A/N - YES! The book has returned! I will be writing this along with my other two books! Idk if this will be updated once a week but it will be updated. I hope you guys comment and vote and enjoy ❤️

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Chapter 4: Childhood Memories

"You leave her alone right now!" An eight-year-old Menma yelled at a group of his classmates as he stood protectively in front of Nia while she was on the ground holding her bruised cheek and fighting to keep tears from flowing down her eyes.

"Tch, not this again..." One kid sneered and looked to his friends. "Menma quit getting in our way! This is why everyone is starting to not like you. Move aside..."

"No! Why are you guys always hurting her?! She hasn't done anything wrong to you! All she was doing was trying to be friends with you and you guys acted horrible to her, ya know!"

"Do you need glasses or something, man," The bully pointed at the little girl. "Look at her! I don't think she has a face even a mother can love! Face it, we're mean to her cause she's ugly. Who gives a damn about who she is..."

"But... you're being wrong! Just cause you think she's ugly doesn't mean you have to treat her as if she's some kind of germ or something! She has feelings too just like the rest of us! Quit being evil!"

"Evil he says," The leader of the group chuckled. "We're doing what's right, Menma! Every time we look at her face, we feel like we need to punch it! To have someone walking around with a face like that... just pisses us off. She has the ugliest face we've ever seen and you know it too so why are you in our way?!"

"What's wrong with you?! How is it right to want to hurt someone badly because of the way they look?! She can't help that she was born like that so why keep treating her differently from everyone else?! She deserves better than this, ya know!"

"Step out of the way, Menma!" Someone took a step forward and cracked their knuckles. "Or else you'll have to get hurt too!"

"Bring it on then! I'm not scared of any of you! I'm gonna protect Nia and that's that!"

"I'm gonna protect Nia, I'm gonna protect Nia," The children mocked him. "Why don't you just marry her then? You obviously like her! Have fun having an ape as your wife!"

"Cut that out!" The blond made his move and ran forward, knocking one kid to his buttom with a strike to his cheek.

Immediately, the rest of the surrounding kids subdued him as Menma tried desperately to escape their grasp.

"MENMA!" Nia screamed, watching as someone held him up in a full nelson while another kid was throwing jabs to his stomach and face.

"You think you're so tough and cool!" The leader threw a right hook. "Protecting some beast like you're some kind of knight in shining armor! We all know the truth, kid! You're just putting on an act! You don't actually care for her! Join us and let's bully her together! You're one of the cool guys! Don't hang around that loser!"

"You let go of him!" Nia demanded, getting to her feet and charging towards them only for someone to yank her hair from behind and slam her back down to the ground.

"I don't think so! You're the one who started this by showing your face around here! Can't you see no one likes you nor wants you here?! Go somewhere else!"

"STOP BULLYING HER!" Menma then managed to break free and tackled the kid pulling on the girl's hair causing the rest of the kids to gang up on him.

When they did, Nia quickly got to her feet and started throwing fists at the other boys in a desperate attempt to help out her friend. As this was happening, the rest of their classmates gathered around in a circle, watching as everything was taking place. Not a single soul tried to stop the fight nor attempt to help anyone out.

At one point, the bullies managed to keep Nia on the ground, kicking and punching her in every area. Her head was no exception.

"WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE?!" Iruka came running out of the school building as the children started to scatter in fear of punishment.

It would be then that the bullies would get a scolding and even suspension from the academy. The bystanders would all receive a punishment of their own with losing recess for the next two weeks and Menma would be praised by Iruka as he was the only one who had stood up for the little Nia.

"Thanks for doing what you did to protect her," Iruka would show his gratitude. "She's been having it rough since she got here."

"It's no problem. Nia is my friend."

"Menma's my hero," Nia hugged the boy around the neck as this embarrassed him.

"Nia, s-stop doing that already."

"But I really like you, Menma. I wanna get married someday."

Iruka sweatdropped.

"Let's not grow up too fast, all right?"

He then dropped to a knee and cupped the children's cheek. "You two oughta get checked out and get taken care of. The nurse will help you recover from your boo boos."

"We're not babies," Menma didn't like this. "Don't talk to us like one."

"Oh, that's right. You two are getting to be big kids now, huh?"

"We are big kids."

"Well then, excuse me. The years must've flew pass me. You kids are growing older and older by the day."

"C'mon Nia," The blond would grab the girl's wrist. "Let's go see the nurse. You look like you're hurt pretty badly."

Instead, she would hold his hand.

"Okay, now we can go."

Iruka didn't like this.

"I don't think so, young lady," He separated their hands and got in between the two of them, grabbing onto both their hands. "I'll walk the two of you to the nurse."

Menma frowned. "I already told you to stop treating us like babies. We're big kids now. We can handle ourselves."

"I want Menma to hold my hand," Nia whined.

"No way," Both Iruka and Menma said.

"But-"

"Let's get going, you two," Iruka dragged the kids along.

For a while, Nia would be the target of bullying, but it would always be Menma who would defend her and eventually help get others to befriend her. He used his popularity and influence with others to help bring the girl up.

"You'll still always be a loser in my eyes," Hinata folded her arms as she glared down a fourteen-year-old Nia who stood across from her within the halls of the academy.

"Why can't you just admit you're jealous of my relationship with Menma?" The girl replied.

"Oh please, Honey... Menma will be mine in no time. I'm not worried over some ogre like you winning him over. It'll never happen."

"Oh really? He and I make out all the time. You'll never get to experience what his lips feel like."

"What you say?!" The Hyuga grabbed the kunoichi by the collar of her jacket. "You do not makeout with Menma!"

"We were just kissing earlier this morning."

"You better be lying or I'll kill you."

"I wish I wa- kya!" Nia fell back when Hinata rammed a fist across her cheek.

Immediately, the girl would retaliate by tackling the Hyuga to the ground and landing a few blows of her own.

"Menma promised to marry me and not you!" Nia threw a right hook.

"Ugh! As if he'd ever promise something like that to you, ugly!" Hinata rolled over so that now she was the one atop the girl and delivering jabs to the face.

"Alright, you two!" A faculty member of the academy rushed toward the teens and attempted to separate them.

"Menma could never love someone who looks like you," Hinata growled as she was pulled away from Nia, but not before Nia would boot her in the face.

"You keep telling yourself that! He and I were made for eachother!" She screamed back. "You can keep being hot all you want, as long as I have Menma, I couldn't care less about your hoe ass!"

"Hoe?! You better watch your mouth!"

"Do something then, bitch!"

"Oh trust me, I will," Hinata shook off the sensei holding her back and rushed to attack Nia.

Suddenly, a poof of smoke appeared as the two girls found themselves being held back by multiple senseis.

"That's enough!" Kakashi was holding onto Nia's arm while Guy was holding onto Hinata's.

"I don't know what you children are doing, but this best stop now," Guy demanded.

Nia only yelled. "She keeps trying to take my Menma away from me!"

"He's not and never will be yours, Nia!" Hinata retaliated, thrashing around.

"Just separate the two," Kurenai said as the men did as told and separated the girls.

Outside, Menma would be leaning against the school's entrance with his arms folded and back and foot to the wall.

"Let go of me!" Nia squirmed around as Kakashi led her out the building.

Hearing the commotion, Menma sighed and walked over to her, pinching her cheek.

"Another fight? Really, Nia?" He scolded her.

"Hinata was the one who started it. She kept saying how she was going to be the one that you would marry!"

"I'm not getting with any of you girls," He told her. "So quit fighting over me all the time — you, Hinata, and Sakura! Just stop, ya know!"

"But Menm-"

"I'm serious, Nia."

The girl whimpered and lowered her eyes.

"You promised me..."

Having not heard her, the blond would go on to say. "Forget what happened this morning. From now on, I'm not kissing you any longer. We're done doing that, all right?!"

"What?! No. Menma I-"

"We're done, Nia. We're just friends."

Nia's heart broke.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can let her go now. She won't be causing anymore trouble," Menma said.

With a nod, he released her. When he did however, Nia ran up and hugged the blond.

"Oh Menma, won't you just hold me then?"

"Nia, I don't have time for all this nonsense. I have training I need to get back to."

"Yeah, but-"

"Please let go of me."

"But Menm-"

"Nia," He narrowed his eyes at her.

With a soft sigh, Nia pulled away from him.

"Thank you," The chunin would say before jumping over her head and landing a few feet ahead of her.

"Let's go, Kakashi-sensei... time is ticking, ya know..."

"Oh, Menma..." Nia rested her fist on her heart as she watched the boy she loved walk further and further away from her.

As far as she was concerned, she had made their relationship even more rocky than it already was, but she still chose to love him anyway.

She would still write him love letters and she would still fight for his love. Her love never wavered and her heart remained to the blond.

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A/N - End of chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed that! Please comment and vote and have a great rest of your weekend ❤️

QOTD:

1. Fave Part?

2. Fave Line?

3. What would you like to see from Menma and Nia?