For the Sake of Convenience
Chapter 1
By most accounts, I am an honest hard working girl, top in high school class. Even my family seems like something that you would see on the television; we were perfect. But that is now all in the pass, my mother became sick and the hospital bills bankrupted our little family business. To make matters worse, in my depressed father took my trust fund and gamble all of it away in the casino. I had to find out by means of my tuition check being returned and losing my spot in the one of the most prestigious medical universities.
Never once had I openly argue with my father. I understood he is the head and is the only one entity to make the decision regarding household choices. My mother still very fragile, pleaded with me not to bring added stress to already crumbling situation. "We both know how much he adores you, Sakura. When things get better your father will make it up to you;" lovingly replied her mother. Sakura could only snort at this meaningless gesture. Of course she would defend the man that was bleeding them dry with these elaborate trips. "Mother, he used my college money to gamble with his whores. We are close to being thrown out, and yet he pretends we still have money to burn;" Sakura tried to repress the anger, but it was no use. This latest disaster had only made the young girl realize things will never be the same.
"I'm leaving, I cannot stay here any longer;" declared Sakura. "Anything is better than here."
It didn't surprise Sakura that her mother was so quick to discredit. "Not that Uzumaki boy, our family could never live down the shame."
"Here I thought that my dear old dad ruined our family's reputation ages ago." There was no verbal reply, just a hard slap to the right cheek. It wasn't the physical pain that caused Sakura to tear up, it was the fact her mother chose a man over her own child.
Sakura was about to stalk for into her bedroom, when she heard her father's voice; "My dear, I just found the answer to all our problems." Mr. Haruno was in celebratory mood, he didn't notice all the notice the tension in the room.
"What do you mean father?" asked a timid Sakura.
"I had settled all my debts, and enough to leave this place," jolly replied the elder.
"That's fantastic, dear;" happily gloated Mrs. Haruno, "I knew you would come through."
Sakura seemed to be the only one to care about the cost, "How?"
Her question went unanswered, and a slow realization hit her. Sakura's father had nothing left to bargain with; the shop was gone and all their precious heirloom were sold to keep creditors at bay. A few months ago, she heard one of the collectors telling her father, men would pay top dollar for a night with Sakura.
"Daddy, please tell me!" demanded Sakura as she stomped her foot in defiance.
"My dear daughter, I think it is time you pulled your weigh," coldly answered her father.
Sakura was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. That bastard sold her off to pay his debts. She tried to make a break at the door, when she noticed a silver-haired man blocked her path.
"Good evening Miss Haruno, your presence has been requested by my employer." The man appeared to be friendly, but one look at his eyes she knew he was not to be taken lightly.
The tears flowed more freely than she would have liked. Sakura always believed her father loved her, but now she wasn't so sure. Numb to what was happening Sakura didn't even fight when her handler escorted out of the house and into a luxurious limo. The young Haruno wasn't given the opportunity to take any of her personal belonging.
The windows in the limo were blacked out and Sakura had no idea where she was headed. A few times when in idle she tried to open the door for a quick escape. A chuckle from the driver, told her that door wouldn't open until they arrived at their destination.
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The trip must have taken longer that she thought, her driver rouse her from restless sleep. "Miss Haruno, please follow me."
The silver-haired man offer his hand and Sakura graciously accepted. The mansion was huge; it looked more like a compound. The lawns were well tended to, and the small pond was breathtaking.
The inside far surpassed the outside. The entry way was a grand display of wealth; the walls were covered in priceless works of art.
She was lead into the dining room, were a boy her age seemed to be waiting on his dinner. Her escort led her to a chair across. They sat in silence until they were left alone.
"So tell me, Sakura, how you ended up in such a prediction?" mocked the stranger as a maid served the first course.
The young girl took a long breathe waiting for the angry to pass. She needed to keep her cool if you wanted to find out what was happening. "This cruel world, we play the cards we are dealt." Sakura offered a small smile that showed her gratitude at the maid leaving the room.
The young raven-hair boy snickered at her response and turned his attention to his dinner. "You still haven't given me a proper answer."
"I like said, my father has a bad habit and it only a matter of time before he kicks my mother to the curb." Sakura may have been hungry, but her pride would not allow her to touch food.
A dark snicker came from his perfectly shaped lips, "It sounds like you're not surprised this has occurred.
"It is obvious you don't my father Mr..." Sakura stumbled at the forgetting to ask his name.
"Uchiha, Sasuke." The boy stopped what he was doing to give Sakura his undivided attention. Her body tensed for a quick moment; she heard the name somewhere, but shrugged it off. She wanted to properly introduce herself but she was rudely cut off.
"I know all about you Sakura Haruno, it is a shame about your situation.."
Sakura was caught a little off guard, but quickly pulled it together. "I don't know who you are, and I would appreciate you staying out of my life."
"I think I earned the right, if it wasn't for me you in the bed of a man twice your age and experiencing something a very unpleasant." Sasuke paused as the maid placed the second course on table.
She appraised the perfectly prepared meal, before speaking again; "I don't what you are talking about, and it if big inconvenience, I'll leave." Sakura pushed her food away and attempted to leave her spot.
In a heartbeat Sasuke was behind her and gently pushed her back into her seat, "Finish your dinner."
"Get your hands off me, Mr. Uchiha?"
"Sasuke." He simply statements as he returned to his supper.
The look of fury on his guest's face was giving him too much amusement, "Sasuke, why am I here?"
"Because you here because you have nowhere else to go," The refined young man took the chance to savor the wine from his glass. "Your father has been trying to barter you for quite so time."
Sakura fell back into her chair; the truth was always hard to hear. "You're lucky, he is greedy bastard or you would have been gone months ago."
Sakura looked truly lost, a total stranger just hijacked her life. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I can, and trust me I am doing you the favor. Unless you would liked to be fucked by total strangers." He paused for a moment before continuing, "So would you like to heard by proposition." Sasuke gracefully moved out of his chair to pull back a loose strand of pink hair, showing a small gesture of compassion.
Sasuke held back another grin, "I need a mistress, and you need a benefactor." The young shop girl was appalled by the outsider odd request. "Don't insult my intelligence, Sakura. Our families have traveled in the same circle, and this solves both of our problems."
"I will not degrade myself by being your whore, Sasuke Uchiha." She balled her fingers into fists under the tables, "Just because my father sold me off like a piece property, I belong to no one." So he was a part of those, the very notoriously possessive Uchihas. Damn crime bosses, once they gave an order they expected to be followed.
"Let me rephrase my offer, you will be my mistress in appearance only. I have been aware of you for quite some time. I know about your selfishless, kindness and charity. The council thinks my lonely nature is a problematic. I need no one."
A slight blush crept across her cheeks as she asked an embarrassing statement. "You would not expect me to share your bed?"
"No, you're not the scheming ambitious type. Your eyes are very trusting and lying isn't in your nature." Sasuke kneel beside her and lifting her chin to make eye contact. "I can give you anything you desire, all I want and demand is your loyalty. My influence can get you back in med school."
"How can you be sure about me?"
"Instinct, do we have a deal?" He gentle pulled her out of the chair patiently waiting for an answer.
Sakura knew she had lost, technically he was her guardian until she turned eighteen, "I don't like you…"
Sasuke laughed at this comment, any other girl would have sold their soul to be in her place. "At least here I can guarantee her your safety. No one will touch you without your permission. By the way you will need this." He handed Sakura a set of car and house keys and a little plastic card with her name printed clearly.
"This is just a temporary arrangement; but don't think you can buy me so easily;" fumed the pink-haired girl. She was about to throw the magnificent gifts back at him. In a split second her benefactor wrapped his arms around her slender body stopping her movement, "If you're going to be my mistress you need to look the part. We are going shopping tonight, love;" countered Sasuke with kiss surprising his new housemate.
Her fingertips traced the outline of her lips; there was more to this arrangement. How long had he been planning his move? "Bastard;" Sakura thought as she returned to finished her dinner in peace.