Author's Note: Here's chapter four! I hope you guys enjoy :)
Chapter Four: Dream Analysis
Sarada sat in the empty classroom staring out the window at the quad below. She watched the other students mill about, chatting with friends before home room. She had been able to sneak in without anyone noticing her, her plan to avoid the gossipmongers having been a successful one. But she knew she wouldn't be so lucky once classes started.
Her and Boruto had been the talk of the school yesterday and she knew today would be no different. This place ran on gossip, she reminded herself with a sigh. So she sat at her desk enjoying the quiet for just a little while longer. Before she was bombarded with hushed whispers and subtle pointing. Before she would have to face Boruto again, if he even decided to come to school today.
Boruto. Her fingers tapped at her desk in irritation at just the thought of his name.
But what happened yesterday and the day before wasn't what had her irritated at the Uzumaki today.
Damn him. As if it wasn't bad enough that I have to deal with his shenanigans in real life, he had to go and invade my dreams too, she mentally grumbled.
She noticed a minivan pull up outside the entrance of the school. She watched a blonde man in orange wave at his son before driving away.
Speak of the devil. She was surprised he showed up.
Her eyes followed Boruto as he ran across the courtyard to meet up with his friends. He seemed his usual over-the-top self as he chatted animatedly with the guys, like nothing happened yesterday. And like there weren't groups of people staring at him and whispering behind his back.
Sarada slapped her hand on her desk in frustration. Here he is, being all calm and cool while I have to sit here worrying about what everyone is saying about me and not being about to stop myself from remembering that stupid dream!
She let her head fall in her hands as the images from said dream played out in her mind.
It was just like yesterday when they were on the roof. Everything was the same. But when Dream Sarada had gone to slap him, Dream Boruto caught her wrist. They had just stood standing there staring at each other for a long time before Dream Boruto slowly leaned down close to Dream Sarada's face, his breath sweeping over her cheeks. He paused before he reached her, just a hairsbreadth away. And without another thought, Dream Sarada was leaning up on her toes, closing the distance so their lips could finally touch.
It was a gentle kiss. There was no rush. They slowly melded together, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders as he released her wrist and settled his own palms against her hips. There was tentative nips and licks, then the simple kiss turned a little more heated. Dream Boruto backed them up against the rooftop door, his hands roaming over Dream Sarada's body. She ended up pulling away for air while he continued kissing along her neck, making her mewl. And before long, Dream Boruto found his hands under her skirt inching closer and closer to her panties…
"Sarada! I've been looking for you everywhere!" ChoCho yelled as she slid open the door to the classroom. Sarada jumped from the sudden noise. "What're you doing in here all by yourself?"
Sarada didn't answer. Just looked out the window again, watching crowds of students bustling into the building as she tried desperately to calm her breathing. She rubbed her thighs together, mad at herself for letting her mind wander like it had.
ChoCho frowned and walked over to her friend. "What's wrong?"
They could hear people out in the hallway, of few of her classmates already making their way to their desks. Sarada just shook her head and looked up at her friend, not wanting to say anything with potential eavesdroppers around.
"Nothing," she said just as Boruto walked into the room.
Seeing him so suddenly after remembering her dream made her cheeks immediately heat up and she was unable to stop her heart from racing. She averted her eyes at the same moment that Boruto looked over at her, a small blush forming on his own cheeks. Their dreams were so fresh in their minds and it was awkward seeing the other in person.
Shikadai and Inojin were suddenly standing next to Sarada's desk bowing their heads. Sarada's eyebrows shot up at the gesture, not sure what was happening.
"We're sorry!" The two said in unison.
"We know Boruto won't apologize himself, so we thought we would on his behalf," Shikadai explained.
Inojin rubbed his arm, looking uncomfortable as he said, "and it was partially my fault for what happened yesterday anyways. I provoked Boruto and that's why he had an outburst."
Boruto just stood to the side with his arms over chest and a sneer on his face, not really caring for his friends' show of apology. He was the one who got slapped.
Sarada could see some of the other students watching the weird display. Great. Even more rumors to go around. She wished everyone would just leave her alone.
"It's fine, guys. I don't blame you."
Shikadai, Inojin, and ChoCho shared a concerned look at Sarada's soft tone. She didn't even throw a glare at Boruto as she had said that. It was unusual. Even Boruto had thought so. That was unexpected…
But before anyone could question her on her mood, the bell rang and Shino-sensei came in the room.
—
Sarada barely even spoke during breaks. She had refused to sit out at the picnic tables at lunch, choosing to sit inside by herself, insisting the others go on and enjoy eating outside while the weather permitted. It was only when gym class rolled around that her friends were finally able to talk to her about how she'd been acting.
"Okay. What gives, Sarada?" ChoCho demanded. "You've been quiet all day and avoiding even us," she pointed at Wasabi, Namida, and Sumire. "This can't be just because of all the gossip flying around."
Sarada stopped her stretches and brought her knees to her chest. She leaned a cheek against her leg and stared away from her friends. She didn't know how to tell them how she was feeling. Because honestly, she didn't even understand how she was feeling. She wasn't sure if it was because of the things Boruto had said about her or her guilt for slapping and then yelling at him or her steamy dream about him, but she just didn't feel like herself. And she didn't know if she even wanted to tell them about her dream in the first place.
Her mind was all jumbled. It all seemed to lead back to Boruto, though. And it didn't help that whenever she saw the stupid idiot she felt a mixture of irritation and… something else. Something like butterflies.
"Did that asshole say something else to you?" Wasabi asked, cracking her knuckles.
Sarada just gave a quiet laugh and shook her head. "No. We haven't spoken since yesterday."
"Was it someone else then? Who do I gotta maim?"
She shook her head again. "No. I'm just not feeling like myself today. I don't exactly know why."
But ChoCho saw a light in Sarada's eye that made it seem like she might have a small inkling. She narrowed her eyes at the Uchiha. "Spill."
Sarada just looked at her puzzled. "What?"
"I saw that look in your eye. You have some sort of idea why your mood is all funky. Now tell us."
Sarada's cheeks were pink as her friends all stared at her. Sumire came and knelt down beside her.
"Maybe if you tell us, it'll help us figure out why you seem so down."
"And just getting it off your chest might be helpful too," Namida added.
She looked at her friends' smiles and eager expressions and for some reason couldn't deny them. She pulled her knees closer to her chest and hid her face as she said, "I had a dream about Boruto last night."
The words came out rushed and muffled, but her friends had definitely heard her.
"WHAT?!"
Wasabi and Sumire threw their hands over ChoCho's mouth, smiling at the people who turned to stare at them. She shrugged them off and grabbed Sarada by the tops of her arms, shaking her.
"Tell us everything!"
"ChoCho stop shaking me!"
She released her and sat back, ready to hear the story. "Go on," she said expectantly.
"ChoCho, she doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to," Sumire stated, giving Sarada an understanding smile.
Sarada took a deep breath. "No. It's okay. I should probably just get it off my chest. Maybe then it'll stop playing on a loop in my head." She crossed her legs and looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. She didn't even know where to start.
On the other side of the track, Boruto was jogging alongside Shikadai and Mitsuki. His eyes landed on Sarada. It was like they were drawn to her today, flickering to get a peek at her at every spare moment. And he could do nothing to stop the subtle glances.
He shook his head and griped, "how're they not getting in trouble? They're just sitting their talking. They should be running like the rest of us."
"You know Kakashi-sensei doesn't care what the girls do," Shikadai reminded him, eyeing the white-haired gym teacher lounging in a lawn chair reading a book.
Boruto suddenly stopped and the other two followed suit. As soon as their legs stopped moving, Kakashi yelled at them across the field without even looking up from his book. "You're lucky class is almost over or I would have you three run extra laps!"
"So not fair," Boruto mumbled as he plopped down on the ground, crossing his arms and legs.
"Hey guys," Inojin waved as he took a seat next to Mitsuki.
"Oh, so nice of you to join us now that the period is about to end."
Shikadai just chuckled at Boruto's grouchy response. He turned to Inojin. "How was the nurses' office?"
"It was nice. Enjoyed myself a well deserved nap. Made that stomach ache of mine just disappear." He snapped his fingers to indicate how quickly his symptoms had vanished, even though his friends knew he'd been faking. He just hadn't wanted to run today.
"Ugh!" Boruto threw himself back on the grass and stared up at the sky.
"What's wrong with you?" Inojin wondered.
Shikadai answered for him. "He's been a grouch all day, grumbling to himself and being annoyed at the world."
"And don't forget how he's been eyeing Sarada all day too," Mitsuki added.
Boruto sat up and glared at the Sound foreigner. "Shut up. Have not." He couldn't stop his eyes from tracing over to we're the Uchiha was still sitting chatting with her friends.
"You literally just did it again."
Boruto pouted. "You guys suck."
"Honestly, I'm surprised she hasn't tried to hit you again," Shikadai stated as he watched some clouds blow overhead.
"Yeah. She was unusually quiet this morning," Inojin agreed. "I figured she'd yell at you at least."
Shikadai looked over at his best friend. "You seem to be acting different too, Boruto. Something else happen you haven't told us about?"
He looked away, his ears growing hot. "No."
Inojin smirked at him. "That means there is something you aren't telling us."
"I want to know this secret!" Mitsuki interjected.
"There's no secret!" Boruto exclaimed. His friends were so irritating. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell them about his dream. They'd probably just make fun of me for it, he thought.
Shikadai put a hand on Boruto's shoulder. "Come on, man. We promise not to be jerks about it."
"Yeah, just tell us."
Boruto threw himself back down on the ground, flinging his arms out to his sides. He gave an exasperated sigh before saying, "I sorta kinda had one of those dream last night." He spoke to the sky, not even turning to look at his friends' expressions, he knew they'd understand what he meant.
"About Sarada?"
Boruto cringed at how innocently Mitsuki asked that question. Like he already knew the answer.
Shikadai smirked at his friend spread out in the grass. "Of course it was Sarada. Who else would it have been?"
Boruto didn't even have the energy to argue with that.
"So does this mean you're finally gonna admit you have feelings for her?"
"I don't have feelings for Sarada!" Boruto yelled, sitting up to stare down his best friends.
Inojin thumped him on the back. "You're delusional, man." He just laughed as Boruto growled at him.
A few feet away, Sarada had just finished telling the girls about her dream. ChoCho immediately squealed excitedly.
"You're finally admitting you have feelings for Boruto!"
"W-what? I don't have feelings for Boruto," Sarada said adamantly.
"Your brain begs to differ," Wasabi giggled.
"Just because I had a dream about him, it doesn't mean I like him."
"Well, it sure means you don't hate him as much as you think you do," ChoCho was equally as adamant. She was bordering on angry, so fed up with Sarada denying her feelings.
"Whatever," Sarada scoffed, turning away from the Akimichi's killer stare.
Before they could argue about it any further, the gym teacher blew his whistle, signaling the end of class.
—
Boruto rolled his shoulders as he made his way out of the gym. Practice had been brutal. He had to do extra drills and coach made him run suicides until he collapsed. His calves were burning. He wouldn't be skipping practice again anytime soon.
He looked up at the darkening sky, not having realized how late he had stayed.
"Hey."
He turned to see Shikadai sitting on a bench outside of the school waiting for him. They started walking beside each other, silently making their way towards their houses.
As they were walking through the parking lot, they noticed the lights were still on over the tennis courts. They could hear the telltale sounds of someone repeatedly wacking a ball with a racket.
They stopped along the sidewalk and peered through the fence.
Sarada Uchiha was on the tennis court practicing against a ball launching machine. There were dozens of the greenish-yellow balls all over the court as she continued hitting volley after volley.
Shikadai noticed the way Boruto's eyes glazed over as they watched Sarada move across the tennis court.
"You really gonna keep telling yourself you don't have feelings for her?"
Boruto turned to him. He didn't know if Shikadai was right or what. All he knew was that things were definitely changing between him and Sarada…
A/N: I think the ending to this chapter is one of my favorite scenes.
Thanks for reading! Hope you guys liked this chapter. There's lots of silly moments that I just adore.
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I'm just a sweet cinnamon roll so please be kind :)
