Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Alone in the World ❯ Spring Cleaning ( Chapter 4 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Ok, I'm back with another chapter. Hopefully you peeps will find it in your hearts to forgive me for taking so long to update.

Alone in the World

Chapter Four

Kakashi thumbed calmly through Naruto's notebook. He would pause now and then to read something on each page, but he didn't seem to be ready to share what it was he read.

Sakura sighed as she waited for Kakashi to do something. She looked around, `How does Naruto live like this?' she asked herself, seeing all of the clothes piled everywhere, `I hope it's not always like this.'

Sasuke leaned against the wall by the door. He had his arms crossed, and looked at Master Kakashi with annoyance, `He looks like he's sitting at his table, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the Sunday newspaper.' He thought.

“Did you find anything interesting?” Sakura asked, trying to get Kakashi to share.

Kakashi looked away from the notebook, at Sakura, “Yes, it's very interesting,” he said, “Who would've thought that Naruto felt like this, although it should've been obvious.”

That really sparked Sakura's interest. “Huh? What's it say?” she asked, standing on tiptoe to look at the pages of the book.

Sasuke, pretending not to care, didn't move.

“Ok, I'll read it to you,” Kakashi said.

Sakura nodded.

“It say's:

What's the point in living if you've got nobody to live for? No friends. No one to care about you. A voice inside my head tells me that that's not true. That people do care. But I don't listen. I stopped listening long ago. When I was younger I let myself be fooled by it. The voice. Back then, I didn't have the strength to accept the fact that I was alone. But now I'm older. I can't let myself be deluded by such fantasies. Nobody cares for me. It's a simple face. But it hurts. It hurts all the more because it's true. I have no time for such trivial fancies. I have no patience to deal with self-pity. I must work hard everyday to prove myself. And sometimes it doesn't seem worth it and it's definitely not fair. Why should I be the one that has to be alone? Why am I treated like dirt while others are loved? Why must I endure the looks of scorn and contempt everyday? Everywhere? Why was I the only one pushed around and called names at the playground? Ha…I'm laughing now, but there are still tears coming. Ya see that last bit…to tell you the truth I rather enjoyed it. I looked forward to the pushing and the beatings and the name-callings. Cause, hell, it sure beat being ignored…Bah, I'm tired…tired of breathing, tired of smiling, and most of all, I'm tired of pretending…

Meanwhile

Naruto sighed as he came ever closer to him dwellings. `I should probably clean up,' he thought. `I really made a mess last night.' He then laughed for no real reason other than to laugh. He figured out that laughing sometimes helped relieve some of the emotional tension he felt nowadays.

“What's so funny?” Iruka asked, seeming to pop up out of nowhere.

Naruto nearly fell over, caught off guard, but managed not to fall completely on his face.

“Whoa!” Iruka exclaimed, making a grab for Naruto's arm and steadying him, “Watch out, these steps can be treacherous.” He smiled.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, “What steps?” he asked, looking around.

Iruka shook his head and sighed, “I was trying to give you a reason for stumbling other then the fact that your guard was down.” He said.

“Oh,” Naruto said.

“So, where you headed?” Iruka asked, while starting to walk again.

Naruto kept pace with Iruka then shrugged, “I was thinking about going home, but it's still early so, maybe I won't.”

“Ah,” was Iruka's only reply.

“Yeah…” Naruto said, “So, what about you?”

“Aw, you know, this and that. Very Important Ninja business,” Iruka said, with a straight face, but the right corner of him mouth began twitching.

`Ok, that's not normal,” Naruto thought staring at the twitching. “Right.” He said, aloud, nodding.

Iruka also nodded, “So, how about I walk you home then go about my business.”

“Right-o,” Naruto said, then, “But I think I can handle walking home on my own.”

“You never know…” Iruka said, ominously.

“Never know what?” Naruto asked, confused.

Iruka shrugged, “Dunno.”

“Riiight…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

By that time they had arrived at Naruto's house, “Well, here's my place. Later,” Naruto said, walking up the walkway.

“Wait, can I come in?” Iruka said, taking a step towards Naruto's house.

“I thought you had `important ninja business' to attend to,” Naruto said, putting sarcastic emphasis on important ninja business.

“Uh…right.” Iruka said, shaking his forefinger and looking at the ground, “You've got a point there…”

Naruto took this opportunity to open the door and go inside. `Humph, who does he think he's fooling?' Naruto thought, as he plopped down on his couch. He placed his head on the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. `Ugh, I'm tired…. but why? I haven't done a thing all day…' he thought.

He then forced himself up with a groan, “Oiy…”

Meanwhile

After Kakashi stopped reading, there was heavy silence as they were left with their own thoughts.

“But…that's not true!” Sakura exclaimed, breaking the silence, “We care about him,” she then looked at Sasuke who was still leaning against the wall by the door, “Well, I do, anyway.”

“Really? It's kinda hard to tell when you're always yelling at him.” Sasuke said.

Sakura flushed, knowing it was true, “Well, if he didn't-“

“Shh,” Kakashi cut her off, cocking his head to the side, listening.

“What is it?” Sakura said, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“Quick, into the closet,” Kakashi said, walking over to the closet and opening the door. He grabbed the clothes that were hanging in there and threw them aside; not thinking it anyone would notice the extra mess. He then kicked all of the extra junk on the floor out.

Sakura and Sasuke peered into the closet; “You want us to fit in there?” Sakura asked, incredulously.

“It's not that small,” Sasuke said, taking a step in.

Sakura looked dubious but followed suit. Kakashi was last and closed the door on them plunging them in darkness.

Meanwhile

Naruto stood up and stretched a bit, `Man, I'm getting lazy,' he thought as he started to walk. He walked by the kitchen door and stopped, `Should I clean the kitchen first?' he asked himself, `Nah, there's too much glass. It'll take forever. I'll do my room first then the kitchen.'

He reached the door to his room and stopped. He reached for the doorknob, paused momentarily then went it.

“Geeze…” he said, walking in, careful not to trip over the clothing and junk on the floor, until he was in the center of his room. He then surveyed the mess, wondering what he should start on first.

“Guess, I'll start with the stuff that goes in the closet,” he said, gathering the clothes that still had hangers in them, “Funny, I don't remember going into my closet last night…” he shrugged, “Oh, well.”

A/N: grins widely Sooooo, whatcha think? Um……yeah….sorry for the lack of journal entries. I have one other but it's a little weird and people might think that he's talking to the demon fox but he isn't so I decided not to put it in yet. Bye bye ladies.