Okay, I would just like to thank my friend Mel (read my profile) for helping me with this chapter. I really needed it. Oh yeah, and I would like to inform everyone that I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY CHARACTERS SINCE THEY BELONG TO MASASHI KISHIMOTO!!!! The idea for this story is mine; that is it. RIGHT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE THAT SAKURA IS GOING INTO FOURTH GRADE, BUT SHE WILL STOP SCHOOL WHEN SHE GETS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUST LIKE IN THE ANIME!!

A young girl jogged up to the open bus doors. Backpack on shoulder, smile set firmly in place; she jumped up the stairs and looked around. A handful of children her age were already sitting there, many chatting. No one seemed to notice her as she stared in fascination.

"Sakura Haruno, right?"

"Hm?" She turned around to find the bus driver staring at her expectantly.

"Is your name Sakura Haruno?" he asked again.

Realizing what he meant, she nodded.

"Are you new to Konoha Grade School?" A friendly smile was on his face.

Feeling just slightly shy, she nodded again.

"Welcome newcomer! Well, why don't you find a seat?" He gestured behind him to the other kids. "Don't worry; most of them are friendly,"

She mouthed a thank you and took the empty seat behind the driver's.

As the bus started up again, she looked out the window. Houses and people flashed by, too quickly for her to see correctly. In moments they were stopping again, and the doors opened with an un-oiled squeak. The sound made Sakura wince slightly.

Glancing at the door, she saw no one there.

Feeling curious, she peeked around at the driver. "Are you waiting for someone?"

He turned to her. "Yeah, but they aren't going to make it." He sounded and looked exasperated. Turning back, he reached out to close the doors.

Just as the doors began to close, someone shouted from outside the bus. "Whoa! Wait up!"

Seconds later, in dashed a young girl. Her chocolate hair was tied up into two neat buns, and a navy message bag (Author's Note: You know, those bags that only have one strap and that are pretty popular now?) hung on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said, facing the driver. Her eyes, as brown as her hair, sparkled apologetically. "My little brother was scared of going to his first day of grade school, and I was trying to convince him to let go of the doorknob."

The driver's annoyed look disappeared. "That's alright," he said. "Just try not to be late tomorrow!"

"Thanks!" She grinned widely.

"Alright, so your name is…?"

"Tenten."

"And your last name?"

"I'd rather not say,"

"Alright then," The driver fully closed the doors. "Take a seat,"

Tenten looked at the other students. Most of them were around her age. No one, however, had noticed her except for a timid-looking girl sitting just behind the driver. Tenten smiled in a friendly way as she approached.

"Can I sit here?" she asked, gesturing towards the empty seat.

The girl nodded, making her short pink hair bob up and down.

Tenten plopped down beside the new girl. She immediately began to look through her bag as the bus continued on. After a few moment of rummaging, she found what she wanted and pulled it out.

What Sakura saw made her gasp. Tenten was holding a long silver dagger. The handle was wrapped in some cloth so you could hold it in a comfortable way, and it had a small ring at the end. The blade itself was sharper than anything Sakura had ever seen. The sun filtering through the bus' window made the gray metal sparkle.

As Sakura continued to watch in open fascination, Tenten slipped her index finger through the ring and made it twirl in a slow circle. They both kept their eyes locked on it.

When the bus stopped again to pick up another student, Tenten halted the rotation of the blade.

She reached out her hand and grinned widely. "Hi! My name is Tenten! What's yours?"

Sakura hesitated before shaking hands with Tenten. "My name is Sakura Haruno," she answered softly.

"Oh cool! Does your name have anything to do with your hair? After all, it is the color of Sakura flowers!" (Author's Note: To those who don't watch enough Naruto to not know what the word Sakura means in Japanese, it means cherry blossom!)

This made Sakura uncomfortable. Was Tenten just another girl who would make fun of her out-of-the-ordinary hair?

Tenten watched as Sakura's face fell. Knowing that she had hit some invisible pressure point, she quickly tapped the girl's shoulder.

Sakura looked back up, making chocolate and emerald orbs meet. Tenten looked truly apologetic. Sakura was trying not to look hurt.

Tenten began to apologize. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. Come on, you know that I didn't mean it. Besides, I think that you're hair is pretty and unique an you." This was not completely true. Sakura's hair was well-brushed, but it hung over her large forehead and gave her a messy look.

Sakura smiled again. "Thanks," Maybe this slight tomboy could be trusted.

Tenten smiled and put her knife into one of the pockets of her black Capri's. "Right, so are you new here?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. My mom kept holding me back because she was afraid I might get hurt, but she finally caved last summer. I was going to an ordinary private school up until now. I'm just happy that she trusts me."

"I know what you mean." Tenten's grin was half-hearted, but Sakura didn't seem to notice anything.

"Mom's been really protective ever since my dad left."

"Did your parents divorce?" asked Tenten, cocking her head.

"No. When I was five, my dad left on a mission. He was a ninja back then…" Sakura's words choked in her throat as she tried to control her raging emotions.

Tenten knew Sakura was on the verge of crying, but her curiosity took over. "And?"

"He never came back. My big brother, Jason, went after him, and he was never found either."

"Oh…" Tenten looked away. Although she didn't tell Sakura, she knew what it felt like to lose someone precious.

Sakura sobbed quietly. However, no tears spilled.

"I'm sorry. Wanna change the subject?" Tenten squeezed Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura nodded and grinned softly. She pushed her pink tresses behind her ear and the two girls stared at each other. Both knew that they had both made a new friend.

I know this chapter is kinda fluffy, but Mel liked it, and so do I. It shows the beginning of the friendship between Tenten and Sakura. In the next chapter, I hope to introduce the other people: Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, Kurenai, Shino, Akamaru and Kiba, Hinata, Asuma, Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, Gai, Lee, and Neji among others. Mi cousins are coming for Thanksgiving, so it might take a while for me to update.

Mel says: I hope you like this chapter! We worked hard on it!