A/N: Well I couldn't stop from typing this chapter up tonight too, and thanks to MaXdana for giving me some lovely reviews. You are the reason I'm posting this early. You got me all excited. So lots of juiciness in this chapter. I hope you enjoy.
Please review, they make me happy. :)
Sakura just stared at the invitation. She'd just been sitting there…staring at it for about half an hour. She was the first to get it, so her mother and even sister hadn't seen it. Maybe she could destroy it. Rip it apart and then throw it in the wind, never having to worry about it ever again. She started to crumple it and then it was quickly snatched from her hands.
"Hey!"
"What's this?"
Her mother always had a way of coming around at awful times. Her eyes scanned the invitation quickly and her face registered shock, then excitement all at once. Sakura sighed.
You are cordially invited to the engagement party of:
Itachi Uchiha
and
Sakura Hatake
The afternoon of October 3rd
Please help us celebrate their happiness!
Her mother seemed to read the invitation several times, her excitement growing. Sakura groaned aloud. This was going to be awful. Sasuke would be there, Itachi would be there, her friends would be there. Everyone from town she was sure would be there. When the Uchiha's had a party, everyone who was anyone went. Sakura groaned again.
"Sakura! Stop that, it's not—"
"I know, it's not lady like."
"Exactly, now go find your sister; we need to find you two dresses for the party, it's tomorrow night."
Sakura obliged, walking up the stairs to her sisters room. She came to the door, which was closed, and was about to walk in before she heard giggling from behind the closed doors. Then a man's voice, who sounded tired, but asked Ino something that she couldn't make out. Sakura's blood then ran cold; there was a man in her sisters room! How did she even get him in there without her hawk of a mother seeing? Sakura then knocked.
"Oh no! Hide!"
She heard shuffling from behind the door, and then a door close and the door to the bedroom flew open.
"Oh, hey Sakura! Is there a problem?"
"Umm, no not at all I was just…"
Sakura tried to peak around Ino into her room, but her sister kept blocking her view. She looked at Ino who was a little dishelved. Her hair had pieces sticking out and one of the arm straps to her dress was hanging off. Sakura then quickly barged in almost knocking Ino down.
"Hey! What do you think you are doing?"
"Nothing, just looking for my brush."
"Your brush?"
"Yeah, I think I left it in here."
"What? You haven't—"
Just then Sakura ran over to the closet and pried the doors open and there standing with a guilty looking face was Shikamaru Nara. Shikamaru had been friends with both the Hatake sisters since they were little and now he was standing with this shirt un-tucked and his tie askew in her sister's closet.
"Oh bother…"
"Oh Sakura! Please don't tell mother! Please!"
Ino ran to the closet and pulled Shikamaru out, she ran him to her window which Sakura just took notice was open and helped him over the ledge.
"Will you come back tonight?"
"Maybe, I don't know…"
"Don't play coy with me Shikamaru!"
"Okay, okay! I can come."
Ino made a small squeal and quickly kissed him before he descended the window.
"Well then, how long has this been going on?"
Sakura questioned her sister, her arms folded in front of her chest. Ino sighed, looking defeated.
"We've been doing this for about eight months."
"What? How come you haven't told me? I'm your sister!"
"I know! I'm so sorry, I just…it's a huge secret. And well, ever since mom married you off to Itachi I've been even more scared to bring it up to her. What if she marries me off to someone I don't love? I want Shikamaru, and it'd kill me if I wasn't with him."
Sakura understood what was going on through her sisters head. Her sister had a first-hand look at what it was like to be in an arranged marriage where the person you truly love is so far away from you. She walked over to her sister and embraced her in a hug.
"I won't tell mother, I promise."
"Thank you, Sakura."
"But you better tell Shikamaru to pop the question soon, who knows who she'd hook you up with!"
Ino giggled and pulled away from her sister. They exchanged a few more words about Shikamaru and Ino's relationship before their mother barged in.
"I thought I told you— Did I miss something?"
"Umm, no mother, we were just catching up on things. Ino was helping me pick out some color arrangements for the wedding."
Tsunade sighed contently, walking to her two daughters and bringing them both into a strong busty hug.
"My two girls! You grow up so fast! Before you know it Ino will be married next!"
Ino's face went pale at this news and she looked at her sister for help. Sakura just shook her head, mouthing later.
Tsunade had taken both the girls into town to find dresses for the party that was tomorrow night. She was dragging them from boutique to boutique to find "the perfect dress!" It seemed like they had been shopping for hours. Sakura could feel her feet crying out in pain.
"Mother please, can we just agree upon something already?"
"Try this one on."
Tsunade ignored Sakura's plea and brought her another dress. It was a white dress with the corset beaded with pearls and had a sash that was about three inches think that was made out of the pearls that adorned the corset. The flowed outwards with pearls that trailed down the back in a V shape.
"Mother, it's beautiful, but don't you think it's a bit much?"
"A bit much? Darling, you are the bride! You must look the best!"
Sakura sighed, taking the dress and trying it on. It fit perfectly and she came out to show it to her mother. Tsunade was making Ino twirl in a light blue dress that was simple. When Sakura emerged though, both the women stopped to gawk at Sakura in awe.
"It's beautiful, Sakura!"
Ino gushed running up to her and trailing her fingers over the pearl beading. Tsunade seemed to have tears in her eyes as she quickly told the dress maid to ring up both of the girl's dresses. Sakura did see the dress as lovely, but she didn't want to wear it. She felt wrong in it, so wrong, but her mother insisted.
As the girls were walking out of the boutique they had caught up with Naruto and Hinata on the sidewalk.
"Hey! Sakura, Ino!"
Naturo blurted out, waving his hands hysterically in the air at the girls. He dragged a blushing Hinata towards the girls smiling like a goof.
"Hey, are you getting dresses for tomorrow?"
"We are, Mr. Uzamaki. I hope your day with Hinata is swell."
Tsunade smiled at the exuberant boy and nodded towards the shy Hinata by his side.
"Ah yeah, we were just taking a stroll through town. Enjoying the day."
Naruto smiled brightly at the girl beside him who clung to his arm so lovingly. Sakura's chest hurt as she noticed how in love they were. She almost felt jealous at how they could be together and she couldn't be with Sasuke. But this was her best friend; she wanted him to be happy if she couldn't.
"Well it was nice seeing you both, but we must be getting home."
Tsunade announced, pulling the girls into the carriage. Sakura smiled at Naruto who pulled Sakura aside before she stepped onto the carriage.
"Are you alright, Sakura?"
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine, why do you ask?"
"I am your best friend, Sakura. I can tell when you are sad and I can most definitely tell when you are lying to me."
"I just feel like this is a lot to take in right now. I'm not ready, Naruto. Far from it."
"I know, and I know you wanted to be with Sasuke, but Itachi isn't that bad either. I know he'll take good care of you."
Naruto placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"Sakura!"
Tsunade was calling her daughter, anxious to get back home.
"Just try to cheer up a bit and enjoy it. You only get married once!"
Sakura scoffed, hugging Naruto and waving to Hinata as she hopped into the carriage. Naruto was right, she needed to finally accept that she was with Itachi and that was that. She needed to enjoy her wedding and try to forget Sasuke.
