Yo, peoples. Another chapter….ya….So, here it goes…
(p.s. 00000 means scene change)
"I don't get it." I tell my new roommate, Sakura Haruno. Well, technically, she isn't my roommate, but, remember that door I mentioned before? The white one across from my bed? Well, it leads to her room. (Apparently, every two rooms are connected to create the "feel" of roommates without actually having to share a room. I can even lock the door if I wanted to.)
So, anyways, she moved in that night of my first day.
--Flashback—
Knock Knock
What the hell? Where is that coming from?
There is an annoying knocking coming from no general direction, I tip-toe over to my door, open it, peek outside, but nobody is there. Is this some stupid prank? But then I hear it again….and then the white door across from my bed swings open revealing an excited looking, pink-haired girl. She smiles at me and stares at me through emerald colored eyes, as if trying to memorize me face.
"Uh, can I help y-you?" I walk over to the door she had just come from and look to where it leads, and discover a whole other room! It's an exact mirror image of mine (only with a bit less scattered junk on the floor).
The pink haired girl laughs. "I'm Sakura Haruno. Nice to meet you." She gives me a little wave from where she is standing, a couple of feet away from me. I nod my head weakly.
"I live next door." She says cheerily. Now that it has finally sunk in that it isn't a totally parallel universe behind that door, but an actual room, I warm up to her a bit.
"Naruto Uzumaki." I hold out my hand. She stares at it, then shakes it with her own hand, a grin planted on her face. I think we'll get along fine. Is what I think as she walks back to her room and closes the door lightly behind her.
--End Flashback—
So, that's how it happened. Since then, it's been about three days since that first day, and we have become really good friends. We go into each other's room when we want to (but of course we knock first) and talk and explore the campus. Hinata even joined us a few times.
But today, she has brought over a bunch of DVD's that we are now watching in the main dorm room which is basically public to all the students at this school. When I first saw them, I didn't know what to think. The cover of the first DVD said: "F.R.I.E.N.D.S: The entire first season." (I'm sorry, I just love this show way too much so it has to be in my fanfic. Heheheh)
What was F.R.I.E.N.D.S.? Apparently some weird American TV show. But, luckily, the DVD's Sakura had me watch had Japanese subtitles, so I wasn't lost at all….or, at least I wouldn't be if the plot wasn't so confusing!
"Wait, so this Ross guy was divorced three times?" I ask incredulously.
She nods and then counts on her fingers, "First to Carol, then to Emily, then to Rachel."
"But he's in love with Rachel, so why'd he divorce her?"
"Because they were drunk when it happened."
"But they're both in love, so what's the problem?"
She sighs.
"Never mind, just know that right now Rachel is dating Joey. Okay?"
"But she likes Ross."
"Yes."
"So why Joey?"
"Because Joey is awesome."
And that was the end of that.
This American show has so many love triangles….I can't make heads or tails with it.
"Whatever, I can't follow this, so…I think I'll just head back to the room, kay?"
She shushes me and waves a hand to acknowledge my departure.
00000000
Ramenrox1010 has signed on.
Ramenrox1010: Hello there!!
Ramenrox1010: Why haven't you been on lately?
Ramenrox1010: I had a question to ask you!!
Ramenrox1010: (
TheAvenger678: I've been trying not to talk to you, that's why
Ramenrox1010: TT
Ramenrox1010: So mean.
TheAvenger678: Whatever, dobe.
Oh, yeah. I haven't been able to talk to TheAvenger678 since that first day in class, because he/she hasn't been on, like, at all. So, my days were filled with passing angry notes at the girly boy in my class saying he's a sissy, and the occasional conversation with Hinata.
That also means that I haven't been able to ask about girly boy or find out anything about him. That makes me so impatient.
Ramenrox1010: so, back to my question
Ramenrox1010: can you tell me…
TheAvenger678: no
Ramenrox1010: you haven't even seen the question yet
TheAvenger678: I don't have to
Ramenrox1010: Uh huh!! You so do!!
TheAvenger678: Give me one reason
Ramenrox1010: Cuz ur my friend
TheAvenger678: When did that happen?
Ramenrox1010: when you didn't block me even after I keep IMing you
TheAvenger678: …
TheAvenger678: That was because I'm not allowed to block people anymore.
Ramenrox1010: Huh? I don't get it.
TheAvenger678: I blocked everybody who had a screen name, but after the teachers found out I had done that, they disabled my blocker button.
Ramenrox1010: they can do that?
TheAvenger678: I guess so, because they did. And that is the only reason I haven't blocked you yet.
Ramenrox1010: It was fate, then.
TheAvenger678: How do you figure that?
Ramenrox1010:Well, think about it
Ramenrox1010: You block every single person, but right when you are about to block me, you suddenly aren't allowed to anymore.
Ramenrox1010: fate.
TheAvenger678: You sound like Hyuuga
Ramenrox1010: What?
TheAvenger678: never mind.
Hyuuga….Hyuuga….That was Hinata's last name. How was that like Hinata?
Ramenrox1010: Hinata never says things like that! Wutr u talking bout?
TheAvenger678: learn to spell idiot.
TheAvenger678: and I said never mind.
Ramenrox1010: fine then.
"That is such a great show!" Sakura sighs as she enters my room. I suppose she is talking about that F.R.I.E.N.D.S. show, but I don't see how she can like it when it's so confusing.
TheAvenger678: good.
"I don't think it was." I tell her.
"You just can't appreciate a good romance comedy."
"There were too many American phrases in it anyways."
Okay, have you ever tried to carry on a normal conversation and an instant message one at the same time? Its hard. And it was exactly what I was doing right now with Sakura and TheAvenger678.
Ramenrox1010: ya
"It would be funny if you would just give it a chance." She pouts.
"Maybe in a few years." I hear her walking towards me now, so I turn around. She is right behind me. And I mean, right friggin there! Inches away from me! I drop the laptop in shock. How did she get there so fast? Freaky.
"Ack!" I quickly pick up my laptop and see that I sent a message.
Ramenrox1010: aksljdkfjkakls
It must have landed on those letters….oops
"Who're you talking to?" She points to the other screen name, which responds exactly as she does that.
TheAvenger678: What was that? You're new native language of idiocy?
"I don't know who they are, aside that they're a student here." I respond to Sakura.
"Well that narrows it down. You don't even know if it's a boy or girl?"
"Nope, but they don't if I am either."
"Well, then, go ahead and answer!"
Ramenrox1010: No! Meanie!!
Sakura giggles at my reply.
TheAvenger678: then what?
Ramenrox1010: My roommate somehow acquired super powers and scared the hell outta me
"Hey!" She jokingly punches me on the shoulder, reading my already-sent message.
TheAvenger678: Wait. There is somebody there with you?
Ramenrox1010: Yep. My newest friend. Why, you jealous?
TheAvenger678 has signed off.
"Uh…." I stare blankly at Sakura, she doesn't have anything to say either.
Well that was weird.
Ramenrox1010 has signed off.
"Maybe you scared them" She says.
"How could I do that?" she shrugs.
"I guess you found a way, so don't ask me." She grins and disappears through the door to her room.
Huh…..
000000
"So, class, since you so anxiously wanted work yesterday. I have an assignment for you today." Jiraiya says with an evil looking grin.
I gulp and prepare myself for what is probably a ten thousand word essay or something. Hinata gives a visible shudder from her seat in front of me.
"You will write an essay." Okay, but what's the catch? "But, the catch is," Ah, here it comes. "You will describe a person. And they can't be yourself, or, any one of your friends. Or anyone in this class, it has to be someone you know almost nothing about. In fact, you can even name the person "Anonymous" if you wish."
What did he even mean?
"You mean like an imaginary friend?" Someone shouts.
"As much as most of you need one, no. I mean a real person, but you don't know much about them, so you write what you think they are like. Got it? Then it is due at the end of this week." Loud moans fill the room. "Oh, c'mon, people! Just a short essay, nothing big, geez…"
Who the hell am I supposed to write about? Sakura? No, I know her too well, Hinata? No…same situation…..huh….Toughie…
Oh well….I'll think about it later…
0000000000
So far, classes have been pretty boring, well, aside from Kakashi and Jiraiya's. My other classes don't have anybody I know or can talk to in them (because Sakura is taking all honors classes, while I am taking regular ones, so she isn't in any of my classes) or pass notes to or anything.
Also, since it's the first few days of school, all the teachers (aside from those two previously mentioned) talk about are safety regulations, and the rules of the school. We haven't even had P.E. yet.
Boring.
Therefore, I have been thinking of joining a club.
I walk across the heavily planted field that leads to the office building. Seriously, when I say heavily planted, I mean it. There are a bunch of trees, rosebushes, shrubs, flowers, and tons of other plants all confined to an area of probably 4 and a half acres. It's practically a forest, only with a clear-cut path and more foliage.
Right now it is about three hours since class ended so all the students are in their rooms or their dorms, because did I mention that this school had a curfew? Yeah. A curfew. So I guess the students don't want to be caught outside that curfew, even though it's no where near the time that the curfew is set too. Yes, I am aware that I am saying curfew a lot, but that is just how much I can't believe that this school has one.
The sky is a rosy shade of pink at the moment, and while I stare at it, still walking towards the building, I hear a girl's voice. It comes from behind the tree that I was about to run into.
Of course, being the self-restrained person that I am, I walk on, with out a second glance. That is, until I hear a familiar voice responding to the first one I had heard. And it belongs to that girly boy in my Global studies class.
I quietly hide behind a tree and eavesdrop. (Don't judge me! It's my business to know what they are saying because I might find something out about this boy, like…oh, I don't know…uh, his name?) However, it seems I came in a bit too late in the conversation because suddenly the girl (the first voice) starts bawling her eyes out and runs away from him.
Well, that was helpful. All it happened to do was confirm my suspicions that this guy was a complete and total conceited jackass. I don't know what he did to that girl to make her cry, but he could at least run after her to comfort her. It would have taken only about a minute or two out of his life. Jerk.
I hear a slight, "Hn." From him, and then he walks away, but then he stops just short of the tree I was hiding behind. I catch my breath, and crouch down lower to the ground as to not be discovered, if I haven't been already. However, he simply lets a crumpled up piece of paper fall from his pale hand, and continues across the field. I debate whether to run after him and kick his ass, or to stay where I am look at the piece of paper he just dropped.
I decide on the latter. I don't have any classes with him other than Global, so I have no idea how he does in P.E., so I'm not sure if he will just beat me up instead. I'll have to enact my rage on him in a different way….
I reach over from where I am (just in case he looks back behind him; he isn't completely out of eyeshot yet) and grab the paper. What it says doesn't completely surprise me, though it does seem a bit….sudden.
Here's what it says:
Dear Sasuke Uchiha,
I have almost all my classes with you, and even though it hasn't been that long since I met you, you seem so perfect, kind, and just so…..I don't know how to explain it. Please meet me in the main garden, by the giant oak tree, at 7:00 sharp. I have something to tell you…
There is no name, but the writing is all swirly and girly looking. And all the lower case "i"s were dotted with hearts….
Did she say that he was kind? And perfect? Hardly!
Sasuke Uchiha, huh? So I actually did learn something….
So….that must have been a love confession. He turned her down, so she cried and ran away. It all adds up. That and the fact that he's a jerk. But I already said that.
I consider ways to make him feel guilty about it (yes, I will make him show gasp emotion for someone other than himself!) as I continue walking to the office.
Maybe if I make photocopies of the love letter and stuff them in his desk every day? No…if someone else found that letter besides Sasuke, the girl would be humiliated, even if the letter was anonymous.
Or maybe I could…oof!
Damn tree. Why were there so many here? I start to get up (I had fallen on my back after the sudden impact) when I hear laughter. Very badly stifled laughter at that.
I look up. And up there is a boy who has spiky mousy brown hair and some weird red markings on his face. There is a dog perched on his shoulder.
"That was hilarious!" He can't seem to stop laughing, but, this might be a good thing. Why? Because if he continues, he'll fall out of the tree in 3….2…1…
thump!
"No, no. That was hilarious." I say before offering the boy my hand, which instead of taking it, his dog bites. "Ouch! Ouch, ouch! Itai! Get him off me!" I start screaming and sprinting all over the garden. The boy just whistles and pop! The dog is off.
"And you didn't do that earlier because…?"
"I was too busy laughing." He says as he tries to stand up.
"Ah, I see." I respond, kicking him in the back, causing him to fall over once more. His dog doesn't seem to like that, and attacks me again.
"Ah! Get off! Off!" The dog stops biting me and leaps down to the ground, whimpering. It's amazing the authority girls had when they were pissed.
The boy just decides to lay on the ground, with his hands behind his head.
"Kiba." He says, gesturing toward himself. "Akamaru" He points at the dog, which is now lying on Kiba's stomach.
"Naruto." I say. And lay down next to him.
"I suppose you saw that little…..incident over there with the Uchiha." He says casually.
"Huh? What? No! no, of course, not! W-what would make you think that?"
"I saw you hide behind the tree a few feet away." He's got me there.
"Yeah, but, I was listening. Okay? Listening. Not watching."
"It's all the same." He sighs. "That guy seems like the type to get thousands of confessions per year."
"Tell me about it."
"That's the fifth one since school started."
"Fifth? How do you even know that?"
"When I'm in my tree, I can see everything, and there just happens to be a rumor that if two people confess their love under that oak tree, they'll stay together forever. Bullshit if you ask me."
"So that's why you know? Because the confessions are always in that same spot?"
"Basically, yea."
"Must be convenient knowing where everything happens."
"Not really, I'm a freshman, so I just got here a few days ago."
"Me too."
"Yeah, you're in my Language Arts class."
Seriously? How come I never saw hi-….wait, he's the guy that sits in front of Chouji! Yeah! Now I recognize him! He's the guy who's always staring out the window next to Hinata!
"Oh yeah."
"Yeah, but you 're always so focused on your laptop, you know that?"
"I…I am not!" All I ever do on my laptop is talk to TheAvenger678 mostly, so there is no way I'm that focused on it!
"You kind of are. And you're always smiling like an idiot while you instant message"
"Nu uh." The conversations are kind of interesting, but I can't be having that much fun talking to the Avenger678 can I?
"Yep."
"I will no longer justify you statement with a response."
"Whoa, fancy language for a fellow freshman."
"Was that an insult or a compliment?"
"A mix of both."
"Why do you stare out that window in the back anyways? There is a perfectly good one across from your seat"
"Who says I do that?" He says fiercely.
"Well then you wouldn't know I was always on my laptop."
"It's not like I stare…." He pauses, as if choosing his words carefully, " out the window…." Another pause, " because of any particular reason!" He turns his head away from me. But its too late, I already saw the blush on his face.
I can't imagine how I could be so oblivious! He wasn't staring out the damn window! He was staring at Hinata….how sweet.
I smile evilly.
"W-what?" He stutters, okay, maybe I'm smiling a little too evilly.
"I know your secret, now…..hehehehe."
"No! No you don't! You don't know anything!" He yells, and stand up. His dog barks at this sudden action. "Just….don't say anything, okay?"
"I thought I didn't know anything." I say innocently.
"Sure, I believe that." He says sarcastically.
"Don't worry, I don't have any purpose for the blackmail….yet."
"…"
"But can you tell me where the office is?"
"Yeah, just go that way, then turn." He begins to walk away.
"Kay, thank you!" I yell at his retreating form. But, of course, I can't let him off that easy. "I'll tell Hinata you helped me!"
Even from where I stand, I can see him pick up his pace as soon as I say that. I think I actually will tell Hinata, too. Then she won't be so shy around him, maybe, since he can be nice when he wants to.
"Clubs?" The receptionist asks me. I nod. She hands me a slip of paper that has over 70 different names of clubs.
"Sushi club, Hide Club, Larc en Ciel club, music club…" I begin to read off the names. "We love meat club?" I look at the receptionist questioningly.
"I didn't create these." She shrugs, then is about to turn her back to me, when suddenly she hands me a map.
"What?" I stare at it.
"This is a map of the school grounds. Judging by the look of you, I think you need one."
"Hey, lady! What is that supposed to mean?" I shout angrily.
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." She gives a quiet laugh, then ushers me out of the office and into the cool outside.
"Hm." I pout. I may get lost from time to time, but is it really written all over my face? I stare at the map in front of me. It has a bunch of boxes to indicate classrooms, a red box and blue box to indicate boys and girls dorms. Some other symbols….and…wait. What was that one for?
A small yellow and light blue star was planted right in the middle of where the classrooms were. It was simply labeled "Café" on the paper.
Who knew we had a café on campus? So, of course, seeing that, I had to scope it out.
When I finally arrive, it's about….say, 8:00 now, three hours till curfew, so I still have some time left. The "café" has no name apparently, and is actually pretty big. It is right in the middle of one of the buildings where classes are held. What catches my eye, though, is the big "Help wanted" sign in the window.
I peer into the window. They waitresses inside are all wearing cute, but very short maroon skirts and a cream colored top. Very cute uniforms, I found myself admitting. The guys were basically wearing the same thing but with pants instead of skirts.
I could probably use a job. I didn't want to depend on my foster family for money all the time, besides it would look good on a resume later on in life. Yeah, this could be a good idea.
I take the sign and waltz into the café (which now has a couple of third and second years talking amongst themselves.) and plop the sign right down on the counter. The person tending to the cashier looks at me casually then, after a short period filled with talking to the manager, short, 5-minute interviews, and having to write health info on a card, I am handed an apron.
"Welcome to the working world, first year." Yells one of the third years waiting tables.
I laugh and say, "What's the pay here?"
"Minimum wage."
"Damn."
"Hey! No language in this café! It's on school grounds." The manager shouts at me. "You will be contacted to what your working hours will be every Sunday. Okay? You are dismissed." I salute but stay inside the café.
I'm thirsty, so I order a hot chocolate. The girl behind the counter is frowning as she hands me a foam cup, then tells me to take it to the next window over….okay. Never had to do that before. Whatever. So I take it over to the next "station" where there is a scary looking guy with no eyebrows. He has maroon colored hair and a tattoo over his jade colored eye. I don't know what to say now.
"Uh…I was told to come h-here." I stutter, not daring to make eye-contact. But, after a minute or so of silence, I stare up and see that he is still glaring at me. "Uh….uh…."
I hope he can't sense my fear….
"Gaara! If you don't do anything, the boss is gonna get mad at all of us!" Some brave soul tells the scary kid.
"Mm." Gaara mutters. Then slowly takes the cup from my hand and fills it. "Here." He doesn't sound too happy.
"Uh….sorry if I caused trouble or something….uh…uh…" I must sound like Hinata now. Is this how she feels around everybody in the world?
"Don't worry. Gaara hates everything in the world, not just you." The guy who had talked to Gaara before says to me, over the counter. He notices the apron that is slung over my elbow. "You a fellow co-worker?" I nod. "Try and enjoy working here, okay? It's really not so bad."
For the first time, I look away from the scary guy and stare at this new guy. He has brownish hair that is coming out in tufts from a black beanie on his head. Also, he is wearing purple make up all over his face. "Kankuro." He says proudly.
"N-Naruto." If Gaara knows my name…will he curse me or something? But, then Gaara begins to walk away from his "station" and goes to the back of the café, takes out a magazine, and reads it. Kankuro gives a sigh, stands where Gaara was previously standing, then points to the girl by the cashier.
"And that girl over there is Temari." I look over. She has sandy blonde hair which is in four ponytails. She is still frowning but gives a faint wave from behind the cashier. I wave back. "There are only a few members of the staff here, because they are too scared of him." He gestures to where Gaara is sitting. I nod in understanding. "But, seriously, it's fun. Good pay if you're a decent worker."
"Good to know. Hey, um, about how many customers come a day?" Just wondering.
"Quite a few, actually, the stuff here is good, and it's right on campus, so it's pretty convenient."
"Ah, I see. I see…Well, see you when I work."
I give them a wave, then leave the café with an empty cup in hand. (I drank a lot of it while Kankuro was talking.) And walk around the now, very dark, campus to the girl's dorms.
"Yo!" I yell to the door of Hinata's room. I can hear her footsteps as she scrambles to open the door.
"Hello." She smiles weakly. Then she opens the door wider and lets me in. I see her two "roommates" lying on her bed, holding a laptop upside down.
Hinata's is basically the only room connecting three rooms, instead of two, so her roommates both have access to her room. Lucky her.
"Hiya, Tenten. Hiya, Ino." I wave to them.
Ino is reading a magazine, sitting on Hinata's wardrobe. She quickly glances up from it.
"Naruto! Any gossip lately?" She jumps up from her perch and latches her arm with mine.
"No. Stop asking." I liked gossip as much as the next person, but, Ino was just a little bit….extreme.
"Ah….well, any info on big forehead girl?" She slyly glances in the general direction of Sakura's room.
"I'm right here, Ino-pig." Says a very cold voice behind me.
"Yo, Sakura." I giver her a wave, also. She just nods then glares at Ino (who returns the favor)
"No gossip, then?" Ino slumps a bit, letting go of my arm and grabbing her magazine again. Sakura goes over by her and scans the page she's reading, very interested.
"Guess what?" I say.
"What?" Hinata asks.
"I got me a job." I grin proudly.
"Where?" Ino asks in a bored tone.
"At that café in the middle of the campus."
The girls all look at me like I'm crazy.
"Th-the one with….Gaara in it?"
"Yeah…..why?" I say suspiciously. Gaara was scary, but was he that infamous?
"Nothing…it's just…have you heard the rumors about that guy?" Ino said. And if anybody knew the rumors, it would be her.
"No…..why?"
"Well, because….well, I won't tell you, but just keep you're guard up, kay? Don't want anything bad to happen to our sweet Naruto…."
Ya…shorter…and a bit more rambling….This chapter was basically useless.
Just to kind of build up the atmosphere, and introduce some more characters. For those who skimmed it, I don't blame you. Sorry. Next chapter will be better.