Sixteen

SHI

Sakura pulls up to the classroom written on the piece of paper she has taken from Administration. It's thirty minutes into lunchtime and she is glad she finally locates what she's been looking for before she bumps into anyone familiar.

She knocks on the door and pushes it slightly ajar, revealing the busy community that works inside.

The club is bustling and lively, larger than she expects. There's a panel at the front of the room in front of a white board with the topic of discussion written on it, and laptops laid across desks.

Not a single person is just moseying around, each with a task that must be accomplished.

Sakura glances at her watch and a droplet of sweat awkwardly slides down her forehead. She has taken so long to locate the club room that she has missed the debate entirely.

She steps into the room and the door clicks quietly behind her. A young boy with glasses who is reading through notes notices her presence and lifts his head in curiosity.

"Megane-kun!" she all but exclaims. He blinks at her. And then his face starts to turn all shades of red.

"Um, can I help you?" he offers carefully, painfully aware that she must be the most prettiest girl he's ever talked to.

"Yes!" she nods, "I'm Ha— Aizawa Sakura and I want to join this club."

Glasses boy deadpans and rubs the back of his neck. "Well...I'm sorry but that's impossible at the moment."

Sakura's face drops. "Eh?" she moans, "Why?"

A girl with two ponytails approaches with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Aobami-san, is there a problem here?" she asks the boy.

"Not at all," Megane-kun says and shakes his head. "Aizawa-san wants to join the club but we have already filled every position for the year."

Ponytail girl sighs apologetically and looks at Sakura, "He's right. I apologise sincerely, Aizawa-san."

"There's got to be a way! I just transferred here so there's no chance I could've secured a position any earlier than now."

Sakura is forlorn, and then an idea creeps into her mind.

"Let me speak with the President of the clu—"

Megane-kun and Ponytail girl's eyes simultaneously widen as they shove their hands up in her face and quickly yell, "No!"

The Haruno laughs and waves his hand in the air. "It'll be fine, it'll be fine!"

"I-I-Itachi-senpai is a very busy person!" Megane-kun insists.

"Itachi-senpai has too much to worry about right now! We'd hate to upset him-!"

Their jaws drop to the ground as Sakura dodges either of them and makes her way over to the three seniors of the club.

She locates them based on what she knows from Ino. Akasuna Sasori has vibrant red hair and droopy eyes, shorter than the average but big with his arrogance, and Deidara has long golden blonde hair a few shades darker than Ino's and a knack for wearing incorrect uniform despite being a role model.

They're the easiest to spot since they stand out, yelling orders willynilly as if they know just what they're talking about. The crowd moves like one while though, ignoring the preposterous and idiotic lines coming from their President's best friends.

Heads shift, and Uchiha Itachi stands surrounded by four kohai. He's tall and aloof and brooding, long black hair in a low ponytail and parted bangs brushing against his high cheek bones. It's almost unfair how pretty he is, compared to a woman.

He and Sasuke truly are brothers.

"Senpai, I'm sorry!" apologises one girl profusely, "I forgot yesterday's notes! I take full responsibility, I'll- I'll make up for it!"

She's near tears and her friends pat her back and head to soothe her with, "Kamine-chan, it's okay! Don't worry! Everything will be fine!"

Itachi's face is unmoving. "Make up for it how?"

Kamine sucks in her breath suddenly in shock at how cold his tone is. He really is upset with her, isn't it?

"Your only duty yesterday was to take notes on the entire debate to photocopy and share with the rest of the group. Losing the only copy stops us from doing that. So, Suzuki-san, how exactly will you make up for it?"

Sakura pauses and frowns ever so slightly. The girl's shoulders are quaking and it's almost pitiful. Kami, he doesn't have to be so mean—

"Here." He pulls out a typed out sheet of notes and hands it to her. "I write my own notes of the debates. You can photocopy these instead."

Kamine presses her lips together and flushes. "Itachi-senpai," she squeaks, tears in her eyes.

"Don't offer to do something you absolutely cannot go through with. Don't make this mistake again please."

The girls nod vigorously and skimper away hastily, whispering amongst each other.

Sasori leans in to Itachi with hands on hips and arched eyebrows.

"Uwa, Itachi-chan, you're so cool," simpers Sasori mockingly as Deidara giggles like a schoolgirl behind his hand.

"That's Itachi for you, always one step ahead," remarks Deidara.

The Uchiha doesn't respond right away before he sighs and mutters a deadly, "Shut it."

The Haruno's lips twist into a grin. She's impressed nonetheless and decides to introduce herself.

"Uchiha Itachi?" she asks, planting herself right in front of him.

He blinks at her, surprised at her abruptness. "Yes."

She beams, and it's blinding.

"I'm Ha— Aizawa Sakura. Please let me join your club!"

___________

"There you are," sighs Ino when Sakura hastily races in through the classroom door. "Where have you been? The guys said they didn't see you all lunch!"

"Sorry," says Sakura. "I had some business. Lost track of time." She giggles and adds, "Plus, I got lost twice. This school is so big!"

The Yamanaka nods as if it all makes sense now and gestures for Sakura to sit down beside her.

"I'll sit in a spare seat at the back," the Haruno insists, wanting to avoid stealing someone else's desk.

Ino rolls her eyes. "Oh c'mon. No one's going to mind the new girl sitting in their seat," she points out but Sakura is adamant.

She knows Ino acts like a princess, entitlement and all, and Sakura just won't have it.

"I'm not comfortable with that," she says firmly.

Ino blinks, a little taken aback, and then laughs off the tension she starts to feel. "Maa, maa! You're so funny, Aizawa-chan!"

"You can call me Sakura." Sakura forces a smile, "How was your volleyball meet?"

Ino's eyes fly wide and they sparkle, Sakura's defiance completely being wiped from her memory.

"Awful," she chirps. "The first years are terrible! But that's why they have me. Hmph! Anyway, there's something else I want to ask you."

The teacher walks in finally just as the bell rings, and takes her sweet time to set up her things. The last of the class also file in to take their seats.

"After school, we're all going out to eat. Want to come?" offers Ino.

Sakura grins and nods. "Sure!"