Author's Note:

Chapter two is finally here! I haven't decided on an update schedule for this fic yet, so please bear with me.

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter :)


Chapter Two: Insult to Injury

Shikadai leaned against a large tree in front of Konoha Central High School and sighed.

"You think he's skipping today?" Inojin asked from his spot on the grass. Him and Mitsuki were checking over their math homework, waiting for the missing member of their group to show up.

"Maybe he's just running late," Mitsuki offered. "This is Boruto we're talking about. He's late for everything."

"I don't think that's the only issue this time," Shikadai speculated.

"What do you mean?"

Inojin sniggered. "I bet Boruto is just trying to avoid seeing Sarada today."

Mitsuki looked at the blonde, confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Did you not see them yesterday?" Shikadai answered. "They were this close to-"

"Making out," Inojin interrupted with a hearty chuckled.

Mitsuki was even more confused now. From what he had witnessed, it seemed like the two had been closer to strangling each other. This is what he got for being a foreigner he guessed.

"Honestly, Mitsuki," a feminine voice said. The boys turned to see ChoCho walking toward them sans Sarada. "How have you not noticed by now? Boruto and Sarada have subconscious feelings for each other. And yesterday was clearly a wake up call for the both of them."

"I agree," Shikadai nodded. "It seems like that dam is finally gonna break. They won't be able to deny it much longer, no matter how hard they try."

Inojin and ChoCho hummed their assent.

"So what does that mean?" Mitsuki asked.

The trio just smiled sardonically in unison.

"It means senior year just got interesting..." Shikadai's smirk was positively wicked.

"The Chain Rule, which can be written several different ways, bears some further explanation. It is a rule for differentiating a composition of two functions f and g, that is, a function of a function y equals f of g of x. The function in the first example above can be viewed as composing the "outer" function f of u equals u to the sixth, with the "inner" function u equals g of x, where g of x is equivalent to x to the two thirds power plus two times the constant e times 9x. To find its derivative, first take the derivative of the outer function…"

Boruto tiptoed into the classroom as his teacher faced the whiteboard and wrote out some long equation while still lecturing. His classmates were just watching him with amused expressions as he tried to sneak in unnoticed. He was almost to his desk when his hip accidentally bumped his chair. He swore under his breath, freezing in his tracks.

The teacher didn't even turn around. "Boruto Uzumaki. It's currently third period. Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence." He slowly turned to see the blonde basketball star rubbing the back of his neck nervously at his intense stare.

"Sorry Shino-sensei. I overslept. You know how it is, heh heh!"

"Actually, I don't know how it is. That's because I know your mother and she would never allow you to be this late to school without letting me know first."

Boruto felt a rush of heat spread to his ears as his classmates snickered at his expense. It was such an inconvenience that his teacher was childhood friends with his parents. He never could get away with anything. He slumped in his chair and tried to stave off his embarrassment.

"Now that you've come to class, would you care to come up to the board to solve this problem?"

"Not particularly," he grumbled in response, annoyed that his plan to go unnoticed for the day had backfired spectacularly.

"Fine. Miss Uchiha. Would you please?" Shino-sensei said, moving on from Boruto and looking toward Sarada who wordlessly went to the board.

Boruto's eyes went wide for a moment as he watched her walk to the front of the classroom. She looked like she did any other day. But for some reason Boruto's mind took notice of how short her skirt was, the pleated material brushing the top of her thighs. How her blouse hugged her slender form and made her breasts look not as tiny as he remembered them being. Or how her braided hair exposed the back of her slender neck in a way that made him want to trail kisses down it just to hear her gasp again. He quickly looked away. What they hell am I doing?!

He was beyond confused. He'd never thought of Sarada that way before. Hell, he'd barely ever thought of her as a girl, let alone an attractive one worth ogling. And he definitely never thought of her sexually. Usually he just felt an immense annoyance whenever he saw her and felt bad for whatever sad sack ended up saddled with her in the future. So why the sudden tightness in his chest and pants at simply seeing her in an outfit he saw her in everyday?

But he already knew the answer to that question. It was because of that damn moan of hers yesterday. He couldn't get it out of his mind. All night he tossed and turned, thinking about that sensual gasp that escaped her lips when he whispered in her ear.

Stupid hormones, he thought resentfully. He crossed his arms and sunk down further in his desk, trying to use the person in front of him to block the Uchiha from his view.

But it didn't work.

When she turned back around, Sarada's eyes immediately darted to Boruto and he automatically caught her gaze. She paused in her trek back to her desk, unable to do anything but return his stare.

Her and Boruto's eyes stayed locked on each other for a tad too long. A hushed murmur ran through the rows of desks, their staring having drawn the unwanted attention of their classmates. Sarada put her head down to hide her embarrassed blush as she quickly scurried to take her seat, trying to shut out the curious whispers.

ChoCho shared a knowing glance with Inojin and Shikadai.

Shino-sensei continued to drone on about derivatives as students sent questioning looks between Sarada and Boruto. The entire student body knew how much those two bickered. But like their friends, they too suspected that the pair shared some unspoken feelings for each other. So it was intriguing to see them gazing at each other longingly as opposed to their usual hostile glares.

Boruto tried to drown out the idle chatter. He pulled out a textbook and sat it in front of him to hide his face. He kept his head down for the rest of the class period, desperately wishing he'd just ditched entirely.

The bell rang forty-five minutes later, signaling their class' lunch period.

"You know, hiding behind your book doesn't make you look any less conspicuous." Shikadai pulled the reading comprehension workbook out of Boruto's grasp. "Come on. Let's go eat."

They headed for the picnic table out in front of the school yard where the seniors all sat when the weather was nice. Boruto shlepped behind his friends, walking with his head down before taking his seat on the bench. He didn't even want to touch his lunch. He felt so out of it. And for the tenth time within the last half hour, he berated himself for showing up to school at all.

"I heard through the grapevine that you were checking out a certain bespectacled tennis player today," Iwabe taunted as he took a seat on the bench across from Boruto.

Boruto groaned. Make that eleven times…

This was not want he needed. Iwabe was a horrible gossip and he loved to torment people. So instead of owning up to the rumor, which was obviously true, Boruto stuck his nose in the air and said, "tsch, well you heard wrong. Like I'd ever do something like that to Sarada of all people. Man, this school's rumor mill sucks."

He knew he wasn't helping himself. He sounded phony even to his own ears.

Iwabe lifted a brow at him and caught the exasperated expressions of Shikadai and Inojin.

"He never said that it was Sarada you were checking out," Mitsuki pointed out as he stuffed his face.

Boruto's cheeks grew hot, blushing intensely at his assumption. Damn! He should've just kept his mouth shut instead of trying to play it off. I really should've just skipped the whole day and hung out at the arcade.

Iwabe continued to watch Boruto fidget in his seat. It was always nice to see him squirm. He was too cocky for his own good sometimes. And it was funny to see his usually boastful teammate knocked down a peg. Over a girl, no less.

"So what's the story there?" he asked. "Because there obviously is one."

Boruto didn't say a word. He just laid his head on his arms and stared over at the tree beside them.

Iwabe turned to the other three at the table, even more curious now. Almost concerned, actually. He didn't think he'd ever seen Boruto act like this before and it was unnerving.

"Boruto is sulking because him and Sarada got caught sharing goo-goo eyes at each other in class," Inojin explained before opening his bento.

Boruto immediately popped up out of his seat and sent the blonde a death glare. "We were not! Like I would ever be interested in an uptight, pain in the ass, flat-chested, conniving bitch like Sarada!" He yelled, drawing the attention of the other students in the quad. Everyone was quiet as they all stared at him in shock. Even Shikadai and Inojin were speechless.

Sarada and her friends were sitting at the picnic table just a few feet away.

And they had heard everything too – it was impossible not to have heard it. Sarada's face was bright red in embarrassment and anger. Her eyes met Boruto's for a moment before he ducked his head and ran away.

"Boruto!" Mitsuki called after him, moving to stand and follow his distressed friend, but Shikadai just put a hand on his arm to stop him. He shook his head. Mitsuki looked torn.

"Just let him go."

The lunch crowd had turned their eyes to Sarada now, waiting to see her reaction. Her friends looked at her with sympathy in their eyes. ChoCho sent a mean look toward Iwabe and the others, and the boys wilted under her gaze.

"Show's over people!" Wasabi stood up and screamed at the gawking crowd, shooing them away. She sat down beside Sarada. "Want me to go kick his ass for you?" She sounded far too excited at the prospect. She wasn't captain of the Kendo club for nothing.

Everyone watched as Sarada quietly put away her lunch and got up from her seat. "No, I can do it myself, thanks," she said in a too calm voice. She walked away from the gossiping seniors and followed the path that Boruto had taken. She had a pretty good idea of where he was headed.

Sarada found him on the roof, just like she knew he'd be.

Boruto heard the heavy door open and slam shut, indicating someone had come up to check on him.

"You didn't have to come up here, Shikadai. I know I fucked up, okay," he said to the intruder. He was beyond annoyed with himself for letting Inojin rile him up like he had. And he didn't need a know-it-all coming to tell him how badly he screwed up.

"I'll be sure to let him know."

Boruto whipped around at the sound of Sarada's voice, his expression one of alarm that quickly turned into annoyance.

Sarada just crossed her arms and cocked her hip, unfazed by his attitude. "It's good to know you can admit to making a mistake."

Boruto clenched his fists. Damn, her arrogant tone pisses me off!

"What the hell are you doing up here?"

He really was curious why she was the one that had come after him.

"I think I have a right to confront the person who called me an uptight, pain in the ass, conniving bitch," she retorted, her voice still deceptively calm.

Boruto smirked. "Don't forget flat-chested," he said mockingly.

Sarada walked slowly up to him. Before Boruto could say anything else smart, he felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek. Sarada's hand and ears were ringing.

Boruto gaped at her. "D-did you just… slap me?" His voice was quiet. He didn't know how to react or if this was even real life.

Sarada was surprised by her actions too. She looked at Boruto with a stunned expression on her face. Her hand stung and she could see a red mark growing on Boruto's cheek. It made her stomach churn, feeling remorse for what she had done settle in her gut. She hadn't planned on slapping him.

"I-I… Boruto, I…"

Boruto just stood there staring at her as he brought his fingers up to his cheek, still in shock.

Sarada took a step toward him, "Boruto, I am so-," but he backed away from her. She was appalled at herself. She wasn't one to resort to violence unless absolutely provoked.

But Boruto just got under her skin. She fisted her hands, anger rising once again. "This wouldn't've happened if you hadn't been such an ass to me!" She shouted accusingly.

Boruto's eyes went wide, then he scowled at the tiny brunette before him. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Yesterday at Thunder Burger! Have you forgot that you called me a bitch then too!" She tried to forget his whispered words last night and their heated staring in class today as she went on. "Or how you brought up my parents! And then today you announce all those hateful words about me to the entire senior class! You pushed me too far, Boruto!"

"You're blaming me for you slapping me?!"

"You deserved it for all the crap you said!"

"I had been trying to apologize yesterday! But you had to blow up at me like always!"

"Then apologize!"

"Fine! I'm sorry! There! Ya happy now?"

"Ecstatic!"

They stared daggers at each other for a few heartbeats before Boruto finally stormed off, murmuring under his breath as he went.

When Boruto reached the bottom of the staircase, Iwabe, Shikadai, Inojin, and Mitsuki were all standing there looking at the ground. He noticed a teacher coming down the hall toward him, probably to check to see who was having a screaming match on the roof. He ignored him and turned to his so-called friends.

"Really? You guys just gonna stand there?" Boruto said angrily. Because he needed someone else to be angry at. He didn't even let them respond, walking passed them as he headed out of school. He heard the teacher and his friends shout his name from behind him, but he didn't turn around. He didn't care if he got in trouble at this point. Or how bad his mom would yell at him when he got home. He was spending the rest of the day at the arcade like he should've done in the first place, praying video games would take his mind off everything.


A/N:

I hope that math problem - courtesy of my husband who has a degree in mathematics - sounded as boring to you all as it does for me.

Also, Sarada is actually very sorry for slapping Boruto. But maybe that smack is just what's needed to push these two closer together…


I am just a little, tiny cinnamon roll, so please be kind :)