[school AU]

Uchiha Sasuke, the new guy in school didn't like a particular group of friends. They were either smiling or laughing. He disliked their popularity, the way they shined among all the students. Teachers approached them for tasks because somebody or the other in that popular group was talented or experienced. They never let anybody down and Uchiha Sasuke started hating the attention they received.

Uzumaki Naruto and Sabaku no Gaara, the guys who were natural leaders and could motivate everyone (including Sasuke, much to his surprise). And yet, Naruto was the one who barely passed the exams. You want someone who knows about botany, you go to Yamanaka Ino. You want advices on food and diets, Akimichi Choji isat your service. For a debate or a game of chess, either Nara Shikamaru is sleeping or he is already doing one of those with the only one with a strategic mind ike him, Temari. Need advice on animals or insects? Talk to Inuzuka Jobs and Aburame Shino. Hyuga Hinata will tutor you if you have any problems with your studies. Kankuro and Sai were on par with fine arts students waiting to get their post-graduate degrees. Hyuga Neji and Rock Lee, the excellent martial artists and Tenten, the girl who was an assistant instructor for the self defence classes for girls.

And then there is Haruno Sakura. Uchiha Sasuke is fed up with that name. People are hovering near the class to either confess or to ask for advice. He overheard a random girl talking to Sakura about being stalked. The next day, the girl was smiling and Matsumoto Hayate from the C section had a plaster and injuries. He didn't find out the connection between the girl and the bruised boy, but when he did, he shivered.

"You there, you're in the same class as Haruno, right?" A random guy called out to him on a random day. He turned to look at him and the guy took this as a sign to flung his hand on his shoulder and get too friendly.

"Do you know if she'll tutor me instead of the Hyuga girl?"

"No. I am busy." Sasuke took the hand off and started walking away.

"Hey man, come on. Help me with this will you? If I get her number, I'll share it with you."

"No thanks."

"That wasn't cool." The guy's temper snapped and he grabbed Sasuke's collar. A few gasps and a few voices were heard, but none of them stepped forward to help him. Not that he needed it.

Sasuke grabbed the hand and twisted it too fast for the guy to cope up with and he ended up being kicked towards the floor.

"I don't have time for this." Sasuke started walking away. But he was pulled back by his collar and the guy had lunged forward and punched him.

A few punches were thrown here and there but it was obvious that the quiet new boy had the upper hand. A few punches later, Uzumaki Naruto and barged into scene and pulled Sasuke away with him. Sabaku no Gaara went ahead to 'talk' to the other injured guy.

Naruto took Sasuke to the school clinic and made him sit on one of the beds.

"Don't move. It'll hurt." The blond teenager took out his phone and started tapping on it. Sasuke ignored the warning and tried to stand up, but only groaned in pain as he felt a stab-like pain from his feet.

"Told ya." Naruto made him sit on his bed and sat beside him.

"You put up quite a fight." Naruto broke the silence. The dark-haired teen just replied with a 'hn'.

"Naruto, how's he?" Sabaku no Gaara slentered the clinic.

"Not sure. I'm waiting for Sakura-chan. It pained when he tried to stand up."

"I'll just leave." Uchiha Sasuke wanted to avoid everyone from the popular group and graduate from high school.

"Yeah right, as if your pain has vanished after one attempt to stand up." Naruto sarcastically remarked. Sasuke grunted, but didn't move at all.

"What happened?" A voice from the entrance caught their attention.

A girl with short pink hair and jade green eyes, which Sasuke hadn't noticed, walked in followed by another girl with long dark hair and pearl-like eyes.

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?" The dark-haired girl spoke as she approached him.

"Hinata-chan! I'm fine, but he's not." He motioned to the bruised Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Haruno Sakura who was practically scanning him with her eyes. He suddenly felt a bit nervous and a bit creeped out.

"She looks for every injury before treating anybody." Gaara reassured Sasuke. As soon as the sentence ended, Sakura leaned forward and used her fingers to touch the lower part of his chest. He winced.

"A broken nose, rib. An almost broken right hand. You got your feet stomped on more than once and a few minor scrapes. Did I miss anything?" Sasuke dumbly shook his head.

"Remove your shirt, I'm gonna have to disinfect your injuries." She walked towards the cupboards and started picking up supplies.

"What about his pants?" Naruto teased, but Sakura didn't feel teased.

"If you have injuries on your calves, then remove your pants. Unless you're not wearing clean or any underwear." Sakura didn't bother to look at him as she continued to collect all the supplies that she would need.

"Clean or any underwear?" Sasuke curiously inquired.

"Naruto wears the same..." Naruto suddenly screamed. A few seconds later, a teacher came into to reprimand Naruto and remind him that they were still at school.

"No injuries on the legs other than the foot."

"Then it's fine." She replied and set the box on the bed. Sakura took a small cotton ball and started tapping it on his bruises with too much blood.

"Sasuke, what do you fear the most?" He didn't reply. She looked at him and they kept on starng at each other until Gaara slightly coughed.

"Naruto." Naruto started removing his shoes. Sasuke was confused again, but when Naruto put one of his smelly socks in front of his nose, she twisted his leg to get it in place and he screamed.

"Sorry, it was twisted." Sasuke groaned but still nodded.

"Look, I hope you know how to wash your wounds." Sasuke nodded. "Do that while I get the antiseptic ready and put the pressure on the other leg." He nodded again and limped towards the washroom.

"Mind telling me the story?" Sakura spoke to no one in particular.

"Some guy wanted you to tutor them instead of Hinata and asked him for help. Is he in your class? Cause that's what I heard. Moving on, he refused to help and the other guy grabbed his collar. He quickly pushed him away but the other guy still picked a fight. We entered the room, stopped the fight, Naruto got him here and I talked to the other guy."

"I know for a fact that you don't simply talk to the other guy." Sakura's statement didn't get a reply and she smiled knowingly. Sasuke came out of the washroom and immediately sat on the bed.

"Why did you make him walk?"

"I won't prescribe bedrest or anything because that would make his leg too weak by the time he's healed. It was only twisted." Sakura replied as she tapped his injuries with antiseptic cotton ball.

After all he treatment and bandages, he was almost good to go. Almost. His right handed and legs were properly bandaged. The small injuries were also treated.

"You should go to a doctor to get the rib treated. I can't do anything else."

"This is more than enough." Sasuke replied.

"No, the rib needs to be treated else the broken ribs might stab your lungs or kidney. You should go there now." She insisted.

"I don't have much money with me." Sasuke mumbled.

"The payment can be delayed." Sakura took a post-it note and pen and started scribbling. She sticked the note on his bandaged arm. "Show this to the doctor. The payment can be delayed or cancelled with this note." She stood up and walked towards the doors of the clinic.

"I have class, bye." She waved and turned.

"Wait!" She turned around with a surprised expression. "Thank you." She smiled at his words and left after mouthing a 'welcome'.

"Well, Mr. Rib-can-stab-my-organs. Let's go to the hospital." Naruto cheerfully stated. Sasuke groaned.

-- by NaTsuMe_SenJu

Hello.. I am so so so so sorry. My teachers are mad and so is my principal. They really don't know how to organise exams. Somedays I have two or three exams in a row and somedays I have a gap of one or two weeks. And this is one of my gaps. I hope to publish the second part in 48 hours.
Enjoy.. ❤❤