Temptation (NEW)

Chapter One

As children, Sasuke and I were the best of friends. We were always side by side, pretty much inseparable. Not a day went by without us seeing each other. One of my favorite memories of us is when we'd climb up into his treehouse and lay underneath a ratty, old blanket---side by side. We'd have puppet shows with our flashlights and his older brother would occasionally pop in to scare us. I remember one specific night, Sasuke nuzzled close beside me and said "We'll be best friends forever."

However, that statement aged poorly. A few weeks after that night, my parents died in a car crash. My life became quite chaotic for just a mere child. I lived in a foster home for a while until my eccentric grandfather scooped me up after about a year and a half. Sasuke and I never saw each other during that time because I was transferred to another school during my foster stay.

When middle school came, I was back in the same school district as Sasuke. My grandfather had moved me back to the same town and I was quite happy about that. I was more happy about seeing Sasuke again, though. Every night, I'd picture what our reunion would be like. We'd go back to being best friends and everything would be okay. Life would be somewhat normal again. Right?

Wrong.

When I saw Sasuke for the first time, he wasn't excited at all. Honestly, he acted like he barely knew me. I tried to reach out to him, but I was just brushed off. Something about him changed drastically during my absence. This was during the wonderful time of puberty, too. I was a bit of a late bloomer, so I definitely had a few awkward years. Sasuke, on the other hand, was gracefully growing. Girls liked him. He was excelling at everything he did. He was cool and popular. And me? I was just a nobody.

By the time high school rolled around, I had grown some disdain towards Sasuke. He was a bit of an asshole at this point in time. To be fair, I was a class clown who would intentionally get on his nerves. We got into a lot of fights. Everything we did was a competition---a competition that I'd always lose. Honestly, all I really wanted wad to be seen by him. Even if it meant being his enemy.

I remember one fight led to us being pulled apart by several teachers and students. The exact reason for the fight has escaped my memory, but I do remember one kind hand lifting me up. I was guided to the boys' bathroom and had toilet paper stuffed up my bloodied nose by this random guy.

"You're an idiot, you know," he had muttered. "You'll get expelled if you keep picking fights with that douchebag."

I could just faintly smell the cigarette that dangled from his lips through the wadded up tissue paper in my nose.

"Says the one smoking in a school bathroom," I grumbled through my swollen lips.

"Fair point," he smirked, pressing the cigarette tight between his lips. "I'm Shikamaru, by the way."

"Naruto," I half-smiled.

Despite it all, I was able to meet my best friend that day. My world became a little less lonely after that. Shikamaru had introduced me to his friend group, and I stopped caring so much about Sasuke. We still definitely had a rivalry, but we could walk past each other without fists flying. Progress, I guess.

When I got into college, I think everyone was genuinely surprised. I was a shitty student that barely graduated. My guidance counselor from high school almost didn't believe the acceptance letter I had showed him. It's truly a miracle that I've even made it to my junior year of college. With that being said, we all live in a college town, so just about everyone I know goes to the same school. That fact had it's good and bad within it.

The good was that I was still with Shikamaru and Choji, my two closest friends. But the bad? I was still around Sasuke for another four years.

"Do you want another beer?" Choji asked, tapping me on my shoulder for my attention. "I'm gonna get more snacks, so I thought I'd ask."