A Hatred That Will Never Bloom Into Friendship

I walk into the classroom with a saddening and tiring expression. I look around the room, with uninterested eyes, knowing that he was not going to be here.

"Hey. What's wrong with you, Kimina?" Shikamaru walks up to me, and leans against the wall adjacent to the door I just came in at.

"I... I just didn't get that much sleep last night. I was up all night worrying about Naruto because he failed his exam yesterday," I reply truthfully.

"Hmm? What are you talking about? Naruto's over there..." Shikamaru points across the room. I look over in the direction of where he was aiming, and see Naruto sitting down literally grinning from ear to ear.

"What? But... he had failed his exam. Why is he here?" I question Shikamaru, totally bewildered.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Yeah, I heard that Naruto had failed also. But there he is... bragging and showing off his Leaf shinobi headband," he explains irritably. And just as Shikamaru said, I see the Leaf headband strapped tightly around Naruto's head.

'I guess you past your exam, after all. And you got the headband to prove it. Looks like I'm gonna' have to work even harder now... if I'm going to have any chance of keeping up with you,' I think to myself, with a sure nod of my head.

"Hmmm? Oh boy, what is he doing?" Shikamaru asks himself. I look over at Naruto and see him sitting down in front of Sasuke on his desk; staring at him at eye level. Moments later, my stomach does a flip when I see Naruto crash his lips onto Sasuke's.

"Oh my God!" I say aloud in shock.

"Aaahhhh!!! Naruto! Your gonna' pay for that! You hear me?!" Sakura practically yells, cracking her knuckles with every word.

"Sakura! I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Naruto apologizes.

'Oh boy. This doesn't look pretty,' I think, sighing mentally.

"Sakura... hey! Wait! Nooo!" Naruto screams, as each of the girls pumble him to the ground.

~~*~~

I turn around in my seat, and look at Naruto who was sitting in the row directly diagonally from me. "Hey, Naruto. You okay?" I cringe at the sight of the purple-black bruises covering his face.

"Yeah... never better..." He sniffs his nose. Poor Naruto.

"Alright, class. You all know what we will be doing today. Today, you will be assigned to you squads. You will all be placed with a group of three, where you will execute missions under the supervision of a jounin teacher," Iruka-sensei says from the front of the room.

"Hmph. Alright. A group of three, huh? I've been waiting for this. This is going to be so exciting!" I proclaim gleefully.

"Who... who do you think will be with you in your squad?" Hinata asks me politely.

"I don't know. I don't mind either..." I reply with a smile. 'Just as long I'm not in a squad with Sasuke. I’ll kill myself… or him.’

"Alright. Now for squad seven. This squad consists of Naruto Uzumaki..."

"Huh?" Naruto and I both say.

"Sakura Haruno..."

"Yay!" I hear Naruto yell joyfully. Hinata and I both sigh out unhappily.

"And Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka-sensei finishes.

"What?!" My eyes widen at that last name.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! Why do I have to get stuck with a bastard block-head like Sasuke?!" Naruto asks, obviously angry on who's team he was with. So was I.

"Because Naruto... Sasuke is the best student in this class. And your the worst student in this class. So, being picked to be on each other's team was only logical," Iruka explains with an annoyed face.

"Just be sure that you keep your distance and not get in my way, loser..." Sasuke says to Naruto bluntly.

"What did you say?!" Naruto yells in reply. I only glare at Sasuke's comment; clenching my teeth in anger.

'Oh man. Not again,' Iruka says to himself.

“Oh boy… here we go again,” I hear Shikamaru sigh aloud.

"Naruto... just sit down," Sakura tells him, without even looking at his face. Naruto opens his mouth, clearly wanting to say more, but then obediently takes his seat. Sasuke glances over in my direction and sees me still glaring at him. He merely glares back at me, which boiled me up even more inside.

"Kimina! What are you doing?!" Iruka yells at me, watching me jump out of my seat. I leap on top of the desk where Sasuke was sitting; ready to punch him dead in his face. Sakura gasps, along with the rest of the girls. But before I could lay a single finger on him, Iruka-sensei grabs me by the collar of my green kimono and drags me off the desk, and back to my seat.

"Why did you do that?!" I ask Iruka-sensei furiously.

"What is the matter with you, Kimina? You know that there is no fighting allowed on school property. Unless given privileged to by a teacher. And you know that," Iruka-sensei clarifies to me.

"But Iruka-sensei... he...!" Iruka-sensei interrupts me.

"I don't care what the circumstances were! Or if you had too... because you didnt! Now, can you control your anger long enough for me to announce the rest of the squads?" Iruka asks, calmness now in his voice.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei. I'm... I'm sorry," I say remorsefully.

"Alright... now. For Squad eight," Iruka begins, walking back to the front. "Hyuuga Hinata..." I look over at Hinata, also eager to hear who was also on her squad, apparently so was she. She sat more upright in her chair.

"Kiba Inuzuka... and Shino Aburame."

"Hmmm. Not bad of a team, Hinata," I tell her honestly.

"Umm... yes I guess so. But..." Hinata says, glancing over at Naruto.

'Oh, Hinata,' I think to myself smiling.

"Alright. For squad nine. Kimina Fujimaru..." Iruka-sensei begins to say.

"Hmm? What?" I ask, not really paying attention at the moment.

"Lloyd Yukohama..." Iruka-sensei continues.

"What?! Oh, man. This isn't really turning out to be as excited as I had hoped," I sigh out disappointed.

“Hmph. Whatever, Kimina! You know your excited to be on the same team as me,” Lloyd calls over to me. I answer with a groan.

"And also... Rakuyo Sesetsu," Iruka finishes.

"Hmm? Rakuyo?" I mutter, gazing over at the silver-haired boy sitting in his usually spot. "I guess it won't be so bad with him. At least I'll be able to get to know him a little better."

"And lastly, squad ten. Ino Yamanaka... Shikamaru Nara--"

"Oh no!” Ino cries out.

"So... what was that about you not wanting to be on my squad?" Shikamaru asks her playfully.

"And Chouji Akimichi." Ino groans again.

"Alright, that's it for the squads. Now you are dismissed for now. And after lunch... you will report back here to meet your jounin teachers. Understand?" Iruka-sensei asks the whole class, with only getting a few responses back.

"Good luck with your team, Hinata. I'll see you later," I tell her with a sincere smile.

"Y-yes. And also to you... too," she replies kindly. I walk away from her and over to my group, who were both waiting for me at the door leading outside.

"Ready to go? I was thinking that we could just go to the park after we get a bite to eat," Lloyd suggests, but I notice it was only directed at me.

"Yeah, sure. That's fine with me. How about you Rakuyo?" I politely ask him. He looks at me, and I see in his eyes for a split second, hurt and confusion. But I quickly shake off the thought, as I realize that I was staring deeply at him. He only nods his head.

"Alright then. Let's go," Lloyd says, walking out the door, smiling only at me again. Rakuyo and I both follow him, and we head down to the cafe around the corner.