Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Artist's Alley ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Artist's Alley
By: Elysianfire ( aka roses.red)

Chapter 2:

I banged my head against the wall. Okay, I know I shouldn't have really been all that disappointed. I mean, I had seen it coming. But that didn't make it any less painful to have the thing I had set my dreams on completely knocked down.

That morning, after my little incident with the un jerk, I had proceeded to find the principal and explain to him that I was interested in enrolling in his school. Of course, I knew I would have to take the entrance exam, and I was prepared to do so. The principal led me to a room and gave me the exam, leaving me there alone except for the supervisor. The exam consisted of a written test, which I completed in about an hour, and one assignment: I had to paint a piece of scenery by memory. I pulled out my paints, and using the paper they had provided for me, began my work. Two hours later, the supervisor announced that time was up and the principal returned to examine my work.

He glanced over the written test, but I'm pretty sure that part of the exam was just a courtesy. Then he turned to the painting. Now, I had worked really hard on that painting, and honestly, I was quite proud of it. In my opinion, it was my best work yet, and I had even allowed my hopes to climb just a little that I might actually get in. unfortunately, the principal didn't share my opinion.

His eyebrows rose just so slightly as he studied my artwork, a look I knew all too well. "Well," he said after a short pause, "you're work is very—interesting, but it's not quite what we're looking for." He handed me the painting. "I am sorry."

I took the painting from him, having to resist the urge to rip it into shreds right then and there and burst into angry tears. "Oh, r-right. I-I understand," I stuttered out instead. "Um, th-thank you, then." I bowed hastily and practically ran out of the room, struggling not to cry, and wound up lost among the hallways.

I slumped down onto the floor, my back leaning against the wall, and took a deep breath to calm myself. Okay, my entrance to the Tokyo Academy for Young Artists had been denied, but I had been expecting it. That left me with Plan B, which didn't exactly make me feel much better. As little confidence as I'd had for Plan A, I had even less for Plan B. But I had to give it a try. I had already sworn to myself that I would make this work, and I was prepared to do anything it took. I really need to start thinking things through before I make promises like that.

I stood up, stretching and slinging my backpack over my shoulders. My painting was too big to fit in my bag, and it was still wet anyway. I was tempted to leave it on the floor, but I decided to go against that idea. There were about three hours left before school ended for the day. I figured I would eat lunch, maybe wander around a little while, and then come back. Lunch was definitely first priority. I mean, I hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime yesterday, so I was starving. I'm not sure why I didn't eat dinner -­

with my family the night before instead of faking that stomachache, or at least brought some snacks with me. But as I mentioned, I have this really bad habit of not thinking things through entirely.

So I made my way out of the school and wandered around until I found a decent place to eat, scarfed down some food, and went souvenir shopping. Okay, I didn't really buy anything. Between bus fares and food, I was already starting to run fairly low on cash, so I definitely couldn't afford to spend money on anything trivial. At the rate my money was getting spent, I was going to need a job fast.

When the time came, I headed back to the school, just as students were starting to leave. I asked someone where Iwato Deidara's classroom was, and he pointed me in the right direction. The door was closed, and I knocked on it, praying to kami-sama that he was still there. A moment later, the door opened to reveal a familiar blond man.

"You!" I exclaimed in horror before I caught myself.

He smiled. "Hello again, un."

I frowned pointedly at him. "What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I could ask you the same, un."

I crossed my arms, tossing my head at him in an attempt to look composed. "I'm here to see Iwato-sensei. Is he here?"

"How did the entrance exam go, un?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"That's not really any of your business," I said. "Now could you please tell me where Iwato-sensei is?" I stood on tiptoe, trying to see past him into the room.

He leaned against the doorframe, intentionally blocking my view. "Answer my question and then I'll tell you, un," he said.

I scowled. What an irritating guy. "Fine, I didn't get in, okay? Now would you please just tell me where he is?"

He smiled again, and stood aside, opening the door all the way so I could come in. "He's right here, un."

I stepped inside, looking around for Iwato-sensei. All I saw were empty tables. "Where?" I asked.

"Here, un," he said again.

I looked around again, to make sure I hadn't somehow just overlooked someone, then turned back around to face him. "But there's no one here except—," I paused as the realization hit me. He was smirking again. "—us," I finished. "Wait, you're Iwato Deidara?"-­

Okay, so I probably should have figured that out awhile back. But hey, I'm a little on the slow side sometimes, okay? It's not like I can help it.

"Very good, un," he said laughingly.

I think I must have turned about three shades of scarlet, and right at that moment, I really hated him. He walked up to the teacher's, well, his desk and started gathering his things into his bag. "Now, what do you want? I have somewhere to be, un," he said.

Instead of answering, I just stared at him for a long moment. I was still in shock that this was the guy I had come all the way to Tokyo to find.

He glanced up at me. "Do you make a habit of staring at people like an idiot, or is it something you only do to me, un?"

I blushed again. Seriously, why was this guy always making me blush? I guess I was sort of leaving myself open for it. But still! "Y-you wish," I said. Great, now my nerves were kicking in again.

He laughed at the discomfort he was clearly causing me. "So you do it to everyone? If you're done, tell me what you want, un," he added before I could stutter an angry retort.

Oh, right. The reason I had come here. Wasn't this going to be fun? "Um, I-I was wondering if you would t-teach me," I said, very careful not to make eye contact. I was pretty sure I could imagine the look on his face at that sentence.

"You want me to teach you, un?" he repeated. His voice sounded just as mocking as I'd thought it would, like he was trying very hard not to laugh. I nodded once. "How old are you, un?"

"S-sixteen," I said.

"Sixteen, hmm?" he said. He grabbed his bag and walked over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Go home. Finish high school, and if it's that important to you, go to an art college or something, un." He started to walk out the door.

I turned, grabbing his sleeve. "Wait," I said. He turned his head to look at me, and this time I looked straight into his eyes, er, eye. "I-I won't take no for an answer," I told him. "If I have to follow you around and torment you until you agree, I will, but I'm not going home."

He smirked at me. "You're going to follow me around, un?"

"Y-yes," I said, realizing I didn't sound very threatening.

He took my hand, prying it off his sleeve, and eyed me thoughtfully for a moment, making me feel very uncomfortable. Now who was staring? "Is that the painting you did for the exam, un?" he asked at last, nodding at the painting in my hand.-­

I had rolled it up to make it easier to carry, and I hid it protectively behind my back. "Yes," I said, wondering what he was up to now.

"Let me see it, un."

"What? N-no!" I exclaimed, shaking my head.

He held out his hand. "Let me see it."

I blink at his hand, and then hesitantly handed over the painting. He unrolled it and stared at it for a long moment.

"It's not very good, un," he said after awhile.

I blushed and snatched it out of his hands. "Thank you for rubbing it in." I rolled the painting up furiously. I was pissed. Very pissed. Here I was, risking my entire future, and the person I had come to for help was laughing in my face. Well, I'd had enough.

I glared up at him, and if looks could kill, I'm pretty sure he would have died on the spot. He even seemed taken aback by the sudden change in my expression. "You know, I didn't come here because I was good," I said. My voice cracked, as I was on the verge of tears again, but I kept going. "I came here because I wanted to get better. Not everyone can be as brilliant as you right away, and if you really expect that, you don't even deserve to be called a true artist." I threw the painting on the floor and started to march out of the room, hoping to keep my dignity and get away before I lost control and started crying.

"I'll teach you, un."

I stopped. Say again? I turned around, staring at him and trying to decide if he was joking or not. "What?" I said stupidly.

He picked up my painting, and placed it in my hands. "I'll teach you," he said again, looking into my eyes. He was so close, I could feel his breath on my face.

"Y-you will?" I asked, trying to gather my composure.

"Yes," he said. He smirked. "Under one condition, un."

I eyed him suspiciously. "What condition?"

"You have to live with me, un."

I felt as though, out of nowhere, I had just been flung into the middle of a shoujo manga. A guy, an older guy at that, was bribing me to live with him. (Well, maybe not that much older, but still.) Was he some kind of creepy pervert or something?-­

I blinked at him several times before I actually made an attempt to speak. "I—you—what?" was all I managed.

"Yes or no, un?"

I thought about it for a minute. Here was my future hanging on one very life changing decision, and who knew what the consequences would be if I went with it. I had no idea what this guy's intentions were! Maybe I should have listened to Keito after all. Then I remembered the promise I had made, that I would do "whatever it took". I could have slapped myself. But, much as I hated it, I've never been one to go back on promises.

"Yes," I mumbled.

"Hmm?" he asked. Like he hadn't heard me.

"Yes," I repeated, louder this time.

He grinned and placed his hand on my head like I was a little kid. "Good. Then let's get going, yeah?" He walked past me into the hallway.

Going? Get going to what?

He turned around to look at me, straightening the sleeve that I had grabbed as he did so. "Hey, I said I have somewhere to be, un? Hurry up so I can take you home."

Oh, right. He had somewhere to be. I was overreacting. "R-right," I said, running to catch up to him. Stupid jerk, getting me all freaked out.

He smirked at me, like he knew exactly what I had been thinking, but didn't say anything, which only served to irritate me more. But, as I was to learn over the next week and a half, Iwato Deidara was very good at irritating me.