Stellar

7. Missing

HAHAHAH THE MADNESS BEGINS

'BOOM!'

Kiba shrieked, spilling the popcorn all over their laps.

Sasuke chuckled.

"What!?" Kiba crossed his arms defensively. "I told you a long time ago. Lightning freaks me out, okay?"

Sasuke smirked. "Yeah, but that was thunder. Thunder is the sound, lighting is the thing you see."

Kiba scoffed. "Same difference, bookworm." He turned his attention back to the movie in front of them, deliberately avoiding Sasuke's amused gaze. "Besides, thunder is automatically associated with the presence of lighting, thus causing me to freak out." He added. "It's giving me a...what do you call it? Pemotitin?"

"Premonition."

"Yep. That's the one."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and wrapped the think blanket tighter around him, a shiver crawling up his spine from the cold. His teeth clacked together in a tremble.

"Pft, your teeth actually chatter? I thought that was just something made up in movies or books to emphasize stuff." Kiba gave him a lopsided grin.

"Shut up."

"Only if you pay me 2,000 yen."

Sasuke glared at him with no real heat. "Why would I do that?"

Kiba shrugged and chewed on some popcorn. "I'm just saying, you can buy my silence for a week with 2,000 yen." He paused, looking at Akamaru. "Oh okay, let's make it 500,000 yen. You're right."

Sasuke laughed.

::

'Odd.'

Sasuke looked around, tapping his foot impatiently. For nearly two years, almost everyday, they met at the exact same stop at the exact same time. But there was no sign of Kiba.

He sighed, readjusted the strap on his bag, and began walking to school.

'Guess Kiba's ditching today without telling me.'

Sasuke frowned but went to class.

::

The rest of the day, Sasuke kept glancing at the empty chair in front of him. He just felt so...lonely? There was no one there to ask him random questions or ramble about something he read, or to snicker when Iruka tripped or dropped his papers. 'He kind of deserves it. It's my own little revenge.' He would always say.

Sasuke sighed. He was going to go crazy.

But he supposed it'll be fine, he thought as he packed up for lunch. Sasuke scowled when he realized he'd have to eat alone.

"God, Kiba." He muttered.

At least he'd be back tomorrow.

::

But Kiba didn't return to school the next day.

Sasuke considered skipping school in favor of searching all over Konoha for him, but refrained from doing so. Instead, he straightened his back and went to class.

"Sasuke?" The aforementioned boy looked up. "Can I speak to you after class?" Uncharacteristically, Iruka looked far less upbeat and welcoming today.

Sasuke nodded and continued to take notes. An hour later, the bell rang and his peers scrambled to shove their stuff into their bags and run off to lunch. He took his time, slowly arranging his books and stationary into a neat arrangement in his satchel. Adjusting the strap, he stood, and walked up to the irritated teacher.