Dirty Little Secret?

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Sakura reached out and slammed her fist on her alarm clock, clearly aggravated. 'Why did I say I'd join that contest?' Sakura asked herself. She sighed and threw off her blankets, letting herself get used to the cold morning air.

"Bur!" She scrambled over to her closet and flung clothes out carelessly. "Oh, what should I wear? Nothing too interesting. Wouldn't want any of my good clothes to get ruined."

Finally, after much controversy she decided on a pair of blue jeans with ripped holes in the knees, and a white shirt with a perfect circle in the back. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was classy enough for her.

After eating breakfast and fishing all her morning activities, she packed up some of her equipment that might be needed and left her house. She was a bit early, but being early never hurt anybody.

After stopping by Naruto's apartment, she wasn't surprised to find a note left for her on the door. It read…

Sakura

I thought I might get breakfast down at the ramen shop. Meet me down there. Hinata and Neji are going to be there! Well, I gotta go. Can't let the ramen go to waste! Bye

Naruto

Sakura sighed and ripped the note off the door, slipping it into her pack. Making sure that Naruto's door was locked, (which it wasn't…when will he learn?) she headed over to her friends favorite place in all Konoha.

The ramen shop was mostly empty. When Sakura entered, there were only three customers. 'That's because ramen isn't breakfast,' Sakura thought bitterly, knowing that Naruto probably had already ordered something for her.

Sneaking up behind her blonde friend, she saw Hinata glance in her direction. Hinata nodded and turned her head, pretending she hadn't seen anything. Sakura smiled…'Perfect.'

"Wow, I wonder when Sakura's going to get here?" Naruto said. "She normally would be here by no-AH!"

"Gotcha!" Sakura laughed. She had come up behind him and pulled his chair out from under him. It was a little prank they had going and Sakura was apparently down a few points.

"Hi Sakura!" Naruto said, forgetting about the little incident. "What took you so long? I left a note on my door so that you'd meet me here." Sakura sighed and pulled out the note.

"I got the note." Sakura shoved it at him.

"What's eating you?" Naruto asked.

Sakura sighed. "Nothing. I guess I didn't get enough sleep last night."

"Then maybe you should not work so late." Sakura turned around to see Neji standing there in his typical outfit. He smiled and offered her a seat next to him. Sakura took it gratefully and he continued his sleeping lecture.

"You should get more sleep Sakura. I don't want you sleep walking around here. We can't afford to have you getting yourself sick because you aren't getting enough sleep. Well, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, just tired." Neji nodded and continued eating his ramen. The bowl that Naruto had pre-ordered for her came. Sakura stared at it, sizzling in all its glory. Sighing, she picked up her spoon and slowly began eating her ramen.

While eating, Naruto couldn't help but chatter nonstop about the contest. Hinata could only encourage him and smile, occasionally nodding her head. Naruto mentioned something about them being the perfect team and Sakura saw Hinata blush slightly. 'They are so cute together,' Sakura thought sadly. 'Sometimes I wish I had someone who'd love me for me, just like Naruto and Hinata.'

"Sakura?" She turned around and noticed that Neji had been trying to get her attention. "Sakura are you sure you're okay? You seem a little out of it…"

"Are you kidding me?" Sakura asked as if it were the most obvious question in the world. "Me, be out of it? What are you talking about? I'm just letting my mind get ready for trophy I'm going to get after winning the contest today!" She sat up straight and plowed the rest of her ramen down.

Neji smiled. He knew she was lying, but he decided not to pester her about. If she wanted to talk she knew where he was.

"Well, good luck with that. You just better pray you don't have to fight against MY team. We're gonna cream our opponents."

Sakura laughed and the four finished up eating their ramen. Sakura and Hinata had eaten one bowl of ramen, Neji had successfully eaten two bowls, and Naruto had inhaled 6 bowls.

"Well, looks like we should be heading downtown. I think the tournaments going to be by the town square," Naruto explained. Naruto and Hinata walked together in front of Neji and Sakura. Naruto tried doing different things to make Hinata and Sakura laugh.

Unfortunately, none of them worked. Well, one did. But that's because Naruto accidentally fell into a pothole in the sidewalk. Everyone laughed, including Neji.

Coming into the center of Konoha, they saw tons of competitors, all hoping they were partnered with people stronger then them. Tsunade had paired everyone up according to skill. If you were not a part of the ANBU, then you had to try out. Not everyone made the cut; only the ones Tsunade thought were strong enough.

Suddenly, out of one of the main buildings appeared a silver haired man. 'Kakashi…' Sakura thought. She saw what look like a scroll rolled up underneath his arm. He headed up over to the building in the very center of the square and posted the large scroll up. All the people crowded around to see if they made the cut and their partners if they did.

The four waited until most the people had gone before looking to see their partners. Sakura look through the list.

"Wow…a lot of these guys must be rookies. I never even heard of half of them," Sakura said. She scanned for her name. Coming across it she found out her partner's name was Kenji. 'I don't know him, I wonder if he's a good fighter.'

"Hey guys," Naruto said, snapping the three's attention. "Do any of you know a guy named Reizo? It says he's specialty is his speed. I wonder what that means?"

"My partner is someone named Tama. Tama means jewel….I wonder if she's strong?" Neji said, pointing to his name.

"I was partnered with someone named Kenji. I hope he's strong," Sakura said. "Who's your partner, Hinata?"

Hinata, who had been staring at her name, shook her head. "Someone named Haru," she explained. Sakura looked at her name and then back at her. Haru was another person in ANBU. No one knew much about him, except that he carried around a big sword. He always wore a mask. Sighing, Sakura dropped her gaze from the scroll.

"Well guys, I'm going to go and try to find this Kenji guy," Sakura said hopefully. She looked at the mob of people who were now searching fro their partners. "Wish me luck. I'm going to need it." Then she disappeared.

"Naruto?"

"Yes Hinata?"

"She really does need some luck, doesn't she?" Naruto laughed and Neji smiled. He loved his cousin.

"Hello, do you know anyone named Kenji?" Sakura asked. She was talking a boy about her age. He had brown hair, big blue eyes, and a dazzling smile. Sakura had been asking around for about an hour, and finally someone had pointed her in the right direction. Well, she hoped it was the right direction. The last 64 people were all the wrong direction.

"Why, yes I am!" He smiled and enveloped her in a huge hug. "And I 'm assuming your Sakura?" Sakura nodded her head and he hugged her even tighter.

"Don't worry, love. I'll protect you at all costs." Sakura was about to reject his offer when she was interrupted. It was Naruto and what Sakura was assuming his partner.

"Hey Sakura! Meet my teammate Reizo! He's so fast!" Reizo shook his head and waved it off like it was nothing. "Who's you teammate, Sakura?"

"Well, this is Kenji. Kenji, this is my friend Naruto." They greeted and shook hands. Pulling Naruto over to the side, Kenji's face went from sick and perverted handsome to serious.

"Naruto, don't worry. I'll protect Sakura at all costs." Naruto gave him a puzzled look. Kenji sighed and continued, "I know you two are going out, you make it so obvious." Naruto jaw dropped.

"You think….me….and…Sakura….are…..together?" Kenji nodded.

"HA HA HA HA! Wow you are like so funny!" Naruto laughed, not stopping when Sakura and Reizo gave them puzzled looks. "HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY THINK THAT? Sakura and I are just friends! I already HAVE a girlfriend, but its NOT Sakura."

Kenji blushed and looked and Naruto in horror. "You mean that she's…..single?" Naruto nodded. "Oh my god, I think I am the luckiest guy in the world!" Running over to Sakura, he suggested that they should get to know each other better.

"Okay," Sakura agreed. She said bye to Naruto and Reizo and left off Kenji.

Reizo gave Naruto a questioning glance. "What was that all about?"

"Ah, well Kenji found out that Sakura was single and he sort of went crazy. I think he's madly in love with each other." Reizo raised his eyebrows. 'So she's single…' he thought.

'Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you…'

Sakura ended showing Kenji all of Konoha after finding out that he was new in town. His eyes took in everything she showed him, treasuring even the smallest flower. When the day was almost over, Sakura decided to take Kenji back and show him where she lived, so he knew.

'…Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know…'

"This is my place," she said, opening the door to her home. It wasn't much but it was all she could afford with her paycheck from the ANBU. She's been volunteering at the hospital a lot lately, which meant fewer missions. Fewer missions equaled less pay.

"Wow, I like your house Sakura," Kenji complimented. It was nice. It had all hardwood floors and a spiral staircase that lead the lower and upper parts of the house.

"Well, my parents aren't around anymore," Sakura explained, "so I inherited their house. Along with all their other belongings." A certain sword above Sakura's fireplace in the living room caught his eye. He went over and examined it.

'…I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret…'

"That's an amazing sword Sakura," Kenji complimented. Sakura nodded. "Where did you get it?"

Sakura shook her head, "Nowhere special. Just an old friend." Kenji could have sworn he saw a glint in her eye but it was gone as fast as it came. Deciding not to bother her about her little 'secret', he let her give him a tour of her home.

'…Who has to know
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you…'

After the tour was over, Kenji was in awe. The sword was not the only interesting thing in Sakura's house. There were lots of rooms in her home, all of them completely different with completely different themes. It was interesting for him to see where she lived, but he was shocked that she lived alone.

'…Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know…'

"Sakura, where are your parents?" Kenji asked, out of the blue. Sakura face darkened and she dropped her gaze. Kenji realized he shouldn't have brought them up and immediately started apologizing.

"It's alright Kenji. My parents are…." She stopped, as if thinking of the right word, "gone."

'…I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret…'

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sakura shook her head.

"There's nothing you can do. They're gone, and they're not coming back." Sakura sighed, and got up. She didn't want Kenji asking anymore questions. Not people knew that her parents had died; only the few that she invited to the funeral. (They were Naruto, Ino, Neji, Hinata, Kakashi, and Tsunade.) People thought she had such a wonderful life….she didn't want to disappoint them.

'…Who has to know
The way she feels inside (inside)
Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)
These sleeping thoughts won't lie (won't lie)
And all I've tried to hide
It's eating me apart
Trace this life out…'

"Well, I think it's about time for you to be leaving," Sakura said, examining her clock. "I hope you had a good time today!"

Kenji smiled, nodding his head. "Yeah, I had a great time. And you have an amazing home! I never have seen anything quite like it. And you keep it so nice and clean." He sighed in defeat. "You can't even see the floor in my room." Sakura laughed and gave him a hug.

'…I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)…'

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Kenji asked hopefully. Sakura nodded her head and he smiled. "Well, okay then. We could practice most of tomorrow and figure out how to combine our abilities to make us a fiercer couple." A light blush spread across Sakura's face before he realized what he said.

'…I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret…'

"Uh…I mean…team! We're g-going to be a f-fierce team!" Sakura laughed at his stuttering and he turned beat red. Thinking he'd embarrassed himself enough, he walked toward the exit.

"Hey Kenji," Sakura called. He glanced behind him. "Thanks….for a great day." He nodded and exited her house. A smile was spread so far across his face it could be seen ten miles away.

'…Who has to know
Who has to know?"


Okay well, that's a wrap! Please read and review! Wow…8 pages long. I might change the description of the story because I haven't gotten to enter Sasuke yet. But never fear, Sasuke will appear! (That rhymed, HA HA!) Okay, well, I think I'm done. Here's to my reviewers…

sasusaku74 : I've always thought that Sakura was better off being portrayed as a stronger individual. She's my favorite character. I hope I don't ever make her seem weak in this story…if I do its DEFINNETLY not because I want to. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

SaKuRaUcHiHa404 : I'm glad you like it! Thanks for reviewing!

Luv Yas - Kmkoolj