After almost a year of not writing anything, here's to all the ShikaxIno supporters out there! This is for you! :)

Title: Regrets

Summary: "You're planning a wedding for your best friend and the love of your life," Ino thought to herself. "Are you really okay with that?" Even though her head knew the answer, her heart knew better….

"How could I let this happen?"

It all began three months ago when Sakura called her and told her to meet up at Ichiraku at twelve.

"Ino, I have a surprise for you! Don't be late, okay?" Her best friend's bubbly voice rang through the phone, bursting with excitement. The blonde, who was of course delighted that her best friend received good news, agreed ecstatically. This would be one thing that she would soon regret deeply…

Ino huffed exasperatedly. She desperately wanted to know the surprise. Is it my birthday already? Or maybe Sakura-chan just got back from an important mission? Heedless of what it was, she was breathlessly excited. Her breath came in short, sharp puffs, and her heartbeat sped up as she anxiously awaited her surprise. Whatever it is..it's all good, she assured herself. It's all good…..

What she didn't know was that the surprise included another person. A man. More specifically, the one that went by the name Shikamaru Nara. And not in the way you would expect.

You could just imagine Ino's surprise when she saw Sakura and Shikamaru walking through the door…holding hands. Ino started to sweat and an uncomfortable knot twisted in her stomach. It grew, wrapping her lungs, her ribs, and eventually her heart, until it became a giant, tangled mess. I hope it's not what it looks like…

Ino tried her best to fake a smile. This was something she had learned when she was very young, how to bat her eyelashes and look like she was okay when she was really hurting inside. This had never been so hard for her. Sakura, on the other hand, looked like she was about to explode from anticipation. Ino's gaze turned to Shikamaru, and with a pain in her stomach she observed that he was blushing slightly and there was a twinkle in his eyes, that same twinkle he had for her so long ago. With a faint sigh of nostalgia that shone painstakingly in her entire body, especially her pained eyes, she forced herself to match Sakura's vivacious attitude.

"Hey Sakura…Shika…maru. What's going on?" Ino always appeared calm on the outside. Nobody would ever know that her inner self was screaming, "Please please please, God no! This was never supposed to happen to me!"

Sakura's face brightened even further (if it was possible) and Shika's blush deepened. Shika bent down to plant a small, sweet kiss on his partner's forehead. "We're in love," he announced simply.

Oh. My. God. Ino's heart snapped in two. We're in love. We're in love. His words echoed in her head.

"And we're getting married in two months! Isn't that great?" Sakura gushed as Shika wrapped his arms around her.

Ino just stared at the couple. Her once bouncy blue eyes turned a sad, droopy shade of grey. It took her a few seconds to realize that they expected an answer. Ignoring the increased heartbeat and the countless beads of cold sweat on her forehead, she faked her best cheesy smile. "That's great Sakura," replied Ino. But she couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Wait." Shikamaru stepped closer to Ino. Ino lifted her eyes to meet his chocolate brown ones. "Ino, you have been my closest friend for years. I want you to plan Sakura's and my wedding." Ino broken heart couldn't help but flutter faintly against her ribs at the way he was smiling, that coy smile he used to give her so often. But she couldn't help but think, So is that all I am to you. Just your "closest friend." Not "the love of my life," the way you have been mine for as seven years.

Sakura was by his side in an instant. "Ino-chan, we can't do this without you. I want you to be my maid of honor."

Ino was instantly overwhelmed. From the deepest pit of her heart, she actually found this amusing. "You're planning a wedding for your best friend and the love of your life," she thought to herself. "Are you really okay with that?" Even though her head knew the answer, her heart knew better. Ino chuckled darkly.

"Of course."

Then, she burst into tears. She ran away, as far as her legs could carry her. She no longer cared where she was going, as long as she was getting away from them. Her vision was blurred by tears. She could hear her name being called several times, by a concerned female voice and a soft male voice. For once in her life, she didn't care. She ran and ran and ran…until her feet suddenly didn't hit hard ground. They hit something…unstable. She felt herself falling down, deeper and deeper, into her little pit in the middle of nowhere, where nobody could stop her, where nobody could hear her crying…

Like it so far? I know, it's pretty angsty. Don't get me wrong, I like happy stories, I just felt the need to write something dark once in a while. What do you think? Oneshot or not?