An Airhead, A Nerd

Chapter 12

Sakura looked over at Naruto who was chatting with Hinata. She was applying a deep blue lipstick to the Hyuga who was grinning. They were in a light conversation judging from the constant stream of giggles they broke out. Hinata applied a deep red lipstick to the blonde who then looked into the handheld mirror and smiled.

It was disgusting.

She snapped out of her thoughts as Sasuke came behind her to hold her waist. "She has new friends."

"Why do you care?" Sasuke sighed in annoyance. "She's no longer our problem."

While that may be true it still annoyed Sakura. She bit her nail as she narrowed her eyes. A sense of dread overtook her and she looked over again to find Shino glaring at her. She flinched. 'Yikes, she always didn't have a type but Shino?'

"She's gaining friends, aren't you worried?" She turned to her boyfriend who looked down at her. 

"Worried about what? She's still an outcast, one or two friends aren't going to make a difference," He shrugged as he picked out his books for the day. Sakura sighed, Sasuke never really understood the powerplays when it came to the school territory. He was blessed with a proper background and strong social influence. No one brought filth to his sight hence Sasuke was somewhat blind to the implications. Sakura however wasn't going to let Naruto build back up. 

She was paused out of her thoughts by Shino approaching them. Sasuke tensed behind her and Sakura felt that Sasuke was hiding something from her. Shino didn't look at her; he looked through her to see Sasuke, which made her shudder as his eyes were seen through the dark reflectors. How could Naruto look at him with love when his eyes were so dead and cold? His eyes were filled with malice, a cruel sense of amusement. "You two have been plotting, well I know Sasuke tried but he's probably given up since I gave him a warning. But Sakura you're on my radar." 

"What do you mean by that?" She took a step back as he turned his gaze fully on her. Those blank eyes were demoralizing, stripping her away. 

"Sasuke didn't tell you?" He chuckled. "Let him tell you...pink hyena." 

He walked off and continued on his way over to Naruto who brightened upon seeing him. She jumped into his arms as he stroked her hair fondly. Sasuke had no doubt that the look he just received was now wiped from his face. Sakura looked pissed and she turned to him. "What the hell does he mean by pink hyena?" 

Sasuke's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "It's just a crass nickname he gave you when we talked." 

"Talked about what? Why didn't you tell me?" She fired off as her tone became belligerent.

"Because you'd get like this," He sneered. "Let it go and stop causing trouble." 

She scoffed at him. "Hard to let it go when he confronted us." 

"But he'll be on his way if we just let it die," Sasuke slammed his locker forcefully, making her jump. "Leave it Sakura, press this, and I won't stand by as I did with Naruto." 

She gritted her teeth but sighed as Sasuke walked off and left her alone. She turned back to Naruto and Shino, the couple chatting with their group of friends. Her lipstick was smudged so during the time they argued she had gotten kissed by Shino. Sakura narrowed her eyes as she remembered the comment and it seemed Shino could sense her as he looked over his shoulder and smirked at her. 

He was baiting her and whether Sakura knew it or not she had fallen into the trap. 

Later that day Naruto was crouching before her locker on her phone when she felt it. That familiar feeling of eyes crawling up her body. She shuddered before standing upright and turning to look into familiar eyes. Eyes she wanted to go back to ignoring. Sadly the owner of said eyes was angry. She locked her locker before walking away, she wasn't that person anymore.

Sakura yanked on her golden curls and Naruto reacted instantly by clawing the pink-haired girl's cheek with her nails. She sighed, no. "We're not doing this anymore," She wrapped her arms around her body in a protective hold. "Leave me alone Haruno. You won Sasuke, what else could you possibly want?" 

"How about that new boyfriend of yours?" Sakura sneered. "He seems like the type to be influenced easily if he fell for your crap. Maybe I should steal him." 

Naruto tilted her head, confusion riddling her face. "Excuse me?" 

Unbeknownst to both girls Sasuke and Shino could hear them arguing as they stood inside an empty classroom. Both boys were bloody from the fistfight that just occurred but Shino was grinning maliciously. "That's the bitch you're defending? How pathetic," He spat out a bit of blood as he massaged his bruised knuckles. 

Sakura laughed mockingly. "You couldn't keep Sasuke so what makes you capable of keeping Shino? I bet I could steal him too." 

Naruto was an idiot, she herself could admit that but she did have a straightforward mentality. No one would ever take anything she owned ever again. She was tired of being stolen from. Shino was hers, she loved him, took care of him, and coddled him senseless. He was her prized beetle that promised to never leave. Why would she allow someone's dirty hands to corrupt her beetle?  

She gritted her teeth before she lunged at Sakura. "I dare you!" 

This caught Sakura off guard as Naruto tackled her to the ground. 

There was something familiar about this, Naruto had done this before. Back in the orphanage when they stole her clothes or feminine products. It was always violence first. You don't steal from her, it was her one hard line in life. "You don't steal from me! You certainly don't threaten me with stealing! Shino's my boyfriend!" 

Hearing Naruto screams those words was so euphoric. He couldn't explain how loved that made him feel. He knew Naruto loved him, she showed it with her kindness, that gentle patient smile that was only for him. Never judging him, only helping him up when he needed it. He loved every piece of her. "Love you too Naruto."