SCHOOL DAZE II
still the previous day..
The first day of school transported Sakura to a time in her childhood when she was anxious to see who she had classes with and reunite with old friends. When she was excited to use new boxes of pens and freshly sharpened pencils and unused notebooks.
This, was not like that. Not at all.
The previous day had ended quietly, with Naruto and Sakura quiet and sullen at lunch despite Kurenai's attempts and nothing of interest happening afterwards or at dinner.
Sakura functioned like clockwork sometimes, she generally awoke at the same time regardless of what time she had gone to bed and she always checked outside as soon as she did. It was refreshing to open the window to morning dew and grass instead of car fumes and smoke. It helped slow her overexcited heart. It's just school, not a big deal. Everybody goes but nobody wants to. Just in and out, you're here to focus on your studies, get a grip.
The pep talk helped put things into perspective, straightening her back and shoulders, steady forest greens taking in the sight of the booming city. You got this she breathed.
OoOoO
"Naruto!"
"Naruto!"
"Damn, get up you lazy ass!" Pain assaulted his head and anger called him to sit up only to be hit straight in the face by something.
Rude, I don't even have my eyes opened.
"Geez, what!"
Powder blue eyes opened simmering with agitation and Yagura's happy face greeted him, smile and all. He spoke to him like he was a child,
"You're gonna be late, get your ass up now"
Angry eyes slid over to the alarm clock the red numbers screamed five minutes before the bus would arrive.
"Fuck!"
"Yup" Yagura said shoving papers into his bag in his own organized rush.
"Why didn't you wake me?"
"I thought you would on your own eventually" Pouting Naruto faced him, "how do I look?"
With a quick up and down he shrugged,
"Eh, honestly, I've seen better"
Rolling his eyes Naruto was hit in the face with one of Yagura's shirts, giving him a quizzical look Yagura shrugged,
"You don't have much time c'mon you look like a pretty princess"
"Well if you say so" he said with lightly colored humor and watched the way the scars on Yagura's cheek stretched. Naruto flew down the stairs on the railing in record time, scaring everyone in the process.
With children being ushered out the door it was surprising Naruto found himself outside waiting for the right bus, a couple of heads over baby pink came into focus before she was swept away with the current of busy bodies. He stood close by Yagura's side.
"Where'd you go last night?" Naruto asked, rocking with the bus ride.
"I was just visiting some friends, I told you I don't spend my nights often at the home"
"Oh" Yagura, in fact hadn't been at dinner and must've gotten in past the curfew but Naruto hadn't noticed because he had fallen asleep right on time. And I still woke up late, with the hectic morning he hadn't had time to think, just do. So sitting amongst the wild sea of students Naruto realized he was going to school.
For real this time.
Eh, whatever school wasn't important in Suna and it isn't now. What's the point anyway? The thought was his default, his impenetrable defense but now he wasn't sure, it felt different. Things were changing. His defenses weren't as unbeatable as he had once thought.
Fuck.
OoOoO
During the bus ride Sakura found herself pressed against the window with obnoxious grimy boys throwing paper planes and a frown crossed her face. Being pushed off the bus was less than pleasant but using common sense Sakura found herself in the right direction until someone tugged on her backpack. Her mood had been steadily deflating and she was ready to tell the person off, I'm not a pushover.
"Do you know where to go?"
It was Naruto looking confused and small compared to everyone else heading to their homerooms. At least we're in the same boat. Grabbing the reins of her anger she smoothed herself out and answered yes.
Then innocent purple eyes came out of nowhere and adjusting his backpack the boy exclaimed,
"I was calling you!"
"Oh? You were? I couldn't hear you."
Naruto smirked lightly and Yagura jerked on his earbuds harshly.
"Hey!"
Sakura soon found herself walking side by side with Yagura who was very friendly but it was quiet and awkward, just acquainted enough that they were able to make conversation but foreign enough that they didn't know how to start.
Naruto walked with ease, a slouch to his step and an 'I don't give a flying fuck' vibe. But the shiftiness of his eyes gave away his hesitance and for that Sakura felt somewhat smug. She could admit to being uncertain. It's not that Sakura didn't like Naruto it's that so far based on everything was could tell she wasn't going to like Naruto, they were too different, but she was above being petty for the sake of being petty.
"So...you excited?" he said scuffing his shoes against the polished tiles.
"Eh, kinda this place is nice...you?"
"Not really school blows especially homework besides the people look stuck up"
"Just wait till you see some of the stuff around here, I'll even give you the tour but you're not too far off about some of the people though" Yagura said off handedly.
Sakura hummed and caught deep blues staring at her.
"Are you giving us the tour?"
"I'm assuming" Yagura answered and Sakura couldn't help but stare at the faint scar on his clear cheek.
"Hello" a strong voice interrupted, catching her off guard.
The girl on first glance was everything that Sakura was not, she was blonde with icy blue eyes and in a purple dress. Just by the way she walked and flipped her hair she could tell she was popular. An unsettling feeling churned in her stomach.
"You two must be the new students, one of you is going to be shadowing me for the first couple of days." Yagura's expression became closed and slightly pissed off. The girls icy stare fixed itself on him and she smiled overbearingly sweet.
"You're supposed to check in at the main office first before we can give you the tour." Sakura would be blind to not see the tension between the two and clears her throat to try and dispel some of the intensity in the air.
It's only once they start moving that Naruto jumps up slightly, eyes alert. Yagura nudges him, "careful or not you'll have to wear a bib."
Dealing with technicalities with the secretary proved to be more time consuming than once thought. The girl managed to mostly stay to herself except for throwing in comments here and there.
"Sakuras a really pretty name"
"I like your hair, is it natural?"
Sakura seems flattered and flustered by her nice words and Yagura rolls his eyes a couple of times at her and stands quietly besides Naruto while he stares at the girl (who isn't oblivious) and tries hard not to hit the fool. The secretary's voice turns into a lull and it isn't until a couple of phonecalls later that Naruto snaps out of it long enough to realize they're leaving. They're in a hallway when she turns to face them.
"So officially welcome to Konoha High! Sorry I know all your names now but I haven't introduced myself yet! Names Ino Yamanaka" Ino is bubbly and bouncy and something about her makes Sakura gravitate towards her even though she's hesitant.
"So, where do you want to-"
"Maybe we should head in different directions" Ino cuts Yagura off and a fierce glint subtly overcomes the ice of her eyes.
"You can go where you want, but it's more effective if we don't go in a group." She smiles and spins on her heel and struts away. Sakura feels badly at Yagura's pissed off expression and Naruto's shocked one. She almost wanted to apologize, but she finds that Ino is gaining more distance and her feet move on their own.
OoOoO
Sakura walks besides Ino as she talks her ears off. She notices Ino's more interested in her than she expected scrutinizing her with her hawk eyes and being just as talkative as she is charming. She can't get the boys looks out her head, what's her problem. Sure she doesn't really have an aim towards befriending either of them but Sakura's principles drive her irritation.
"Why'd you tell them that?" she finally gets the courage to say.
Ino looks shocked for a second, doe eyes blinking anid mouth parted. Then she recovers and her face contorts and her voice takes a nasty tone.
"You should probably stay away from them, I'm not sure about that boy but if he's hanging around Yagura you should probably stay away"
"Why" Ino stops mid step and turns to face her, exasperated but Sakura can tell this girl lives off gossiping by her smile alone.
"You're not gonna let this go are you? Let's just say the people he hangs around aren't the best influences"
With that she turns and begins talking about the glory of the gymnasium and the pool out back.
OoOoO
"What was her problem?" Naruto says watching the confident sway of Ino's body and the self awareness of Sakuras. He would've whistled had he not been in an empty hallway. Yagura whacks him in the arms and rolls his eyes at him.
"Ino? It's simple; she's a bitch. She walks around like she should be carried on a pedestal and have her way paved with gold and diamonds"
Naruto blinks at him,
"You'll see what I'm talking about later. C'mon I'll show you the library" he says signaling him in the opposite direction, the faint click clacks of her heels echoing in the far distance.
Yagura shows Naruto the library and the librarian that lets him get away with almost anything. Her name is Sasame and she's older but real pretty. From there they go through the different wings and to the gym. They even pass Ino and Sakura through the courtyard, Sakura shifts her eyes to them but Ino doesn't pay them any mind. Instead, she prances through the courtyard to towards the cafeteria.
OoOoO
"-And there's the salad bar and over there is the vending machines" she glances at her wrist and smiles.
"The bells going to ring so wanna get lunch? You can sit with me and my friends. You're gonna love them they're super awesome and chill. We usually eat outside." Ino immediately guides them over to the salad bar and the bell rings shrilly through the empty space.
Almost instantly the room floods with busybodies and animated children.
"Like clockwork" Ino says close to her ear, catching Sakura by surprise. They move through the line quickly and Ino guides Sakura over to a big picnic table near the center of the courtyard surrounded by flowerbeds and shade.
"Come, sit" there's an eagerness to Ino's look and voice that makes Sakura slightly weary.
"So how was that test?"
"It was...I don't know, really. I'm hoping I did well on it."
Ino hums and munches on some carrots. Picking and playing with her food Ino looks at her and smirks, "it's really good, trust me. I don't usually eat cafeteria food." Shrugging she begins to eat, not realizing that the force of her hunger hadn't hit her till now.
It's when Sakura is eating her food that several trays plop down on the table and she looks up to meet several new faces all at once. Her cheeks burn red at the sight she must've given them, shoving food into her face.
Looking down at her are several faces, six to be exact and all with varying degrees of interest.
"Guys, meet Sakura Haruno. She's new"
Sakura finds herself being inspected inside and out from all the different people. There was the curious looking boy with a fuller face and bigger built, he has long light brown hair and darker eyes.
"That's Chouji Akimichi,...he's sensitive about his build" she leans in and whispers the last part.
Then there was the boy with scruffy dark brown hair and matching eyes who looked somewhat suspicious at her.
"That dog is Kiba Inuzuka" he smirks at her and it looks somewhat feral.
"See the summer hasn't made you any less of a bitch" she rolls her eyes at him and gestures her hand at a girl with big pearl like eyes and long dark hair. She shines away when they make eye contact but still manages a small smile.
"Hinata Hyuuga"
"Hello" they both say. Then there's the slouched boy with spiky tied up hair oozing disinterest and looking like he's half asleep.
"That lazy ass is Shikamaru Nara. Smartest kid you'll ever meet" he merely nods in greeting and lies his head down on the table.
The last two boys have dark features and pale skin, one is wearing sunglasses so Sakura can't see his eyes but the other has really dark eyes and a smile that can only be described as fake.
"And that is Shino Aburame and Sai."
Sakura looks around to everyone and feels like an ant under a microscope. Ino nudges her and she looks in the direction her blonde head is turned.
Sakuras mouth goes dry and she watches as more people walk out into the courtyard one a red headed girl, Karin and her two friends, the giant one and the smaller louder one. They're from the hospital. Karin walks right past her and doesn't even bat an eye but once they steal a bench on the very edge of the courtyard under a tree does she look around. When their eyes catch Sakura swallows and her eyes turn sharp but peel away after one of her friends catches his attention.
"Have you looked around yet?" Choji asks and Ino answers for them both because Sakura keeps finding her eyes migrating towards the group. The butterflies flutter and threaten to come out her throat, does he go here?
"Where'd you come from?" Ino asks and Sakura freezes.
"I was homeschooled" it's not exactly a lie.
"Why switch in now?" She asks and Sakura shrugs, "I was sick of the same thing everyday" once again not a lie. Ino smiles at her and Sakura still can't help but feel like she's trying to open her up and examine her through and through.
"So, do you like it here?" Hinata asks opening her lunch with careful fingers and snapping Sakura out of her dreams.
"...I'm not sure yet" she says honestly.
OoOoO
Naruto is impatient and food often drives his impatience but today he doesn't feel like waiting or wrestling with someone over a spot a line, too early to get sent to the principle's...yet.
So instead Naruto and Yagura take a look around the courtyard, briskly walking through it and what he sees makes him almost trip over his feet. It was them. Sitting in the far corner is that dude's-what's his name again?- friends and curiosity flashes across his face when they cross the courtyard. They give each other assessing looks as he walks by and then he spots Sakura watching them who's watching him.
Yagura drags him out through the courtyard into the other side of the school, up through the library and up a set of stairs with a door that has a card taped to keep the door unlocked. On the other side is the rooftop of the school and Yagura breathes in the clean air deeply.
"This is probably the best place in this school. Look come here."
As Naruto nears the edge he finds himself staring down the courtyard and everyone eating outside. They look closer than Naruto would've thought.
"Can they see us?"
"Oh course, they just don't bother to look up, they're a little too self involved"
"So uhh...who are they?"
"Who"
"Them"
"Oh, Ino's group? They're alright except for her. She's got a group of minions that basically do whatever she asks. She's seems to really have taken a thing for Sakura"
"Really? What about them?"
"That's Sasuke's friends, they're all assholes."
"Who's Sasuke?"
"Sasuke Uchiha is one cold hearted bastard. He pretty much has people throwing themselves at him left and right and he either doesn't care or uses them. Kinda messed up"
"Huh"
"Yup. Kid's got issues"
"Is he there?"
"No he's in the hospital for some kind of accident, should be out soon though." So it is him, Sasuke Uchiha.
Narro whistles and looks down to everyone with disinterest, he had forgotten how high school was.
"Did you and Sakura know each other before?" He asks and Naruto's eyes slide over to her. Ino appears to be gossiping to her and when Sakura's not looking at her she's looking at Sasuke's friends.
"No, why?"
Yagura shrugs and swings his legs over the ledge of the roof.
"I don't know you guys showed up at the same exact time, hasn't ever happened."
"Hm, well there's always a time for firsts" he says looking at and squinting at the sky. He feels Yagura staring at him,
"So what do you have next?"
"We have English next"
"Ugh. Great."
OoOoO
Yagura's English class was full and many of the kids in it Naruto had seen once before. There was Ino's group including Sakura and Sasuke's friends too, they all sit amongst each other and Yagura sits by the windows. The room was loud with the indistinguishable babble of conversations and Naruto wanted to take a nap. Instead he grabbed the book that was on Yagura's desk.
"What's this?"
"Well you see sometimes there are stories and people want a hard copy so they cut down trees and-"
"Haha you're funny. Romeo and Juliet?"
"Yea, spoiler, everyone dies."
"Thus with a kiss I die? Who talks like that"
"Exactly" Naruto tosses the book at Yagura's head who catches it with a deadpan look.
"Alright Children, it's time to start class, and I see we've got some new students. What are you names?"
The man is tan with a scar across his nose and a friendly face, his hair tied up and chocolatey brown.
"Sakura Haruno" she gives a friendly smile to Iruka who returns her a large one and she quickly sits down.
"And where are you from?"
"Konoha, I was homeschooled" Naruto almost raises an eyebrow but then again saying about their previous situation wouldn't be smart.
"Tell us about yourself"
"Uh...this is my natural hair color, red is my favorite color and I've never broken a bone"
"Alright thank you, take a seat. I hope you're in my class Sakura" he says and she blushes but smiles anyway.
"And you?"
Naruto almost sighs and says 'no thanks' but Yagura nudges him and he looks around to everyone.
"Naruto Uzumaki. I came from Suna, I like orange, ramen is the best and I have broken many bones."
Iruka looks amused at him and gestures for him to sit.
"Alright welcome both I hope Yagura and Ino both show you are alright, I am Mr. Umino. So now it's time to get started. You were instructed to finish the last couple of chapters for the story...So what are your thoughts?" There a second before the class goes into an uproar of their dislike and he gestures for everyone to calm down.
"Alright alright some of you liked the book more than others. What would you say...was their greatest flaw?" Mr. Umino walks about with a book in his hand and smacks it on the table when he notices Naruto is drifting off.
"Now, Naruto surely Romeo and Juliet is more important than a nap, have you read the story, any thoughts?"
Naruto yawns and stretches back in his chair.
"Eh, if you get married in three days and claim you're already 'in love' I figure you've got it coming"
Yagura looks curiously at him, "it's one of the books I actually read in school" and Mr. Umino ponders this.
"Fair enough. Anybody else, want to answer my question? Kiba?"
"...uhhhh, they're in love?"
"Nope"
"Suigestu?"
"They're dumb?"
"Nope"
"They're naïve" Sakura says to herself and Mr. Umino points at her, "yes, very good Sakura."
The rest of the class Mr. Umino does nothing but talk about the symbolism right until the bell rings and normally Naruto would've been snoring but Mr. Umino is actually a good teacher unlike his others in Suna and he actually finds himself interested.
"Naruto, Sakura could I talk to you after class"
They both look at each other and approach his desk.
"If you want I can stick in a good word for you guys if you wanna take this course, but that's only if you want to, okay?" They both nod in agreement and he clears his throat.
"Are you liking Konoha High?
"Its an ok place" Naruto says and Sakura merely shrugs.
"It makes sense that you were homeschooled, that's why I saw you so often in the park"
"It gave me more freedom but it was lonely" she can feel the heat of Naruto's eyes.
"We're all those dogs yours?"
"No, they belong to the police, my husband is an officer"
"Husband?" Naruto says and Iruka raises an eyebrow at him.
"Sorry, you just surprised me" he says sheepishly.
"Thanks again" she says and he smiles.
"See you tomorrow, if you two are struggling or need help I'm here" he says and once they leave they find Yagura and Ino waiting in the hall, Naruto finds it odd he would say such a thing and looks to Sakura but she darts past them all and Ino struggles to catch up with her.
"Wait up!" She says exasperated and Naruto merely blinks at Yagura.
"What was that?" Yagura asks
"I'm not really sure" he says.