Lucky Charm
by EikoDoll
Chapter Ten: Playing Dirty
She was late.
This is the first time she's been late in...well, a really long time!
Sakura panted heavily and stopped in front of her first class. She peeked into the window and realized Kakashi had already started the lecture.
"Dammit." she fumed in silence, wondering if it would be wise to skip the first period today. If there happened to be a pop quiz, she'd be screwed. And just when her grades were finally super decent...
Surprisingly, her academic situation wasn't the only thing that worried her. In fact, at this moment, she wasn't worried about it at all. The only thing on her mind was:
Naruto.
That damn idiot didn't have a cell phone, so calling him wasn't an option.
Where could he have gone?
She waited, for what seemed like years, for him at their usual rendezvous. Sakura's anger slowly disintegrated imagining the blue-eyed boy getting into some kind of accident that would prevent him from walking her to school today.
Otherwise, who in the whole fuckin' world would ditch Sakura Haruno?
"Sakura, you've been standing out there for fifteen minutes. Why don't you come in?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Sakura's eyes caught Kakashi staring smugly at her, hearing the scattered laughter of her classmates behind him. He held the door open for her as she sheepishly and awkwardly walked inside.
As soon as she sat down, still shaken about Naruto's unexpected disappearance, Kakashi stood in front of the classroom and smiled.
"Put away your textbooks, guys. You're takin' a pop quiz."
Everyone groaned while Kakashi looked like a bubbly kid on Christmas day.
Sakura mentally screamed.
Either Naruto was lying dead out there somewhere...
...or he soon will be.
Sakura walked out of Kurenai's Spanish class in low spirits. She still couldn't believe how horrible she did on the pop quiz in history.
There's no explanation as to why Naruto stood her up.
He must be dead.
Sakura walked solemnly to her next class: math with Asuma. She was sure Asuma hadn't announced any tests or quizzes to be taken today, but who really knows? She really didn't feel the need to pay attention after finding her lucky charm.
And now that lucky charm was dead on the streets. Or alive elsewhere.
Either way, he's dead.
Sakura glanced briefly into Asuma's window and searched eagerly for a soon to be dead man. Her eyes caught a blond haired, blue eyed boy sitting casually next to a purple haired girl who had a certain glow about her. Sakura watched Naruto exchange words with Hinata as if he had forgotten a smokin' hot pink headed girl had been waiting for him at the brick wall for hours!
She balled her fists and glared angrily at the sight before her.
Her white eyed rival giggled girlishly at something Naruto said as he grinned in accomplishment.
And they were eating Hinata's famous double fudge brownies!
Without her!
That jerk is going to die.
When Naruto caught sight of Hinata sitting by herself, he smiled and quickly found a seat next to her.
"What's up, Hinata?"
The girl blushed. "Hi, Naruto-kun. How was your day so far?"
"I'm not really sure." he scuffled his blond hair, staring up at the ceiling deep in thought.
Hinata was mesmerized.
"I'm really worried about Sakura. I haven't seen her all day..." he slumped in his seat, genuinely concerned for the emerald eyed girl. He couldn't help but wonder if something horrible happened to her.
Hinata visibly admired his sincerity. "She's fine. I received a text from her during second period."
Naruto grinned boyishly. "I should really get a cell phone, huh?"
The white eyed girl giggled. "I'll help you find one this weekend if you're free?"
"Yeah, sounds good to me."
Hinata's heart immediately skipped a beat. "Okay. It's a date." her blush increased.
Naruto only smiled and wandered to his deep thoughts again. His eyes darted to the door, hoping to see Sakura walk through it.
"You really like her, don't you?" Hinata leaned against her palm in a slightly somber state.
Still keeping a look out for Sakura, he scoffed rather loudly. "She's mean, selfish, and vain."
"You didn't answer my question."
Naruto blushed, finally turning to see Hinata's dejected expression. Being a natural born oblivion, he hadn't noticed. Naruto shrugged dishearteningly and his beautiful blue eyes stared into Hinata's.
She couldn't look away even if she wanted to.
He flicked a crawling bug on his desk (while Shino watched in horror on the other side of the room). "And what if I did? She doesn't think of me like that anyway." his emotional confession pierced Hinata's heart.
They sat in a moment of solitude not entirely sure what to say to one another.
Hinata fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. "It's true."
Naruto twirled his pencil, pretending he wasn't listening.
"Sakura doesn't think of you that way." Hinata felt her gut twist the moment she uttered that lie. However, she knew it was the only way she could ever stand a chance. She really wanted Naruto to be her boyfriend. Her real boyfriend. Right then and there, she felt like the lowest scum of the earth. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. She told me herself."
The boy who sparked a fire in the hearts of four goddesses shrugged as if he didn't care. "So..." Naruto successfully managed to fake a wide grin. "...are those brownies I see in your bag?"
Grateful for the change of subject, Hinata smiled. "Mmhm. I made it for desert-"
"Great!" he leaned in to grab some.
She pulled away and smiled teasingly at him. "After lunch, silly."
"I can't wait that long, the smell is killin' me!" Naruto pretended to whine.
Hinata couldn't believe how easily Naruto affected her. Melancholic one moment and joyful the next?
She would fight for him to the end.
"Okay. But only one." She watched delightfully as Naruto quickly extended his arms and grabbed a whole bunch of brownies.
"Naruto-kun!" she giggled.
They enjoyed eating the rest of the brownies and talked excitingly about cell phones and the joys of texting (which Naruto had no clue about).
"Ahem."
Naruto and Hinata looked up to see a raging pink haired girl glowering down at them.
"Hey, Sakura! What's up?" Naruto grinned, happy to see she really was okay.
Inner Sakura ripped Inner Naruto's balls off.
What's up? Oh, she'll tell him what's up!
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE NOT DEAD-!"
"Alright, everyone! Let's take a seat." Asuma announced nervously, obviously frightened by Sakura's outburst. "It's time to take the chapter twenty-four test."
What the fuck?
Sakura looked down at Naruto and back at Asuma.
"What?"
"I said...erm...take a seat."
"No. After that."
"You're taking a test today?"
This was the second time Sakura mentally screamed today.
"Why!"
The math teacher flinched. Asuma Sarutobi wasn't afraid of anything. In fact, he was known as being the bravest man on campus. He cliff dives, bungee jumps, flies out of airplanes, kills spiders (for the sexy ladies), and many more! However, he couldn't help but feel a chill every time Sakura Haruno glared at him. Just a tiny, pink headed, teenage girl.
Sure, she's very easy to along with, and even quite pleasant to talk to when in a calm state of mind,
but today she looked like a wild beast.
The 'brave' man shuddered.
"I'm a hundred percent sure I warned everyone last week-"
"I'm a billion percent sure you didn't." she emitted a dark aura.
Asuma's heart stopped.
He was so scared...
Aside from his cowardice, Asuma considered Sakura's statement and it didn't surprise him. All that girl ever did these days was pass notes to Naruto in the back of the classroom. Naruto looked fairly surprised as well, minus the angry reaction. That boy wouldn't care to take a test if his life depended on it.
Asuma sighed not looking forward to hear Sakura complain.
Growling silently in frustration, Sakura stared down at Naruto with a certain look in her eye. He stared back and leaned as far as he could in his chair.
He knew that look all too well.
Sakura grabbed his hair in a fit of rage and pulled him up, smashing her glossy lips onto his.
The room fell silent. Asuma considered interrupting the obscenity, but let's face it,
that Sakura Haruno would beat his ass.
It was a very angry kiss. One that involved Sakura forcefully slipping her tongue into Naruto's mouth. He willingly obliged and returned the favor, but it unfortunately didn't last long when he felt a sharp stab at the tip of his tongue. He quickly pulled away and stared at her in aghast horror.
She bit him!
She actually bit him!
Sakura threw him an evil glare and shoved him lightly out of the way choosing to sit on the opposite end of the room.
"..." Asuma and the classroom stared back and forth between the distant couple. "O-Okay..." he cleared his throat, bringing everyone to his attention (or at least tried to). "Let's start the test."
Naruto fell into his chair tasting the blood slide against his tongue. It didn't really hurt...
but damn!
He boldly turned his head and saw Sakura cross her arms angrily, still in a wild state of furry.
What the hell did he do to make her so angry?
Sasuke was equally as shocked as his classmates after Sakura stormed away from Naruto as soon as she was done 'attacking' him.
He was puzzled.
Why is she so angry?
If she's so angry, why did she kiss him?
He hated being so puzzled! He felt weak and useless. What was he if not intelligent?
Sure, he still had his unbelievably godlike looks.
But obviously he'd rather be a good looking smart ass than a good looking dumb ass.
He just couldn't figure her out.
Sasuke leaned against his chair and wondered what could have possibly caused her madness?
"That was a dirty trick, Ino."
"Whatever. All is fair in love and...something."
"I didn't even have a chance to get my luck! You stole him away the moment you put your stupid, clingy hands on him."
The blonde snorted loudly. "Oh, that's real keen of you. You're the one who forced Naruto to walk you to school so early in the morning! Not to mention you lied and told him Sakura didn't want him to wait up for her."
Tenten fumed. "It's not like you were eager to stop me."
Momentarily looking back several hours ago, Tenten remembered waking up extra early knowing Naruto would be standing by the usual wall so early in the morning.
Unfortunately, Ino knew as well.
The blue eyed girl successfully ignored the comment. "Anyway..." she coughed in discomfort. "I need the luck more than you do. I'm the one failing most of my classes!"
Tenten's eyes darkened. "Luck shmuck. You just want to kiss Naruto."
Ino placed her arms on her hips. "Okay, fine. I want to kiss my boyfriend. What's wrong with that?"
"Only that he's NOT your real boyfriend."
"Not yet anyway..." Ino pestered.
"Not ever!"
Just when Tenten and Ino were about to engage in a violent cat-fight, they saw Sakura walking (or more like stomping) her way towards them. She slammed her plate of lunch onto the table and sat in between her two best friends.
"H-Hey, Sakura. How are you?" Tenten looked away shamefully.
After taking a second to bask in her anger, Sakura turned to Tenten and let out a frustrated growl. "It's Naruto! He totally ditched me this morning!"
"Oh. Why would he do such a thing?" Tenten shifted in discomfort.
Ino threw her a revolted look.
"I don't know! Because he's a stupid ass jerk maybe!" she violently stabbed her turkey, imagining she was gauging Naruto's eyes out.
Tenten didn't dare say another word.
"Uh oh. Here comes you-know-who." Ino nudged Sakura and nodded towards two teenagers walking to their table.
Naruto walked to his death feeling the icy chill in the back of his neck when he saw Sakura's eyes darkening at him.
Seriously, what the hell did he do!
Before he would apologize for no reason, Sakura stood up with her head held high, walking away and out of the cafeteria. Naruto blinked, confused as hell.
Hinata couldn't help but feel responsible. Her flirtation must have been very obvious...
"I'm gonna go and..." Naruto stared after his first girlfriend.
"Remember to meet me at Ebisu's class. I think I'm having a test today...or not...but you never know." Ino said with a shrug.
"Yeah, alright." he gave her a nod before going after Sakura.
The three girls watched him sprint in haste and sighed guiltily.
"See, Tenten. Look what you did." muttered Ino as she peeled an orange.
Tenten gaped indignantly.
"What are you doing here?"
"Hi to you too, honey." the white haired man grinned sarcastically and brushed passed the busty blonde. He made himself comfortable on the sofa.
Tsunade eyed him suspiciously and seated herself on the opposite chair.
"I came here to see how Naruto's doing in his final year." he examined his surroundings. "But I can't find that brat anywhere."
"He's doing very well, Jiraiya."
"Seriously? Even his grades?"
"Except that."
Jiraiya nodded inadvertently. That was expected.
He casually picked up a fork and plate of half eaten cake on the coffee table and took a bite out it. Tsunade glared at him. "What?" he shrugged. "Sharing is caring; we're married." he said innocently.
"Don't remind me."
"So." Jiraiya continued to eat. "How often does he get bullied these days?" he questioned as if it he were nonchalantly talking about the weather.
Tsunade sighed in what Jiraiya believed to be relief. "Actually, not at all."
All of a sudden, he dropped the cake on the floor in surprise. "Wow, really!"
Despite being very annoyed about all the fudge smears on the carpet, Tsunade managed a small smile. "That's how I reacted too. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it has something to do with Sakura."
Jiraiya slapped his knee. "And here I thought he would be bullied forever! Ha!"
"It sure seemed that way, didn't it?" her small smile brightened. "So, Jiriaya." Tsunade folded her hands. Her normal facade returned, staring disgustingly as Jiriaya picked up the cake and continued eating it. "Why are you really here?"
The man laughed and wagged a finger at her. "You always see through me, Tsunade."
She was expressionless.
"How about I move into your house?"
"How about NO."
"Stingy as ever." he grunted. "I mean, we have been married for twenty years now."
Tsunade cringed.
"Well, don't look so happy about it." muttered Jiraiya. "But anyway, I have nowhere to go and Naruto's living in a dump..." he put the plate down, finally getting down to serious business. "What do you say?"
"Well, Naruto does live under horrible living conditions."
"He's my godson after all."
"This is a serious decision. I'll have two teenagers of the opposite sex under one roof! That can't be good..."
"What are you talking about? It's a dream come true! I wish I-"
"And then there's the 'big oaf' problem. How am I supposed to live with a stupid pervert in my house?" she quietly said to herself.
Watching Tsunade silently debating whether or not she should go through with this, Jiraiya smirked and wriggled his eyebrows. "By the way, I think it's about time we consummate our marriage...again."
He dodged a pen flying near his face.
"Don't ever speak of that!" Tsunade's face reddened.
"You know you liked it - AHHH!" Jiraiya failed to dodge the flying chair.
A demon.
A fuel, raged demon.
The image of her mutated wings flapping rapidly and skeleton-like body towering over him like a skyscraper haunted him. The red slits that should have been where her beautiful green eyes were pierced dangerously into his. Her claws were deadly enough to slice through his body without even touching it.
That's the image of Sakura Naruto currently saw in his mind,
a demon of the underworld...
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" she said in an ear splitting roar.
Naruto stepped back. His stupidity would naturally be mistaken for bravery. "Are you mad at me?"
"What gave you that impression?" Sakura spat sarcastically at him.
"What did I do?"
During that very long period of silence, Sakura couldn't help but feel annoyed with...herself. Sure, any normal girl with a crush would be mad. However, she took this anger to another level. A level she didn't even know she was capable of reaching.
Was she really THAT girl?
The kind of girl who becomes unbearably clingy and obsessed with her boyfriend?
Well, pretend boyfriend...
Sakura never felt so ashamed in her life.
"I'm sorry." her eyes softened, looking less and less like a dangerous flesh eating monster.
Poor Naruto was like a lost puppy. 'It must be her time of the month.' he reasoned.
"I was way out of line." her green eyes darted at a random object. "When you ditched me this morning, I guess I-"
"Ditched you?" Naruto looked puzzled. "Tenten told me you texted her this morning asking her to tell me not to wait up for you. She said it would be a waste of time waiting and I should walk with her to school...because she's afraid of getting raped or something like that." he shrugged, very confused with the whole ordeal.
Sakura couldn't quite process what the blond, naive boy was saying.
Tenten wouldn't commit such a devious, manipulating act.
"I think Ino told me the same thing."
Okay, Ino wasn't much of a surprise.
But Tenten?
"I can't believe they lied to me." Naruto's face looked stricken.
Sakura immediately shook her head. "No. Naruto, they didn't lie."
She couldn't believe she was covering their asses.
"I guess I just forgot. Hehe." She pretended to laugh sheepishly and forcibly pulled out her 'aww shucks' face.
Naruto shot her a blank stare. "So all that hate was for nothing?"
"Yup!" she took his arm and linked it with hers. "Wanna get some ice cream?" she smiled happily and walked alongside him, cursing her 'friends' on the inside.
Naruto stared at her.
This girl is insane.
"Don't change the subject! Do you know how much my tongue hurts right now!" Naruto scolded, thrashing his free hand in the air. "It was fuckin' bleeding!"
Sakura ignored his rant. "What about some chocolate cake? I bet the lunch lady has a few pieces left in the cellar?"
"You're crazy! After yelling at me in front of everyone, FOR NO REASON, you think you can just-!"
"Hmm. Or how 'bout some roast chicken in the cafeteria?"
"What the - how can you act like everything is okay, you weird, deranged, psycho-!"
"I found your confiscated ramen bowls in Tsunade's office. Wanna steal some?" she winked playfully.
Naruto paused.
He was still very agitated with Sakura, but the last thing he wanted to do was let all those ramen bowls go to waste...
"Well, okay."
Tenten and Ino looked at each other with guilty and uneasy expressions.
"Are you two okay?" Hinata crossed her arms, knowing very well about the little fib they told Naruto. Just when she was about to lecture them on the consequences of lying, she suddenly realize she was no better.
After all, she did tell him Sakura had absolute no interest in him.
It was obvious the pink haired girl was utterly smitten with the blond, mischievous boy.
"She knows." Ino gulped.
"I wonder what horrible thing she'll do to us." Tenten shuddered.
Hinata sighed, relieved that Sakura didn't know about the lie SHE told. "She can be pretty ruthless."
"I know!" Ino felt like falling to her knees.
"I can take her. She's small. What's she gonna do? Stare up at me to death?" Tenten punched the air, warming up for her battle.
Hinata and Ino looked at the delusional brunette with pity.
"I'm so dead!" Tenten whined.
The three teenage girls stared at the blank wall, awaiting their death.
"Hi, guys!"
"Ah!" they jumped in horror.
Sakura glowed, very pleased by their reactions. "I'm glad you all decided to show up. Didn't think you had the guts." she especially fixed her eyes on Tenten and Ino.
They gulped.
"Yeah, okay, so what's with the sudden summoning?" the blonde beauty swallowed her fear and placed two firm hands on her waist.
The emerald eyed girl shrugged casually. "Oh, nothing really." she picked at her nails. "Only, I thought we were playing a friendly, clean competition."
"Oh please. This is Naruto we're talking about." said Ino, unusually brave in this scary situation.
Tenten nodded her head. "That's right. There's no such thing as a clean competition."" she exchanged looks with Hinata and Ino, who looked equally as guilty as she did.
"Also, Hinata." Sakura smirked when she saw the timid, purple headed girl shift uneasily. "I talked to Naruto during our break-in in Tsunade's office. He told me what you said in Asuma's class. I have to say, it was really funny. And I mean fuckin' hilarious. Wanna know what he told me?"
Ino and Tenten immediately turned their heads, watching the timid girl squirm with suspicious eyes.
Hinata coughed nervously. "Um, no thank you."
Sakura did anyway. "He said he was glad I didn't think of him as anything other than a friend...because our friendship means a lot to him...and he wouldn't want to ruin it by being a REAL couple..."
Hinata sighed in distress. "I'm sorry, Sakura."
"We're all sorry." added Ino and Tenten, guilt-ridden.
"That's alright." Sakura shrugged, grinning wildly.
The three girls threw the pink headed girl a shady look.
"Because I sorta evened the playing field a bit." she smiled sweetly.
Knowing what Sakura was implying from her own personal experience, Ino's eyes widened. "What did you tell him about me?"
"That you have gonorrhea."
"WHAT-!"
Hinata immediately stepped in. "W-What about me?"
Sakura shrugged. "I told him you eat frog brains. He was pretty mad, you know, Naruto being a frog lover and all." she waved a casual hand.
The white eyed girl gasped in horror.
"And me?" Tenten was prepared for the worst.
Sakura pretended to think. "Hmmm...well, I finally told him what a bisexual is."
Tenten waited anxiously.
"A lesbian who likes to chop off and collect dicks."
"NOOO!" Tenten literally fell to her knees.
Ino was plain livid, she couldn't believe how far Sakura stooped. "That's WAY more horrible than the lie we told Naruto!"
"Hey, a lie's a lie." Sakura's trademark sweet and evil smile brightened. "See you girls later. My boyfriend is waiting to walk me home." she slyly turned around, leaving behind a few mentally shattered girls. "Oh, and just so you know..." she stopped, half turning her head to face them.
Tenten, Hinata, and Ino looked up, glaring at their former friend and current enemy.
"Prom is coming up pretty soon." she smiled sickeningly. "I wonder who Naruto's taking?" she laughed evilly and skipped away merrily.
The three goddesses exchanged fixed stares, each with determination and simultaneous thoughts.
'Naruto will be mine.'
A/N: WOW thanks for all the reviews everyone! I REALLY appreciate it :D
Ok so the next chapter is gonna be LONG. I'm sorta debating on whether I should make it into two parts, what do you guys think?