A/N: The next installment! Warning: MAJOR cursing by the way, courtesy of Sakura. And those of you who like Sakura might want to skip the last part of the chapter, but the next one might not make sense if you do...

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Dreams

Flashbacks

"You can't be serious!" Megumi shouted to the wide blue sky. She didn't care about people thinking she was nuts, her life was ruined!

"You should calm down, watch your blood pressure." A smug voice said from behind her. She twirled expecting that jerk Uzumaki but it was her friends Neji. He'd been her friend since she sat next to him that first day she arrived. He even introduced her to her other friend, Gaara.

:Neji, you scared me." She laughed. "I thought you were Uzumaki."

Neji raised an eyebrow, but said nothing expect, "What did Iruka-sensei want?"

A shadow passed over the girl's face. "You don't want to know." She groaned dramatically for effect.

"I think I do." Neji had only known her for a month, but he had the feeling that with that one sentence, she'd tell him the thing he wanted to know. He was right.

"It all started when Iruka-sensei noticed I was struggling in his class..."

"Sensei, I still don't know why I'm here." Megumi stated, trying to keep the impatience out her voice. Her teacher just smiled serenely, staring at the door. After a few minutes of silence Megumi was about to lose her mind. Her mom was only in town for a few days and dammit, she wanted to spend time with her before her next mission. "Sensei, who are we waiting for?" Iruka looked up at her and opened her mouth. He needn't have bothered though, because the answer to her question walked through the door at that moment.

"Sorry I'm late sensei, I was-" He cut himself off as he stared at Megumi. "Sensei," he spoke softly and slowly, as if afraid he'd either scare Megumi away or send her off the edge. "Why did you call both of us in here?"

"Well Naruto, I noticed your grades are slipping in English," he silenced Megumi's laugh with a glare, "and Megumi's falling behind in Geometry," The girl scowled as the blond boy so kindly returned the favor.

"Both of you, please! Now I noticed that where one of you has a strong point, the other has a weakness. I wnat you two to tutor each other-"

"SENSEI!" Both teens roared. They began to talk simultaneously, their words tangling and clashing together so Iruka could only hear pieces of the arguement.

"Kiba's good in Eng-"

"Gaara has great grades in ma-"

"She's not even nice to-"

"When will we ever use-"

"You're bothe going to tutor each other!" Iruka shouted. When Naruto and Megumi closed their mouths he continued. "No friends, no exceptions. I want to see if you two can get along, because I'm tired of your constant bickering."

Naruto attempted to reason. "Yeah, but-"

"Enough!" Iruka shrieked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "You will mett one another at one's house one day and the other's the next. You won't be in the school when tutoring begins because I don't want to break up another fight. Goodnight children."

"Goodnight sensei." They grumbled and left the classroom together, unaware of the eyes watching the entire time. Naruto ditched the girl as soon as he could, running off into the light rain that had started while they were inside...

"And that's about when you found me." The girl finished. Neji took in her haphazard appearance. Her silver-white hair had been soaked thoroughly already and her bright golden eyes seemed tired.

"Come on Megumi, let me walk you home." He turned as he offered his hand, missing the now wide awake eyes.

'Neji-kun's walking me home? My best friend and crush?' Megumi asked herself. 'This is my lucky day!'

"Sure Neji," she agreed, happy that her eagerness didn't show. She took the hand held out to her. "I'd love for you to take me home." They smiled at each other and talked the whole way to Megumi's house...

??

"What do you mean Aka's cursed you forever? How can a small, cute dog possibly have a mean streak in him?" Naruto questioned.

"Because he just does!" Kiba wailed. He told Naruto the whole story who gasped in sympathy. "I'm so sorry mate." He patted Kiba on the back, hoping that would comfort him.

"That Gaara kid's right." Kiba moaned pitifully, sinking onto his couch. "I have a demonic dog."

Naruto just stared at his friend helplessly. When Kiba had called, distraught, asking Naruto to come over, the Uzumaki didn't expect this. Akamaru's cruel. Naruto thought, still only looking on at Kiba's despair. He only wants Kiba to happy with someone else in case something happens to him, but he chose Gaara? Is Aka on something?

"Well," Naruto tried to find something good in this moment of tragedy. "Well, at least you don't like him." Kiba lifted his face from his hands, worry etched on his features.

"What if my feelings toward him begin to change? I'm already starting to like him as a potential friend!" Kiba's blond companion sighed. It was hard to make kiba depressed, but it was even harder to get him back out of it. All he could do was be there for him and hope he snapped out of it soon.

??

Clack, clack, clack, clack! A pair of heels marched to the rythum of the girl's anger. "I can't believe he would agree to that! I thought he'd be defending what we have and wouldn't jump at the chance to tutor that whore Mitarashi!"

Haruno Sakura was mad. No, she wasn't mad, she was furious! Naruto was her boyfriend and she'd be damned if she was going to let him go. Please, he was the most popular guy in school and was constantly up for grabs. In fact, the reason he was still with Sakura because he was so faithful. That's what had drawn the pink haired girl to him in the first place...Well, that and the fact he was gorgeous. How many guys like that did you come across during your lifetime? Not very many.

Sakura had been a geek before Naruto come along. By some miracle he'd noticed her and asked her out! Soon Sakura had been invited to parties and bonfires, pulling pranks on the teachers, going to dances with a boyfriend...She was popular and she didn't care that Naruto had helped her achieve that. As far as she was concerned, Sakura would find her own popularity soon. And then it'd be hello to all the other hot boys and goodbye Naruto.

But that slut Megumi's going to ruin all my hopes and dreams. Sakura said in her mind, a growl rising from her throat. I've seen the way Naruto looks at her and what he's most likely thinking about. And while he'd never act on his thoughts while still with Sakura, she knew it was only a matter of time before he dumped her in favor of a white-haired, wrinkly, old bitch! Sakura might as well kiss popularity goodbye...

No, she thought, a plan already forming in her mind. If Megumi's gone, Naruto will be mine and then all the other boys after that.

Sakura knew all she had to do was find one secret. One thing that Megumi was trying to hide from everyone and then tell Naruto. She grinned wickedly, basking in her intelligence. It was time for Sakura's time to finally shine through. It was time to become Mitarashi Megumi's best friend.

AN: I'm not sure I like the ending to this chapter but oh well! On to the next one! To anyone wondering about Sakura's loyalty to Naruto, there is none. She just wants Naruto's love so she can be popular. Anyway, in the next chapter there will be sparks flying, friendships forming, lots of yelling, a tutoring session, and a piece of pie. Okay. In honor of all the people who reviewed, here's a preview of the next chapter:

"Listen Mitarashi, I'm not getting it! I'm just stupid okay?!"

"You're not stupid, you just think you are so you stop trying! I bet if you'd put an ounce of the concentration you reserve for pranks into your English class, you'd be getting great grades! You'd probably even be-" Suddenly she was cut off as Uzumaki's lips collided with hers in a kiss.

That's it for now! Sorry that it's a short preview, they might all be that way if I can't properly write them. Next chapter will be here soon!

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