Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Emonaru: Okay a lot of things are happening in this chapter so pay attention and yes there's a cliffhanger at the end of the story but I don't think it's too bad. Oh and forgive me for taking so long. Summer school you know? Keeps me busy and all that jazz. Anyways here you go! Please review when you finish. I'd love to know what you think of the chapter and all that! Only if you want to of course!
XX Chapter 26 XX
The final bell rang and the students just shot out of their seats, chattering inanely with their friends as they left the school grounds. Sasuke was not one of those students. He sat in his chair and only left when the teacher finally, politely, asked him to leave. It finally sunk into his head. Naruto had-Naruto had lied to them. He had lied to him. He had lied to him.
He had believed him. And he had lied to him. To them. He just couldn't get that out of his mind. He. Had. Lied. To. Him. Kiba and Shikamaru had waited outside for him but he could barely focus on them. But he did. He couldn't be ungrateful. They had accepted him. It was just….he couldn't keep his mind off Naruto.
"Hey Sasuke you okay?" Kiba was asking . He nodded, it was a lie but it wasn't like he could help that. Kiba looked skeptical but didn't voice anything, surprisingly.
"Man where the hell is Naruto." His face was worried but his fingers were clenched in a fist. It strangely comforted him, to know that he wasn't the only one thinking about it. Thinking about Naruto. And how he had lied to him.
"I don't know. But something must have happened when we left." Shikamaru said, his eyes flickering up and down the halls. No sign of Naruto. His eyes flickered back and sighed. "We'll just have to wait until tomorrow I guess. We can't assume the worse." He clamped a hand bracingly on Sasuke's shoulder. "No sense in worrying Sasuke we'll see him tomorrow."
"I've got to go. Meet you tomorrow at the roof. Bye." with a final wave he left through the slowly dissipating crowds. Sasuke waved half heartedly and then jumped a bit when Kiba laid a hand across his shoulders in a show of comradeship. Which was more than he deserved really. Ignoring them at times and just shoving his worries about Naruto on them.
"Shikamaru's smart Sasuke." Kiba began with a grin. Nervousness showed but he trudged on. "Don't forget that. If he says not to worry, it's got to mean something you know? We'll see Naruto tomorrow. Promise. He'll have to answer us then of course but no use worrying about it Sasuke until then. Naruto ,no matter what he might
seem like he wouldn't want that."
"How do you know?" Sasuke couldn't keep the skepticism and anger out of his voice. Anger from sorrow and skepticism from complete and utter disbelief. Nor did he want to at the moment because Naruto had lied to him. How could anyone justify lying to someone's face like that.
Kiba gave a small understanding smile that made Sasuke bristle slightly. It made him feel like a small child who spoke out of childish anger or whining. He was in no way either.
"Look Sasuke. I know you've only known Naruto for a couple of days so you can't really see it but he's different. He's really changed. Before if you had asked me I would have told you to never trust him. But, the fact is he has changed."
"In the past he'd never hanged out with a group like us before. He's always been the out of reach prince of the school. Close but, never descending from his throne. The fact that he stayed friends with us as long as he did means something."
He tightened his hand on his shoulder a bit and Sasuke was forced to look into Kiba's sincerer stubborn eyes. Kiba, who he had met just a few days ago and who like Shikamaru actually truly seemed to care about him and Naruto. Or at least about him and his feelings for Naruto. He could at least listen, if not agree so Sasuke nodded and Kiba gave him a relieved smile before giving him a final pat on the shoulder and then leaving at a fast pace.
He had said vaguely that he was going to meet someone at a store. He had invited him to come along but Sasuke didn't feel like going anywhere today. He just wanted to fall on his bed, turn up the music and just lay there for a good three hours. He couldn't ignore the problem. He didn't want to but nobody ever said he couldn't sulk for a while.
With that firmly in mind he sighed and made his way to the student parking lot. He hadn't seen Itachi today either. Which was actually strange, before in previous schools they used to always hang out with each other. Sasuke pushed the thought away as
he sped up a bit, noticing Itachi's distinct figure near the car. He slowed down though when he caught a glimpse of a stranger. Itachi noticed him quickly enough.
"Sasuke." Itachi said with a smile and then turned to his friend or something. "Deidara this is my little brother, the one I told you about."
The blond turned and surveyed him with an assessing glance before laughing. "You sure he's your brother Itachi. Doesn't look a thing like you at all. Yeah."
Sasuke glared at the blond who merely just raised a eyebrow in amusement and turned back to talk to his brother who was smiling slightly. Sasuke smiled a bit too. It was unusual for people to tell them that when they found they were brothers. Almost immediately it was, "Oh you look so much like your brother." and similar annoying things. It was refreshing to know that things were different here.
Still, he leaned against the car door with a bit of boredom as Itachi and Deidara continued their chat. He sighed loudly and was ignored. He kicked the door of the car lightly and was ignored. He grit his teeth once and slammed his foot harshly on the car door until finally the car alarm system began to shrill loudly. Itachi was hard pressed to ignore him now.
--
He looked at his fingernails in feigned innocence as Itachi glared at him from the passenger seat. Deidara had found it funny, why couldn't he? Deidara who sat behind them in the rear seats. Itachi had said something about giving him a ride home or something. He hadn't cared really. He just wanted to get home.
"So what's wrong?" Itachi finally asked with irritation as they waited for the light to change, Sasuke pretended he didn't hear him and leaned back in his seat and stared at the car ceiling moodily. Itachi was such a prick, nothing was wrong. Nothing at all. Besides like hell he'd talk about his 'problems' in front of what he considered a stranger.
"Sasuke don't ignore your brother. That's rude, yeah." Deidara commented sing song from behind them his foot on the seat, rocking it a bit.
Sasuke could feel his jaw clenching. But he relaxed it and gave Deidara a glare and turned his head away to look at the scenery. Like they'd know what he was going through. Like they had any right to ask him what he felt. They didn't know a thing.
The rest of the trip home was in silence, and Sasuke was so far gone in his thoughts that he barely realized that Deidara was getting out of the car with them. He was curious as to why but he left to his room without asking, he didn't really care much for anything right now. He wanted to just sleep and listen to his music like he'd planned. Naruto always listened to songs during class…maybe there was something soothing about it.
He grabbed one of his CD's laying on the table, he didn't really care which one it was, and slid it into his stereo. His door was still open so he got up and quickly shut it, locking it. His mom wouldn't be home right now but she'd be here in another hour. Hopefully by then the music would lull him into sleep. He hardly wanted to deal with her either. Sliding into his covers with a sigh he got his remote and pressed play. The music played softly and he closed his eyes.
Hopefully the next time it would be to more cheerful news. Hopefully Naruto would be there.
--
Naruto lay on his bed long after the phone had stopped ringing, laying like a mangled body on the floor. He couldn't muster the energy to move, let alone kick it. His laughter, already fading as the machine stopped blinking. He grasped his blankets around him and just lay there. He should be moving but he couldn't.
He should've been in class today but he left. He couldn't feel any more helpless even if he tried. He felt disgusting. Dirty, used. Tammy…it was her fault. He felt so dirty and that boy. That boy with the those horrible glinting eyes.
He didn't like him at all. Couldn't muster even hatred for what he had done today. Hatred, would mean he felt something strongly for that person and he didn't because he was unimportant. Didn't hold a grain of salt in his minds eyes but the fact that he had gotten so close. He shuddered with revolution. He could still feel the fingers trailing down his forearms. His neck…He lifted his arm so that it could cover his neck and winced slightly. Yes, his neck.
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After the talk with Tammy he had decided to just wander for a bit. Class wouldn't start for a while. He still felt anger coursing down his throat as the words kept ringing in his head. She won't love you like I do. She won't love you like I do. Since when had it gotten to the point that it had gotten this bad. Tammy knew how much he hated that word. How much he despised it. How could she have just say it? So freely…like she believed it. When she knew better. And he had fallen so easily to her charms, to her lies! It sickened him.
He let her touch him. Let her control him even if it was for only a second. He felt like he had betrayed his mother. The most horrifying feeling seized his throat. He'd hurt her if she ever found out about this, he'd tear her whole little world apart. She who expected him to be her knight and shinning armor. And Tammy was right. He couldn't throw her away. He needed her now. How could he have let things fall this much?!
And the whole time he kept thinking about Sasuke. Sasuke. Sasuke who liked him so much that it was obvious. So obvious. It was fun messing with him. Pretending he didn't see the little glances here and there. The stares that lasted too long. It was so easy. And so easy to see that it could change into something that wouldn't be so fun anymore. Sometimes, when he lay on the desk, pretending to be asleep he could hear all their little whispers and hear that Sasuke was not a stupid little boy. That he could see through him sometimes. That he could see through his smiles, and still worry about him like he was somebody to worry about.
It was endearing, in a strange twisted way. It made him want to laugh sometimes and it made him want to hurt. Hurt himself. Just to see the reaction, he never had of course. That would be stupid. But sometimes he wanted to hurt Sasuke. To yell at him. Tell him to stop worrying and don-don't you dare fall for me! Don't you dare!
He couldn't stop thinking about it so he had decided to waste some time not thinking. Thinking hurt sometimes. Thinking made him want to tell Sasuke to never go away. Thinking made him want to run away and never look back. Thinking made him want to hurt his mother. Hurt her so she could feel the pain he felt every time she rebuild him. More twisted than the last. Pick up the pieces when Travis was done with him and put them back together. Why didn't you do anything!? How long did you know!? Why didn't you protect me mother!?
Just fucking stop it!!
He had leaned heavily on the wall, he hated thinking. It always hurt. Always. Made him doubt, made him think in the darkest nights of just leaving his mother to face everything. He could do it too. He could, if he tried. Run away. Far far away where he couldn't see her. Couldn't hear her. Couldn't feel her. Her poisoning caresses as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear, about how much she loved him…needed him…hated him. Always it stabbed. Those words spoken so innocently.
Once upon a time Tammy had whispered those same words to him, same sparkle in her eyes.( Long before he had really looked into his mother's and discovered the same look in her eyes and only because Tammy had so hatefully described them as such when brief spells of jealousy hit her.) Except she spoke of freeing him instead of binding. Spoke of lands distant. Far different, from the little whispered promises to keep him locked away forever where only mother would find him.
He had fled to the only place he could find sanctuary from when the smokes were long gone and he couldn't find anywhere to hide but behind the lips of a random girl. It was so easy to kiss like he meant it. It had been so easy.
It would break his mother's heart if she knew he still did this, was the one thought that had slipped into his head as he leaned against this girls body and kissed her like she meant something.
'It had broken her heart once when she had found him at twelve years of age with another girl in the back yard kissing. His dad hadn't been there that day, it had sent a throb of adrenaline down his spine though. To know how easily he could catch them and not giving a damn. Back then he didn't have the looming threat of his mother's pain. He would defy him when he could back then. To find her standing there long after the girl had left, had pummeled the air right out of his chest. He had stood there long after she fled into the house and felt this horrible sense of guilt. She had looked so betrayed and hurt.
Never had she looked at him like that back then. Now it was different but then a lot of things were so different from back then. Always she used to smile like the beatings never hurt. He knew about the beatings but what could he do for her? At twelve years of age he knew nothing about self-sacrifice, didn't know that things could get any worse. Didn't know anything besides his own pain and nothing outside it.
The thoughts made him kiss harder against the girl. Harder than usual and maybe it was the gasping or the smack of lips ravishing each other that attracted him. Maybe it was because the classroom door was slightly open, and weren't used classrooms usually closed? So maybe he had decided to investigate or maybe he had been looking for him the whole time. Either way it was like this that he found him. Pressed up against her like a lover and lips pressed against hers like she was the world.
She had gasped a bit in surprise as she heard the door open. He had heard it too but he didn't turn to face whoever had opened it, she returned his kisses nonetheless, by now he had thought that the anonymous door opener had left, and nothing felt wrong until he was wrenched off her forcibly. This was nothing new either. He had made out with girls who had boyfriends and one's that didn't often enough to have some inkling on what might happen.
Almost always at least one person a month got on his case about making out with their girlfriend or crush. Usually with fists but he had been too tired to care. Nobody would hurt him too badly either, it would get around school and they would either have to move away or be ostracized by three fourths of the school. And eventually by everyone. It had happened to a poor unfortunate girl who had decided she wanted to be the first girl to actually break up with him.
It wasn't until he heard a faint cry that he even looked up from his sprawled position on the floor. He trailed up to her face as she looked at him for help. Her hair was being yanked painfully, he had flickered his eyes to find-he tensed-Kabuto. He stood up slowly, never mind that he knew Kabuto wouldn't hurt him. He had seen him in the halls when Sasuke and the others were preoccupied. He'd look at him and fucking smile, like he wanted to eat him, it sent shivers down his spine. Of repulsion.
"Let her go." the words spilled from his lips and held his gaze. It surprised him when he did, the girl ran forward and encased him in a an awkward embrace. He stroked her hair, it didn't look like he did much damage, then leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "You should go now."
She clung for a second, and he was sure he would have to be more forceful, but she let go and with a quick peck to his cheek she was gone, practically fleeing the classroom. And now he was all alone. With him. Naruto didn't flinch away when he came forward, invading his space. His fingers did clench into fists, but that was the only outward sign of discomfort he portrayed.
He said something but he didn't hear much until he practically hissed it. "What did you think you were doing? Kissing that nobody."
"I'm sorry but do I know you." Naruto stepped forward, eyes cold. "Because I think I'd know if I did. See I don't answer stupid questions, especially from nobodies like you." He said throwing the word back at him and seeing with satisfaction that, that comment had hit. He raised a hand to push him out of the way. He was gonna be late to class if the warning bell was any indication. He'd come up with a plausible half lie to tell his friends, enough to placate them and he didn't have time to waste with this stupid obsessive boy.
Time seemed to slow for a second. His hand was coming down to push him out of the way but the second his hand touched his chest everything seemed to speed up. He let out a small grunt of pain as his back collided with the desk. His wrists were snatched up quickly and he found himself locked in a position that he had put dozens of girls in, and before he knew it he was locked up in a harsh kiss.
Naruto had struggled, bucking in desperation to get him to get the hell off. Kabuto had just grabbed his wrists in one hand and forcefully pinned him down until all he could feel was that body on top of his. And then he was trailing hands down over his shirt and kissing his neck.
No! Stop! Pulling back his hair and suffocating him as his tongue descended past his lips. Stop it! Unbuttoning his shirt and then going down-going down and-and Please jus-just stop it! STOP IT!!
And then he was running. Running and just not looking back. He didn't want to hear that laughter. Just stop it!! Kept echoing in his head. He couldn't think. He couldn't think. Don't you dare! And then he was in his house and he couldn't breathe. He didn't know how he had gotten here but he didn't care and he, hands going down and down and-, stop THINKING!!
Somehow or another he had picked himself up and gotten into bed and now here he was.
Yes, here he was. The disgust still there and those hands and those eyes. Following him. Had been following him and he had done nothing. Still couldn't think to do anything. Had let those hands run over his body. Had let him mark him, his skin crawled at the very thought. He clutched his neck. This could ruin everything. Yes, everything.
Travis would see and then-then everything he had done to save her would be for nothing. He couldn't let that happen. He'd have to send her away. Far, far away. But where? He clutched his hair, trying not to think of hands clutching his hair.
His eyes fell on the phone, still a clattered mess on the floor, and he stilled. Suddenly, he had a thought. It could work. It could. With a final glance at the marks he set outside. Yes it could work, but it also could not. It was a risk but it was the only choice he had left now.
--
Sasuke sat on his chair and talked with Shikamaru and Kiba about the show he had watched last night. It was the only thing that kept his eyes from straying to the clock. Only five minutes until the bell rang. He'd have to come by then. Right? Meanwhile he felt jittery. He had awakened at six o'clock, his brother would give him an odd look as he paced around the house but otherwise had left him alone.
Deidara had indeed stayed the night so he had come to school with them. He had explained that there was some family trouble and Itachi had courteously allowed him to stay the night over while they sorted it out. Which meant something along the lines of You don't want to know so stop asking. Sasuke was good at reading along the lines usually so he had retreated to his room without further questions. It was only fair right, after how bratty he had acted the day before. He was perfectly justified but he still…. felt a smidge of guilt. After all Itachi was only being himself and worrying about him. Which he kind of liked, when it wasn't suffocating.
The squeals at the door signaled his arrival. And there he was. Naruto had a black turtleneck and he wore a red pattered sweater with black crosses. He looked the same as usual. Still as perfect, still as angry, still as annoyed looking as ever. And though he was still a little bit angry at him and thirsting for knowledge he couldn't help noticing that he looked so different today. It was like he blazed with a kind of wild looking beauty that he had never seen before. Maybe it was because he had never looked at him quite so closely before, never dared in his self denial stage, but now…now he could see him clearly, so clearly and it stole his breath away.
He was walking across the classroom now. Pushing past his fan girls with a small breath leaving his lips, his eyebrows burrowed in a small unnoticeable scowl. A few girls chatted him up a bit and he was clearly as impatient as he looked because he pushed past them. They didn't seem to care but only seemed to blush slightly. The sight would usually make him burn with jealousy, it still kind of did but Kiba's and Shikamaru's assurances that he had a chance, had been boosting up his hope so he ignored them in favor of Naruto who was gliding closer and closer.
"Hey Naruto over here!" It was not Kiba who shouted this. Naruto pause mid step in their direction. And then he raised a golden eyebrow in the opposite direction. A boy with plain black hair waved at Naruto and smiled like they were best friends. Sasuke watched tensely as Naruto walked over, who was this kid? Kiba and Shikamaru hadn't said anything about other friends. He looked at Kiba and saw the same look of shock on his face at the sheer audacity of calling Naruto so companionably like that.
"What's going on Shikamaru who is that guy?" Kiba asked in a whisper as Naruto walked toward the boy.
"I don't know." Shikamaru said. "But this doesn't feel good Kiba."
Naruto from his position looked down at the boy with derision. His lips pulled up into a sneer as he said something. It looked like Naruto was not in a good mood. And it looked like he really didn't know this guy, whoever he was. The boy merely smiled and then leaned forward and whispered something into Naruto's ear. Naruto's back stiffened for a second and then relaxed. And then he slid into the offered seat.
Sasuke felt the world crash around him as whispers erupted at the sight. His look was clearly mirrored in the faces of Kiba and Shikamaru. What had just happened?
"Wow that's weird. I thought Naruto kun was friends with Sasuke kun and them?" a girl whispered near them with surprise.
"Che what are you talking about?" A girl whispered back spitefully with a snort. " Like you ever really expected that little weird friendship to last. Naruto doesn't make friends."
"True." the other girl agreed. Sasuke could only stare at the back of Naruto's head and think: Naruto why?
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TBC….
Emonaru: So there it is…please review. Tell me if I'm moving too fast or something. I might not listen of course because I know some of you think I'm not moving fast enough. But I will try to use your input to help me with the next chapter. Still thanks for reading see you soon, I hope!
