Author's notes: New idea for a story. Hope you guys like it. Please read and review as usual. Thanks.

PROLOGUE

It was 2pm in the afternoon and the bell had just rung. Everyone in college were either going for their co-curricular activities or were on their way out of school, going home or out to chill with friends and peers.

The sun was bright and the skies were cloudy. The wind ran through her long silky pink hair as 17 year old Sakura sat on the bench underneath the shades of a huge sturdy oak tree, staring blankly out to the empty soccer field that stood before her.

She couldn't comprehend who Sasuke was at all. He had become a person that she barely knew of. He had always reminded her not to tell anyone that both of them were in a relationship. He said, 'making it known to everyone won't do us anything good at all.'

(An hour earlier ago before school ended)

"Sakura, your assignment is up ahead at the front desk. Please go get it yourself. Don't expect anyone to pass it to you." Karin, a girl with long thick hair and black rimmed specs that sat behind Sakura, said rudely to her.

Karin had always been making things difficult for Sakura in any possible way she deemed fit. The reasons behind it being she had the best results in their whole cohort each year and the next would be Karin had caught Sakura staring at Sasuke far too many times. Karin loathed it. She hated that idea of Sakura liking Sasuke. Or should one say that Karin felt threatened by her?

Sakura nodded slightly to acknowledge Karin's words and went ahead to get her assignment. After getting her assignment, Sakura went back to her desk and was about to sit down and 'BAMM!"

Sakura fell onto the floor, tears coming out from the corner of her eyes from the pain with her hand clasping to her back. Apparently, Karin had pulled her chair further back away when Sakura was about to sit down.

Karin giggled and remarked, "Brains for study with reflexes of a retard."

Several classmates laughed, while others turned back, giggling away.

"Are you okay?" A fellow classmate, Hinata rushed to Sakura and helped her up. Sakura looked up at Sasuke who witnessed the whole commotion from his desk, hoping that he would at least ask if she's fine or not.

To her disappointment, Sasuke looked away from her and continued doing whatever he was busy with.

While others are still giggling and laughing at her misery, Sakura winced as she got up with the help of Hinata. "Do you need me to get you to the hospital wing? It's better to let the Doctor take a look."

"I'm fine." Sakura replied flatly as she sat down on her chair, this time round, checking that the chair is in place before she sat down.

(End of flashback)

A series of laughter brought Sakura back to reality from her thoughts. She looked behind from her bench only to see several of her classmates with Karin and Sasuke on their way back out from school. Karin threw her a dirty look as she walked passed while Sasuke just walked on without even looking back at her.

Sakura felt wretched and stupid inside. So what if she had worked hard for good grades to attain a better future? In the end, not only was she an orphan still who lives all alone, she was also being taken for granted as if she was non-existent by someone whom she thought loves her.

At this point of time, her mobile vibrated. She took a look at it only to see it was a message sent by Sasuke. "I'm sorry for today. Hope you're not hurt. See you tomorrow." The message read.

After reading, the hurt felt so intense that she cried. Beads of tears pouring down from her emerald eyes as she muttered in between her sobs, saying, "What am I exactly to you?..."

Little did she know, watching her from a distance was someone with dull orange hair and emerald eyes like Sakura had. He knew everything about her. Every single thing that happened to her.

"I'll put an end to your misery. All you need to do is to accept me…" He whispered, looking at her longingly.

"For what I am…"

END OF PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

Sasuke sat from his table and looked over to Sakura after making sure no one was noticing. It seemed that Sakura had completely ignored Sasuke's presence. Her aura somewhat cold and lifeless. Sasuke knew this time round, she's really upset. But Sasuke didn't care much. Anyway, this had happened before. All it's going to take would be a few days of cold treatment from Sakura and she would be fine.

Just as their school bell for the first lesson had rung, their form teacher, Hatake Kakashi, stepped into the class and gestured for everyone to settle down.

He cleared his throat and cast his lazy eyes at his class. "Alright class, starting from today, there will be a new student with us." Upon hearing this, everyone began muttering and whispering. Some were excited, some were less enthusiastic. For Sakura, she can't be bothered with whoever that's coming in. Her mind was too occupied with her own emotional problems than to care whatever that's happening.

"Come in please." Kakashi called out as he glanced out towards the main door.

A tall, young and pale man with dark navy trousers and blazer that he wore over his white shirt came in. His left hand kept in his pocket while his right hand carried his black leather bookcase. He stood beside Kakashi and nodded lightly.

"I'm Sasori. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He said monotonously as his emerald eyes scanned around the classroom.

And he saw Sakura.

There were whispers and squeals of excitement among the female students. For the boys, some were ignoring his existence, some were neutral.

"That's it? Your introduction?" Kakashi asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I have nothing else more to talk about…" Sasori shrugged.

"Alright then. You can sit beside-" Before Kakashi could finish his sentence, Sasori interrupted him. "If it's ok, I would like to sit beside Ms Sakura." He requested politely.

Kakashi gave him a questioning look the moment Sasori brought up the request. To add on, the atmosphere in the class changed instantly. There were looks of envy and mutterings about. Sakura was still deep in thoughts, not realizing how many people were actually staring at her and Sasori.

"She's your top student right?" Sasori asked Kakashi politely again as if to answer everyone's unsounded query about how Sasori knew Sakura. Only then, the suspicious mutterings toned down and replaced with several sighs of relief.

"Go ahead and take a seat." Kakashi replied casually, though he still felt kind of suspicious about Sasori's knowledge of Sakura. "We'll start with lesson."

Sasori bowed lightly and walked towards the empty seat beside Sakura and sat down. Only then, Sakura noticed Sasori's presence. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Sasori." Sasori smiled warmly at Sakura with his hand stretched out towards her.

"He seemed nice…" Sakura thought. "Nice to meet you too." She replied with a small smile and shook his hand.

"I'm Sai." Sasori turned to his right to see a tall fair guy with dark ebony hair greeted him with a smile. "Sasori here." Sasori returned Sai's friendly gesture with a smile and a firm handshake. As Sasori sat down between them, Sai whispered over to Sakura. "Hey, that book totally works!"

Sakura rolled her eyes at Sai. "Oh shut up Sai. You don't really need books for such things do you?" Though feeling puzzled about what they're talking about, Sasori didn't ask or probe further. He was more occupied thinking about something else.

"It's a good beginning..." He thought, maintaining his usual nonchalant look.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. As much as he would like to, he couldn't deny the fact that he felt angry on the inside. He disliked Sasori and he loathed him sitting beside Sakura. He hated the idea of what Sasori is up to base on his intuition.

At that very moment, Sasori turned his head up and looked across to Sasuke. When their eyes met, something felt so strange. Sasuke felt warm and uneasy on the inside.

"No need for wild thoughts… Since you're not cherishing her, I will." A voice spoke inside Sasuke's thoughts. Sasuke jerked up, continued to stare at Sasori in shock. His mind was left completely blank. Did he really heard a voice in him or was he just imagining things?

Sasori smirked and turned his head to the front, facing the blackboard.

"That's right… I can read your thoughts…" He whispered softly.

END OF CHAPTER ONE