I hope you like it. And yes, I did delete everything because there was no plot. It'll be similar, but more organized, as I rewrite this story. Anyway, enjoy and review to tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own naruto!

'Finally it's over,' Sakura thought in relief, arriving to her home after the first of many school days. She lived in a comfortable apartment a few blocks from school with her parents, so she always walked home. The pinkette made sure to keep her body fit, ready to take action at a moment's notice, or the occasional sparring with Tsunade. That required full attention and top condition. They were painful and exhausting, but an effective way to clear her mind.

'That actually sounds pretty good right about now.'

The voice was getting annoying. Sakura was mentally voicing her inner desires, and it might actually develop into an alternate personality. She wasn't an expert in psychology, so she didn't really know would happen. Sighing, Sakura decided she didn't have enough energy to sort through her mentality, and went to the kitchen. Her parents weren't home yet, and wouldn't be until she had to go to work.

In the mean time, Sakura brewed some tea. It always made time seem to pass slower, so why not? Her school bag was left forgotten by the door. It wasn't like she had any homework; it was only the first day. She did have several papers for her parents to sign however, which was going to be irritating. Thankfully, they were due next week.

'I Wonder what the Akatsuki are like.'

The pinkette growled at herself. She didn't like that voice one bit. 'None of my business! It's not normally my job to seek out trouble and mixed up with bad people! Shut up already!' It felt pretty stupid arguing with herself, but Sakura had a short fuse.

She'll go apeshit easily, but refrains from doing anything like that when she's with her friends. Sometimes at the cost of a wall, or a lamp pole, but Sakura keeps that disgustingly sweet smile and weak composure on. It's normal.

'It may be normal, but it's annoying as hell. I despise this facade of being pathetic.'

This time, the pinkette didn't respond to the voice. Why did she try to stick to the normal? Her life was a rainbow of grey. She hated it, making her world feel fake. Why did she then not try to do something outrageously out of the regular, like punch a teacher, or swear, or even skip class?

'You're afraid.'

"Shut up!" Sakura shouted, standing up so fast, her chair fell down. Her face was scrunched in anger and her fingers began digging into the countertop, scarring the rock. Sakura paid no heed. It was quite normal for her to be able to destroy rock and metal. Grinding her teeth, she retorted, "Why would I be afraid?" Sakura, deep inside her subconscious, regretted it the moment the words flew out of her mouth. Involuntarily, images of a year ago popped in her mind. Gripping her head, he leaned on to the table.

'What had happened then...was definitely not normal.'

The blood, the death...it was stained into her memory. Sakura had no problem with fighting and blood; as a healer, and extremely violent person, it was common. That much, though, that was life changing. There was no reason, just pure chaos.

Vigorously, she shook her head, in a desperate attempt to get the memories out of her head. She had no clue how Tsunade was able to live with and accept it. She was truly a powerful woman. Sakura had a long way to go. Taking deep breathes, the pinkette picked the chair back up, and collapsed on it.

'I say I hate the normality, that I want something to change it...but what if it becomes something like that…'

Slowly, she sipped the remainder of her tea, in deep thought. Did she want it all to change, the life that she had returned to? Was it so bad? Boring as can be, yes, but she knew what was coming. She knew there wouldn't be any awful crisis, she hoped. Sakura chuckled. How contradictory could she be? Praying for a bomb one minute, and hoping there isn't a disaster that'll involve her the next. Pathetic, like her mask.

That mask. It seemed stupid to keep it. Yet, it almost protected her from getting mixed into everything that could cause trouble, not worrying her friends, and making sure they wouldn't get pulled into the mess that was her life.

Before she even realized, the sun sank, and an orange hue barely remained. The rest of the sky was turning from the bright blue into indigo, purple, and then navy. It was around that time, when it was dark, that Sakura's parents returned from work. Only after what had happened a year ago, did they get back together. The two of them had been separated for nearly 3 years previously. When they finally settled their arguments for the sake of Sakura, they found that there was now a hollowness in their daughter. All that was left was the wall, one that was painted with the personality that they once knew.

Sakura had been growing exponentially in strength after Tsunade started teaching her. She was strong and confident, while they were separated. Then just before Naruto came back from his studies abroad with Jiraiya, Sakura got caught up in the crisis of the century.

The mother calmed, but worried constantly over her, while the father became even noisier, in an effort to get her to laugh and smile naturally. At home, although Sakura acted happy and cheerful, they sometimes got glimpses of the grey inside her. Dead eyes, stoic face.

The opening of the door alerted her that her parents had arrived home, Sakura stood up again, and went to set the empty cup near the sink. "We're home," her mother called, as she and her husband removed their shoes. Their jobs were close together, so they often end up walking home together.

Sakura glanced at the clock, grimacing at the time. It was already 7:45; she only had 15 minutes to get to work. She greeted her parents in the hallway with a fake smile, and headed to her room. She quickly changed from the school uniform into her work one. Sakura had wanted to be a nurse at least, but apparently they don't hire 17 year-olds, even when they were trained by Tsunade herself, the medical genius and mayor of Konoha.

But she needed the money, and took the next job she saw. She made a bargain with the owner, and somehow got him to hire her as the bartender at his restaurant. Ironic how she got hired as a bartender instead of a nurse. It was a small place, but served good, cheap food. In less than five minutes, she had on her black slacks, vest, and tie. With an equally swift goodbye to her parents, Sakura left the apartment, and ran for her bike. Luckily, the place was only 5 minutes away on wheels, so she made it with 5 minutes remaining.

She checked in, greeted the owner and several leaving waitresses. Immediately, Sakura went to her station, setting everything up for the next 6 hours before she closed. Already some depressing guys were walking in. People like that, with a heavy air, usually order something hard and strong.

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She finally took her first break, where the bar closed for 30 minutes so she could breath for a bit without smelling alcohol, maybe get something to eat. The pinkette walked out, shivering slightly at the spring night breeze. Stretching, she looked around. The restaurant, McQueen's, was in the bad part of town, where the stoners, dealers, gangsters, and other creeps hang out. There were even a few Yakuza clans.

The neighborhood itself was trashy and dark, with vandalism everywhere, graffiti, piles of garbage, and rarely a lamp that worked properly. Shady shops and people usually inhabit the place, but to her surprise, right across from them was a new pet shop. It had probably opened within the last three days, because it wasn't been there last time she had worked.

Shrugging, Sakura re-entered and ordered a burger to pass the next 20 minutes she had off.

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Sakura didn't like mornings, she never has. Especially with her job ending at 2. These were the times when Sakura just didn't have the strength to enforce the mask that she wore daily. She just got annoyed, and didn't give a shit. Her short hair was usually a mess, and there was always a sore from where she had been sleeping.

Groaning, Sakura went in to the bathroom. 20 minutes later she had taken a shower

and brushed her hair and teeth. Feeling refreshed, she stepped out into the cool air, getting goosebumps immediately. In only a towel, she hurried to get to her room.

It was a large apartment, 2 bedrooms, a bathroom with a shower/tub, a kitchen, and a family room. It was nice, and Sakura was the one to actually pick it out. After her parents separated, they entrusted her to Tsunade so they could sort things out without Sakura getting involved. Tsunade kept her at her own house for a year, which is also where she learned how to mix drinks, until a person from civil services dropped by. She described it as 'unhealthy', 'impressionable', 'dangerous', 'scarring', 'irresponsible', etc. Tsunade then decided to let Sakura get her own apartment, thus why she also had to get a job.

In record time, she had on her uniform; a pleated green skirt, long-sleeved white shirt, green tie, and grey vest. When she arrived at the kitchen, her mother had already started making breakfast and her bento. "Morning, mom," the pinkette greeted. Her mother smiled, returning it. "Breakfast will be done in a moment, and your lunch should be done by the time you finish," she said, as she set the table with various plates and bowls. "Thanks. I normally make my own, so sorry to trouble you," Sakura replied with a loose expression. She was still tired, and didn't feel like smiling yet.

It was only 6:30, meaning her father wasn't up yet, so Sakura thought that since they were having breakfast early, it would be a good idea to wake him. Telling her mother this, she went to their room. The door was still open. There was a large hill of blankets that just so happened to be her father still on the mattress. Sighing, she walked over to him, and promptly kicked it off the bed. In the midst of his screaming and spazzing out on the floor, Sakura said it was breakfast time, and he better get up if he wanted any.

When Sakura returned, with her father following close behind, the food was already placed on the table, with her mother concentrating on making another omelet for her lunch. The pinkette didn't know why her ,mother tried so hard, but she was grateful. It's not like she would refuse, but it got annoying when they tried especially hard to make sure Sakura was happy and comfortable.

It just felt wrong. She didn't like being smothered in affection, rather calm peace, trust, and respect. Self-sufficiency was her policy, and Sakura didn't like it when people went out of their way to do things for her.

Sakura ate at a reasonable pace, enjoying it to the fullest, as did her parents. It was a silent morning. A certain blond friend would have probably eaten all the food in 30 seconds flat. Thinking of that idiot, however, reminded the pinkette of something she noticed. Even though she can sometimes get caught up in her own world, Sakura is quite attentive during class (always getting in the top 10 in her grade) and very observant. Ever since Naruto convinced Sasuke to transfer back, hell, even when the dick transferred away in the first place right after Tsunade became Mayor, he'd been different.

His smiles...reminded her of herself. Hollow with nothing backing them. No real emotion. Sakura had known the idiot since he was 11, and they actually got placed in the same group in middle school, along with Sasuke. See, Iruka had this thing of assigning groups, where three people would be together and work together for all their middle school career. Unfortunately, both Sasuke and Naruto were present for less than a year. Point is, he's been called cursed for as long as he's been alive, though Sakura doesn't know why. No one liked him, and avoided him. Naruto had always been a weird one, and Sakura couldn't read what was going through his head most of the time. He had gotten really happy when the three of them had been together for that small amount of time, normal even. But he changed when Sasuke left. The brilliance in his eyes left with him.

He continued to smile and laugh and pretend like nothing happened, but it was one of the only things Sakura still worried about. If Naruto was actually alright. Sighing, she thanked her mother for the meal, and stood up. Grabbing her bento, she went to the front door. Tying her shoes, Sakura placed the bento in her school bag, and left with a goodbye to her parent. Taking deep breathes, she put on a smile, and started walking to school.

It made her wonder, if this was how other people felt, if they had noticed her mask. But it made her wonder even more if Naruto was truly similar.

I hope you enjoyed! Please review!

9CatLives