Here it goes, another attempt at this story. Please review if you can! Feel free to PM me as well. I'll post responses to each review in the new chapters, which I will be uploading 3 times a week(Mon, Wed, Fri), until the story is finished :P Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy it!

o

Chapter 1

Past memories

It had been a tragically beautiful spring. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and the buds of new fruit signaled the coming birth of summer across the city of Konoha. The budding of a different kind of fruit was also in bloom.

An innocent pink haired child, still new to the world, was just now finding her voice. At six, the child had few cares in life, and even fewer fears, but those she did have seemed insurmountable. One particularly dark haired boy seemed untouchable and distant, surrounded by other children, smiling brightly with a glimmer in his eyes that she couldn't yet comprehend. Finding her voice, she asked simple questions, and to her surprise, she received simple answers.

That was almost ten years ago, and now, she could barely remember what they had said. All she knew of him now, was that they'd spent their young years side by side, smiling, holding each others frail tiny hands. It seemed like a distant, impossible memory now, and things changed so quickly. The warm, smiling boy, grew dark and distant. By middle school, he had pushed everyone away, most of all her. It never changed how she felt about him, only the way she felt about herself and the world around her. The world around him. Just before their first year ended, she was able to find her voice once more.

"Sasuke… I want to tell you something." They stood at the edge of the school property, the school day had run on longer than usual as school events began to wrap up the year. The sun was already disappearing behind the horizon, and a pink and orange glow filled the sky.

"I really like you, Sasuke."

The wind rustled in the trees, and a sweet scent filled the air.

"Sakura." All she wanted was to see that smile one more time. He didn't have to return her feelings, but at the very least, he could look at her, just one more time. "You should forget about me." He stared at the ground, never once looking up.

"I can't! I could never forget about you! Sasuke, I...I lo-"

"Stop! Just...Stay away from me Sakura." His voice was cold, hurtful, and gave her chills even in the warm afternoon. A car pulled up, a door was opened for him from the inside, and for a moment, Sasuke let the spring winds embrace him. The sensual scent of the cherry blossoms, the pink sky surrounding him, and a familiar fragile hand tugging on his jacket. She began to cry, and he couldn't bear it. He ripped his arm away from her, and never let himself look back.

For the rest of middle school, Sakura tried her best to follow Sasuke's request. Staying away from him was easy, as he dropped out of school without any notice. She never forgot about though, and she was beginning to wonder if she ever would. At the very least, she could move on, distract herself with another romantic interest. Plenty of young men confessed to her, and she was flattered by their gestures. But even now, 3 years later at 15 years old, waking up to get ready for the first day of highschool, she never forgot that tragically beautiful spring.

8:35 am

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. He was thrilled his best friend was finally back. He'd been gone for so long, missing out on so much, but now he was finally getting a chance to enjoy the rest of his young precious life. Naruto didn't know all of the details behind Sasuke's absence, but he knew enough not to pester him about. Not now at least, not while they were facing a sudden reunion with fellow classmates that never got a reason for Sasuke's disappearance the way Naruto did. Some of them might not be so understanding about his sudden return. One pink haired girl in particular came to mind...

"I'm fine. It's just school." Sasuke said, calm, seemingly unaffected by the situation. They had arrived at school early, as Sasuke preferred not to spend any unnecessary extra time at his home.

"Alright, but if you decide you don't want to be here, just let me know."

"Naruto, I said I'm fine. Stop treating me like I've got some handicap." Sasuke said. He was composed and assured, but he honestly didn't know if he believed his own words. In truth, he did feel like he had a handicap. It had been three years since he was around any of his old classmates, some of whom he'd been great friends with. A lot of them felt bitter about his cold shouldered behavior just before his disappearance, and showing up on day one wouldn't exactly be an ideal transition.

They were nearing the classroom now, and they hovered at the door before opening it.

"You know, Sasuke. She might be in there already."

"So what?" Sasuke said, the coldness of his words disappointed Naruto. "It doesn't matter anymore." He wondered if that was what he actually felt.

Naruto opened the door and walked in first. Sasuke, who was far more nervous than he expected, sheepishly entered the room behind him. Several eyes watched him in awe as he took a seat close to the back. Naruto patted him on the shoulder, and took a seat in front of him. Looking around him for a moment, a certain bright haired girl seemed to be absent. He felt relief, and disappointment.

8:59 am

"Sakura! You're finally here, sheesh!" A sweet faced blonde yelled as Sakura ran through the hall towards the classroom. "I thought you were going to be late. You're never going to guess who's here!"

"Sorry, Ino. I got lost...You know how I am with directions." Sakura said, there was maybe a minute left before the first bell rang, and it was just her luck to be late on the very first day. They hurried through the hall, nearing the classroom door.

"Sakura wait! Didn't you hear me?" Ino grabbed her shoulder, stopping her from going in the classroom. "There's a new face here, you should know who it is before you go in!"

"Ino, we don't have time, we're going to be late!" Sakura said, her friend had always been overly dramatic, this was probably no different.

"Sakura! I'm serious, please, don't go in there yet." Sakura did not head her warning, and stormed into the classroom, refusing to be late. "Sakura!" Ino yelled from outside of the hallway, but it was too late. She had slammed hard into a stiff body in front of her.

"Sorry! Are you...okay.." Sakura froze, stunned by a flood of nostalgia and confusion that came over her as the boy in front of her turned to face her.

"Sakura? You okay?" A raspy voice spoke as she collected herself. Before her was the red-haired delinquent of middle school, Gaara.

"Gaara?" She blushed. He was insanely popular with girls, not so much with the boys though. He had gotten into several fights in middle school, and was most notable for trying to incapacitate Naruto. They had a rivalry ever since, but with Sakura, he seemed different. He showed her a much more gentle side of him, and since last year she had begun to develop feelings for him.

He gave her a wink, those stunning teal eyes distracted her all the way to her seat as she put her things down just in time for the loud buzzing of the first period bell. Ino huffed in annoyance as she plapped down behind Sakura. Gaara sat on the other side, in front, right next to the window, and the teacher began to call roll.

This must have been who she was talking about. Sakura thought, with a giddy bubbling in her stomach. Gaara seemed different, even though it had only been a short summer since she had last seen him. She had told Ino before that she had a thing for him, and had been encouraged to go for him, or literally anyone, since she knew how hung up she had always been over Sasuke.

"Sakura Haruno?" Mr. Hatake called.

"Here." She said holding her hand up slightly.

"Hinata Hyuuga?"

"H-here." A shy voice said. Sakura had already zoned out again, feeling like this year might finally be different. Since Sasuke's absence, some part of her was always waiting for him to come back. Now, she felt she was finally ready to let it go, and with fairly naughty intentions, she thought that Gaara could be the one to help her move on.

"Uzumaki? Wait- sorry, I uh, think I skipped someone...Sasuke Uchiha?"

...Sasuke...Uchiha? Sakura froze. She had dreams like this before, but as seconds passed, she tried to blink herself to consciousness only to realize she was in fact awake.

"Here." That voice...it can't really be him, can it? She was so nervous, and it took all her will to turn and look at him.

And there he was...Stunning black hair, a tint of blue, and dark eyes that seemed to swallow her whole. He was even more beautiful than when she last saw him in middle, just before he abandoned her. She looked like a deer in the headlights, while he had an unreadable expression that she couldn't break from.

"I told you, Sakura!" Ino whispered angrily, frustrated that she couldn't have warned her friend. Sakura quickly looked forward again, fighting the tears that threatened her lovely green orbs, while her friend looked on with concern. Ino had liked Sasuke too, and they had all been good friends at one time. She was hurt by his harsh and cold emotional change during their younger days, but she knew that no one, even his best friend Naruto, was more affected then Sakura.

"Ino Yamanaka?"

"Heeere."

"Alright, that's it then." Hatake announced. "Welcome to your first year at Konoha High!"

o