How To Be Heartless? (Book One)

Chapter 18: The Last Chance

         "Sasuke-kun! Please come back!" Sakura yelled.

        "Free food, Uchiha!" I said with a loud shout, that made both of them scowl.

       "Shut up, Sana!" Sakura replied, but I couldn't help the reaction I had when I was afraid. We all deal with fear differently. Sakura clings to the bitchest shinobi in Konoha, and I make inappropriate comments. 

         "You are strong," Dosu held out a Earth scroll. "Sasuke-kun... We can't defeat you at this time." He quickly put the scroll down. "Here's a gift to you... Please let us leave. This may seem convenient, but there is something we must find out now. But I will promise you this...." Dosu picked up the fallen Zaku. "If there is another situation where we will meet in this exam we will neither run nor hide."

         The three began to leave before Sakura yelled, "Wait! Who is Orochimaru!? What did he do to Sasuke-kun!? Why to Sasuke-kun!?"

       I turned back to Naruto, slapping his face lightly. "Hey. Wakey wakey sunshine." At the lack of response, I frowned. I slapped him again, this time a bit harder. "Wake up, Uzumaki. Don't make me deal with teenage angst and teenage hormones all alone in this mess of a team." I slapped him again, this time chuckling sardonically to myself. "Medical genius, Itadori Sana here."

         "I don't know. We were merely ordered to kill Sasuke-kun," Dosu answered before he, Zaku, and Kin, disappeared.

         "Hey are you guys alright!?" Shikamaru asked, surprising the shit out of me. "This sucks but Ino, you take care of Lee!"

         I sighed as Shikamaru and Choji looked down at Naruto. "What should we do with him? Kick him awake?" Shikamaru asked.

         "Can I do it?" Choji questioned.

         "No, wait," I murmured and Shikamaru looked annoyed as I stopped Choji briefly. "I already did that. He won't wake up and I slapped him so hard my hand hurts." They thought I was going to tell them not to do it. Yeah right. Instead, I held up my slightly red palm.

         "You never know until you try," Choji quickly set a kick to Naruto's head making him wake up screaming.

     "I didn't say kick his head you psycho!" I exclaimed, the worry overpowering the arrival of hysteria. 

         "Everyone hide!! No get down now!!" Naruto ordered getting on the ground as Sakura helped Sasuke up. "Where did that guy go!? Ow!" He clutched his reddened cheek. "Did someone backhand me?"

        "It was Sasuke," I said quickly, causing Shikamaru to scoff. 

       "What! Sasuke-teme," Naruto began to search for the boy in question, but likely spots had restricted much of his likely concussed vision.

         "That idiot is finally awake...?" Ino complained.

         "Would it have been so bad to keep him sleeping a little longer?" I asked, not meaning it as the fondness filled my heart. 

         "You sure are one of a kind..." Shikamaru stated as Choji poked the bump on Naruto's head with a stick.

         "Ha? ...Just looking at you gets on my nerves..." Naruto complained.

         "Glad you're back or whatever," I commented, and he glanced towards me with narrowed, likely disoriented eyes that had softened ever so slightly.

         "It's over...?" Naruto asked grabbing my hand as he noticed the bruising on my face. "What happened while I," he broke off, his eyes narrowing as his fingers tightened on my palms. His worry was uncomfortable, but managable. His surprise rose quickly to his face as he looked at the beat up Sakura. "OH!! Sakura-chan!!"