A/N: This is my first story on this account; I have another account, but it's from when I was like … Thirteen? Yuck. Sucky stories. Gross. Anyways, I'm hoping to get back into writing, better this time. Wish me luck?

Description: Sakura was a painter. She had dreams, goals, and ambitions. But that all changed the day she met Naruto. Tensions grow high as she has to figure out her feelings, and choose her paths. SakuNaru OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters associated with or around Naruto.

WATERCOLORED PASTEL
Chapter One

It had never occurred to me how often I left the house. Barely ever, really. I usually sat in various rooms of the house, painting the outside from the inside. When I felt brave, I would go on the roof or the porch. Sometimes, daddy would take me out with him and his friends so I could paint the scenery. But mostly, I didn't get out much.

Growing up, I had a friend named Tenten. She was adventurous, kind-hearted. As we got older, she would go out more often. She'd go to the drive in with the neighborhood boys or to the carnivals with friends when they were in town. More and more often lately, she would come over to tell me about a boy that she had met up with, or a boy who had asked her out on a date.

Now, these were things I couldn't really care for. I did too much to worry about boys. I was tutored at home, painted everyday for almost three hours solid, and then I had various other things that mommy made me do. Piano lessons at 12 o'clock, ballet at 2. Tutoring filled the slot until around 5, then dinner with my family. After dinner, I'd spend quality time with my parents, play piano for them, sit around and laugh and be merry. Then around 8 o'clock, I would crawl into bed with a book. 9 o'clock? Lights out.

I only ever had the mornings to myself. Not that I complain about it or anything. I love painting. It has been a passion of mine for years. I had the choice between it and writing. I hate writing. I never know what to say or how to collect my thoughts or anything. It's frustrating really.

"Sakura!" called a voice from downstairs. I automatically recognized it to be Tenten's. It was only 10:30 in the morning.

"Yes?" I responded from my art room.

Steps came from the wooden staircase, and then down the hall. Another right was taken and she was in the doorway of my art room, a huge smile on her face.

"There you are silly. I talked to your mother. You have the day off, and you're coming with me," she said, slightly out of breath.

I'm sure about now is when the confusion plastered my face.

"What are you talking about?"

"I asked her if I could steal you just for today. It took some convincing and some help from good ol' daddy, but it was managed. C'mon, silly. Get dressed; we're going out to the park."

I took the paintbrush that was in my hand and swirled it around in my cup of water for a bit. I walked over to the sink and turned it on slightly, letting the water trickle down and dispose of the dirty water on my brush. Turning off the faucet, a grabbed the towel on the counter and dried off my brush, putting it in the bucket with the rest of them. As I gathered up my paints to put them in the cabinet, I commented,

"I have no idea how you managed that one. Mother is very high on her horses about everything these days. It's always, do this and that oh so perfectly and if you mess up you better pray for your life."

I washed my hands off and dried them before walking passed Tenten to my bedroom. She followed.

"You know, I'm a bit smarter than you like to give me credit for," she murmured. Her hands graced her hips in a fluid motion.

I closed my bedroom door behind her and took off my painter's dress. Rummaging through my closet, I found my 'out-and-about' dress.

Tenten fingered the fabric. "I love this dress," she admired.

I laughed slightly, imagining to myself what the dress would look like on her.

xXxXx

"Tenten, wait up!" I shouted as I ran to meet up with her. I climbed into the passenger seat of her Chevy Camaro. The silver paint job shined in the sun, only being about 11 o'clock, noon at the latest.

I crossed my legs at the ankles, looking down at my red and white polka dotted fifties dress. Looking over at Tenten, I noticed she was beaming, having let her borrow my dress. It looked beautiful on her, gave her skin a milky glow, an extra bounce in her step.

We pulled into the parking lot at the park and I looked around. I noticed the scenery was beautiful. There were small children playing on the swing set and jungle gym, small animals running through the grass patches. On the other side of the patch were some picnic tables, one of them filled with a group of teenagers and another housing a couple, making out pretty full on it seemed.

Looking down at my hands, I remembered never having a boyfriend before. I'd had crushes before, obviously, as any girl has growing up. I've wanted to marry prince charming, or the charming men on the television. I've seen cute young delivery men and daddy had a few men a bit older than me that he was acquainted with visit the house every so often. Never have I really been much more than friends with any boys. In fact, the closest boy I was ever actually friends with was my good friend Lee, who happened to be gay. Luckily for Lee, I know how to keep myself looking good. I taught him how to pluck his eyebrows and I cut his hair. His mother gave him this awful bowl cut. Gag. Anyways, I cleaned him up well and he managed to snag a boyfriend. I should be jealous, right? My gay friend got a boyfriend before me. I'm pathetic, truly.

Tenten and I linked arms, walking over to the picnic table with the group of teenagers at it. She scooted in next to a boy who strangely didn't seem to have … pupils? I sat beside her, my hands in my lap and my eyes meeting the table. I could feel the blush coming on before she even said anything.

"Hey guys, this is the beautiful Sakura I was talking about," she said smugly, emphasizing the beautiful part. My cheeks grew redder and I found a nice little spot where the paint had chipped off the table.

"She sure is a doll," came a voice. Oh look, an ant is on the table.

I felt an elbow jam itself into my side and I jumped. "Ow," I groaned, rubbing my side. My eyes went up and I looked around the table. It was a group of six of us. I saw the snobby looking blonde one first. My eyes rested on the purple haired one that seemed to have the same eyes as the boy next to Tenten. My eyes hit the last person sitting with us, a blonde haired male with intensely brilliant blue eyes. He looked upbeat yet nervous, so I quickly looked away and found my paint chipped spot on the table again. I muttered a hello and became really quiet.

Conversation flowed between Tenten and the others. The blonde female was introduced as Ino; the strangely eyed ones were cousins, Neji and Hinata. The other blonde was named Naruto. I noted his name in my head but didn't say anything, picking more paint off the table.

"Sakura? Are you coming?" questioned Neji. I looked up; everyone was walking through the grass. I saw them all sit in a circle, two empty spots for me and Neji. I laughed slightly, more at my own stupidity for not being more observant of my surroundings and swung my legs out to meet up with everyone else. I kicked my sandals off to the side and sat down, knees underneath me.

To my right was Hinata; to her right was Tenten, then Naruto, Ino, and Neji to my left. In the circle were a small book and a die. I looked over at Tenten.

"Okay," she announced. "Here are the rules. I will go first and then we will go clockwise, meaning to my left and so on and so forth. It's simple. I roll the die, numbered 1 through 6. Everyone has a number, me being one, and then to my right being two and so on. That makes me one, Naruto two, Ino three, Neji four, Sakura five, and Hinata six. The roller asks the person that was picked a question. If you roll yourself, roll again." She picked up the die. "First category… questions about favorites."

As the die rolled out of her hand, I had the gut instinct that my number would be rolled. And I was right.

"Alright, Sakura, what's your favorite quote?"

"The most beautiful thing you own is your soul," I answered. My cheeks flared but I kept eye contact with Tenten.

"That's really pretty." She handed the die to Hinata. Hinata rolled and got two.

"Naruto, where's your favorite place to be?"

He smiled to himself mysteriously. I tried not to show that I was gawking at how adorable I thought he was. I bit my lip and looked down when he was about to answer.

"Anywhere in nature that is quiet and alone." My stomach flipped when he spoke. It was like he was speaking for me, because that's how I would've answered.

I took the die from Hinata and rolled. Four. I looked up at Neji, truly terrified by the eye contact but I managed to get a grip. I exhaled. "Favorite book?"

"Where The Wild Things Are." I giggled at his answer. That was my favorite book ever growing up.

xXxXx

Questions flew by and favorites were thrown. Everyone had been asked their favorite color and food. Some were asked their favorite people, books, places. The category changed a few times, went to embarrassing moments and hobbies. I got to tell a story about getting paint all over my dress and not noticing it in front of daddy's clients, and I got to tell people about my painting. I learned that Ino was taking acting classes to being a movie star, and Hinata wanted to be a writer. Neji was attended film school. It seemed we all had things that were in common. Naruto said he couldn't think of any embarrassing moments and Tenten snorted while explaining the time he fell off a swing and landed in some girl's ice cream. He turned a bright shade of pink and it made me smile real wide. Everyone was having a blast, and it seemed like I had finally made a decent group of friends.

Night time had fallen, and the category had changed to anything goes. Neji had the die and he rolled. Five. I gulped slightly and looked up into his eyes. I had managed to stop being reluctant to look at him after all the hours.

"Would you mind if we changed the game to truth or dare, Ten?" he asked. She shrugged and looked over at me. I gulped again as the words "truth or dare" left Neji's mouth. I looked around at the expecting faces and decided I didn't want to look like a pussy in front of my new friends.

"Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Naruto," he replied smugly. Everyone ooh-d except me and Naruto. I looked up at him, pleading for a way out of this. He seemed to be distracted, chewing on his lip. I got to my feet and brushed off my dress. He stood up in front of me. His height almost overwhelmed me as he got close. I could feel the heat taking over my face as I looked away slightly and closed my eyes. His hand took my chin and directed me upwards towards his face. I was about to die.

"Shit!" Tenten shouted. She shot up like a rocket. I fell out of stance with Naruto and took a deep breath.

"What?" I asked loudly and shocked.

She picked up my shoes and put on her own, grabbing my arm and running off with me towards the car.

"We're so screwed! Gotta go, bye!" she shouted behind her. I looked down at my watch. It was already nine thirty. "Tenten!" I shouted angrily. "You were supposed to watch the time!"

"I was but I got so caught up in everything and we were having so much fun and you were finally in the outside world and not cooped up in your own little bird house and you were about to kiss Naruto." She gasped for breath. "I completely forgot."

She pulled out of the parking lot as I put my sandals back on. I looked at the window as everyone watched us leave. They were all standing up and getting ready to leave themselves. My eyes glued to Naruto, who had his back turned to me, looking up at the stars. "Wow," I whispered.

"What?" Tenten asked.

"Huh? What? Nothing."

xXxXx

Pulling into the driveway, mother and father were on the porch. Tenten was too scared to leave her car, so she pulled out of the driveway as I walked to face my death sentence.

"Where have you been, young lady?" my father bellowed.

I looked up at his angry face and tears streamed quietly down my eyes. "At the park, daddy. We lost track of time. I'm so sorry, I was having too much fun and I didn't realize what time it was and—"

My father's arms wrapped around me and he buried his face in my pink hair. "It's okay, cherry blossom. We were just worried. Next time would you call and let us know?"

"With what cell phone, daddy?"

"Tomorrow, I will pick you up one on my way home from work, okay?"

I nodded and he released me. I went inside and straight to the kitchen, grabbing a cup of orange soda and a bag of Doritos. Heading up to my room, I overheard my parents talking.

"She's all grown up now, Phil."

"I know, Mandy. It makes me sad."

"She will make you proud, I know it."

I smiled all the way to my room. Changing my clothes, I got ready for bed. I sat at the edge of my bed and tapped my feet. I was so jittery that I got back up and started pacing. My mind was filled with thoughts of kissing Naruto, having Naruto kiss me, or kissing Naruto while he kissed me. I looked over at my clock on my nightstand. 11:11. "Make a wish, Sak." I closed my eyes. "I wish for Naruto." 11:12. Damn it, maybe I was too late for the wish. I frowned to myself, crawling under the covers.

"Who are you kidding, Sakura? A boy like him would never like you."

Review please?

AliceOXYMORON