Hello! This is the first story I published here, so yeah.
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO
She strode past the bright sign which welcomed her. The place made her remember her high school days. It was filled memories. Unpleasant, but still memories that would pass through her mind every now and then. She was feared. Oh how people trembled before her. She couldn't help but smile when she remembered how much people would be nice to her in fear that she would hurt them in some way. Pathetic. That was how she remembered them as. Most of them.
...
A 16-year old with pink hair was walking through the hallway which was cleared just for her. She hated them. All of them. As she thought bitterly of how much she wanted to just run away, a student went to her and stuttered, "H-Haruno-sama, I-I... A-About our p-p-project, I... F-Finished it already, i-i-is it o-okay?"
She replied with a nod and walked to class, followed by three girls she didn't even remember permitting to follow her. The people there were a special kind of stupid. They were the stupid who blabbed a lot. She had no idea how they even came to an assumption that she was some bully who hurt others with the slightest mistake. She was from a normal family. She had above average grades and she knew her looks were average to a little bit below that. Sure, she was stronger than most and had a temper, but she can't bully others. Even her flower-colored hair screamed harmless. She wasn't entirely harmless, but she was very sure that she wouldn't use her fist to harm others.
In fact, she spent most of her childhood alone. She has always been alone. When high school came, she didn't know what hit her, but it was the worst thing. The obvious fake friendship and the days filled rumours. It was lonely, really lonely. Her day ended the same way it began, with a cleared path and silence, a mocking way of saying she was better off alone.
...
It was the same hallway, without the annoying 'clear the path' thing. 10 years and it was as sickening as ever. It felt good that for once, she finally got to walk there alone and without the authority which was forced onto her.
...
She wanted to tell them off. She really did, but she didn't know how. That was why she had to put up with conversations she didn't want to be a part of. She wanted to leave. She wanted to be free.
Until she realised, she already was.
She could leave it all behind. She could just go to a university abroad, ahead of others. Her parents already gave their consent. She could just find a job and finally repay her parents. But if she did, she would go back to where she started, alone. She would be too busy studying, and later on working, to socialise. She didn't even know how to talk to others and make friends.
Because of that realisation, instead of heading straight home like the good girl she tried to be, she went to the sight-seeing tower in the middle of the city. At night, the city lights looked like stars. She already forgot how they looked like. Just like how she already forgot what her dreams were.
"I said I'm not coming back! Shut up! Tell your beloved first son to go to that stupid party! Oh wait, I forgot, he left you too. Guess that leaves you to drag your own 'busy' self to that party," A man spat. He wore the same uniform. Uchiha Sasuke, if she remembered correctly. The popular one.
"Teme! Wait up!" A familiar voice called. Uzumaki Naruto, the loud one.
She knew both of them since they were from the same class... Since 1st grade.
"Haruno Sakura, right? Do you remember me? We've been classmates since elementary, I think? Yeah!" Naruto grinned as he gave her a look of anticipation, as if he was waiting for her to answer 'yes'. Sasuke, on the other hand, was indifferent. To stop Naruto from staring at her, she nodded.
"So, what brings ya here?" Naruto asked. She shrugged. He was too loud. She walked away, but he kept following.
"Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan. Saku- Ow! What's that for?"
"For being a loud idiot," Sasuke answered. She really couldn't believe they were best friends. They did nothing but argue every single day in school. Somehow, though, a voice at the back of her head said 'I could live with this'. She didn't know what it meant, so she pushed it off.
...
Her phone vibrated in her bag as she sat in an empty classroom.
'I'll be late. Sorry, Sakura-chan.'
Typical Naruto. She put the phone back in her bag and traced the engraved word on the desk with her fingers.
...
"You know that girl who tripped in front of Haruno-san that one time?"
"Yeah? What about her?"
"I heard she's being targeted right now by Haruno-san and her friends."
She sighed. She's getting blamed for something she didn't do. She tried to help the girl up, but the poor girl was so scared that she fainted when Sakura's hand got close to her. So much for finally getting her peace.
She went out to search for the girl's table, but she was too late. The girl found it already and was cleaning it as she cried. Seeing someone cry because of her felt like getting stabbed in every direction. Why did it have to be her?
"Why don't you just tell her?"
"I'm too deep in lies that they would never believe me."
The next thing she knew, she was out from where we previously stood because of a certain raven-haired boy. She sent him a glare, but since she was already out anyway, she might as well apologize.
"It wasn't me, but I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to be bullied," she bowed. The girl was surprised beyond comprehension.
"H-Haruno-san, I-I know i-it wasn't you," she replied, "E-Even if i-it w-was, y-you a-a-apologized and that's w-what matters."
The girl bowed and left. Sakura smiled.
"Thank you, Hyuuga-san."
...
'Why're you apologising to me? Hinata-chan is really dolled up today. You better make up to her for being late. She insisted on waiting for you.'
She really loved Hinata. She was such a sweet girl who deserved every bit of happiness in the world. When she heard the same timid girl confessed to her first and last love, Sakura could not hide her joy. Who knew she was gonna confess to the loud idiot, her complete opposite? The whole school, perhaps. But at least for once, Naruto actually shut up for a full minute.
...
It was a crazy turn of events. Just a few months back, she saw Naruto and Sasuke in the sight-seeing tower for who-knows-why. After that, Naruto greeted her every time he saw her, which just began a new rumour that she was hanging around Naruto and Sasuke for popularity. First of all, she wasn't trying to get close to them, it was Naruto who greeted her. Second, she was already popular as she was, in a bad way though. She also finally made her first friend. Hinata was a sweet girl who she loved talking to through texts and sometimes calls. Hinata somehow slipped a note in her bag, which had her phone number. Sakura texted her as soon as she arrived home.
Then there was Sasuke.
He was always there. After that time with Hinata, he helped her carry stuff to the storage room even though she easily carry all those boxes. After that, he told her to speak up and let everyone know that she wasn't a bad person. And after that, the craziest thing that happened was that she was confessed to by the cold, at the same time hot, Uchiha Sasuke. When she asked why, he said her he won't tell her until she replies. Luckily, the confession was done far from school, but that left her with two questions: How did her get her number, and why would he like someone who never did anything that would interest anyone of the opposite gender?
Weirdly enough, she accepted his confession on two conditions: their relationship should be kept a secret until they graduate and as for the reason why he liked her, he has to tell her after their graduation. She feared that she would unconsciously change if she found out why he liked her and she wouldn't be herself anymore.
And so, they went on dates after school every Thursday.
...
Her high school life wasn't normal. It was covered with thick layers of lies and rumours. But she didn't care. She had a family, a few friends, and a boyfriend-no, fiancé who somehow didn't believe the rumours and loved her for being herself. He loved her because she did nothing. Absolutely nothing against those who messed with her, who talked about her, who misjudged her, and many more. She was strong enough to withstand the pressure without fighting back and hurting others and herself in the process. Which she was gonna do that night. She was gonna show them who she really was. A supposedly normal girl.
She left the classroom and went to the gym where the event was held. Inside, there was a table which had a sign that said: Please get one mask. She picked a mask and stayed in one corner quietly, wondering how they paid for such an extravagant reunion. A minute before it started, she felt an arm go around her waste.
"I started thinking you weren't gonna come," she said.
"I can't let you come alone, now can I?" he smiled.
The event began with opening remarks from their principal and teachers. Soon, the microphone was given to their 3rd year batch representative, the host of the event. Soon, he called the students one-by-one by describing them, which was why they wore a mask as a 'now and then' thing. She dreaded her turn. She didn't want to hear what they used to think of her. Noticing she was tense, Sasuke pulled her closer and said, "It's fine because I'm here and I won't let them hurt you in any way."
"She was someone feared by many. With just that, I'm sure you already know who she is."
Hearing people say her name was nerve-wracking enough. Hearing people murmur about her almost made her faint.
"Oh yeah, her."
"You think she attended? She was just some good-for-nothing bully, after all."
"I wouldn't be surprised if she looks horrifying now after all the things she did."
Hearing that, she went on stage and took of her mask. She wanted to settle things to finally stop those beliefs from years ago. She heard them saying things like: 'Wow, she looks beautiful', 'Heh, she must've married someone rich and got surgery or something' and 'She isn't that pretty'.
"I'm Haruno Sakura, the person you all thought was violent and answered with fights. I just wanted to say that everything about me hurting others was untrue. I never tried to hurt anyone. The only thing I regret was that I never got a chance to stop all the rumours about me. For that, I'm really sorry."
It was silent for a full 3 minutes.
"I believe her," a voice from the crowd spoke.
"Me too!"
"Same! I've always wanted to talk to you but the girls around you were scary."
Soon, they were cheering for her for no reason. She didn't know why, but it felt like some cliche movie. At least was finally accepted...? It was a happy ending. She got married to the hottest guy in school (and he proudly announced and invited everyone to their wedding that night), she got closure, and she never saw those annoying girls ever again. Lesson of the story: the main bully isn't always the one walking in the middle. Sometimes, they were forced to take that part. Sometimes, the scariest things in high school are the rumours that go around. In short, don't judge the bully by the rumours.