Nerdy

Twenty

"Why am I even here ?!" groaned Sasuke as he kicked a stone away.

After Naruto did not show up for a long time, Sasuke inquired and found out that he had gone to visit (Name) along with Kiba and Hinata because she was down with a cold. It made him angry that Naruto didn't even bother to tell him.

Before he knew it, he was outside (Name)'s house.

He reached to knock on the door, but someone opened it.

"...I can't believe she didn't eat at all--- Oh ! It's Sasuke." said Shion, looking at Itachi and then back at him.

"Your friends already left." she said, with a small frown.

"I'm here for (Name)." said Sasuke. Shion wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.

"You shouldn't be out of school." said Itachi and smiled. Sasuke ignored him.

"We're leaving too now." said Shion as she started heading towards Itachi's car. She suddenly stopped, turned on her heel, and stomped back to Sasuke.

"If you dare to even touch my dear (Name), I'm going to eat you alive." Shion held up a threatening finger at his face and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Whatever."

Sasuke entered (Name)'s house and slammed the door behind him. He could hear Itachi and Shion bickering about who was going to drive. He ignored them.

"(Name) ?" he called out, surprised that she hadn't appeared even though he had slammed the door hard.

He peeped inside the living room and the kitchen, and when he found no sign of her, he went to her room.

Sasuke entered without knocking, and he was shocked at what he saw. All the walls of (Name)'s room were lined with shelves overflowing with books. She had enough books to open her own library !

Then, Sasuke's gaze shifted to the sleeping form on (Name)'s bed. He walked closer and had a better look.

Yes, it was (Name) sleeping.

(Name) had her back to Sasuke, and body slowly moved up and down as she breathed. Sasuke walked over the other side of the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed.

"I didn't know that colds affected even the likes of you, (Name)" he said as he reached over and moved some strands of (Name)'s hair from her face.

Subconsiously, he stroked her hair. He quickly took his hand back, fearing he would wake (Name) up. But she didn't even budge. Sasuke thought it must be because of the medicines (Name) had taken.

Sasuke looked at her as she slept. He pulled the blanket up so she wouldn't feel cold. She was still wearing her glasses, so he took them off and set them beside her bed on some sheets of paper. On a closer look, he saw that they were some notes. Sasuke remembered Hinata and Kiba were in (Name)'s class, so they must've brought it for her.

She looks prettier without her glasses.

Sasuke shook his head to clear his thought. Had he just thought (Name) was pretty ? No, right ? He just thought she prettier that usual. That's not calling her pretty. Or, is it ?

Sasuke realized he had been staring at (Name) all this while. He looked away quickly.

"It's not what you think !" he muttered, but then realized that (Name) wasn't even listening to him. Besides, he didn't have to explain himself to her.

He sighed, and got up. Sasuke saw that (Name)'s hair was still braided, and was a mess. He stared at it for a while, and then reached and let it loose. He took a hairbrush from (Name)'s dresser and brushed her hair, and then put it in a low ponytail, because that was all he could do. He had never before even touched any female's hair, let alone such long one like (Name)'s. Doing it up properly was expecting too much from him.

He straightened the sheets of the bed a little and put the blanket properly on (Name). He exited the room and closed the door softly behind him. He was heading towards the door, when he smelled tomatoes. He stopped immediately and made his way to the kitchen. There was some leftover tomato soup and some dirty dishes in the sink. Shion did not clean up her mess. Sasuke understood why he felt that (Name) was smelling like tomatoes. He sighed, and left.

Once outside and some distance from (Name)'s house, he decided to not go back to school and go home because there was only the last period left before school was over for the day.

Sasuke wondered why exactly he had gone to (Name). Why had he tucked her in bed properly ? Why had he brushed her hair ? Why had been nice to her ? What about his determination to be as cold to her as he could ? Why had he even visired her ?

He did not know.