Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I barely even own the plot.

The Lucky Ones

The driveway to the main administrative building at Konoha's Academy for Girls is long. We drive low, my parents drinking in the landscape. Everything is neat and symmetrical, and the horizon is all rolling hills and giant oak trees - like something out of a calendar. Rows of azalea bushes and green hedges line the road.

We finally reach the old brick building where I will sign my soul away. Dad stops right in front - in the no parking zone, but as usual, he doesn't care - and I instinctively pull my hood up before I open the door to get out. My mother, all proper and ladylike and nice smiles, shoots me a disapproving look, but before she can chastise me I open the glass doors and slip inside. We stand on a large carpet for only a moment, and then we are greeted by a familiar face. "Hello, everyone!"

Cropped black hair, a wavering smile, and little to no make-up. Shizune is still in her scrubs, and I assume it's coincidence that we're here at the same time.

"Hello!" I greet her enthusiastically, and we embrace like sisters. We're not even close to being sisters, but her kind face is a comfort to me and she seems to understand my feelings. She bows respectfully to both my parents before offering to escort us to Tsunade's office. My mother beams at that, and we are led up a grand staircase and through a modestly decorated hallway. At the end are two deep mahogany doors and Shizune knocks lightly on one and calls, "Aunt Tsunade?" We hear the sound of glassware clinking together - like somebody rushing to move glasses around. "Ahem. Come in!"

Shizune rolls her eyes and pulls the doors open. "The Harunos are here - "

"Mebuki-chan!"

Tsunade is a busty blonde woman with bright amber eyes, quite the polar opposite of her niece. She rushes forward to embrace my mom, and for a while the two of them are like school girls, giggling and gossiping and catching up.

As it so happens, this school is where they met. From there, they went to med school together, and when they both picked different specialties, they lost touch. It was only when my mother discovered the internet years later that they reconnected and we had met a handful of times, but I hadn't seen Tsunade in a long time.

After what seemed like ages, the two women acknowledged me and Tsunade gave me a crooked grin. "Well, well, you've gotten taller. I think we last saw each other at that hospital gala, hmm? You were...ten? Eleven?"

I confirm, "Ten. It's good to see you again, Tsunade-sama."

She and my mother burst into laughs at that, and she regards me with mischievous eyes. "From what I hear, you've taken an interest in surgery? That's why Mebuki is dumping you on me, right?" Said woman is the one who responds, "ne! I'm not dumping her on you, I just think she could learn a lot if she shadows you before college."

"Then to you, I'm Tsunade-shishou. Got it?"

"Okay...shishou."

"Good! Now, onto business..."

I shifted uncomfortably on the couch, and if anyone walked in at that moment, they would have thought I had confessed to murder or something. In reality, I had just said I didn't want to be a general physician - a new idea to my mother, who has always been a woman with a plan. I could see her mind working already, recalibrating and reformulating my life plan.

Finally, my dad interrupted the thick silence with a small cough. "Well...maybe she should talk to Tsunade, honey?" Her eyes glinted at that, and I knew he had struck a chord. "Yes, that is a good idea. In fact, we can go one further than that." She smiled, "how would you like to go to boarding school, Sakura?"

I knew my answer wouldn't matter - I was already halfway there in her mind.

Saying goodbye to my parents wasn't a heartbreaking experience. I've always been a pretty independent person, and it's not as if the school is that far from home. They helped me lug my bags over to the elevator, gave me a peck on the cheek, and told me to call later. Then they were gone.

The dorm room I've been assigned is a moderately-sized double on the second floor. It's already been half-decorated with photographs and is distinctly purple-themed. I dump my bags on the opposite bed and wander over to the window. It's a nice view - the courtyard connecting the three dorm buildings is below, and the sun is easing lower into the sky straight ahead. With a sigh, I unfold my favorite bungie chair, pull a suitcase over to it, and plop down.

I'm halfway through my first bag when the door opens. In walks a tall blonde girl who reeks of flawless, and her frame is almost familiar. She turns to face me, and -

"Oh my god! Sakura?"

The blue eyes and the shrill voice belong to one person I know. "Ino!" Relief floods through my body as we hug. The last time I had seen Ino was when we were twelve, right before my mom's practice relocated and we moved across town. Our relationship was something out of a Hallmark movie. We had met as little girls, after a particularly nasty bully finished beating me into the sidewalk. Ino had stumbled upon me crying into the hot asphalt and pulled me up. She walked me home and gave me a ribbon and a promise.

But we had lost touch, and the last place I expected to see her was here. I tell her so and she just smirks at me. "Well, Forehead, I didn't expect you to be here, either. What are you doing here, anyway?" I sigh and tell her everything, and she's in stitches by the end of it. "Oh, you are so screwed! This headmistress is a total badass with a bad temper!"

Another sigh. Eventually she quiets down and then she's got the same glint in her eyes that my mom had when she sent me here. "Hey, I bet you don't know anyone, right?" At my confirmation, she grabs me by the elbow and says, "alright. I'm supposed to be meeting everyone at the dining hall, so now's as good a time as ever to introduce you."

The dining hall is a short walk from our dorm building, and it's filled with girls ranging from twelve to eighteen. Predictably, my hair garners a lot of attention, but Ino is unfazed. We make a beeline for the counters separating the kitchen from the hall, and Ino fills my plate up for me, all the while telling me which foods to avoid, which ones I have to try, who cooks the best, and what the best times to come to the hall are. She moves so fast it's dizzying, and before I know it I'm being pushed into a seat at a round table.

"Girls, meet Sakura!" I look around the table cautiously, and offer a small smile as I observe each chair's occupant.

Directly to my right is a pale, dark-haired beauty who introduces herself as Hinata in a voice so quiet I barely hear her. She's got gorgeous violet eyes and I can't help but notice how nice a body she has, and I wonder why it is that a girl who looks like that is so unsure of herself.

Across the table is a much fiercer looking girl - her brown hair is up in two buns, and she's tanned in such a way that I know she didn't just sunbathe at the beach - she worked for that tan. She reaches across and shakes my hand and says her name is TenTen, and she's definitely got a good grip. Ino takes the seat to my left and the conversation comes easy. I've only just met them, but they don't make me feel like an outsider. Within ten minutes, I'm more comfortable with them than I ever was with my friends back home.

"So, Sakura. Ever played truth or dare," TenTen asks, quirking an eyebrow. I snort. "Well, of course...what preteen girl hasn't played truth or dare?" Ino senses my skepticism and puts a solemn hand on my shoulder. "Oh, Forehead...you haven't played truth or dare KAG style. See, TenTen has a single the floor above ours, the nighttime security guards have a tendency to fall asleep, and Konoha's boy's only school is just around the block. See where I'm going with this?"

I respond slowly, "yes...I think...so when?" We all turn to TenTen expectantly. She checks her phone before answering, "I just confirmed with Neji. Eleven-thirty tonight."

Ino is beaming. "It's a date."

At exactly eleven o'clock, Ino whips out her giant make-up bag and sets to work on touching herself up. She's already instructed me on what to wear ("sweatpants and a cami, it's not a damn prom, Forehead") and given me the latest gossip on the guys coming from Konoha's Academy for Boys. I sit cross-legged on the floor examining myself in the mirror, self-consciously analyzing whether or not I should put make-up on too. Ino answers that question by tossing a small toiletry bag at me. "Mascara. Lip gloss. Smudgy brown liner. Trust me." I comply dutifully, and while she pulls her extraordinarily long hair into a ponytail, I just brush mine out. Finally, we're ready to go. As I go to open the door, she stops me with an exclamation. "Almost forgot!"

I watch as Ino runs back over to her bed and crouches to reach under it. When she pulls her arm back out she's clutching a big, half-empty bottle of vodka. I realize now I should've seen this coming, and I take a moment to resign myself to my fate. Then she's dragging me out the door, and we sprint up the stairwell. Before we open the stair door, she glances around for hall monitors, and when the coast is clear, we bolt for TenTen's room. The door is unlocked and we shut it quietly behind us, giggling from the adrenaline. My laughter fades, however, when I observe the Satanic shit going on in front of us.

Somewhere outside the dorm, five boys crouch behind bushes.

"This is more trouble than it's worth," one of them mutters.

The blonde in the group hisses back, "You're so negative, Shikamaru! This is so worth it, dattebayo!"

There's a thump and a grunt, and then, "Owwww. Teme, that was uncalled for."

"Shut up, Dobe."

The dorm room is dark, save for various candles scattered strategically around the room. On the floor in the middle of the room is a large group of candles, and TenTen sits behind them, her silhouette flickering on the wall behind her. Before I can react appropriately, the door creaks open behind us again and in walks five boys who are way too attractive to be in my circle of friends. Then again, glancing at Ino, it's not that strange. Pretty people gravitate towards other pretty people. Then one of them speaks - a cheerful-looking blonde - and the illusion of stoic, model boys is ruined.

"Whoa, TenTen. You went all out. This is crazier than Hanukkah, dattebayo!"

"...just shut the door, Naruto."

TenTen clears her throat and when she speaks, she puts on a mysterious air, "so, you all know why we're here, right? Well...all of you except Sakura."

I think she's trying to be foreboding, but I don't bite. "No, I'm pretty sure I know, too." I can almost see TenTen's eye twitch. "Yeah, yeah. Just sit down." We all comply, forming a loose circle around the candles on the floor. I pretend not to notice the curious looks coming from all the boys, until the blonde says unabashedly, "is that real?"

I know without asking that he's referring to my hair, and my hand shoots up instinctively to brush it back. Before I say anything, another one responds, "don't be stupid. People aren't born with pink hair." Typical response. Still, the blonde looks at me expectantly, like he knows better. I'm glad no one can see me blush.

"Actually, it's natural." He's way too excited by my answer, and asks to touch it, but Ino interrupts him with a sharp cough. "Right. Guys, this is Sakura. We went to primary school together and she'll break your pretty little hearts," I hear the smirk in her voice, and I know Ino is talking me up for my benefit. A boy with eyes startlingly similar to Hinata's extends his hand over the candles. "Neji. I'm Hinata's cousin." I don't fail to notice him and TenTen curl their fingers together, and I smile softly.

I'm already familiar with Shikamaru from the pictures Ino has up and the amount of talking she's done about him all day, and though I don't say so, he just assumes. He waves lazily, hair pulled back in a weirdly attractive ponytail. Next up is a boy with tattoos, a toothy grin, and a playboy air about him who says his name is Kiba. He locks eyes with me and I can tell this boy is trouble, so I'm glad when the blonde once again unabashedly breaks the silence.

"I'm Naruto and I'd still like to touch your hair." His smile is contagious so when I shake my head no, I'm smiling too. Everyone glances expectantly at the last guest in the room, and I can barely make him out in the dim light. He doesn't smile at me or shake my hand, just says in a short voice, "Hn. Sasuke."

"Charming as ever, Sasuke," Ino drawls. Naruto is glancing around the room and finally asks, "where's Hinata?"

"Ah...she's stealing food from the kitchen," is TenTen's simple answer, and I try not to be surprised that a girl as soft-spoken as Hinata would be okay with sneaking across campus and stealing food. But almost on cue, she bursts through the door lugging a basket full of snacks and drinks. "My hero," Ino murmurs, and together they distribute the food around the circle. Then Ino sits down and pops the cap off her bottle of vodka, and she pours out a shot for each of us. When she hands me one, I sniff it and recoil - I've never been good at drinking alcohol.

"Alright, everyone got a drink? Yeah? Then - a toast. In honor of a new school year." As everyone outstretches their shot glasses to clink together, Ino adds hastily, "and to new friends. Well, old friends. But new-ish." There's silence as everyone gulps down their shot, and my eyes water as the liquid burns a trail down my throat. We all take a moment to recover, and then the game begins.

TenTen starts with Hinata. The shy girl picks dare, and I figure she'd rather do something dumb than spill her secrets to people. TenTen is grinning when she challenges her. She reaches behind her and reveals a small jar. In it is a pepper. "Ghost pepper," is all TenTen says, and she tosses it to Hinata, who regards it with trepidation. "The whole thing?"There's no response, and Hinata has her answer. She takes a deep breath and opens up the jar, and from right next to her I can feel the spice. But Hinata shows no hesitation and stuffs the whole thing in her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut and chewing quickly. The silence is unbearable and we erupt into quiet cheers when she gulps it down and opens her mouth again.

"That didn't seem so bad," Kiba remarks. TenTen's grin widens. "Wait for it." But we didn't have to. Hinata's face had already turned a deep shade of red and she gasps for water, clutching my wrist. Instead, she's given milk, and TenTen is very serious when she says, "trust me, you have to drink milk." So Hinata gulps it down and a minute later runs to the small bathroom adjoining TenTen's room. Ino follows and we just barely hear the sound of retching over the bathroom fan.

"Um...that was a lot," Naruto says blankly. We wait for what feels like forever, and then Hinata returns from the bathroom, pale and shaky and leaning on Ino. They both take their seats again, and Hinata is fully intending to keep playing. "K-Kiba-kun," she mumbles, "truth or dare." He yawns and picks truth, and Hinata, despite her normally soft demeanor, is ruthless.

"Explain your favorite porn to us."

I refrain from snorting, instead offering her a high-five. Kiba is at a loss, but he recovers quickly. "Okay, so there's this girl. She's a teacher and she's keeping this one student after late to talk to him about extra credit to save his failing grade..."

By the time Kiba is finished, we're all blushing and stifling laughter. Kiba is quick to challenge Naruto, who of course picks dare. "Lick your nose, and if you can't, lick someone else's nose. I pick who." Predictably, Naruto can't lick his own nose, and Kiba points wordlessly at Neji, who's beyond disgusted. "Excuse me? And if I don't agree?" Kiba shrugs, "then you can lick Naruto's nose." Neji doesn't have a response to that, and his whole body is tense when Naruto leans over to lick his nose. He conjures hand sanitizer out of nowhere and rubs a generous portion on his face, and Kiba rewards Naruto with a cup full of soda.

After a minute, Naruto points at me. "Sakura-chan!" I blink at the air of familiarity he uses with me. "Dare or dare!" I open my mouth to respond, but catch myself. "Wait...can he do that?" TenTen shrugs, and I feel as if I'm starting to catch on to an ulterior motive. So I narrow my eyes and say, "dare, then."

"I dare you...to let me touch your hair!"

Ino smacks her palm to her face. TenTen says sharply, "Naruto," and the blonde sighs dejectedly.

"Fine, fine," he grumbles. "Go steal a rose from the headmistress' office." I recall my visit to her office earlier in the day, and vaguely remember a beautiful rose bush situated by her desk. It seemed well taken care of, so I can only imagine what sort of significance it has. Nevertheless, I nod and stand up. "Let me change out of my sweatpants before I go."

Looking somewhat guilty, Ino tosses a pile of clothes at me - I recognize them as my favorite pair of skinny jeans and an old leather jacket I had brought on a whim. I raise an eyebrow at her preparedness but don't say anything, instead retreating to the bathroom to change. When I come back out, I'm handed a flashlight and a time limit. "If you're not back within the hour, we'll assume something happened." I'm still silent - just clip the flashlight to my belt loop and pull my hair back into a ponytail. I reach the door, and look back. "See ya in a bit."

And then I slip out.

As soon as Sakura's long ponytail disappeared into the darkness, Naruto turned to TenTen, looking vaguely worried. "Are we sure she'll be okay? After all, look what happened to Lee when we sent him..."

Ino is the one who answered, a smug look on her face like she knew something they didn't. "Don't you worry about Sakura."

a/n: this is one of those things that came to me in a dream. like stephanie meyer and twilight. i promise no one will sparkle.

actually, i don't think i should make promises i can't keep

...

enjoy the ride?