Boy meets Girl.
Summary: Boy meets girl. Boy goes stupid. Boy and Girl live stupidly ever after. At least, that's how it usually goes right?
A/N: This is not in a ninja setting.
Sakura Haruno was 17 years old, was 5'6" in height and had a slim build. She had green almond shaped eyes and light pink hair (which was natural.) She was quick to anger, fast to learn, and eager to give her opinion.
In the hierarchy of popularity, that sadly is unavoidable in any school, she was certainly not at the top, but thankfully was not one of those situated at the bottom who were so often trodden on, and in most cases unjustly so. Sakura had her friends and her enemies; who weren't so much her rivals more people she didn't like and so didn't talk to.
Sakura had been attending Leaf High since grade 7. It astounded her that despite having reached year 11, she was still waiting for this elusive 'growth spurt' her friends spoke of. Maybe it was lost in the mail.
Though she was 17, Sakura had never had a boyfriend. This was not for lack of offers, more the lack of quality in the offers. She wasn't sure whether it was just her or whether it was something in their lunch, that made all the greasy and slimy boys with skin diseases, ask her out. As flattered as she was, she wanted someone who made her feel something. She didn't want a boyfriend just so he could become an accessory. Also to be able to touch who ever she did date without fear of rupturing a pulsating pimple would be an added bonus.
Today was the first day she was officially a senior. Even the word just sounded cool. It was something that commanded respect. If you were a senior, you had people under you; people who would follow orders and who you could squash if they didn't. She envisioned a scene where she walked down the hallway in a blazer, the token symbol of the grades 11 and 12. All the younger students would part, like the red sea before Moses, and as she walked past they would stare in awe and envy. She sighed at her fantasy.
Sadly while she was day dreaming the world continued spinning and people continued moving…..right into her. Snapping out of her daze, she focused her eyes. She was standing in the middle of the hall way, which her fantasy had centred around. There were no adoring young students with glassy eyes, staring at her in wonder. Though there was a whole hoard of rowdy and bustling students, fussing over locker assignments, pulling at their stiff and new uniforms, talking about their summers, and in general being your average everyday teenager.
She emitted another quiet sigh. Being a senior made no difference, school was still school.
She pushed and shoved her way through the crowds and found her locker. She offloaded her bag and arranged her books. Then she strolled down the hallway toward her tutor room, all the while thinking, no praying, her timetable was a good one, the last few years, had not been so crash hot. As she walked, she jumped in shock at the sudden weight across her shoulders. She turned to see Ino, one of her closest friends.
"Sakura!" she said excitedly, "How was your summer? Isn't this exciting?" Ino was always happy to see everyone she knew again on an almost daily basis (save weekends.)
Sakura rolled her eyes good naturedly and said, "Ino, you should know, you were there for most of it."
Ino promptly shoved her friend gently, "Come on, play along. You're supposed to say, 'Oh my god, hey! My summer was fantastic!! And its soooooo exciting.'" She finished her exaggeration with a mock squeal.
Sakura shook her head and laughed. They talked for a few moments, and then left to find their tutor rooms, when the bell went.
Sakura took a seat in her tutor room, smiling when she saw a few familiar faces. She liked not having any close friends in her tutor (she was the only year 11 student.) It promised her fifteen minutes each morning of peace and if she didn't want to talk, she didn't have to. Their tutor called each students name out and recorded their attendance. Sakura was watching the clock intently, counting the last five minutes, before the bell rang again. Having received her timetable, she knew her next class was a free-line and she couldn't wait.
Suddenly, the class room door opened and another student walked in. However to call him 'just another student' was probably an insult, because Sakura was sure if she had seen another like him, she would definitely remember.
There standing up the front was the most handsome student Sakura had ever seen. He was so beautiful it was ridiculous. And in a room of so many ordinary faces, he looked so out of place. His black hair was dishevelled and untidy. His skin was pale and made for a stark contrast to his eyes, which matched his hair. His features were finely carved, high-cheek bones, perfectly straight nose, and a pleasant mouth. His jaw was angular and masculine. He looked like he'd just stepped out of a magazine shoot.
Sakura realised she was not the only stunned one, when she threw a glance around the room. Everyone was looking at him. Even their teacher seemed to be struggling to string a sentence together. Then Sakura looked beyond the new student's face and noticed his body language. His jaw was clenched, and he stared around the room, not meeting anyone's eye. His breathing seemed a little heavy and forced. Though his features remained blank, Sakura thought she could detect that under his rigidness, he was frustrated and uncomfortable with so much scrutiny.
Suddenly everyone seemed to find oxygen in the air and they began talking again, turning their attention away from the newcomer (though many continued to throw glances in his direction.) The teacher approached the dark haired student quietly and said a few words, which she couldn't quite make out. He was handed a timetable and some other sheets. Then the teacher coughed to call for quiet.
"The bell is going to go in a minute. But before it does, I'd like to introduce our new student, Sasuke Uchiha. I hope you all make him as comfortable as possible." The bell interrupted his speech. Students quickly got to their feet and some were already on their way to the door, when the teacher finished, "And now you may go!" It was like someone had unleashed a dam, there was a flurry of students rushing for the door. Sakura slowly got to her feet and waited until it was safe.
"Ah Sakura, could I see you for a moment?" called her teacher.
Approaching the desk at the front, Sakura noticed, that Sasuke hadn't left. He was standing to the left, near the door, waiting. Turning back to the teacher, she asked.
"What's going on?"
"Sasuke here is also in year 11. As you're both in the same tutor, I was hoping you would show him around the school and help him settle in."
Sakura gave said student a fleeting look. He wasn't thrilled. "Er……sure I guess."
Her teacher smiled. "Great. What's your first class?"
He was going to ask her to show the boy around the school. Sakura inwardly cringed. He'd already seen her timetable and could check if she lied. But she really didn't want to give up her free period, even if the alternative was absolutely gorgeous! She'd watched him long enough to see how little he liked being stared at. New students were gawked at as it was, let alone new students who looked like models. She didn't need to add to his discomfort.
She kept her tone neutral, "a free."
"Even better! You can show Sasuke around the school!" announced their teacher, and then added as an afterthought, "If you don't mind of course."
Sakura gave a practised smile and said, "not at all." All the while trying to think of a plan to save her 45 minutes of freedom.
Sasuke waited for her as she walked toward the door. Sakura made sure they were further down the corridor and out of earshot, before she said hurriedly, "Okay. You've got your class room labelled at the top right hand corner of the door. The male toilets are down this corridor, on your second left. There should be a map in your diary for everything else. Any questions?"
Sasuke had been staring at her in slight surprise at her shortness. With a frown, he said, "Is that it?"
"What's it?"
"Aren't you suppose to show me these places, instead of just a quick low-down?" he questioned raising an eyebrow. Sakura suddenly noticed that he towered over her. He must have been 5'10" at least.
"Look, I have a free at the moment and I don't intend to waste it giving a tour of the school. You'll get used to it, it's not that hard." She said, quickly checking her watch, 40 minutes left. She still had time.
Sasuke looked incredulous. This girl was supposed to show him around. He was a new student; he could end up in the gym when he was supposed to be in art! (Okay so the basketball courts might be a fair hint that you didn't paint there, but the point was clear enough.) "I could get lost."
"You'll be right," she assured. "And surely you'd rather be by yourself anyway."
Sasuke's brow creased. "How do you figure that?"
Sakura gave him a look. "Are you kidding? Our teacher may as well have given you an 'Exhibit A' sign before introducing you."
Sasuke was rather shocked. This wasn't the usual reaction he received from people, particularly females and though he was very thankful for this, it was still quite….unexpected. He couldn't help but give a small smirk at her remark.
"So, you'll be alright on your own?" she asked quickly, looking at her watch. 38 minutes left.
"I'll manage," he replied. He'd figure it out eventually and hell, just for her apparent indifference toward him (it made such a nice change); he was even willing to keep up a cover story for her, if their tutor asked.
"Thank you!" she said, over her shoulder as she hurried off to the library to enjoy the remainder of first period. The school ordered new books at the beginning of every year, and who knew what could be sitting on the shelves, waiting to be picked up by the curious reader. (Sakura was an absolute bookworm.)
Recess arrived quickly, despite a very boring introduction to Chemistry in second Period. Sakura was at her locker and grabbing some food, when Sasuke approached the locker next to her, his books in one hand. She hid behind her locker door, pretending to be pre-occupied, while trying to think of something to say. She was feeling slightly guilty about leaving him to find his own way around. Being a new student wasn't easy.
Only then did she realise, that he wasn't waiting for her. He was putting his books away, in his locker. Summoning her courage, she closed her locker door and turned to face him. She watched him take an apple out, before closing his own.
"So how'd you go?" she asked. "Did you find your classes okay?"
Sasuke looked at her for a moment and guessed accurately. "You feel guilty."
"Concerned," she corrected stiffly. She was too easy to read sometimes.
Sasuke smirked at her, before taking a bite out of his apple. "I managed." He said after swallowing, with a shrug.
Food in hand, she began to walk down the hall. Sasuke fell in to step beside her. Against her better judgement, (who knew how her friends, who were mostly all girls, would react,) she made him an offer, "if you like your welcome to hang out with my group." She reasoned spending your lunch times by yourself was pretty crappy, especially on your first day.
His smirk widened. "Thanks. But I found my classes; I think I can find friends too." He turned moved out a door that led outside, to the oval.
Watching him go, she couldn't help but scoff. That was where all the jocks hung out. She followed the route that would take her to the benches where her friends usually sat, unable to deny the way her heart rate had increased every time he smirked.
One thing was for sure, with Sasuke Uchiha around, it was going to be an interesting year.
Originally, I'd planned to write this after Reliance was complete, then an idea came along, and well, I'm sure you all understand. Sometimes you just can't deny the need to write. You might find it strange how the classes and school work, but I'll be as clear as possible about it. I'm not sure how schools in the US or Japan or any other country work.
Anyway, reviews are much appreciated, and I hope you like it.
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