I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my skull, as if he were trying to slice me in half just with his stare. It bothered me, but what could I do? Turn around and yell at him, risk getting in trouble with Kakashi-Sensei? Yeah. No.
I couldn't focus in class like this, not when the staring was so evident. What did he want anyway? He hates me. I hate him. Just the way it's supposed to be.
"Are you going to give me an answer, Naruto-Kun?"
"..Huh..?" The class erupted with laughter, making me jump in surprise. I gritted my teeth together, knowing Sasuke was to blame for my daydreaming. No. Not daydreaming. My waking nightmare.
Kakashi-Sensei sighed, letting his papers fly out of his hands dramatically as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"Class dismissed. Naruto-Kun, stay here." I felt drowsy at the sound of Kakashi-Sensei's order. This is all that damn Uchiha's fault.
After everyone had left, I stood and began picking up my Sensei's fallen papers, waiting tentatively for his reprimanding. But it never came.
"Naruto-Kun, sit down." I obeyed his words, sitting in the chair closest to his desk, the anxiety building up in my stomach while he stared me down, intertwining his fingers in the process.
"Yes, Kakashi-Sensei?" I managed to croak out in a barely audible whisper. I felt the tears brimming the corners of my eyes, knowing where this conversation was bound to go.
"Should we contact your pare-"
"No!" I stood suddenly, surprising myself for than Sensei, my palm facing outward to stop the words coming out of his masked mouth. How embarrassing of me. What's happening? Why am I letting Sasuke get so deep under my skin?
I took two deep breaths before slowly letting myself fall back into the plastic green seat.
"No.." I started out, much calmer than before. "My parents aren't needed for this conversation. I know I haven't been the best student recently. I'm sorry, Sensei."
Kakashi-Sensei closed his eyes, probably taking in my words. I held my breath as I waited for a response.
"What's been going on with you recently? You used to be top of the class, acing my tests with ease. Not up until recently, you've been wrapped up in your own little world." He clasped his hands together, only halfway through his speech, "I've known your father since we were in high school, Naruto. He's a smart and respected man, and I know you can be just like him. I can help you, I just need to know what's been going on with you and Uchiha." The pitying look in his eyes only made me angrier.
"There is nothing going on between me and that vermin." I spat out, balling my fists in anger. "Sasuke Uchiha is a burden. He's frustrating, he knows how to get under my skin. He knows what he's doing to me, and yet i'm the one now in trouble." I gasped for air, realizing I was hyperventilating from crying so hard. The worry on Sensei's face made a sob rack through my body, he seated himself into the desk next to mine.
"Naruto-Kun, Naruto-Kun.. I didn't know your feelings towards him were so strong," Bah. He made it sound like I was in love with him. I was crying too much to be angry. "tell me, how has he been bothering you? Perhaps one day the three of us can talk it through. Sasuke-Kun is a very bright young man, I don't see how he could offend you in any way?" Sensei rubbed my arm reassuringly, I wanted to cry into his shoulder, anyone's shoulder, anyone except my parents' (and Sasuke Uchiha's, of course).
"He.. he stares at me, all through class. I can - I can feel his eyes on me. It makes it hard to focus, he knows it as well."
"Naruto-Kun.. it sounds like you're suffering from a bit of paranoia, and taking it out on Sasuke-Kun. I'll tell you what, we'll coordinate, and you and Sasuke-Kun can talk this all through. Alright?" I was stunned to silence. Alright? I just cried to him, opened up to him about this. And it's all going to be 'alright'? He thinks it's just paranoia? Are you kidding me?
"No."
"Excuse me? Naru-"
"I said no. I don't want to talk to Sasuke, not now, not ever." I wiped the stains of tears from my face, knowing I was definitely red. Of embarrassment or of anger? both.
I stood to leave, Sensei trailing slowly along behind me before we reached the classroom door.
"Now, Naruto-Kun, please understand. I know how much this must hurt your father and mother to watch you so.. so not like yourself. We can help, please let us.." Kakashi-Sensei pleaded. I jammed my hands into my back pockets, leaning against the doorframe on my heels.
"Alright, i'll talk to my parents about it." I lied, "Goodbye, Sensei. I'll see you tomorrow." I spun around, leaving the class and speed walking down the hall, more ready as ever to be home.
"Naruto! How was school?" My mother greeted cheerfully, as she did everyday.
"Good, mom." I smiled back at her, hanging my coat uniform on the jacket rack.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour, your dad's in his office." She beamed at the mention of my father, he was her everything, and she was his. Just the way it's supposed to be.
"Okay. Thank you," I kissed her lightly on the cheek, hugging her awkwardly with one arm around her shoulder. "i'll be in my room." She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, humming to herself as she walked away.
I made my way upstairs. A new crisp white carpet replaced the old burgundy we'd had before. The texture was nice on my feet, if not a little too soft, too welcoming. Too overwhelming.
A panic attack is coming on, I could feel it. I had to focus on something, anything to get out of this meltdown.
My cello I hadn't played since middle school, still sitting alone in the corner, begging to be brought out of its case and played with.
The pink paper carnation from my mother, placed carelessly in what was once an empty space on a shelf.
Unnecessary books on an unnecessary bookshelf, pushed up against my pale blue walls that hadn't been painted since I was 7.
Textbooks and paperwork piled on my desk, sticking out from the neatness like a sore thumb, deciding I would hyper-focus on that. I huffed and trudged over to the mess, throwing away papers that were of no use to me, and stacking the ones I still needed into a pile.
I stacked my notebooks neatly in the center of my desk along with my work I still needed, stepping back to appreciate my work. Now, everything was perfect.
Everything except everything.
Why did Sasuke Uchiha stare at me in class? Why me, of all people? Is it because I was top of the class before him? Is it because of my popularity with the ladies (that he was slowly taking from me as well)? He's hated me and picked me out from the rest of the crowd from the second he stepped into Sensei's class. Why me?
Thinking about him made my blood rush faster, in what I could only assume was anger. Remembering the feel of his stare on the back of my head bothered me more than anything. It was always me, he always chose me to pick on.
I groaned, realizing I'd given myself a headache thinking about Sasuke Uchiha. I aimlessly stumbled around my room until I walked over to the bookshelf, picking out a random book from the second shelf down.
"Pfft.. Romeo and Juliet, how original.." I mumbled to myself, flipping carelessly through the pages until landing on a random page.
"Love is healthy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake.." I shut the book, scoffing at the sweet sappy romance that only occurred in fairytales. Love. What a stupid concept.
Though, true love must be real. My mother and father have been head over heels for each other since they met, maybe it was pure coincidence they'd been driven together. It's like they had their own gravitational pull towards each other. How jealous I was.
"Naruto! Time for dinner!" My mother's call was muffled by my door, I sighed and chuckled, shaking my head in disappointment. I wasted an hour doing absolutely nothing but moping around. How embarrassing.
"Coming!" I slipped off my tie and changed quickly into a pair of pajama pants and a plain white tank top before heading down.
"Son, come have a seat." My fathers deep voice boomed, he sounded stern yet calm and.. sad at the same time. How he does it? No idea.
"How was work?" I asked. I didn't care much for his doctoral studies at all. I just didn't want all our conversations to be so painfully awkward.
He sighed uncomfortably before looking to my mother for comfort. She came over and rubbed his shoulders reassuringly, they both stared empathetically at me from across the table. I raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.
"Naruto.. my old friend, Hatake Kakashi recently reached out to me. We had a very interesting phone call.." My jaw dropped out of pure shock. My fathers face was apologetic as he kept going. "He calls and tell me you've been having issues with a boy in your class. Well, thing is.." He chuckled humorlessly now, "I personally know the Uchiha family. They've heard about this all and we, as families, both decided it would be best if we let you boys talk through your troubles."
"..What..?"
"Naruto, I know it sounds bad, but it'll be better for the both of you!" My mother smiled sadly, subbing in for my father while he stared down at his lap, something very out of character for such a commanding man such as himself.
"Why.." I whispered, tears threatening at the backs of my eyes while I swallowed violently and willed myself to keep them down.
"It's already been established. The two of you will be together until this is all over and the tensions blown through. Alright?" I nodded once, not entirely listening to my fathers words.
"Would you- would you like to take your dinner upstairs for tonight?" My mother was now at my side, rubbing my hair lovingly while I stared down at the table. Once again I nodded curtly, and she hummed in response, picking my chopsticks up for me and patting my back along the way as I left for my room.
I didn't eat my food that night. I know my mother would have felt guilty, so I instead just dumped the rice grains onto the flower box out my window, knowing a hungry bird would come by and eat them gratefully.
I stared at my ceiling, still struck with surprise, anger, and sadness. No. Sadness couldn't begin to describe this feeling. This feeling of betrayal that was so much more than betrayal itself. How could Kakashi-Sensei do that to me? Rat me out and tell my parents? I should've known. Now my parents would worry and I'd have to sit here feeling stupid about ever opening up to my Sensei.
I just had to pretend to get along with Sasuke Uchiha long enough that they wouldn't be concerned for my well-being anymore. I rolled my eyes and huffed in anger. This is such a hassle to go through, all because Sasuke couldn't stop staring at me in class, and now we both had to pay the price.
It was a cold Thursday evening, tomorrow was Friday, then I had the whole weekend to myself. I just had to get through tomorrow without worrying about Sasuke Uchiha, and then I would be able to go along as I please in my room all weekend.
I held back a scoff, knowing I'd most likely have to spend the weekend with him as well. What did he want from me? First he takes my spot as the brightest student, and now he takes my free-time? Perhaps Sasuke's a goblin, trying as hard as he possibly can to get on my nerves, poking and prodding at me until one day I snap.
He certainly looks enough like a goblin: dark hair, sharp features, pale ivory skin. I'm surprised he didn't glow in the sunlight like all those fake vampires in the romance stories.
Romance, romance, romance. How fake. If Sasuke'd left me alone in the first place, we wouldn't be forced to be around each other. He's out to get me, I just know it. He wants something from me...
Maybe I am suffering from paranoia?