Disclaimer: I own a purdy blue pen, not Naruto.
Author's Note: Ok, so this is AU, get over it. There aren't any Shikatem fics with them in High School and I wanted to write one. Expect a lot of love triangles and jealousy. All the teen spark.
Pairings: NaruSakuSasu, ShinoKibaHinaNaruSasku, ChoInoSasu, NejiTenLeeKan, TemShikaOCIno. Those are the triangles…. The main ones are like; ShikaTem, NaruSaku, KibaHina, NejiTen, InoCho, Kakashi and somebody….
Updates: This story and a few of my others /might/ not be updated too fast. I'm currently working on stories that might ACTUALLY get published so… I'm a tad occupied. Please be patient.
More on Pairings: Ok, just to clear things up, there are tons of circles and twists and lies and pranks. Who's dating who changes sooo many times, so pay attention. This first chapter, it seems pretty obvious who's getting with who, but it won't stay that way for long.
"Wow, what a summer," Naruto started up the conversation, walking between Sasuke and Shikamaru.
"Mmm," hummed Sasuke, turning the other way, only half listening to what Naruto was saying.
"So troublesome," Shikamaru complained, hands shoved deep in his pockets, seemingly as distracted as Sasuke.
Naruto growled at the two, double-thinking himself on who he should be talking to on the first day back to school. None-the-less, he continued talking, mainly to put an end to the silence that would settle over the three otherwise. But it only took him a few seconds before stopping mid-sentence, his thoughts totally absorbed in something else.
---
Sakura was having a great day. She had seen Hinata and Tenten, gotten up on time, looked great, new hair, new clothes, new attitude. She even had great classes, and from what she heard, all the best teachers. But of course, it couldn't last. Nothing ever good that happened to Sakura lasted. Nope, not ever.
Exhibit A
Last year, she had gotten a date with Sasuke. Everything was perfect. She had raised enough money to buy a whole new outfit. She was going to look beautiful. But then, only hours before his arrival, she got sick. Nothing too horrible. Just a day flu that would leave her bed-ridden all through the night and miss her dream date. Sasuke never asked again.
Exhibit B
Hottest party of the year. It was only hosted once by one senior and only a certain few hundred people were invited. And even as a sophomore, she had made the list. The night was bound to be filled with booze, drugs, sex, and Sasuke. He had not only made the list, but made it on special recommendations. He was, after all, related to the most popular college guy to ever graduate. And he was going to be hers all night. Just them, grinding together in proximity of less then three centimeters.
Oh, but her lovely parents had other plans. Apparently a baby shower for her aunt was more important then a night with her Sasuke. She was yet again, snatched away from fate.
And now today, that pig had to come along and make a huge scene, embarrassing her all to hell. They yelled back and forth, to no end. And it was about some off-handed topic they really didn't need to be argued about. Something about her styling her hair the same as Ino's. Well, whatever it was, it had sent her glorious morning tumbling down with a huge crash.
Inwardly, Sakura smiled.
---
Off to the side, Hinata watched her two friends go at each other. She couldn't really pick a side in fear of choosing the wrong side. Staying quiet was the only option left as she waited for the fight to end.
Looking away from the grudge match, she caught site of Kiba, chatting with a couple of his friends. He must have felt her watching him because he glanced in her direction.
Hinata faintly smiled and waved over to him. He returned the gesture and she dropped her hand back to her side. She was about to leave the scene of Ino vs. Sakura when she stopped. Someone standing only a few feet behind Kiba halted her before she had even stepped forward. And before she could stop it, her cheeks flared into her famed tomato blush.
---
Kiba felt his heart being tugged in eight different directions as Hinata looked over at him. Ok, so maybe he did have a little crush. …Minor infatuation. …So what if he had liked her since elementary and thought about her constantly! There was just something about her and occasional smile she gave. Or the way her cheeks always lit a vibrant pink when she became embarrassed, something that happened a lot.
'She's blushing… Does that mean….?' His hopes rose and were shattered in the same second. Her eye contact broke and looked past him. He turned to see who it was but already knew. Who else could it be?
The bright head of yellow hair caught his first sight and Naruto came into sight, walking with Sasuke and Shikamaru. His child hood friend, Naruto, of course. Hinata never focused on anyone but him. For as long as he had admired her, longed for her, she had done the same with Naruto.
He chanced a look back at her, praying that maybe he had seen it wrong and she was still looking at him. But it was obvious in her eyes and the cherry red tint in her cheeks. The spotlight was all on Naruto.
He scowled, and slumped against a row of lockers. Well this day sucked.
---
Ino ravished in the spotlight she was given. And this little stir-up with Sakura was an ensured way that she could be talked about all day. Leave a lasting impression, something she was oh so good.
There was a sudden tug on her arm and she paused in her verbal feud to see who it was.
Chouji gave her a forced grin while she rolled her eyes. They had known each other since diapers and through elementary and middle school; inseparable. But come high school, her social class soared, while his stayed in monopoly, much like Kiba's. They didn't talk as much besides the usual phone call or movies on the weekend. Thinking back she felt the slightest pinch of guilt but was quick to shrug it off.
"What, you need someone else to fight your battles now?" scorned a smug looking Sakura.
"Shut up!" Ino shot back, shrugging off Chouji.
---
It was only a matter of seconds before they came. Sasuke sighed to himself. His fangirls. They were crawling /everywhere./ Watching his every move, every blink, every slight intake of breath. He could see them, hear them, and even smell the overwhelming scent of perfume that was them.
He hated fangirls.
Crossing his arms, brows furled together in a frustrated look.
As soon as he had entered the school, he had seen them. Some he could handle and easily get away from, but others were much more clingy. Like his top two squeally, giggly, obnoxious fangirls.
Sakura and Ino.
He shuddered just thinking about it. Lucky for him they were too absorbed in each other to notice him.
Naruto was saying something next to him, and he tuned in long enough to hear so he could give some kind of reply.
"Wow, she looks beautiful," Of course, he's already spotted out some girl. He followed his gaze over to where he was staring only to be alarmed that he was looking at the back of Sakura.
Shifting his eyes back to his right, he gave him the usual 'you're a dipshit' look before trying to shut everything else out. Again...
"Ah," he mumbled just loud enough for the overly talkative blond to hear.
Yeah right.
---
As Neji aimlessly walked the halls, he heard the shrill voices of two girls. Two very loud, annoying girls. He narrowed his eyes and scowled.
Following the trail to them, shoving past scared looking freshman, he rounded the final
corner, ready to reprimand them. That was until he collided with someone.
Looking down, he recognized the telltale head of dark brown hair wrapped up into two tight buns, one on either side of her head.
Regaining his composure, he wrapped an arm around he waist and steadied her from falling.
---
Tenten was draped over Neji's arm, looking up at him. 'Where did he come from?' She had been too busy greeting Hinata and catching up on what had happened in the latest battle of the bitches. So when he had bumped into her, she wouldn't have even guessed it was him.
'Wow, summer did him good,' she suddenly thought, examining the handsome face.
"Hey," Neji finally said, taking his arm back. Glancing over the top of her head, he caught sight of Sasuke and the rest.
Tenten was going to reply until his attention shifted. She stood rooted to the spot and let him shuffle past her. Following his every step, she watched as he moved further and further away. Of course, he had made the save of the day, only to move on without even thinking twice.
As best she could, Tenten still couldn't help but let a small frown creep upon her face.
---
Lee walked, more like pranced, down the rows of lockers, happy for the first day of school. After giving recognition to his teammates and the many compliments on winning the game last Friday, he asked around, trying to find his closer knit group of friends. Almost immediately, he heard the familiar chirp of his beautiful cherry blossom. Maybe the reason for his overly cheerful state.
Gracing the corner, he skipped into the main hallway just in time for Neji to walk past and /nearly/ bump into him. Tenten wasn't far off and Lee noticed her small, poorly kept saddened face. His plastered smile slightly fell and he looked away.
'Poor Tenten.'
---
It was like a ping-pong match as they watched the girls go back and forth. Blond. Pink. Blond. Pink. Insult. Retort. Repeat.
Shikamaru sighed, sure that his ears would pop from all the yelling, along with the added other noises of the hall.
"So loud and troublesome."
And boring. Naruto was 'discussing' something with Sasuke. Neji wasn't far behind. Ino was busy, and Chouji was over with her, Lee was chattering away with Tenten and Hinata had found Kiba, both talking QUIETLY in a corner.
Closing his eyes, he titled his head back. He could just relax here for a few. Too bad he was disrupted as another annoying voice broke out across the argument of Ino and Sakura.
---
Temari was pissed. No. Beyond pissed. She had just bitched with her counselor for a whole hour on her damned schedule. Her and her brothers were new to the school, and already, she hated it. The girls were slutty and just totally intolerable. The guys were arrogant and packed with steroids. Overall, it sucked so far. The only good thing, if possible, was that Naruto, long-time friend, lived in Konoha and not long after their move into the same town, he moved in with them. He was, after all, practically family anyway.
Oh god, who the fuck was yelling?
Sakura came into her line of vision and she groaned. 'Stupid juniors, go die.'
Storming over to the duo, she grumbled something about shut up or another.
Chouji, noticing the angered Temari, grabbed Ino ignoring her yells of protest. She swatted at him, but he was persistent in dragging her away, which in the end, he succeeded.
With Ino now gone, only pinky was left. Temari shoved her back in frustration.
"Seriously, shut up!"
---
A short red haired boy stood in the shadow's of Temari's menacing figure. Sakura earned one of his death glares that could kill in seconds. Making sure she at least made eye contact once, he smirked when she shrunk back from both him and his sister.
Gaara broke his gaze and spotted Uzumaki. Who couldn't spot him? The annoyingly loud mouthed kid talked constantly. It was hard to miss him.
Temari could hold her own. So he stalked off towards Naruto.
---
Sakura was confused as to why Ino stopped mid-sentence, now being pulled away by Chouji. Until, someone bashed her head and she knew why the two had chickened out. Wincing, she slowly turned, eyes narrowed and hand groping her sore head.
"What was that for?!?!" she yelled. Whoever had hit her was taller then her…. And older. Shit, wrong person to yell at. "You're too loud," Temari grumbled, flicking Sakura's forehead.
She glared, but before she could snap back, Naruto was in front of her.
Sakura blinked and stared at the back of him. 'When did he get here?'
"Leave her alone!" he shot at Temari, who looked a little taken aback by the sudden defense. "It wasn't even her fault! Ino started it, so go pick a fight with her."
Sakura smiled thankfully at Naruto, grateful for the support. Something caught her eye and from the corner she recognized Sasuke. Of course! He must have come in with Naruto!
"Sasuke-kun!!!" she squealed, running to her 'love,' throwing her arms around him. "I didn't even see you here! How was your summer? Do anything new? Where are you sitting at lunch? Got a girlfr—"
---
The unlucky Sasuke tried his best to zone her out. But he had this… 'thing' stuck to his arm and it was loud. Worse, it refused to move.
"Sakura, could you please get off me….?"
"And then I went to see this new movie! It was soooo great Sasuke!"
Yea, that wasn't happening.
---
Naruto huffed, finally done with his rant. Temari hadn't killed him yet, so he figured he was safe for the time being. And he was going to return to Sasuke, but saw Sakura had gotten there first. Maybe his efforts had been in vain…
His victorious smiled dropped and he tried to shrug off the fact, as he had tried to do so many times before, that Sakura was infatuated with Sasuke. Not him.
Temari laughed behind him and bent down to whisper in his ear.
"Looks like that 'Knight in Shining Armor' act didn't work so well."
Naruto growled and shoved her away, not in the mood. She would have broke into rounds of laughter, but it was Naruto, so she merely scowled. She shot pinky, Sakura who else, a glare and vowed to get her back. Naruto didn't deserve that kind of a shrug-off.
---
Hinata frowned at the sad look on Naruto's face. She hated it when he was sad.
Kiba /had/ been talking to Hinata until her 'Naruto Senses' started ringing and she dropped everything to frantically search for him. And as soon as she had started smiling towards something he said, it vanished. Because whatever /Naruto/ was feeling, she was feeling. Just peachy.
---
Temari had enough of the Juniors. They weren't worth her time, nor the headache. But that didn't mean she couldn't stand by and send out evil glares in all directions, at everybody. At least until she looked into a pair of deep brown eyes.
Her own were still narrowed in an angry scowl as she stood rooted to the spot, heart pumping two-fold.
He, whoever /he/ was, simply looked at her momentarily before walking away.
She twitched and felt a fist clench up. 'Did he just shrug me off?' Before she could ponder in, Naruto spoke out. 'He wasn't sad for long.'
"Time for class! Bell's in two minutes!" There was a lot of bustling around as they all grabbed for their bags and books. It was time to /officially/ start school.
Author's Note: Holy hell that was hell to type up. -- Yea, so if there's spelling mistakes or whatever, don't expect me to correct anytime soon. I dun feel like re-reading it all. But I will have a few more chapters up pretty quick here. I've been writing them in science class, so I've got up to about seven-ish on paper.