Chapter Three

Sasuke Equals Confusing

《 Boys are confusing, I don't know why they call it Mars and Venus. I mean, Venus and Mars have at least one thing in common, they're both planets. It's more like Mars and a bowl of soup.》

(Kushina's P.O.V.)

Uchiha Sasuke has major issues here, I'm not even joking. He keeps dragging me from one class to the next, not stopping to check my schedule or speak a word to me. He just drops me off and disappears if we don't have the same class, and I'm forced to act like I know where I am when in all ways I don't. Only after the teacher starts do I understand that it is in fact my class. He couldn't have memorized my entire week in school, could he? And you know what the main, super huge issue is? He's always there, in front of my class' door, waiting for me. Like doesn't he have classes? What the heck is up with that? My wrist has literally turned a darker shade than the rest of my skin, I'm not even joking here. And, if I try to prolong it, coming out of class, thinking he'd get bored or consider his punctuality, he still waits for me and drags me even faster. Mental issues? Right?

Darn. The stupid bell rang. I groaned miserably, and I guess the irony of it caused a few classmates to stare weirdly at me. I frowned as I gathered my stuff, when I got an idea. Oh my god why didn't I think of this before! Stupid, stupid.

I collected my stuff as quickly as I could and rushed out like a maniac (yes, the teacher mumbled something like that. The embarrassment!), smiling triumphantly when Sasuke still wasn't here. As if sensing it, he appeared from a turned corner, running, then leaned near the wall of my class like he usually did and composed himself. Ahh so he ran? Interrogation worthy stuff.

"Sasuke!" He looked startled as I approached him, narrowing his eyes into slits when I got to him and stood in front of him.

"You skipped class." It was more of a question than a statement. He looked like he'd chew me out if I didn't say otherwise, which offended me to no end.

"Even if I did, what would you have done?"

He glared for a second, what I assume he realized there was nothing he could do about it, then grabbed my wrist.

"Sasuke!" I shrieked trying to pull away from him, while he ignored me and started to walk (more like fast walk, sprinting presumably). I put some pep into my step in order to keep up, when I recalled something.

"Sasu-cakes!" I bumped into his back when he froze in his place. "I need to speak to you during lunch." No, can't order him. "If you're free I mean," I added quickly. He looked at me from his shoulder and then proceeded to drag me, again. Sigh.

When we reached biology and I sat down (him next to me) he leaned in and whispered softly.

"Meet me outside."

"You'll get cavities." His nose crinkled when he saw me eating a Mars bar. He leaned on the tree which I was sitting under, folding his arms and closed his eyes.

"All the cavities in the world are worth chocolate." I huffed.

"Hn."

"Translation: you're right Kushina you smart, smart girl."

He scoffed. "What did you want?"

"Apart from more chocolate? Nothing much actually-"

"I mean from me." Sasuke looked impatient, though I could see something else. Anticipation? Expectations?

"Why do you keep dragging me around? I saw you running to get there before I came out, don't you care if you're late? What the hell do you want from me?"

He opened his eyes and they bore into mine. I noticed an unfamiliar emotion linger in his eyes a bit before disappearing completely. With his detached expression back in place, he pushed himself off the tree and walked away, not before stating one thing.

"Hn. You talk too much."

I didn't bother to call him back, to ask why he was in a rush or to ponder on what he meant, because I wasn't his friend. He didn't necessarily mean anything to me, therefore I didn't care. Taking out a notebook and a pencil from my bag, I drew a rough sketch quickly, only pausing to check if I miscalculated anything. I lifted it up in the air proudly, loving how I remembered most of the locations. With this map I drew, I wouldn't need Sasuke anymore. He could act, or whatever he was doing for that matter, and leave me out of it. Was I being harsh... No. I'm not being harsh. He caused it upon himself.

I walked out of school alone for the first time in three weeks, tired and in dire need of a shower. Sasuke may not have been affected by our 'conversation' at lunch, oh, but I was. And yes, I avoided him so much, to the extent where I didn't see him for the rest of the day. I kept singing Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson and moon-walking to class (now most of our grade think I'm nuts), replacing Annie with Sasuke like- Sasuke, are you okay? And- you've been hit by, a crescendo Sasuke. Really, I blame all of this on blondes. Why? I don't know. Maybe Naruto and Ino are rubbing off on me? Whatever.

"Hey Kushina."

"Oh my god!" I steady myself before I fell down flat on my face. Talk about the devil and she appears.

"Damn it Ino!"

She waved fervently. "There's a girlmergency here!"

"Girl- what? Are you high?"

"I will be, after the fabosh sleepover at Hinata's house on Friday!"

"Huh- ?"

"And we're gonna do facials, Mani-pedis, play truth and dare and all that good stuff and -"

"Slow the heck down Ino. A sleepover? Why?"

She gasped like I just did something jail-worthy.

"We haven't done anything for your amazing comeback, so what's better than catching up with a sleepover?"

"Uh, I came back after junior year, and we celebrated at Pizza Hut."

"That's not the point. Did we do anything fun and daring huh?" She put her hands on her hips.

"You dumped a mojito into a guy's pants!"

Ino laughed and dried an imaginary tear. "Ah, good times."

"So?"

"Stop being a party popper and come on! It'll be fun, just the four of us and a huge house."

"Hey, I'm always down for a gathering, we just need to figure out the arrangements." We started walking to Ino's car, animatedly talking about the sleepover and how Hinata's family would be away.

"I'll drive you home." Ino offered.

"Let's go!"

Meanwhile...

When Ino got a yes out of Kushina for the prearranged sleepover and they started to walk away, a nearby bush rustled and it's occupant began grinning like a winner. He bolted out of the bush as soon as the two girls had driven off and texted his friends to meet him at a specific park pronto.

"There is something very important that is going to go down on Friday." Kiba stated with all the smugness in the world. He spoke to his bored, annoyed and excited friends.

"If this is about a party..." Shikamaru warned yawning.

Sasuke just stared.

"Ohhhh what's gonna happen! Tell me!" Naruto grinned.

"No, it's much better than a party. The girl's are having a sleepover at Hinata's!"

Shikamaru face-palmed, Sasuke glared and Naruto bumped fists with Kiba impressed.

"Why are we even friends?"

"What don't you understand about hot girls, plus cute pj's, plus pillow fights? Does that not sound heavenly to you?"

"How did you find out anyways?" Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck.

"I was spying on Ino and Kushina after school." Kiba stated with a wolfish grin, while Shikamaru noticed Sasuke's eyes light up when he heard their names, then quickly resume his blank expression. He raised an eyebrow.

"They wouldn't let us join them..." Naruto's shoulders slumped, his fantasies broken.

"We don't have to join them, now would we?" Kiba wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, and high-fives Naruto.

"No." Sasuke shot down firmly.

"But-" Naruto wailed.

"It won't work."

"Don't be a teme, teme."

"Hn."

"Just imagine her, in those cotton shorts that show off -"

"Fine."

Kiba looked confused at them, wondering who was the unlucky girl who grabbed the young Uchiha's attention. Whatever, it doesn't matter, he thought, I can move on to the next three.

"How are we going to get in?" Shikamaru had his own fantasies, but didn't (and won't) admit it.

"Neji's college starts next week, so he'll be at Hinata's house."

"Eh? Neji?"

"Stop yelling you idiot! We'll wing it from there."

This plan had so many holes in it, it was near impossible. But that was what persuaded the four of them to do it.

Friday

"Look what I got!" Ino squealed, when the other three girls pause to look at her. Hinata was fixing her room, moving away all valuable stuff that might get broken (sleepovers are always unpredictable), Sakura was arranging the variety of chips and drinks she got and Kushina was checking the movies. The latter of the three sprinted towards the blonde, who was carrying the biggest Nutella jar she'd seen in her entire life. It reached her knees for crying out loud.

"How?" Was the only thing that came out of her mouth, as she helped Ino set it in the middle of the room and unscrewed the lid in disbelief.

"My dad got it from a friend, and I can't eat this by myself."

Kushina looked teary-eyed as she put her hand on Ino's shoulder and nodded. "I will never doubt you ever again."

"Did someone say Tenten!" Tenten bursted inside with a duffel bag on her shoulder, her arms stretched out. Many 'girl hugs' and questions later, it turned into a five girl sleepover. She had come from college and was free for the weekend, deciding to crash with Neji, that was before she heard of this sleepover.

"So Neji's here?" Sakura questioned, appalled.

"Yeah, but he won't bother us one bit. Oh hell, is that all actually Nutella?" She bent down to the jar and sighed dreamily as the smell of cocoa and hazelnut wafted into her nostrils.

"I'm going to go get some spoons!" Kushina offered.

"I'll go with you!"

"It should be in the middle drawer on the left," Hinata said as she fluffed out the blankets, an encouraging smile on her face. "Call me if you don't find it."

Kushina and Tenten headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Spoons...spoons...ah-ha! No wait, sorry. Spoons...spoons..."

"This is why I don't do big houses." Kushina pulled out her hair tie and let her long hair fall past her waist as she leaned on the island. "There's like ten middle drawers, and who knows if she meant her left or our left...I suggest you pull them all."

Tenten hummed as she glanced at her. "It suits you girl, though it looks time consuming."

"You don't know how much I miss having short hair." She poked some chimes that hung above the counter absent-mindedly. "Do you need any help?"

"Ino would burn you if you tried cutting it. Sakura would add gasoline, and Hinata would laugh maniacally."

"You see what I live with here!" She groaned exasperated. "I should just run away or something."

"Yes! Spoons!" Tenten laughed.

"Then let's rock and roll!"

They heard a thud nearby and almost immediately moved closer to each other.

"It--it must be Neji, right?"

"Yeah, or they're playing a cruel trick on us..."

"Let's go investigate."

"Wait!" Kushina grabbed a spatula and moved in front of Tenten, claiming to have a better weapon. The duo jumped around the counter and was face to face with-

Nothing.

"I am not going deaf." The brunette shook her head.

"Yeah, right? Let's just go."

They jogged upstairs and disappeared round a corner. What the hell are you doing with a spatula? Was the highlight of this short journey.

Sasuke panted, blushing terribly as he tried to calm himself down. He was dispatched from Neji's room with the mission to find out who went downstairs and why, well, that was before his eyes landed on a small girl with long red hair in blue Nike shorts and a Cookie Monster t-shirt. His mind went unnecessarily blank then, mouth dry and agape, he moved to get a closer look when he slipped (on his own two feet even) and had barely managed to escape. Now he stood near the kitchen door trying to compose himself and get rid of any obvious signs before quietly going to Neji's room.