Our Eyes Met

Twelve

Naruto was like a hyperactive midleschool kid who could never concentrate on studying. He couldn't get something done without admiring that butterfly outside, or noticing a minor crack on the wall behind, or simply daydreaming.

With great difficulty, (Name) had made him understand a concept in Algebra. He got distracted very easily but if he concentrated, he could understand soon and well. (Name) smiled to herself as she made her way to her house. Naruto had offered to walk her, but she refused as it would make him late.

But there she found him, leaning on the school gate. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking down at his feet. He seemed to be in deep thought, but he noticed her as she neared him and his face lit.

"So, where do you live ?" he asked as he started walking beside her.

"I thought I said that you didn't need to walk me ?" said (Name) with a light laugh as she walked. "I live only a few minutes away."

"That's alright. I can spare a few more minutes." he said.

(Name) looked at him and shrugged. It seemed like he only wanted to fool around for some more time until he got home. As her building came into sight, she turned to him.

"Well, we're here." she said.

"Okay, well, I'll leave you here then. See you tomorrow, (Name)." said Naruto as she turned again and started walking towards her building.

He stood and watched her enter. From where he was standing, he could still clearly. He saw her looking through her mailbox and then he saw her taking out some crumpled papers and sighing. She took those and walked till he couldn't see her anymore. But she hadn't noticed him watching her.

Naruto saw her go further in and began walking himself, with a small frown on his face. He knew that (Name) found some papers in her mailbox which definitely weren't mail. From where he stood, he could make out that those were only pieces of trash. He knew she had taken them only to throw them.

He knew (Name) wasn't exactly being treated properly in school by a certain group of people. He had an idea as to who was behind it; he was almost sure of it. But he couldn't think of a reason why that person would do it.

From what Naruto knew, (Name) had never stood in anyone's way, neither had she done anything to get into anyone's bad side. Even unintentionally, she had not done anything, because if she had, he would've definitely at least heard of it once, thanks to the gossiping people in his group.

The reason he asked (Name) in particular to tutor him was because he thought that if he was with her, she might open up about the troubles she was obviously having. But she had said nothing. He wasn't oblivious to her problems, but he wondered why she wasn't speaking up about them. Either she thought she could handle them herself, or maybe she just wasn't as much bothered by them as he thought she was.

Before going to his own house, Naruto headed over to Sasuke's. He needed to have a talk with him, clear his doubts.

But, much to his dismay, he did not find the Uchiha he was looking for. Instead, he was greeted by Itachi, who seemed to be wasting his time around when he was supposed to be working.

"Hello, Naruto." he said with a smile, which for some reason sent chills down Naruto's spine.

Naruto nodded in greeting. "Where is Sasuke ?" he asked, not wanting to spend much time with Itachi.

Sasuke was never comfortable around his brother, and that awkwardness had rubbed onto Naruto, too. Also, he faintly remembered the pranks Itachi had played on them when they were kids, and he shuddered just at the thought of having blue hair which matched his eyes again. The person in front of him may be the prodigal son of the Uchihas, but that seemed only like a cover up for his twisted mind.

"He had come back from school and then he went off somewhere. I thought you would be with him ?" said Itachi with a slight hint of mockery in his voice.

Naruto caught it and rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. We're not always together." he said, making his way inside as Itachi moved from the door.

"That contradicts my observation over the years." said Itachi, smiling at Naruto. "Sasuke should be back soon. Do you want to wait in his room ?"

But without waiting for an answer, Itachi already started making his way back to his own room, leaving Naruto to go to Sasuke's. Naruto sighed and walked over to the room. He went inside and jumped straight onto the bed, messing up the sheets which he knew Sasuke had done in the morning. Sasuke hated it when Naruto 'spread his germs on the bed', and Naruto loved to do it just to annoy him.

Naruto sat up and stared around the room. It was the same as usual, and very neatly kept. He had only come there and he was already getting bored. He got up and walked around the room, looking at Sasuke's trophies and certificates he had won till now. He couldn't see anything new, the most recent one was which he had won last year in some quiz he took part in.

Then his eyes fell on his desk. It was messy, which was rare, and therefore it caught his eye. He saw crumpled papers there, and a sheet with phone numbers on it. As he scanned through it, something clicked in his mind, and his eyes widened.

"I know."

Before Naruto could give any further reaction, Itachi got his attention and made him turn towards the door where he stood leaning. Gone was the smile which he always had on his face, and he was frowning, as if in deep thought. It made the bags under his eyes more prominent, and Naruto noticed how tired he looked. He knew how busy Itachi was lately with his work.

"You mean..?" Naruto trailed off, as Itachi looked up from the floor to meet his eyes.

"Yes. Even my brother can be the greatest idiot at times. I'm just waiting until the gravity of the situation hits him, and he realizes what he has so stupidly been doing. He will feel regret in his heart, and guilt, but it may be too late for him to do anything about him."