Yay. So, this is my first real story. I'm excited. It's a bit sketchy now, but it'll get better. Promise. Here's a warning, though: I know almost nothing about Japanese culture. This being a school-fic and whatnot, I had to put that out there.
Yay, title changed!
Rated to be safe, and for some language and later content.
Disclaimer! ; I don't own Naruto.
Between The Cup and the Lip [[there's many a slip
Chapter 1
"Naruto, what are you on?" Haruno Sakura started nudging the boy with spikey blond hair who sat next to her. He was facedown, drooling on his notebook.
"Huh?. . . Oh, umm, crack," Uzumaki Naruto responded lazily, still resting on the desk. Sakura glared at him and smacked him hard upside the head. Roused from such a nice nap, he sat up, blinked, and yawned loudly.
"No, baka! I mean 'What math problem are you on?'!" she jabbed her finger a few times at the open math book in front of him, making her point. He stared at the thick book as if it had fallen from the breaks in the white ceiling tiles. Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes. He wasn't even on the correct page.
"That? Heh heh heh," he grinned sheepishly and laughed, rubbing the back of his head. Quickly as he could, he spit out: "Ididn'tstart." Sakura sent another blow to his skull. "Ahh! Sakura-chan! Stop hitting me!"
"Once you start doing your work! If you fail this assignment, I will too!"
Hyuga Hinata watched from the last row of the classroom as the two bickered at the front. She hated to admit it, but she was jealous. Of course, a young woman as calm and gentle as herself would never show any hard feelings. After all, it wasn't really Sakura's fault Naruto liked her so much. Was it? Hinata's pearly, pale eyes fixed themselves on the pink-haired girl who was, at that moment, scolding Naruto while slapping him silly. How Hinata wished she could be as outgoing and beautiful and loved as Sakura. Maybe then she would be respected by her family. Maybe then Naruto would notice her.
For a few years now, she had thoroughly admired that boy. He was everything she felt she wasn't – confident, persevering, optimistic, (stupid) – and she couldn't help wanting to get closer to him. Especially when he had once cheered her on and made her feel like she really meant something. Though it was a full 3 years ago, she would never forget.
- flashback –
Hinata had never been good with sports. Or people, for that matter. Having to play during gym class in 7th grade was downright horrible.
It was a bright and sunny day, ideal baseball weather. So baseball it was. Near the end of class, with the scores tied, Hinata found herself at bat. Unfortunately.
"Don't mess this up," A faceless teammate snarled at her and handed her the bat. Everybody knew how Hinata was not the best at sports. She could feel all their eyes on her, glaring like there was no tomorrow, and she saw numerous crossed fingers. Was she really that bad? Gulping, she stepped to the plate, stumbling a bit, and tried to hold the bat correctly.
"GO HINATA-CHAN! YOU CAN DO IT!" out of nowhere, Naruto's strident voice broke the tension in the air, along with Hinata's anxiety. "SHOW 'EM WHAT YOU GOT! C'MON!" he hollered from third base. He began waving his hands around, screaming more words of encouragement. Hinata lifted the corners of her mouth just a bit, and straightened her posture.
The ball was pitched, and with her newfound motivation, Hinata hit it as hard as she could. It was a weak grounder, but it bounced straight to the most desirable place on the field. Right towards that lazy boy Nara Shikamaru, who was too busy watching the clouds float away in the afternoon sky. Oh, how he wished he could float away with them. The ball simply rolled past, and he didn't notice it until one of his team mates went by and got the ball, muttering a few colorful words. By the time the ball was thrown back to the pitcher, Hinata's team had won the game.
"That was great, Hinata-chan!" Naruto congratulated Hinata with a warm pat on the back. As her cheeks heated up, so did feelings for him.
- end flashback -
"Hinata, are you finished yet?" Hinata instantly turned her attention to her close friend, Inuzuka Kiba.
She nodded and feigned a smile.
"Thinking about Naruto, eh?"
Hinata didn't answer, but Kiba could tell it was a yes.
Kiba knew about her crush on Naruto. Hell, everybody knew except said oblivious blond boy. It was pretty much common knowledge after a while. Kiba, however, seemed to be the one who supported Hinata's crush the most. And for that, Hinata was beyond grateful.
"Well, if you're finished with your work," Kiba started talking again as if the moment of silence between them had never happened, "Can you help me?" Hinata liked how his oddly pointed teeth peeked out from under his lip like fangs when he grinned. It was cute, she thought; he so resembled a puppy, with pointy teeth and scruffy brown hair. She nodded, and smiled again. This time it was genuine.
- - -
"Please, Sasuke-kun?" as she fished her books out of her locker after lunch, Hinata could hear Sakura walking down the hallway, begging Uchiha Sasuke for something. What else was new? Hinata glanced over her shoulder, seeing Sakura clinging to Sasuke's dark blue T-shirt sleeve."For the last time, no. I'd rather die than spend any time with you. Now leave me alone or I'll stick your elbow up your damn nose!" Sasuke snarled, nothing less than serious. Hinata found Sasuke's threat to be pretty witty. So witty, in fact, that she giggled a bit.
Sasuke was clever, however nothing else about him had ever appealed to Hinata. Despite being smart and "moderately attractive" (in Hinata's eyes), he was callous, arrogant, and seemed eternally pissed off by one thing or another. Hinata found that to be a major turn-off. It didn't help that he had a vast majority of the female student population kneeling at his feet and wrapped around his fingers, either. Hinata was convinced there were a few in that sea of girls who would die for a date with him. Well, more along the lines of breaking a nail. If they were that brave.
Sakura noticed Hinata's giggle and marched over to her, giving Sasuke a chance to escape.
She waved at Hinata, "Hiya, Hinata-chan. What's so funny?"
"Oh, n-nothing,"
"If you say so. Wanna walk to class together?" Offered Sakura with a smile.
"Sure," Hinata returned the smile. Once she closed her locker, they strolled side by side through the crowded hallway.
"Hinata-chan," Sakura began, "I have a question."
"Hmm?"
"Well, do you –"
"Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!" Hinata would recognize that enthusiastic voice from anywhere. It was none but the one and only Naruto. As if instinctively, she started blushing.
"Hey, you two!" he beamed at them.
"Naruto!" Sakura screeched, hitting him on the head for the umpteenth time that day. "Hinata-chan and I were talking!"
"I-it's ok, Sakura-chan," Hinata mumbled timidly.
"Sorry!" Naruto threw his hands in the air, "Sakura-chan, wanna go to Ichiraku's after school today?" he paused, "You can come too, if you'd like, Hinata-chan."
"I'll go if you go," Sakura winked at her shy friend, a sparkle of light in her emerald eye.
"O-ok, w-why not," Hinata gazed at the floor.
"Yes!" Naruto leapt with loads of joyful glee. More joyful glee than his body could handle. Seeing as when he leapt, he hit the locker he was leaning against and somehow got sprawled across the still busy hallway. Hinata blushed more and tried to appear happy. Though, in the back of her mind she knew that Naruto was only that excited because of Sakura.
I don't like the flashback part. It's lame. But it was the best I could think of.
"Pretty witty" and "clever, however". Catch that?
Oh, and if that joke about crack offended you for any reason, I'm sorry. That scenario happened to me once and I thought it would be fun to put it into a fanfic. I also thought Naruto would be the type of person to just say "yes". It was either that or "huzzah".
Review if you must. But if you do, please don't flame. Constructive critisism is always ok, just try not to sound like you're flaming. Don't write in all caps lock, don't use excessive exclamation marks, don't swear.
- jiao