Awesome Dates and Not-so-Greats

A/N: This is dedicated to a friend who was a big part in getting me to publish fanfiction. Saku-chan.x will always be one of my dearest friends and a never ending supply of support. She's leaving fanfiction. For those of you who are fans of her work, listen up. We have no right to stop her. People grow, people change and we may very well see her real name on a book someday. Don't stop her from growing. Saku-chan, if by some chance, you're reading this please know that I MISS YOU ALREADY!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters Naruto series, characters or The Princess Bride movie.

Chapter 1: Here's the deal

Sakura Haruno was not happy. Ino Yamanaka, Temari Sabaku, and Tenten (if she had a last name she had apparently sworn to never utter it), her supposed best friends, were looking all too delighted with themselves. Hinata Hyuuga looked apologetic. There will be blood tonight! Sakura vowed quoting one of her favorite movies known as The Princess Bride. Quoting was something she did when there was hell to be paid with interest.

On the subject of paying, Sakura thought as she looked down at the filthy list in her hands. What heinous sin had she committed to deserve this. Her friends had apparently been very busy while she was studying. They had threatened, blackmailed, and bribed the college's most eligible bachelors into having a single date with her. She just had one question.

"Why bother?" She couldn't help but wonder aloud. The men listed here were either the most stoic bastards to ever set foot on their campus, hyper active idiots who fell in love with different girls every day, or total playboys who were as handsome as they were arrogant and wouldn't look twice at her.

"Sakura the boys listed here have the same track record of meaningful relationships as you do, that being none at all." Tenten explained.

"They're hot." Ino stated.

"Besides if there's anyone who can make them serious it's going to be you." Temari answered.

"They're hot." Ino continued as though it were something new.

"Plus if there's anyone on campus who can get you the least bit interested in romantic relationships without you taking the initiative it's them."

"And finally they're hot." Ino remarked finishing not only her list but that of the rest of their friends as well.

"I refuse." Sakura replied.

"You have no right. I'm paying for this apartment and if you don't do as we demand you will find a new place to live." Temari threatened.

"You wouldn't." Sakura rebuked despite being inwardly horrified. Temari smirked a crazy sinister smirk that reminded Sakura of her brother Gaara.

"Are you really going to take that chance Sak?"

Basically she was helpless as friends took her to the torture chamber, or as the ever polite Hinata would put it, Ino's room. Without hesitation they sat her down and began a long and grueling process. They gave Sakura a makeover and made sure to hold her there until the hour was up.

X

X

Sakura had asked multiple times about who was taking her where this evening since the list of places and men did not tell her when she would fall victim to whom. Each time she received no answer, not even from Hinata. They all insisted that the first date had to be a surprise.

They had to practically carry her down stairs and Sakura couldn't help being reminded of a sacrifice being forced into a beast's lair to appease his wrath. Sakura struggled as her feelings of dread increased, but immediately ceased her flailing when she remembered they were, in fact, her best friends.

Then they were done with the stairs and Sakura found herself looking into a pair of very bored cinnamon colored orbs. Date number one was actually one of her very wealthy classmates known as Sasori Akasuna. What the hell was going on? She looked to Hinata silently questioning what he was doing here as it was widely believed he hated her.

"His f-father c-cut him o-off." That was all Hinata could get out before Sasori glared at her. Hinata looked as though she'd been shot the minute she noticed. She was a bit timid. When Sakura realized what happened to suddenly silence her she glared right back at the redhead. He smirked at her when he noticed.

Sasori and Sakura had always had a sort of rivalry going. While they respected each other for being at the top of their classes, they often competed for the top score. While Sakura's scholarship was directly affected by her grades, Sasori just did so because he was a jerk. That was what she assumed at least, since he had never spoken more than two words to her.

"We're going to be late if we don't hurry. Are you coming or not?" Sakura's jaw dropped slightly in both shock and displeasure. Though she now had to change two words to two sentences he still managed to piss her off with as few words as possible. That aside the shock was also partly due to how attractive his voice actually was.

Sakura attempted to walk in a way that would show both her reluctance and outrage. Attempted was the key word as it resulted to her downfall… literally. She quickly stumbled then fell due to the awkwardly high heels Ino had forced on her. To her infinite surprise Sasori lunged forward to catch her even quicker than her friends could. She had to admit that was slightly impressive considering his obvious dislike of her and her friends were her physically closer to her nearly fallen form.

What was even more surprising was how careful he was steadying her. Sakura looked at him in confusion only to find him glaring at her friends. That was weird.

"I thought you said she could dance. How is she supposed to do that when she's apparently having trouble walking?" He growled in quite an angry fashion. Funny because last she checked, he signed up for this. She didn't. Temari smirked.

"Oh just you wait till the music plays." Tenten reassured him. He glowered at them until Sakura had enough of being talked about as though she wasn't even in the room.

"Can we please just get this over with?" She inquired halfway between a whine and an irritated snarl. Sasori looked down at her the glare that had been his constant and only expression that night lit up with anger at the insult along with something else entirely, something Sakura had a much harder time recognizing.

Without another word he grasped her wrist firmly and in a brisk walk, made his way to the door.