'Ringing…is it in my mind?' I try to see what's making that noise, but my eyes, they won't open. WTF? I try to lift my arms to rub the sleep from my eyes, but only my left arm moves. 'Okay, more WTF?' eventually my eye lids unstick from each other. ' I guess I was crying in my sleep..'
Even though I can see everything now my brain isn't working. I'm like an empty shell, but somehow I end up in the shower. Images of yesterday's events wash over me with the shower water. The fight with the Dobe, getting arrested, Father beating the shit out me; it all comes back to me along with the pain.
"Fuck, my face and elbow are throbbing. Dammit!"
Sasuke shut off the water and dried himself off with a towel. As he did this he configured a lie to tell everyone about the bruises andbandages that were conspicuous on his body. ' Today's gonna be a bitch'
"My nose FUCKING hurts! That damn bastard broke it", Naruto was fuming with rage was he got ready for another day of hell. "It looks like a I got a nose job. Grr that bastard, I fucking hate him."
Despite Naruto's complaining he wasn't having such a bad day. At least he was rushing, like he usually was. And maybe news about his fight with Uchiha would catch the school's attention and they'd finally comply to his request to be switched out of the bastard's class.
Naruto finished his morning routine and slipped on his black high tops as he walked out of his apartment; locked the door behind him. As he walked the blonde brushed lint from his school's uniform; which was worn in a rather rebellious way today. His white collar shirt was left unbuttoned reveling a bright orange shirt that adorned a picture of the Used's second album cover on the chest. (For those who don't know the album is called "In Love and Death", and the on the cover is a picture of a heart hanging from a tree…I think it's pretty.) Two wrist bands, one black the other neon orange, were on his arms, and a over sized leather studded belt wrapped loosely around his waist; there for decoration. And his black uniform pants, which were semi-baggy, had rips on each knee.
The blonde knew he'd be yelled at for dressing in such a way, but he needed the mood boost today.
It was strange, but what he wore seemed to effect his overall mood; dressing in punk-ish clothes made him happy. It was like he was finally expressing who he was. (This is actually true for me. If I'm decked out in all black, wrist bands, and writing on my arms I seem to have an upbeat mood…weird ne?)
The young Kitsune-like teen walked down the street, headed for the bus stop. Scenes of yesterday's event clouded his mind as he got closer and closer to his desired destination. Eventually he reached the crowd of people who had come earlier, there weren't many of them because Naruto lived in the kind of crappy part of town. All the houses were sort of run down, the streets were littered with trash, cracks, and pot holes, and night wasn't the safest time for a walk.
Even with the very few people waiting--many of which didn't acknowledge his existence other than as the class clown-- Naruto still found himself being harassed about the condition of his nose by a dog-loving boy named Inuzuka Kiba,
"Dude, what the hell happened to your face?" Kiba asked, louder than necessary. "It looks like there's an ice berg made out of bandages and surgical tape in the middle of your face."
"Fuck you dog boy. I got into a fight, that's all", Naruto replied in a angry tone. 'That jackass, I should make it so that there's an identical one on his nose.'
"Pff. Got your ass kicked again, ne"
"Did not! I would have kicked teme's ass if the cops hadn't showed up."
"You get arrested?"
"Unfortunately, yeah…"
Kiba suddenly broke out in a laughing fit, pointing his finger at the blue-eyed boy to complete the effect.
"Dude, you're such a fucking idiot!"
"You looking for a fight Dog Breath?!"
"If that's--", Kiba was cut off by the bus arriving and the driver looking at the two, questioning if they were going to get on with her eyes. "You're not worth my time Gaki." And which that said, Kiba climbed onto the bus and sat next to Shino; a weird, quiet guy that always wore sunglasses even if he was indoors.
The blonde followed after Kiba and got on the bus. There weren't many empty seats left, and the only ones that were completely vacant were in the very back of the bus.
'Fuck', Naruto thought to himself. The people who sat in the back always tried to throw shit at him. Now they had a clear shot and the bus driver wouldn't see them do it too. 'Hopefully they won't throw anything sticky or wet…'
As the bus drove towards Konoha High Naruto occupied his time by focusing his giant blue eyes on the receding asphalt. He was reflecting on his earlier encounter with Kiba, making a mental note not to pick so many fights; especially because of that whole cop incident yesterday. The two had known each other since they were eight and were usually on "friendly" terms most of the time. But Naruto wouldn't call Kiba a friend, just a jackass that he could have a conversation with that would lead to a black eye or swollen lip.
Fortunately --and unfortunately-- the ride to hell didn't take long. 'Dammit it's gonna be a long day'
Sasuke walked toward Konoha High, oblivious to the many girls that were ogling him from all directions. He was used to all the attention and learned to ignore the lustful stares over the years. But today people weren't staring at him for his looks. They were focusing on the gargantuan blue/black bruise that covered his right eye and cheek.
Whispers were exchanged amongst the fan girls. "Who did that?" "It looks like it hurts." "I can't believe someone would do that to his beautiful face," "I'm going to murder whoever hurt my Sasuke-kun." All of them silently concocting a plan to annihilate whoever did that to their to their precious Sasuke-kun.
Sasuke wanted to get out of the house as quickly as possible to avoid the parentals so he didn't have time to attempt to cover up the horrible bruises; courtesy of dear old dad. But he did have a plan --it was stupid but feasible. He'd just use the fight with the Dobe as an excuse for the disfigurement of his face.
When Sasuke walked through the doors of Konoha High all eyes were on him. More whispering ensued, rumors already being passed around. But no one had the guts to go up to the girl obsession and ask him what the hell happened to his face. All the eyes and whispering were starting to thoroughly annoy the Uchiha, so he decided to head for his first class.
Luckily many of the students in class didn't like showing up early, so the room was deserted except for one person. Uzumaki Naruto sat quietly, starting out the window from his back row, window seat. The boy looked completely gone, absorbed in thought, apathetic to everything around him.
Well that was true until Sasuke put his foot through the door and started walking toward his seat. Naruto turned his head to see who'd just arrived; he assumed it was Iruka-sensei and he needed to ask a question about last night's homework. Though what he saw wasn't what he expected. Sasuke --perfect boy Uchiha, wearing his normal ironed and pressed uniform-- had a bruise that covered half of his face. Without even realizing it, Naruto found himself asking the Uchiha what happened to his face in a tone that suggested that he was concerned about the other boy.
"Hn, what do you care Dobe?" Sasuke replied rather coldly.
"Bastard, it was just a question. Don't have to bite my head off."
"Mind your own business…" Sasuke retorted as he took his seat in front of the Dobe. Somehow --ever since they met in Kindergarten-- Sasuke had always found himself in the same class as the blonde idiot, sitting either next to, in front, or behind him. It was like fate kept throwing them together against their wills.
The two sat in silence. Uchiha rested his eyes trying to hide his face in his arms, while Naruto continued to look out the window. The blonde watched the trees loose their orange leaves as they were swept away in the autumn breeze. Groups of students gathered everywhere talking, laughing; how Naruto envied them all.
But because of the new additions to the Uchiha's face, Naruto didn't really see any of the out door scenery. His was thinking about how the other boy had gotten thoughs bruises on his face. He knew that he hadn't caused them, he hadn't hit that bastard in the face; though he wanted to at the time.
'Maybe something happened after he left with his parent.' Naruto remembered how they treated Sasuke, the cold looks, the hurtful words. 'Maybe they abuse him too…' The blonde stared intently at Sasuke's back, trying to gather the courage to ask him if his parents abused him at home.
"Sasuke….?" Naruto whispered trying to get the other boy's attention.
"Hmm?"
"Do your---" Naruto was cut off by a group of students that had finally decided to show up for class. Soon followed Iruka-sensei and the warning bell. 'Dammit, I can't ask him with people around. That destroys any chance I had of Teme giving me a straight answer.'
Students piled through the doors in groups, chatting and laughing with one another about whatever mindless thing interested them at the moment. Eventually the bell rang, signaling everyone that they needed to shut up and listen to their instructor.
Iruka-sensei started this morning like he did any other by telling his students to quiet down before taking attendants. Then he would start his lesson and the majority of the class would pretend to pay attention; Naruto was one of those people.
He was too preoccupied with what had happened to his childhood rival to pay attention at the moment. Naruto wouldn't admit, but he was actually worried about the well being of the other teen. It seems other the years, the blonde had created this specific image of the Uchiha; stoic, rude, and though he denied it whenever he had to speak of the boy, strong. Seeing him the way he had yesterday and today had opened a door to another side of Sasuke that Naruto didn't even know existed. This new boy was passive, quiet, and full of emotion; things Naruto had thought Sasuke lacked as person.
The raven haired boy, at this moment in time, just sat there; hiding his face in his arms. If the sensei and his peers saw the temporary deformity of his face, they'd ask questions. And of course, Sasuke wasn't in the mood to deal with them. Then again when was he ever in the mood.
Class dragged on and finally came to an end when Iruka-sensei closed his teacher's book and told the class to pack up there school materials.
'Dammit', Sasuke thought, 'I have to lift my head now…'
As soon as Sasuke willed his body to do a simple everyday task --such as looking up from his arms-- that would have caught no one's attention; everyone stared to look at him. Whispering , yet again, ensued. Fan girls, who hadn't followed the Uchiha to school, gasped. Their precious idol was flawed, and they all wanted to know who had done it.
Female heads turn, all of them looking at everyone else to see if they had some clue as to why their one and only had suffered such an injury.
Sakura, a particularly obsessed, pink haired fan girl, was looking at her eye candy with so much emotion. Thoughts running through her head. She mentally moaned about him, 'Sasuke… How could anyone do this to you? Why would anyone wish to hurt such a wonderful person as you?'(etc.)
The pink haired freak started to emulate what everyone else was doing; looking to see if she could find a sign as to why this had happened. Immediately she --and all the other girls-- spotted that blonde idiot and noticed that today he had a rather large cast on his nose. Putting two and two together they all concluded that Naruto was to blame for Sasuke's misfortune. He probably was picking a fight with their love and had damaged Sasuke's face.
As if they all had one mind they thought simultaneously, 'I'M GOING TO OBLITERATE THAT BASTARD NARUTO!!'
A/N: oooh cliff hanger yay!