Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction, but I want you to be honest with me :3
1
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." -Bill Cosby
Sakura highlighted the quote with her favorite pink highlighter and dog-eared the page. Bill Cosby's advice sounded sensible to her, but was he implying that a person like herself was a failure? That her complicated way of life would lead her to ruin?
"Hey, billboard brow! Are you ready for your day off?" shouted Ino's voice. Sakura jumped at the sound of it, hurrying to push her window open. She surveyed the area below, searching for her obnoxiously intuitive friend. She found Ino by her blond hair standing in the midst of a bustling crowd of villagers.
"Hey there, pig!" shouted back Sakura, grinning, "I'll be down in a few!"
"I knew you forgot, forehead! I'm comin' up there!" Sakura blanched. Ino could not come into her apartment! It was a mess at the moment, seeing as she'd made the mistake of going drinking with Naruto of all people the night previous. She'd stumbled into her apartment, knocking over everything that had the misfortune of simply standing in her path. Sakura hurried to clean the apartment all while fumbling to dress herself in a pair of decent clothes. She heard a knock on the door. Relieved that she'd finished in time, Sakura opened the door with a satisfied expression.
"Jeez, Sakura! Could you be any more of a slowpoke?" whined Ino.
"Could you be any fatter, pig?" retorted Sakura. Ino sighed.
"At least I don't have pink hair."
"Well at least I'm not a dumb blond," growled Sakura. Their eyes locked in an intense gaze, before they burst out into laughter.
"Let's get going. After all, it would be nice to catch a few sales," suggested Ino.
"I guess," replied Sakura, somewhat uneasy about Ino's prospects for the day. Ino pulled Sakura out from her apartment. Sakura sighed in defeat, locking the door behind her.
"How's the hospital been?" inquired Ino.
"I lost a genin a week ago," admitted Sakura, cringing when she remembered the child's screams as she had died on the cot.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I guess," breathed Sakura, wiping away the beginning of an onslaught of tears, "though it's been busier than usual. I'm glad for a day off."
"I'm sure you are," mused Ino, "so, after we finish shopping what should we do?"
"How about we go back to your place and watch, 'Pride and Prejudice' and, 'Bridget Jones's Diary'?" suggested Sakura.
"Sounds good to me," shrugged Ino, whose eyes lit up at the sight of the mall ahead. "C'MON, FOREHEAD! WE'VE GOT SOME SHOPPING TO DO!" Sakura laughed as Ino pulled her along into the shopping complex, which was empty due to the fact that it was a nice day outside.
"Can we go to Hot Topic?"
"If you go with me to Delia's!"
"How about shoes? Are we shopping for those?"
"Hell to the yes, Saku-chan!" They giggled as they entered the store, heavy rock music blasting. Sakura darted towards the graphic t-shirts, grabbing a few.
"Ino-pig, this'll look good on you!" Sakura threw several shirts in Ino's direction, and Ino caught them, somewhat bewildered. Sakura picked out a pair of fingerless gloves and a wristbands, before going for the skinny jeans. The pair tried on several pairs of clothes, posing in front of the mirror together and taking pictures for facebook. They then went back in, changing into their original pairs of clothes. They ran down the hallway, grinning wildly as they raced one another towards Delia's. They tried on a multitude of clothing, and found leather combat boots, which Sakura intended to buy. Ino, on the other hand, found a pair of brown leather boots she adored.
They paid for their purchases, arms full of bags.
"You wanna get a makeover?" queried Ino, sighing in boredom.
"Alright," shrugged Sakura. Ino grinned evilly, and they entered the salon, scheduling an appointment for later on. They then headed towards the food court, where they found a table and purchased lunch.
"It's so nice not to be eating ramen," joked Ino.
"Believe me, it's a pleasure not be eating that sodium-filled crap," said Sakura with a small, wry smile.
"I heard that Gaara's coming to town in a few days," recalled Ino, "y'know, at the rate you're going, you'll be unmarried and completely and utterly alone in that apartment of yours."
"Shut up, pig!" yelled Sakura, punching Ino in the head. Ino rubbed the area Sakura had struck, before saying with a perfectly serious expression that kind-of-sort-of-maybe scared Sakura,
"I'm not kidding, Sakura. Gaara's clearly shown interest, and it's not like Sasuke's," Sakura flinched at the sound of his name, "coming back anytime soon. I mean, if he really cared about any of us, don't you think he would be trying not to kill us all off? You've gotta stop dreaming about him, forehead girl, and see what's around you." Shocked, Sakura sat there, frozen for a moment, before rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"I don't know if I can just forget him, Ino-pig," admitted Sakura with an earnest expression, "how do I get over him?"
"Do something. Change something. Be creative," replied Ino casually, putting ketchup on her french fries. Sakura watched her with keen eyes, smiling softly. She would forget her precious Sasuke-kun if it was the last thing she did. After their haircuts, manicures, pedicures, and massages were over, the pair retreated to Ino's spacious abode.
"'Pride and Prejudice' and Bridget Jones, here we come!" exclaimed Sakura excitedly. They began watching, "Pride and Prejudice," a movie Sakura connected to, seeing as she'd fallen in love with a less-than-Darcy sort of man whose name she refused to even think about. He was Wickham compared to Gaara, a droolworthy Darcy. In Sakura's mind, she imagined Gaara playing Mr. Darcy, his sultry voice conveying his love for Elizabeth, herself. Ino broke out the ice cream somewhere in between Darcy's proposal for marriage and Lady Katherine De Burge's speech to Elizabeth about her relationship with Mr. Darcy. The pair of single girls were crying when Elizabeth finally accepted Mr. Darcy's love.
"If only Shikamaru had been as gentlemanly and perfect as Mr. Darcy," lamented Ino, wiping her tears away.
"If only he could be just a bit more Darcyish," wept Sakura. Ino inserted, "Bridget Jones's Diary," into the DVD player next, and they readied themselves for what they knew was an amazing romantic comedy. Sakura laughed when Daniel Cleaver was on the ground and Mark Darcy was leaving the scene of the fight with his business jacket slung over his shoulder.
"Colin Firth is sexyfine," purred Ino. Sakura laughed, leaning her head on Ino's shoulder. By the time the film was over, Ino was snoring loudly. Sakura left the house with her shopping bags quietly, careful not to wake her best friend. On the walk home, Sakura considered the day's events. How was she supposed to simply move on? The very two words put together made her feel absolutely dreadful. She needed a way to vent her frustration without causing violence, talk to a silent source about other men than Sasuke, and somehow become better.
"Hey, Saku-chan!" Naruto approached her, grinning that lopsided grin of his. Sakura smiled at him.
"Hey, Naru-kun," she greeted him politely.
"Listen, I'm doing some work for the bookstore Ero-Sennin used to run, and they're having a sale on diaries. Please, please, please buy one," Naruto pleaded with her, giving her his irresistible puppy-dog eyes.
"Fine," gritted out Sakura, "lead me there." Naruto cheered in victory, leading her forward while chattering nonstop. It was at times like these when she wished for him to die in a ditch far, far away; His catching laryngitis would also suffice for her. When they finally reached the store, Sakura was astonished by the selection of diaries stacked on the shelves. Maybe this is what I need, she thought. She explored the store, searching for a diary that would be suitable to her tastes. She traveled towards the back of the store, and her eyes found it: A red diary with pink petals scattered across the cover with a lock attached and a golden key. It was perfect, and she couldn't have asked for anything more appropriate for her current situation. She picked it up, examining it. She opened it, flipping through its white, lined pages.
She abruptly closed the diary, before approaching the counter with money in hand. She paid for the diary, which was half-price, leaving the store with Naruto afterwards.
"Hey, Sakura-chan, do you want to finish the day with a visit to the club?" suggested Naruto with a foxy smile.
"Sure," beamed Sakura, "I just need to drop these bags off and get changed."
"I'll meet you at your apartment in twenty minutes then," consented Naruto energetically. Sakura nodded, and they walked towards their respective homes. She set her bags down in her apartment, changing into a red plaid skirt, black tights, her combat boots, a tank top, and a wristband. She then took out the diary, opening it. She furrowed her brows. She couldn't have the key right next to the lock. What if someone found it? She searched for a necklace chain that was unoccupied by a pendant, and eventually found one in her dresser. She ran back towards the diary, ripping the key off of the diary and attaching it to the chain, which she clasped behind her neck. She sat down, taking out the matching pen. She thought for a moment, before beginning to write on the first page.
Sakura Haruno
Age: 16
Job: Medical Ninja, Tsunade's Apprentice, Head Medic
Favorite Color: Red
Best Friends: Ino Yamanaka, Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuuga, TenTen, and Gaara
She turned the page, excited.
July 15, 2010
Dear Diary,
Today was my first day off in ten months. Tsunade works me to death, and I'm usually happy to oblige the busty, drunken Hokage who just happens to be my master. Well, Ino and I went on a major shopping spree today and it was pretty damn fun. I've decided that I'm going to give up on Sasuke, whose name will not be mentioned after this as to remove him from my regard so much, that, eventually, I will move on to better men, like, say, Gaara. Gaara is sweet and considerate, and did I forget to mention that he's into me?
Well, I'm thinking I might as well give him a chance, seeing as HE won't be coming back to Konoha anytime soon. I got drunk with Naruto last night at the club, and he's coming to pick me up so we can go soon. It's because of Naruto that I found you in his pervy, deceased master's shop. I saw, "the Runaways" yesterday, and I have listened to Cherry Bomb at least fifteen times already. I'm thinking it'll be my new theme song...
P.S. Thank you whatever higher power sent Naruto to me tonight. I feel a lot lighter just writing about my problems :)
Sakura closed the diary, smiling brightly.
"Hey, Sakura-chan!" yelled Naruto's voice from below.
"Coming!" called back Sakura, who hurried to leave her apartment, locking the door behind her.
"You look smokin'," he complimented her, his breath tickling her ear. Sakura smirked.
"You don't look so bad yourself, Naruto nii-san." Naruto chuckled at the sound of his nickname.
"Let's go." They walked, arm in arm as they usually did, talking about their day. When they reached the club, Sakura spotted Ino and left Naruto alone with Hinata, who he'd finally realized his love for after his fight with Pain.
"Hey, Ino-pig," smiled Sakura, hugging her friend.
"Billboard brow," acknowledged Ino with a smile, returning the gesture. They sat beside one another, ordering drinks for themselves.
"Where's TenTen?"
"Something about a sparring match with Neji…you know how those two are," smirked Ino, taking a sip of her alcoholic beverage.
"I'm getting over him," Sakura told her friend, "and I'm going to see if Gaara's Mr. Perfect."
"Good luck with that, my foxy friend," giggled Ino.
"How's it going with you? Your love life, I mean." Ino's eyes glanced over at Sai, who was conversing with Naruto with that damned smile on his face, before she turned back to Sakura.
"There's your answer," deadpanned Ino.
"Go get him," smirked Sakura.
"Don't mind if I do." Ino stood, drink in hand as she approached Sai with a flirtatious smile. Sakura sometimes envied Ino's self-confidence, but that was a matter she herself would eventually overcome. "All the Single Ladies," by Beyoncé came on, and Sakura stood, heading to the dance floor with Ino. The pair began to dance to the song, losing themselves in the beat and the darkness of the club, the feeling of freedom as their bodies brushed against those of others, of strangers who held no regard for them whatsoever. When the song ended, Sakura retreated back to the bar with the entire group, all sitting next to one another. They ordered a numerous quantity of sake bottles for the table, and the bartender looked at them as if they were crazy before obliging their request.
"I wonder if they have a microphone around," said Ino.
"Maybe we could do karaoke," suggested Hinata shyly. Naruto's arm was wrapped around her shoulder affectionately, and he nuzzled her neck. She was blushing beet red, and Sakura couldn't help but think that it was a cute scene. Yet at the same time, Sakura wished that she had someone to nuzzle her neck affectionately. She blushed at the thought, before shaking it away and speaking.
"You two are absolutely adorable together!" she gushed. Naruto looked up at her with a grin, and Hinata smiled.
"Thank you," she said.
"Speaking of couples, Ugly, are you ever going to find yourself a man whose eyes don't burn out of their sockets when they spot you?" inquired Sai, smiling as if his comment was the most polite thing a person had ever managed to say aloud.
"SHUT UP!" shouted Sakura, punching Sai across the room before sitting with a satisfied smile.
"That'll take a while to heal," winced Ino.
"That jerk deserved it, though. Ino, admit that that was funny!" whined Naruto.
"I don't think it was," replied Ino briskly. At that opportune moment, their order of sixteen bottles of sake arrived. Sakura was the first to take a glass of it and gulp it down, wiping her lips afterwards. The group indulged in the liquid, taking as much as their sanity allowed. Only thirty glasses later, Sakura's vision was blurred and dizzied, and she called the bartender for a microphone, her voice portraying the perfect picture of drunkenness.
"Here you go, miss," he said. She snatched it from his hands, standing abruptly on the table and turning on the microphone. She began to sing, "Cherry Bomb," by the Runaways, and the entire club was eyeing her skeptically, some even singing along with her off-key voice. Hinata joined in moments later, and Naruto was eyeing his girlfriend with unabashed, lustful eyes. Ino then decided to partake in the song, and Sai's eyes refused to leave her figure; a behavior Sakura didn't miss. She sang song after song, until she began to sing, "All By Myself," by Jenny Thursoe. This song was something akin to Sakura's single status theme song. Hinata stepped down for that song, choosing to make out with her boyfriend instead as the couple left the bar.
"Ino," came Sai's husky voice, "you're not all by yourself." He captured her lips in a kiss, and Ino looked completely shocked. Sakura, panting, suddenly lost her balance. Everything blacked out as she fell off the table.
The next morning, Sakura awakened to find herself sporting a mind-searing headache. She took a few Advils, retreating back to her bed. She called in sick, and Tsunade, as often drunk as she was, understood. However, Sakura knew that she wouldn't have a day off for months if Tsunade felt she was slacking off. Sakura fumbled about, searching for any signs of who had dropped her off at her apartment. She found a post-it note reading:
Sakura,
You passed out stone-drunk last night after singing, "All by Myself," that Bridget Jones song you love. I hope you're happy with your decision to go binge-drinking repeatedly. Sai and I are together now! I can't wait for you to see Gaara again. Hell, the whole group is excited to see what happens (except for Neji and Shikamaru...and Lee, for that matter) Sai carried you back here last night, being the sweetheart he is-
Sai's handwriting commenced from there.
Ugly, in short, get over Sasugay. Seriously.
Sakura laughed loudly, falling over in her bed. She took out her diary, snuggled up in her sheets, and began to write.
July 16, 2010
Dear Diary,
Things are changing. Last night, I went to the club with Naruto. I ended up hanging out with the whole group, and now I'm dealing with a nasty hangover. I sang a multitude of songs, the two I remember being, "Cherry Bomb," and, "All By Myself." Sai kissed Ino after that song! Things are getting better, and I'm overcoming my obsession with HIM gradually. HE doesn't matter right now; the things that matter are the people who've stuck by me and deserve my love for what they've done.
Sakura paused, before continuing.
Gaara deserves everything I have, especially since he helped me with my medical work last time he visited. To top it off, he got Lee to back off last time, took me out to an amazing dinner, and didn't get angry when I rejected him, though he did look somewhat hurt. I'm going to give him a chance, no matter what! SHANNARO!
And Sakura stopped writing, succumbing to the strange urge to sleep instead.
"Sakura!" Gaara, clad in a panda suit, was skipping towards her with a giant, rainbow lollipop in hand.
"Gaa-chan!" Sakura was dressed as a cherry.
"I love you, my cherry," he gushed, hugging her with his cute paws.
"I love you too, Panda-chan," she replied, blushing. Suddenly, lightning crackled across the sky and Gaara looked up with a horrified expression.
"No! It can't be!" he exclaimed, absolutely terrified. Sakura buried herself in his arms as the lightning hurtled down from the heavens towards the once-cheerful Earth. A dog made of lightning barked at the despairing couple, before Sakura heard him say,
"Sakura, what are you doing out this late?" In HIS voice.
"Sasuke-kun, don't go! I love you!" she begged him.
"I thought you loved me." Gaara's lip was trembling and large tears dribbled down his face. Sakura looked from male to male, stricken with confusion.
Sakura awoke, blinking. What on Earth was wrong with her?