A/N: Here's the second chapter. Hope it's better than the first. Thanks to all who reviewed. We're glad to know that you love our story. We thought people wouldn't like it, but I guess we were wrong.

Chapter 2- The Marks Appear

As I'm struggling towards my room, I hear Kenji turn on the T.V. and watch a stupid game show.

"Bastard," I said under my breath. My legs hurt like hell and I could barely walk. "Ow...ow." I had to support my weight on the wall.

Once I entered my room, I burst into tears. I didn't like crying in front of Kenji and being called a weakling who couldn't handle a few minute's worth of beating. I hate Kenji!! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!!! Kenji's words still echoed in my head.

"I know what's best for you because I care about you." SMACK!

"I'm only doing this to teach you a lesson so you can be more respectful to your superiors." Another SMACK!

I never told anyone, not even my mom, that he did this to me. As much as I hated Kenji, he was right. I deserved all of it, every single whip, because it was all my fault that my father left us. I should of done something to make him stay, but I didn't. So now I blame myself for his absence.

The pain in my legs was unbearable. I slowly took off my capris and saw red slashed on my thighs. "Oh god!" I cried. I got some ointment and started to put some on both of my legs. It stung for awhile, but then it slowly subsided.

"Guess I won't be able to wear shorts for awhile," I said.

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The next day I woke up at seven. School started at 8:30, so it was still a little early to get ready for school. But I don't care, I want to leave as soon as possible.

I put on some jeans and a t-shirt that said "I'm ready to listen...are you ready to think?" I also put on a one-inch bracelet on my left hand to try to hide the scars. It didn't really matter because they were fading and in a couple of days they would be gone. I knew it was going to be another hot day, so I put my medium-long hair into a ponytail.

As I headed towards the front door, Kenji stopped me in the kitchen. "Sakura, come have breakfast with me," he practically ordered. I couldn't refuse him since I knew what he would do if I didn't obey him.

I followed him to the table and saw that he got up early and cooked breakfast. There was eggs, bacon, toast, and sausages. He seated himself at the head of the table and I sat to his right. During breakfast, I noticed how cheerful he looked. It just made me sick.

"Oh, look at the time. It's 8:12, I have to go to school," I said, excusing myself.

"Why don't I just give you a ride to school? I would of yesterday, but you just ran offon me," Kenji said with a hurt look on his face.

"I'm good. It's not neccessary," I said.

"Darling, just look at you! You can barely walk," he said innocently. Well, it's your fault I can barely walk you asshole! But he kept insisting, so I had no choice.

As he parked the car, he noticed how the other girls were dressed. "Sakura, why don't you wear clothes like your little friends?" he asked.

"What?" I asked, not believing what I heard.

"I think I should take you shopping so I can buy you those cute short skirts and what do you call them... a submarine top?" he said.

"Tank top," I corrected him. Now do you know why I don't dress girly? I was about to get out of the car when Kenji all of a sudden pulled me back and gave me a rough kiss on my cheek.

"Goodbye Sakura, I'll see you at home," he whispered into my ear. I got out of the car and came face to face with Sasuke. He just looked at me and Kenji and then walked away. Kenji then drove off.

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I was really careful changing during P.E. I was afraid if anyone was going to see the marks. Luckilly, no one noticed since they were too busy changing themselves and talking about (who else) Sasuke. I was just glad the P.E. shorts went a little above my knees so no one coulld see anything.

Since I was done changing early, I just waited outside against the wall in the gym. Ino, Tenten, and Hinata sure could take a long time to change. Then I noticed that Sasuke was casually walking towards me and leaned on the wall beside me.

Oh mu god! Oh my god! Oh my god!

"So," he said oh-so-cool. "Who was that guy in the car?"

I just looked at him blankly. Was he seriously just asking me this? Why would he care?

"That 'guy' was Kenji," I answered. And becasue he didn't say anything, I continued. "He's my step-dad." He raised an eyebrow. "What, is something wrong with that?"

"I guess not. It's just that he seemed way too affectionate to be your step-dad," Sasuke said. I was getting a little mad that he wa spying on me. "I gotta go. See youi later," he said, leaving to hang out with Neji and Gaara.

"Sakura you sly dog! You just got some alone time with Sasuke! Props to you," Tenten said. "Now Ino, did you forecast that was going to happen?"

"Tenten, don't mock me. The spirits will come back to haunt you."

"Too bad. I don't believe in spirits."

"So, what did Sasuke say?" Hinata asked. Now all the attention was towards me.

"He just wanted to know who Kenji was, that's all," I said.

"Oh my gosh, Kenji is so hot! I know he's your step-dad and all, but you have to admit he's a cute one," Ino said.

"Ino, you are such a flirt," I said laughing.

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Today for P.E. Anko decided that we should play dodgeball. Crap, I'm not that good at dodging balls being thrown at me with a strong force. I'm good at throwing, but not dodging. Especially with my limp legs. I'll just have to suck it up.

"Okay Team Captain for Team 1 will be Sasuke Uchiha and for Team 2 it will be Neji Hyuuga," Anko announced. Obviously she would pick the two most athletic guys to be captain.

"Naruto," Sasuke said. Although Naruto is stupid, he's really hyperactive and energetic.

"Shikamaru," Neji said. Shikamaru was very strategic in sports and would come in handy.

"Kiba."

"Lee."

"Gaara."

"Guys, pick some girls!" Anko yelled.

"Tenten," Neji said, picking probably the most toughest girl in our class. I always wondered if he had a thing for her.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, choosing me for his team. I walked over to Team One's side of the gym.

"Kin," Neji said, picking another strong girl. Why did Sasuke pick me? I'm not that athletic.

"Ino," Sasuke said. Ino ran over to me and we happy danced.

"Zaku."

"Shino."

"Hinata," Neji said, picking his cousin.

"Dauso."

"Chouji." I felt kinda bad that Chouji was always picked last, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Okay, on the blow of my whistle start throwing!" Anko yelled. She blew the whistle and it was chaos.

I was surprised that I managed to dodge a few balls and I even threw some, although I didn't hit anyone.

"Ahh, Sakura! Help me!" Ino screamed, protecting herself behind me. I just laughed at Ino's cowardness. I was too busy laughing at Ino, that I didn't realize the danger ahead. A ball was coming my way and it hit me on my thigh.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" my piercing scream could be heard all over the gym. I fell to the ground because I could feel the pain from the day before.

"Sakura!" Ino yelled, rushing over to me. Everyone stopped the game anf Anko ran towards me.

"Sakura, I have to see your legs," Anko said, being gentle for once.

"No!" I said too quickly. "I'll just go to the nurse's office."

"I guess, if you want to. But you'll need some assistance to get there," Anko said. I gave Gaara a pleading look and fortunately he got it.

"I'll take her to the nurse," Gaara volenteered. He helped me stand up and put my arm around his shoulders so I could support my weight on him.

"Gaara, you don't really have to take me to the nurse's office," I said once we got out of the gym. Instead he took me outside to the courtyard and set me down on the bench. I lifted my shorts a little and saw fresh, new red marks. Gaara also noticed them.

"What happened?" he simply asked.

"I tripped. Just like you said, I'm such a klutz. I tripped over my own feet on the stairs and I hit the railings," I answered, not looking at him but at the ground instead.

"You live in a one-story house Sakura," he reminded me. Oh shit, I forgot about that.

"Can we just not talk about it please?" I asked.

"Fine, I won't ask any questions because I know it's none of my business and you don't want me to know," he said.

That' what I like about Gaara. He understands things and knows when to stop questioning. That's what makes him such a good friend.

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Ino's P.O.V.

Tenten, Hinata, and I were still a little freaked out about what happened to Sakura.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Hinata asked.

"I hope so," I said.

"I wonder who threw the ball at her. When I find out who it was ...I'll...I'll," Tenten hit her fist at her palm, signifying that she was going to beat the crap out of him...or her.

"Hey," Sasuke said to me. I practically melted inside. Hinata and Tenten eyed us with interest.

"Hey back," I said, playing it cool.

"Anyways, you and Sakura, you're friends right?" he asked.

"Totally! We're more than friends, we're best friends!" I said, trying to avert the conversation towards me and not Sakura.

"I noticed that she and Gaara went to the nurse's office together. What's going on between them?" he asked.

"Absolutely nothing, I'll tell you that. They're just friends, although I don't know why. He's weird if you ask me," I answered.

"Well, he's my friend and he never once mentioned that he and Sakura were friends."

"From what I see, they're probably cousins somehow and maybe she's forced to hang out with him cuz of family stuff. You know, they first started hanging out when Sakura's mom married Kenji. Maybe Gaara is Kenji's nephew or something," I said.

"I doubt it, or otherwise I would've met this Kenji by now," Sasuke said.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked.

"Sakura!" Tenten and Hinata squealed. I looked back and saw Sakura with Gaara. She seemed to be okay.

"Hey chicas!" she said, then spotted Sasuke and got all mad. "What are you doing here? Now you're spying on my friends?" she asked.

"I'll just leave if you don't want me here," he said. "Bye Ino, it was nice talking to you." Sasuke and Gaara left together.

"What did he want?" Sakura asked.

"We just talked, okay? I don't know why you got so paranoid," I said. Thanks a lot Sakura, you ruined any chances of Sasuke probably asking me out.

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Back to Sakura's P.O.V.

It's official. Science is the worst class I have! Not because Gai is the teacher or the fact that I'm not doing well in that class. It's because I sit next to Sasuke. I really didn't want to talk to him or even look at him.

"Okay class, the time you've all been waiting for...projects!" Gai said enthuastically. I heard groans coming from people and myself too.

"You'll do this project with a partner," Gai continued. That caught my interest and I searched for anyone I knew that was smart. "But I'll pick your partners for you. Everybody's partner will be the person that they're sitting next to."

Damn, Sasuke was my partner! I could just picture him smirking and sure enough when I looked at him he was.

"The project is to make an atomic model of an element that I'll assign you. You need to include the nucleus, protons, neutrons, and electrons. Also, you need to make a chart including the number of protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number, and atomic mass," Gai explained.

He listed off everyone's element and Sasuke and I got Sodium. Why couldn't we get an easy one like Hydrogen? Anyways, Gai gave us the rest of the period to discuss about the project.

"So..." I said, leaning on my chair and crossing my arms over my chest.

"We should work at your house," Sasuke said.

"I don't think so. We should work at your house. Don't you live in a mansion anyways? We'll have plenty of room there. My house is small trust me," I said.

"But if we work at your house, I don't have to be with Itachi," Sasuke said. From what I heard, Itachi and Sasuke didn't get along ever since their parents died in a car accident.

"I still think it would be better if we worked at your house," I said. I could suspect that he was getting suspicious, so I just gave in. "Fine, but we can't work today though," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I have to go shopping," I answered sadly.

"You're the first girl I've ever seen that doesn't look happy at the thought of going shopping," Sasuke said. Well, you've never gone with Kenji before, have you?

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Oh my god! Shopping with Kenji is worser than I thought. Everybody keeps staring at us like we're an odd couple. They think that he's going out with me, a younger woman. And although he's in his late 30s, he looks younger, but it still looks wrong. Especially when he has his arm around my waist. He says so no one noticec that I'm limping a bit.

Because my mom spoils Kenji rotten, he has a credit card, and guess who pays for his billls? You guessed it, my mom.

We entered a vintage boutique that had victorian-inspired clothes there. I instantly spotted some skirts and hoped Kenji hadn't seen them either. Oh, but he did.

"Sweetie, you should try this one. Oh, and these two as well," he said, handing me three skirts. I hated when he used words of endearments on me. It sent shivers up and down my spine.

The dressing room was one of those curtain things in the back of the store. There was only one (since not many people shopped here) so I entered it. I have to admit, the skirts Kenji picked out were cute, but too short for my taste. I put the first one on and I looked myself in the full-length mirror. I looked like a prostitute! No way was I gonna wear that to school.

"I don't like this one," I said to Kenji, who was outside the dressing room, waiting for me.

"Then come out so I can see how you look," he said. Hell no was I coming out looking like that. "Sakura, come out before I make you come out," Kenji said dangerously. I hesitated, but I came out of the dressing room. He just looked me up an down and his eyes fell to my thighs where the marks were.

"Don't you look lovely?" he said. I'll definetly buy you this one, but you need a shirt to go with it." Then he handed me a fitting lavender shirt with a low neckline that would probably show the top of my cleavage. It also had stays in the front that could readjust. It was the most sluttiest shirt I've ever seen.

After we went shopping, Kenji and I went back home and I stuffed all the bags in my closet, vowing that I would never wear those clothes. I lied to Kenji and told him that I had too much homework so I couldn't eat dinner with him. He believed me and even asked if I needed help. Then he said that tomorrow he would go job-hunting and find a good job so he might not be home until night. Perfect, that way Sasuke and I can work on the project peacefully.

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A/N: So what do u think? Was it good or was it great! Alot of the things we write about the relationship with Kenji and Sakura have a lot to do with our personal life. The things Sakura does to herself are also part of our lives. Don't think we do that but we know people in our lives that do that.