Fearless

#4. Not-So-Golden Years

Eventually Sasuke and I got shipped off to kindergarten. We were in the same class, which I guess I should have been grateful for, but I'd never even really considered it possible that we wouldn't be in the same class, you know?

Back then, I thought that Sasuke and I would be together forever.

The very first day, the teacher launched into a speech about how, yes, we were here to learn, but that it was very, very important to make friends, so everyone get along, okay?

I remember that I just sat there through the whole thing, listening sort of condescendingly and thinking, I don't need any other friends. I have Sasuke-kun. (And Pablo. Except you'd died by that point, hadn't you? Doesn't matter. You're always with me in spirit, even while you're up in fishy heaven playing Go Fish. There's a little fish humor for you. Hope you enjoyed.)

So I didn't even try to make friends. I stuck with Sasuke—who didn't try to make other friends, either. I don't know whether he just didn't want any or whether he thought that I was enough.

Whatever Sasuke wanted to do, I did, and wherever Sasuke wanted to go, I went. (Again, my female submissiveness in those days? Sickening. Who did I think I was, Bella from Twilight? Please. I like to think that I had some amount of personality. And self-respect. And independence. And—but I'll stop now.) The teacher tried to separate us at first, get us to interact more with the other kids, but after a while she gave up and let us be.

The other kids tried to interact with us, though. The boys all thought that Sasuke was the coolest kid ever—until they found out that he had the personality of a block of cement.

Actually, no. Blocks of cement aren't usually spoiled, self-centered, obnoxious, rude, and demanding. Blocks of cement don't take themselves way too seriously. No, Sasuke was Sasuke, and that's all that needs to be said on the matter.

The girls, on the other hand, were absolutely besotted with him, which I resented but understood—I mean, let's face it, the kid's gorgeous until he opens his mouth. (And bites your fricking finger—)

They all tried to get to him through me. Sakura-chan, do you mind if I sit with you during lunch? You'll be with Sasuke-kun, right? And Sakura-chan, come play with us! You'll bring Sasuke-kun, won't you?

Even though I didn't want them as friends anyway, it still kind of hurt, you know? That they didn't want to be friends with me, only Sasuke. I guess what goes around comes around. (Oh wow, did I just make a mildly-obscure Justin Timberlake reference? Gross.)

Some other kids disliked Sasuke because it seemed like he thought that he was better than them (and, knowing Sasuke, he probably did). They couldn't really pick a fight with him, though, because he intimidated them—from the beginning it was clear that Sasuke was the most athletic out of everyone, and his scowl had sent girls (and boys, actually) running and crying before.

I guess that's why they started picking on me.

They thought that I considered myself better than them, too. They decided that I thought I was special because I was Sasuke's only friend.

And, honestly? I kind of did think I was special because of that. I mean, yeah, Sasuke could be a jerk and a brat, but...but whenever I could make him smile or laugh, it…it was the most amazing thing.

And when he showed that he cared about me, I was sure, so sure, that I was the happiest, luckiest girl in the world.

(Looking back on all this now, it kind of makes me want to cry. But I'm done crying over him.)

Anyway. They started picking on me, teasing me, calling me names and pulling my hair. They said my hair was too bright, my forehead too big. Stupid, they called me. Ugly, they called me.

All of this went on only when Sasuke wasn't looking, wasn't paying attention, wasn't there.

They knew I wouldn't tell.

And I wouldn't, because…it might sound kind of strange, maybe even obsessive, I guess, but I kind of considered the hazing to be just a part of being Sasuke's friend. Like, Sasuke…I know that Sasuke's human, sometimes even more human than anyone, but other times…other times it's just like he's above me, above everyone. And when you're friends with a person like that, of course some parts are going to be hard.

I guess that just like, I thought the sacrifice to be worth it? (Man, I'm starting to sound like a suicide bomber. This is seriously Not Cool.)

You guessed it, though. Sasuke found out anyway. Over time my tormentors got more and more confident—more careless. Near the end, Sasuke couldn't help but noticed my scratched cheeks, or my ruined homework, or my watering eyes.

I fell down, I told him. My goldfish ate it, I told him. I got something in my eye, I told him.

You're not that clumsy, Sasuke responded. Your goldfish died, Sasuke responded. For the ninth day in a row? Sasuke responded.

(For the record, it was at that point that I realized that I really kind of sucked at lying. But still. You do not mention the death of a friend's beloved fish to them! That is just rude.)

So Sasuke caught on. The day he figured it all out was the day it all ended and they left me alone. I'm not sure what he did to them, if he did anything. All I know is that it stopped and that I had never adored him more.

I guess that's what it was. Adoration. I'm not going to say that I loved Sasuke, not even in a platonic way. I…I was just a kid, you know? I didn't know what love was, not really, or what it was to love someone.

All I knew was that up to age eight, Sasuke was my world, and while I don't think that I was his, I knew that I was at least a very important part of his.

And then he met Naruto.

That's when we started to fall apart.

Yay foreshadowing. -smiles brightly- But why are you all assuming that Sasuke's going to leave? Jeez. I have a little bit of creativity. Ish. Actually, don't respond to that.

And I've decided that this is going to be the prequel to my originally-planned multi-chapter. Just to get it out there.

Oh. And I just couldn't resist the Twilight bash, I'm sorry - especially after reading Kenna's (EWHH its Kenna) Twilight!parody, Daybreak. It's seriously the funniest thing. -bounces-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Or a goldfish, which is kind of a sore spot for me. -emos-