“This…can’t be. It must be black magic.”

“It has to be. This can’t be right.”

“Maybe it is? I mean, she's pretty smart…I think. And it was only math she did badly in.”

“You guys do realize I’m sitting here, right?” I asked irritated. Naruto, TenTen, and Hinata were all huddled around my history exam, which was an A by the way. Apparently, everyone assumed I was brain-dead or something because of how horrible I was in math.

“But, you did better than Sasuke!” Naruto said holding the paper to my face. I snatched it from him and stuck it inside my backpack.

“It’s not a big deal. I’m sure there are other people who have done better than him, right?” I asked. Everyone exchanged looks and shrugged at me. “Oh you have got to be kidding me.”

At that moment, loud shrieks erupted from the cafeteria. Sasuke, followed by his fan girls, emerged from the cafeteria and headed our way. There was his signature scowl on his face, which seemed much worse than it was. That means something was bugging him. He took a seat on the grass near Naruto.

“Nice entrance, as always,” I said. he mumbled something and scowled at nothing. “Are you going to tell us what's bugging you?”

“Maybe it has something to do with you getting a higher score than him,” Naruto added. He hurried from Sasuke's before he could grab him. He laughed as he took a seat near me. “There's no reason to be angry. You can’t be number one at everything.”

“Shut up Naruto,” he said.

“There's no need to be jealous of your girlfriend,” TenTen said. Sasuke glared at her, and she glared right back. “Sorry buddy, but that glare of yours doesn’t scare me.”

I sat back and let them talk. It was fun watching them go at each other. Back at Iwagakure, I always envied people who had friends and laughed and had fun, unlike me, who had to be tough and always watch my back for someone trying to take me down. Not to mention not having any parents and feeling that lonely, empty feeling. But now I have friends who care about me, and I’m able to live a somewhat normal life.

“I love you guys,” I said. They stopped talking and looked at me with surprise. “I just wanted to let you know that.”

“Heh, even him?” TenTen said pointing a thumb at Sasuke.

“Who knows?” I said with a slow smile.

My eyes shifted to movement somewhere far away behind us. A familiar figure stood near the gym, watching me. I couldn’t see his face because of the shadows, but I could see his brown hair as a tiny bit of sun shone on it. my body went cold and anger overcame me.

“I’ll be right back,” I said getting up.

I hurried over, ignoring the calls for me to wait or come back. The person disappeared inside the gym and I followed. When I walked in, he was disappearing into the boy’s locker room. Knowing it would be empty, I followed.

“You look as lovely as always, Naruko.”

Yuki emerged from behind the lockers and smiled at me. I kept my glare on him, remembering how much I hated him. The dream I had about him replayed in my head, wanting to become real. If it did, I’d probably be serving life in prison.

“And you're as repulsive as always,” I retorted. He chuckled and walked toward me.

“How have you been?”

“Fine, until you showed up. What are you doing here?”

“Well, to see you of course.”

“Cut the crap. What do you really want?”

“Ah, I forgot how impatient you were,” he said stopping in front of me. “I want you to come back. The gang's not doing so well and we need you back.”

“I’m not going back. I gave that up, and you know why,” I said.

“That was necessary. If I hadn’t done that, then we would have lost our turf.”

“Don’t give me that crap! You know damn well we would have gotten it back. What you did, you did it for your own selfish reasons. I know about your little ‘deal.’”

“Fine, you caught me,” he said laughing. He stopped and smirked at me. “It’s not like he hurt her or anything.”

“He her you !” I yelled with my fists balled. “You sold one of the few people I actually cared about to a sick, erted bastard. You're lucky she didn’t die, or else you’d be dead by now.”

“I don’t see what you're so angry about. You got her back, right? And we managed to keep our turf and the money. You're overreacting.”

I couldn’t contain the anger that was slowly building up. I brought my hand up and grabbed his neck. I threw him to the lockers hard. I picked him up and then kicked him in the chest. He moaned in pain and I stared down at him with pitiless eyes.

“You piss me off,” I said. “Don’t ever come near me again, or I’ll do something much worse.” I walked toward the door.

“What about your friends?” he asked. I stopped and turned to him slowly. he was leaning on the locker, a hand to his injured chest. “I can have them hurt, or worse. That little blue-haired girl is pretty cute. I’m sure I can find some guys who could take good care of her.”

“Don’t you dare go near them,” I threatened.

“Come with me and nothing will happen to them,” he said.

“Do I have your word?”

“On my life,” he said smiling. I glared once again before leaving the locker room. I felt the need to punch something, so I brought my fist up and punched the bleachers.

“Whoa, are you okay?”

“Did you follow me?” I asked Sasuke.

“I was worried about you,” he said. I smiled weakly at him.

“Thanks, but I’m okay. I promise.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well, too bad,” I said walking toward the gym doors. He grabbed me and turned me toward him. “What?”

“Aren't we supposed to talk when there's something wrong?” he asked. I looked away, not wanting to do what I knew I had to do. I really do like him, more than I should. It breaks my heart to see him hurt.

“It’s not like we’re together or anything. I only assumed this was a small ‘fling,’” I said. I let go of my hand and I looked up at him. There was the pain and hurt I never wanted to see. He looked away from me and sighed.

“Is that really how you feel?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, it is,” I lied, my heart breaking with every word.

“I thought you were different, that you felt the same way I felt,” he said searching my eyes. “Do you have any idea how much I like you? I would do anything for you, Naruko. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before. Naruko, I lo--”

“Stop, don’t say it,” I said. “I just…I don’t feel the same way, Sasuke. I’m sorry.”

He continued to stare me in the eyes. I wanted so badly to tell him I didn’t mean anything I said. But I couldn’t. If I was going to leave, I wanted him to forget about me, to hate me. That way, he would find someone better. So he can be happy.

He nodded and brushed past me out of the gym. I stood rooted to the spot, tears leaking from my eyes.

“Well done,” I heard Yuki say.

I did not want to deal with him right now. So, I said nothing to him as I left the gym. I looked to where the others were sitting and saw Sasuke wasn’t there. I walked over slowly, going over how I would hurt them.

“Hey Naruko, where’d you disappear to?” Naruto asked. I kept an emotionless look on my face as I gathered my things. “Hey, are you okay?”

“No, I’m not,” I said standing. “You guys think we're my friends, and that I actually like you. Well, I don’t. You’re annoying. The only reason I hung out with you guys was because I was bored and didn’t know anyone here. So, do me a favor and don’t talk to me ever again.”

“Wait a minute, Naruko! What the hell do you mean by that?!” TenTen asked standing angrily.

“Yeah, I want to know too,” Naruto said angrily.

“Exactly what I said. I don’t like you,” I said.

“Who do you think you are?! You think you're too good or something? Sorry to break it to you, but yo're not. Good luck being alone,” TenTen said. She grabbed her things and stormed off. Naruto looked at me with a mix of anger and sadness before leaving as well.

“Naruko, you don’t mean that,” Hinata said. It hurt more to do this to her. She was my best and first friend here. “Do you really not want to be friends with us?”

“No, I don’t,” I said without emotion.

“If that’s what you want,” she said picking up her bag. “But if you change your mind, I’m here for you.” She walked away and I watched her sadly.

Now I had no more friends. Well, that'll make leaving a whole lot easier, but a lot more painful.