Nerdy

Forty

(Name) tried to pull her arm out of Sasuke's grasp and by the time she succeeded, they were already some distance away from Naruto's house.

"Hands off me, you peasant." she glared at Sasuke who matched it but held his hands up anyway.

"I know you didn't want to be there." he said.

"Yes, but nobody asked you to drag me out." she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I did you a favour. At the very least, be a little grateful." said Sasuke.

"He must have felt so bad." muttered (Name).

"'He must have felt bad' ? Since when do you care how Naruto feels ?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes at (Name). She rolled her eyes at him.

She opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't. She only narrowed her eyes at him and then started walking towards her house.

Sasuke kept staring at her, all confused. Then he snapped out of his daze and caught up to her.

"Okay. I'm sorry. Do you want to go back ?" he asked, trying his best to maintain an apologetic face even though he was very angry and confused insside. At least one of them had to remain sane. And he couldn't really win her heart if he kept flipping everytime she did something which made no sense to him.

"Go apologize to your friend." she said, stopping and glaring at Sasuke.

"I will." said Sasuke, although it was half-hearted. He didn't understand why she was so bothered by what Naruto thought. Sure, he was his best friend, but wasn't (Name) always dreading his company ? He felt a tug at his heart, but he ignored it and followed (Name) as she walked to her house.

He found it funny how she had argued with him because he dragged her out of Naruto house and then refused when he offered to take her back there. (Name) hadn't asked him to walk her home but he was sure she knew that he was going to do it anyway.

Sasuke walked a few steps behing her and simply watched her as she walked. Either she wasn't aware of his eyes on her, or it wasn't bothering her because she hadn't told him off for it yet. She only kept walking ahead, clutching her bag tightly.

Somehow, he did not like that she was actually caring for someone. He found it weird, but that was how he felt. She usually never bothered what others thought or felt, and even if she did, she would never show it. But she had shown that she didn't like it that Naruto felt bad.

But Sasuke knew his best friend. Even if Naruto did feel bad about something, he would be over it before the next day dawned.

Why had he been so bothered by the fact that she was actually bothered about someone ? That was her choice and decision, and it should not affect him. As weird and out of character for her it was, she could care and worry about anybody she wanted.

He almost felt scared when he realized earlier that they could probably end up fighting over something that silly. Since they didn't have school for weeks, he wasn't going to see her as often. She hardly ever left her house, so maybe he wouldn't see her at all. Maybe that would turn out to be a huge deal and she would avoid him when school started. And the thought of that, somehow, scared him.

He realized that lately, she was all that occupied his mind. He was so sure he disliked her. Then why was he always thinking of her ? He was sure he disliked her snobby attitude and her ego, but who was he to say anything about it when.he was the same ?

He disliked the way she always had a frown on her lips, the way her hair was always braided, the way her big glasses made her face look smaller than it already was, the way she pushed those glasses up on her nose, the way there was a little twinkle in her eye when she was messing around with him, the way her nose crinkled when she glared really hard, the way she always had a comeback for anything he said, the way she crushed his pride like no one else. He even disliked that she always had her nose in a book. But somehow, that image of hers was constantly there at the back of his mind when she wasn't around her, no matter what he was doing.

"For how long exactly are you going to stand and stare at me ?"  (Name) turned around and asked. She knew he had been staring at her all the way, and now she was almost finding it creepy how he hadn't even said a word.

He didn't even notice when they reached her house.

And then he realized his problem. It wasn't that she cared for someone, but that she cared for someone else. Why did he think of her wherever he went ? Why did almost everything remind him of her ? Why did he find himself missimg her company whenever she wasn't around ?

"Well ?" (Name) raised an eyebrow and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. "Do you want to come in ?" she asked, thinking that maybe he was waiting for her to invite him in.

Sasuke smiled - genuinely smiled - which made (Name) slightly widen her eyes with surprise. He shook his head and started tracing his steps back.

The answer was clear and right in front of him; it had always been. All he had to do was accept it, which he had.