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And all the roads we have to walk are winding.

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i.

She goes away for the summer with a smile on her face.

She goes and visits her grandparents in Suna, which is miles and miles and miles away from Konoha, and from Sasuke. He smiles and sees her off on their last day together. Under the happy smile and soft eyes and sweet words, Sasuke is resentful. He doesn't like feeling this way, because Sakura looks absolutely ecstatic to see her grandparents again, but he hates how she's so excited to go, to go away from him. He wouldn't be able to see her for the entire summer…and perhaps, never again.

She had been accepted into a very prestigious program at Konoha Academy for the Enhanced, while the rest of them were off to Konoha High, on the other side of the city. She'd be gone every morning, and he'd never get to see her pretty face, her silky and unique pink hair, her sparkling eyes or her teasing smile ever again.

He is hurt by the fact she leaves without any remorse, and even more so hurt by the fact that the entire two months she's gone, not once does she reach out to communicate with him.

He guesses maybe it's because he's out of sight and out of mind for her.

His chest numbs at the thought.

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ii.

He works up the courage to text her a couple days after the beginning of the new school year. They're both at their respective high schools, far away from each other, and Sasuke decides that he can't wait any longer for her to make the first move.

She'd come back several weeks ago, and although she and Ino still talked, she never spoke to him.

Not like she did before, anyway.

He doesn't know what to expect when he texts her; a quick reply, perhaps, or a happy, "I missed you" message? …But it isn't either. It's much, much worse.

She doesn't reply at all. After a week of waiting, he gives up.

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iii.

He's only a freshman, but he now relies heavily on alcohol. It's there for him, he reminds himself bitterly every day, unlike the pretty fairy girl with the bright green eyes and the gorgeous smile from his past. It's there for him and it'll always be there for him.

Sasuke continues his sports, and joins the basketball team and badminton. He remembers Sakura (even thinking her name hurts him, like an icepick through his chest) vaguely saying that she loved badminton. He continues hockey and soccer, because those are his passions.

Sasuke makes new friends, too, as well as keeping in touch with his old ones. Now, there's the addition of a loud boy named Suigetsu, and a blazing redhead named Karin, and a quiet, shy guy named Juugo. They all met at one of Ino's crazy parties a while back, and Sasuke is eternally grateful.

But at the back of his mind, there's the soft whisper of the lost cherry blossom telling him to slow down every time he tips his head back and drinks, murmuring encouragement to him when he steps out on the court, or the ice, or the field.

No matter how hard he tries to forget, she's always on his mind.

So he drinks, more and more every time, the alcohol burning as it courses down his throat, and for a few minutes- just a few brief fleeting moments- he forgets.

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iv.

Sasuke begins dating Karin the second week of their sophomore year.

She's pretty enough, he decides, and she's funny and sweet, if not a bit insecure, but all girls are. She's a dancer, daring and passionate and cute, and most of all, she loves him.

He tries to convince himself that he loves her too, by showering her with gifts of all sorts: flowers, teddy bears, chocolates, ice cream, clothes, jewelry… He takes her to the fair, introduces her to his parents and to the rest of his family.

He pretends he doesn't notice his mother and father's false smiles, or Itachi's tense and strained posture, all of them with obvious disapproval in their dark eyes.

During the summertime, he takes her away to one if his most favourite places in the entire world: his camp. They spend the whole summer splashing in the cool lakes, running along the lakefront, and sharing kisses by the warm fireplace.

Slowly but surely, he finds himself falling for the bright-eyed redhead with the burning red eyes and the stunning red hair. He finds himself falling for her crooked smile, her loud laughs, her flushed cheeks after they'd shared a kiss. He finds himself buying her favourite things not because it is something a boyfriend should do, but he does it because it makes Karin smile and it makes her happy.

Slowly but surely, he starts to fall for Karin. Slowly but surely, Sakura fades away.

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v.

They're still dating during junior year, as well. Sasuke no longer thinks of Sakura constantly, but on some occasions, when he's by himself, his mind wanders off, and questions and what-ifs cloud his mind.

Those are the times when he starts to get angry.

He shouldn't be thinking about her. He shouldn't be wondering how she's doing. After all, she's the one who left. She's the one who dropped him out of nowhere, and left him alone to find his way back to happiness.

She shouldn't matter to him anymore. He had Karin. She no longer matters. He has forgotten about her.

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vi.

His breath leaves him in a rush as she turns around and looks at him, for the first time in years. She looks pretty much the same, except way more beautiful, if that is even possible for someone as stunning as her.

Her viridian eyes are still bright and sparkling like the morning sun, her skin still flawless and pale like a brand-new china doll. She's wearing a pink-striped athletic shirt and black track pants, which shows off her slim figure perfectly. Her plush pink lips part in surprise as she looks at him, her eyes widening.

He didn't expect to see her at this exclusive city-wide meeting trip he and a few of his friends were invited to. But since it is city-wide, he doesn't know why he's so shocked that she is also picked to attend.

They were heading to the location, in a fancy camp a few miles away. She's loading a heavy-looking duffel bag into the trunk of the bus, and as quick as she'd notice him, she quickly averts her eyes.

He looks away too, stunned. His heart is beating furiously, almost erratically, and he takes a deep breath to control his overflowing emotions. Composing himself, he backs away and rejoins his group of friends, adding his thoughts into the conversation, all the while looking amicable and into the conversation, but secretly his mind is thousands of miles away and he's watching her from the corner of his eye.

She doesn't look ruffled, or even slightly affected by their intimate eye contact. She's chatting up a group of her friends- her new friends, he can't help adding bitterly- and when a new guy arrives, a guy with brown hair and a tall, scrawny looking figure- she shrieks with happiness and greets him with a smile. Sasuke guesses that they're close friends, and looking at the guy's face he remembers that he was a guy from Sasuke's old hockey team. He tries to push down the jealously rising like a flame up his chest.

She doesn't look at him again.

His heartbeat is picking up every passing second, and he tries to urge down the feeling that he should not feel this way anymore.

But his eyes are still on her, and eventually his resolve vanishes.

As his brain starts stringing together memories of them together and filling up his suddenly cluttered mind, the only logical thought running through is a simple but meaningful line: it is impossible to forget a girl like Sakura Haruno.

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To be continued…

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Note: Thanks for all the reviews/faves/follows, I'm eternally grateful. I took a slight break from FFnet because of all the school overload and sports and volunteering and work, but I'm back. Hopefully I'll spit out another chapter by next week. Hopefully. Which means don't hold your breath, alright? But thank you for your patience and your loyalty, because I know I'm an impossible person to deal with.

Love you all!

-A