Plot: Sasuke is the rich, popular and arrogant prince of Konoha High. Sakura is the nerdy girl who's only been noticed when someone needs help on an exam. But this is high school. This is the time when everything's about to change. Love, betrayal, humor, drama, all smooshed together like fruit in a blender. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Double Encounter

Sasuke stepped out of the car. Okay, it was true not every person came to school in a limo. Okay, it was true that it was very odd to come to High School in a limo. And okay, it was true that he was the only heir left to the famous Uchiha business. But why the hell did everyone have to stare?! Didn't they get that it was god damn annoying? Wouldn't it be freaking normal by now?

He guessed not, as there were still people staring. Not only staring, but the pause mid-conversation, let textbooks fall from the hands without noticing, hushed whispers (that usually sprang up whenever he entered a room), kind of staring.

"THAT'S Sasuke Uchiha! He's totally famous."

"Look at him! He's so…amazing-"

"—Perfect—"

"—Hot."

"I fucking hate that guy."

Sasuke couldn't hold back a smirk of his own as he watched a group of glaring freshman guys stare him down and a group of giggling, red faced girls elbow each other, hard enough that he wasn't entirely sure they didn't have honest intentions of hurting one and other. He made no move toward either, instead walking as normal, straight into the school. He heard the car door slam close behind him and the roar of the engine as the car drove off. He didn't miss a beat as he walked towards the school doors.

Sakura was sitting outside, on the steps, surrounded by her friends and typing away on her laptop. It was a perfectly good start to a perfectly good morning. And then she saw that arrogant bastard get out of his limo and walk around with that arrogant smirk on his face.

Okay, sure he was as rich as they come. Okay, sure he was pretty handsome too. And okay, he was smart—smarter than even her, Haruno Sakura. But did everyone have to stare?? Didn't they get that this guy made his grand entrance every day? Wouldn't it get just a little bit old after a while?

Apparently not, as they were all still staring at him like he was the friggin' messiah. Her best friend, Ino, in particular, sat up a little straighter, laughed a little louder, and tossed her hair with more force than necessary.

She failed to suppress an annoyed sigh. She'd only know him for a little while, having transferred here exactly one year ago…. But that was a memory for another time. She'd gained acceptance here rather quickly, her brains and grades made the teachers happy, and her good looks, despite her nerdy status, had secured her a spot in the social circle.

"N-Naruto-kun… C-Can you um, h-help me with the, uh, history project?"

Her friend Hinata, contrary to Ino, had her sights set on the one and only most annoying kid in Konoha High, Uzumaki Naruto, not that he had the wits to notice. In all honesty, to Sakura, it was a breath of fresh air. She detested the way high school was set up like a social hierarchy. It was clear here who was the peasants, the middle class, the upper class, and the prince of the school. Or rather, the Royal Pain In Her Ass.

"Sure Hinata! What do ya need help on?" Naruto, grinning as usual, turned to look at Hinata as he responded to her question, and she, in turn, turned bright red, stuttering illegible sentences, her eyes wide at his sudden closeness. "Just remember that Charles the First was the short one," Naruto was saying, "and you'll be fine!"

"B-B-But N-Naruto-kun, we're studying the ancient Egyptians right now…" Hinata's words made Naruto's large grin fade and panic began to take hold of his features. "What??"

Sakura chuckled and turned back to her laptop's screen, the word document almost completed. She plucked at the keys, finishing up her paper that was, in fact, due this morning. She still had a hint of a smile on her face when a masculine voice woke her from the vast corner of her mind.

"Excuse me? Can you move?"

Sakura looked up, her eyes adjusting from the light of the screen to the light of day, and she began to recognize the person looking down on her. The air changed; Ino's aura became more outgoing, while Naruto's; hostile. And while looking up at this dark haired protégé, Sakura could almost taste the stillness in the air. Sasuke Uchiha. The prince of the school. Standing right next to her. As their eyes locked, for just the briefest second, she couldn't help noticing how dark his were. Why did they look so dark and sad? But not only that; they were filled with a sort of coldness and blankness, almost like he'd been woken up from a deep slumber.

She looked down and realized her legs, which had grown so long in the past year, were comfortably splayed across the front steps. "Sorry," she said, almost blankly, moving her legs closer to her body so he could pass. She averted her eyes to look down at the pavement as he passed her, climbing the steps to get to the door. She saved her document as the doors to the school closed shut behind Sasuke.

Ino and Naruto quickly began a conversation, this one about Sasuke and their obvious different opinions about him. Sakura didn't bother to pay attention; she'd heard this conversation many times before.

Instead she rested her head against the wall behind her and stared hard at the paper she was writing on her laptop screen. She watched, waiting for the paper to magically start writing itself. Instead the document waited for her to finish her train of thought; a thought she couldn't even remember. God, had he irked her that much? That's crazy. She sighed, accepting the fact that she couldn't remember what she'd been about to write and instead typed a random finishing sentence, saved the document, and opened up the internet to sent the paper to herself as an e-mail attachment. Once she'd done that, she closed her laptop. Ino and Naruto didn't even notice, both of them too engrossed in their own conversation, which had, somehow, drifted from Sasuke to discussing the health issues of ramen.

"S-Sakura-chan… you finished?" Hinata asked in that quiet voice of hers. "Yup," Sakura replied, quickly putting the computer in her school bag. "I'm going inside; I need to print this out before the bell rings and everyone crowds inside."

Hinata watched as Sakura stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder and walking up the steps. This got Ino's attention; and she too scrambled up to follow Sakura. The two were in the same homeroom.

"Hey… Hey! Sakura, wait up!" Ino cried as she followed her friend up the steps. Sakura paused and smiled softly, waiting for Ino to catch up. Ino slowed to a walk and the two continued down the hallway, heading towards their homeroom which would be empty and unlocked and have the computers and printers Sakura needed.

"Hey…" said Ino, slowly. Sakura was surprised at the cross tone of her voice, and turned to face the other girl. "Don't think I didn't see you staring at Sasuke-kun just now," said Ino, giving Sakura the evil eye. "He's mine so don't even think about—"

"Whoa, whoa," Sakura held her hands up in defense, "No-No way Ino! Not happening! I'm not—he's all yours okay?" Not that he's even interested in you, Ino-pig, Inner Sakura thought evilly. Sakura shooed that voice away as Ino smiled triumphantly and turned back to face the front. "Okay," she agreed, "Besides, you already have Sai, so don't get greedy."

Sakura chuckled humorlessly and agreed. She and Sai had only been dating for a little over a month now but it seemed like everyone knew. She secretly wondered if Sai hadn't been bragging. Very little did she know, in actuality, he'd been cheerfully threatening every guy that approached her, making sure that they all knew that she was his and his alone.

She still had a few insecurities about dating Sai. He was good looking and smart, yes, but…. He had serious communication issues, and never let her know what he was feeling. She remembered on their third date when he told her that he loved her. It was completely out of the blue and took her by surprise. The thing with Sai was that although he really maybe did care for her, you never could really tell because of how he kept his emotions in check. Honestly, she could never find one little chink in his armor and truth be told that bothered her a little.

Ino and Sakura finally reached their homeroom. Sakura pulled the doors open and immediately headed over to the computers. Ino stopped to say good morning to their homeroom teacher, Ikura-sensei. "Good morning Ino!" he replied, kind and energetic as always. "What are you girls doing here?" He peeked around Ino to also address the question at Sakura, who was currently logging into the schools computers and printing out her essay.

"English essay," Sakura said as way of explanation as she waited for the printer to finish printing her essay. Ino chimed in, "Yup! You don't mind do you, Ikura-sensei?" Sakura rolled her eyes; Ino was such a flirt.

"Nope," responded Ikura. Sakura grabbed the essay, the paper still warm as it came out of the printer. She checked it over once, making sure the print and the color were okay. Sakura brushed a strand of soft pink hair out of her eyes before concluding the paper was good. She was about to put it in her bag when the door to the room opened again. Both Ino and Ikura looked up from their conversation, but Sakura was still putting away her paper.

"Good Morning, Mr. Uchiha," Ikura greeted his student.

"Good Morning, Sasuke," Ino chimed in, batting her eyes wildly. Now Sakura looked up. It was true, standing there, schoolbag slung over one shoulder, was Uchiha Sasuke.