Teenage Wasteland

by Jasmine Starlight

Full summary: Sasu/Hina. He was Uchiha Sasuke, he attended Konoha High, as a junior outcast(that's how he prefers it) whacked out punk, he has a brother who's a dick and is also dating his English teacher(they're contemplating moving in together) a garage band that seemed promising. She was Hyuuga Hinata, popular, pretty and pleasant (she was also several other 'p' words, had a speech impediment). But she has problems of her own to deal with, another sucky father who places value in his other offspring, constantly belittling and looking down her achievements, academically and socially. If only she could be prettier, smarter, classier, wittier. Really, the two of them coming together had really not been expected...tortured daughter and tortured artist? I mean where's the attraction there?

…sometimes I hate Ino.

Some scenes from this chapter were inspired by Mean Girls. But I don't own it.

I think Hinata turned out to be OOC…

Manga is the manna of life!

CHAPTER THREE

WHAT LAYS BENEATH

"I heard you asked Sasuke for Naruto's number." Shikamaru said through clenched teeth.

Ino looked up at Shikamaru with wide blue eyes, "So?"

"So? That's all you have to say?" Shikamaru asked unusually agitated.

"What do you want me to tell you? I'm not going to stop living my life because of our arrangement." Ino said.

"Then maybe our arrangement is over, like it should have been." Shikamaru replied boredly.

"What you saying?" Ino demanded.

"What I'm saying is, goodbye I've officially dumped you…this was too troublesome." Shikamaru remarked lightly as he turned to leave.

"What! Where do you think you're going?" Ino demanded once again, imperiously.

"Home. Like I should have been all those other nights." Shikamaru said as he made his timely exit lest Ino should have a temper tantrum.

Ino, surprisingly did not have a tantrum, although she was dumbstruck for several minutes, not a good look for her believe you me.

"Was I just dumped?" she asked incredulously to empty air.

Yamanaka Ino, for the first time since junior high had been dumped, she found that this was not a good color on her, so she three-wayed Sakura and Hinata, who she found was somewhat lacking in sympathy.

"You want to do something fun?" Sakura asked breathlessly.

"Sure." Hinata replied blandly.

"Like what?" Ino asked boredly.

"Let's go to the mall!" Sakura squealed Hinata could see Sakura primping in front of her vanity as she said this.

"And do what?" Ino said disinterestedly.

"Make fun of all the losers without credit cards!" Sakura squealed again, Hinata held the phone away from her ear in disgust.

Ino let out a long suffering sigh, "Alright Sakura, let's go."

"What about Tenten?" Hinata asked automatically.

"Don't invite her; she's driving me insane with that boyfriend of hers." Ino said imperiously, Hinata thought that to be a little pretentious, especially since Ino never shut up about any of her own boyfriends.

Hinata dutifully acquiesced and hung up the phone, is that all there is to life? She wondered.

I hope not.

£¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤£

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was wandering off in the dusk, aimlessly loitering in front of shop windows until he bumped into a blonde loudly talking on her cell, "Gaara don't be embarrassed that he doesn't show any interest, he's just a little bit dense." The blonde woman said reassuringly.

"Ow." Shikamaru said as he lay sprawled on the sidewalk, "Gaara I've got to go I just bumped into someone because I wasn't paying attention, yeah I'll see later, bye."

Shikamaru frowned, this girl seemed familiar. But he quickly dismissed that notion as the girl briskly began picking up her packages and straightening her skirt.

"Hey, sorry about bumping into you." She offered by way of apology, extending her hand to pull him off the sidewalk.

"It's fine." Shikamaru replied tersely.

"Hey, aren't you Shikamaru?" she asked in recognition.

"Yes." Shikamaru replied warily.

"Sorry I didn't recognize you, I've been a bit distracted. Gaara's told me about you." Temari said as she smiled a little.

Shikamaru was put off by how much she could say without him having to say anything back her smile was also very pretty not that things like that mattered to him or anything.

"I'm Temari; by any chance would you like to get some coffee with me? My way of apologizing."

"You already have coffee." Shikamaru pointed to the Styrofoam cup clenched in her manicured, black talons.

"I could always get more. Caffeine addict, you know."

"Oh." Shikamaru said quietly.

"Coming?" Temari said appealingly. Shikamaru took a moment to mull it over, over all it was computing nothing but good. Free coffee, which Shikamaru desperately needed but never bought simply because he never had enough energy to and perhaps a chance to see that pretty half smile again.

Never let it be said that Nara Shikamaru lacked interest in the female species. Instead he lacked interest in the frivolous expenditures of most of his female peers. But Temari for all intents and purposes seemed to be cliché free.

Temari seemed alright and she hadn't even asked/demanded him to carry any of her bags yet. This was looking promising.

"Alright." And Shikamaru ambled along behind her.

£¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤£

Ino had already demolished any of her previous records for angry revenge shopping, hitting all her favorite designers and preparing them to be sold out of everything for several weeks.

Hinata thought that it was pointless to shop until you dropped Ino-style because in two weeks she would just be angry again over some pointless argument she'd had with someone over something that wouldn't even be important the next day. And then she'd be back shopping to soothe her unreasonable anger and her ego, she would get angrier because she had cleared out the stores the day before.

Hinata boredly examined a pair of sapphire studs in the window of a shop they passed on the prowl for more stores for Ino to buy out of business.

Suddenly Sakura went very stiff and began talking very loudly, "Ino! Let's go to that lingerie boutique you love; I heard they were having a sale." She declared for the world to hear.

"Hold your horses Sakura I want to get a salad, I'm starving." Ino barked as she dug around her purse for her money. And you still haven't lost any weight, tsk, tsk.

"But we can always get a salad later; I really want to check out that sale!" Sakura insisted firmly.

Hinata boredly began smacking her lips together. "Alright Haruno but make it quick." Ino commanded opulently. Sakura nearly fainted in triumph, before Ino decided she wanted a burger instead. "Sakura why don't you go to store and I Hinata and I will meet you there." Ino said as she made a beeline toward the fast food counter.

Sakura clapped a hand to her forehead and Hinata regarded her face amusedly, she having realized that Sakura had spotted Shikamaru sitting in the Starbucks with another girl; Sakura did the oddest things sometimes.

It was quiet until Ino realized that it was Shikamaru talking to Sabaku Temari from their school, before all hell broke loose. Ino's face was turning a fabulous shade of purple to match her ridiculous top, which contained less than one square foot of fabric.

"Who the fuck does he think he is?" Ino asked rhetorically.

Sakura of course didn't get the point and tried to answer, "Shut up." Ino decreed like the bitch she was. I thought Sakura was supposed to be intelligent.

"Why don't we get back to shopping?" Sakura suggested brightly.

Hinata rolled her eyes and began fake coughing, "What's your problem?" Ino asked bluntly.

"I'm sick." Hinata replied between fake coughs, "I better get home, see you later." Hinata said as she sidled away, when she was a safe distance away from Ino and Sakura she collapsed onto a bench and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"I need new friends." Hinata muttered to herself. She remained there for several minutes watching the people walk by in throngs, and then she got up and went into a nearby bookshop. If she was going to take advantage of her no spending limit, she might actually do something enjoyable for herself.

Bypassing her usual fare of doom and gloom psychological thrillers that usually kept her interest, she made a beeline toward manga, she was a closet anime-fan girl.

Ignoring the Sgt. Frog comics she scanned the shelves, Hana-Yori-Dango. Hot Gimmick. Kare Kano. Bleach. Yami No Matsuei.

All were favorites of Hinata's but today she was looking for something different, picking out a sleek tome entitled: D N Angel, Hinata skimmed through the book, deciding that it was good enough for her, she took the first two volumes. She also took Girl Got Game, FAKE, Confidential Confessions, Snowdrop, Angel Sanctuary, X/1999, MARS, and Kill Me Kiss Me.

By the end of her sojourn to the book store she had amassed quite a lot of books, most of which obstructed her vision so it should have been no surprise when she collided with someone, "Oof!" Hinata exclaimed as she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Hinata found herself looking into two very blue eyes, eyes that belonged to Ino's future eye-candy (like that'll happen) Uzumaki Naruto.

"S-Sorry." She mumbled before she began to gather her books together in a neat pile.

"That's alright, I'm just clumsy." Naruto said cheerfully as he helped her gather her freakish amount of manga. "Hey, Hinata how come you have so much manga?" he asked as he helped her carry it all to the counter.

"Um…tired of r-reading books with actual substance?" Hinata said nervously.

"Nice." Naruto nodded.

"Yeah." Hinata said awkwardly as the cashier rang up her formidable purchase, the cash register chiming in glee. "Hey, Hinata, are you doing anything later?" Naruto asked almost shyly.

"Uh…um…no." Hinata replied anxiously under the full stare of Naruto blue puppy eyes.

"Sugei! Sugei! Hey wanna come see my band play?" he asked excitedly.

"Sure." Hinata felt herself saying. What am I doing? I barely know Uzumaki Naruto.

"Cool, here's the address, wear something I dunno…outlandish. It's quirks and kinks night down at the club." Naruto said happily as he bounced out of the store carrying most of Hinata's manga.

Quirks and kinks?

"Oh shit, I almost forgot, here." Naruto dug around in his pockets and pulled out a crumpled yellow piece of paper.

Hinata smoothed it out and read it, "The Pixie Styck." She read aloud.

Naruto beamed, "My band is playing there tonight, actually we're not even getting paid, we're opening and the only reason we got the gig is because Sasuke-temee's brother owns the club. Shit, I've said too much."

Hinata processed all this information slowly, during the tentative pause that followed Naruto's statement. "Okay." She finally said.

"Do you need a ride?" he asked.

"Alright, do you know where I live?" Hinata asked calmly.

"Everybody knows where you live." Naruto said as he grinned impishly. Hinata returned the grin with a weak smile.

"Oh. Right." Hinata said dumbly.

"So, I'll pick you up at eight then." Naruto said before he ran off, leaving Hinata standing there, a moment later he came back and sheepishly handed her a bag of hers.

£¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤£

Hinata stared at herself in the mirror, before falling back onto her bed. I look stupid.

But wasn't the point to look so out of character that no one recognized that it was shy, stupid Hinata? Hinata didn't know nor did she care, after she had spent another half hour in the mall looking for something that looked nothing like the rest of her wardrobe.

She hadn't purchased those sapphire studs but the chandelier earrings next to them, all to go with her blue sheer top and ridiculously tight jeans, a drastic variation from her usual preppy shirts.

She even did her makeup differently, blue glitter eye shadow and lots of black eyeliner. Dramatic and outlandish was what Naruto had said right? So Hinata had gone all out and bought temporary silver hair dye.

The silver streaks made her look almost unrecognizable. Which again was a good thing. Now the trick was sneaking out so her father never knew where she was going. Although most of the time he didn't care whether or not she went out or not, he would never let her out of the house looking like this.

So she climbed down from her third story window on the tree next to her room. Stumbling as she landed on the dewy grass and tried to put on her shoes. Then she took a seat on a strategically placed bench and tried to keep cool.

She nearly had a heart attack when she heard the door open; only to realize it was the house next door's. Out stepped Uchiha Sasuke complete with guitar case and everything. Hinata felt the breath catch in her throat. He looked hoooottttttttt.

Breathe in. Out. In.

Hinata's study of Sasuke was interrupted by Naruto's broken down violent orange car puling up to the side of the curb, Hinata slowly made her way toward it.

"Hi." She said as she slid into the backseat.

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed loudly from behind the wheel, Sabaku Gaara sat in the front seat, he gave her a blank look. Akimichi Chouji was occupying the seat next to hers. "Hey Hinata." He said cheerfully.

"Hi, Chouji."

And then silence, until Sasuke slid into the next on Hinata's other side and slammed the door shut, "Where's Shikamaru?" he said after Naruto started driving again.

"Temari's giving him a ride." Gaara said from the front seat.

"Why?"

"Because they were having coffee at the mall earlier." Hinata replied quickly.

Gaara sent her another blank look, "I was with Ino when she almost had an aneurysm." She explained quickly. Gaara smirked, "Temari told me about that." He said smugly.

"If we're done yapping let's get this show on the road!" Naruto exclaimed loudly before honking several times and pulling out of the neighborhood.

£¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤£

"You know, I'm beginning to think you aren't gay." Itachi said conversationally to Sasuke as they waited backstage.

"I'm not, Stupid." Sasuke said darkly.

"This is the first time you've shown interest in someone who's a girl." Itachi began again, idly examining a dark nail.

"So you're saying that I've shown interest in a guy?"

"We-ell you do spend all that time with Naruto."

"That is just wrong."

"Don't insult your boyfriend like that."

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

"Riiiight."

£¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤£

"Hinata?" Shino asked is surprise as he made his way over to the bar.

"S-Shino-kun?" Hinata responded.

"Haven't seen you around in awhile." Shino remarked serenely.

"How've you been?" Hinata asked nervously.

"Alright, you?"

Don't even think about it. Shino can't help you. No one can.

Shut up.

"Oi! Shino where'd you go--" Kiba's eyes went very wide when he saw Hinata, "Hey Hinata-chan, what brings you to a place like this?"

Hinata's eyebrows went up, "Naruto-san invited me."

"Interesting." Temari noted as she took the stool next to Hinata.

"Hey, aren't you friends with Ino?" Temari asked smiling viciously, Hinata felt the corners of her mouth twitch.

"Depends on how you define a friend." Hinata found herself saying.

Temari's vicious smile got even wider, "So you have personality after all."

"Gee, thanks. I totally needed your approval." Did I just say that? Oh shit.

"Dissention in the ranks! I salute you for your unexpected show of individuality." Temari clicked her heels together.

"O-Okay."

"Are you scaring off people again?" Gaara demanded in his normal monotone.

"Scaring? No way, I was just making friends Hinata. Right?" Temari said calmly.

"…right." Hinata said somewhat confused.

END

I've forgotten how much I love writing this fic.

Soulcollector- it was not!

Hitomi No Ryu- I should write a fic about that…

Rebel-blah-blah-blah- I have one it's called This Is How A Heart Breaks

Anime/Manga lubber- hah.

TheFutureFreaksMeOut- OMG TFFMO is reviewing my fic…T-T

Goth Flamango- fwah.

lunarangel-there will be a plot twist about Kiba…so wait for it.

Fractured wings 01- heh

Thunder sister- fine kill me.