(A/N: Hey guys! Sorry Ch2 took wayyy too long. Apparently it was a server-wide error, but to compensate, I wrote 2 more chapters. Hope y'all enjoy!)
Sarada buried her face in her arms, not wanting to see the expressions on her peer's faces when she picked it back up.
"So instead of a traditional test for your midterm, we're going to be doing a project." She heard Shino-sensei's muffled voice through her arms. "Since you're all juniors or seniors, you should be able to handle this. This is going to be a test of your memorization. In Theatre, memorization is key to being able to put on a splendid show. So we're going to be doing a formal reading," He plopped a stack of papers on his desk. "Pair up and pick your roles."
Sarada felt a huff next to her, "Is the nightmare over?"
Boruto mimicked Sarada and stuffed his face into his arms, "Far from it."
She groaned as she picked her head up, making sure to disregard the stares that they got. She stood up and picked two random stacks of papers from the piles. She plopped one onto Boruto's side of the table, before sitting down herself. He picked his head up to read the role that Sarada gave him.
"You have got to be shitting me."
Boruto snorted, "This eager to be with me Sarada-chan?"
Sarada took her glasses off before rubbing her temples, "This could not get any worse. This was literally such a random- I literally- LiterallyhalfoftheclassalreadychosebeforeIevenwentup there-" She rambled.
"So, we have to do this whole homecoming thing, you're my team's athletic trainer, and on top of that, we have a year long partnership, not to mention being each other's love interests in said partnership? The universe is fucking with us."
"Tell me about it."
"Midterms and homecoming is literally next week."
"Looks like you'll have to spend extra time with me, Sara-chan." He leaned closer to her, teasing her.
She scoffed, "Yeah, unfortunately."
The week dragged on. Boruto and Sarada had to keep meeting to come up with a compromise with homecoming.
"Okay so, if you guys win the homecoming game-"
"When we win,"
She gave him a stern look, "When you win the homecoming game, you guys will be introduced and congratulated. Do you want the staff or cheerleaders or anybody else introduced?"
"Anything is fine with me, I'm just the captain. But I'm pretty sure the boys will be keen on being introduced at homecoming."
"Alright well then, I'll just have the cheer coach make a line up for the cheerleaders to introduce you guys."
He shrugged, "Don't you think the girl responsible for all of this should get an introduction?"
She looked up at him and then pointed a finger at herself.
"Yeah. You."
"I don't need an introduction for validation or whatever. As long as people enjoy it, that's all the confirmation I need." Her eyes softened.
"Alright, suit yourself."
"Alright, alright! Let's run it!"
Sarada looked onto the boys practicing in the fields. From the looks of it, they were just running agility drills. They were hopping over ladders right now. Sarada had run this same drill probably hundreds of times for basketball, so at least she knew how that was supposed to look.
Hmm.
Sasuke looked down at his daughter who approached him, "Dad,"
"Hm?"
"What's that kid's name?" She pointed to a boy in maroon basketball shorts.
"Him? His name's Kawaki."
She nodded to his direction when it was his turn to jump over the mini hurdles, "He's mostly shifting his weight on his right leg. And when he lands or pivots on his left, his steps get sloppy and they falter."
Sasuke and Naruto both squinted closer, "Huh, you're right."
"How'd you notice that from here, Sarada?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Been there, done that."
"Oy, Kawaki!" The boy jogged over to the group.
When he stopped, he didn't bother to hide how his eyes raked over Sarada, "What's up?"
"Are you okay? Do you have an injury?"
Kawaki faked a bewildered look, "Who, me? No, I'm perfectly fin-"
"Hop on your left foot for me." Sarada interjected, squinting her eyes, challenging him.
His eyes widened before huffing, "Okay yeah… maybe I did sprain it last night." He grumbled.
"How did that happen?"
"I….tripped down the stairs."
Sarada snorted, quickly covering her mouth and turning around. When she regained her composure, she looked back to a flustered face. "Come on, I'll splint you up."
He hesitantly went with her to the medbay. "So, were you hopping on the stairs or something'?" She smirked.
He nudged her, "Oh shut up," She giggled as they continued making their way.
"Yo Boruto!" He looked at Iwabee, "You good man? Come on we gotta finish these last reps."
"...Yeah yeah.. I'm good." He took one last look at Sarada and Kawaki, walking off, laughing with each other.
Sarada stood in the locker room, cleaning up her medical supplies. A lot of the boys were pretty sore, asking her for a massage. Either that or they just wanted me to touch 'em. Pervs. She was ridiculously tired too. She's been out and about all day, all week. She seriously needed an off day.
Knock, knock.
She turned around to see a blonde idiot standing in the doorway. She raised an eyebrow at him. Why is he always shirtless?
"What do you want, dobe? I don't wanna be spending any more time with you than I have to."
Boruto made a fake grimace, clutching his chest, "Ouch, that hurt," he said, before chuckling. He walked towards her, sitting on the exam table in front of her.
"So. The midterm for Theatre?"
She froze, before face-palming, "Ah shit. You're right," she packed up her things into her backpack, "Uh, from tomorrow, I'm pretty sure my parents are gonna be going on a business trip or whatever with Uncle Itachi. You could come over or we could go to the coffee shop?"
She said, walking out. "Mmm, you would like that, wouldn't you?" He said, walking next to her.
"Whatever, dobe. It's only for the grade." She scoffed.
They reached the fence next to the parking lot, "Well at least it's Saturday tomorrow, so the cafe at 7:00 in the evening seems reasonable..." Boruto walked closer and closer to her as she rambled about the plans. He bent down to her level, trapping her in between him and the fence. Their faces were an inch a part.
She found herself breathless, why am I breathless?! "...because I still...have meetings." She quietly said, looking down at his approaching lips.
Those same lips curved into a smirk, "So it's a date then?" was the last thing he said before turning away, nonchalantly walking towards his car, leaving a red and flustered Sarada.
"NOT A DATE!"