What It Tastes Like

Chapter 2

A small yelp came from the pink haired girl as she ran down the stairs of the large house, almost spraining her ankle on the way. Never had she been so scared of someone before to actually run from them, normally they were the ones running from her glare and sneer. Her thoughts couldn't settle as she kept running past the kitchen and down the hallway she had come through. Just as she was about to run herself out the door, a blonde girl stepped in front of it on the outside. Sakura threw all her weight into her legs and tried to brake before running into the screen door. Luckily she had stopped before throwing herself through the glass.

"Sakura?" Ino said with a rather worried look on her face. "Why were you running?"

The pink haired girl pushed herself off the door, panting and put her hands on her knees. "I'm not sure."

Sakura knew her eyes gave away her fright, anyone could tell, she must have looked terrified. Luckily, Ino seemed to push the matter to the side and knocked on the door with her fist.

"Yo, earth to Sakura!" Ino yelled, before opening the door and stepping inside. "Your father came back."

The girl lifted her head and looked at her blonde friend, for once she could say she was happy to know her father had come home. Anything to get away from this house. "Ah.. Alright. Hold on a minute."

Ino laughed slightly, and proceeded to pick up Sakura's laptop and messenger bag from the hallway. The blonde made her way outside, holding the door open for her friend.

Sakura quickly grabbed one of the suitcases Ino had brought in and dragged it out of the house. She noticed Temari was no longer on the porch and was standing next to a dark haired man. As soon as Sakura saw his sharp face, she knew that it was her father. He didn't really look any different, he was still tall, but now instead of sporting a small belly like he used to, he now was almost as thin as a rail. Where he used to have muscles and walk with great posture he now had a small slump. He had on a button-up blue shirt with a patterned tie, and in all honesty didn't look half as bad as when his daughter had last seen him. He looked more tailored and professional. Apart from when his hair used to be messy and long, it was now cut and combed to the side. His face was the thing that surprised her though, he looked so old. The world, divorce and years of unemployment seemed to be taking it's toll on his face and body. As she was walking more towards him and he finally noticed her, Sakura also took note of the grey hairs forming around his small goatee and hairline.

Well, at least he's not balding. Sakura thought to herself as she walked almost slowly up to her smiling father. She almost cringed as the man engulfed her into tight hug, not having seen her father in years made her rather think of him as a stranger than the man who raised her.

"Sakura, you look beautiful," her father stated as he pulled away from her, looking at her up and down, making her feel even more uncomfortable than she already was.

"Um… thanks," muttered the girl, trying to look everywhere but her father's face. Temari looked amused at Sakura's comfort level and patted the girl on the back yet again. Ino smiled on the other side of her and looked as though she was about to say something until the man spoke once more.

"I'm sorry I wasn't home," apologized the older man. "I had to run out and get some groceries. I normally only have enough food for one, and I know that wouldn't be enough with you and me here."

Sakura nodded at her father, wishing he would take his hands off her shoulders. "It's okay, really, I wasn't waiting that long."

But I did get scared out of my wits by a ghost in Temari's house. Thanks DAD. The pink haired girl thought to herself once more. Truly, it wasn't his fault, but Sakura really didn't want to think her curiosity had snuck her up in Temari's large house to be scared half out of her mind by a red-haired monster.

"Well good!" Her father exclaimed, looking now to Temari. "Thank you for your hospitality again."

Temari waved her hand in the air as if it was no big deal. "It was fine, really, she wasn't in the house for more than a minute or two."

Sakura nodded at the older blonde, then looked over to Ino. "Ino, thanks for helping me with my bags."

The blonde smiled. "No problem!" then looked at her with a small realization on her face. "Hey! Can I have your phone for a moment?"

Sakura ticked her head to the side a bit, then opened her mouth slightly as she noticed what Ino was actually asking for. "I don't have one."

"No cell phone?!" Ino exclaimed, looking shocked and a bit offended by it. Temari chuckled on the side of her and Sakura's father looked a bit uncomfortable, knowing why his daughter didn't have that luxury. He then did the pink haired girl didn't plan on. His released his hands from her shoulders and put his hand on her head lightly.

"Actually, Sakura, I was going to take you tomorrow to get some clothes and a cell phone," her father said rather professionally. "Your new school doesn't have a uniform."

Ino's mouth formed an 'o' at these words. "That's right! You'll be going to school with me after break right!?"

Sakura silently wished she could share Ino's excitement. A co-ed school was just another reason for stress, and even harder to study in. Before, Sakura had no thoughts of boys or bothersome problems as such at her all-girls school. In fact the stress was minimal and the drama was near zero at her old school. But Sakura knew this just spelled trouble, especially for her studies to be attending a co-ed public school.

"Yes, she will be. I already have her enrolled." Sakura's father stated in a proud manner, as though him doing this ahead of time was making him a better person in his daughter's eyes.

Ino let out a squeal and hugged Sakura tightly. The pink haired girl could hear Temari chuckling in the background again, and her father even let out a light hearted laugh.

"Yatta! I can't believe you're going to be going to the same school!" The young blonde giggled out. "I can't wait, it'll be like old times! Except without Temari, she already graduated."

Sakura smiled at Ino with a half-heart. She wasn't that excited about going to this school, but at least she would have a friend around. The pink haired girl was almost surprised that Temari had already graduated, but considering that Sakura would be a senior at her high school, it seemed just about right. The older blonde was probably in her early twenties by now and finished with school, she always had been at the top of her class unlike her brother. Sakura smiled a bit, remembering Kankuro and his stupid antics of being a rebel at school. The pink haired girl remembered him running around the schoolyard during recess, and being a bully to some of the younger kids. Silently, she wondered if Kankuro had even graduated high school with how he used to act. After wondering a bit about Kankuro and his schooling, Sakura's mind floated back to the red-haired man in Temari's house. Her mind crossed out the wonderment of Kankuro being that man, for Sakura knew the boy had brown hair, and would have never threatened her or sneered at her in any way.

Sighing, Sakura's mind went back to the situation in front of her. Ino was asking the older man a question and Temari was picking up her phone again. After a few seconds of talking on the phone, Temari waved at Sakura with a smile and walked back towards her house. The pink haired girl watched the older blonde lean on her SUV and listen intently to whatever the person on the other line was saying.

"Sakura, HELLOOOO!" Ino yelled out as she stood right in front of the girl, her hands on her hips in a very mother like manner. "Your father said I could take you tomorrow to go shopping before we go back to school on Monday, whaddya say?"

"Um, sure why not?" Sakura smiled at her old friend, and the blonde's eyes lit up. And Sakura again felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll give you my debit card, you can get however much you like." Sakura's father said, a large proud smile on his face. She knew he was proud of himself to be able to provide her with some items she needed for the first time in a long while.

"Great! Sakura, I'll come pick you up at noon tomorrow so we can get everything done, okay?" Ino seemed to recommend the time as she said it, knowing the best time to go to the mall was Ino's specialty, not Sakura's.

"Sure, sounds good to me."

"Yatta! Okay, I'll be here tomorrow at noon! You better be ready!" Ino exclaimed as she turned around, giving a wave beforehand. "I'll see you then!"

The pink haired girl watched her friend run up to Temari, all smiles, and then run quickly back into the house. Temari slowly walked in after the younger blonde and Sakura silently wished she was going with them. She was no where near comfortable around her father, and secretly she didn't even want to be in this town at all.

"Sakura, come on, let's go inside. I'll show you your room."

"Alright. I'll be right there." Sakura said, looking back at her father and then grabbing her suitcase, messenger bag and laptop case in her arms. She watched as her father moved away from her and picked up the remaining suitcases, slowly making his way up the stairs as Sakura watched him from behind.

Again, silently, Sakura wished tomorrow would come sooner.

A/N: Alrighty! I finished up this chapter in time. Not much went on, but yes, Sakura is going into high school. For those of you that do not know how most American public schools work in terms of dress code and morality. It's simple, most high schools have a "dean" or a principal of the school. We also do not have uniforms or entrance exams, pretty much if you are willing to pay the price, you are allowed into the school. It's not really hard to understand, it's just really lax from other school systems that I know of.

Thank you all for your reviews and I will have a new chapter up by the end of this week. It will consist of Sakura and Ino shopping, the first night at Sakura's old house and the first day of school. Along with them meeting someone new, at the mall Not saying who though!

Read and Review constructively please. I take observations and suggestions with open arms!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.