"Let's get out of here," I suggested, still trying to pull all the strands of gooey pink hair from my mouth. She looked at me in horror, "What? You've never skipped before?" I raised a dark eyebrow and smirked a little, "He won't care." I shrugged, "Besides…" I eyed her up and down, a gesture that made her face turn the color of her hair. Did she really think I was checking her out? "You look like shit." I explained. Her face dropped. "Go home and change at least. If your house isn't far, you can make it back before school is over." I started to walk away but I heard no footsteps behind me. I turned back around and she was standing in the same spot. She was really getting on my nerves.

"M-My parents…" She hesitated to speak, nervously fiddling with her skirt, "They'll freak out if they see me like this…they'll make me switch schools again…" She stared at her feet. I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. I closed my eyes and exhaled sharply in annoyance.

"Fine then." I scratched my head, "We'll go to my house." As soon as I said that, I regretted it. She tried to hide it but her face lit up. "You can take a shower but you have to leave right after." I said firmly, but she was already squealing to herself.

I took her out my usual skipping route. It was through the back where the school buses came later in the day – there were no cameras there. When we were about to make the turn on a corner that led out of school grounds, the fierce stench of cigarettes clouded us. I saw Ino and Shikamaru step out from around, cigarettes in their mouths. Ino took a drag and shifted all her weight to one hip and crossed her arms. She was barefoot.

"Well, look who's skipping." She aimed at the pink haired girl, "Trying to corrupt poor Sasuke-kun?" Ino frowned as she blew the smoke into her face, making her cough. "What are you going to do, Sasuke-kun?" She turned to me and transformed her voice into a high pitched whine, "This ugly girl keeps stalking you! Just look at how disgusting she looks!" Ino gagged at the new girl's appearance.

"Shut up. The only one who's disgusting here is you. Do you think it's cute to pull shit like this?!" I shouted, grabbing the new girl's wrist and lifting her arm, indicating at her clothes and hair. Ino's mouth gaped and she looked like she was about to cry so Shikamaru stood in front of her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing bitching at her? We didn't do that." He squinted at me. I slapped the cigarette right out of his mouth. I saw the veins pop from his neck but I knew he had more patience left. So I pushed it to the edge.

"Really? This has blonde whore written all over it." I stated confidently, squeezing the new girl's wrist tighter. Shikamaru raised his fist and I got ready to block but the new girl charged in front of me, almost getting whacked on the back of the head. Her wrist was still in my hand and she was facing me.

"Sasuke-kun! Stop!" She begged loudly, making us all confused, "It wasn't them!" She assured, and I slowly loosened my grip. I saw Shikamaru and Ino visibly relax.

"Are you sure?" I whispered, and she nodded. I felt my face turn hot and I didn't face the others. I looked away from the girl and walked past her and Shikamaru, brushing shoulders with him on the way.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shikamaru called, "You think you're going to get away with that?!" He snapped, but I kept walking.

"Wait!" The new girl hollered, but when she caught up to me I pushed her away harshly.

"Don't touch me anymore. You're staining everything." I growled, "Your friends can help you. Don't follow me!" Her eyes quivered and she pleaded desperately, chasing after me and grabbing my arm. "Leave me alone!" I barked and Shikamaru appeared behind her and pulled her next to him.

"Listen to him. He's an asshole. Let him go." He said as he looked right at me. I felt like socking him in the face, but I didn't want any more stupid drama. I just wanted to get home. I walked away quickly.

~*Sakura's P.O.V*~

I couldn't help breaking down immediately after Sasuke disappeared from view and sobbing into the chest of Shikamaru. I punched him weakly, upset that he had made Sasuke leave me. He groaned and patted my head awkwardly.

"Okay, love birds," I heard Ino's snarky voice approach, "Let's dip." Shikamaru nodded and pulled me away from him with his hands on my shoulders and looked at me.

"Troublesome…" He muttered as he noted the mess that had been done to my attire.

"I think we need to sneak into an onsen." Ino winked. She shoved Shikamaru's arms away from me and stood in front and cocked her head at me, "You down?" I gave her an angry look.

"Hell no! I'm not going anywhere with you!" I spat at her. She turned red.

"Fine then! Screw you, ungrateful-big-foreheaded-bitch!" She retorted and started stomping away but then stopped, "Shikamaru!" She called as if he was her dog. He looked over at me curiously.

"Come." He shrugged. His voice was empty of threats of menace but I still was unsure. "She's not that bad," He sighed, "I think she kind of likes you." That last part made me make a completely shocked face. He turned to follow her and I stood for a moment, trying to figure out what to do.

I should just go back to class, I thought. But then I looked down at my clothes. I almost puked at the sight of myself. I looked back up and remembered how close I had been to leaving with Sasuke. Should I just have let him defend me? But Shikamaru seemed like a nice guy…and they really hadn't been the ones to do it…Still, he ruined my chances…

"Wait up!" I finally shouted after them. And I skipped school for the first time.

"Get up here!" Ino hissed from the window. They were trying to convince me to sneak through there.

"No way!" I whimpered, "I can't climb! And what if we get caught?!"

"We won't!" She rolled her eyes, "We do this all the time, right Shikamaru?" I looked at him and he nodded right away. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Here," I looked down to see Shikamaru bent to the floor, "Get on my shoulders and I'll help you up." I blushed at the suggestion. That was too embarrassing! What if I was too heavy and he dropped me? What if he saw my underwear?! I shook my head furiously.

"You're such a fucking loser!" Ino wailed. I clenched my fists. She was making me so mad.

"Fine!" I clumsily stood on his shoulders, wobbling until he gripped my ankles securely.

"Don't be scared," He assured as he rose slowly. I yelped a little but I finally reached the window and Ino pulled me in by the wrist.

"Pervert!" Ino slapped Shikamaru's stomach when he climbed up himself, "I saw you looking at her granny panties!" She scolded, making his and my face turn red. "What? Am I wrong? Were they not granny panties?" She snorted and I felt like breathing fire. I followed her into a changing room but immediately felt like jumping back down the window.

"Why didn't you tell me it was co-ed?!" I squeaked when I saw an old man stripping. I nearly fainted.

"Is it that big of a deal? The separate ones are in the front. We can't sneak past the cashier." She shamelessly unbuttoned her shirt. I quickly reached over and grabbed her hands.

"Stop!" I looked back at Shikamaru, who was blushing, "There are guys here!"

"So?" She laughed and looked over at him, "It's nothing he hasn't seen before." My eyes widened as she took off her top. Shikamaru stuck his lower lip out and looked into the opposite direction before taking off his own. My mouth hung wide open in shock.

"Y-You're not…a..?" I couldn't say the word. I can't believe she has sex with Shikamaru and she's all over Sasuke! And now she's getting naked in front of all these people?!

"Ew, we're not fucking." She made a disgusted look. She could have fooled me. "I've known him since we were babies. Do you know how many baths we've taken together?" She stated, as if it was completely normal for teenage boys and girls to see each other in their birthday suits.

"I'm not gonna look at you." I heard Shikamaru's voice and then I saw his bare butt walk past me. I almost jumped out of my skin. Ino quickly covered my mouth with her hand.

"Just get it over with! If you scream, you'll make a scene and get caught. If you go out looking like that, you'll make a scene and get caught." She removed her hand and placed it on her hip. I exhaled in defeat. She had a point. But this was so wrong! Nonetheless, I began peeling off my skirt. "Haha, I knew it!" Ino pointed at my underwear, "Granny panties!"

Don't worry, everyone! Sasuke-kun will be back next chapter...;)