Crossing Over (#2 In Shifting Series)

Three Rivals?

Melissa suddenly felt like she had gotten more than she bargained for as she walked back to the Hatake house with the family.  Kakashi had dragged Sarah off ahead of them, which left her to walk alongside the two boys.  Obito was very quiet, although every so often he would look up at her and give her a slight smile.  Ti, on the other hand, had not shut up the entire walk back.

"Melissa and Guy sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll smack you," Melissa warned him.

Why, oh why, did she agree to go out with Guy?  She had absolutely no interest in him whatsoever in that way.  Pity? Perhaps. Boredom? She would never be bored again. She felt like she had opened Pandora's box.  Guy being the box.

Ti stuck his tongue out at her before going, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G... first comes love, then comes marriage..."

"Why you little..."

He laughed and ran ahead fast.  She was not sure she liked that kid of Sarah's very much.  The little brat.  Obito grinned up at her before taking her hand in his own.  Melissa was stunned at the action.

"Ti likes to make people crazy," Obito said.  "If you ignore him, he'll get bored."

"What about you?"

Obito smiled and shook his head.  She decided of the two she liked him the best.  He seemed to have a very sweet nature.  "I like to read."

Melissa's brows went up, "You can read?"

He nodded his head.  "They said I'm a... protractor..."

"Protégé," Melissa corrected.

"Yeah, that's the word," Obito smiled.  "Ti is good with fighting but I'm good with brains."

Melissa stopped for a minute and knelt down next to him.  She smiled, "Let me tell you a secret, the brains are usually better than your fists in getting out of bad things."

"That's some excellent advice," a male voice spoke behind her. "I agree completely."

She turned and almost froze as she saw Iruka standing there with a smile on his face.  Her stomach did a flip flop.  She did not know why but he made her heart race more than even good looking Yamato.  She smiled back at him, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear.  She nervously scooped Obito up and put him on her hip.

"I didn't expect to see you again so soon," she told Iruka.

Iruka put his hand on the back of his neck and grinned.  "Well I finished early so I thought I would come talk to... Kakashi sooner."

Iruka could feel a little flush on his cheeks as he looked at Melissa.  She somehow looked even more desirable with a child on her hip.  It had been hard to miss the group as Kakashi and Guy had been in one of their challenges again, streaking through the streets and causing all kinds of a ruckus.  He had almost continued on his way when he saw Guy stop dead in his tracks upon seeing Melissa and make his overly dramatic display.  He almost stepped forward to save her when she shocked him by agreeing to go on a date with Guy.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked when she didn't say anything else.

Melissa smiled and gave a shrug of her shoulder.  "It's a free country."

Iruka fell in step with her as they continued towards the Hatake residence.  "So, what do you think of the village now that you've seen the real deal?"

Melissa's blue-green eyes lit up and her face became quite animated.  "It's beautiful!  I love how everything is so laid back and people seem to be very pleasant with one another.  The mountain carvings are also amazing.  I hope my new place has a view of them.  I would love to see that every day."