Chapter Two- Cause and Effect

Tuesday'"'"'"

I walked down the halls with Hinata at my side. She blushed a deep pink when I mentioned that I heard about Naruto asking her to the dance.

"You do realize this is all Ino, right?" I asked vehemently.

"I know. I just think that…that she's trying to get everyone together." Hinata stammered.

"Yeah, in all honesty, Hinata, I feel sorry that Ino had to choose to attack you and Naruto first. I'm also glad, though, because it means she can't get at me." I sighed.

"T-then what will you and Sasuke do?" Hinata asked.

I shot her a quick, surprised look before I spoke. "Nothing. We're not even like that. Ino did the whole Naruto thing for you."

Hinata turned a little darker at my statement. "What m-makes you think—"

"Hinata, don't even try to deny you've been crushing on Naruto since we introduced you in fourth grade." I interjected.

Hinata fidgeted with her fingers. "W-well…I…"

"Don't worry, Hinata, your secret's safe with us." I chuckled. "I'm just hoping that Naruto picks up his brain and realizes your feelings for him. He can be such an idiot sometimes."

Hinata smiled a little and nodded her head. I abruptly turned for a door on my left.

"Well, this is my stop. See you later, Hinata." I waved goodbye.

"Good bye, Sakura." Hinata replied and continued down the hall.

I entered the room and stopped. My fists clenched in sudden annoyance. I came into my math class and found Sasuke had arrived first, and he was currently being attacked by the biggest slut you'll ever meet: Karin.

I stomped over to the scene. Sasuke saw me coming and gave me a thankful look. Karin turned her attention from Sasuke and saw me.

"What do you want?" Karin asked rudely.

"For you to get a fashion sense that doesn't make you look like a whore and to leave Sasuke alone. That's what." I snapped in return.

"Who're you to tell me what to do?" Karin retorted. "You don't know how Sasuke feels, and you're probably just jealous."

"Trust me, I have nothing to be jealous of. If you didn't dress like such a hooker and you actually brushed all of your hair, you'd be nothing special to bother with." I replied acidly.

Karin shot me a death glare, but nonetheless stalked over to her own desk. I looked down at Sasuke and took my seat next to him.

"Thanks." He told me. "I have to say, though, wasn't that a little far compared to what you've said before?"

"Oh, I know you don't mind." I huffed. "So long as the slut is driven away by one of us you don't care what's said. What about the time Ino defended you and she went…descriptive."

Sasuke shuddered slightly at the thought. "Don't remind me."

I giggled at his response. "See, now do I seem so bad?"

"I never said you were bad. Actually, compared to when Ino or Naruto defend me, I think I like yours the best."

"I'm glad you like my insults. It helps me relieve stress."

"Hn," Sasuke smirked as the teacher walked in and class began.

'"'"'"'"

I stood in the hallway by the lockers with Ino. She had been going on a big rant about all the reasons I needed to get Sasuke to go with me to the dance, but I complacently ignored her as best I could.

"Ino, why are you so determined to cruelly screw up me and Hinata's love-lives?" I inquired.

"Because cruelty is a part of the shit we, as friends, must deal with! It says so in our group laws!" Ino answered loudly.

"When the hell did we make 'group laws'?" I asked.

Ino reached into her locker and pulled out a stack of papers. "When I got bored and wrote them down. Deal with it." Ino replied.

"What the…?" I stared at my blond friend in disbelief.

"Hey guys!" I turned to see Naruto as he ran down the hall at us.

"Hey, Naruto, what's up?" Ino greeted.

"Nothing much, but, hey, Sakura, I gotta talk to you!" Naruto announced.

"Why?" I asked.

"Come on, you'll just have to wait and see!" Naruto replied.

"If you're taking me to the vending machine because your snack didn't come out, I'll kill you." I declared.

"No, that happened last week, and I got Teme to get it out. Just come on!"

I turned to Ino. "I guess I'll see you later."

"See you, and you better think on what I've been telling you about you-know-what!" Ino giggled.

"Yeah, sure, I'll do that." I replied sarcastically.

"Glad you finally see my view!" Ino laughed in triumph.

I was about to make a snide remark about the uses of sarcasm, but Naruto grabbed my arm and pulled me away as he demanded that I stop talking and follow him already.

Naruto pulled me down the halls faster than I could run. I nearly tripped three times before I used my free arm to jerk him backwards and tell him to slow down. Naruto did as he was told just as we arrived in front of a door.

I stared from the door to Naruto skeptically. "A door? What do you want me to do, pick the lock?"

"No, I'd get Hinata for something like lock picking." Naruto answered. "The thing I called you for is right beyond this door."

I shot Naruto a perplexed look before I grasped the handle, turned the knob, and stepped through the door. Suddenly, it slammed behind me and I gave an involuntary leap at the force. I turned back to the door and heard Naruto snickering.

"Naruto, you jackass!" I yelled. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You'll see, Sakura!" Naruto replied through the door.

I growled and gave the door a swift kick. I smirked devilishly in triumph when I heard Naruto clamber around on the ground from the sudden shock.

"Take that." I grumbled as I turned to inspect where it was that Naruto decided to lock me in.

I was a little surprised to find that instead of being locked into something, I was moreover locked out. I now stood on the roof of the school. It was a warm day out and the sun illuminated the rooftop in a peaceful manner. I was astounded that I had never been up here before.

"Why did he take me to a roof of all places?" I questioned out loud.

"Because he shoved me up here, that's why." A voice answered.

I jumped and turned to see Sasuke up against the wall.

"Sasuke…what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Same reason you're here, the Dobe forced me up here." Sasuke replied.

"Do you know why?" I pressed.

"Unfortunately…I do." Sasuke answered.

I stared at Sasuke for a moment as I waited for him to explain the situation. Sasuke remained his stoic self, but I could tell that he was in thought. I was patient as I waited for him to finally speak.

"Feel free to not agree to this. It was all the Dobe's idea, and Ino's, too, if you look at it differently." Sasuke began.

I got a strange feeling in my stomach, and a sense that I knew what was coming popped into my mind.

"Sakura…will you go to the dance with me this Friday?" Sasuke blurted out.

I gawked at him. The sense I had earlier turned into reality.

"Naruto dared you…" I inquired.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, "feel free to say no, after all, it's just a stupid dance."

"Actually," I interjected, "I think I'll accept."

Sasuke looked me straight in the eye. His face contorted into a look of confusion. "Why?"

"Well…uh…like you said, it's just a dance, and besides, if you have someone to go with you can…avoid all those fangirls who are trying to ask you. They can't go with you if you already have a…date." I explained.

Sasuke was silent once again. For a moment I thought he was about to start trying to persuade me to still say no, but his next words slightly shocked me. "Okay, deal. You do have a good point."

I smiled lightly. "So, it's like a fake-date that we're convincing others is real."

"It can be a real date." Sasuke clarified, but he quickly averted his gaze as he realized what he had just said. "If you…want it to be…. Naruto and Hinata are going for real."

I blushed. "O-okay…sure…it's a real date."

Sasuke smirked. "Alright, now let's go make the Dobe let us out."

I nodded and Sasuke walked past me. I turned to face his back. My blush threatened to rise as I thought of the fact that he and I were going to go on a real date.

"What have I gotten myself in to?" I asked myself.

Done! Sorry this took a little longer to get out than I expected. A little while ago I had a bunch of other things occupying three whole freaking hours! And now, I've just spent about twenty minutes trying to get this sentence out. (Time consuming thing has returned.) I'll try to write the third chapter when I can! Till later!