Author's note: This is my first SasuNaru fanfic and the first fanfic ever where I have been able to write more than one chapter. I'm actually quite nervous to put it online... I have no idea if anyone's even going to read it but I sure hope so. If you read it, please review and let me know what you think. I got the idea in September 2008 and that's when I started writing it. The story is going to be quite long I think... 20 chapters? Maybe? It's a wild guess. This chapter is named Warning sign from a Coldplay song. All the chapters will be named after songs, it just turned out that way but I like it! Now: enjoy chapter 1 of Stuck between a rock and a hard place!

Rating: M (or NC-17 maybe?)

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto. If I did, a certain someone wouldn't have died in chapter 393 of the manga.

Chapter 1 – Warning sign

Uzumaki Naruto was pissed. He had just got back from the headmaster's office, trying one last time to change his terrifying fate of being forced to share a room with Uchiha Sasuke, the guy he probably hated the most in this world, for the next couple of years when he would be studying politics at Konoha University. And not only would they be sharing a room; they would also be studying the same subject and be in the same class. All this just because both their family names began with a cursed "U".

Naruto cursed under his breath as he walked the corridors back to his room where no doubt that asshole Sasuke would be waiting. The headmaster, Jiraiya-sama, had said that he understood that Naruto would love to share a room with a pretty girl instead of the gloomy Uchiha boy but that it was against the university's rules to allow something like that. Naruto had lost it and yelled that Jiraiya-sama was a pervert and that he would rather share a room with any other boy, just not Uchiha Sasuke. He had been lucky not to be kicked out after insulting the headmaster; Jiraiya-sama had just laughed and told Naruto that it was no use whining: he was stuck with Sasuke.

Naruto stopped outside the door leading to his room and sighed heavily. When he opened the door, the first thing he saw was Sasuke laying flat on his back on his bed, reading a book.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto asked angrily.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm reading," Sasuke aswered. "Now I know that it's hard for you but could you be quiet, you're annoying."

"You're the one who's annoying!" Naruto yelled. "I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to put up with living with you."

"Neither do I," Sasuke mumbled.

Naruto stared around the room. It really was small, and with your number one hate object in the same small room it was suffocating.

"I'm going for a walk," Naruto stated as he turned around for the door once again.

"Just leave," Sasuke sighed.

Naruto sped down the stairs and out into the courtyard. It was almost empty but for a group of girls sitting under a big oak tree. He recognized the pink haired one.

"Sakura-chan!" he called. She looked up, waving. He went to sit down next to her. He knew the other girls too, they were all old classmates of his. Next to Haruno Sakura sat her best friend, Yamanaka Ino: a blond girl who's family owned the local flower shop and opposite her was Hyuuga Hinata: a shy, dark haired girl who always blushed whenever Naruto saw her. He couldn't understand why.

"Hey Naruto, what are you doing out here?" Sakura asked.

"I just had to get away from you-know-who," he answered, rolling his eyes. "He drives me insane with that damn attitude of his. No wait, it's not only his attitude, it's his entire existance." He snorted, folding his arms over his chest. "I can't believe I was unlucky enough to have to share a room with him of all people, and for the rest of my time here! That's like three years!"

"I wish I could change with you!" Ino said. "I would just love to share a room with Sasuke-kun... Imagine what I would might get to see..." She giggled, her thoughts obviously trailing off. Sakura gave a small smile, but said nothing. Naruto noticed the sad look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan! I should never have brought it up. It's just that he's really getting on my nerves... I honestly can't believe how you were able to live in the same house as him for so long!"

"It's okay, Naruto. And Sasuke wasn't that hard to live with. I mean, most of the time he would stay in his room alone studying, but sometimes he would let me inside..." Her voice broke off as she blushed. Naruto didn't want to know what she might be thinking about, she had nevertheless been Sasuke's girlfriend for almost six months, and they had lived in the same house! He decided to change the subject.

"Hey, would any of you like to go for a walk? I feel restless."

Hinata looked like she wanted to say yes, but when neither Sakura nor Ino showed any interest in moving from their space under the tree, she seemed to give up. Naruto waved good bye to them as he walked toward the small lake that was located on the campus area. He stopped next to a large rock which he leaned his back against, staring out over the lake's smooth surface. He stayed there until it got dark, throwing rocks into the water and just watching the fish that sometimes would surface and the birds that flew by. When he got back, Sasuke was still reading. This time he just ignored him, took a shower, brushed his teeth and went to bed early without wishing the Uchiha a good night.

* * *

When Naruto woke up next morning, Sasuke had already gone down for breakfast. He dressed quickly and hurried down to the school cafeteria to get some breakfast himself: he was starving. He sat with Sakura and Ino again; Hinata was off to sit with her classmates Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino this morning. Naruto chatted brightly with his friends, being in an unusually good mood, probably because he hadn't seen Sasuke yet that day. He had to run back to his room to get his books not to be late for his lecture.

The lecture was dead boring. He sat as far away from Sasuke as he could manage in the large hall, next to a red haired boy who Naruto had heard was an exchange student from Sunagakure. Right before the bell rang their teacher, Kakashi, tried to catch their attention.

"Before you leave today there're some older students here to talk to you about something," he said calmly, almost sounding uninterested. He motioned for three teenagers, not much older than Naruto, who had been sitting at the far back of the hall to come forward and stand where he stood in front of the class. The students, two boys and one girl, made their way slowly up the aisle, everyone's attention fixed solely on them.

"First of all I wish to welcome you all to Konoha University. I hope and believe that you will enjoy your time here," the boy with long black hair said. Naruto recognized him to be Hinata's cousin.

"My name is Neji and this is Lee and Ten-Ten," the young man continued, motioning to his friends as he said their names. They waved cheerfully. "We have been studying politics here for a year now and to make you all feel welcome we would like to invite you to a little party this Saturday." An excited murmur went through the audience.

"We will start with some outdoor activities to get to know each other better and then we will continue the party in Neji's and my room," the one named Lee said. "It's on the forth floor in dorm two, room 425, but we will repeat that piece of information on Saturday. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. We'll meet outside of this house, 6 p.m. Don't be late." He gave a huge smile. "Oh yeah, and you're allowed to bring friends to the event!" He smiled even wider.

Naruto felt so excited. He couldn't wait to get to lunch so he could invite Sakura. As he put his books back in his bag, he turned to face the Sunagakure exchange student.

"So are you going? To the party I mean," he asked, smiling. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto by the way."

"Gaara," the red head replied. "Yes, I think I'm going. It sounds fun. What about you, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"I'm going, definately. I'm off to invite my friends right now. Have someone you want to invite?"

"I think I might invite my brother and sister, they're also students here."

"Really?" Naruto said, curiosity shining through. "I'm looking forward to meeting them." He gave Gaara another smile. "See you on Saturday then."

He threw his bag over his shoulder, almost knocking Kakashi-sensei over as the teacher also made his way towards the door. As Naruto entered the cafeteria once again, he found Sakura and Ino seated at a large table together with Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji. Shikamaru and Chouji took the same major as Ino: history.

"What are you lot doing here?" Naruto asked, speaking directly to Shikamaru.

"What business is it of yours?" Shikamaru replied. "But I've asked myself the same question – this is too troublesome." He sighed.

"Oh shut up Shikamaru you lazy ass," Ino said. "'Zup Naruto?"

Naruto took his seat next to Sakura. "Yeah, I was just going to tell you. There's a party Saturday night held by our senpai, sounds pretty cool, and we are allowed to bring guests." He turned to Sakura. "Wanna come with me Sakura-chan?"

"Sure," Sakura said. "Ino too?"

"Yeah, the more the merrier!" Naruto smiled widely. "What about you lot?" he asked the table in general. "Your cousin Neji is one of our senpai, Hinata. Will you be going?"

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked shyly. "I don't know... Maybe..."

"Too troublesome," Shikamaru said.

"We'll see," Shino countered.

* * *

The rest of the week flew by and Naruto couldn't believe it when he woke up one morning and it was Saturday. He sat up in bed, yawning and stretching. He felt like he was being watched and turned to find Sasuke staring at him from the top of his own bed where the dark haired boy sat with his legs crossed.

"What?" Naruto said, his voice rough from sleep.

"Nothing," Sasuke stated as he calmly turned his gaze away from the blond.

If Naruto hadn't been in such a good mood because of the upcoming party that night he would probably have argued. Instead, he asked Sasuke if he too was going to the party.

"Yes, I am," Sasuke answered curtly.

"Why?" Naruto asked curiously. "I thought you didn't like to hang around that many people. I thought you would welcome this opportunity to stay here alone all night, reading or something."

"Don't jump to conclusions," Sasuke said as he furrowed his eyebrows in irritation.

"So why are you going then?" Naruto continued as he slipped an orange t-shirt on over his head.

"That's none of your business," Sasuke answered coldly, once again turning his head to look at the blond.

Naruto snorted. "Here I'm trying to for once to have a civil conversation with you, asshole, and you can't even answer a simple wuestion like that. Sorry to bother you."

"Yes, you are bothering me," Sasuke said, his eyes seeming to glow red as he stormed out of the room.

Naruto stared after him. What the hell was his problem? He was used to Sasuke's bad temper by now and usually Naruto was as annoyed with Sasuke as Sasuke with him but this time he was actually trying to have a civil conversation with him. What had he done wrong? He finished dressing and made his way out the door and through the corridors. Most people seemed to take the chance to sleep in this Saturday because he barely met a soul on his way to the cateteria and when he made it there he found it almost empty. He saw Sasuke sitting by himself in the far left corner, by the windows. He took his seat to the right, more keen than ever to keep as far away from the Uchiha as possible after his sudden outburst. He sat alone, eating in silence until Sakura and Ino came to join him about twenty minutes later.

"Good morning Naruto!" the two friends called simultaneously.

"Good morning," he answered them, an irritated tone in his voice.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"What? Nothing's wrong," he said quickly, failing to look unconcerned.

"Cut the crap Naruto, I know you better than that," Sakura said angrily, sitting down opposite of him and folding her arms across her chest. "Spell it."

"Nothing's wrong," Naruto repeated, looking into Sakura's eyes. Her glare almost frightened him. "It's just... Well, I sort of had a fight with Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes widened. "What? Are you hurt?"

"No I'm not! Why do you think I would be? Besides, it wasn't that kind of fight, it was more like... An argument. He just got really mad at me and I have no idea why and that annoys me as hell."

Ino giggled. "Oh! A lover's quarrel!"

"Will you shut the fuck up?!" Naruto almost yelled.

"Shh, quiet Naruto," Sakura hushed. "And Ino, he's right – just shut up." She sighed. Ino just continued to giggle. Naruto felt a little uneasy so he decided to change the subject.

"Hey, you know what? It's Saturday! The party's tonight!" He gave a bright smile. "Should I come over and pick you girls up at a quarter to six?"

"That'll be great," Sakura replied. She gave a small smile. "I'm really looking forward to tonight."

"Yeah, me too," Naruto countered. "I have a feeling that tonight's going to be awesome!"

A/N: That's the end of chapter 1! Next chapter is party time and some things will happen...Hehe ;) You wouldn't wanna miss that! I'll update soon! Please, review and tell me what you think! I'll be forever grateful!