My Trip To... (ShikaIno)

Seating Arrangements

Ino quickly found a spot with Sakura who had found a seat close enough to the front of the bus but with a good view of the televisions that hung from the ceiling. Ino always loved watching the introduction video with cute Donald Duck cartoons at the end. She couldn't wait to get a Donald plushie!

"Did you see where Naruto is sitting?" Sakura asked innocently. At least it would be if Sakura wasn't Naruto's girlfriend. They had just begun to date for the last bit of their senior year. They were in that stage where Sakura didn't want to seem clingy.

Which was silly in Ino's mind because Naruto was super clingy and needy! The boy was always hanging on Sakura's every word and always trying to keep her close. She would think it would be fine if Sakura returned the hyper affection. Yet Sakura turned a bright shade of pink every time she was caught doing it... It amused Ino.

She was about to answer and lightly tease her best friend when Naruto popped his head over the top of the seats in front of them. "I'm right here, Sakura!"

Ino screamed in surprise and Sakura looked ready to punch whatever had scared her. "Don't do that!" Ino screamed.

The moment wasn't unnoticed by others. Suddenly Ino could hear a couple of snickers from behind her. With red cheeks, she turned to see her so called friends, Shikamaru and Chouji giggling at her. "It wasn't that funny," she grounded out to them which only made them grin. She was about ready to promise them physical pain when she caught sight of Naruto's seat mate who was now smirking.

"Sasuke!" Ino cried out in surprise. To this day, Ino couldn't figure out how the coolest kid in school could be friends with Naruto. They didn't suit each other yet tended to stick together. Ino smiled. She had to admit Sakura dating Naruto had its benefits.

"How are you liking the heat?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Pretty muggy."

"You'll get use to it," Ino promised, remembering her first time. Her hair had gotten all big and frizzy. Thankfully she was now prepared! She had a whole bag of hair products to deal with any problem she could face.

"He's right. I'm not a fan," her bigger friend, Chouji remarked as he pulled open a brand new bag of chips.

"We were barely outside though," Ino commented with an unimpressed frown. They had only stepped into the humid heat from the Magical Express bus exit at the airport to the very short walk to the buses. "It was barely ten steps!"

"Quit being a downer guys," Sakura shook her head. Ino quickly nodded to agree with her. This was not how she imagined starting her vacation.

"They have a point," Shikamaru said as he took an offered chip from Chouji. "I started to sweat the moment we stepped into the heat. Doing nothing shouldn't be that troublesome..."

Ino rolled her eyes at Shikamaru. "Except you think everything is troublesome."

"Not everything," he stared back at her.

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Author's Note: I couldn't resist that last line.xD

Art is all thanks to Cailisan. Haha I love Ino's expression, don't you?