Hello amazing readers and writers. I'm back for another story. This story is mostly based on my life. So, I just hope you guys would enjoy reading this ^_^

After High School

6:00AM, Nov. 27th 2013, Wednesday, Haruno Household, Sakura's room.

Sakura's POV

"Sakura dear, wake up now," a soft feminine yet familiar voice whispered to my ears.

All of my nerves were twitching. My brain told me wake up but my body just won't do the same. I was too sleepy and tired even to react when the sunlight greeted my face.

I grunted and mumbled in my half-conscious state, "too bright."

"I'm going to wait for you downstairs. If you don't come down in 10 minutes, I'll drag you from the bed."

Then door slammed shut. The persona who owned the voice had just gone downstairs.

Argh! The damned sun is beginning to annoy me. It's blinding my eyes even in my sleep. That's it. I've had it. I forced myself to get up, and when my feet touched the floor, I started walking towards the window with my eyes closed. When I reached it, I shut the drapes close, preventing the sun from entering my room and disturbing my heavenly sleep.

"5 more minutes, Sakura!" the voice from earlier called out as I crawled myself back to bed.

I ignored it and slowly started to doze off.

Slowly drifting away.

Deeper into my slumber.

Then suddenly my iPhone rang.

Oh, the nerve of some people trying to separate me from my darling bed!

I reached the phone and quickly swiped the screen to answer it.

"Hello?" my voice was still shaky because of the sleepiness.

"Are you going to wake up or do you want me to drag you downstairs?"

The voice from earlier! Only this time she sounded serious. Then the call ended.

My eyes were alert after the call. I pushed myself up and rubbed my eyes. I lingered on the bed for a moment. That's when I remembered something.

Today was going to be my final paper on the passing exams. After this finished, I'm going to have my freedom; free from wearing school uniforms, getting myself into trouble against the school's rules, getting caught bringing my iPhone to school and so on. I smirked at the thought of it and started to stand. When my muscles and nerves were fully functioned, I rushed to the bathroom with a towel on my shoulders.

7:00AM, Haruno Household, in the diner.

Normal POV

Sakura came down 35 minutes later. She had her hair tied high up in a pony and side bangs that perfectly curved her cheeks, fully dressed in her school uniform. She put aside her bag as she sat down, scanning her breakfast that her mom had prepared earlier.

"Eat up, Sakura," her mom, who obviously was the persona of the voice earlier, said as she finished cleaning up the kitchen.

Sakura said nothing but to agree.

"Itadakimasu!" the pinkette said as she started to slice the pancakes.

Her mom sat down in the opposite seat from her.

"Today's your last paper, right?" her mom kindly asked.

"Yeah!" the pinkette replied, seemingly excited as she munched the pancakes. "And after that, I'm free!"

Her mom smiled. It was like yesterday that her pink haired daughter just entered for high school and then, in a blink of an eye, now she's already stepping into adulthood. How fast the time flies, her mom thought. She ran down her hand to Sakura's cheek, gently playing her daughter's pink locks.

"You know, you can't be an adult if you still can't tidy your own bed, princess," her mom joked, though it was true.

Annoying glint flashed on the pinkette's emerald eyes.

"Don't worry 'bout that," she said as she finished her pancakes. "Besides ―"

She went into the kitchen and she washed her plate. As she finished washing, she wiped her hands with a dry cloth near the counter.

"― Why bother on tidying up the bed when it's going to be messed up as you sleep on the end of the day?"

Her mom shook her head. Stubborn as always, her mom smirked.

"I'm going now, mom," Sakura said as she grabbed her bag and wore her shoes.

"Okay," her mom answered.

"See ya," the pinkette stepped out from the house and started walking.

"Sakura," her mom called.

Sakura stopped and turned her head slightly.

"Good luck. Do your best,"

The pink haired girl smirked.

"Hell yeah!"

7:30AM, Konoha High School, Study Hall.

Sakura arrived 15 minutes later in the school's study hall. The hall was full with senior students sitting in groups, discussing and chatting, each holding a History book on their hand – either a textbook or a reference book.

"Sakura-chan!" a hand waved towards the pinkette. "Over here! Over here!"

Sakura turned her head. Naruto! She smiled and waved back to him as she went her way to join him. Naruto was sitting in a large group with Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Kiba, Shino and Hinata.

"Ohaiyo, minna!" she greeted as she sat down with them.

"Ohaiyo," they greeted back.

Sakura unzipped her bag and pulled out a History reference book. They started their study group session soon after with Naruto having troubles on memorizing.

"Argh! I hate memorizing this things!" Naruto finally exploded.

Naruto went on ranting about it for 15 minutes, annoying everyone in the group who was trying to focus on it either.

"Naruto, instead of wasting your time ranting about it, why don't you just focus on trying to understand and memorize it?" Shikamaru finally talked. "There's 15 minutes left. Crap!"

"Yeah! I sure can't wait for this to finish!" Naruto exclaimed. "Soon after that, freeeeedom!" he pumped his fist high up.

Everyone including the other groups smiled. Obviously, Naruto's words had reached to them about freedom. Somehow Sakura felt sad. This was the last day she was going to spent her time with them in school and the last day she was going to wear the school uniform. After this finished, there's no more meeting them in this school wearing the same school uniform. She was about to step into adulthood.

The clock struck 8 o'clock. Bells finally rang and soon after that, the study hall started to empty. Everyone said their good lucks with each other as they went out.

As Sakura's group went out, Sakura caught a glimpse of a raven haired male in his own group. It was Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura's and Naruto's former best friend and a former student in Kakashi's homeroom.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out.

Sasuke stopped, so as the others. He looked at Sakura, "hn?"

"Good luck!" the pinkette said, alongside with Naruto.

Sasuke turned back and started walking, "hn, good luck to all of you, too." Then they disappeared from their sight.

"Sa, minna!" Naruto called out. "Let's do our best for this final paper!"

Everyone joined Naruto, pumping their fists high up to the sky.

"Ossu!"

8:00AM, Konoha High School, Exam Hall.

Everyone was in their seats right now, feeling some adrenalin rush in their veins. Papers were finally distributed to them and were remained untouched as the invigilator finished writing on the whiteboard.

History

8:05AM – 10:20AM

"Your paper will begin in five minutes. First of all, I would like all of you to check your exam papers. Should there be any errors on it, any missing page or would not, you must turn it back to me and take a new copy of it," the invigilator said, pointing to a pile of exam copies near him.

As everyone finished checking their own exam paper, the invigilator turned his head and looked at the clock on the wall. A minute before starting, he faced back the students in front of him.

"Best of luck to all of you," he started. "You may begin ― now!"

As if on cue, everyone gained their spirit to face the paper and began scribbling on it. Sakura was also one of them. She began writing all the points from what she had learnt and memorize before on a blank paper that was distributed to them earlier.

.

.

..

As time flies, Sakura had no troubles on answering the horrid questions on the paper. Naruto was surprisingly calm as he wrote down on the paper. The same goes to the others, they had no troubles on getting answers, though tense was starting to rise up.

15 minutes before time finished. Sakura was the first one to finish her papers. She glanced at her blond best friend, Ino, who was also looking at her. Ino was the second student next to her to finish the paper. Sakura wrote something on her extra paper and showed it Ino.

FREEDOM!

Ino read it and pumped her fist as a sign of agreement. She, too, was also excited for their newfound freedom. Sakura nodded back and glanced back at her paper, neatly put on the corner of her desk.

This is it! she thought to herself as she smiled. After this paper ended, high school was no more. She could feel her heart pumping faster. Her smile was wide. Oh, how she couldn't wait for this to end.

.

.

..

Time is ticking.

"You've got 5 more minutes," the invigilator told out.

Everything was looking tense right now, Naruto especially. Anxiety was rushing in their veins as the time slowly ticking. Sakura had finished re-checking her paper for the third time, confident with all the answers she wrote. She took a glance at the clock that was hanging on the wall.

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

A little bit more, she said to herself.

.

..

…

The bell rang, indicating that exam had finally ended.

Everyone rose from their seats and cheered happily as the invigilators picked up the exam papers.

"Woohooo!"

"Hoooray!"

"Finally!"

Though that, Naruto was the last one to finish answering the paper. As the invigilator from earlier picked up his paper, he left out a sigh of relief and leaned himself on his seat.

Sakura had joined up with Ino and the others. They went to Naruto's side.

"So, how was it, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked.

"Man, the ones who made the questions were really some cruel people," Naruto answered.

"You said it!" Kiba agreed.

"Nevertheless," Naruto stood up. "High school is finally over!"

"YEAH!"

11:00AM, Konoha High School, Hatake Kakashi's homeroom.

Kakashi's homeroom was full with his students, celebrating their newfound freedom. Every one of them each signing either a greeting or an autograph on their school shirts and taking pictures with each other as a preservation of their last high school memories.

"Settle down now," Kakashi trying to act coherent but 'epicly' failed.

So, he had no other choice but to sigh in defeat.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto called. "What are we going to do for our graduation?"

"Hm?"

"Oh yes, about that one," Sakura joined their conversation. "The other class wanted to do a barbeque party on the beach for their graduation celebration. How about our class, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Well ―"

"I call for a graduation prom!" Ino recommended.

Surprisingly, most of them agreed to it.

"We could ask for a reservation on InoShikaCho's restaurant since it's Ino's, Shikamaru's and Chouji's dads who owned it," Tenten said.

Ino and Chouji agreed while Shikamaru sighed, "guess there's no choice then."

"So, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked for confirmation.

"Well then, I guess it's ―"

"So that settles it!" Naruto announced on behalf of Kakashi's unfinished words. "We are going to have a graduation prom!"

Everyone cheered, leaving Kakashi behind, dumbfounded.

"Before the reservation is settled, I want everyone to be alerted on their facebook. I will post on our wall's group about the prom update to everyone, okay?" Sakura told them.

"Okay!"

11:45AM, Konoha High School, Front Gate.

Kakashi's students were the first to reach the school's front gate, mischievously running and teasing with each other wearing their signature-stained uniform shirt. Kakashi followed behind them.

"Okay, everyone!" Ino called as she held out her camera. "Positions, please!"

As told, they set out their positions. Kakashi kept his distant from them, stating that he didn't want to interfere in their graduation snapshots.

"Kakashi-sensei, please take this photo for me?" Ino asked kindly in a girly girl kind of way, handing her camera.

"Sure," Kakashi answered, taking the camera from her.

Ino went to her way to stand between Sakura and Shikamaru, "ready!" she said as she placed both of her arms on Sakura's and Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Okay, everyone smile! 1, 2, 3!"

FLASH!

Ino went back to Kakashi and took her camera, "arigato Kakashi-sensei!"

"Now," Sakura finally talked, pulling Kakashi's hand towards the others. "We want you, Kakashi-sensei, to join us."

"E-eh? Then who's going to take the picture?" Kakashi hesitantly walked on as he was being pulled by his pink haired student.

"Don't worry about that, sensei!" Naruto said as he snatched Ino's camera from her hand and went on his way towards a new group of students that just got to the front gate.

"Oi, where are you taking my camera? Damn it, Naruto!" Ino yelled out loud.

Naruto came back after a minute or so with Sasuke following closely behind him.

"Problem's settled. Now, everyone, places!" Naruto announced as he went back to his position between Sai and Kakashi.

Kakashi was now in the middle of them, hugged tightly by his two beloved students, Naruto and Sakura. Sai was next to Naruto, flashing his most genuine smile (or not). Ino was next to Sakura, placing her right arm on the pinkette's shoulders while her left arm was on Shikamaru's shoulder. Shikamaru, however, flashed his usual lazy look on his face.

"Aww, come on, Shikamaru," Ino teased him.

"What?" he sighed.

"Smile!"

Again, he sighed. But he had no choice and smiled on.

"1, 2 ―" Sasuke counted on, as the others in front of him started to pose.

"Everyone say 'Konoha Graduates'!" Naruto yelled as he waited for the flash.

"― 3,"

"KONOHA GRADUATES!"

FLASH!

.

.

..

"Sasuke, would you join us for a while?" Sakura hesitantly asked the young Uchiha.

"Hn?" he responded.

"Come on,"

Sakura rejoined Naruto who was teasing with Kakashi. Sasuke had no idea of what he's going to do with them right now. But, having the rest of his gang nowhere in sight, he had to go with flow. Sakura said something to Naruto and Kakashi that Sasuke couldn't hear from afar. Then, Sakura went her way to Ino. Sasuke saw she handed her camera to the blonde female. Now he knew why he had to join them. They were going to take pictures together. After all, he is a former of Kakashi's student not to mention a best friend to Sakura and Naruto.

"Hey, Sasuke! Come here and join us," Naruto called.

"Hn," he replied and walked towards them.

Sakura rejoined them and had Ino to take the pictures of them.

"So, is everyone ready?"

"Yeah!" Naruto yelled on.

Sakura was in between Naruto and Sasuke, standing in front of Kakashi. Though the three of them had grown a height that almost covered Kakashi's face, they had to bent down a bit so that Kakashi can be seen on the camera.

"1, 2 ―"

"Yell 'Kakashi's Best Students' after 3," Naruto told them hastily.

"― 3!"

"Kakashi's Best Students!"

FLASH!

Thanks for reading and please leave your reviews! :*