Updated at a decent time, maybe I'm improving.

Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine nor as any of the song(s) mentioned.

The sky was dark again. The neighborhood kids were being mean again. Her parents didn't care. She was invisible again. No one to play with. No one to love her. No one to be her first friend.

Six year old Sakura sat at the steps of her tiny home sobbing. The mean neighborhood kids just finished harassing her about her forehead. It was too big and she was too little to do anything about it.

Her small body shock heavily as her sobs grew louder. No one came to comfort here again.

The afternoon sun shone brightly but the sky still looked dark. It was never bright in Sakura's world.

She heard the other kids screaming and laughing at whatever game they were playing. Suddenly she felt someone standing in front of her. She was surrounded by more darkness. Sakura tensed and tried to stop sobbing. That only fueled the mocking and taunting of the other kids.

"Hey why are you crying?"

Sakura gasped and looked up, tears still streaming heavily down her cheeks. Another girl she hasn't seen before was standing before her. She looked older but Sakura wasn't sure by how much. She was wearing jean shorts, a purple shirt, and white sneakers. Her hair was blonde, but not like Barbie's hair. It was darker. It was up in four ponytails. Her eyes also were sorta green but it also looked like it had blue. The girl had her hands on her hips and her eyes stared deeply into Sakura's emerald ones.

"I-I" Sakura couldn't form a sentence. She just wanted her to be mean to her already. That way she could go back to being alone and then she wouldn't be bothered anymore.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Then she did something that Sakura wasn't prepared for.

The girl sat next to her.

Sakura flinched and scooted away quickly. Not that there was much room for little Sakura to run away from. The girl's eyes widen in surprised then she scowled.

"What I can't sit here? Geez if you didn't want to be friends then you could have just said so!"

Sakura's sobs stopped and she stared at the girl in disbelief. Did she just say…..friends?

The girl blushed and stood. "Well fine! I'm going home!" She stormed away angrily.

Once she realized what happened Sakura resumed her sobbing. She wrapped her arms around her knees and covered her face with her knees. Only someone as stupid and ugly as her could lose a chance at making a friend. The other kids were right. She wasn't ever going to make a friend.

"Hey I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry."

Recognizing the voice Sakura slowly lifted her head. The girl came back.

Sakura finally mustered enough courage to talk, "y-you didn't."

The girl's eyes light up. "Hey you just talked to me!"

Sakura blushed and looked at the ground. The girl crouched in front of her and began to wipe away the tears.

"My mom always says girls look ugly when they cry. So don't cry. You'll look much prettier when you stop."

Sakura didn't know if the girl was trying to be mean or nice. She didn't care though and desperately tried to stop the tears. The girl took her spot next to Sakura. Once Sakura stopped crying she wiped away the last of her tears.

The girl turned her body so she was facing her new friend. "My names Temari. What's yours?"

"Sakura."

"Ohhh like the color of your hair right? Cool! I'm eight. How old are you?"

"Six."

"Wow your still a baby!"

Sakura knew the teasing was inevitable. It was too good to be true. Her eyes began to fill with tears.

The girl noticed and began to panic. "No! I didn't say it to be mean! You're just littler than me!"

Sakura started at this girl, Temari, in awe. She wasn't trying to be mean?

Temari began to kick some rocks near her feet. "It's just I'm the smallest of all my brothers. There stupid. Plus I'm the only girl beside my mom."

Sakura stared at her new friend with envy. She wondered what it was like to have brothers and sisters.

Temari frowned "my brothers think they're sooo cool. But they're just big jerks sometimes!"

Never having a friend before Sakura, didn't know what to do in this kind of situation. She just sat there and listened to Temari yell about how her brothers were gross and stupid and why was she the only girl. After all that Temari fell back onto the steps dramatically. Sakura giggled.

Temari turns and grins. "I got you to laugh."

Sakura nodded also smiling.

Both little girls heard a mother yell in the distance, "Temari! Ven a comer!"

Temari stood up. "That's my mom. I didn't think it was dinner time already."

Sakura felt her heart drop and started to feel empty. Her friend was leaving.

Temari turned to look at the small pink haired girl she just made friends with. "Hey do you want to eat some of my mom's carne asada?"

Sakura blinked in confusion. "What's that?"

Temari gaped at her in disbelief. She looked as though Sakura just seriously offended her. She grabbed Sakura's hand and began to drag her down the street. "Now you have to come to my house. You never had carne asada before?!"

Sakura shook her head, "no."

Temari and Sakura ran down the street until they reached the house on the corner. Temari opened the door and flew in with Sakura.

"Mom my friend Sakura is eating with us is that ok? She's never had carne asada before!"

Nervousness began to fill Sakura's body. She was standing in the doorway with Temari. She could see the living room across from her, to her left was a door, the entrance to the hall way, and if she strained her neck to look to her right to could see chairs and the dining table. The house had the aroma of recently cooked food. It smelled delicious!

A young woman came out of the kitchen to greet her daughter and her friend. She was really pretty. She had short sandy brown hair and her eyes were indigo. She was wearing a simply dress and had no shoes on.

She crotched down in front of Sakura and smiled. Her eyes held kindness and her smile was gentle. Sakura felt safe. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Hi there cutie."

Sakura woke up startled. Her heart was bounding. The sun hadn't completely risen. It was still dark in her room. Sakura felt her cheeks were wet. She knew she had been crying while dreaming. When was the last time she had that dream? Or a dream that had to deal with that family?

Sakura took shaky breaths. She wiped away the tears. She didn't move just started at her dark ceiling. One word. It took one word for her brain to bring back memories she rather throw out then remember again.

Once her racing heart calmed down Sakura turned to find her phone. It ended up on the floor. Checking the time she realized she woke up 40 minutes before her alarm was set to go off. Groaning Sakura threw her arm over her eyes. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Not after that dream.

Basking in the warmth her bed provided Sakura just continued to lie there. Lost in her thoughts until it was time to get ready for another day of school.

Checking the time once more Sakura saw her alarm was set to go off in 3 minutes. She disables the alarm and stretches. She throws off the covers and sits up. Stretching again Sakura couldn't help but yawn loudly. Wiping away any tears or drool Sakura got off her bed.

She went through her daily routine. Opening the curtains enough so the sunlight could come in but not enough that someone would be able to see her change out of her pajamas. She found her outfit for the day. A black shirt with a white top and sandals to match. She went to her bathroom to comb her hair and wash her face.

Then she came down the stairs to the kitchen to have some breakfast. It was about 6:40 in the morning. She had class at 7:30 and Sasuke would come pick her up at 7. Her breakfast consisted of cereal and toast.

Well that was her plan for breakfast. Once Sakura reached the kitchen she ran into her mother. Enter awkward atmosphere and tension.

Sakura's mother, Mebuki, was just as surprised to see her daughter. She was a middle age woman with blonde hair and green eyes.

Normally Mebuki would have been off to work at this hour. This was weird. Like seeing a cat acting like a dog.

"Good morning Sakura."

"Morning," Sakura slowly went to the cabinets to grab her cereal. Really the tension and awkwardness was getting to be too much. Nothing was said between mother and daughter. Sakura usually didn't care because usually her parents would in the house one minute and out the next. She was use to that.

This was just completely bizarre. Her mother wasn't at work and yet she was still up at this hour. She also didn't attempt to make conversation. Sakura couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at that. Refusing to let that affect her Sakura continued to make her breakfast while her mother was sipping her coffee.

Sakura sat down and began to munch on her food. The silence was deafening.

"How's school?"

Sakura wasn't prepared for a question and almost chocked on her toast. Recovering quickly and swallowing her food she responded with a simple "fine."

"You've been crying."

Sakura frowned. She was sure she got rid of anything that indicated she cried this morning. Her mother washed her mug, "I can see it in your eyes."

She left the kitchen.

Sakura sat there alone. She didn't know why this bothered her so much. She was use to her parents not paying attention to her because of work. So why did it bug her so much that her mother was still able to tell something was wrong?

Losing her appetite Sakura threw away the remainder of her food and placed her bowl in the sink. She went back upstairs to brush her teeth and grab her backpack. Then she waited for Sasuke to pick her up.

Sasuke picked her up right at seven. On time like usual.

Getting in the car Sakura heard the beginning of a song playing before Sasuke changed the song on his phone.

"What song was that?"

Sasuke started driving to school. "One from the band I like."

"You can play it you know."

He reaches for her head and holds it. "You don't have to pretend to like the music for me."

Sakura squeezes his hand, "and I don't want you to change it just because I don't like it. I don't mind it. Beside it didn't sound like anything like the song I heard last time."

Sasuke lips turn upwards. "Well it's one of their earlier songs. So it's very different."

Sakura grabs his phone and plays the last song on his playlist. "Well then let's listen."

The song started playing. The music was much softer if she compared it to the song from last time. She was also surprised to hear another voice singing.

"It's the bass player. Some songs he sings along with the lead singer. He also raps a little in some songs."

Sakura sat there and listened to the lyrics. It reflected what she dreamt last night.

"What's the name of the song?"

"Somewhere I Belong."

How fitting. Sakura stared out the window. So this is what Sasuke meant when he said the songs spoke to him. Her thoughts drifted back to her dream.

Was it a coincidence that she dreamt of her childhood? That Sasuke would be listening to a song that fitted so well with her past? Sakura glared at the passing scenery. She shunned these memories for a reason.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing just thinking."

Sasuke frowned but didn't ask any more. Instead he lifts her hand and plants a kiss on her knuckles.

Sakura smiles at his attempt to make her feel better. She turns and leans over to kiss his cheek. Sasuke turns his head and catches her lips.

"Sasuke you're driving!"

He chuckles "it was just a second."

"I don't want to die thanks."

"Don't be so dramatic," he rolls his eyes "see what happens when you hang around Ino so much."

Sakura slaps his chest "I love you both so cut it out."

"Just speaking the truth."

Sakura laughs "well if I hang around you any longer I'm going to turn into an emotionless person."

Sasuke snorts "I have feelings."

Sakura kisses his cheek "I know you do."

They arrive to school ten minutes later. The perks of having the school practically in your backyard, you could be running late and still make it to class right on time. Of course neither Sasuke nor Sakura were ones to be tardy.

The school bell rang. It was time to learn. Joy!

During all her classes Sakura couldn't focus. She started at the board where the teachers wrote notes but she wasn't pay attention to a word the teachers were spewing out their mouths. Her thoughts kept returning to her dream. It was frustrating her.

When it was lunch time Sakura mentally screamed for joy. She finally could take a break from all the nonsense the teachers were blabbing about. Who knew one dream would be able to throw her off her game so badly.

Usually at lunch Sakura would hang out with her friends and Sasuke would be with his buddies. Since they hang out so often outside of school both felt it would be better if they spent lunch with their friends. One of the few things Ino didn't criticize Sasuke about.

Sakura grab a burger with fries and met with her friends at their usual spot. A table that was outside, near one of the many old and historical trees the school had. Her friends where already sitting down eating.

She takes a seat next to her shy friend Hinata. "Hey guys."

"Bout time you got here forehead!"

Tenten the sporty of the group rolls her eyes. "Yes thank God. Now maybe you can get her to shut up."

Ino glares at the bun hair girl and flicks a grape at her. Tenten sticks her tongue out and eats the grape in retaliation.

Sakura turns to Hinata for clarification.

"S-Shikamaru is still moping. Ino is upset about it."

Sakura nodded her head in understanding. She took a bite out of her burger.

Shikamaru recently went to Suna for spring break with his family. Apparently he met a girl there and really hit it off. Sadly after the week was up the Nara's had to return home. Shikamaru and the girl continued to talk afterwards. Texting and skyping they started a long distance relationship. Then suddenly a few days ago the girl told Shikamaru whatever was going on between them was over. He still hasn't gotten over it.

Ino threw her hands up in frustration, "if I ever meet this chick she'll be sorry that she ever did this to my best friend!"

Sakura felt bad for Shikamaru. Sometimes Sasuke gives her updates on him. He's really torn up about it. Shikamaru was a lazy guy and it takes a lot for him to be dedicated or motivated for anything. So the fact that he was so invested with this girl it just hurt him worse than probably any other teen in his position.

"Come on Ino what are the odds of that?" Sakura asked.

"I just wish she would stop by here. Even if it was for just a day. I would make her pay!"

"Ino please don't get so upset. Shikamaru wouldn't want to see you like this." Hinata told the raging blonde.

Ino sighed "it just hurts me to see one of my closest friends in pain."

All the turns nod in understanding. Tenten gives Ino a hug and squeezes hard.

"Bionic woman let go! I can't breathe!"

Tenten laughs "not until I see a smile!"

All the girls laugh and Tenten throws her first in the air in victory.

The rest of the day dragged on. Sakura was mentally exhausted. She just wanted to go home, take a bath, and eat comfort food. Like cookies. Or ice cream. Maybe both….

Now she was hungry.

The last bell rang signally the end of the day. It was three in the afternoon and Sakura was ready to leave this place. Sasuke had to stay after school for basketball practice. So Ino was her ride home.

Sakura was walking to Ino's locker when she sees Shikamaru leaning against it. She waves and smiles "hey."

Shikamaru straightens out "good you're here."

"Is something wrong?"

"Look can you tell Ino to back off?" he scratches the back of his head. "I know she means well but I can handle this."

Sakura frowns "she's just worried about you."

He sighs "I know. I know. I just….need some space. Think you can get her to not be on my ass so much?"

Sakura pats his shoulder "I'll try my best."

"Thanks."

She watches the laziest guys on the planet walk off. Sakura really wanted to help out her friend but she didn't know how. She guessed if all he wanted was space then she would get Ino to back off. Ino meant well but sometimes a person needs time to think things through. When he's ready he'll go back to being his old self.

Not a minute later Ino comes bouncing to her locker. She goes on to say that a really cute guy was talking to her and had a date this weekend. Sakura shook her head at her friend's antics. She would still have a chat with her but maybe after her date. She didn't want to put Ino in a bad mood. Ino in a bad mood spelled disaster and murder.

Ino took Sakura home and told her she would tell her the details of the guy and date later. Sakura waved as her friend drove off and entered her home. Throwing her backpack onto the couch Sakura dragged herself to the kitchen for nourishment.

After eating Sakura takes the rest of the afternoon to do homework and text Sasuke once he got out of practice. Her afternoons that weren't spent at the Uchiha home were quiet. Sometimes the silence was too much and she would have the TV on and blast some music.

Night consumed the sky and the moon gave off its light. Sakura was in bed looking up that band Sasuke likes. She searches the song she listened to and sees the video doesn't have the band performing. It's just lyrics.

Sakura tilts her head in confusion. Well Sasuke did say it was an older song. Maybe they just put the lyrics before they got the courage to perform? She scrolled through the comments and saw that a lot of people loved the music. How the song really understood their situation. How their lyrics actually mean something.

Sakura closes her laptop and puts it on her desk. She turns off the lights and lies down ready for bed. But she couldn't sleep. Like in the morning she just stared at the dark ceiling. Even though today was mentally draining, when she went to bed, suddenly she didn't feel tired. Now that she was awake she had more time to ponder on the memories she really tried to hide.

Why did she have that dream? They weren't coming back to town were they?

Sakura's heart froze at that thought. No. They couldn't come back. Not after she finally moved on.

Shaking those thoughts away Sakura turns to her side and clutches her blanket. Closing her eyes she tries to fall asleep. Hoping she didn't have any more dreams about that family. She drifted off to sleep with the image of two young girls, one pink hair and the other dirty blonde, grinning and hugging each other.

Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park. The band that will forever be my favorite since it was the first band I really got into. Well there you go. Really like how this chapter came out. Have a chocolate strawberry filled day!

Review! Thanks!