Walking down the path to Training Ground 7, now covered in red and green leaves, I felt a rush of energy in the air…something I never felt before. Bolting for empty stadium, jumped ten feet over the stairs that were slowing things down. I never was that patient. For once, I was the last one there.

They all just silently watched me arrive, silently judging me. Nervous, I rubbed the back of my head and waved.

"Now that we are all here, let us recap the basics. One: Always stay one step behind me…there's said to be kidnappers here this year, an S-ranked ninja.

Two….don't just run off if you get hungry, that means you, Naruto, and stay together once we get beyond the testing only gates. Got it?"

"T' , OK. Let's go already."

"Yeah, Master. Thanks so much for doing this, right guys?"

Smiling, I nodded at my really hot female teammate.

Staring at them, I just followed them out.

"What's with loser face? What you think, Sakura?"

"Hell if I know. He's always weird, right Sasuke-kun? What's the point?"

"For once, you make a good point. 2 points for being cool about it."

Looking at the trees, I ripped my mind and my breaking heart away from the two, now stone silent forms in front of me. Cracked my knuckles for the first time ever that day.

Now, walking halfway through town, almost at the Chunnin Exam Stadium Square, the inevitable happened: "Uh, Sasuke-kun, do you, can we—I mean…can we go to dinner just two of us afterward? The first day is usually easy and…uh…Master can look after HIM…""So close, Sak, ooh, but…no." Walking faster, she slowed down, I almost bumped into her, but I had to grab her shoulder to not fall. "NARUTO…DON'T YOU TRY NOTHIN, YOU PERV!" Facing her, I realized my mistake and ran as fast as I could, bolting past our Master-I had to look back), he grabbed the screaming harpy by the collar, then calmed the now exhausted 14 year old. Boy, I am glad I have more stamina than most people. Wiping my brow, even still, I felt the weight of joyous expectation. Even though I just escaped with my life, I couldn't help but smile, resting my hands behind my head with what I am sure could only be called a stupidly happy grin smoked on my face.

"Nice meeting you too...Hey blondie, why are you so happy? You thinking of your girlfriend sucking…?" I caught a view of a girl slurping down an invisible popsicle. Broken from my reverie, I was terribly confused…I heard a girl's voice…talking to Shikamaru and his team. When I focused, I saw a really hot girl with two buns in her hair in a pink Lightning-country top, like those fancy silk dresses one sees from time to time, actually sticking out her tongue out and poking out one eye more…what the hell did I just see? Astonished, I stood there, mouth agape. She just beamed mischievously then blew me a fake kiss on one leg then walked off. What the….?

Suddenly, I was in a headlock,with what felt like needles in my head…struggling to free myself. Then the answer came: "Who is that…hottie? No way would a ten look at you that way. Too much of a dumbass for that, right?"

I shot back. "Oh yeah, Sasuke, that Tenten is my girl. Don't you bother her, or she'll mess you up. Or I will, with my HoKage awesomeness, believe it!"

Surprised I freed myself, he rested on the wall behind him, closing his eyes. "Hn….Well then, I need to meet this 'Tenten' for myself, being your best friend and all, then, huh?" Suddenly opening them, with a hell of a smirk on his face.

"Sasuke!" I trembled how he irritated me some days.

As if nothing happened, he casually puts his right arm over my shoulder and guides me somewhere. " Ha. Let's go, Naruto, we should get you back before Master Kaka notices you are gone." (The whole team called him that behind his back…his shitty training methods and how shitty he would treat us some days, being late every day and all that crap.) Despite how pissed I was, I had to laugh. My best friend was right. I sighed. Halfway there, he said, "I thought you had something for Sakura." He raised an eyebrow.

"I do." I blushed.

"Right….that's why a girl flirted with you and you stood there like a …race you"

Not noticing, he got a ten pace start. "Shit! Sasuke!"

Luckily, I am an awesome sprinter so we got to KaKashi dead even.

Without even looking behind his back at us, likely reading his porn, "Have fun, boys? Let's go before we can't even register the team, Kay? This way." He motioned us forward at this gigantic line. Everybody sweat dropped.

3 pm…three VERY LONG hours of nothing but waiting after getting in line, we got inside the stadium. I ran to the vending machine where it sold water and sweet plum juice. Downing the juice like a wolf enjoying a carcass, I wiped my mouth. I was alone. I needed to find Shika.