Update: 2015
Also working on a comic version, with original characters. In progress.
Tumblr: sammakesamess
DeviantArt: MemorySoul


Step 1: THE 'FAKE DATING' Pt2

Sakura discovers from her mom the Haruno tradition of getting engaged on your 18th birthday via Arranged Marriage. Unable to cope with feeling so cornered, Sakura lies and says that she already has a boyfriend. Meanwhile Sasuke Uchiha, leader of the rebellious badass gang of Leafville High, has just broken up with his latest girlfriend. When fate has it that the two finally cross paths, will they work together to achieve their individual goals? Even if it means putting up with one another as a fake couple?


The next day of school for me seems a bit more anxious than most days. That's probably because Mom's fancy party is today - today secretly being the day I meet the boy who will become my fiance for life.

"What do you mean you have no plan?" Ino screams at me. We both stand outside my locker, me calmly collecting my books for the first couple classes. "Sure I said yesterday to sleep it off but I thought that you'd panic anyway and think of some way to get out of this!"

"You're not the one getting engaged. Why are you so worked up about this?"

"How can I NOT? Sakura you're like my best friend! How can I drag you shopping to look at guys when we're in our twenties when you're already hooked up with a man? THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"

I shut my locker and face Ino with a serious yet still unsure look. "I'll think of something alright? Just gimme today and I promise I'll get out of this mess before the party."

She looked unpersuaded. "So when does this thing start anyhow?"

"At eight, but mom wants me home right after school." I let out a sigh. "And they say college prep exams are hell."

"EEEEKKKK!" Down the hall Ino and I hear a crowd of high pitched squeals coming from a forming crowd of girls. With Ino and I exchanging looks with the same thoughts, we both venture over to see what the commotion was about.

Ino grabs a hold of one of the hyperactive teens from the still growing crowd. "Hey Kasumi, what's going on?"

"You mean you didn't hear?" she ask in an estranged city-girl accident. "Sasuke Uchiha is SINGLE!"

"What?" Ino seems rather surprised by this news, however I merely blink and raise a brow. That was the big news?

"It's true! Matsuma got a text from Jinja who was told by senior Kunoi over her blog that the cheerleader Li said that Karin and Sasuke broke up! EEEEKKK!"

"Wow..." I say simply, crossing my arms. "And here I thought I'd find a worthy distraction."

"Are you kidding?" Ino scoffs now at me. "Sasuke Uchiha hasn't been single since like the fifth grade. You and I both know that."

"Your point?"

"Oh please, Sakura," says one of the girls whose name I not know at the moment. "If you had done your research on the Sasuke Uchiha fan history, the only reason Sasuke Uchiha will break up with his current girlfriend is if he has found another to move onto. Therefore according to Ino who is a reliable source having gone to school with Sasuke since elementary proves that Sasuke has never been single for over twenty four hours since the said date of the fifth grade."

I have no words. And apparently neither does Ino. "You must really like him then huh," says Ino, probably thinking the same thoughts as me.

At that moment the girl and all the others behind her - all of their eyes sparkle in a somewhat scary lighting, all directed towards us after Ino's comment. "'Like him'? We absolutely ADORE Sasuke Uchiha!" one screams. The entire crowd together, still growing, squeals in delight at the statement, further creeping me out beyond measures. This is not a normal school.

With slight annoyance I furrow my eyes and clenched my fist into my pocket. "And I'll have you know that the guy's just a total waste of air around this place. I'm out of here."

As Ino gleams with delight at my remark the rest of those listening either gasp in unison all together or glare in a blind burning fury. "She did NOT just say that," one of the girls barks.

"Yeah I kinda did!" I yell nonchalantly back to be sure they heard me. "I can't believe I even live next to the guy," I mutter in irritation. "As if I didn't have enough to agitate me today..."

I decide from that point on to not really pay attention to any of my classes today. It's not that I wanted to just zone out like any normal person would. Ino meant what she said and I needed a plan, fast. So thus in the next five or so classes, I had managed to come up with a few possibilities. Not necessarily good ones, anyway.

I could always run away, but I figured it too much work to stay hidden all the time. Knowing my mom she'd send even the military after me.

Then I figured I could always go to the extreme and fake my death, get a disguise and go by a new name. But then I figured, eh, too much work to fake a new identity for the rest of my life.

Those are the two of the most ridiculous ones I've come up with, and I'd rather not bore you with the rest of them. However as of now, I have nothing useful.

As if things hadn't been getting worse already, the school bell rang, signaling the official end of the school day. Personally I thought this day went by pretty fast. But when you're worried, anxious, annoyed, all at the same time, I guess you can' really help time slipping through your fingers. Now to hurry home to prepare for mom's death party.

"What do you mean I have detention?" I shouted at Asuma.

"You were late for math. You know the rules," said the man in his spinning chair. Asuma was the well known junior math teacher and the infamous detention teacher as well. And being Friday, this day was traditionally a weekend starter for most students. As a result, almost everyone does their best to keep from getting detention on Fridays. The strange thing about that: they really don't get detention.

"Asuma come on. Why do I have to get detention for being like five seconds late? I mean, there's no one else in the room besides me!"

The man blew a breath full of smoke. Another fact about Asuma, he loves to smoke. That's his reputation. He always smokes in class but never appears to get reprimanded for it. "Your point?"

Though he's a very annoying man, too. "My point being, why bother just watching me sit at a desk for forty five minutes? You could leave too you know if there was no one in detention. Start your weekend like everyone else, maybe have a dinner with Ms. Kurenai."

By the look on Asuma's face I could see I struck something, but instead he put his cigarette back in his mouth and said, "Rules are rules." After telling me to sit I just gave up and took the detention. I thought I could just rush home afterwards as fast as possible. It seemed pretty easy. Plus on the bright side it gave me extra time to try and think of that plan Ino wanted.

But dammit nothing was coming to mind.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Come on Naruto!" shouted Kiba as Naruto looked down from the half pipe with his skateboard. "I'd like to see you skate before I grow gray hairs if you don't mind!"

Naruto glared down with a vein. "Shut your pie hole, Kiba! I'm tryin' to concentrate!"

"This could take a while," Shikamaru sighed, laying with his head on his school bag and his skateboard under his feet as a lift.

Above on the half pipe, Naruto looked down once more. Despite Naruto's skills as a skater, he could never bring himself to go down steep edges like now. Sasuke waited impatiently with him, sitting on the edge of the half pipe beside Naruto with his head resting on his hands.

Kiba frowned from his view down below. "I know Uzumaki hates doing this but does he have to be such a baby about it?"

"Don't worry. Sasuke's with him," Neji said, tinkering with a camera and a laptop next to Shikamaru. "He'll skate down soon."

"What makes you say that?"

"I-I don't about this, Sasuke..." stammered Naruto, starring down in the same position for at least five minutes. Sasuke was growing impatient with the blond. "Maybe I could just sit this one out and you could-"

"Nope." Sasuke then proceeded with pushing the Uzumaki's leg on his skateboard, causing Naruto to start down on his own in terrified shrieks and screams. Throughout it all, Kiba cheered jokingly for the blond with slow loud claps as Neji recorded the moment with his camera. Shikamaru meanwhile smiled in satisfaction in his 'nap', hearing his friend's screams.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU SASUKE!" Naruto screamed throughout his entire ride up and across the ramp. By then, Sasuke had gotten up and jumped down with his skateboard at the bottom center of the half pipe, making his way off it. "O-Oi! How do you stop? HEY!" cried Naruto.

"That's your problem," replied Sasuke, walking nonchalantly past Kiba who still watched in amusement at Naruto's panicked antics. Meanwhile, Sasuke went over to the lounging Shikamaru and a currently working Neji.

"Nice move pushing Naruto off the ramp," Shikamaru said, opening an eye as Sasuke blocked the sun in his shade.

"Hn," he said, setting his skateboard down. "The guy was taking too long." Sasuke sat beside the Hyuuga. "Besides, all of us need to be ready for the competitioin if any of us will be wanting to win."

"But that whole ordeal's a month away," Shikamaru pipped in from his nap. "Why start practicing now?"

"Because heaven knows we need it," Neji admitted, typing into his laptop. "This year it's a cash prize of a couple thousand dollars. Winning wouldn't really hurt not now would it?"

Shikamaru's eyes opened in disbelief. "Couple thousand? You could've told me that earlier."

"Either way," started Sasuke. "All of us will be entering. The more of us that enter, the higher the chance that one of us may win the competition."

"Hey hold on a sec," Shikamaru said, sitting up. "So you're telling me, that if in theory I win that troublesome thing, I'd have to split the money with all of you?"

"That's exactly what we're saying," Sasuke smirks.

"That's messed up," Shikamaru frowns in response. Like any other human being they all wanted the money. Every skater entering the competition wanted the money. But Sasuke most of all, and probabaly the only one, needed the money.

"Meanwhile," starts Neji. "Have you figured out what you're going to do about Karin?"

Sasuke scoffs with eyes closed in an almost cocky manner. "I don't want to get back with her. We're broken up for good."

"About time," said Shikamaru. "That girl was starting to annoy me."

"But that doesn't change the fact I still need to find someone," Sasuke interjected, resting his chin on his fist. "I can't go around school being single all the time."

"Then that should be easy. You have almost every single girl in the school fawning over you. Didn't you see how many tried to flirt with you today?"

"And you're supposed to be the genious." Sasuke glanced up, seeing Naruto still skating. "All the girls we know are complete dunces. I need someone smart."

"Karin was smart?" Shikamaru asked in a jokingly disbelieving manner. That remark earned an amused smile from Neji and an annoyed glare from Sasuke.

"You just need to look more carefully," Neji spoke instead. "Maybe this time you can actually find a real girlfriend you can actually stick with for the long-run."

Shikamaru noticed Sasuke stifle a laugh from Neji's suggestion. "Me settle? Don't you get it Neji - Chasing as many girls as you want is the perks of being us. We never have to settle and can do as we want. Is it a crime to want choice?"

Neji frowned somewhat with an odd stare at the Uchiha as Shikamaru laughed. It's a rare occasion for the lazy teen to laugh in public, like Sasuke. "Sorry. But Sasuke's got a point. Choice isn't a crime."

"Says the guy who's too lazy to even get a girl," Neji remarked in a subtle sideways glance.

Shikamaru opened one of his napping eyes. "Girls may be fun sometimes but I'm not willing to accept all the pains of knowing one either."

Aside from Neji, Sasuke also seemed intrigued by Shikamaru's saying. "So tell me, Shikamaru. What kind of girl do you want?"

Shikamaru this time opened both eyes, looking up and actually deep in thought. He had never really thought about it before,the type of girl he's always wanted. Along his view he noticed two clouds passing by slowly from the new spring wind. "I want a girl who's not naggy at all. Someone who's shy probably, easy to influence so they know not to bother you. Having a good sex appeal doesn't hurt, either." An amused laugh. "And definitely no dumb blond."

"Shikamaru you've just described the impossible," Neji admitted. "Such a girl doesn't exist around where you're dreaming."

"It isn't a crime to dream either," Shikamaru shrugged. "And you asked. What I want is what I want." While he was at it, he began to go further into detail about his dream girl. "I want someone with a tan, to stand out from the rest of the others, with dark mysterious eyes that most girls don't really have."

"And a chest right?" Sasuke added with a teasing smirk. Someone as laid-back as Shikamaru would seem like a closet pervert.

"Surprisingly no," Shikamaru frowned, making the Uchiha arch a curious eyebrow. "I never really got the point of breast. They're like giant extra flab a girl has for no apparent reason that gets in the way of hugging and kissing. I'd rather take a flat-chested girl over one with a rediculous bust."

Both Sasuke and Neji sweatdropped at this philosophy about the female anatomy. "You're really strange you know that," Neji stated for Sasuke.

"WOAH! AHH!" Naruto was still stuck on the half pipe, Kiba cheering him on in both teasing and something else less degrading. The three others watched from the sidelines.

"That guy," Shikamaru began, adverting his attention to Naruto skating back and forth on both sides of the pipe. "He's the most obnoxious of us when it comes to skateboarding yet he's a total dunce when it comes to the half pipe."

"Why do you think I made him practice now?" Sasuke bluntly reminded.

Naruto still continued screaming. "WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO GET OFF THIS STUPID THING ALREADY?"

Elsewhere, I had just got out of detention, no thanks to Asuma whom has just lost one percent more respect from me. I was late for coming home now, and as of recently I was just running as fast as my beat-down sneakers could take me. I wasn't an athlete so I'm no track star, nor am I all for endurance training either. I got tired real fast after running for almost three blocks, and my body forced me to take a breather on the curb. Nonetheless on my wrist was the plastic bag holding the new high heel shoes Mom told me to buy from the store on the way.

"I'll never get home at this rate," I stated out loud, out of breath quite literally. Looking at my surroundings, I tried to remember just where I was and if I could estimate just how much longer it would take for me to get to my house. Running wise I would probably get to the house in the next hour or so. Mom will already have my head so being another hour late was out of the question. Picking up another alternative, I decided to just take a shortcut through the skate park. Shorten the hour-journey to fifteen minutes hopefully. Sure the park/harbour shortcut is pretty risky, but it's either the risk of getting mugged or getting the wrath of Mom. I pick the first one.

When I run, I always pretend to hear in the background suspenseful music like in the movies, as if to motivate me to keep running. However as I ran into the skate park, I didn't realize my foot trip over someone's leg and land on another boy's skateboard. This resulted with me all of a sudden skating through the skate park, spontaneously able to keep balance on my own. "Gangway!" I yelled throughout the park. I loved the whole rush in the hair and all, but hey I'm sooo gonna get hurt at the end of this. "Watch out!"

Left and right guys jumped out of the way at my seemingly never ending speed down the parkway. I managed to pick up mental instructions along the way, leaning to turn, jumping over objects - winging things at this point seemed to be my prime for just about now.

Terrified screams (all rom me) could be heard across the skate park, catching the guys' attention, even past Naruto's own screams. Kiba glanced in the new sound's direction as Shikamaru, Neji, and Sasuke all glanced up, all while Naruto continued with what he's been doing for the past five minute.

"Um, did you guys hear that?" Kiba asked in their secluded space at the half pipe.

"Sounds like trouble," Shikamaru stated bluntly. "I hate trouble." Hearing the noise grow louder and closer, Sasuke preparedly stood up, Neji closing his laptop.

At that time, I turned a quick corner with a tall flagless flag pole and speeded down an alley way with wooden fences. At the end was a giant half pipe with a couple of boys around it. Suddenly freezing up I forgot how to turn, an I realized then an there I could be crashing within the next three seconds. "Oh crap." Bracing myself the said crash did ensure. A blond boy skating on the half pipe was coming down, and just as I came through, he and I crashed, the both of u falling off our skateboards and landing with a painful hit, me without a helmet ironically enough.

"Ow..." I moaned, holding the spot where my head hit the half pipe. Picking my head up I realized it was the infamous Naruto Uzumaki I had crashed into, laying a couple feet away on the concrete below the half pipe. Not only did my eye widen from the shock, but from the ensuring consequences, too.

"Agh..." groaned Naruto. "Dang what hit me?" All stares were directed at me already, Naruto noticing last. He seemed confused at first, but later realized what had just happened.

Sasuke appeared to have reacted in the same manner as Naruto, except it didn't show on his face as clearly. 'She's the Harunos heiress.'

"H-Hey are you alright?" Naruto asked, holding where his head hit but still concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine," I shook off quickly, forcing myself to stand. I checked my watch and received an even more scared reaction. "Oh man I'm late!"

Naruto sent a look. "Huh?"

"I-I'm sorry I've got to go," I said in a hurry, forcing myself to run towards the wooden fence near some rooted bushes. Jumping the fence I climbed over it and disappeared behind into the abandoned territory, running the rest of the short way home, hopefull safety through the even more dangerous harbor.

"Um..." started Kiba. "Does anyone else know what just happened?"

Across the alley within the skate park was as a group of other skaters, grabbing the guys' attention which adverted away from the fence the pink-haired stranger had jumped. If one know anything about the city, the only thing worse than a group of gangsters waiting to jump you, is a riled up pack of skaters with a purpose to kick butt. "There! The one who trashed the skate park is there!"

"Huh?" Naruto dazed with his hand still glued to his head.

Meanwhile with me, still alive and running FYI. Running across the abandoned harbor is bad enough, but knowing what lied for me in store at home just made me feel a whole lot worse than I did already. "Stupid stupid stupid stupid!" That chant more or less calmed my nerve about the party, and the fact that my life could end at any second in time as I ran literally for my life. The harbor was one of my greatest fears and I instantly regretted taking this shortcut. And so for future references, assuming I will have a future past midnight NEVER GO THIS WAY AGAIN. "STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID!"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Honestly, Sakura..." as I sat in my mother's room, she brushed my short hair from behind. I never understood exactly why my hair needed to be brushed. Having such a short length it rarely ever got tangled, but I guess Mom was never satisfied with that. "When I say come home from school I don't mean make me wait an hour. There are already people downstairs in the ballroom.

"Sorry okay?" I was still pretty upset about yesterday, leaving my mother and me on somewhat awkward terms. "So, is this ambassador's son guy downstairs, yet?"

"Luckily for us not yet," she sighed, stroking my pink hair carefully. When she was done she put down the brush and tilted my head up so I would face my reflection in the dressing mirror. After yesterday's events om pieced out the dress for me and everything. She said that since I would be 'presented' today I had to appear beautiful and graceful. So she picked out a modest yet flattering blue gown with icing ruffles underneath the waist with clear modest make up to match. The look would be complete if I were smiling.

"Do I really have to do this?"

Mom placed her gloved hands over my shoulders. "You look beautiful Sakura. You'll be fine." That wasn't as assuring an answer I wanted.

Outside the room knocked the door and my father came in, wearing a suitable tux and his trademark mask. "Kana, the Ambassador's car is outside." I noticed Kakashi see me and I turned away. "You know this is the first time I've ever really seen you in a dress Sakura."

"Shut up, Kakashi," I muttered, hiding an embarrassed look.

"Hey this is no time to be shy. You look really cute," he complemented, waving his hand. The teasing gesture only provoked a bumping red vein over my head as I clenched my fists. What a guy.

"See Sakura your father thinks you're cute!" added my mother. How weird does that sound? "Anyway come with us Sakura, it's time for us to introduce you to the ambassador's son."

"Whoopee," I cheered unenthusiastically. Despite my hate for these parties, I had to restrict myself from using any sarcasm whatsoever for the rest of the night. Meanwhile outside as multiple luxurious cars pulled up to the Haruno estate at the midst of the night and around the large fountain, the youngest Uchiha was on his way home on his skateboard. Even the image of the noise of the wealthy gathering couldn't escape his notice across the solitary street street end.

Downstairs in the normally empty and barren living room my mother calls the ballroom, the lights lit up the marble white room from wall to wall. The food table was gorged with extravagant gourmet deluctibles for the guests complemented by a cliche swan ice carving as a center piece. A small orchestra performed on the room platform on the left side of the room as guests swayed to old waltzing music you'd never thought to exist in our generation anymore, much less in the city.

"Ah here are the hosts now," said a tall man with greying black hair and a noticeable mustache. At his side was a just as elegant lady who's only misleading feature was her apparent overuse of bold make up colors. "Kana, Kakashi, good to see you."

"Likewise," nodded Kana in respect. It's times like now that she assumes her un-mom mode as a business introductee. "Sakura, this is Senior Takahatsu Yuuta, Ambassador of the Sentei Embassy and his wife, Ayano."

"Nice to meet you sir," I said, extended a hand as he grasped mine in a firm handshake.

"Why how charming. Pleasure is all mine," he said in an almost jolly old man manner. I think I might like this guy. However I could feel moms' glare on my back. For years when introducing me to 'important people' she's always told me to bow and hold the hem of my dress, not shake hands like common business men. I tended to forget, and other times I just like to disobey her for the fun compensation for the pain of wearing such an itchy dress.

"This is my daughter, Sakura," Mom said with a hidden and overly trying smile. "The one I've told you about?"

"Ah, so this is your daughter," he said in realization. "You're right. She does have the same beauty to match her smile. I see has also inherited your pink hair." I couldn't help but put up another embarrassed smile. If one thing is worse than my mom's treatment of me, it's flattery. "In this case please let me introduce you to my son. Ryo come over here!"

From the middle of the dance floor was a boy talking with a few of the other wealthy entrepreneurs' daughters. Hearing his calling he walked calmly over to where we were. My have however remained as stoic as ever. 'He's just another ladies man.' Who knew you'd find such a guy here?

"This is our son, Ryo," the ambassador introduced. He was almost as tall as his powerful father, with well groomed shiny brown hair and light hazel eyes to match, but despite his supposedly charming good looks I knew from then on I wouldn't like him. And Mom wants me to marry him?

"Sakura, sweetie, this is the boy we've been telling you about," Mom grinned. Like I haven't figured that out already? "Mr. Takahatsu and I have sorted our arrangements out..." Please don't say it. "And, we've reached our terms of agreement." Here it comes. "We plan for you and Ryo to become engaged!" At that moment, though I saw it coming, my entire world fell apart within my mental mind state. As if everything had gone dark and a spotlight shined down over me, I wanted with all my might to just fall to my knees, turn black and white, and scream to the skies 'NOOOO!'. But unfortunately I'm not capable of that right now. "He will be escorting you to your sisxteen birthday ball," she concluded.

The ambassador' son Ryo narrowed his eye over me, and as if I could read his mind, he was either displeased with these settlements or something worse. Hurry Sakura say something!

"B-But I can't!" I sated out of the blue. A glass-breaking silence erupted through our small gathering. Though the dancing and the waltzing music proceeded behind us, it was as if an invisible crow flew over our heads or a cricket sounded from the window. Well Sakura, go on. "I, I already have an escort," I lied. Lying. Lying is the best I could come up with after all this time?

"Do you, now..." my mother gritted through her teeth. You did it now, Sakura.

"Y-Yeah! My boyfriend, from school! I've already asked him personally and I can't very well turn him down," I explained convincingly. Ryo and Kakashi remained indifferent as the ambassador stroked his chin with a pondering and thoughtful expression. At least he wasn't upset with my outburst, unlike Mom in the background who appeared ready to ring my neck. The fire in her eyes, her visible growling teeth. Such a scary woman sometimes. Am I gonna be like that when I grow up?

"So you have a lover already I see," pondered the ambassador as I secretly released a sweatdrop behind my head.

"Yeah sure," I went along.

"Hm, well then any man worthy of your grace and charm must be a very prestigious boy."

The sweatdrop can only grow so large. "Um, since he's just from school I don't really think he's a blue-blood such as we are but he certainly has the class of one."

"You do say," the ambassador said impressed. "Then I must say I look forward to meeting the boy at your ball. Come my wife, let us dance together. Follow along, my son."

As the ambassador and his wife departed us, Ryo starred down at me for a few more moments before taking my hand and kindly kissing my knuckle, glancing up at me. "It's been an honor meeting the Haruno heiress." Bidding his leave, the ambassador's son walked away and into the crowd of the dancing upscale citizens. That would be the last I'd see of the ambassador's family, until my sixteenth birthday.

All of a sudden I felt my arm being dragged away with me by my mother, who pulled me behind a pillar with a pair of white over exaggerated eyes. "What the hell was that? Lying saying you have a boyfriend?"

"I was not lying," I scoffed, turning my head stubbornly away. Okay still lying, but I did what i did. Can't change that now can we. "I so do have a boyfriend. Isn't that what you've wanted out of me all this time?"

"YEAH WHEN YOU WERE THIRTEEN!"

"Kana," said Kakashi in his calming voice, coming up to his wife and step daughter. "I for one believe Sakura is in love already."

"You do?" the two of us both questioned.

"Of course. Why would Sakura lie about that?" That's a stupid question, Kakashi. "My point being, if Sakura says she has an escort that she chose herself, that must mean she's picked out all on her own the boy she's willing to be with for the rest of her life - am I right, Sakura?"

At the moment Kakashi looked at me straight in the eye I knew then that he was making up a story and going along with me as we endured my mother's wrath together. Okay, he's the best old man ever. I answered with an enthusiastic nod to my mother. After a short stare close to my face, she backed off and released my shoulders. "Fine then. What's his name?" she pestered

"His name?" I repeated calmly, though on the inside I was just about ready to die. "Well he-"

"We don't need to question our daughter," Kakashi saved, coming up beside me. "We don't need to prove our point in trust by interrogating the girl."

Kana glared at Kakashi with arms crossed and a stern stare. Sure they were married, but they had their share in arguments, about a quarter of them over me. "Whatever. Fine, you win. But your escort better be good. I'm not leaving my daughter to marry just anybody. If I don't approve by your birthday then you marry the ambassador's son, understood?"

"Don't worry Mom I promise you'll love him," I smiled cheerfully. Dead wrong Sakura dead wrong. You've pushed yourself off a cliff and into the depths of a hell with a deal with the devil.

As Mom hmphed and marched back off to the party, I let out a breath as Kakashi turned to face me. "I do hope you know what you're doing," he says.

"I'm only stalling for time. You know that." I rubbed the back of my neck, sweating like crazy under my dress.

Kakashi sympathized, but he dared not show it. Besides, with that mask on he probably couldn't. "You know I'd intervene if I could, but I'm not blood related into the Haruno family."

"I know, Kakashi. But still, thanks for helping me cover with Mom."

The man placed his hand over my pink head. It was a kindly gesture. "Just be careful alright?"

For the first time ever at that party I shown a true smile to my step-dad. "Yup!" What. the hell. have I just done.


Heh, and there you have it!

Chapter 2. I've realized it's been a month since I've published the first chapter and then I felt like crap.

And so I worked all night yesterday and this morning on revising this! I hope it wasn't too bad. I know how I am with spelling and word-usage. Aside from that, thanks for the reviews in my first chapter, too! They're real motivators, you know? And I'd really appreciate some more feedback from this chpater, too! Glad this story has some fans ^^

Anywho, hope you guys have a great Memorial Weekend!

Tumblr: sammakesamess
DeviantArt: MemorySoul

PREVIEW:

"... So who's the boyfriend?"

"That's just it Ino. I don't know!" I reprehended in a loud but low toned whisper. "I know it sounds like I bought myself some time until my birthday, but my mom's already suspicious."

"Then you just need a fake boyfriend, then," she shrugged.

I scoff. "Riight, a fake boyfriend."

x-x-x-x

"I know he'll get pushy sometimes, but just give him time. He'll grow onto you eventually. All of the others will eventually." Naruto's grin grew even wider at me. "I know I have."

With that in mind I smiled at him, thankful I had at least one good soul to talk to. "Thank you, Naruto."

x-x-x-x

"I'm not done yet," Sasuke stopped, standing in front of me. He stood straight in front of me, his body mere inches away from mine. "Because of you, we've been banned from the skate park, and it's upcoming competition."

"And since you're banned you can't get the money," I figured out with extremely narrowed eyes.

"You win the competiton, you get the money to us, and you're off the hook."

I wanted to say 'hell no' but I bit my tongue. "And if I say no?"