Hello my lovely readers!! This is Ri-chan, just wanted to tell you that this story is dedicated to Beany09 (go check her out)!!

Disclaimer: (sigh) Do I have to go through this again. I don't own Naruto, which we all know I don't. What a drag…

Shikamaru Nara sighed, his eyes taking in every aspect of the girl, her shimmering platinum blond hair, her graceful body, her luminous pale blue eyes sparking as she argued with a pink-haired girl. Ino, he thought, the girl that waltzed through his dreams at night. He'd had a crush on her since they were taught by Aruka-sensei. He had been secretly thrilled when they had been assigned to the same team. Of course she liked Sasuke Uchiha. What was it about that guy that had every girl swooning over him; Shikamaru wasn't even sure Sasuke liked girls. But that was up for debate. But Sasuke wasn't in Konoha anymore; he had left and betrayed his village to join ranks with the filth called Orochimaru. With Sasuke gone, Shikamaru hoped he had a chance with Ino. That she had forgotten about the traitor. That she had moved on. But that could wait till tomorrow; right now he had more pressing matters to attend to.

Meanwhile, Ino was fighting with Sakura.

"Billboard brow!" Ino shouted at Sakura, her eyes shooting fire at the pink haired girl.

"Ino-pig!!" Sakura shouted, as she and Ino continued to throw insults at each other. Neither of the two noticing Naruto watching.

"Um…Sakura-chan?" Naruto said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Finally noticing the blushing blond, Sakura turned towards Naruto, "Yes? What do you want?"

Naruto, having finally gotten the girls attention flushed red, obviously embarrassed, "Um, could I talk to you in private? Please."

Ino, watching the two, said, "Whatever…" and turned and walked away.

"What'd you want Naruto?" Sakura said, looking expectantly at Naruto.

"Um…w-well I-I", Naruto stuttered, looking very uncomfortable, "Well Sakura-chan, um, I was wondering, w-well if you wanted to go do something with m-me? Like as a d-d-date."

Sakura, a bit shell-shocked, just stared at Naruto. Naruto mistaking her silence turned to go, obviously humiliated.

"Wait Naruto," Sakura spoke, her voice barely a sigh on the wind, "That sounds like fun."

Now it was Naruto's turn to be shocked into to silence.

"Really Sakura-chan?"

"Really, and another thing, if we're going to be dating, you need to stop calling me Sakura-chan, its just plain Sakura," Sakura smiled, who needed the jerk Sasuke anyway.

Later that night as Shikamaru lay bed he thought of Ino. He wondered what she was doing, if she was asleep or thinking of Sasuke like he was thinking of Ino. Shikamaru sighed, would he ever get his chance for Ino to love him the way she loved Sasuke. That Sasuke guy was so troublesome. Shikamaru wished he would completely disappear from their lives. But no, a guy like Sasuke would never completely disappear, he would come back one day. But until that day Shikamaru vowed he would do his best to try to win Ino over. Somehow.

In her bedroom at her house, Ino was sitting at her desk writing a letter.

Dear Sasuke-kun,

I know you think I'm annoying and really don't care, but I want to tell you that I love you. You are everything I want; smart, strong, handsome, and so hard-working. I don't think I'll ever love anyone else as long as I know there is a chance you feel the same way. I love you so much I would die for you. I hope one day that you will feel as strongly for me. Until that day I will wait for you.

Devotedly Yours,

Ino

Finished with the letter, Ino slipped it in her pocket, to carry it with her in case Sasuke came back.

The next day Shikamaru woke up late, he had a meeting with his old sensei.

"Damn it! Just what I need!" he said as he rushed to put on his chuunin vest and grab his kunai pouch.

Shikamaru hurried out the front door and onto the street, running without watching where he was going. As Shikamaru turned a corner he ran right smack into Ino. He watched in horror as she fell backwards and landed on her backside.

Ino, surprised as much as angry, looked up to see who had run into her.

"Watch where you're going Shikamaru!"Ino yelled, her dignity pretty much shot at the moment, "Why are in such a hurry anyway?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Ino. I'm, uh," Shikamaru got tongue-tied all of a sudden, "I have a meeting."

"Oh," Ino said, as she got up, rubbing her lower back, "Well just make sure you don't run into anymore people."

Shikamaru grinned sheepishly, "I won't."

"Ok, well I got to go, bye," Ino said, walking away.

Shikamaru just stood there until Ino disappeared. When he could no longer see her, he let out the breath he'd been holding. As he did, he spotted something on the ground, it was an envelope. Shikamaru picked it up. Ino must have dropped it when she fell, he thought. He wondered what was in it, but he decided it could wait till later. He put in his pocket and continued to his meeting with more caution.

Thank you for reading!! (flying glomp)

Stay tuned for the second chapter, which should be up soon. Please fave and review. 3