Broken Youth
(Life of Konoha Academy Teens)
CH2.4: Distance

After greeting their cousins Sakura and Ino returned to their spot on the eastern wall, with still no sign of Hinata. Hinata's tardiness was beginning to worry them.
At that moment two figures outside the main gate arrived on bicycles from distant directions. They both were rushed as if they were running late for something. There were two bike racks, one on either side of the entrance. The two figures placed their bike on the rack opposite form each other. As soon as they both finished securing their bikes, they both ran towards the door unaware of the others presence. Disaster was inevitable, the two figures ran right smack into each other.
"I'm so sorry," said the girl.
"Hey! Watch were you're going you idio...tic Naruto, you just ran into Hinata-chan," said Naruto at the same time he had to fix his words when he noticed that who he bumped into was Hinata.
"Oh, Na-Naruto-kun, I should have been watching where I was going, I'm truly sorry. Please forgive me,"said Hinata bowing her head.
"It okay, really and I'm partially at fault too, besides it was only an accident..." Naruto started to say when he saw something dangling from Hinata's neck which he never noticed before. It was a necklace with a simple stone in the middle. The stone was a pentagonal lavender colored stone that hang on a plain black lace. Naruto was surprised and asked himself 'Has she always wore that and I am just that unobservant? But more importantly could that be the same stone I gave her? No, it couldn't be why would she want to keep a stupid old thing like that?' Naruto was so caught up in his questions that he didn't notice that he was spacing out.
"Um. Naruto-kun are you alright?" Hinata asked with a red face looking from his face to her chest which was what it seemed that he was staring at.
"Oh, yes I'm sorry about that Hinata-chan," Naruto said slightly flushing when he saw Hinata looking down at her chest. "Can I ask you a question Hinata-chan?"
"Sure, thing Naruto-kun," said Hinata. 'I wonder what he's going to ask?'
Naruto took a step forward her. Hinata's face steamed. Naruto then outstretched his arm towards her. Hinata closed her eyes, her heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to explode. Naruto then grabbed a hold of her necklace, when Hinata felt it move she opened her eyes one at a time.
"Where did you get this?" asked Naruto lifting it up then letting it go and taking a step back.
Hinata could breath again for some reason she had stopped. She then grabbed the necklace herself and with a smile she said: "Oh, this I didn't get it anywhere, I made it myself."
"Oh,"said Naruto.
"Why, do you ask?" asked Hinata.
'Fudge! I can't tell her the truth. Think of an excuse fast Naruto.' he told himself. "Um. No reason really, I just wanted to know where to get one... you know for my mom," Naruto fibbed.
"You know I could make you one if you want," suggested Hinata.
'I should have Hinata-chan is too kindhearted to leave it at that.' Naruto said "That's nice of you to offer but I'll be fine with out it, I'll keep you in mind though."
"Okay, well I should go now I don't want to waste anymore of your time and Ino and Sakura-chan must be starting to assemble a search party for me about now," said Hinata with a laugh yet she was slightly serious in what she said.
"See you around then," said Naruto.
"You too Naruto-kun,"said Hinata and with that they went off in their own directions.
'Why couldn't I tell her the real reason I wanted to know about her necklace? I'm sure it would have been easier but still...' Naruto put his hands behind his head.
"Also how come I didn't notice how cute she was until yesterday," Naruto said blushing at the memory.
Yesterday Evening
Sasuke, Sai and Naruto all headed to the comic book shop. Naruto was a head of the other two boys skipping and singing cheerfully. He sang: " I am going to get Ramen! I am going to get Ramen! "
Sasuke and Sai conversed, yet the whole time Sasuke was thinking how funny it would be to see Sai broke in a matter of seconds.

_
Meanwhile Sakura, Ino and Hinata were in a dress shop but not just any dress shop, but the most expensive boutique in Konoha. Sakura was hesitant to go in at first because she knew buying a dress from there would surely vanish most of her hard saved money. She finally went in but only after Ino forced her in by tickling her which was her one weakness.
"Ino don't you think the dresses here are a little overpriced?" said Sakura looking at a price tag.
"Nope, they're of the finest material, so they are worth ever cent," stated Ino.
"I'm just saying because unlike you and Hinata, I'm not made of money," said Sakura.
"Well, that wouldn't be so if you asked your parents for more money," said Ino.
"Ino you should know better than anyone that I hate bothering my parents with things like that and you already know that I'm trying to be more independent," said Sakura.
"Okay, Miss independent I'll just have to find you a dress that you won't think is a complete waste of money," said Ino. "Ooh and I think I just found it." Ino held out a dress in front of Sakura. Sakura turned around and looked at it. When she saw it her eyes opened wide in amazement and her jaw dropped and she slightly drooled. Sakura wiped off the drool with her forearm with embarrassment, she then snatched the dress from Ino's grasp.
Sakura examined it and when it came time to see the price tag, her eyes almost came out of their sockets. "I hope you're right that it'll be worth it," said Sakura.
"It will be and once I pick out my dress and Hinata's I'll prove it to you by having you try it on," said Ino.

_
Naruto was still skipping joyfully through the streets. Sai was not far behind him, Sasuke on the other hand was far behind, he somehow got caught up talking to a stranger about the police department. Naruto wasn't really noticing his surroundings, he would look from side to side yet he wasn't really paying attention. He passed right by the dress shop like he did the other buildings, but this time something caught his eye and he walked backwards right to the window. Inside he saw three girls trying out beautiful dresses. He began to drool and get a bit of a nose bleed. Sai then stood next to him asked: "What are you looking at?" Sai's voice startled Naruto. "Oh , it's just Ms. Beautiful, the Princess, and Pinky. They look nice."
"Are you kidding me they look more than nice they're gorgeous. Yet I have to admit you are getting better with the nicknames."complimented Naruto cupping his hands and pressing them against the window to get a better view.
"You really think so usuratonkachi," said Sai.
"I take back what I said," Naruto said glimpsing over at him.
"Well, at least you can't say I didn't try," said Sai.
The girls were having so much fun posing and twirling in their dress in front of the mirror that they still didn't not notice the boys standing there.
'That dress looks especially nice on Hinata-chan. It really brings out all of Hinata's features. I never really noticed how cute Hinata-chan could be-' thought Naruto.
"You're probably staring at Hinata-chan right now, aren't you?"said Sai.
'How did he know?' Naruto asked himself.
"No I wasn't,"said Naruto.
"You can lie all you want, it still isn't going to change the fact that you were doing it,"said Sai.
'He is getting good at interpreting human characteristics, so good that it's freaking me out.' Naruto thought. "Well, you have no proof," said Naruto.
"I don't need any," said Sai.
"Oh, yeah," said Naruto giving him a threatening look. Sai just gave him a I'm-not-afraid-of-you look in return. Naruto began to flap his arms at Sai, Sai just stood there cross armed and completely unaffected.

_
Inside the shop Ino finally noticed the guys standing outside the window. "Hey isn't that Naruto and Sai-kun?" Ino said pointing at the window.
"Huh?" said both Sakura and Hinata as they turned to look at them.
"Oh, dear it is, hide,"said Sakura.
The three girls ran into their stalls and popped their head out through the curtain to see they boys and each other.
"Why are they standing there? They're not suppose to see our dresses til the day of the dance," whispered Ino as if the boys could hear them.
"The better question would be how long have they been standing there?" said Sakura.
"I don't know but by the looks of it I think a while,"stated Hinata.

_
Outside the guys just noticed that the girls had fled. "Oh, now look what you did Sai," said Naruto. "You scared them away."
"What I did? It was you and your sissy fighting that frightened them,"said Sai.
Naruto glared at him. "Well, now that we been caught I guess we have no choice but to wave hello," said Naruto as he smiled and wove at them.
"You're right," said Sai doing the same.
The girls wove back but not to greet them but to warn them. Behind Naruto and Sai stood a demon-like Sasuke with dark aura surrounding him and piercing glowing eyes.
"See Sai, they're waving back," said Naruto.
"They must be really happy to see us because they are waving an awful lot," said Sai.
Sasuke then placed his hands on one of Naruto and Sai's shoulders. They were shocked by his presence, they slowly turned their heads to look at him.
"I leave you two alone for one minute and you guys are already peeping at innocent girls through windows," stated Sasuke.
"Wait, Teme I can explain," said Naruto.
"Oh, Sasuke-san I am so glad you arri- Ah ah ah!" Sai started to say when Sasuke grabbed both his and Naruto's ear.
"Ow! This really hurts, please let go!" shouted Naruto.
"No, I'm doing this to teach you two a lesson," Sasuke said back in his normal state.
"Let go and we'll promise never to peep in public again," said Sai.
"He meant we'll never do it again," said Naruto. "Besides it's not like the girls are naked or anything."
"That maybe so, but it's still an invasion of privacy and you guys should know better then to be doing things like this," said Sasuke.
From inside Sakura lipped the words: 'Thank you', and for that matter Sasuke momentary let go of Naruto's ear and took a bow. Naruto thought that that would be the perfect time to sneak away, but he was wrong. With a strike faster than that of a Cobra Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm and said: "Where do you think you're going?"
'He is definitely gonna be a good cop.' Naruto gulped and told him "No where, I'm sorry." Sasuke grabbed Naruto once more by the ear but this time with a grip that was more immense. Sasuke began tugging their ears as he began to walk away.
"Come on lets go," said Sasuke.
"You can be so cruel sometimes Teme," Naruto said with fake tears running down hi cheeks.

Back in side the dress shop the girls finally came out of their stalls and dashed to the window to observe.
"Oh, poor Sai-kun!" said Ino.
"Poor, Naruto-kun!" said Hinata at the same time.
"Great job Sasuke-kun! They deserved it," said Sakura.
"That's cold Sakura-chan," said Hinata.
"Yeah, billboard brow and aren't those two guys your other set of best friends after us," said Ino.
"That's exactly why they deserve it, I know those guys to well to know that they can't stay out of trouble when they are alone. I know this because those guys follow me around as much as you wish they would do with you," said Sakura.
"That maybe true, but that's still a bit heartless of you," said Ino.
"Whatever, let's just get out of these dresses before someone else sees us in them," said Sakura.

Naruto grabbed his ear as he approached the other boys, it still stung from being held in Sasuke's iron grip. He turned his head around to look at Hinata who was still walking towards Ino and Sakura. He turned back and smiled thinking that seeing her yesterday was worth the punishment.

End of part 2.4