Chapter 2

I considered ignoring the stranger on the other side of the door but they continued knocking. I just wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody. School had ended for a week. It was spring break and I was going to thoroughly enjoy it, dammit!...It was odd that someone was even knocking on my door, I was the only one that lived on the fifth floor. They proved to flush that idea down the drain with their persistent tapping. I stripped off my sweater I was wearing, now only adorning a fitted red tank top and black jean shorts. The weather had really turned in Konoha and I could tell it was preparing for summer. I pulled my long wavy hair into a messy pony-tail. Their knocks became louder. I sighed, aggravated.

"Alright, alright, be right there," I called annoyed.

I swung open the door only to come face to face with someone I wasn't supposed to see for another week, his expression was thoroughly un-amused. That is, until he saw me. My mouth opened and closed slightly but no words ever escaped, no matter how much I wished them to.

"Ah, good afternoon Ms. Haruno," he smirked slightly. He was still in his work clothes, a black suit.

"M-M-Mr. Uchiha, w-what are you doing here?" I could feel my face burning.

"Well you see, I just moved in the apartment across from this one and it seems I've locked my apartment keys in my, um, apartment. So instead of giving me another key the Landlady sent me here, saying who lives here has a spare."

"Oh, yes I do. Um just a moment," I turned around and headed to my kitchen. I paused to see him still in the doorway. "You may come in if you like. Make yourself at home."

He smirked again and walked in, closing the door firmly behind him. I looked at him for a moment, watching him as he scanned my apartment. The tree design seemed to amuse him.

Has he always been that tall?

I shook my gaze from him and walked over to my counter. I dug through a bowl with numerous miscellaneous things in it. I sighed when it wasn't there. I walked over to the closet door rummaging through a pouch I hung on a hanger. While I was in the midst of looking for it he spoke up.

"So how long have you lived here?" I heard him sitting down in my computer chair.

"About five months now, I moved in after high school."

"You didn't want to live with your parents anymore?"

"No, besides this apartment's much closer to campus than that house was," I finally found the key. I walked over to him, as I handed it over I felt his fingers gracefully glide over mine. I fought back a blush.

"Well I guess I should go and finish unpacking," he said quietly as he stood up.

I nodded. When he passed me he placed his hand on my bare shoulder for a second before heading to the door. As the door clicked open I turned around, swallowing my embarrassment.

"U-Um…Mr. Uchiha, if there's anything you need just knock, okay?" I could feel the blush rising again.

I saw him smile for a moment. "Same to you," he said before closing the door behind him.

I smiled to myself as I walked to the bathroom. I pulled out my favorite pink towels and turned on the warm water. After I bathed I pulled out my cell to call Hinata.

"Hello?"

"You're not going to believe who just moved in across from me."

"Who?"

"Mr. Uchiha."

"No way!" I heard her squeal from my end of the phone. I jerked it away from my ear, laughing.

"Yes way. Apparently he moved in today. He needed to get the spare key." I said as I switched her to speaker and began getting dressed.

I left my hair down to air dry and reapplied my makeup. I put black jean shorts with a black form fitted tank top. On top of that I wore a baggy, thin, silk, long sleeved, dark red, off the shoulder shirt. I nodded in approval towards the mirror.

"So what does his casual wear look like?"

"He just got home, so he was still in his nice suit," I said giggling again at the thought of my professor actually locking himself out of his apartment.

Hinata groaned. "Boring~!" When she was around people she was comfortable with she actually had quite the personality. I laughed at her disappointment.

"Yeah, I guess. You girls still coming over tonight?"

"Yeah! Ino just got out of the shower, then we're going to swing by and pick up Ten Ten from her and Neji's apartment. We should be at your place in about an hour kay?"

"Sounds great! I was able to borrow the projector from Kakashi so movie night at Sakura's is going to be like theater night at Sakura's!"

"I'm so excited! We haven't had a girl's night since high school!" she squealed. "Hey, I gotta go, Ino needs help with her hair."

"Kay'! See you girls soon!"

We hung up the phone. I then started to finish tidying up the room and setting up the projector. I almost had it all set up but something didn't seem right. Even though I could hear the sound from the DvD I the picture wasn't going through. I sighed in aggravation. I couldn't wait for the girls to show up, none of them knew anything about projectors. I glanced weakly at my door.

Well, he does live next door, and he is a professor. Maybe he'll know. I'll just consider this payback for helping him out with the key!

But not before a quick look in the mirror. My makeup still looked good and my long hair, once damp, was almost completely dry and was forming soft curls. I took in a deep breath and walked over next door.

I pulled my sweater sleeve back and flipped my wrist over checking the time on my thin black watch.

It's only eight, but maybe he is asleep?

I lightly tapped on the door just in case. I stood there for a second, contemplating just to run back to my apartment and Google the damn thing. Just as I was about to give up hope the doorknob turned slowly. Mr. Uchiha looked out at first and when he saw me he pulled the door open further and stepped into the opening. His once neatly pulled back raven hair was now falling lazily over his shoulders, showing how long it really was. His usual glasses he taught in were also removed. He was in baggy black sweats with an equally baggy black shirt. I felt a blush crawling its way around my face.

"I-I'm really sorry to be bothering you! B-But u-um you see…I'm having a sort of girls night at my place, and I was wondering if you could help me fix the projector. I borrowed it from my old high school teacher, but he's so damn lazy he didn't tell me how to hook it up. And since you're a professor I thought maybe you could fix it. Again, I'm really sorry." I said talking way to fast and looked down at my feet tugging at the end of my sweater.

I heard him let out a low chuckle and he patted my head. "Sure one sec, let me lock up my apartment and grab the key."

I looked up and smiled at him brightly. I waited against the wall patiently until I heard a few clicks from inside his apartment. He walked out once again and followed me the few feet across the hallway to my own condo. I pointed at the large projector positioned just across from my bed and some bean bags I tugged out of the closet. I walked over to the damned thing and showed him where the problem was.

"You see, I know I'm almost there because I can hear the sound but there's no visual." I pouted crossing my arms and leaning my weight to one hip.

"Hn." He hummed as he looked over it. He stood there for a moment. "Ah, here we go! You have these two cables mixed up!" I walked over to him, incredulous. "They may be the same colors but see how the wires right here are twisted?" I nodded. "Cables like these go in order. You just have to follow the pattern."

"Amazing, I spent thirty minutes on that and you found it in just thirty seconds!" I sighed for a second before turning to him smiling warmly. "Thank you so much Mr. Uchiha!"

He chuckled for a moment. "Anytime, but please, we are on spring break. Call me Itachi," he said smiling at me.

"O-Oh, alright." A blush rose to my cheeks again. He was about to speak again when the door to my apartment rang. I jumped in surprise. "That's probably them," he said as he went to get the door for me.

Their faces were priceless and I would have laughed but I knew I would have a storm of questions as soon as he walked out that door.

"Hello ladies." He said calmly but I noticed he had pulled his hair to one side, almost ridding it of its previously messy nature. He walked back over to where I was standing by the counter to grab his keys. He patted me on the head again. "Goodnight Sakura," he mumbled low in my ear causing me to shiver.

"Goodnight…Itachi." I saw him smile.

"Goodnight girls, have fun," he said before he closed the door. I smiled at the sealed frame. It wasn't until we heard his own apartment door close and lock that Ino sprang forward.

"What was that? Who was that?"

I saw Hinata just smiling.

"It was Ita-ehem-Mr. Uchiha, from the university. He was helping me fix the projector."

"That's it?"

"Yes, can we get to the movie now? It's rather long you know?"

"Fine." She said giving up.

We each plopped on our own favorite spots. Hinata and I laid on the bed while Ino and Ten Ten took the bean bags. The popcorn on the coffee table in front of us filled the room with a warm aroma. We talked a little bit during the movie. I felt vibration in my jean pocket and smacked it immediately. The lights were off so the small screen was like a flashlight in the condo. Once my vision cleared I saw just who was calling me. With the phone clutched in my hand I got off the bed and headed towards the door.

"Where're you going? Want us to pause it?" Ten Ten asked.

"No, I've seen this one before; I'm just taking a quick call. Keep watching, I'll be right back."

I closed the door securely behind me and leaned against the adjacent wall. I looked down at the phone as it continued to vibrate in my hand. I flipped in open quickly and pressed it to my ear.

"Hel-"

"Took you long enough." I heard him mutter on his end.

I laughed. "Well I'm sorry I was in the middle of something. The girls are over tonight."

"Hn."

I sighed on my end. "Haven't heard from you in a while, how's Suna, Sasuke?"

"It's going fine."

"You're keeping up on your studies, right? Not too many parties?"

I heard him chuckle. "Yes Sakura, I'm doing fine in classes. Still that same studious girl huh?"

"You know I have to be for the profession I want to transfer to."

"You mean you're still in the basic classes? Why?"

"I like my teacher," I said smiling. "besides I kinda screwed up my last year so I need these classes to transfer. It's only for a year or so." My smile faded.

"Oh. So how's Naruto and Kakashi doing?"

"If you called them once in a while you'd know."

"Hn."

I paused for a moment, thinking over my next words carefully. "Sasuke, why'd you really call me?"

"Sakura?" I looked up to see Itachi staring at me from his doorway.

I put a hand over the bottom half of the phone. "M-Mr. Uchiha! I'm sorry! Were you sleeping? I hope my phone call didn't wake you!"

"No, no, I was just grading papers, but are you okay?" He was looking at me closely and I couldn't help blushing.

"Y-Yes sir. Just talking to an old friend…"

"Sakura?" I heard Sasuke from the phone. "Sakura who's there?"

"Is that Sasuke?" Itachi asked and I simply nodded. He gave me a knowing look before grabbing my phone from my hand. "Hello?...Yes it's your dear older brother who you never call anymore…I'm her neighbor," he paused for a second to give me a wink. "Soo, what's up?...No I won't…you do know there's a time difference right? Isn't it past your bedtime in Suna?...Goodnight little brother." He snapped the phone shut and handed it back to me, smirking.

I raised my eyebrows. "He's going to be so pissed at you tomorrow," I said shaking my head amused.

"Good, then maybe he'll actually take the time to check in with family. Our mother's been worried sick over him."

I tilted my head to the side, leaning against the wall again. "That's Sasuke for you."

He smiled again. Our heads both jerked towards my door when we heard the girl's bursts of laughter. "How's 'girl's night' going?"

"Good, sorry if we get a little loud tonight, that's what happens when we all get together."

"It's quite alright. I hope you guys have a good time."

"Thanks," I said as he turned to walk back towards his apartment. "Ah, Itachi?"

He turned around and smiled. "Yes?"

My words seemed to crawl back inside away from my tongue. It became harder to talk when those red eyes were focused on me. "Goodnight."

His smile widened and his eyes crinkled slightly. "Goodnight, Sakura."

I beamed back at him as we turned around and headed back to our exclusive homes. It wasn't until I closed and locked the door that I realized the room was quiet and they were all staring at me, smirking. Even Hinata.