Her eyes were closed, her whole body was forming a tiny ball, her long, pink hair which looked very much like bubble gum spread out around her head in a huge mass of softness. She wasn't aware of what happened the night before. She had no clue, at all. Her mind was clear, pure.. as was her stomach.

The sound of her own hunger woke her up instantly. Within seconds of being in reality, she was hit with a banging headache and the sour aftertaste of alcohol. It lingered on her tongue like a disease, or something that resembled one in a way. It was something she couldn't shake and she wasn't happy about it. For one, her throat was dry and aching, her eyes were drowsy and bloodshot, and her chest was continuously throbbing. And to top it all off, she was in a totally unnatural position and she winced as she rearranged herself.

She had never felt so sick in her life. "Alcohol..." She rasped, "never again!" She managed to croak out. Dragging her hand through her shaggy hair, untangling the knots, she yawned and then peered around the room. Her clothes were spread out in various parts of the room and her once white knickers hung over the knob of the bed... and that meant she was naked. Eyes wide and horror stricken, she clutched the sheets that lay neatly around her and then peeled them off her sweaty body. Her face burned a fierce crimson red and her lip began to tremble.

"Wha- how did I get naked?" She squeaked, obviously very embarrassed, but mostly curious. Pulling the sheets up to her chest to cover her bare skin, she sank back into the mattress, her mind a confused mess.

Keeping her tone light, she furrowed her eyebrows. "Just what happened to me last night?"

The previous night

In the quiet loneliness of the darkened room, she waited. He was late!She had expected a lot of things from him that night, but somehow in her muddled anxiety she thought he would have made the effort to come to the party. Not as her date, but as her friend. For her, the wait had been painfully bothersome, and she was getting the impression he didn't care for her. That was what annoyed her the most. She was nice to him all the time! She always protected him when he was injured in fights, always making sure he didn't get brutally murdered, and he always re-payed her with ignorance.

She couldn't blame him though... after all, she was annoying. She was just some little girl with a high school crush, wasn't she? If she could see into his mind she would probably find him calling her, 'a fly on the wall.' But, no matter how much this angered and upset her, her feelings for him were always greater, making her forget about the previous feelings.

The expectation of his arrival was great enough to distract her from everything apart from pacing around the room. She was growing more and more impatient and if he didn't arrive soon, she wouldgo insane.

"Sasuke," she said with a somewhat pained tone in her voice, "where are you?" She walked over to the window and leaned against it, one arm over the other as she gazed out at the stars. Her eyes began to water. What's wrong with me? She asked herself, why am I getting so upset over a boy?

"Hey, Sakura!" A sudden voice hauled her back into reality. She quickly wiped her damp eyes and turned to look at the source of the shrill voice. "You're missing the party!" Ino called out to her cheerfully, her bright smile wiping off her face instantly. "Are you okay, Sakura? You look all sad." She pointed out the obvious.

"I'm fine, why'd you ask?" She replied distinctively and it sounded as if she was trying to cover something up.

"You know your a bad actor?" Ino placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow as if to intimidate her.

Sakura did nothing but snarl and turn away from her. "I don't know what you're talking about!" She retorted in an unfriendly manner while sticking her nose in the air.

"You're so easy to foretell!" She shot back as-a-matter-of-factly.

Sakura swirled around and stomped towards her, her face scrunched with anger. "No I'm not! You selfish pig!" She snarled, not exactly knowing what to reply. She knew she was right, there was no denying that.

"You boy obsessed bimbo!"

"Boy obsessed?!" Sakura laughed, "I'm the obsessed one? You practically collapse when Sasuke enters the room!" She stated with her arms crossed. Oh yeah, I'm so right. "Now that's obsessiveness right there." She flicked her nose and then spun around, purposely allowing her hair to slap her in the face.

"You little-" she stopped in her tracks, an idea suddenly popping into her devious little mind. "Fine, I am the obsessive one, you win."

Sakura looked over her shoulder, "I do?" She asked, dumbfounded. Did I miss something?

"Yeah, you do." She smirked, "now come with us, Sasuke's inside." She pointed into the ballroom which was glowing like a rainbow.

Sakura froze,"S-Sasuke's... where now?" She squeaked, getting somewhat puzzled.

"Inside the ball room. He's standing in the corner with Naruto." She turned around and swayed her hips, "do you think he'll like my new outfit?" She stroked her thighs and seductively bit her lip.

Sakura's eyes almost popped out of her sockets. "WHAT?!" She snapped, "you listen here! Sasuke is mine, you hear me? If you go near him there will be hell to pay!" She was practically burning with rage.

"HA!" Ino laughed as she pointed her long, slender finger at her, "that proves YOU are the obsessed one." Her evil giggles sent a deep blush of embarrassment burning on Sakura's young little face.

"You ugly pig!" She roared with rage.

"Oh hush. Just come inside and party." Ino whirled around and began walking to the party.

I should go... if Sasuke's in there, she'll be all over him!

Sakura entered the party room and glanced around, hoping to find him. And to her surprise, Ino wasn't lying! He was there! That meant she had waited an hour or so for his arrival... when he was already there! Slapping her forehead, she groaned and sighed. I've just wasted precious time waiting when I could have been talking to him...

Naruto lifted his head and looked over at the door were his breath was taken away ever so quickly. Sakura wore a strapless dress that hugged her hips and knees. And VERY shocking to him, she actually had a petite bust. They looked firm and perfectly round. And in her white dress, her hair stood out in sharp contrast, stopping directly in the middle of her back. She looked, in his opinion, like a fallen angel and he only wished she would return his feelings.

He cared for her so much. He would do anything for her, including jumping in front of a bullet, but she didn't want to know. The only boy running through her mind was his friend yet his enemy... Sasuke. He couldn't help but envy him. He had everything.Good looks, strength, great chakra control, awesome fighting skills, and don't forget a cool attitude.

All the girls would practically drop on their knees and kiss his feet because they loved him so much. Oh, how he wished at least one girl would do that to him, that would make him the happiest boy on the planet.

Instead, they treated him like garbage, like an outlaw. It was as if they bullied him. Ever since a young boy he was treated as an outcast. He was that someone nobody wanted to know or talk to. He was always in the background, never noticed by anyone. My dream is to become the greatest Hokage so then everybody will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody.

That was his goal. Hokage. And he would stop and nothing to reach that goal.

He suddenly noticed Sakura looking over at them, her big green eyes watching, if not studying them. His heart began to pound against his rib cage, threatening to burst. The lump in his throat threatened to choke him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

"S-Sasuke, Sakura's coming over, what shall I do?" He asked his so called friend for help.

"Ignore her, she's annoying." He said simply before chugging down another glass of alcohol.

"Where did you get that anyway?" He frowned in confusion.

"Don't know, don't care." He said flatly.

Naruto did nothing but look at him confusingly and then turn around to stare at Sakura, who by now was a few meters away.

Why am I all nervous? It's not like I haven't been around her before.. He asked himself, puzzled.

Perhaps it was because she was wearing a different dress? It was a more revealing dress and she did look stunning...

Scratching the back of his neck, he leant against the wall next to Sasuke and began to bit his lip, hard. So hard, in fact, that it began to bleed a little.

"Hey, Sasuke." Sakura's friendly voice rang through Naruto's ears. Why didn't she say hi to me? Naruto thought sadly, his facial expression dropping.

Sasuke did nothing to acknowledge her presence, instead he turned his head and sipped his drink.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked, puzzled by his actions.

"What?" He snapped his head around, his eyes narrowed, and if she was correct, she could see either hatred or annoyance.

Sakura was taken aback by him, her lips quivering. "Oh.. I, er..." She mumbled whilst looking around the room. "I was... umm... just saying hey..." She smiled weakly, fresh tears brimming in the corners of her eye lids. She felt as if someone was grabbing at her heart, attempting to burst it.

"Well don't, I'm not in the mood for annoying females." He stated harshly while walking past her. Sakura's eyes widened as the words entered her ears.

"Sasuke..." She whispered, unable to keep herself from crying.

Naruto saw the pain reflecting from her sparkling eyes and felt pity on her. She always chased after Sasuke, and he didn't even care.

"Sakura?" Naruto spoke up after a few moments silence.

Sakura sniffed and then looked up at him before saying, "yeah?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, obviously very concerned.

"Yeah... fine," she replied quietly, her hands clenching into a tight ball, her nails ripping into her skin until she felt hot blood ooze between her fingers.

"...Are you sure?" Naruto held out his hand as if to place on her shoulder, but hesitated because of the look on her face.

"I said I'm fine, Naruto!" She shouted viciously, looking away.

Everything tightened inside of him, and he couldn't help but wonder, does she hate me?

An hour or so had passed, and Sakura was poised against the balcony's edge, her eyes locked on the sunset. Her heart had cracked, broken... and she wondered if it would ever be repaired.

It was now clear. It was obvious Sasuke didn't want her, so she should just give up. "I'm a failure," she swallowed audibly, trying desperately to forget his words.

"Well don't, I'm not in the mood for annoying females."

She dropped her head in the moment and sighed. Why was life so hard? Did the world have something against her?

She didn't know, but she did know something, and that was she had to move on, let him go... no matter how much it hurt.

"Hey there," a friendly voice slurred behind her.

Her ears twitched. The voice had a hint of something in it, something she couldn't place. She turned her head around, only to see Ino wobbling towards her.

"Ino?" She raised her pink eyebrow, "what's wrong with you?"

"Alcohol my friend," she put her arm around her neck, unable to stop herself from grinning.

"Alcohol?" Her eyes widened, "how did you get alcohol? You do know your too young? Does Asuma know?" She rushed curiously.

"We snuck it in... I may be too young, but - hiccup - I don't care, and hahahaha!" She rolled into fits of laughter.

Sakura pulled Ino's arm off of her and took a step back. "Umm..."

"Ino?" She asked, but got no reply for she was still guffawing.

"Ino?" Again, no reply.

"INO!" She screamed, causing her to jump out of her skin and collapse to the ground.

"Whoa, did you hear that?" She asked, confused. "I just heard a big bear..." She looked to the side and squinted her eyes.

Oh great, I sound like a bear.

"No, Ino, it was me. I'm no bear." She rolled her eyes, slightly vexed.

"Ah, Sakura the bear, wow." She giggled silently.

"I just said I wasn't a bear."

"Yes you are, you have a wide forehead like one."

Something inside Sakura snapped. "WHAT?! How dare you include my forehead into this you vile pig!" She towered over her like an avenlanche waiting to fall.

"Calm down, bear."

"I'm not a bear."

"Bear."

"Shut up." She clapped her hands together, "now, why are you drinking?"

"Because I enjoy to drink." She slurred.

"That's nice." Sakura retorted sarcastically.

"It is."

"But what if you get caught?" Sakura asked curiously, hardening her glare.

"What? Hot coffee on which port?" Ino snapped her head around in all directions, wondering were on Earth this hot coffee could be.

Sakura flopped her head forward and stared at her ankles. Why is she such an idiot?

"Sakura?" Ino interrupted her thoughts, attempting to stand up but failed as she fell down on her behind.

"Ino!" Sakura immediately ran to her side without hesitation. "You have to stop drinking! You could end up really sick!" She snapped, looking rather serious.

Ino wearily gazed up into Sakura's eyes, reading them like a book. "S-Sakura.." She scooted away from her and propped herself up onto her hands and knees, shoving her face directly in front of hers. "You- You don't look so good."

Sakura frowned in delirium, "uhh.. what?"

"I mean, you look upset. Is everything okay?" She asked in a concerned tone.

Sakura averted her eyes away from Ino's and rubbed her right arm, "o-of course... why wouldn't it be?" She laughed awkwardly.

"You're upset. Really, Sakura, I may be drunk, hehe, but I know when a friend is sad, okay? I'm not an idiot." She coughed as she reached for her drink.

"It's just... well, uhh..." She managed to lock eyes with the blond haired drunk, "I'm just depressed is all." Her face was a mask of agony and despair, and she didn't look like the happy, joyful Sakura she once knew.

"Cheer up." She shoved her drink into her face. "Drink some. It will take your mind off everything." She smiled cheekily.

"I...I don't know..." She looked doubtful.

"Come on, this may be your only chance to have a drink at this age. Just try it, if you don't like it, stop." She shoved it closer to her face, and Sakura could almost feel the icy coldness lingering around it.

"Well..." She hesitantly took it and eyed it up and down. "One little taste won't kill me..." She brought the bottle top to her lips and allowed the cold, soothing liquid to travel down her parched throat.

She pulled it away from her lips and looked at Ino, the the bottle, then at Ino, and then the bottle again. Something inside of her wanted more. It was like a craving.. Hey... this isn't so bad...

"Go on," Ino smiled, "you can have that bottle. I have a whole bag full over there," Ino pointed over at her bag which hung from the doors handle.

Sakura, without any hesitation at that point, pulled the bottle to her lips once again, savouring the sweet taste of lambrini.

The presant time.

Sakura's mind was suddenly blank as she stared at her dusty floor. "Why?" She asked herself with regret, "why can't I remember anything else?!" She shouted, her temper rising.

"Something else obviously happened last night!" She got up out of her sheets and stood up, not caring that she was naked and her bedroom window was open.

She stomped over to her bedroom mirror, her dry, cracked feet slapping against the cold, wooden floor rapidly. When she arrived, she swung her hand and pushed everything off of the cabinet so it fell on the floor with a loud bang.

"I need my memory back! It's like I'm missing a piece of my puzzle!" She stared intently into her reflections eyes, her hair falling over them slowly.

"I have a bad feeling about it... I know something happened... but what?" Her voice broke and she started to sob. Suddenly, she felt a sharp stabbing pain in her right arm. Frowning intently, she stared down at her arm and then released a gasp of shock. The cut travelled up from her wrist and stopped at her shoulder. She glared at, wide eyed, and her breathing deepened. She fingered the fresh, open cut gently yet rapidly, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm going to find out what happened, no matter what..."