"Oh my goodness, that boy is all the definitions of fine!" Ino gushed, leaning so far forward she nearly fell off.
"My future husband looks absolutely scrumptious today…" Sakura purred. Funny story real quick, people used to think I had a crush on her. And… I sort of did. Until I found out she liked Sasuke.
And that I… didn't like women as much as I thought I did.
Moving on.
Lee shot up from the table like a rocket and flung himself over to Sakura's side. He gripped her hands in his and looked at her with big, pleading orbs. "Sakura-chan! What does that boy have that I do not? I can surely satisfy your wishes more than Sasuke could!"
As a stunt double? Probably not, but I'm nice and didn't say that out loud. Sakura would tear into him in two seconds flat.
Sakura rolled her eyes and snatched her hands out of Lee's grip. "No way, Lee. We've had this talk and I only see you as a friend."
The little cloud Lee floated around on started to deflate… poor kid.
"Oh come on, Sakura. You could just give him a chance," I drawled. I felt bad for Lee. He was shooting for a person he could never have in his arms.
I knew that feeling all too well.
"Yeah!" Kiba said in-between mouthfuls of his cheeseburger. He was an actor but had the metabolism of a kid with ADHD. "Lee's a great guy! A lot better than that cold-shoulder prick, Uchiha!"
"You better watch your mouth, punk!" Sakura barked and picked up a fork, waving the utensil around menacingly. "Sasuke is a genuinely nice person! It's you guys that are the pricks!"
Gaara shot her a look that clearly spoke: "Why did you drag me into this?"
Since I was the one to start this, I figured I might as well put a stop to it before Kiba walked around the school with only one eye. I stood up and spread my arms wide between them.
"All right guys. Sakura's not about to budge anytime soon. Let's just leave her to gawk at the bastard and us men can go play a round of soccer or something." I threw a smirk over my shoulder, "You guys game?"
"A game of soccer? What a wonderful exhibition of our youth!" Lee leapt up, his energy all replenished and ready to be wasted. "Allow me to join you on the field!"
"Dude! Count me in," Kiba shoveled in the rest of his food and started to search in his bag for a soccer ball.
I only had to give Gaara a look to know he was coming along.
"Might as well," he muttered.
I smiled. "You know you'll love it."
He smiled back—something he rarely did. "Yeah."
When I turned back around to ask Sakura and Ino to keep track of the time and score for us, I saw a pair of eyes looking right at me…
Sasuke's eyes, to be exact.
I don't even know why I assumed he was looking at me. He was probably staring at Sakura and Ino because they were both attractive girls and Sasuke was… straight (I think. Depends on the day). He would never even think to make eye contact with me anywhere outside the studio unless it was absolutely necessary.
So why in the world was he staring at me now?
"You coming?" Gaara asked. Lee and Kiba were already jogging up to the soccer field, hollering around and making a racket.
I forced myself to tear my gaze from Sasuke. No more mixed signals for me.
"Yeah," I smiled and forgot all about Sasuke's awkward staring. I didn't need to think about that when I had a game-winning strategy to plan out. "Let's go! You're on my team, obviously."
Gaara scoffed, "Only because you'd lose if I wasn't there to pick up for you."
"Oh Gaara, I really love it when you show your funny side."
+MAXED-OUT+
My favorite thing about school—besides the food and friends—would definitely have to be Music class; hands down, no other competition. I do okay with academics. My fitness is a lot better than everyone else when it comes to speed, endurance, and strength. But I'll always be overshadowed by that annoying, gorgeous… Uh… I mean… stupid, raven. Not in Music class, though. I shine when the last period comes around and our teacher acts us to perform a solo randomly during the day.
Today was Monday.
Monday was my lucky day in Music class.
"Ah, Naruto Uzumaki," Kurenai-sensei flashed me a smile and ushered me to the front. "You know the drill. Sing your heart out."
"You got it!" I practically skipped down the steps to the front of the class. All eyes were on me, and for the first time it was actually a good thing. It was like being on stage again and having the crowd constantly cheer and shout my name whenever I finish a solo or come out on stage. Sure, I'm sharing it with Sasuke, but I know I help carry our team to where it is now. Sasuke's voice was powerful but I had a range and you better believe I could fill it with notes that could shatter a soul.
"You'll be singing Fighting Young today." Kurenai-sensei pressed a few things on her laptop and a karaoke screen popped up on her Smart board. She leaned back on her chair with a smirk, "I expect an excellent performance."
"And you'll definitely get one."
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and got lost. It wasn't a bad kind of lost where I had no idea what I was doing, it was the sort of loss where I wiped out everyone from my mind, all the distractions, all the fears, and just focused on the music, my voice, and me.
I didn't even pay attention to the pair of onyx orbs digging into me.
Just open your mouth, Uzumaki…
The words tumbled out of me with a brutal force. I hit that high not like nobody's business, wrapping the room around my finger and sucking them in with the lyrics powered behind my strong, confident voice.
This world ain't big enough for the both of us
So get your weapons ready
This war ain't over yet
I won't let you tear me down
Girl, they say we're all too young
But I won't give up until I've won
I finished off strong. My voice reverberated against the walls, floated around the rooms, and struck a deep chord heavily in everyone's hearts. When I opened my eyes again it was to stunned silence. I didn't even try to suppress my smile.
Kurenai-sensei stood up slowly, clapping all the way. "Excellent performance, Uzumaki. Simply excellent. You've proven yourself well and have earned yourself bonus points for the day. Now please sit down and class can start."
I pretty much skipped to my seat after that, soaking up all the attention. I was a spotlight whore; I'm not going to lie. On my way to the very top of the aisle my eyes sort of locked with Sasuke's. It was only a few seconds but I swore I saw something close to approval in his eyes…
Yeah right, Uzumaki. Only when pigs fly would Sasuke Uchiha ever approve of you.
Fighting Young? Yeah, random lyrics I came up with... not the best but they'll work for now T^T
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, faved, and added this to their alerts! The pandas are currently weeping in their bamboo pagodas with joy.