Chapter 6
Bell One: Ino's hero
Ino sat in what was apparently her seat in her English class. As the teacher had not arrived yet, (they never do until like five minutes into the bell), she had taken to working diligently on a story she was writing. Well, some may call it a story. She called it her recollection of the worst moment of her life.
"Oh! Why, you are as much as a hot head as they all say!" a tall woman leapt back from the lunging Ino and held her hands up in an innocent manner.
"Shut up you bitch!" swore Ino. "You don't know anything about me or my friends! Just leave us alone!" Ino attempted to take another leap at her enemy but she was blown back with much force and sent flying into the wall opposite of the woman. Ino's impact was very hard, and she began to bleed down her neck and whimper slightly.
"Watch it there, Ino!" the icy woman slowly walked towards Ino. "As much as you feel it's your responsibility to look after your little friends, you wouldn't want to get killed yourself in the process, now would you?" With only a small lift of her index finger, the shadowed woman levitated Ino off the ground. Ino struggled to break loose but it was no use; she was trapped. The towering woman took two of her fingers and pressed them to Ino's left ankle. It burned like crazy, but Ino would not express her pain further than squinting her eyes. A real survivor never cries, a real survivor never cries, a real survivor never cries…Ino repeatedly thought to herself as bottling up her pain became harder and harder. However, not a tear was shed. Not even when she saw the mark of a circle and three scratchy lines coming out, did she falter.
"Ah, the same old tough Ino," said the woman, taking joy in watching Ino's struggling. "You will have to break one day, Ino," she said, then taking a step closer. "And I can only hope I am there to see it."
Ino's thoughts and writing had been interrupted by the sound of light snoring coming from beside her. She looked over to see a boy with brown eyes and brown hair tied back into a high spiky ponytail, a netting shirt, small jacket and pants. His feet were up on the desk and he was leaning back. He had slightly drooled in his sleep.
Ino laughed to her self. What a lazy guy! However, her laugh was not muffled enough to go unheard by the boy.
The boy parted his eyelids ever so slightly. That laugh…I know that laugh. He was in too much of a daze to think further, and soon fell back asleep.
Ino looked at him for a bit. He's kind of cute when he sleeps…even though I have never seen him awake. But something in me feels like I have.
"Hey," came a voice on the other side of Ino. She turned her head to look at a tall guy with a black one peace that came from his feet to up over his head, and had a lot of paint on his face. He carried a large wrapped object on his back (AN: I forgot what it was called).
"…hey!" Ino said smiling. Her new acquaintance returned it and slid into the seat next to her. To Ino's surprise, he scooted the chair closer to her as he did so. "I'm Ino Yamanaka."
"Ino…I like that name," said the guy smoothly as he took her hand and slowly shook it. Ino slightly blushed. "I'm Kankuro," he said.
"Nice to meet you," said Ino. Kankuro nodded in agreement. "If you don't mind telling me, who is this boy on my other side?" Ino asked curiously, eyeing the napping boy next to her. Kankuro frowned a bit.
"Oh, that's just Shikamaru Nara," he said with a 'whatever' wave of his hand. "He's a real lazy bum if you haven't noticed." To his dismay, Ino continued to look at Shikamaru as if this had only peaked her interest. The name doesn't ring a bell. But he definitely does.
Kankuro was about to add something when the teacher walked in. "Alright class, settle down," said the teacher as he took his place in the front of the room. "Wake up Mr. Nara."
To Ino's glee, Shikamaru had finally opened his eyes and sat upright. "Right…sorry Iruka," he yawned before composing himself.
Ino blushed even more. Scratch what I said before. He's much cuter when he's awake. Though she did not know why she had such a growing interest in this boy, she did not try to find out. She just looked at him in curiosity. He could sense a face in the corner of his eye and turned his head. In the quick moment that their eyes met, they both blushed this time and looked away quickly. Ino's ankle stung in the process, but being her tough self, she ignored it.
"Due to some sudden teacher complications, I will not be able to teach this class today." Iruka said. The students cheered. Irritated, Iruka went on. "I will be out of the classroom, but I trust you to use this time as a quiet study hall. Not a time to associate with friends." He gave them all serious looks before exiting the classroom. Just as he did, everyone began talking and doing the exact opposite of what Iruka had told them. Technically, there was nothing to study since it was the first day. Iruka was most likely on a press for time. Shikamaru fell back asleep and Ino frowned. Kankuro scowled and got up to talk with some friends.
All of a sudden, Ino felt a violent tug of her hair from whoever was sitting behind her, followed by some snickers. So first grade! She thought as she turned around to face her 'bullies'.
"Oh? Do you need something Blondie?" asked the one behind her with an evil yet somewhat flirtatious smile. Ino was especially annoyed by these types, but kept a cool temper.
"Yes, I do believe you yanked at my hair a few seconds ago," she said through her teeth.
"What on earth gave you that idea?" the one beside idiot #1 said. Ino chose not waste her time on such people and rolled her eyes. She turned back around. After a few seconds, there were three harder yanks of her hair. This time it was actually very painful. (AN: All you girls out there know what its like when your hair is yanked at! The feeling when you could just hit something…or someone.)
"Will you stop already?" Ino exclaimed spinning her head around. The boys went bug eyed and innocent.
"What?" idiot #1 asked.
"You know what." Ino narrowed her eyes and store the boys down. "You know you're doing it, I know you're doing it, just give it up already."
"There is nothing to give up!" Idiot #3 said in a so-sue-me way. Ino made a "wtf" face before turning back around. If they pull my hair again, I'll simply pound them, end of issue.
Ino was happy that nearly a minute went by without any disruptions from the idiot trio behind her. Assuming they knew better than to strike again, she flipped to an open page of her notebook.
"OW!" came a voice behind Ino. What now? Ino turned around, ready to pound the first face she saw, but instead came to see something she would never expect. Idiot #1's hand was outstretched, as if ready to take another lock of Ino's hair, but was being gripped and twisted by another hand. Ino looked and saw that it was Shikamaru's.
"You troublesome idiot…leave her alone." Shikamaru said severely, now fully awake and giving the boys a strict face. When there was no immediate reply from the boys, Shikamaru twisted harder. "Well?" he asked again.
"Alright fine! We'll leave her alone!" yelled idiot #1. "Just…please…let…me…go!" Shikamaru did just that and turned back around, leaving the idiots ego-bruised. Ino turned around and looked at Shikamaru gratefully, too happy to regard the blistering pain in her ankle. Well, she did regard it, but did not draw physical attention to it.
"What?" he asked her.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. "They were really getting on my nerves." Shikamaru slightly slumped in his chair.
"Mine too. I've been in their classes for years now, and it's about time I shut them up." Shikamaru leaned back into his comfortable position. "Just so troublesome…" he sighed under his breath.
"Hm…nice save there prince charming." Kankuro came around in front of Ino and Shikamaru's desks. He held a dark and steady look at Shikamaru. "But I hope you don't get too cozy with Miss Yamanaka here…don't forget you have other commitments." Kankuro reminded him. Ino frowned. Other commitments?
"Oh right, how could I forget," replied Shikamaru, sighing as if he didn't find Kankuro's words of all that big a value.
"Don't worry, you won't forget. Nara." Kankuro said, angered by Shikamaru's careless attitude.
"Is that a threat?" Shikamaru asked in a more aware tone.
"It could be," said Kankuro as he began to walk around Shikamaru's desk. "Leave Miss Yamanaka to me. And don't interfere" He whispered in Shikamaru's ear as he walked away. Ino, oblivious as to what just happened, quivered a bit.
"What…what was that about?" she sputtered, looking after Kankuro.
"Nothing." Shikamaru glared after Kankuro. For some reason, he could not bring himself to tell Ino what Kankuro had meant by "commitment". Why can I not tell her? I usually can always be honest. But now…it just seems different. "Just a troublesome lecture from a troublesome person." Shikamaru went with that and took on his comfortable position again.
In all of the commotion and drama that just took place in the last ten minutes, Ino had not noticed that she had desperately needed to use the restroom. It would be very unfortunate to have an accident where she was, seeing as she had a multitude of problems; She had a rather cute and mysterious boy beside her, she was wearing a skirt, she had mocking idiots behind her, and peeing your pants was just overall disgusting for a girl her age. She got up and left the room.
As Ino walked down the hallway, she was lost in her thoughts of the last bell. Kankuro had obviously flirted with her, no doubt about that, and was somewhat peeved at Shikamaru's 'coming to her rescue'. The boys behind her were not worth regarding, but her thoughts were completely thrown off at the conversation between Shika (AN: I'm going to start typing 'Shika" instead now because his full name is becoming hard to type all at once without it turning out like 'Shiakmura') and Kankuro. It seemed like though they were saying few words, they each knew what the other was implying. This annoyed Ino, because she felt completely disconnected. For all she knew, it could have concerned her! Impossible…I only just came here. When Ino reached the bathroom, she went into one of the many open stalls. She did her business and was about to come out when she heard other girls enter. She quickly sat back down and lifted her feet off the ground (AN: Sorry another author note. In this part of the chapter, think the bathroom part of the movie "Scream" basically.).
"So what's up in your class?" One of the girls asked.
"Not much…except that new girl Hinata. God, she is quiet. And that stutter! It drives me NUTS!" one of them replied, as the other girls giggled. Ino felt like strangling her.
"Yeah and the new girl in my class, Sakura?" another said. "I have never seen a bigger math geek in my life! She must keep all those facts in that big forehead of hers." Ino clutched the wall in anger.
"Oh, hey that reminds me!" another one added between laughs. "There's a new girl in my class also. Her names like…JinJin…LenLen…Tenten! That's it, Tenten. What a tomboy! She may dress like a girl, but the way she talks and what she likes are exactly like my older brothers!" It took all the power in Ino not to burst out of the stall then and there to teach the girls a lesson. But they were not done talking yet.
"But I can't believe that Naruto was actually flirting with that Hinata! I mean they are complete polar opposites. What can he possibly see in her?" One of them said with anger and jealousy in her voice. Ino smiled at this.
"Come to think of it, Sasuke sat next to Sakura today in class too!" the second one said. "Why? Was the first thing he saw in the room that forehead?" Ino's smile had grown even more with every word.
"Yeah, I noticed Tenten and Neji were talking to each other during our pop quiz today." The third one said. "Whatever he sees in a tomboy, I will never know."
Ino was extremely happy that her friends had also found guys. She was sure they would tell her all about it at lunch. She heard the girls leave, and then waited a minute before coming out. After washing her hands, she exited the bathroom only to be pinned to the wall by a strong pair of arms.
"Kankuro?" Ino asked incredulously as she tried to duck out. He would not let her. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Ino could see that Kankuro was far from doing what she said. He leaned in and kissed her on her lips. Her eyes widened in disgust she shoved him off of her, wiping off her lips with her arm. "What is wrong with you?" she asked him, as he grinned back at her evilly. "I can't believe you followed me and-" she was silenced by Kankuro's finger on her lips.
"Ssshh…" he said. "Wouldn't want to get caught out here would we?" Ino's eyes widened again in both horror and disgust, as he was about to lean in for another kiss. Just inches away from her lips, he was grasped by the neck and yanked away from Ino. Ino looked around Kankuro for the person who saved her from what could have been her worst nightmare, and saw that it was none other than Shika.
"You know what I find really troublesome?" Shika asked Kankuro without loosening his grip on his neck. "Not only do you bother my relaxation time not once, but twice in one day, but you also proceed to pester this innocent girl here." He gestured his head at Ino. "Now, I'll give you two choices. You could either leave her be, or you can be beaten to a pulp. The choice is yours." As Kankuro began to cough deathly, Shika decided to let him go. Kankuro began to cough again and panted like crazy once he was released.
"This…isn't…over…Nara." Kankuro panted. He walked away while massaging his neck. Ino stood her same ground, speechless. Shika had continued to look at Kankuro limping down the hallway. Looks like things are getting crazy already. I think I will have to keep an eye on this one. He glanced at Ino.
Ino had just processed what happened, and was happy about Shika's second save for her. But it was also then that she noticed…Kankuro had not answered Shika's question.
With Kankuro…Kankuro had just barely caught his breath and had sat in the desk in the far corner. He thought about the countless times Shika has gotten on his nerves. Just the thought of Shika made him even angrier. That Nara boy might just be getting in the way…
