Nerdy

Nine

Sasuke dashed towards (Name)'s class as soon as the bell for the recess rang. He hadn't been able to catch up to her earlier, and in the morning, he barely made it to class, so meeting her then was out of question. A confused Naruto ran after him.

"(Name) !!" yelled Sasuke, slamming the class room's door open.

It was Kurenai-sensei's Biology class. She was still there and so was everyone else, earning him quite a few weird looks. She raised a brow at him as she picked up her books and papers and got ready to leave.

"Uh.. I mean, I want to talk to (Name)." said Sasuke, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling awkward under Kurenai-sensei's gaze.

Sasuke heard Naruto's muffled laughter behind him. Kurenai-sensei kept staring at him as she passed him.

"She did not attend my class." she said, and gave Sasuke one final look before she made her way to the staff room.

Sasuke looked at Kurenai-sensei walk and then behind him at Naruto, who seemed to have lost it and was laughing breathlessly. Sasuke hit Naruto's head and walked into the class without waiting to see his reaction.

"Where's (Name) ?" he asked Hinata, who was sitting on the desk nearest to the door.

"Um.. She left in the second period itself. Her family called, it seems." replied Hinata, her gaze lingering from Sasuke to Naruto behind him who sat down whining like a dog, clutching his head because Sasuke hit him hard.

"Family ?" mumbled Sasuke.

He nodded as a gesture of thanks and exited the class room. Naruto pounced on him on his first step. Even though Sasuke knew Naruto was waiting for him outside, he was still caught off guard and Naruto started scribbling on his face with a marker. Sasuke tried pushing him off, but Naruto seemed to have the upper hand.

Once satisfied, Naruto got off Sasuke himself. Sasuke sat up and wiped his face on his sleeve. He was wearing black, so stains wouldn't show. He stood up and glared at Naruto. Sasuke clenched his fist to prevent himself from hitting Naruto. Had he the luxury of time to do so, he would've happily done it.

But, he turned and started jogging off.

"Hey ! Where're you going ?!" yelled Naruto after Sasuke.

Of course, Sasuke didn't feel obliged to tell Naruto. He just lifted one arm above his head and waved it, and then increased his pace. Within seconds, he was out of school, running on the streets.

Naruto watched Sasuke leave through the windows and sighed. Sasuke didn't need to answer; Naruto knew where he was headed. And for once, he was right.




Sasuke made his way to where he was sure (Name) was. The only 'family' that could call her was her sister. And he knew where Shion lived. Plus, with the news he had, Shion's house would be the best place to tell it.

When he was just a turn away, he bumped into a horrified-looking (Name). Another first-and-last-time expression.

"H-hey. I was on my way to you." he said, shocked at (Name)'s bewildered state.

"I... I have something to talk about with you." said (Name), regaining her composure.

"Me too." said Sasuke.

(Name) stared at him blankly and he stared back.

"Well, if you are expecting me to say something like 'you first', then you are completely mistaken because what I'm going to say is far more important." said (Name), crossing her arms over her chest.

"But I didn't say anything !" Sasuke defended himself.

He nudged (Name) to say whatever she wanted to fast so he could tell her what he wanted to. Obviously, his was far more prominent than hers, but he was in no mood to argue to prove his point. After all, when everything was said---

"Your brother is my sister's fiance."

"What ?!" snapped Sasuke.

(Name) exhaled, and repeated herself,

"Your brother is my sister's fiance."

Sasuke stared at her.

"I hears you. What I meant was, that's what I was going to tell you !" said Sasuke.

(Name) raised a brow at at him.

"Hey, (Name) !! How could you just run off like that ?" said a voice behind (Name).

(Name) and Sasuke turned towards the voice. It was Shion. She slowed down seeing Sasuke.

"(Name), you already know Itachi's little brother ?" Shion asked.

(Name) looked at Shion, and then looked away, a deep frown on her face.

"And Sasuke, at least you could've told me you knew (Name)." said Shion, frowning at Sasuke.

"Well, I didn't know her then."

By then, her fiance, Uchiha Itachi came and stood by Shion's side. Yes, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke's elder brother was (Last Name) Shion's fiance. The second-last person on earth - considering Sasuke - (Name) wanted him to be.

Sasuke glared at him, and (Name) kept looking away. He smiled and nodded as if acknowledging them. He was used to this behavior.

(Name) looked up from Shion to Itachi, and back to Shion and glared. She turned and stomped away.

Sasuke looked at a loss for words. He looked at (Name), and then at Shion and Itachi, who was still smiling. He glared at him, and chased after (Name).

(Name) could hear Shion saying, 'I am sorry for my sister's behavior' and Itachi replying with, 'My little brother's no better.'

(Name) kept cursing Shion over and over in her head. She had been called out from school under the pretext of an emergency by Shion, only to take (Name)'s help in choosing the design of the wedding invitation cards. That could've waited a few more hours. Surely school for (Name) was more important. And the groom had to be Sasuke's brother !

"(Name)." Sasuke called out.

He had already caught up to (Name), taking long strides. She turned towards him and gave him one of her meanest glares. He ignored her.

"Well, who'd have thought ?" said Sasuke, walking beside (Name).

"Yeah. Who'd have thought such misfortune would befall Shion ?" said (Name), glaring at Sasuke, slowing her pace.

"Hey. Don't say that. Itachi's the one with bad luck." said Sasuke.

Between Shion and Itachi, Sasuke spoke trying to hide his uncertainty, because he liked neither. He felt strange supporting Itachi, for once.

"Hm. On a second thought, you may be right." said (Name) adjusting her glasses.

Sasuke smirked and continued walking. (Name) peered at him.

"And I thought he ( Itachi ) looked like someone I knew... " she mumbled.

"Said something ?" asked Sasuke.

(Name) shook her head and looked away.

"No." she said.

Sasuke stared at her and then at the road ahead. There was an awkward silence.

"So, why did Shion call you today ?" he asked.

"To a select a design for the wedding invitations."

"What ?!" snapped Sasuke.

He started laughing hysterically. (Name) looked at him and then away, with a red face.

"This is not funny." she said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, but it is !!" said Sasuke, stopping to catch his breath, and then laughing again.

(Name) glared at him, red with embarrassment fir having a sister like Shion.

"That's enough laughter, Uchiha Sasuke." she said sternly.

Sasuke at once stopped laughing and looked at (Name) glaring at him. He smirked at her red face and then shook it off. (Name) glared at him, her face back to normal again. She continued walking.

"So, how long do you intend to follow me, Uchiha Sasuke ?" she asked.

A puzzled Sasuke looked around, and then realization hit him. He was already outside (Name)'s door. Unintentionally, he had walked her home. And his house was like, on the other side of the world !

"You could've told me !!" yelled Sasuke accusingly as he started running in the direction of his house.

(Name) looked at him and smirked, and then went inside her house.