Author's Note: Hello, everyone! I have written a few one-shots for Naruto, but this will be my first story. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it. If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to either leave a review or PM me. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please be kind and remember that I am a real person and not a writing machine for your individual needs and pleasures.

Summary: Sakura knows that she can only depend on a few things in life: Naruto will always be her best friend, Sasuke will only ever be a friend and nothing more, Itachi will always be a mystery, her mother is missing, her father deserves to be dead, and the pain will never stop. What Sakura doesn't account for, however, is that things can change.

Pairings: I may change my mind, but as of right now I'm planning on this story being Itachi x Sakura. In the beginning of the story Sakura will have feelings for Sasuke (naturally), but she will not be acting on them. In the future there may be brief spells of Naruto, Sasuke, or other characters showing feelings for Sakura, but she most likely won't be acting on them, either.

Rating: This story will be rated T as most of my stories are, but if at any point in time anyone believes the story should be moved to the M rating, please let me know. This story will be discussing domestic and verbal abuse, self harm, and bullying. There may be futures scenes of mature content, but nothing too extreme. I will most likely give an advance warning if a scene is boarder-line M rating, though, like I said, that may not happen.

Chapter Length: this chapter was around 2,100 words before adding notes and information, and I will try to make all chapters around 2,000 words. This may not always happen, so please don't be surprised or upset if a chapter is short or very long. Once again, I will probably give advance warning to this in an Author's Note.

Cover Art: I do not own the cover art for this story. I simply looked up "Sakura Haruno in pain" on Google Images and the cover art for this story was one of the results.

Title: The title of this story is inspired by the song All Around Me by Flyleaf. I am using the song lyrics as vague references to this story. If you see any specific connections between this story and the song, feel free to mention it in a review; there's a chance you'll be featured in future chapters!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. Masashi Kishimoto owns the show, manga, and all characters (aside from my OCs, which I will point out if needed).

The air was thick with humidity, partly from the rainy weather outside and partly from the amount of teenagers sweating. The room was large, as was any gymnasium, but the room felt small and cramped, especially for Sakura.

What if the ball comes to me? Sakura asked herself. She watched as the volleyball passed from her team to the other team and back. It was almost like a dance. The two teams acted each as a person, and the ball was the rhythm. They swayed back and forth with grace and perfection. What if the ball comes to me and I mess up that perfection?

Sakura could feel it all around her, the tension. What if I fail? What if everyone laughs at me? What will my friends think? What if they don't want to be my friend after I mess up their beautiful dance?

All too soon, the ball came soaring through the air and right to Sakura. She looked around frantically and the world slowed down. Sarada and Karin, in the very front, seemed annoyed and impatient. They know I'm going to mess up. Naruto and Sasuke were at the front on the other side of the net, both looking worried. Are they worried because I'm such a spaz and they know I'll mess up? Beside her, Itachi had a small smile on his face.

Sakura's heart stopped beating. Itachi, when did you become a rock in my lonely sea of despair? Looking at his kind face, she knew that it didn't matter if she hit the ball or not. Surely Itachi will catch it if I don't, right?

Sakura slowly put her hands up, ready to hit the ball, but suddenly the world began moving full-speed again. The ball flew at her with incredible speed and didn't stop until it collided with her forehead. Sarada's barking laugh and Karin's shout of "forehead girl" was the last thing Sakura heard before waking up.

When Sakura did wake up, her hand moved to gently touch her forehead. She winced slightly when she felt the tender skin and slight pain. By now there was probably a nasty bruise rather than a red mark, but bruises weren't something Sakura got worked up about. Not anymore, at least; she was used to it.

Sakura thought about her options. She could certainly lay in bed all day, but that would have serious consequences. Her father would want his coffee and breakfast made when he woke up. Her only other option was to get up and start her day, which was the only smart choice.

It took a lot of effort, but Sakura managed to sit up. Her head was pounding and she wasn't sure if that was because she slept on the floor or if it was because her father had hit her pretty hard with a beer bottle last night, which was the cause of the pain on her forehead.

Sakura wasn't surprised by her dream. Whenever her father hurt her, which was any time he was home, she always had a dream about getting hurt in some way, usually far more innocently caused. She was also dreading the start of school in a few weeks. Most people found her to be stupid, ugly, and a clutz, and they didn't think twice about reminding her about the qualities she lacked. She didn't have school that day, which was good enough news to give her the final push she needed to get out of bed.

Sakura hadn't had a chance to do her own laundry in a while, so she didn't have many clothes to pick from. It was almost obvious that she would be wearing an old camisole and a pair of sweatpants that day. She didn't get a chance to take a shower the night before, either, so her hair was looking worse for wear. It was a miracle that the rat's nest was able to be put into a proper ponytail, a miracle Sakura was grateful for.

It was almost nine o'clock in the morning, so Sakura knew that she had a few hours before her father woke up. She decided to take advantage of the time while he slept. After starting a load of laundry, Sakura began cleaning the house as fast as she could. All the empty beer bottles were thrown away, the kitchen was wiped clean, the dishes were done, and the floors were swept. Only an hour had passed, which was fortunate for Sakura.

Kizashi always left his phone, keys, and wallet on the kitchen counter. If Sakura went through his phone or drove his car, then she would certainly be reprimanded. His wallet, however, was mostly fair game. Sakura couldn't use his money to buy herself anything, even essential toiletries or food; that's why she had a part-time job. Sakura could, however, use his debit card to go buy him more beer, coffee, or snacks that were probably terrible for his health. Usually Sakura gave his debit card to Minato, her best friend's father, and he bought the beer.

Kizashi had less than half a case of beer left, so Sakura knew that she should get more. She also needed a few things from the store, so she grabbed her wallet and her father's debit card before heading out of the house. She only had to walk across the street to get to Naruto's house, which was very convenient.

Sakura knocked twice on the door, wondering who would answer. Minato and Kushina, Naruto's mother, were both teachers, so neither of them currently had jobs. Kushina occasionally volunteered at local charities, which meant there was a chance she wasn't home. Naruto usually slept in later than Kizashi, so it wasn't likely that he would answer the door. Naruto also had two siblings, Boruto and Himawari, but they only answered the door when no one else was home.

To Sakura's relief, Minato himself answered the door. He smiled when he saw Sakura and it only took a second for his smile to falter. He looked past Sakura and saw Kizashi's car sitting in the driveway. He looked back to Sakura before saying, "Sakura, your forehead looks like it hurts a lot."

Sakura shrugged. She couldn't hide anything from Naruto and his family, especially since they live right across the street. Sakura would tell them whatever they didn't hear themselves, and they basically knew it all. Boruto and Himawari were never told, but Boruto was beginning to figure things out.

"Please, come in," Minato said, opening the door open the whole way. "I didn't realize that Kizashi was home." Usually when Kizashi comes home, Sakura stays at Naruto's for the night. The first night is usually the worst, since Kizashi drinks more and is more stressed. "Do you need any ice or pain killers for your head?"

"No, I'm fine," Sakura assured him. He reached out to touch her and she let him. His thumb felt cool against her head as he gently ran it over the bruise. "I was wondering if you'd be able to go to the store for me."

Minato knew that Sakura didn't mean the grocery store, since he always went to get beer for Kizashi when he came home. "It's still beyond me how Kizashi expects you, a minor, to get him beer." Minato grabbed his keys and led Sakura to his car.

"He expects it now," Sakura explained. "I only started doing it because it makes things a little easier." She gave a non-convincing smile at Minato. "I'll be fine. And thanks again for getting the beer." Minato always offered Sakura a ride to the grocery store, but today she didn't feel like listening to his pity-requests, as she often called them. Instead, she ran down the street before he could offer.

The grocery store was about a mile away, and Sakura used the time to try to clear her head. Now that she wasn't busy, she began thinking about the previous night. Minato didn't know that Kizashi was coming home because Sakura didn't even know. She had been watching television when her father stormed in, angry that she wasn't prepared for him. The argument started easily, as well as his drinking. Four beers later they were still fighting, and that's when he hit her.

Sakura took a few deep breathes to calm down before going into the grocery store. She needed to get what she needed and get out before Minato finishes getting the beer. She just knew that he'd wait outside to give her a ride home, and that just wasn't an option. She raced through the aisles, filling her basket with everything she needed. She was just about to get the last item she needed when she saw two familiar faces standing in front of her.

"Sasuke!" Sakura said in surprise, having almost run into him. She tried to fight the blush creeping up her neck.

"Hey, Sakura, what's up?" Sasuke greeted her. He looked at the clothes she was wearing and the items in her basket and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a little young to be dressing like a tired mother and doing your grocery shopping this early in the morning?"

This time Sakura couldn't stop the heat in her face. She let out an awkward cough and shifted her weight between her feet. She had always been hoping that Sasuke wouldn't see her in a compromised state at the grocery store for two reasons. One, he knew nothing about her struggles at home. Two, he was undeniably the most attractive creature walking the Earth. He did not need to see her acting as a tired mother.

"Look at that blush," Sasuke chuckled. He put his finger on her neck and moved it up her face. "It goes from here to-" He stopped when his finger got to her forehead. "That's a pretty nasty bruise. What the hell did you do to get that?"

"Sasuke," Itachi chided. It was the first thing Itachi had said in the whole conversation, and until then Sakura had forgotten that he was there. Itachi always seemed to have that effect on people. "Don't be rude. It's a Tuesday morning during summer vacation. She probably just woke up and decided to run a quick errand for her parents. There's no need to call her a tired old mother."

Sakura was really starting to feel uncomfortable. She didn't have "parents," just "parent," and even that was a stretch. She also didn't like that her bruises were visible. Usually her injuries were in places that were easier to hide, but this time there might as well have been a blinking sign with an arrow.

Sasuke had a concentrated look on his face. "You're probably right, Itachi." He looked back to Sakura. "Sakura, I am deeply sorry for my actions. Can you please find it in your heart to- Ow!" Sasuke threw his hands up to his head, right over the spot where Itachi just hit him. "What's your deal?"

"Sakura!"

The trio turned to see Minato running up to them. He looked a little worried, but he quickly wiped the look off his face when he noticed that Sakura wasn't alone. Itachi and Sasuke exchanged glances, clearly not convinced by the sudden change in expression.

"I'm glad I caught you," Minato said. He smiled at the boys. "Hello, how have you guys been?" He didn't wait for a reply before speaking to Sakura again, "I figured you'd want a ride home. You must be tired from walking all the way here."

Sakura sighed. "Sure, if you must." She pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was already passed eleven. "Oh no! Minato, we should probably get going."

Minato smiled. "There's no rush. Kushina called me while I was out. The...thing was almost taken care of, so I hurried back to finish things up."

Sakura let out a sigh in relief. "That's great! Now I don't need to rush." She held up her basket. "I still have a little bit more shopping to do, then we can go. I'll see you later, Sasuke."

Sakura quickly walked away, hoping the boys wouldn't ask too many questions. She grabbed the last thing she needed before checking out and letting Minato drive her home. On the way he further explained, letting her know that Kizashi was packing up his car when Kushina saw him. Minato had given him his beer, since Kizashi knew that Minato was the one to always buy it, and then gave him his card back. Kizashi was never polite, but he hadn't been extremely rude, which was good. He was probably more cheerful than usual because he didn't have to deal with Sakura before leaving.

If only he could always leave without saying goodbye, Sakura thought bitterly. Maybe then my life would be a little easier.