Author's Note: I was so sure when I started this story that I would finish it, but yet again writer's block killed that, as well as life getting in the way. I'll be leaving this up anyway, so feel free to read it if you wish. Contact me if you're interested in adopting it. :3
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Naruto ;;
Prologue:
Gym Class
Naruto's POV
"Hey, Naruto! Pass the damn ball already—I'm open!" I vaguely heard Kiba scream as I continued glaring at that black haired bastard, Sasuke Uchiha, who was currently sitting on a set of bleachers at the other side of the field. Before I knew what was happening, I felt myself falling forwards after having the ball wrenched out from under the foot I was leaning on. On the way down, I heard Kiba's exasperated sigh. By the time I landed (with a very painful thump, by the way), I was looking over to see Kiba approaching me, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his snickering. When he reached me, he extended his hand for me to take.
"You know, in soccer, there are three main points of the game—running, passing the ball, and shooting it. You could've at least tried to do one of 'em."
"Maybe I would if that Sasuke bastard stopped showing up here just to distract me!" I shouted back, taking his hand to help heave myself up off the ground. A soft, annoying chuckle came from a good distance away beside me after I stated this. As I turned to face the offender, I was pissed off to see a very smug looking Uchiha. When his coal black eyes locked with mine, I didn't hesitate to let loose my most powerful megawatt glare on his ass. But of course, the guy only gave acknowledgement to this by fixing me with his calm, unblinking stare.
"N-Naruto-kun…"
Reluctantly breaking eye contact with my still smirking nemesis, I turned my head to see who had addressed me. I was glad to see none other than my close childhood friend, Hinata Hyuuga, standing rather timidly in front of me. I looked beside me to see Kiba looking like my Aunt Marlow, who wore WAY too much rouge. When I looked back at the dark haired girl, she had raised her unique light lavender eyes to meet my gaze.
"Hey, Hinata! How's it goin'?" I asked, smiling as I lightly ruffled her short-ish hair with my hand, although the bangs on either side of her face were grown longer and reached slightly past her chin.
"E-everything's fine…" she replied as a light blush dusted her cheeks. She twiddled her thumbs as she looked down at her feet.
"Umm…hi, Hinata!" , Kiba squeaked as he continued to inch behind me (was it me, or was Kiba acting really strange today?). He shakily waved to the girl and was rewarded with a shy smile.
After listening to their pointless conversations about weather (boring), school (bleh!), and different flavours of juice (wtf?) for a few minutes, I tuned them out and looked over to a certain bonehead, blue clad, never-smiling Sasuke. For a second, I could've sworn that I saw a certain emotion in his serious gaze- before I could put my finger on what it was however, it was gone with the emotionless expression plastered back on his face. I had a feeling this was one of those times where you could draw out his agitation easily. So, naturally, I taunted him with the one thing that I knew would work on him.
"Ne, Sasuke-kuuuuun!" I squealed in a very high-pitched voice, "where's your not-so-secret stalker, huh? I hardly EVER see you guys apart!" I smiled, satisfied seeing Sasuke's eyebrow twitch. This was the closest that I had ever gotten to seeing the Uchiha grimace in the six months that I had known him. In fact, I would think that's the closest to grimacing he was capable of, and I should know—I had pulled some pretty nasty pranks on the pale figure over the last half a year.
"Naruto! Kiba! ", Both of us abruptly spun around at the sound of that voice… and immediately hid behind Hinata. "When you're done conversing with your little friend, who should head back to her own class, you can do 15 laps around the field. Should you choose not to end your chat immediately, you may do 5 more for every minute you take in order finish", the gym teacher, Orochimaru-sensei exclaimed in his SLIGHTLY menacing tone.
"Yes, sir", we said simultaneously, holding back our groans of protest. While Hinata returned to her gym class, we returned to ours. We jogged in silence around the field together, not daring to speak in fear of being caught. It took all of my willpower, however, to not strangle Sasuke (who was pissing me off by his intense stare that he kept sending my way) whenever we passed by his set of bleachers.
Sasuke's POV
I stared intently at the blonde known as Naruto Uzumaki as he continued to run beside the other boy, Kiba, who possessed an uncanny resemblance to a dog. I couldn't help but smirk whenever his shockingly blue eyes sent me that trademark murderous glare™ of his.
Ever since I met the loud-mouthed oaf, I found him strangely fascinating. The first time we came face to face with each other was in our science class we had together. When I first saw his stiff, lean form and that hard stare I'd shortly after grown accustomed to, I thought he was just another clone of what a member in a society was expected to be like. It didn't take him long to prove my first impression of him to be completely incorrect.
Flashback
"Everyone, this is Sasuke Uchiha, a transfer student from Japan, who will be joining us as of today." I glared at something outside of the window I was sitting next to as I felt numerous pairs of eyes turn to stare at me. I had never liked to be in the spotlight, and this definitely counted as unwanted attention.
As everyone started to let their attention wander elsewhere, I allowed myself to look toward the front of the classroom. Even though I knew this material already, I could at least pretend to pay attention. There wasn't really anything else to do, anyway.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that one rather icy, unblinking glare did not leave me like the others. I turned to face him with an assessing glance before dismissing him with a turn of my head. I didn't have to look to sense the increasingly hostile waves he was sending my way. I lightly smirked inwardly at how easily riled up he could get.
After our silent confrontation, I frequently found my eyes traveling towards the direction of my new acquaintance. As the bell sounded, signifying the end of school forty-five minutes later, I grabbed my books and headed out the door. I didn't get very far down the hall before I felt a surprisingly firm grip on my shoulder spin me around to face none other than the Blond Blizzard himself. I gave him a bored expression in reply.
"Hey, just to let you know, stay away from Sakura. I'm not gonna to let her go out with some jerk like you just to be there to pick up the pieces after you break her heart. I know your type, so back off." He snarled as he continued jabbing my chest with his finger. It took me awhile to recognize who he was ranting about.
"Oh, you mean the girl with the pink hair that lives down the street from me? The one who came over to my house and gave me 'Welcome to the Neighbourhood' cookies? That Sakura?" I asked in my usual monotone.
"Yeah, dumbass! That Sakura, so lay off!" He replied, fiercely.
"Hmmm, you know…now that I think of it, she is kind of cute, isn't she?" I pretended to ponder, putting my index finger to my pursed lips before smirking at his enraged countenance. "Well, I'd love to stay and see how many colours you can change, but I've got plans. Ja." I said, as I turned around and started walking away. "Oh, and by the way", I glance over my shoulder to face his frozen in place form. "Don't worry about me hitting on her. There's a reason why I like being single." I gave him one last smirk before facing forward and resuming my walk in the other direction.
End Flashback
Ever since that meeting, I'd taken a particular enjoyment in pissing the hell out of him when ever I possibly could. I learned his name shortly after on account of him always getting into trouble with the teacher during class.
The only thing about my current situation is that I'm taking gigantic risks by showing interest in him. Not only is it putting him in danger, it's leading him into a situation that he may never be able to get out of.
Naruto's POV
"Man, I can't believe you were just standing there…it was so easy to just steal that stupid ball from you…and I was walking." Shikamaru scoffed at me as we were all walking to the change rooms.
"You shouldn't talk, Shikamaru", Shino stated sensibly, "even though you took the ball, their team still managed to take it back and score. Not to mention they beat us by quite a bit as the end result."
"Yeah, and who scored most of those winning goals, anyway?" , I asked defensively, directing the rhetorical question to Shikamaru.
"True, but who also caused most of the fouls?" , Kiba always has to put his two cents in, doesn't he? He always had to be against me in arguments, too!
"Hmph! It wasn't like it was my fault….they were all coming at me with sadistic intent, I swear! It was self-defense!"
"Yyyyyup, and the fact that they were all people who were publicly making fun of you had nothing to do with it."
"What can I say? Coincidental perks!" I grinned cheekily as I watched the others roll their eyes. I checked my watch on impulse to see how much time there was until I had to catch my bus…except for the fact that my watch wasn't there. I smacked myself on the head when I realized I had left it on the bench by the bleachers so it wouldn't distract me during the game.
"What'd you forget this time, Naruto?" , Kiba asked exasperatedly as I groaned in frustration.
"My watch…" I replied, scratching the back of my head sheepishly. "Heh, you guys go ahead, I'll just take my time and catch the next bus. Later!"
Before they could reply, I was already walking towards the bench. I was relieved to see Sasuke had decided to vacate the area because, to be perfectly honest, I was in no mood to have another verbal battle.
Just as I reached my destination and finished strapping my portable clock on, I felt that all-too-familiar sensation known as dizziness. The only difference this time was that I also had a strong urge to make like a drunk and hurl. Before I had a chance, however, I blacked out.
'Ja' means, in that situation an equivalent to 'See ya' in Japanese.
Okay, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like how the prologue came out, even though the ending kinda sucked ; . If you liked it, or if you have any pointers and/or suggestions to make the story better, leave a review! I'll be happy to read 'em! But no flames if you can avoid it, please. o.o…