Summary: He was locked away from the world; she was overly protected from it. He was abused, she was spoiled. Yet somehow, they managed to fall in love. SasuSaku

I do not own Naruto, don't make me say it. I feel so unimportant when I do C

Words.

"Speaking."

Thoughts…

Inner Speaking (Yays- Inner is here!)

///Flashback///

Finding Ourselves

Chapter 2: They Meet

As soon as her feet firmly touched the ground, Sakura ran. Ran as fast as her small legs could; just hoping to get as far away from the castle as she could. It was hard to run to her long red satin dress, as it was brimming at the end of toes. Sakura nearly tripped several times.

Running blindly, her eyes glazed over, tears silently trailed down her face. Her breath panted and her body screamed in protest. She had not run so fast in years. Sakura looked back slightly, worrying about if she were caught, than turned back. After a couple of moments, she was suddenly on the ground.

Oww….

Sakura turned slightly to see the culprit for her sudden smack to the hard earth. A seemingly innocent rock the size of a fist lay there. Sakura glared at the rock, it was NOT innocent. Sakura had half a minds to crush the rock; before pushing herself up and brushing off dirt from her red dress.

Just what I need this dress was brand new! She thought bitterly, as she glared harder at the rock.

Deciding that it was safer for her to walk than to run; she walked on in some unknown direction. Sakura put her hands on her head and looked up into the clear sky as she continued. She smiled slightly as a small breeze ruffled her long pink locks and lifted her dress slightly off the ground. It was good to be free.

Walking silently, wondering where she was, she felt something hard collide with her. She groaned; she was back on the ground. Not bothering to open her eyes, she continued to lie on the ground. It was warmer than last time.

No wonder daddy didn't want me to leave- I'm like the clumsiest person on the earth!

"Auugh…" A groan was then heard, coming from underneath Sakura.

"Aaaaah! THE GROUND CAN TALK!?!!" Sakura panicked, and punched the 'ground' below her. A louder groan was heard. Finally looking down (like she should have in the first place…) she saw it wasn't the ground. It was a boy! …Well a smooshed boy now… Sakura quickly jumped off him, frantically spurting out apologies while offering the boy a hand.

"- and I'm really really sorry, I didn't see where I was going and I couldn't really- well you know, and… and- I'm sorry, I just am really clumsy. One my daddy told me-"

I groaned. There was someone chattering my ear off. The pressure of the person who was on me previously had lifted and I felt a great relief I wasn't flatter than normal. I felt a small and fragile hand take my own rough one as it helped me up stand up. My feet now firmly on the ground, I opened my eyes about to tell the person to shut up when: I felt my heart stop.

The person in front of me was a… girl! I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as my heart began to pump faster. I hadn't seen any other girls (being locked away from the world did that to you) and I wondered if all girls were like her. It's not that she was ugly- actually she was really cute- but she was a bit odd looking.

She had big green eyes, sea foam green I guess, that seemed to show too much emotion. I could basically FEEL her embarrassment radiating from her eyes, though her eyes were firmly downcast. She had a somewhat abnormally large forehead, was that a flaw? If it was this girl seemed to put it off pretty well. Oh and of course, the weirdest thing of all, pink. Pink freaking hair. It was long, about to her waist, and swung freely in the breeze. She seemed like a ten year old, maybe eleven.

Despite the oddities of this girl, I liked her. Even so, I REALLY wish she'd shut up.

"Stop." She shut up immediately (Cool!), turning her eyes, finally, toward me with her own rosy blush to match mine. She curtsied at me muttering an embarrassed 'sorry'. I felt my lips etch into a familiar smirk.

He's the cutest boy I've ever seen! Was the only coherent thought going through Sakura's mind as she curtsied at this stranger.

This boy had dark, raven hair that seemed to stick up in the back, reminding Sakura of some bird. His bangs touched the end of his face, and gently blew in the wind. He had very deep onyx eyes that seemed to suck you in and never let you go. He had very good facial features, like a born actor, though he hardly looked over twelve or thirteen. He was very well built and strong looking, despite his age.

Sakura, blushing hard, had a sudden interest to know more about this cutie. (A/N: I have always wanted to say have Sakura say cutie xD) His faced was amused, was he laughing at her? She decided to ask questions to this (kawaii) boy.

"So where you going in such a hurry?" asked Sakura politely, while her inner squealed. (A/N: Everyone knows Sakura's inner, do I really have to explain it?) He suddenly had a hard look. After a few silent moments he spoke, his voice very attractive, inviting Sakura in even more.

"…I was running away…" Sakura looked confused at his answer. Huh? Running away?

"Running away from what?" The boy's eyes were calculating, deciding if to tell her. Sakura leaned in, to emphasize that she wanted to know. She silently inhaled his scent. He smelled good, very intoxicating, but Sakura couldn't decide on exactly what it was.

SHANNARO! Let's call it cute boy scent- The scent of all the cuties… XD Inner Sakura shouted as she swooned at his 'cute boy scent'. Sakura shook the thought out of her head.

"…From my…family." He whispered the last word looking pained, his face staring past Sakura. He obviously had a bad memory on his mind. Sakura feigned an innocent look.

"Why would you run away from your own family?" Sakura asked, though she had just done the same deed.

"…It hurt…" Sakura was confused with this boy…Hurt? What hurt? Was he riddling her? But before she could ask anymore questions, he spoke.

"Where were you going?"

"Um…Well, I just had to get some fresh air so I sort of snuck out of my home…" He smirked.

Gaa! So sexy!!! Inner Sakura drooled.

Sexy…? What's that? Sakura questioned her inner. (Yes, Sakura is officially insane xD)

I'll tell you when you're older… Inner Sakura left and Sakura returned to the real world.

"What's your name?" asked the boy. Sakura debated whether to tell him or not. Well he is really cute…but what if took her back to the castle? Sakura wasn't ready to go back to that dungeon yet. She opened her mouth to lie.

"Haruno Sakura." What the-? Sakura's mouth just seemed to work on its own, unable to lie this stranger. She huffed, irked. She must have looked ridiculous, trying to glare at herself.

I nearly laughed; she looked so irritated with herself. What was so bad with her name? It fit her perfectly. My amusement was cut short when she spoke next, in her soft (yet sweet) voice.

"What's your name?" I stood silently, my bangs covering my eyes. Would she turn me back to my father's house!? I was defiantly NOT going there ever again. But she seemed innocent enough…

"Uchiha Sasuke." My words were hushed and harsher then I intended. The girl, Sakura, looked down, hurt by my tone. There was an awkward silence, at least to me. She seemed to be concentrating. Was it what I said? I thought about apologizing, but she broke the silence first. (And anyway, how does one apologize?)

"I don't know you." I raised an eyebrow, uh…stating the obvious, much? I couldn't help it when I replied.

"Feh, no duh." She glared at me.

"Excuse you; do you know who you're talking too?" Her voice was arrogant, as if he was all of a sudden going to apologize and praise her or something. All former intention to apologize was forgotten.

"Yes, some annoying girl named Haruno Sakura." She fumed. That was obviously not that the answer she wanted. She may be cute, but she had a slight ego problem (ignore the fact that I probably do too).

"Uh, no! I'm Haruno Sakura-"

"I know." She glared harder at the interruption, before continuing.

"-and I'm the crown princess of Kohanagakure! You should be bowing down and begging for mercy that I don't punish you for you're rude behavior." She smirked, putting her hands proudly on her hips, expecting me to bow. She must have thought I'd care.

"…" I stood there. No way in hell was I going bow down to anyone anymore. Didn't I just escape to my freedom? I am not going to just listen to someone boss me around again. So I continued to stare at her with a blank look as she waited for me to bow.

There was a pregnant silence.

"You're not bowing down are you." It wasn't a question, more a statement. She groaned, trying to stare me down into doing what she wanted.

"I really don't care who you are." That hit a nerve, obviously, because she pounced on me. I dodged her, but she grabbed my arm and yanked me toward her with monstrous strength. I was surprised at her strength, and apparently, so was she. She released my arm, staring at the red mark she had left. It stung a little…

"Did I do that…?" She mumbled. I nodded slowly before realizing the position we were in. I blushed. She was on top of me, her face inches away, and I had one arm wrapped around her waist. (A/N: Is it me or in SasuSaku fanfics do they always end up in this similar position? xD)

She didn't seem to realize the position, continuing to be shocked by her strength. I coughed, trying to hint it without being completely rude. She didn't hear me. So I mumbled a 'get off please'. She STILL didn't hear me. Getting irritated at this girl (was she deaf!?) I spoke louder.

"Could you please get off me?" She blushed, finally realizing, and got off me (for the second time today, might I add) slowly, brushing invisible dirt off. She seemed tense.

"So…do you mind if we… start over? Hello, I'm Haruno Sakura." She said, somewhat uncomfortable. I smiled slightly.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Sasuke. But remember- I won't bow to you." We shook hands, both our cheeks tinged with pink. She smiled widely, pulling me into a hug. Her warmth seem to grown on me, and she smelled like… strawberry? Sweet. Then, something hit me.

I think I just made my first friend.

Back at the castle, things were brewing. The King and Queen were going nuts over their daughter's absence.

"Where is Sakura!?" the King, Haruno Itchiko, proclaimed to his wife, Haruno Hikori.

"I don't know, wasn't she with you last!?" Itchiko sighed.

"Yes- but I sent her to her room over an hour ago!" Both parents looked extremely worried at the thought of their hurt cherry blossom.

"Send out a rescue search- alert the village- honey she could be injured ordead!!" Hikori frantically rushed around the room searching for something.

"Who would take our poor cherry blossom!? She is fragile- she could trip, fall, and bleed to death! (A/N: Yes, Overly dramatic parents here) You know how sensitive she is, honey!" Itchiko was looking all over the room as if she would pop out and say 'Boo!' right now.

"A-ha! The lost posters! Sweetie have everyone out these up- were going to find Sakura!" Itchiko listened to his wife, quickly calling in professionals to post up loads of posters, while he went to make an announcement.

"Father. There is something wrong." Itachi stared blankly at his father as he walked down the stairs. His father, Fugaku, looked up from his magazine (How to Gloat Weekly) with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Is Sasuke refusing to come down?" Itachi waved his hand dismissively.

"Of course not, father. He couldn't do that, because Sasuke has escaped." The was a loud SLAM! from the magazine being thrown onto the floor and a string of curses. Sasuke was so dead.

"So, Sasuke-kun-" started Sakura, before Sasuke interrupted.

"Sasuke-kun? What does that mean?" Sakura giggled at his confuse face. He pouted.

"When you add the –kun suffix, it means you like someone a whole lot." Explained Sakura. Sasuke looked even more confused.

"You like me a whole lot?" His voice sounded curious, but Sakura could slightly hear the joy in his voice. She smiled as she grabbed his hands, giggling slightly.

"Of course, were friends, right?" Sasuke looked shocked before smiling sincerely.

My first friend…Haruno Sakura. Little did Sasuke know, that Sakura was thinking along the same lines.

Weeell, how was it? I only got two reviews but I was so psyched to add this chapter. Eeek…now I have to go work on the next chapter…Uh, I'll do it later…

Please review I have plenty of cookies for those who do! Oh and BAM! 6 pages- that was my goal…(does funny dance) GO ME!

Oh and kudos to those who know where I got the title from (hint: it's a song called Find Yourself)

--Ashley Rose—

Pages: 6 (Damn straight!) (JUST BARELY!! WOHOO)