This story. THIS STORY.

AAAAAAAH I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

A love/hate NaruSaku fanfiction! OH EHM GEE.

The day drags on, and in every class Naruto somehow convinces the teacher to let him sit next to me, leaving me spluttering weak protests that everybody ignores.

Dang, I would ignore myself. Where's that backbone I always pride myself on?

Because honestly, I'm embarrassed.

It's 2:30 right now, meaning there's another half hour left until the worst day of my life is over.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Half an hour.

Well, that is assuming I get through this without smothering myself with my backpack.

''Gripping that desk painfully tight, aren't we?'' Naruto drawls mockingly.

Here we go again.

I direct the glare I'd been aiming at his head down and see my nearly white fingers, indeed, clamped around the edge of the table. Mumbling something obscene under my breath, I remove my hands, allowing the blood to stream back to my fingertips. ''Don't you have an essay to worry about?''

He groans and leans back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. ''Nah, it'll be alright.''

I look from my English essay - it's on The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe, my favorite 18th century writer - that is lying finished on the corner of the table, to Naruto's. His has exactly one line written on it.

''The Minister's Black Veil, Nathaniel Hathorn. Naruto Uzumaki.''

And in handwriting that could be mistaken for a toddler's.

''You wrote the writer's name wrong. It's Hawthorne.'' I point out helpfully, stressing certain parts of the word. When he makes no motion to correct his mistake, my obsessive compulsive side takes over. I pull his paper towards me and change it myself.

''Awesome,'' he sneers, leaning forward to look at my work, "wanna do the rest too?''

''I'm sorry,'' I raise my eyebrows disbelievingly, pulling my hands away from his essay, ''didn't realize my forehead read 'Naruto's bitch'.''

He clicks his tongue, not looking impressed at all, ''I'll try not to cut myself on the sharpness of your wit.''

I direct my eyes at the heavens and push his paper back to his side of the table, ''Whatever. Enjoy your F.''

The both of us go quiet once again as the classroom buzzes around us.

I stretch in my chair and look out of the window. Clouds float by lazily, casting shadows on the school's courtyard and Roosevelt Road. A few cars are pulling up in the driveway early, among them Temari and her brothers' limousine. In my freshman year that car had been a spectacle - who really needs a limousine, anyway? - But now people hardly notice it anymore. The oldest two of the mayor's kids have their own cars now.

''Sakura!''

Great, my one moment of peace without Naruto's verbal lashing and Ino decides she wants my company.

I look at her, making sure to keep the annoyance evident on my face. I swear I'm not that lousy of a friend normally, it's just that noticing the circumstances - namely my doom, and her part in it - I don't feel very obliged to be friendly.

She looks at me expectedly for a moment, and then realizes that I'm not planning on answering anytime soon. She crosses her arms, ''Yes, Ino? What do you have to tell me?'' she asks in a funny voice, obviously mimicking me.

''Yes, Ino? What do you have to tell me?'' I repeat flatly.

She sits down on my desk, her back turned to Naruto. The corners of my mouth turn upwards at this. Mentally I add some friendship points.

''What are you doing tonight?'' She asks.

Images of mountains of homework ghost through my mind. ''Don't know,'' I answer much too quickly.

''Because there's a party-''

''-Let me stop you there,'' I interrupt her. As my best friend, she should be well aware that I don't party.

Smelly people squished together, jumping to commercial music and making fools out of themselves, all in a drunken daze. The entire idea is as unattractive as can be.

And as you might guess, I've never touched a drop of alcohol either. That is, if you don't count when I was about three years old and my parents would give me a sip of their wine because they enjoyed the way my face scrunched up as I insisted that I liked the taste. Made me feel grown up, I don't know.

''But S,'' Ino moans, tugging my arm, ''Come on; you never do anything in the weekend! You're seventeen, it's expected of you to party!'' all of a sudden she drops my arm, ''And you know what's gonna happen at the rate at which this is going. You're going to discover alcohol and the magic of parties at a late, late age. Think thirty-five. And that's an age at which partying is not normal - disgusting, really,'' she takes my hand in hers and looks at me much like a mother would look at their child as she gives it important, life-changing advice. ''Get trashed.''

My head spins from her twisted logic. ''I don't want to.''

Ino makes a noise that sounds like ugh and drops my hand. ''One hour! Please!'' I must not have looked satisfied enough, because she continues, ''If you don't like it, we'll go do whatever you want to do.''

I ponder this.

''Promise you won't drink, then.'' I say. ''I don't want to have to drag your drunken ass to the movie theatre. Where you'll be paying, no matter what.''

Ino purses her lips. This is obviously not what she'd planned, ''Fine. I promise.''

I look at my best friend, her hands clamped together in a pleading motion, gigantic puppy dog eyes -

Blame it on me being worn out or getting plain tired of this conversation, but I give in.

''Where is it?'' I ask.

Ino lets out an animal-like squeal and lurches over the desk, hugging me around the neck. I pat her back awkwardly.

''It's a bonfire,'' she explains when she's got her emotions under control again, ''At Haven Lake. Oh wow Saku, this is gonna be so awesome.''

Haven Lake is the lake near school. Lakeview High School, near a lake. Pretty logical.

''So with fire and pallets?'' I inquire.

Ino nods enthusiastically. ''Oh, you'll see. You'll have the time of your life, I promise.''

''Who else is coming?'' I ask, getting a little excited now, despite myself.

''Oh, everyone!'' Ino says. The bell rings. ''I'll pick you up at around nine,'' she calls over her shoulder as she runs back to her desk to fetch her bag.

The room is filled with the squeaking of chairs on linoleum. I get up but am blocked by Naruto as I try to leave, who is taking his time putting his stuff in his bag. I sigh audibly, probing him to hurry up.

''Easy, princess.'' He commands calmly.

I flinch at the nickname.

''Well, I have places to be.'' I put my hands on my hips.

''Oh, that's right.'' He says, halting in his movements. I take this opportunity to squeeze past him and join my classmates, that are currently clogging the doorway. ''See you tonight!''

Yeah, yeah, tonight.

I'm so absorbed in my thoughts about the party - because honestly, what did I get myself into? - That it takes me about three hallways to recall Naruto's parting words.

I freeze when I'm halfway down the stairs.

'See you tonight'

Wait.

What?