Finally...I can help Fern without being found out. Who is Justin to just drag her off like that? I would take better care of her than Justin! Stupid Teme...he doesn't know what he's talking about when he says that not having a heart is better. He's too selfish to realise that Fern actually wants it back!
"NARUTO!" He jumped ten feet then landed back in his seat.
"Yes?" He sheepishly asked. Iruka-sensei sighed.
"Naruto, this is the fourth time this lesson! Pay ATTENTION!" Naruto sheepishly grinned and rubbed the back of his head.
"Gomen Iruka-sensei!"
"You better be. Sit down. Now class, today we are going to learn about-" The rest just went in one ear and out the other as Naruto began to think.
Yet, so many things seem unanswered. Fern won't let it slip and Justin- well I don't want to talk to Justin, a scary guy if you ask me...Fern is sitting there next to JUSTIN. God, can't she go anywhere without him? It's bad enough that there's a huge storm outside so we can't go outside. But I can't help this little fuzzy feeling that-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto again jumped three foot in the air.
"NARUTO!" The whole class shouted.
"Naruto, its just thunder." Sensei reminded him.
"OH! I knew that! Hehe..."
"What's so funny, Naruto?"
"Nothing Iruka-sensei!" His goofy smile never left his face. Normally, he would excuse himself outside to avoid all of the staring eyes from the class but he was too happy today. "I'm just extra, extra happy today!" The whole class except Justin and Fern sweatdropped.
He's happy today...Justin wondered. TOO happy...
Just then the bell rang for the beginning of lesson. Next lesson. Which was more training outside.
"Well class, it looks like you have to stay inside for its too rough out there to go out." He received a groan from everyone in the class. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to blame the weather man for the weather!"
Naruto glanced at Fern, whose gaze was already outside, watching the rain beat down on the glass of the window and how the trees were nearly uprooted by the wind, the grey's clouds growl at the ground below and certain flashes of lightening every now and then. She watched it all as if she wasn't watching it. Staring right through space.
Iruka went to go get some coffee and all of the fanboys took this as a time to lunge themselves onto Fern.
"Hey! Would you like to go out with me sometime?" They all shouted at once. Fern just looked at them, and they got uncomfortable at the blank gaze.
"Leave her alone. She would never go out with any of you bums. Get over it." Justin defended, giving them all a cold glare. They returned it just as equally cold and they returned to their seats when someone shouted that sensei will be coming back.
I wonder what piece will be next... He wondered. I have been getting her heart back, and yet her stare is still so blank? It makes me wonder if I am doing the right thing...GAA! Of course I am! Why would I ask such a silly thing? Thunder made him jump again. It seemed to make Fern jump too, and Justin put a hand on her should and she nodded that she was ok, before looking outside again.
Fern asked permission to go to the bathroom, which was granted. Eyes followed her out of the room until the door closed behind her.
"DAMMIT!"
"Who was that?" Iruka-sensei asked walking outside of the classroom. "Fern! The bathroom's the other way!" Naruto perked up and sneaked behind his sensei to see Fern. It wasn't her, it was her ghostly image. Anger burned in her eyes as she spun round to Iruka Sensei.
"Okay Iruka sensei!" She said in a sweet voice, although her burning eyes denied anything sweet. Iruka smiled and returned to the classroom, and Naruto quickly slipped out. But when he looked for the piece again, she was gone. He continued to walk down the corridor and turned the corner until he fell onto something soft.
"Gomen...SAI!" Naruto turned a shade of red that put Gaara's hair to shame. He rolled off of Fern, who was staring up at him. "GOMENASAIGOMANASAIGOMENASAIIIIIIIIIII!!" Fern sat up. This was the real Fern.
"I am not a stranger, you can just say gomen you know...Why are you pulling a strange face?"
"I'M SO SOOOOOORRRY! I'M STRANGE I'M STRANGE I'M STRANGE AREN'T I? YES! YES! I AM! EVEN YOU SAID SOOOOOOO!! FALLING ONTO RANDOM PEOPLE LIKE THAT! I'M STRANGE AREN'T I?" He jumped up and helped her up.
"Not really..."
"You don't think I'm strange?"
"Not really..."
"Wow, you're the first person to say that! gomen!" Why am I stuttering so much? "Say, do you want to get dinner sometime?"He turned even redder. "AS AN APOLOGY!"
Just then the bell went for the end of class and the beginning of break. Everyone began to file out of class. Did class really go that quickly?
"If you want...How about Ramen?" She replied. He looked at her face. No happiness, anguish or defeat. It was blank, yet he was still happy. He smiled goofily at her. She turned down every other chance from everyone else, and just accepted his invite!
"Are you sure that you want to come?" He asked excitedly.
"Yes..."Her emerald eyes stared into his crystal blue ones.
"GREAT! I'll see you after school then we can go down together...AS AN APOLOGY!"
"Okay..." She emotionlessly walked past him to see that Justin was waiting for her at the entrance of the classroom. He wrapped his arm around his shoulders and then they went down to lunch.
Naruto walked out onto the yard to the dinner hall.
I got a date with Fern! She doesn't even think that I'm weird! I stutter so much when I'm around her, and yet confidence comes when I return her heart...
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Getting her heart back is not good. Why doesn't everything just stay the way it is?
"Fern, it doesn't take that long to go to the toilet. Where did you go?"
"I was coming back into class when Naruto bumped into me." She's gaining confidence too. Fern took a bite of her food.
Justin noticed a small red stone appearing in the air, then plunging into Fern's chest. Her expression didn't falter, in fact she just picked up the cutlery that she had dropped and continued eating, but Justin was the only one to notice the slightly frustrated expression in her eyes. Once she had finished eating, it had died down and she was emotionless again.
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The bell rang for the end of school and Justin realised that the storm had died down long ago. Also that he was too busy watching Fern that he hadn't eaten anything. Fern stood up, and calmly began to walk towards the gates of the academy.
"Where are you going?" He growled. She turned around to him, her emotionless eyes boring into his. He closed his eyes and signalled her to come to him. She obeyed and stood right in front of him. "I don't want to repeat myself."
"I am going with Naruto to get some Ramen." His eyes snapped open.
"You will not go with Naruto. You will not talk to him."
"...I-I w-want t-to go..." He glared at her, and without knowing what he was doing, he slapped her. That had always worked before, he would tell her to do something and she did it. Why was she denying him?
"Listen to me," He growled dangerously and grabbed her by the hair to make her look at him. "You're not going with that brat!" Once he let go, she stepped away from him. But not of fear. She was...standing her ground?
"I want to go, Justin...I'll see you later." He watched her walk off, aware of his blood boiling.
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"Fern! What happened to your cheek?" Fern's fingertips touched her red cheek lightly, only just aware of that.
"Justin slapped me."
"That teme? Why?"
"He told me not to come with you, but I said that I wanted to come and then he slapped me." And she still came...?
"I'm sorry, if I hadn't invited you none of this would have happened..." Her sullen eyes just kept on the space in front of her as they sat down at Ichiraku. Naruto ordered and Fern stayed silent.
"You're not going to order?"
"Justin usually orders for me...I'll have...Miso." The man behind the bar smiled and made their orders. Naruto blabbed on and on about things, and Fern just listened quietly as they ate.
Naruto finished his ramen with a slurp. "Are you ready? Come on. Let's go. See ya guys!!" The people behind the bar smiled and waved them goodbye.
Naruto walked Fern home, and they passed Sasuke and Sakura on the way. Naruto said his goodbye and he left her at her doorstep. Her eyes lowered to the floor as Sasuke glared at her for no reason, before walking inside her house.
"You're late."
"I'm sorry, Justin." She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was surprised by this gesture and looked down at her, her eyes were closed. He pushed her away. Did she just smile at him? It was a weak one but it was still a smile. He pointed to her door and ordered her to go to bed, and instantly the emotion was gone. Her eyes were sullen and she then left to go to bed.