Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

----

So many prejudices against teenagers. Tch. Oh, my poor poor baby, why did you do that?

Meet Sakura. She had always been a nice girl. She was so young. What happened to her? What happened to perfect Sakura Haruno? The girl who had everything. The looks. The money. The fame. What made her fabulous life spiralling downwards?

Soft pink colored hair fell all over her face after trashing her head to the ear-splitting sounds of the club she was in. She was having the time of her life. She, Sakura that is, had a tad bit too much. Again.

Ino shook her head and laughed heartily at her drunken friend while she herself grabbed her vodka shot and killed it in one go. "Want to dance?" a voice from behind startled her, she giggled sexily, turned around and started to dance with the man behind her. He was probably about six years older than her. But, hey, at least they seemed to share the same interests than her. Puh-lease I'm not talking about small-talk here.

While she danced and grinded hotly into the stranger she watched Sakura with a bunch of guys, hands roaming all over her thin body, some groping her. For a moment Ino felt disgusted at their live-style but it soon went away when she felt the bliss of her guy's hands roaming across her body. She smirked as she watched Sakura grab one's wallet out of his back pocket, him being totally unsuspecting about her actions, even leaning into Sakura who pulled out money and bid goodbye to her lovers, blowing each of them an air-kiss. The blonde got the cue to leave and followed the pink haired trickster outside.

They laughed when they grabbed their purses at the cloakroom along with their short leather jackets. Sakura wore a long white shirt fastened at her waist with a greyish belt and skin tight leggings underneath. Her outfit was completed by her black peep-toe high-heels and silver bracelets on her wrist. Ino wore a baby blue dress with a dark blue belt and matching high- heels. "How much did you get?" Ino grabbed Sakura's hand which was still clutching the money. When it opened it revealed 70$. "Woah… let's go bitch." The blonde nudged the pink. "My treat, hoe." Pink bow-shaped lips smirked.

The two girls made their way to another bar. Osaka has lots of them. They loved Osaka. They caught the train heading in northern direction of the city. Sakura's head slowly rested on the window and she caught sight of the contrast of the lights within the skyscrapers and the darkness of the night. A sigh left her lips before she turned around and watched Ino making her way inside the section where she sat. Smirking she pulled out two little bottles from her oversized purse. Still smirking she gave one to Ino who in exchange gave her a cigarette which was already lit. The pink haired girl took a deep calming breath. "I love this." She muttered half-loud, letting herself rest against the soft cushion of the train. "I do, too." Ino whispered, bumping bottles with the pink haired girl beside her. "Upon a long life drinking." They giggled and gulped the liquid in one go, enjoying the buzz and the burning in their throat. "What was that?" Ino asked. "Cinnamon Flavoured Tequila, I know you love it." She winked. "Puh-lease, it's your favourite. Selfish bitch."

"You're very welcome pig."

The blond was about to retort when a rough voice interrupted them. "Ticket please." Uh oh.

The old conductor did not smile when he reached out his hand for their tickets. "Um just a moment," Ino searched through her purse to stall time – "I was sure I put them in there. Forehead could you check your purse."
Before she could reach her bag the conductor stopped her hand with his rough grasp. "Is that.. alcohol? How old are you? Could you please give me your ID-cards? I don't think you're 21 yet. Is that vodka?!" The girl used the conductors confusion and locked- eyes. They started smirking at the same time and at the exact time when the train halted bolted out, escaping the conductors grasp by mere seconds making him strumble. Before Sakura rushed out, she took her time turning around. "It wasn't vodka. It was cinnamon flavoured tequila. Ladies don't drink vodka - ever. Pure that is." She waved wickedly as the doors closed right before the conductors face, taking off a second later. They still laughed when they reached the club making their way inside, they were stopped by the bouncer, asking for their IDs. "I'm afraid to say that we might have lost our cards due to our partying. But you won't regret letting us in because we'll definitely come back for you." Sakura winked at the baffled bouncer. "We could come visit you, too." Ino whispered right into his ear, standing on her tiptoes while sliding 30$ in his shirts front making sure to stroke his chest before stepping back. "Just… just don't cause trouble." He stuttered, letting them pass. They high-fived, stepped inside and let the bass tunes envelop them. After an hour of grinding and dancing they finally found some older guys paying for their bill bringing Ino and Sakura the buzz they wanted. They were now making their way to the washroom to touch-up their sluggishly smeared mascara when they saw them. They sobered up immediately, their evening ruined. Both of them rushed out, passing the bouncer at high speed. They walked in a bee-line due to their still drunken state in silence until they reached the train station. They exchanged glanced. "I hope it's the same conductor." Sakura said while Ino started to giggle. "I can't believe it was them. Do you think we just confounded them with someone else?" the blonde asked. "No… well at least I think it was them it would be too much of a coincidence for them to be there in a pair. "I'm just glad Tsunade-sama gave us a picture of the new students. Sasuke and his foster brother Shikamaru Uchiha. This could be very interesting." Sakura muttered darkly, still smirking. "Indeed." Ino agreed.

She walked from their train station home, her heels making clicking sounds on the wet asphalt. When did it start raining? She sighed deeply, closing the jacket tighter around her thin body smoking a cig. Opening the front door with her spare key underneath the stone next to the marbled front porch she stepped inside. Her heels echoed again when they came in contact with the polished wooded floor of the big entrance hall of the mansion she lived in. She currently lived alone. Currently being the wrong word here. She was living alone because her father was gone for a business trip, probably not returning for another total of 6 months. After removing her make-up sluggishly and brushing her teeth she fell into her oversized bed after undressing herself, not bothering about the mess she left in her room. Her face resting softly against the cushions, she opened her eyes, facing her ceiling. What happened to her family? She smirked without humour as she relived the last 7 years of her life in fast motion. It all started when her mother died in an accident. She and her father had issues about the accident leaving him to drink his dread and pain away. However, don't think he ever raised his hand against her because he did not. He was not close enough to do so because he spend numerous weeks being wherever-he-was. Sakura did not mind after all because she could not blame him for several reasons. Anyways, he did return but not alone. He had a new woman in tow with a child of herself and another on the way. This soon-to-be stepsister was everything Sakura wasn't at that time, maybe because of that her father did not love her? Or maybe it was because of that that her father transferred his business to Europe where he excelled and build up an empire of goods and hotel chains. Taking her perfect supermodel sister to and stepmother to Paris with him while he build up his second life there. The second life which obviously did not include her. At all. – Papa… ne m'ignore pas, s'il te plaît. Tu est mon père, n'est-ce pas ? She even learned French to be his perfect daughter.

But despite her struggle to regain his attention, she had accepted that Karin – the model, the actress, the it-girl despite being only 22 years old- took her place as daughter of the wealthiest man in Japan. Additional her mother always supported her in her interests and career and told her how marvellous her work war, how marvellous she looked in that fashion magazine how marvellous her new movie was and how marvellous she strutted across the catwalk. She never told Sakura how it was great that she was a straight A student. She never told her how marvellous it was that she wanted to become a doctor. She wasn't her daughter anyway, but her dad lived with her for ten years now.

They should've bonded because the girl needed a motherly figure in her life. Maybe she wouldn't have become the rebel she was if someone would've been there for her. Her step-mother knew nothing about Sakura. Not even about her sweet little addictions just like her father and the pink haired girl worked hard to let it stay that way. They thought Sakura was that perfect girl who they could leave at home for months without a call. Hakane – her stepmother- always said with her sickly sweet voice while drawing circles onto her husbands clad chest: "It' s marvellous how you can bear to be apart from your father for so long. I just knew I couldn't."

How she hated that word. Marvellous.

--

She woke up at 7am sharp and couldn't go back to sleep. She pulled open the curtains and watched the sun rising. Slowly she clothed herself in a comfortable trainings-outfit and some sport shoes and ate an apple.

It was already mid February but it was still pretty cold in the morning and she watched the puffs her breath made when she started running. The music blared out of her earphones giving her a steady rhythm which she could run to. She loved running it was the only way to get her head clear and to stop her thoughts from wandering off to different topics she didn't want to think about. The park which she was in was very beautiful it reminded her of some parks in London which were very amazing. The grass was green and soft, everywhere you looked were trees and nature. In some hours, children would run around here and play. She used to do that, too. She used to do it a lot when she was small. But now it was only her and frost-covered benches and her breath which reminded her that she was, indeed, still alive.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket but she ignored it. It was now half an hour she'd been jogging and her stomach already cramped again. The pain shot all the way up to her temples spreading all over her head and making her stop. Maybe she should quit drinking and partying sometimes even taking drugs. Maybe she should just stop her life before it came crashing down seriously. But her life was perfect, no, her life was amazing she couldn't do that. She wouldn't stop just because of some pains in her head. Seriously. Why should she deny that she needed that kick? When she started jogging again - after all a killer-body does need its training -a wave of dizziness made her slow down. Her vision blurred and her hands went up to rub them before a pain in her back made her bent over. She couldn't hold it in and she threw up the apple she'd eaten before. 'Well, at least I don't have to worry about gaining weight anymore.' She thought sarcastically and was about to go on when her legs gave way beneath her.

Sakura's eyes twitched when she woke up again. Her head was thumping like the bass she'd danced to the previous night. When she tried to sit up she noticed that she was laying in a hospital bed and some tubes were connected with her right arm. An oxygen mask told her that it must've been pretty bad this time and she was about to stand up when suddenly the door opened making her fall back down on the soft mattress.

"Good evening Miss Haruno." A woman dressed in a medical suit entered the room with a clipboard in her hand. She scribbled down some information while checking the tubes. "What times is it?" the pink haired girl whispered while trying to straighten down her hair which was hanging in tangles and knots all over her shoulders and partly her face which annoyed her big time. "It's about 6 pm." The doctor answered. Sakura took her time to take in the features of the woman in front of her. She was very tall and, to put it simple, gorgeous. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a long ponytail and ice blue orbs made a great contrast to her porcelain skin. To cut it short: she could've been a model. Her name tag said 'Uchiha Mikoto'. Wait. That Uchiha Mikoto? The most famous surgeon was in her hospital room checking up on her?

"What's wrong with me." Sakura asked, wincing at the pain in her abdomen. "Your body just responded to you actions. Your old doctor sent your files to me this afternoon which said that you've been taking drugs and drinking. Someone found you in the park down the street. Your condition was not at all stabile and we had to reanimate you. You seriously should consider joining a self-help group or getting a psychologist. The alcohol and not eating made her body loose strength to stay conscious. Your body responded to those kind of threatening symptoms by shutting down, hence making you faint."

"I'm okay… I don't need this." The pink haired girl muttered, referring to the self-help group.

"The hospital tried to call your parents because we found that driving licence in your wallet but they weren't home. Do you know when we are able to reach them? You're not 21 yet so we need to talk to your parents about your condition. It's lethal as it is now, you seriously need to look after yourself more."

That made her think. The pink haired girl silently looked out of the window. She could've died. Wait, she had been nearly dead this morning because she'd stopped breathing. "Also we found some signs for an eating disorder. Do you eat regularly? Honey… you're seriously killing yourself here." Concern made those ice blue eyes cringe, her mouth was pulled down into a frowning line. "No, I just don't eat that much." The pinkette answered. "Well you're underweight so you will have to gain some weight. I can't make you, but I recommend you seeing an expert. My husband is psychologist so if you want to, I could give you an appointment." A small smile grazed her lips as the younger girl slowly nodded her head. "Where are your parents?" she asked after opening the window to let some fresh air into the overheated room. "They are currently not at home, you won't reach them on their phones either. It is okay I can take care of myself and I promise you I'll check on a shrink soon. When can I go home?" Mikoto nodded her head and checked the files one more time. "Probably tomorrow morning." Sakura smiled and nodded her head and waved when the doctor excused herself.

When she was outside her room that smile was replaced by that sinister smirk. So her acting skills were not as bad as she thought. This doctor was not her mother. If she had one, that is.

The next day her chauffeur picked her up at the hospital. It was a very old man who worked for years for the Haruno family. He'd seen her grow up. He'd seen her mature. He'd seen her downfall.

At night she sat down at her window which faced the Haruno's garden and silently smoked on a cigarette. She loved it how it always calmed her down and she knew she'd never find something which could replace this feeling. Also she couldn't find anything which made this thing inside her going away. This thing they called loneliness. She moved over to her bed slipped under the covers. Tomorrow would be a new day of school and she'd pretend to be normal and perfect. Again.

She held her hair up in a high ponytail while her bangs framed her face beautifully. She wore a rosé-coloured empire dress with an greyish belt under her bust and some woolen leggings underneath. She matched her outfit with her crème coloured leather jacket and grey leather boots. On her wrist dangled four rings in different brown shades which were made out of wood. She wanted to stand out in with colors against the greys and darkish colors of the Christmas season. Her face had become a bit more colorful and with some added blush she looked not only healthy but gorgeous and she knew it.

"Off we go to school." She muttered while being driven to school.

When she made her way up the stairs of THS, as in Tokyo High School, she was greeted by some juniors who got in reward a smile and a nod making them squeal that the Sakura Haruno had nodded at them and they were only juniors.

Sakura smirked and shook her head when she heard them chatting excitedly. First day of school was always the best. Girls competing over their outfits, guys talking about their flings they took during their fall holidays and no real school. Teachers would leave them to themselves because they were too spent to teach them. They had holidays too, duh. Who said teachers couldn't be naughty? Smirk. She'd seen her fairly young plus attractive math teacher making out in a bar with a barely clad blond haired woman. Of course she could pull through the scene 'I'll tell and you're on my mercy.' But that wouldn't have explained why she way in a bar with people only over 25 alone in the first place. She couldn't deal with any more rumours than already existed. Gossip about her and a certain blonde drinking, doing drugs and dancing in dark clubs at night had already spread over the whole school. But nobody would actually believe them because, hey, duh, we're talking about Haruno Sakura and Ino Yamanaka here, the queen bees, the it-girls, the ones who was always the first to help a freshman find his/her new homeroom. Sakura the straight A student. Sakura the super-thin beauty of THS. Sakura the sugar-sweet girl with the friendly, but catty smile. And the best was, nobody noticed that it was fake. Sweet.

She walked over to her friends which were sitting on top of a table not-too-far away from her and greeted them by kissing their cheeks. "Couldn't you tell me that you were up for colors bitch?" Ino muttered, giving her The Look. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Sakura replied slowly:" No way hoe." For a moment no one talked until both of them burst out laughing, bumping hips. Ino was clad in a black tank top with an grey underneath and three thin silver necklaces which went all the way down to her navel. Dark skinny jeans and dark pumps made her look really good. She was the only one of Sakura's clique the pink haired could really trust. The others were lackeys to her, decoration, you could call them.

Akane was a beautiful, but kind of skanky looking brunette who wore a black miniskirt and a light blue halter top combined with black flats. Too cold for an morning in February. "Akane you really should dress more fitting for the season and besides… blues and blacks are such a no-go. You should know that honey." Sakura commented sugar sweetly, giving her friend a once-over again. "Sorry Sak." The girl's head dropped. "But just in case I got some spare jeans in my locker which would make your legs look hot." Sakura smirked at the look in the girl's face. It held humiliation, gratefulness and a fake smile mixed together.

She smiled before Kin asked her how her beige cardigan with short sleeves looked with her thin dark brown sweatshirt she wore beneath it. "Looks fabulous but you could add some accessories. Something gold would fit perfectly. How about we go changing in the bathroom girls. I might have some accessories in my locker, too." The three of them made their way up the stairs to the ladies' room chatting and gossiping non stop about the sluts of the cheerleading team and some hot guys Ino had met during fall break – Sakura did too, obviously and Ino was not exaggerating at the hot-guy-part. Woah! She tuned them out while she walked up the stairs, asking herself why she always was as rude as she'd been just now. She smiled darkly. Because they are no friends to us, they only like me and Ino because we're popular. Well that's life and that's the world of women where friends turn to enemies in matter of seconds. She was just glad that she had Ino, a person one could really trust and have faith in. "Sakura? How were your holidays?" Kin asked her, interruption her train of thoughts. "Nice. I ordered some guys to install a whirlpool inside the mansion it is so amazing." Waiting until the gushed excitedly about hot parties at her home, having no more questions which was good because a certain visit at the hospital and Ino and her nightly doings were not meant to be heard by someone else.

The door of the restroom closed quietly, leaving an nearly empty hallway behind.

Clank.

No one noticed the two dark haired guys who entered the school's doors with one push, bringing some cool air into the hallways of THS and, maybe, even a change.

--

I am currently rewriting another story which I published previously but deleted. I hope you liked it.

I will continue with this story if I get enough feed-back -nudge, nudge- be kind, though.

PS: some of my expressions might be wrong (like bouncer idk if that's the word) because I'm not a native speaker.

Lots of love.

Herbstkind.