Recap: "Sasuke! Where've you been, cutie!?" I knew that voice. And I hated it. It was so girly, so high-pitched, so... So Sasuke-loving...
When I saw who it was, my eye twitched. "Oh, just shoot me now."
Story Start::
"Oh, I just couldn't wait! It's so exciting, seeing you again!" Ino exclaimed, her arms around Sasuke's neck in a hug. The Uchiha's eye twitched, obviously not liking this arrangement. I didn't like it, either. And I don't know why.
"Ino, you pig! Get off of Sasuke!" Sakura barked, glaring at her. Ew... It's still Ino Yamanaka...
"Oh, hi, Sakura! Still hoping the mutant forehead comes into fashion, huh?" I couldn't help it. That was funny. "Ah, Minxie... It's you again," Ino said, her displeasure for me clear.
"Oh, don't worry, Ino. I'm not happy seeing you again, either," I said sweetly.
"Ugh, why don't you three go somewhere and die, okay?" A voice said. Notice how he said three. Now, I'm sure it's safe to assume that he doesn't mean me. Because... I mean, have you met my team?
I turned to see a guy whose head looked like a pineapple. Ooh, yeah... Shikamaru Nara... That lazy guy who was always asleep in the Academy... Eh, he's cool with me.
He was followed by Choji Akimichi, a boy who spent most of his time eating. Scratch that, all of his time. I'm the only one who can challenge him to a food-eating contest and win. My stomach always hurts afterwards, but the satisfaction is worth it.
"Looks like the gang's all here," Another voice said. I turned and saw a boy with a hooded jacket and a dog on his head. And the dog was so cute! And the boy was sort of cute, too... Not like Gaara, though. I recognized him from the Academy, but I didn't remember his name.
Speaking of which... Where is the famous redhead? I hadn't seen him in the room.
Next to the boy with the dog was a shy girl with purplish hair, and another boy who had shades and a jacket that covered his mouth. He looked really cool! I recognized both of them from the Academy.
I couldn't remember the boy's name, but I did remember Hinata, mainly because she was Neji's cousin and because she'd been the only girl in the Academy who hadn't hated me.
I never really talked to her though, since she was so shy, and shy people are usually scared of me because I'm apparently too forward. I never got why she blushed so much, either. Eye-twitch moment? I think so. But she was still cool in my book.
"Including you, unfortunately," Shikamaru said, sighing.
"Shikamaru! Be nice! He has a cute dog," I scolded, smiling up at the puppy. The boy grinned at me and the puppy hopped into my arms, licking my face. I petted him lovingly, giggling.
"Sorry. Akamaru's usually not like that... He really likes you, apparently," The boy said, scratching his head.
"No, no, it's fine. And that's great, 'cuz I like him too! Honestly, he's the most adorable dog I've ever seen. A ninja hound?"
The boy looked astonished. "You know about ninja hounds?"
I nodded. "They're awesome. My sensei works with them, and I've seen them a few times before."
"Heh... Pretty cool. I'm Kiba Inuzuka," He said, shaking my hand.
"Minxie," I said, petting Akamaru.
"Ahem. Well, Kiba, if you're done flirting with my teammate..." Sasuke hissed from next to me. Jeez, when did he get there? I'm telling you, people in the ninja world need cat bells. It's just unnatural to sneak up on people like that.
"Lighten up, Duck-butt. He's cool," I said, nudging him with an eye roll.
"You heard her, Uchiha," Kiba said, smirking. "Funny... All of us rookies decided to apply this year. How far do you think we'll all get, eh?"
"Trying to psych us with a cool act, Kiba?" Sasuke said, smirking back at him. I sighed. Boys and their creepy egos...
"Who's acting? The way we've trained, no one can beat us!" Kiba bragged, smirking.
"Ah, don't be too sure of that, buddy. I pack quite a punch... Isn't that right, Akamaru?" I said, smirking at him and nuzzling Akamaru gently as he licked my face and barked in agreement.
"Feisty, huh? I like it," He said, giving me a wolfy grin.
"You know it," I said, smiling back. Woah, was I flirting? Ew... What the hell, man? That wasn't supposed to happen... I need to see Gaara. Like... Now. ASAP.
"Oh, shut up, Kiba! You can't beat me, much less Sasuke!" Naruto announced.
"So you're calling Sasuke strong?" I inquired.
Naruto blanched. "No!"
"But you just sorta did... Oh, nevermind!" I muttered, sighing. I handed Akamaru back to Kiba, suddenly feeling like people were watching me. I needed air, because I suddenly felt very claustraphobic.
"Where're you going?" Sasuke asked, catching my wrist before I could leave.
"To get some air. I'll be back before the test starts, don't worry," I muttered.
"Be careful," He warned. I rolled my eyes.
"When am I not careful?" I scoffed.
He gave me a 'really?' look. "Do you really want me to list the countless times?"
I sweatdropped. "Err... No... I'll be back!" I said, pulling out of his grasp and going on top of the Academy's roof.
I could always think better up there. There was so much air, so much space... And you could see the lake from here. Sometimes, a little mist came up, perfect for a summer day.
"Ah... Fresh air..." I muttered to myself, sitting down and letting my legs hang off the roof.
Not too long after, someone from behind me asked, "Mind if I join you?"
"Holy sh- Oh! Gaara!" I said in relief. Again: People in the ninja world need cat bells. I stared at him for a while, and then I remembered that he had asked a question. Oh, I'm bad at this. "Oh! Right! Um... Go ahead," I said, trying to sound casual. I failed at it. Terribly.
He sat down, staring at me with those beautiful sea-foam green eyes of his. "You're relieved to see me?"
Relieved? I was freakin' estatic! My heart almost leaped out of my chest, because of how cute he was. Not. Fair. "O-Of course... Why wouldn't I be?" Oh, he made me stutter. DAMN. IT.
"You're not afraid?" He inquired, still looking at me with those perfect eyes that I couldn't help but get lost in.
"N-No..." I stuttered. Again.
"Then why're you stuttering?" He just HAD to ask that, right? He couldn't ask about the weather, he couldn't ask about llamas... He just HAD to ask about my stuttering, huh?
And the funny part? He looked like he was actually confused. As if he really didn't get why I was stuttering.
"Um... Why I'm stuttering is kind of... Embarrassing... But it's not because I'm afraid of you," I said, thanking the heavens that I didn't stutter that time. "Why? Should I be?"
He stared at me, like he couldn't comprehend the words that were coming out of my mouth. "Everyone else I've ever met is..."
"Well... I'm not. You seem really cool. I'd love to be friends with you," I said before I could stop myself. Nice job, Minxie. Sound like a stalker the first time he talks to you. That's a great way to get him to like you!
"I-"
"Minxie? Minxie! Minx- Oh. What're you doing up here... With him?" My eye twitched at Sasuke. He just HAD to interrupt right when Gaara was gonna speak, right? Now I won't know his answer. Lovely.
"What're you doing up here... When no one called you?" I shot back, glaring at him. I looked at Gaara, tilting my head, then looked back at him, hoping he'd get the hint.
He didn't.
"Ugh... What is it? If someone isn't dying, and it has to be someone I like, leave," I said dismisively.
"The exams are about to start. You know, your team? Remember us?" Sasuke growled rather angrily. Ew, what's up with his tone?
"How could I forget when you all always interrupt me..." I muttered, sighing and standing up. I would never forgive him for that. Ever.
I stalked over to Sasuke, grumbling to myself. I turned to Gaara, "Sorry... I'll talk to you some other time, okay?"
"No, you won't. Stay away from her. I mean it," Sasuke hissed at my favorite redhead. Before I could yell at him and possibly kill him, he put a hand on my lower back and pushed me back inside the building.
"Sasuke! What the hell was that for!? He finally talked to me, Duck-butt! What are you, my body guard? You can't just tell people to stay away from me!" I protested, but he was stronger than me. I just stopped walking, and he scowled at me.
"Who cares if he finally talked to you? He's bad news, Minxie! And I don't want him near you!" He hissed.
"I don't care if he's bad news! You don't know him, Sasuke!"
"Well, neither do you! We have an exam to take, Minxie. You aren't supposed to spend your time flirting with freaks from the Land of Sand!"
"Gaara is not a freak! And I know that we have an exam! And if you don't get that I'll put my all into the exams... Then you just don't know me."
"Well, you know what, Minxie? If Gaara is such a great person, and if he's not a freak, then why don't you just go to his team, then!?" He hissed, and with that, he walked away, leaving me standing in the hallway. Shocked. Alone. Confused. Oh, and angry, too.
I kicked a random box in the hallway and made my way grudgingly back to room 301. Suddenly, I wanted to be anywhere but here. Whether or not Sasuke knew it, he had hit a nerve. He knew that I loved my team... Well, not loved, but... You get the point.
"Minxie!" Naruto called, but I didn't move. He walked over to me, a concerned look in his eyes. "What's-"
"I don't want to talk about it. What's up?" I interrupted him.
"Um... We saw some dossier cards... Kabuto's showing them..." He muttered, still looking at me with those concerned blue eyes of his.
"Kabuto?" I asked. He took my hand and led me over to some guy with glasses, who had cards in his hands. He handed them to... Duck-butt. No, he's just Sasuke now. He doesn't deserve to be called Duck-butt. In fact... He's just Jerk-Face now.
I looked over his shoulder, curiosity getting the best of me, and saw one card with Lee's name and picture on it and the other with Gaara's picture and name on it. I ignored Lee's because I knew him already, but I paid extra attention to Gaara's.
Kabuto started talking about the ninja lands, which I didn't pay any attention to. I mean, this guy was just like those guys who were blocking the door earlier today. All I heard from him was blah, bla-blah, bla-blah, bla-blah...
"He looks just as cute on paper..." I muttered before I could stop myself as I looked at Gaara's card. Everyone turned to look at me, and I mean everyone. Kabuto and all the rookies just stared at me. Stalkers...
"I mean... Wow... He did a B-ranked mission... Sweet..." I said, smiling nervously and scratching my head.
Kabuto started talking... AGAIN... Something about how everyone at the Chunin Exams were just like Gaara, and I stopped him.
"Woah, woah, woah... They're not all cute. I mean, have you seen Uchiha?" I interrupted in a whisper, but Sasuke's fangirls, Ino and Sakura, heard me, of course. Looks like Sakura has an over-sized forehead and over-sized ears to match...
"I meant that they were all elite, hand-picked shinobi..." Kabuto said, sweatdropping.
"Oh... Wow... I feel stupid now... I'm just gonna, um... Yeah..." I muttered, looking at the ceiling and whistling to myself.
Naruto looked like he needed a pep talk, but when he announced, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and none of you will ever beat me!" Nice. Now our team is the main target. How wonderful.
"Um... Pay no attention to my friend! He's a special-ed ninja, if you know what I mean..." Sakura muttered, strangling Naruto.
Then, out of nowhere, some guys from the Sound Village came and attacked Kabuto. He dodged, but... His glasses broke? And... He threw up? Really? How in the hell did that happen?
"Okay... Ew. I can't look at this. Thanks to those two," I pointed at Naruto and Sasuke, "throwing up in the Land of Waves while they tried to stuff themselves to get stronger, I officially dislike puking."
"A real pushover, aren't ya? You're weak, and you've been an applicant for four years... Put this in your cards. All of the ninja from the Sound Village are making Chunin this year," The Sound ninjas announced. One of them looked like he had fur on his back, and he was just creepy. The other one's hair defied gravity, and he had this twisted, devious smirk. The girl just looked mean.
"Would you all just shut up!?" Someone said. And in front of us, a whole bunch of upper-level Jonin appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Ibiki Morino, proctor of the first exam. First thing you should know, Sound ninja, is that there will be no fighting whatsoever now that I'm here, unless you're granted permission. And even with that permission, there's to be no endagering of any other candidate's life. Anyone who breaks that rule is disqualified, permanently. Got it?" Ibiki said.
"So this is a test for girly men?" The Sound ninja with black hair that defied gravity asked.
"Heh... Turn in your applications, grab one of these seating cards... The first exam begins now. Report to the seat indicated as soon as you're given a card... and when everyone's seated, we'll pass out the written part of the test," Ibiki instructed, holding up cards with numbers on them and a bunch of paper.
Oh. My. Fudge. The first part of the exam... Is a written test.
We have Naruto on our team...
Yup. Our team is now fatally and impossibly screwed.