Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I also apologize for my grammar and spelling errors.
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Naruto ran. Ran out the class, ran down the hall, ran through the library door that luckily Shikamaru was holding open.
Naruto's mind was often confused. He knew he was scared and that there was something that caused it. He suspected it was the ghost, but it might have been the display of affection he had shown to Sasuke.
Unfortunately, for Naruto, his mind had checked out the moment he had 'seen' the ghost until the time he was being lifted up by Sasuke. Naruto suspected that Sasuke was pretty pissed off at him for grabbing onto him and was shoving him off as quickly as he could.
He found himself sitting among the rows of books sitting on the floor and holding his knees firmly against his chest.
Breath, just breath, in out in out. Good.
"Naruto." A quit voice sounded. "NARUTO" Naruto jumped to his feet knocking down a few books.
He looked over to Shikamaru and smiled.
"Have you heard there is something paranormal going on in the school?"
"Yeah?" Naruto looked at him questioningly.
"Don't be an idiot; actually don't think I'm an idiot. I know your whole class schedule; the incident was in your home room."
Naruto was lost for words. What do you say to a guy about there being a ghost? Not to mention that he really hoped that his actions toward Sasuke had gotten out. He hadn't really told any one about the other stud that had happened between them. And certainly not that he liked the guy. How would they react to the news? Lee would, well it was hard to predict what Lee would do. Gaara would do something frightful. Sure the daemon was out of him, but the guy was still a little unstable, especially when it came to Naruto.
Speaking of Gaara, wasn't he in that Chemistry class too? Ah crappy, he totally would have seen what happened. But Sasuke did just stand up and push Naruto away as far as Naruto was concerned. So Gaara couldn't be that mad.
Snap. Snap.
"Hello? Earth to Naruto?"
"Huh?"
"Naruto stop spacing out, we have a ghost on our hands, and last time I checked you are the slayer which means it's your job to get rid of it."
"NOOOOO WAY. I AM NOT DEALING WITH A GHOST. FORGET IT."
Naruto walked off pissed. At least he wasn't scared anymore.
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Sakura was mad. She finally got up when she felt the tug on her hair released. She took a moment to recover and then gazed up at her Sasuke. The poor thing had been assaulted by that grungy blond.
He was looking curiously at the front of the room. She glanced over. Nothing. She took a step towards Sasuke. His gaze seemed to be following something. She looked back a gain. Nothing.
She smiled and was about to ask him to take her to her next class when the most wonderful thing she had ever seen in her entire life happened. He, Sasuke, smiled. Just for her. He wasn't looking at her, he was looking at the door and started to move toward it, but she new that smile was for her.
She stood there in awe of it totally forgetting that she was in school and the loud noise ringing in her ears was not wedding bells, but marking her late to her next class.
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The school was all the buzz about a possible ghost. The teachers had gathered to the haunted room and took a look around. It seemed that the air conditioner had broken in the room causing a strong gust. A few papers flew through the room.
Most of the teachers unwilling to accept that there was a ghost, dismissed the idea readily enough and replaced it with something more reasonable.
The story went as such. The air conditioner broke making some kind of high pitch noise which sounded like a voice. Then the papers flew off of the teacher's desk. Some dumb student, probably Naruto, shouted about there being a ghost. Then the rest of the class panicked, knocking down books and chemicals as they ran from the room.
Mystery solved.
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The rest of the day was uneventful. No ghost incidents in other classes. The students had really hoped the air conditioning wasn't really to blame, but with out a second haunting it didn't seem to be a ghost after all.
Not that the ghost theory was dismissed, at least not by all the students, particularly one with bright blue eyes and blond hair. He knew better. He was there and knowing that there were such things as real monsters, a ghost seemed to be possible too.
Naruto changed from his gym cloths. He simply listened as everyone else changed. Kiba could easily be heard talking to Neji, "Dude, we're all going to camp out at the school tonight."
"You think the ghost will show up then?"
"Man you are so stupid sometimes, there is no such things as ghosts, but since all the girls are freaked out we're going to invite a bunch and then play pranks on them. When they freak out. Bam they jump into our protecting arms. It's going to be a blast."
"Kiba, you are brilliant. I have a few ideas. Darn. I just remembered I have to drag my cousin along to anything."
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Sasuke caught Neji as the boy left walking with him. "Make sure Naruto comes to your evening events."
"No way, that guy is a loser. Don't you even talk to your girlfriend?"
"Let me make this clear." Sasuke grabbed the Neji's wrist stopping them.
"Dude, owe that hurts." Neji whined.
Blood red eyes met the pale white ones. The swirling black mark mesmerized the victim. "Naruto comes."
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Gaara seemed displeased. For being a darker eye circle guy he was pretty chipper usually, especially around Naruto. However, at this moment the approaching blond was triggering his anger.
The two met in silence and filed into the library. They took their seats across from each other.
Naruto pulled out his book and started on him home work. About twenty minutes passed.
"So the great slayer needs protection from a ghost." A raspy voice shot across the table.
"There is no ghost, it was the air conditioner," Naruto defended himself.
"Doesn't matter, you're the one that said there was and jumped straight into that… duck haired freaks lap."
Had he made it all the way to his lap? No wonder he had been pushed off, Naruto thought.
"I was scared." Naruto said in a loud voice as he stood up.
Shikamaru dropped his book, "What?"
"Your supposed to take care of these things, not turn to some one else for protection." Gaara stood too.
"You're just jealous it wasn't you." Naruto slammed his hands into the table.
"WHAT?" Shikamaru couldn't believe his hears. There was definitely something going on, and if he used Occam's razor accepting the simplest solution. Then Naruto had wanted his protecting from Sasuke, meaning that Naruto liked Sasuke, and Gaara was jealous. But that made absolutely no sense since Naruto hated Sasuke, and Gaara well, okay he could see Gaara liking Naruto, but the first thing was way out of character for Naruto.
Just then Neji came in. Naruto glanced over and picked up his book, "I'm done for today." He passed Neji who stood in the doorway.
"Hinata."
The shy girl came out from among the book shelves.
"I'm not ready."
"Fine, I didn't come to get you. I have a lot of preparations for the school tonight, just stay hear I'll get you around ten."
"That's a long time to stay here Neji."
"Well, seeing as you need a baby sitter and I'll be here tonight that means you have to stay. Naruto be at the front doors at 7:00, bring those losers too if you want." He motioned to the others at the table.
Then he just turned and left.
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Shikamaru, being in a different gym class than Naruto hadn't over heard the plans for the night. He was curious as to what Neji was up to. Few people willingly stayed in the school long.
He turned to ask Hinita a question. Gone? He stood up and went to the bookshelves she has emerged from before.
"Hey there."
"Hi." She said in a really shy voice.
"So how long have you been here?"
"You didn't notice when I came in?"
"Oh, yeah, I did," Shikamaru lied. He was there when she entered? He knew that he had not seen her enter. He would not have missed such a thing.
"What are you studying?"
"What does it matter?"
"I'm just trying to talk."
"Well that's a first, how about you just go back to ignoring me, I had a bad day."
"Okay." Shikamaru walked away. He first noticed though that she was reading a self help book, How to make friends.
Hinita frowned as the boy walked away. She messed up again. She should not have been mad.
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Naruto waited for Iruka to finish his grading in the hall. He kept his gaze down as Gaara came out of the Library.
He wanted the guy to just pass him. He didn't. Gaara stopped right in front of Naruto's feet.
"Look, I was jealous your right, but it's okay if you like him."
"Don't be ridiculous. I don't like him."
"Yeah right. I saw. I saw before Sakura's party. You two were really getting on well until then. Are you two not fighting anymore because of me?"
"No, that's not it at all. I thought he liked me, I thought he liked me more than a friend." Gaara sat down next to Naruto. "But it was all a game, he's into Sakura."
"What do you mean game?"
"Gaara." Naruto finally looked at him, with a blush on his checks. "He ummm, well, he kinda…. Kissed me, and he was being nice, I think I fell for him, but now he's with Sakura. He was messing with me. They both were. I think they were planning on doing something really embarrassing to me at the party, but I figured it out before they could." Naruto's voice was full of sorrow.
"And I went totally A-wall on you."
"Yeah and that." Naruto smiled for a moment but glanced away, dropping the anything resembling a smile."
"Naruto, I'm sorry, I won't let them hurt you. You're going to get over him." Gaara put his arms around Naruto and pulled him in. Naruto accepted the act. He knew it was only in friendship.
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She was listening from around the corner. She knew some of the guys were going to play pranks tonight so she figured on setting up some of her own. She felt a little betrayed by her best friend, she wasn't in favor of her stealing the hottest guy on campus. Ino felt like she would make a much better match than Sakura for Sasuke. Sakura had been really guarded about the relationship. She told Ino of a lot of fabulous dates they had been on, and lots of gifts that he had given her. But why did they never want to do anything in groups? Then again she would want to keep Sasuke all to her self too.
This was interesting news though to over hear. Ino needed to use it to her advantage but how. There had to be some way she could use Naruto to break up Sakura and Sasuke.
Sasuke of course could not have been interested in Naruto. What a fool boy for falling for him.
But if she could get them together at just the right time or convince Sakura that Sasuke had feelings for Naruto, maybe she would feel hurt enough to break up with him. It was worth a try. It was the only plan she had.
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Seven o- clock.
Ten people stood outside: Kiba, Shikamaru, Gaara, Neji, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Ino, Temari, and Ten Ten. Why someone was named after a number twice no one could figure out.