A/N: Old submission for Sasusaku Month 2014 day 22. Prompt: Exposed.
Uchiha Sasuke is one arrogant, selfish, boastful prick who couldn't care less about anyone. He's considered the most handsome boy in my grade. He's athletic and smart. But all he does is brag about himself and degrade others. The thing is, what drives me insane is why he's picking on me alone.
What did I do wrong to deserve this? I've never had the chance to share a group project with him. Heck I've never even talked to the guy! But the way he looks at me with those beautiful arrogant onyx eyes, is filled with disgust. They're telling a whole different story. I can tell he sees me as someone who is inferior, low class, a nobody. Sure, I'm not from a rich and honored family like him but I'm trying to be the best! I've been working harder than anyone, at least so I could get that scholarship.
My grades aren't bad, well they're not the best. I'm not particularly good in sports. But I'm trying to! I'm constantly trying to better my physical strength. Yet he still can't seem to compliment my efforts. I don't know what he wants from me, I don't even know why I'm feeling like this! I shouldn't care about his opinions, all that matters is my hard work will pay off one day. I guess it just keeps bothering me.
My best friend Ino says he might have feelings for me, but I highly doubt that. He looks at me like I'm trash, like I'm not even worth looking at, like I'm such a loser. Ino always tells me to get over it.
The thing is, I'm trying.
.
.
Great. Just great. Today's another day where I get to be in the same class as him. Why does fate want us to be in the same room all the time?
"First I'm going to hand out the ones who got perfect scores." The teacher is handing out our previous test results. Woohoo….
"Haruno Sakura." Wait what? Me? My face automatically lights up in glee. All those hours I spent studying finally paid off.
"And Uchiha Sasuke." And all that light is instantly gone when the teacher calls his name. He immediately glances towards me and tugs his lips into an arrogant smirk, as if bragging to me that he got the same score as me. Gosh I really hate that beautiful smirk of his. He thinks he's so clever and the best.
.
.
Then comes sports period. Track and field. I keep telling myself, I need to be stronger, I need to pass. As I'm mentally encouraging myself to push forward, again Sasuke passes me and bumps my shoulder before saying "too slow".
Again, there's that arrogant smug on his face. I just want to rip that handsome face of his off and grind it to shreds. Here I'm just glad I can pass gym class. I don't need a mental reminder from him whenever I can't beat him in sports!
Just 6 more months to go before I can pass to the next grade and be in a different class where hopefully I don't have to see him again.
.
.
Wow. Just wow. I never knew his arrogance could take on a whole new level. But now, I know better. That's it. I'm going to go talk to him, confront him and maybe he will leave me alone and gloat at someone else for all I care.
The universe just loves to pick on me because we're partnered up for a chemistry project that's due next week. Kakashi-sensei keeps on telling us that it the top students in the class are paired together, that our project can be submitted to the state fairs and we might stand a chance of winning an award. But I doubt we will be able to if we're going to just fight and disagree all the way through. I tried asking Kakashi-sensei for another partner, but of course he refused.
Then, Sasuke decides he gets to be the team leader. And now, he's ignoring me. He's just looking at me and he doesn't listen to what I'm saying. It's like he's in a whole different world. Deciding that I just can't stand him anymore, I suddenly snap at him.
"What's your problem?" I'm so tired of being degraded as if I'm such a loser. Who does he think he is?!
"Excuse me?"
"Why is it that you always mock me. Do you think I'm weak? Stupid? Incapable? What?" He's being awfully silent. So I press on.
"I've worked hard for this past few months and I've been trying so hard to change your view about me! I don't even know why I care so much about what you think about me! Argh I'm so angry at myself!" There's that smirk again. I hate it when he does that.
"Tch. Annoying." That's it. I'm outta here. I'm so infuriated!
"You know what, here! You go ahead and finish the project by yourself! I'm sure you don't need my help. You probably think I'm a just burden to you. I'm going home." I think it's the best thing to do. Forgive me Kakashi-sensei, it's just impossible for us to work together.
"Sakura wait." Just when I'm about to leave his house, where he had picked as the place to do our project, he grabs my wrist, forcing me to stop.
"What do you want?" When I turn my head to face him, I can feel his warm lips on my cheek. It doesn't even last a second before he pulls away. Bewildered, I look at him. His eyes are telling me everything that his mouth can't utter.
I can't get a read on his face. He's giving me that same look he always gives me. No, this is different. For once, he doesn't look arrogant at all. I can't quite pinpoint it, but he looks… softer. He's smiling? I don't understand.
Is he not trying to bring me down? Have I been misunderstanding him this whole time? So that look he would give me whenever I didn't achieve my best, was it to tell me to push forward and keep trying my best?
That moment, I finally realize that he isn't such an arrogant prick after all. He is… more like a tough coach, that's all. He wants me to strive for my best.
If only I knew this sooner, I would have probably fallen for him sooner. If only I've seen him through unbiased eyes, pass beyond that stoic expression. If only-
"I'm sorry I made you feel that way. You're not weak or stupid. You are… amazing." He turns his head away from me, fixing his gaze at the floor. I can see a tint of read crawling up his neck to the tips of his ears. Is he blushing? But there's still one question that bothers me so much.
"Then why did you have to be so arrogant?!"
"I just like seeing you angry. It's… cute." Did I just hear that last word correctly? I must be dreaming. But I'm not. The almighty Uchiha Sasuke thinks I'm cute? I've been reading him wrong this whole time? What in the world have caused that to happen? Maybe fate was on the right track after all. I can't help but force a laugh and playfully pinch his forearm.
"Ouch what was that for?!"
"For being such a jerk to me this whole time. You could've just said so, instead here you're making me look like the bad guy."
"Hn." That smug is back again.
"I mean I don't think you're pretty bad on the eyes yourself." I try to mutter it as quiet as possible.
"Hn. Thanks." But of course he heard it. I give him a light punch on the forearm.
"That's for being honest with me." Is he pouting? His pout quickly turns into a small smile that I've never seen before. Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all. Maybe I am falling for him little by little.
"Let's just ace this project together, okay?"