I am so, so sorry that it took me so long to update. I haven't worked on anything for weeks, because over break I got swamped and I have family stuff, my grandpa's in the hospital, and midterms are coming up and I have to do projects while studying for midterms--
In other news, Naruto's back at school. Yay!
Disclaimer: I would kill myself if I owned Sakura. Eeeww.
Chapter 9: When one is a misfit.
Sakura was having an extremely good time as she sat at her desk and smoothed down her already-wrinkle-free skirt. It was almost sickening; a pink princess should never feel so self-satisfied.
Well, why not? I deserve it. Everyone will thank me. Especially Sasuke.
With a slight smile gracing her lips, Sakurapatted at her skirt one last time. Of course, her little...plan wasn't ready to be put into action yet, oh -no- not- yet, but the basis was laid out. Good plans always had a solid basis, whether they were intricate or simple. Sakura's plan was perfectly in the middle. Perfectly perfect. When she told everyone, that Naruto would be so embarrassed that her would probably run away to the sewers where he belonged. And everyone would hate him and be glad that he was down there.
A black flicker moved in the corner of Sakura's eye. Sasuke slunk into the room, one hand holding onto his bag and the other pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. He seemed to do that a lot, but it was only endearing him to the girls populating the classroom even more. Slowly, like he was stiff, Sasuke made his way to his desk and painstakingly set his book bag on the flat top before sitting down. Reluctantly he began organizing his books for the first class neatly on his desk, at perfect 90 degree angles.
From a few desks over, Sakura smiled discreetly. She wouldn't go to him today; one couldn't get the man she wanted by smothering him. But she would make sure in many small ways that he wouldn't forget about her.
When he looked inside his desk, Sasuke frowned. This wasn't the way it looked when he left on Friday; something was out of place. Paper, notebooks, text...a pencil? Sasuke never left pencils in his desk. They were all kept in a pocket of his backpack.
It must have been put there by the janitors over the weekend. Though, most would have just thrown the pencil away, it was the just ordinary kind, the kind that you sharpened, but it was...pink, with cutesy little flower blossoms chibi characters decorating it. Not particularly expensive, and if you got one, you picked up about twenty others, since they came in packs.
...Did his desk look like a girl's desk? Sasuke didn't think so, he imagined that his desk looked a little austere, only containing the essentials and completely void of bright colors.
Except...that pencil. Sasuke picked it up with two fingers, like it was poisonous, and squinted at it. This pencil...it reminded him...of something...no, someone. Who...?
Why the hell was he stressing himself over a damn pencil!
"Heya, Sasu-chan! Nice pencil you got there!"
Well, at least now he had a reason to.
-
Naruto groggily pulled himself out of Iruka's car. Sarutobi and his foster brother had kept at it all day, so he had stayed out with Konohamaru and Neji. It was really tiring, pulling a screaming twelve year old off of your friends every half hour. And he still didn't know why Konohamaru had kept doing it!
Li-ar. YOU KNOW. YOU Know that you KNOW. Why don't you just admit it to yourself?
People love you or hate you. Or love you while they hate you. That hurt, didn't it?
I'm so sorry that it did, but it's the truth. The painful, scarring truth.
So deal with it. It's wayeasier in the long run.
Naruto shook his head violently from side to side. Stupid...
The colors were spinning. They were completely clear, brash, bold, hard-lined, not smooth and gentle like they should be. In the deserted first stairwell, he stopped to lean against a wall. It was quite lucky that he came this way all the time, so he didn't have to deal with stopping up the flow of the halls.
Today was one of those days. His head was pounding, his eyes ached, and Iruka wouldn't let him stay home from school because he didn't have a fever.
Without heaving a sigh, Naruto continued up the stairs. Urrh. When he ruled the world, he would make stairs obsolete. Everyone would travel by escalator going up and by waterslide going down. Except in the winter. They would have down escalators in the winter.
Uunn. His inner thighs really hurt, too. Well, not hurt, precisely, but he definitely felt a twinge whenever he moved. And he remembered, last night, when he was sleeping, he had flung himself down upon thecomfortably broken mattressin an attempt to get comfortable. Which had hurt his aching muscles quite a bit.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with sounding so girly. Right?
Right.
This whole stairs thing was starting to bother him, though. Naruto was absurdly happy when he reached the top.
His happiness didn't last long, when he had to heave open the heavy metal doors. He nearly fell down when they finally swung open. A few of Sakura's cronies looked at him strangely, for they knew that their leader didn't like the blonde boy, but most of the hallway crew ignored him.
Naruto shouldered his bag and made his way to his first period class. Not his first choice of things to do (his first would be GOING HOME) but his best prospect by far, considering his condition.
Meticulously, Naruto weeded his way around the hall to his classroom. As soon as he walked in the door...he saw something that brightened up his day.
Pink.
"Heya, Sasu-chan! Nice pencil you got there!"
Immediately, Naruto was very aware of several people glaring at him. Foremost was Sasuke, being the victim of his super-uber-cute nickname.
"...Naruto..." Sasuke eyed the blondie sternly.
Naruto stiffened (painfully, of course) and blinked sheepishly. "Baaah!"
Bad, bad pun, you loser.
Baaaaaah-d. My ass.
My super cute ass, indeed.
Your's too, of course.
Sasuke took to proffered distraction and eyed Naruto quizzically. Refusing to meet his gaze, Naruto looked everywhere and at everyone in the room. Sakura was glaring at him. Why was she glaring at him? And why was Neji glaring at Sasuke? And Kiba too? Sasuke's skin must be peeling off from the heat. For that matter, so was Naruto's.
Sakura didn't seem to really like him-
Heh, yeah right, like someone would like YOU.
YOU don't even like you, why would she?
All the others hated you too for your pretty face.
That was why they wanted you, too.
That was the way it began, at least, you WHORE.
You're lucky I'll even accept used trash like you.
Naruto's eyes teared up. He made sure he didn't blink, so that they wouldn't wash down his cheeks. The tears, that is. He wondered what it would be like for his eyes to melt out of their sockets and stream down his face and the front of his shirt. Would it burn? Or would he feel a cooling sensation?
Steadily, he made his way to his seat and hoped that no one would notice.
I didn't mean it! Ididntdidntdidntdidnt! Sorry! Don't cry, just don't!
I won't say it again!
I really am as mean as they are, aren't I?
But I'll be different, because I know and I'm sorry, ok? You understand, don't you?
I'm just crazy. Psycho. Cocain crazy!
Naruto sat down in his seat and ducked his head. He was still crying, but he was smiling, too.
I said stop it! STOP PLEASE STOP! IT IT IT IT IT IT IT!
But he didn't. They kept on falling, making hot wet spots on the desktop.
I'm crying because I'm happy. You won't leave me, will you?
No matter what.
Sasuke looked on from the sidelines. It was so sudden, that he had started acting like that. Had something happened after he left his apartment? Or, good god no, at his home?
Maybe something had happened at school. Maybe Iruka was sick. Maybe a family member had died.
Oh, Naruto, don't cry!
From across the room, Neji's glare intesified. What had Sasuke done! What did he do to make Naruto cry! How dare he!
I hate him. I want to kill him. For having such an opportunity and squandering it. Doesn't he know people would kill to be in his position? I know I would.
Kiba eyed Sasuke distastefully. He didn't really know Naruto, but he could still sympathize. No one deserved to be embarrassed like that. No one wanted to cry in front of everyone.
Besides, Kiba couldn't stand people who picked on people that he respected. And Kiba respected Naruto. He wanted to protect him, shield him from those rumors circulating behind his back. Where they came from, Kiba didn't know, but they were unnecessarily cruel. Sick.
When Shikamaru entered, sluggishly as usual, no one looked away from their targets. Shikamaru wasn't surprised by the fact that most people were ignoring him, but he was mildly floored by the vehemence dripping from every molecule of air in the room. It wasn't often that people got so ferocious; the last time he had observed a scene like this, Ino and Sakura had been in a catfight.
Soon, his IQ kicked in and forced him to notice who the people were glaring at, and why. The majority of people seemed to be glaring at Sasuke; a small portion of the girls were pegging Naruto.
But the most people seemed to be glaring at Sasuke. And that gave Shikamaru a gut feeling that everything that had transpired in the time Naruto had arrived til now was Sasuke's fault.
Or the gut feeling might have come from Shikamaru's recent loathing of Sasuke. Either way, he decided that it was time to join in the glaring fun. So that he wouldn't strain his neck, Shikamaru turned his chair so that he was facing the Uchiha. And settled in for a good, long, stare.
Sasuke looked out the corner of his eyes when he adjusted his glasses. This was...awkward. Since when did so many people look at him? Besides his fangirls, that is. And the boys that had crushes on the Sasuke-obsessed fangirls. And the ex-boyfriends of girls that had broken up to become Sasuke fangirls.
Ok, well, a lot of people had reasons to stare/glare angrily at him. But, never so many at once! And a lot of these guys had never really shown interest in the girls that were after Sasuke. It was simply inconceivable that they had all developed crushes at the same time. Sasuke sighed and decided that it was going to be a long day. Hopefully Kakashi wouldn't want him to clean the apartment again when he got home. Once was enough, and Shikamaru and Naruto hadn't even made a mess!
Sakura flipped her gaze from the usually loquacious blonde to the front of the room. She wasn't about to let her grades suffer because of that idiot.
It just wasn't fair. Everyone seemed to like him, and he didn't deserve it. They should just know without being told that he was a sick, bad person.
And that Sakura was perfect.
-
Back at his home, Iruka sighed. His job...it was really hard work, de gozaru yo. Only without the de gozaru.
But the hard work was worth it. Definitely worth it. Entertaining without a doubt. Really VERY entertaining. Too entertaining.
Which was why, even though Naruto had been forced from his bed half the night, Iruka wouldn't let him stay home.
Iruka's work needed privacy, something that couldn't be achieved with Naruto around.
And Iruka would never, ever let ANYTHING or ANYONE interfere with his work.
Besides, Naruto needed to be sheltered from this kind of thing, because of everything he went through in childhood. At the very least, he deserved it.
Iruka giggled. No need to dampen his spirits with such morbid talk, anyway. It wouldn't help Naruto in the least.
Still giggling manically, Iruka proceeded with his job.
-
At the school, the students sat through their classes. It was as dull Monday, worse than usual. No one could stand it, the nervous energy building up until they thought the tips of their fingers would explode from the nerve endings up.
English(...Japanese? Language Arts). Math. Art. Foreign Language. Four periods passed. It was lunch time, to the relief of the students still awake. Naruto was. So were Sasuke, and Neji. When the bell rang, Neji stood and made his way to Naruto. He hadn't gotten the chance to ask him about this morning. He didn't want Sasuke going to him and making things worse.
Neji got to Naruto's desk a split second before Sasuke. They stood on opposite sides and looked at each other for a moment, not really seeing but knowing. The others who sat with them congregated around the tables.
"Naruto-kun, aren't you going to get up so we can go to lunch?" Ino asked, concerned. Naruto hadn't been working today, which, while not necessarily unusual, he had a certain manner of going about. He hadn't even twitched during art, which he usually at least doodled in.
Naruto mentally started, and smoothly swivelled his head up to look at Ino and smile. "Yeah," he said, standing up. He extended his arms completely down and stretched. "You guys go on, I don't feel like eating lunch today. I think I'll just go on a walk by myself." Neji started to protest, but Naruto was already out the classroom door.
The rest of the group began to proceed to the tree where they usually ate their lunch. Sasuke stood and looked at their retreating backs. He...didn't want to go, but he didn't want to stay.
The swarm of girls with glinting eyes amassed behind him. "Sasuke..." they sweetly called. Sasuke gripped the edge of the desk, looked at them with fear-filled eyes.
NO! Don't make me go with them, please don't do it, oh god, OH GOD NOOO--
They seized his arms and tore him away. There was nothing Sasuke could do to resist.
At their desks, Shikamaru smirked and Chouji chomped. This was what happened to Sasuke when Naruto was not around. There was no one to pull him from the evil clutches of the Sasuke-sick.
Everyone knew, that the only reason Sasuke had been eating with Naruto's crowd was because Naruto wanted it. Not because anyone really wanted him there. Except, maybe, Ino, who had backed off. Did she know?
I wonder, Sasuke, does it hurt your core that no one is willing to help you? I hope it does.
At the lunch tree, everyone settled into their usual spots. They looked for a time at the gaping, empty space usually occupied by the sunny blonde.
Some of them wondered, are we even allowed to leave campus during lunch without a pass?
-
Naruto walked away from the school. No one stopped him; no one wanted to talk to him, especially the teachers.
It was inordinate, some might have thought, that he could get away with so much. But then again, they didn't know that the reason Naruto could leave like that was because most of the teachers didn't want him there.
I love you. Don't you love me?
Of course, of course you do. Heart-to-heart.
Easy, isn't it? You're not. Not anymore.
STOP BEING BAD! I ONLY WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU!
I'm sorry, you have to understand, you hurt yourself, you hurt me, you're eating for two, remember? Don't forget about me, Alright?
He should have been hungry, he remembered times, times when he was always hungry for something, but he didn't know what. That had been when he was younger. Even then, he could sense the distaste radiating off of his surroundings and instinctively knew that what he was doing was wrong. He hated it.
I remember that time. That time when it hurt so bad and you were embarrassed and shy. You wanted to die, didn't you? Your big blue eyes were so vulnerable, so full of tears.
You looked like a baby. Gorgeous baby heart.
I was there, though. I helped you through it. I loved you!
I don't look at you like that. Not anymore! It was an honest mistake! Don't look at me that way!
They did, but I didn't! They were like wolves, hungry, lustful, weren't they?
They would descend on you, ecstacy, and you loved it and you cried and you hated them.
But you wanted more so they hated you more.
Especially when they found out.
When he grew older and finally understood, his self-hate increased dramatically. But it helped him come to terms, control his need, his hate.
Won't you play with me?
Don't you LOVE ME, koi-kun?
We're all alone now. Didn't you notice?
Free to do whatever we want. Until the bell rings and we have to contain ourselves, my love.
Aishiteru.
AiSHITeru.
We'll go back to their glaring eyes. We'll stare back, likeglass that isn't there but really is so you walk into it and shatter your face.
Stiffly, Naruto maintained a steady pace. His joints creaked, his thighs stretched and tweaked.
A clock tower chimed. It was twelve thirty. He had fifteen minutes to get back to school.Naruto turned; to make it back in time, he would have to run. His legs wobbled every time his feet struck the ground.
Thump. Thud. Thud. Skitter.
Loose pebbles and gravel skittered out of his way. He was close now.
The beating of his feet softened when he reached the grass, and changed to a tap as he slowed down on the sidewalk leading to the front door of the school.
Naruto snuck past the principal's office, where the old secretary sat doing her work, and gently opened and closed the doors to the stairwell. He jogged up the stairs, and into the hallway where the last dregs of the lunch crowd were lingering. Power-walking was proving to be more painful than flat-out running.
"Made it," Naruto breathed as he stepped into the classroom.
Sasuke quirked a brow at him. He refused, absolutely refused to let Naruto know that he was upset with the happenings of this lunch break. Where did he go while Sasuke was being tortured, anyway? Off campus? Otherwise Naruto would certainly have heard and come to rescue him.
And he looked so out of breath, too. There wasn't really anyplace to run in this school, except for the gym.
Naruto couldn't have gone running for fun. He said he was walking. Why would he purposely go running right before gym?
"Alright, ya sissies, get out to the track. Come on, now." Gai-sensei was having a bad day, it seemed. He wasn't even here. Allocating his duties to a subsitute!
The students groaned. Having phys. ed. right after lunch really sucked.
"Quit whining. You're teacher left directions that you should run fifteen laps, all filled with the fire and love of youth. Get to it." The sub basely stated.
The only one who showed any enthusiasm was Lee. "Yosh! I will run the track twenty times in ten minutes on my feet, and thirty times on my hands!"
The rest of the class glared. How dare he sound so excited! Show-off-y teacher's pet!
And we shall see more of Lee later.
To be continued. Sometime. Oh, and I don't own the Bravery, or the rights to the lyrics Honest Mistake. But you should listen to them because I love them. puurrr
YOSH! You might not see this for a long time. Sorry. I hate school. Review, and yee will have improved chances of an update, and I will feel much loved.
Oh, and thanks to my lovely reviewers!