According to the school s curriculum, the freshmen students had to circulate between the mandatory subjects for the first semester until they were allowed to choose between options, however, the school provided extra-curricular activities that could be taken up by choice and dropped only after a month if one wanted to change. Those activities ranged from academic help like peer tutoring to interests such as sewing, so in order to get settled, it was announced that the freshmen were allowed two days trial.
"Did you decide on anything?" I asked Hinata as we studied the lists on her table.
"Father wanted me to join the Debate Club," I snorted at this. Trust Hiashi Hyuga to force his daughter s confidence. "And I might consider Ceramics and the Life Sciences Club. Have you decided?"
"I've been hyped on Martial Arts since enrolling in this school, but nothing else has so far caught me."
Hinata smiled as she passed over her lists. "They have a writing club."
"Oh not you too!"
"I think Hatake-sensei is right," she admitted, glancing at the clock and noticing class was supposed to start five minutes ago. I followed her line of vision and raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Kurenai-sensei to be late at all. Almost all the students were prancing about the class and being obnoxious.
"I don't really enjoy sharing things," I spoke up, scrutinizing the list between my fingers. "Art Club is an option now. I can express myself without words."
One of the reasons why Hinata was my friend was because she was so humble and thoughtful. You could always trust her to keep secrets and she didn't talk about others or force conversations because she was a little shy, something that we both shared and found mutual understanding in. Her main priorities were excelling as much as she could so we normally addressed proper issues like both our living circumstances and schoolwork. I had to endure mine and Naruto's guardian, Jiraiya, who disappeared on some days to do research for his next work, and she had a prodigious family who tended to shun almost anything remotely human. I couldn't decide which one of us had it worse.
The door slammed open so abruptly, it caused a mini-heart attack to no doubt not only me. Hinata was clutching her chest and her eyes were squinted, and I heard rather than saw everyone scrambling to their seats. It was so quiet, I could hear myself breathing, and I was sure this was not the type of quiet I would grow to like.
The man that walked in had an impressive stature, dark hair long and spiky with a bang covering his right eye and carried nothing but a ruler. His visible eye was slanted, otherwise having a depth-less obsidian hue, and the way he scrutinized every flinch was chilling.
"Stand," he commanded in a rich baritone. Everyone hoped to their feet without the slightest bit of hesitation, and Hinata's head was downcast as she stood, assuming she was intimidated, so I suddenly disliked this new person.
Formerly standing by the teacher's desk, he bypassed it and slowly regarded every student there. I watched them look away when his eyes landed on them, and scoffed. They had no reason to grovel some random person no matter how intimidating they looked. Where was there dignity? Hinata at least looked at him as well, albeit she flinched when he got to her. Good. At least I wasn't the only one. I neither flinched nor showed any interest when his eyes met mine, but it lasted more than I assumed was necessary, I started to get uncomfortable and looked to the side, not down. I still felt the pressure of his eyes like a thousand suns even after a moment, before he finally turned around and stared at the messy chalk board filled with last Friday s notes.
"I do not tolerate ineffectual students, so I highly suggest you do your part," he turns around again. "Everybody sits, except you," he pointed the ruler at a poor fool. Maybe they were standing out or doing something unacceptable. Or, they did absolutely nothing wrong and were dying at the scrutiny of not only blatant staring, but having no way to divert it.
Did I mention I was on the other end of the ruler?
My fingers clenched as everyone besides me sat down, and I could see the look of despair on Hinata's face from my peripheral vision.
"Name?"
"Uzumaki Kushina," I answered, forcibly nonchalant.
He turns away and walks to the desk, and I stand there more awkward now, wondering if I should sit or not. He didn't necessarily say he was done and he'd probably snap if I did without permission, but like hell was I going to ask. I'd rather face anything than get uncalled permission. He pulls out a duster and cringes a little, before approaching me. I sucked in a breath when he stood towering over me with the duster held out. I took it and I started to erase the board quickly.
"From now on, Uzumaki is the class representative."
WHAT!?
My hand subconsciously went faster and more violent.
"What?!" screeched a girl, one that I silently began to pray for. I don't know who she is since I was still half-way done, but I guess she must have been the original class rep. "You can't do that! We already had an election and Kurenai-sensei approved of me." I swear to god I've never felt so grateful in my entire life. I need to hunt down this girl and thank her with a gift basket.
It was eerily quiet for a while, enough to allow me to get to my seat and stand (not sit, as I could feel the extremely dark aura from him and thought better not get even more embarrassed). I didn't even look behind to see the girl s face.
"Did your... teacher by any chance give you authority over other students?" His voice was so calm, it chilled me. I took it upon myself to look at her, as I felt somehow responsible for this, but I could not locate her, as everyone had the same look of terror, as if they were all being addressed.
"Uzumaki," he called, and I turned to face him. "Besides cleaning the board, handing out and collecting papers, and fixing my desk, you are given the authority to hand out detentions as well as suspensions," I let my shock show; I wouldn't be able to hide it even with years of experience. "Although it would be appreciated if you run it by me first."
No way was I going to do that. Surely the other kids would know? What kind of psychopath would give a student so much power?
"You may sit."
