Author's Note: I actually hate this chapter, but oh well. I've hit a patch of writer's block, so I hope it's not too terrible. Updates will probably slow down after this weekend since school and work has really started to stress me out, I would love to write in class, but I can't because I'm in Cosmetology. Nonetheless I hope you guys won't lose interest. As always thanks for reading!
"What's with that stupid grin Naruto?" My close friend Kiba asked, a mischievous smirk on his face as he asked the question.
"He always looks like that," Shikamaru commented from the other side of the room, not bothering to look up from his homework. Kiba laughed loudly at the remark and then turned back to me, punching me lightly on the shoulder.
"Nah but seriously dude, why are you so happy? Meet any fine ladies lately?" he questioned, waggling his eyebrows at me crudely. I ignored him, picking up my Xbox controller and looking over at Shikamaru.
"Hey Shika, mind if we play some zombies, or would it be too distracting?" I asked earnestly, wanting to be considerate of my friend who was doing exactly what Kiba and I should have been doing. But it was Friday night, and as Shikamaru would say, homework was a drag.
"Go ahead," he said, closing his Philosophy book and stretching. "I'm going to go see Temari anyways. You two coming to Ino's later?" he asked on his way out.
I nodded in acknowledgement, before handing the other controller to an overeager Kiba. "I'm gonna destroy you kit," he said, grabbing it from my hands rudely.
"In your dreams dog breath."
We played COD for a while, with a lot of shouting, laughing, and profanities leaving our mouths, until Kiba died for the 3rd time and he threw down the controller in frustration. I laughed at his antics, but shut up when he turned to me, a serious look adorning his normally playful face.
"So dude really what's up?" he asked.
"I don't know what you mean," I said vaguely, shutting off the game console and getting up to put everything away. I had a pretty decent idea of what he was asking about though. Our whole group of friends was talking about my fight with Sakura, but neither of us would admit what it was about. At least she had that much decency.
"I just thought you'd be upset bro," Kiba said, running a hand through his unruly brown locks a confused frown on his face.
"Why would I be upset?" I asked playing dumb, jumping back onto my bed next to him.
"Well, Hinata told me that Ino told her, that Sakura said you and her weren't friends anymore, so I just figured you'd be like ya know, sad or something," he replied shrugging.
"What a mouthful," I said, pointedly ignoring his question.
"So is it true or not?" Kiba persisted, that idiot never knew when to quit. I rolled my eyes and turned on the TV.
"Yeah we got into a fight a few weeks ago, no biggie, I don't know if I really want to be her friend anymore anyways." I shrugged, flipping through the channels, and ignoring his wide eyes on me. He grabbed the remote from my hand, effectively gaining my attention.
"What do you mean? Aren't you like in love with her? What did you even fight about?" he interrogated not yet done with the conversation. He held the remote above his head, while holding me down with his free hand.
"I thought I was, until she showed me her true colors," I grimaced at the memory, finally ripping the remote away from him. "Our fight was over something stupid, but whatever."
Appeased with my explanation he relented, shifting on my bed to get comfortable before turning his attention back to the TV, no longer interested in my drama with Sakura.
"So how are you and Hinata?" I asked, changing the subject to a more comfortable one. Kiba had spent hours on end gushing to me about how much he liked Hinata, it was a pretty girly thing to, but it didn't bother me. I liked listening to my friends talk about their love lives, since I didn't have one, not that Kiba was in a much better situation. I saw the thread connecting the pair ages ago, but I figured it would be more interesting (entertaining) to see Kiba struggle, I mean get the girl, for himself. Rather than intervening myself. Besides I never bothered telling Kiba about my sight, he had a big mouth.
"Peachy," he replied sarcastically, his brown eyes glued to the screen.
"That bad?" I asked, looking over at him with a sympathetic expression. As much as I wanted to see Kiba get her on his own, I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen without some sort of help. Kiba took his idiocy to another level in front of Hinata, and Hinata, well she was horrendously shy.
"She doesn't even know I exist," he said, puffing up his cheeks angrily.
"Sure she does," I insisted, patting his back lightly. Keeping the comment about him making a fool of himself in front of her to myself.
"Whatever dude, don't get all gay on me," he said, pushing me away and jumping off my bed. He put on his shoes, oblivious to the visible tensing of my body at the remark, I chose not to comment on it, instead settling for, "C'mon we're late for Ino's party."
I walked into Ino's lush apartment with a sigh. I wasn't really in the mood to party, especially not when I figured Sakura would be there, but I came regardless, knowing that I would have to explain my reasoning to Kiba if I didn't go. And I had just convinced him of how 'fine' I was.
With Sakura nowhere in sight, I made a short greeting to Ino and Sai before heading straight for the kitchen to make a drink. I was immediately met with the stomach churning sight of a familiar black head of hair, and the daunting silvery thread upon entering. I groaned internally, Sasuke was the last person I expected to see. I walked over to the counter that was lined with plastic cups and different bottles of liquor, but changed my mind and opted for a Bud Light instead.
"Why am I not surprised that you like trashy beer?" A baritone voice rumbled from behind me. I ignored the hair on my arm that stood up at the melodious sound, and turned around to glare at the bastard who made the comment.
"And what are you drinking? Vodka lemonade?" I retorted, closing the ice chest that was holding all of the beer. Sasuke smirked, but didn't dispute my comment. Instead leaning up against the counter adjacent to where I was standing in the cramped kitchen.
"So now I'm convinced you are stalking me," Sasuke said indifferently, the smug smirk still firmly in place on his perfect face. It was really unfair to be that attractive.
"Me?" I asked, putting a hand on my chest feigning hurt. "This isn't a library, not really your scene if I recall correctly," I added, scratching the back of my neck absentmindedly. He glared at me before chugging the rest of what I presumed was in fact a vodka lemonade. He set the cup on the counter and grabbed a beer, before brushing passed me and heading into the living room without a parting word. So touchy, that one.
I tried to ignore Sasuke as the night progressed. Which to my dismay, proved to be an extremely difficult feat. It was a little bit hard not to stare at your supposed soulmate when they were none the wiser, and only a few feet away from you. I had been avoiding him since the last time we talked. The fixation I had on him was so unsettling. Not that it was hard to steer clear of him actually, I rarely saw him anyways.
I couldn't stop thinking about him, much to my displeasure. I spent most of my time trying to decide how to tell him we were destined to be together, if I even should. Going over about a million different scenarios in my head on how it would play out, all ending horribly. I didn't think I would actually go through with any of them. It's not like he would believe me anyways.
I reclined on Ino's couch lazily, draping my arm over the top and sipping my beer silently while I observed everyone in the room. This party was boring as hell, but I had a decent buzz going off of free beer so who was I to complain?
"Let's play truth or dare!" Ino exclaimed suddenly, grabbing everyone in the living room's attention.
"That's so childish," Kiba whined, throwing himself down onto the couch next to me. I rolled my eyes, it was, but I didn't see anyone else coming up with any better ideas. Ino pouted when no one agreed and I sighed.
"What about Never Have I Ever?" I offered, not wanting to see her pout for much longer, and also wanting to play a drinking game. She perked at the suggestion, and when no one protested, she ordered everyone to grab a drink and sit in the living room.
"You all know how to play right?" Ino asked, sipping her margarita like it was fine wine.
"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissively, waving a hand at her. She nodded and looked to Sai who was surprisingly quiet.
"You start," she said pointing to her boyfriend.
"Never have I ever…kissed a boy," he said easily, shrugging when all of the girls groaned. I noticed that Sasuke didn't take a drink from his cup, and it made me lose hope; hope I wasn't even sure why I had in the first place. But maybe he was straight. Or asexual. Shit. Fuck fate.
"My turn," Ino sing songed after taking a large gulp from her drink. "Never have I ever kissed a girl," she countered, narrowing her eyes playfully at Sai, he laughed and took a drink, as did most of the other guys in the room, plus a few girls. I stared at my beer in embarrassment, I had never kissed anyone before.
"Naruto you're a liar," Kiba accused from beside me, and I looked up and narrowed my eyes at him. Silently willing him to shut up. It was all in vain as I felt everyone's eyes on us while he continued, "You didn't drink either time," he added stupidly. I resisted the urge to punch him.
"You haven't had your first kiss yet?" Ino shrieked, jumping over to sit in my lap, she was very drunk. I shook my head slowly, feeling my cheeks burn at the fact that I had been outed in front of a room full of people. Truth be told I hadn't done much, but really, why date when you knew that it wasn't going to last anyways?
Sai came over and collected his girlfriend, while the room buzzed with conversations. No longer interested in my lack of a love life, the game eventually continued. I excused myself quietly, wondering why I had even suggested the stupid game in the first place. I sighed, settling for sitting out on their balcony by myself, I was over the party anyhow.
The sliding glass door opened after a moment and I turned to see Sasuke walk out to join me. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he kept his face stoic whilst taking the seat next to me. We sat in silence for a while, mainly because I had nothing to say, and Sasuke wasn't much of a conversationalist.
"Only an idiot like you would pick to play a game that he would lose," Sasuke voiced randomly. I looked over at him stunned, but then narrowed my eyes at him.
"Is it really losing if I'm not getting drunk?" I challenged, taking a swig from my beer. I almost choked when I heard a small chuckle come from his mouth, he must have been buzzed, but in spite of that it was still the most beautiful sound I had ever heard in my life.
He shook his head, still slightly amused by my comment and held up his beer, pointing at me with it before saying, "Touché."
"So you really haven't had your first kiss yet?" he asked as an afterthought, looking over at me curiously.
I nodded, the irony of telling my soulmate that I was a sad, lonely, virgin was not lost on me as I gave him an explanation that he didn't ask for, "I haven't dated anyone before, or had sex, and I just don't really see a point in dating if I know it's not going to last." I shrugged, leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic chair. I waited for him to chide me for being a cynic, since that's how most people reacted when I told them my reasoning for staying single, but it never came. He just stared at me in wonderment for a minute, but before he could respond we were interrupted.
"Oi Naruto, time to go," I heard Kiba's voice call. I stood to leave, grabbing the empty can to dispose of on the way out. I looked back over at Sasuke who was busily lighting a cigarette. I gave him a curt wave, and then opened the door to walk back into Ino's house.
"See you around," I heard Sasuke say before I closed the sliding glass door. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the thought of seeing Sasuke again, but I was flushed and I couldn't help the huge grin that was plastered to my face as we left the party.
