-College AU-
Warnings: N/A
Rating: T
"Okay, now slowly press on the gas pedal," Sasuke instructed.
The car lurched forward suddenly, and he grimaced and gripped the door handle tighter.
"I said slowly," he repeated flatly.
"I'm sorry, I'm trying!" The pretty freshman beside him snapped, turning to give him a glare before taking a breath and leaning forward in the driver's seat.
How had Naruto swindled him into giving his crush lessons again? He continued to wonder to himself even as she pressed slower on the pedal, making the car start at a snail's pace through the parking lot.
Haruno Sakura was a first-year science major, hoping to build up her repertoire of classes to enter medical school... as well as one of his classmates. She was beautiful, she was smart, and she happened to be the most frustrating person he'd ever met.
Besides Naruto, of course... but the blond had been his friend so long that it was almost unfair to compare him to a girl he'd just met three weeks ago.
Sasuke let out a sigh through his nose. "You could go faster."
"Do you want me to crash us?" Sakura retorted. "Be quiet so I can concentrate."
The eighteen-year-old pressed his back further into the passenger seat, staring out the windshield as his classmate got used to the controls. The car jerked to a stop and started again several times as she tapped the brake pedal, eyes darting about the console and murmuring under her breath.
Really, how did he swindle me into giving her lessons? She's hopeless, he snidely thought to himself. Naruto's annoyingly bright grin entered his mind again, and so did his cheerful voice - "Hey dude, could you do me a solid and give Sakura-chan lessons? I told her you were the best teacher I knew. If you do, I'll tell Mom to make spaghetti again..."
Damn it, he knew he was weak for Kushina's cooking. Curse him for playing low-ball.
His thoughts were interrupted - and he blinked out of his trance - at the sight of a pole coming quicker than he thought. "Hey, watch-"
The front of the car smashed into the stop sign, making Sakura shriek and sending his forehead towards the console.
Sasuke groaned in pain as his face hit the glovebox, but he was quickly peeled back by shaking tanned hands and worried green eyes scanned his face.
"Holy shit, are you okay?" She fretted, patting and poking his cheeks and temples. "Your pupils aren't different sizes, so you may not have a concussion, but..."
"Sakura," he finally said, exasperated, and that got her to shut up for a few precious seconds. "I'm fine."
The girl's lips parted, as if to say something, before her eyes widened in fear as she whipped around to stare out the windshield, seeing the way the front of the car crumpled against the pole (which was now standing at an obvious angle). "Oh no, your car!"
"It's fine," he repeated, grunting as he waved it off. "I've got insurance."
"Still, I feel bad," she continued, and oh, here we go.
Sasuke sat with his eyes closed, trying to keep his patience in check as the nineteen-year-old began rambling in shock.
Sakura was pretty, she was smart... but she never shut up.
He let out another breath through his nose and opened his eyes, only to blink when she shoved her wallet in his face.
"Here," she insisted. "I'll help pay."
Sasuke blinked again, his brow furrowing in confusion. Ow, he grumbled mentally as an afterthought.
"Please," the pinkette insisted, giving him a serious look. "I'm serious. I'll chip in, it was my fault your car got damaged."
"I have insurance," he repeated, almost dumbfounded. "It's not gonna cost me an arm and a leg. More like two hundred dollars."
"Shut up and take my money already," she huffed. "I can give you half. Is half okay?"
Slowly, he placed a hand atop hers and lowered the wallet so that it wasn't blocking his vision. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that her cheeks pinkened with the touch, and her eyes followed their joined hands until they came to rest on the center console before darting back up to meet his.
His own gaze softened somewhat at the frazzled expression on her face. "Take it easy, Sakura. I can pay."
"I still feel bad for wrecking," she sighed, running her free hand through her mussed-up hair. "How about I take you to lunch instead?"
Sasuke wasn't sure what face he was making, but it must have been one of concern, because she rolled her eyes and snarked, "Don't worry, I'll take the bus."
