A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites and alerts! I decided to update this story fast, it's really fun to write. Read and review!
Chapter two: A warm home
The sun was setting as Sakura walked down the path she walked on so many times. She was going home after a long day.
She had a lot to do for tomorrow. Finish the book the Japanese teacher told them to read, make the project for Physics, learn the formulas for Math and do homework for English and History.
As she walked down the street, Sakura recalled what happened in her classroom before she left. That boy's 'confession'—if telling someone to become your girl so you could do whatever you want with her could be called a confession—and the two boys that were peaking.
About the so-called confession, she was used to being in dangerous situations so she wasn't scared. The two boys she bumped into were her classmates—Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. She only knew their names and appearance as she was new in the class. She has been in another class the past two years.
It didn't matter what class she was in, she only came to school for one thing and changing classes didn't change her goal: studying.
Soon, Sakura spotted her home. A small house under the bridge, by the river. She smiled as a warm feeling surrounded her heart. Sakura ran to her home.
It was just as she opened the door that the person Sakura expected to see came to greet her with a smile on her face. It was her mother—Haruno Mebuki. The only feature the two Haruno women didn't share was the color of the hair, Mebuki had golden hair while Sakura petal-rose hair.
"Welcome back." Mebuki said.
"I'm back." Sakura said taking off her shoes. As soon as she looked at her mother's face, she knew something happened "Is something wrong?"
She shook her head. "No. Come on, I bet you're hungry." The woman continued.
She was hungry. She was starving.
"I'm not that hungry." She lied.
Sakura could see from the small hallway the kitchen. On the small, traditional table sat a small bowl with rice and few pieces of omelette.
The two of them would usually eat together, if there was enough for both. On days like this, one of them would always say she's not hungry or pretend not to have time and let the other one eat. It was a fight between their stubbornness and it was a tough fight. The Harunos have always been prideful and stubborn.
"Sakura," Her mother begun.
"Mom, it's ok, you eat tonight. You go to work tomorrow, right?" Sakura gave her a smile.
"And you have school." Her mother replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Exactly, I'll take some bites from Hinata. You know her mother's always making those huge bentos and she said she wants to lose weight."
Mebuki gave up deciding to believing her daughter. "Ok then."
"Now, I have lots of homework to do so excuse me." She made a bow as if she was a princess, her mother letting out a chuckle.
Mebuki nodded and Sakura turned around, entering the other room in the house which was her and her mother's bedroom.
The room was small and simple—two beds on either side, a small lamp above Sakura's bed and a mirror on the wall behind them, right in front of the door.
Sakura changed in a pair of baggy pants and a simple, white t-shirt, tied her hair in a messy bun, put her sailor uniform on a chair and started doing her homework.
At least, she tried to.
Her mind wandered elsewhere. She thought about her friend and classmate, Hinata. She was lucky enough that when she changed classes this year, Hinata transferred too. They have always been classmates. Hyuuga Hinata was a shy and kind girl. She didn't stand out much, just like Sakura, so they naturally became friends when they were seated next to each other at the beginning of their second year of high school.
Sakura was feeling a little guilty for lying to her mother about Hinata's bento. Hinata didn't have big bentos and neither was she on a diet, but she did share her food with Sakura.
Of course, Sakura didn't tell Hinata about her situation at home. At first, Sakura told Hinata her mother didn't have time to make her a bento and she didn't know how to make one, but after a few months Hinata stopped asking and the two of them would always share a bento. Also, the bentos seemed to get bigger and bigger as the weeks passed.
Even though Sakura didn't mention a thing, Hinata probably figured out some things on her own. Sakura almost never had money on her, she never went on trips and she was obviously too skinny. But Hinata didn't ask anything, Sakura was grateful for that. She didn't want to have to lie to her friend too.
Sakura looked at the tower of notebooks and books in front of her and sighed. She was a top student, but even though she studied almost every minute of every day, she couldn't be the first. All top students were taking particular classes, something she could not afford.
Why did being first matters so much? Because being the first may get you a scholarship, some good recommendation letters and many other advantages. But, more than this, Sakura was learning because she wanted to become a doctor. She has always dreamed of becoming a famous doctor known in all Tokyo, maybe even in all Japan. Of course, she enjoyed studying at biology and chemistry, but the other things were not so interesting. Still, she had to study. For her dream, for a better life for her and her mother.
'Enough with this,' Sakura thought shaking her head. 'Time to study.'
Next morning Sakura woke up with a terrible neck pain. She fell asleep in a very uncomfortable position all over her textbooks. She didn't even remember when she fell asleep.
As the girl stood up, she observed a fluffy blanket covered her. She smiled knowing her mother put it on her last night. As expected, when she looked at her left side at her mother's bed, it was empty. She was probably already off to work.
Sakura climbed off of her bed and did her morning routine. She found a sandwich on the table and a note next to it.
'Don't you dare leave without eating.'
She smiled and took the sandwich, she'll eat it on the way to school. She closed the door behind her and started walking by the river. It was early in the morning and classes started in half an hour, she did not have to hurry. Sakura liked walking alone. She could think about all she wanted and she felt.. Comfortable.
Just as Sakura swallowed the last bite of her sandwich, she spotted a small group. They were teenagers just like her, most of them wearing a different uniform. It was only then that Sakura realized who they were. It was the group of children that lived close to her, but not under the bridge. They were all living in big houses on the main street. They were the children she tried so hard to be friends with when she was younger.
A shiver ran down her spine and her legs stopped moving. She couldn't remember but recall all the memories that haunted so many of her dreams even now.
'Please, don't see me.' She begged in her mind.
They didn't see her. As soon as she could move again, she desperately searched for another way to school. She couldn't possibly walk right behind them.
"Tell me again," Naruto begun. "Why are we going to school when Ichiraku has a super discount at ramen?!"
"Because," The raven-haired Uchiha started explaining. "One, I don't care about the discount at ramen and two, Ino sent me this." He showed Naruto his iPhone where it was Ino's text.
'Listen here Uchiha. You and Uzumaki have to come to school today, and by coming to school I mean come in time and spend all six hours in that damn building which represents our high school. We're having two tests today and Kakashi-sensei said that if you won't take them he'll beat you two to death. He has already had enough problems with the students because you don't show at school at all. You better come, I mean it.' —Ino.
"Ook, she seems pretty serious." Naruto concluded.
"You think so?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.
The two boys were walking down the hallways. When they reached the classroom and Naruto opened the door, all the heads turned towards them.
'The teacher's not here, jackpot.' Naruto thought proud of himself, though Sasuke was the one to drag him out of his bed so that they made it in time.
"Uchiha, Uzumaki!" A voice called. Naruto looked at the person who called the two of them, it was Inuzuka Kiba, their classmate and friend. "Who do we own the honour to see you at school?"
Sasuke smirked.
"Well, Ino-chan said we better come to school today if we still want to still have legs tomorrow." Naruto replied.
"And I'm glad you understood the message." Ino replied coming next to the two boys, she had a pleased smile on her face.
"Morning." Sasuke greeted her.
Ino smiled at him. "Good morning."
"Ino," A girl called as she approached the group that gathered by the window, most of the class was there. "Say Ino, do I sense something between you and Sasuke?" The girl asked looking with certain eyes at her blonde friend.
"Whaaat?" Naruto reacted first. "Is that true? What the heck Sasuke, I thought we were friends! Why didn't you tell me? I will never trust you again." He dramatised.
Everyone started laughing, even Ino.
"Sasuke didn't betray you Naruto, there's nothing like this between us." Ino assured him, making everyone let out a disappointed sigh.
"Too bad." Tenten, another friend of Ino's, said.
"Yeah, you'd make a reaally cute couple." Another classmate said.
"Well, there's one happy person here." Kiba said, making every head turn towards him. "Me of course, I can still make the class president realize how awesome I am." He put a hand on Ino's waist and pulled her closer.
"Even if there's nothing between me and Sasuke, it would still take you two lifetimes to make me realize that." Ino replied, taking his hand off her waist.
Everyone started laughing, Sasuke only smiling.
Naruto's iPhone started buzzing in his pocket. "Excuse moi." He said turning around to answer. "Naruto here. Oh, Mom. Yeah, I ate. Yeah, yeah. School, yeah. Yeah, I know. Uhm. Yes, yes. Me too, bye." He put his phone in his pocket and sighed.
'Moms.' He complained mentally.
Just as he raised his head wanting to turn around and return to the group, his sea-blue eyes locked with a pair of silver ones.
It was her—the girl he saw so often at school but never talked with.
She had long, dark-blue hair, big, silver eyes, small and pink lips and was tiny. She was sitting on at the front of the class and didn't really talk with anybody. She usually spent time with another girl, but he couldn't recall her appearance now.
He didn't know her name. Up until now, she was in another class but the Heavens bought her in his class, something Naruto will always be grateful for. Maybe something good will come out of attending classes today, he could find out her name.
It was only for a moment that their eyes locked. They were far from each other, but still, their eyes met. She quickly looked away blushing.
'Cute.' Naruto thought smiling.
"Ok everyone, get to your seats." Asuma-sensei called as he entered in the class.
He started calling every name. Naruto paid attention, he wanted to know her name.
"Hyuuga Hinata."
She raised her hand. "Present."
"Hinata.." He muttered.
"What?" Sasuke asked.
"Nothing." Naruto smiled.
After fifteen minutes of listening to Asuma's history lesson, Sasuke remembered why he didn't attend classes.
It was boring as hell.
He hated boring classes, he hated studying and he hated wasting time. The only good thing about school were the people he spent time with and his friends. Why did he need to go to school, anyway? He will inherit his father's company, he doesn't need to know history to be able to rule a company.
Sasuke was about to slam his head on the desk because of the boredom when the class door opened and someone entered.
It was her—the girl he saw yesterday afterhours.
Sasuke smirked, there may be something that could make school more interesting. Someone that could change things.