"Now what?" Sakura asked as we cleaned our art mess.
"Now we go to history," I said distastefully.
"We already know our history," Naruto said smugly.
"Well, now you're going to learn our history," I said, picking up my bag and leading them out of the room.
As we walked through the halls, people stared. They pointed at the nin. Girls, as was usual, talked about Sakura's fluorescent pink hair, and swooned over the boys, because anime boys just have to be perfect.
"Just ignore them," I urged, stopping at a vending machine and getting out my wallet. "What do you want to drink?"
"Ooh... Can I have a strawberry lemonade?" Sakura asked. I nodded and pushed the button. And down the mighty beverage tumbled. "Thanks!" She took it, opened it, and took a sip. "It's so good!"
"Dr. Pepper please," Sasuke said, and a nearby group of girls sighed dreamily. I got him his drink and he thanked me, and I wondered when he got so nice.
"I want an orange Crush!" Naruto cheered. I smiled and got it for him. "Thanks!"
"I'll have a lemon tea, if you don't mind," Sai asked politely. I grinned and got his drink before getting myself a Dr. Pepper. I took a long drink of it before capping it and sighing.
"Zeus give me the strength I need to live through history," I prayed. "And some pocky too, if you can, big guy."
And so... We went to class.
DUN. DUN. DUNNNNN!
***
"Oreo-chan!!!!!" I cried, running into the house and hugging his waist. "Sakura wouldn't let me kill the girls who called her ugly!!!!"
"Seriously, Thalia-chan, it's okay," Sakura said, following us in, even though her eyes were red and puffy. Johnny kept his arm around her comfortingly.
I looked up at Orochimaru with wide, sparkly eyes. "Kya~ you wanna help me commit murder?"
He seemed to be seriously thinking about my offer.
"Thalia, you already sent two to the hospital," Sakura sniffled.
"So that's why you're all beat up," Chris said.
Okay, so I had a busted lip, a black eye, several claw marks on my arm, neck, and face, and bloody knuckles (that blood wasn't mine, btw). That was only because I rationed out my strength to keep incognito.
"It's not enough! They made my precious bubblegum cry, so they need to die!" I said.
Sakura sniffed again and rubbed her eyes. "Thalia, please, just forget it..."
I let go of Orochimaru and looked at her, my gaze softening as I dropped the Mist.
"Sakura," I said gently, taking her hand. "Listen to me, and listen carefully. Those girls were just jealous, do you understand? Girls like them feed on the suffering of others. You were new, this was inevitable. But I'll always be there to kick the ass of what ever liar calls you ugly again, I swear it. I'm no expert on the whole 'pretty' thing, but I just know you out rank any of those snotty girls."
She sniffed once more and gave me a watery smile. "Thank you Thalia..."
I grinned at her and pat her hand. "Any time, any where. Just wait until the dance, you'll blow them out of the water!"
She laughed weakly. "Y-Yeah... You too."
I had no intention of dressing up for the Fall Dance, but that info could wait. She went to go clean her face.
"There's a dance coming up, eh?" Chris asked. "You going, Thalia?"
"I most likely won't girl out for it," I sighed. "But Sakura wants to go, so I'm going. And so it everyone else."
"Going to wear a tux?" He asked.
"Probably."
