The Tales of a Flower
Summary: Meet Haruno Sakura and her two best friends, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke (pick only one Saku!). As a teenager in the real world, she will have to face school detentions, girl fights, and love, love, love! This is the life of Haruno Sakura.
Chapter Four: True Confessions
Beep…beep…beep…beep…!
Sakura opened one eye slowly, looking at the area around her. She could have sworn that alarm clock was off…she also could have sworn that she was in her room….right?
She slowly rose from her "bed" and gasped. She was on the couch of her living room. The sun was beating on her face. The television was on and someone other than her mother was watching it.
"Good morning," he said, leaning his head to look at her. He was sitting on the floor, his head resting on the edge of the couch. There he was…Uchiha Sasuke, sitting leisurely on her living room floor.
"Sakura's awake?" another voice asked from the kitchen. He appeared before them and smiled at her. Yup, that's right, Uzumaki Naruto was there too. "Good morning! You're mom's almost done with breakfast!"
The girl just sat there, stunned as ever, staring with her sleepy eyes at the two teenage boys in her living room. She looked at herself and shook her head. Her friends were casually dressed for the lovely Sunday morning while Sakura was dressed in pajamas and half awake on her couch.
The poor kid could have died.
Sakura sat back in the couch Indian style. She sighed loudly and glared at the two boys sitting on the floor. She managed to get to her bedroom/bathroom and freshen up at least, that is, after until she gave the guys each a big lump on their heads. Coming back down the stairs ten minutes later – her hair pulled back into a ponytail, a pair of jeans and a simple white shirt on – breakfast was ready and waiting for her. Food was great, but Sakura was pretty pissed off to realize that.
"You could have at least woken me up…or called…why are you two idiots here anyways?" she asked, her icy stare now softening.
Naruto looked up at her, "We came for breakfast! I didn't want to wake you because you looked too tired for that…so yeah…"
"Just wake me up, damn it!" she scolded, her temper rising dangerously high. "And you came here just for breakfast?"
"Yeah…" Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.
"Idiots. I knew you thought only abut your stomachs! You guys have no hearts…"
Sasuke, who's attention went more on the show than towards Sakura, muttered, "We have hearts…we just thought maybe you guys need some company…"
"Company?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, you know, thought you needed some friend support after all that whole Lisa-Ryo thingy…"
"Hey…what's getting into you? You're so…I don't know…heart-filled. Before you used to be so cold…" Sakura said, leaning towards him. She began to ruffle his hair, "Are you sure you're the same Uchiha Sasuke?"
The teen just shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe."
She threw her hands up in surrender. "What is up with you?"
The blonde boy grinned at Sakura, "It's this wicked rumor that's floating around at school…about Sasuke…having a girlfriend."
"Girl…friend?" Sakura whispered. Twice. Twice did she admit that she was infatuated with Uchiha Sasuke…and now…twice did the guy she liked with her heart and soul was taken…then again, Naruto did say it was a rumor so there was still hope for the young girl…right? "Aw! I cannot believe her never told us! Who's the lucky girl?" You don't want to know that! Sakura, you idiot! Why the hell am I trying to kill myself?
Sakura looked at Sasuke, his head now facing her, his dark orbs looking right at her…it was almost as if he saw right through her ploy…
"Aya," he replied slowly, still looking at Sakura.
She just gaped at his answer – Naruto falling to his side – and blinked twice, rubbed her eyes, and inhaled very, very deeply before whispering, "…Aya?"
"Yeah…" He slowly looked back at the television, not even looking back at the now confused girl.
"Oh…" she turned away from him, giving Naruto a very coy smile. "What? Is something wrong with me?"
"No…but, just now, you had the most weirdest look on your face."
"Naruto, shut up!" she said playfully, the void in her chest growing bigger.
"Sorry," he replied, scratching the back of his head, "just worried about that one special girl in my life."
Sasuke quickly looked at the blonde boy and glared at him. He then looked at Sakura…and back at Naruto. Even if he should not care – or act like he didn't care – he couldn't help but feel…protective?…over (his) Sakura. Come on, they are best friends after all.
Sakura froze. "Huh…?"
Naruto turned bright red before saying hastily, "No! I meant to say that…that…I mean…what I meant to say was worried for my best friend! Yeah! I swear!"
Is it just me, or is the world crumbling to pieces? Naruto…me? I mean…I was thinking about it…I mean…oh…!
"Naruto…"
All three friends experienced their very first awkward silence – experienced together…
"Sakura," Sasuke said, his eyes once again permanently glued to the television, "you do know that the game is today right?"
Sakura shook her head, trying to ignore the huge prong of information she has just received. "Game…?"
"You forgot didn't you?"
"Sasuke! What game?" she exclaimed, annoyed
"Basketball," he replied, turning to look at her.
"Oh…oh! I remember now! Yeah, what about it?"
Naruto beamed at her. "We're your escorts!"
"But the game isn't until eleven!" Sakura exclaimed.
"It's almost eleven," Sasuke said, pointing to the clock.
"CRAAAAAAAAAAAP!"
The sun beat down on the small city as a big yellow school bus drove to the big school. Once it stopped, a bunch of female students wearing green basketball jerseys exited the bus, followed by a middle aged man who was already balding, and numerous amounts of guys got of the bus as well.
But there was one boy in particular with spiked up hair and a bored expression on his face. He got off the bus and looked around. He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets, still looking around.
"HEY THERE!"
He looked to his left and sure enough there was a teenage girl running up to him, her long blonde hair flying behind her. "Hey there, sweetheart!" Ino said playfully, embracing the boy.
This is Nara Shikamaru. He is a friend from another school.
"Get off me!" he said, pulling the girl off of him. "You troublesome woman."
Ino smirked. "Glad to see you too."
Like Sakura, Ino had a guy best friend, Nara Shikamaru. He and Ino have been friends since the third grade and hopefully until graduation…that is until Shikamaru decided to move to another school. It wasn't his choice to leave, his dad got a new job on the other side of the city, so he had to move homes, schools, and everything! Oh well, at least they are still friends.
Shikamaru smiled at her and sighed yet again, "Why aren't you in your jersey?"
"I am! But players have warm-up suits you dork."
"Yeah, yeah, I knew that," he said. He looked at the sidewalk and added, "You grew your hair out, and it looks better long."
Ino blushed. Well I grew it out for you! Not like you care or anything like that…
"Where's Sakura?"
The blonde shook her head. "Captain's not here yet…Coach Anko said if she isn't here by eleven fifteen she's benched for the whole game."
"Ah…wait, she's the captain?"
"Well yeah! I mean the whole team except her started playing in the sixth grade! She was the only girl in our class who played in fourth and fifth grade…"
"I see…"
Ino looked away. She already knew she had a reputation for being one of the biggest flirts in school…but for some odd reason…she couldn't get Shikamaru to notice her…he would worry about Sakura, Sakura, and Sakura. After he left, Ino was the only one to keep in contact with him! And yet, he asks about Sakura. Wasn't that all wonderful?
"NARUTO YOU IDIOT! I'M LATE!"
"Finally," Ino muttered under her breath, turning to head to the gym.
Sakura – and Naruto running behind her with Sasuke riding his bike (he was the only one…) – stopped in front of Shikamaru, panting deeply. She knew she was going to be late, so she wore her white Konoha basketball jersey and shorts with the blue letters HARUNO and blue number 12. She looked up to see Shikamaru looking down at her, smirking.
"Late again? You haven't changed one bit, Sakura."
"Shika…maru?"
"Long time no see," he replied, waving at Naruto and Sasuke, "but we can get acquainted later. You have a game to win."
"But…"
"Go already!" Naruto said, pushing Sakura into the gym.
Sakura turned around and yelled, "See you later Shikamaru!"
He nodded as the blonde and pink haired pair left him behind with Sasuke. "What's up, Uchiha? Still the same heartthrob?"
"Yeah, sure. Let's go with that."
"Alright ladies! This is the first game of the season!" Anko said to the varsity basketball team of Konoha Junior High. "Let's give them players at Suikoden hell girls!"
"YEAH!" they chanted.
A girl with short auburn hair – from fair away it looked almost red – walked up to Sakura and handed her a white sweatband. "Hey Captain! I thought you wouldn't make it!"
Sakura looked up at her, took the headband, and nodded. She inhaled deeply and sat on the bench, her eyes closed. "Thanks Riku!"
"No problem!"
"Chiharu's playing one of the forwards this year…"
"No…I thought Ryoko was doing that…"
"LADIES! Game's about to start!"
Sakura opened her eyes and grinned. This was her favorite part of basketball season – the very first game was always the most exciting. For Coach Anko, this was a chance for the team players to prove themselves worth of the starting line-up and so forth and so on…
A whistle was blown in the gym as the music continued to blare louder and louder. A loud booming voice spoke over the music as it said, "Let's welcome the players from Suikoden Junior High! The Suikoden Tigers!"
Loud cheers erupted.
Still in the locker room, the Konoha girls waited patiently for the announcer to finish introducing the team players of the other school. While waiting, Sakura decided now was the best time to "lecture."
"Alright team, let's show those Tigers what we Dragons do best!" Sakura said, the team looking at her, smile upon smile on their faces. Sakura could see Ino and Aya…
Aya…She's Sasuke's girlfriend…I shouldn't care…right? After all, he is just a best friend to me…right? And Naruto too! He and I are just best friends…what he said to me earlier was nothing…just a slip of the tongue…
Sakura sighed heavily, her ponytail drooping with her lowered head. Boys, why were they so confusing?
"Ladies and gentlemen the Konoha Dragons!"
The only sound Sakura could hear the second she got on the court was the beating of her own heart and the screams of the people on the bleachers. This wasn't her first basketball game ever yet she felt so…confused for some reason. She understood the rules; she memorized all the plays…
Before she knew it, Ino stood at center court with the other team's center, both standing anxiously for the ball to be tossed high in the air. The cheering stopped, the gymnasium now becoming deadly silent. The game was about to start and Sakura has yet to get her head in to the game!
The next few seconds became a blur to the young girl as the orange ball flew from hand to hand she only realized the ball was in her hands when she heard a familiar female voice cry out, "Sakura!"
She snapped out of her trance and dribbled the ball towards the opposite side of the court, her rapid heart beat being drowned out by the thud of the basketball and the cheers of the crowd on the bleachers. She had to stay focused! Sakura dribbled all the way to the basket, weaving in between the green to only find Aya waiting at the three point line. Bounce passes sure were fun, especially if they give you three points in the first two minutes of the game.
"Sakura pay attention!" Riku yelled, guarding the small forward of the Tigers.
The pink haired girl gathered up speed again and snatched the ball away from the opposing girl as she attempted to pass it to that…person…anyways Sakura got the ball and went for a quick lay-up. Sure, maybe Sakura's head was definitely elsewhere, but at least they were leading 5-0.
Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, and some other random people were sitting at the bleachers, watching the game.
Shikamaru shook his head, "What's wrong with Sakura? Looks like she's somewhere else…and I heard she was good…"
"She is, it's just she's distracted. Maybe because Sasuke had to go and tell her that he's dating Aya," Naruto said, leering at the raven haired teen.
"You're dating Aya? Is she the golden-eyed chic?" Shikamaru asked, motioning towards the girl in the blue number five jersey. "She's pretty hot."
"One track mind aren't you Shikamaru?"
"Eh…I think she's hot. Is that bad?"
"What about Ino?" Naruto asked, pointing at the girl in the number eleven jersey.
"She's cute….but this Aya chic is hot."
"Want Sasuke to kick your ass?"
The two looked at Sasuke – who ignored them both completely – as he watched the game with all of his attention. His onyx eyes followed the movement of the orange basketball and then he sighed as Sakura missed yet another three-pointer. That was her seventh missed three-pointer in the game…what was wrong with that girl?
"Damn it, Sakura, concentrate!" he whispered fiercely, watching the rival school score two more points. Why are girls so damn complicated?
…
…
…
Brrrriiiiiing!
"TIME OUT BLUE!"
The Konoha Dragons gathered around the coach, sitting there, drawing a diagram of their next play. It was the fourth quarter and they were down 58-60 with only one mere minute left in the game.
"Everyone got that?" Anko asked, wiping the board clean.
"Yeah!"
"Good! Now get out there!" she yelled, but before Sakura could get out there, she grabbed her arm and said, "Sakura, sit this one out. Imari, when you get on the court play forward, tell Aya her position for the rest of the game is point guard."
Sakura looked at her in shock. "But…!"
"No buts young lady, you're out of it."
She remained silent as she sat on the bench, watching her team play the game. Sakura wished she was out there…she cannot stand just watching…but when she saw as Aya zigzagged past the Tigers, faked to Chiharu, and drive in towards the basket, there was a spark of hope of winning with the clock ticking down to a small 15 seconds. During her drive in, she bounce passed it to Ino who shot and missed but rebounded her own shot, passing it to Riku who was standing, unguarded, at the corner – an easy three point shot…if Riku made it; but Sakura saw it, Riku hesitated…with only three seconds left!
"CRAP RIKU! JUST SHOOT IT!" Sakura yelled from the bench, standing up next to the coach. She held her breath as the ball released from her teammate's hands…the ball swishing into the basket as the buzzer rang loud and clear along side the screams of the students of Konoha Junior High.
"HELL YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Anko screamed, thrusting a fist into the air. "Great job ladies! As a reward, no practice until Thursday!"
Cheers erupted from the locker room.
"Sakura! Great game!" Aya said, rushing over to the girl who was zipping up her gym bag. "In the beginning I was worried about you! But I knew you would come through and you did! I'm so happy!"
Ino patted her on the back, "You okay?"
"Yeah, peachy," Sakura muttered, slinging her bag on her shoulders. She waved at her two friends and left the locker room. Aya followed soon after, taking off after Sakura.
"Sasuke, your girlfriend's coming!" Naruto sang, his voice so high pitched it was almost scary. "Oi, Sakura! Over here!"
Sakura – who somehow ended up behind Aya – smiled at the site of her two best friends.
Aya ran up to the two boys and gave her boyfriend a brief hug. "Hey babe!"
"Hn," was the only reply she got. But hey, Aya was satisfied so she said nothing and just beamed at him.
"So…" Aya started, "care to go to lunch with me? And I do mean all of you!"
Naruto shook his head, "Nah, its okay. I need to get home anyways. Thanks for the offer, Aya."
"Sakura…?"
The girl politely declined and watched as Aya and Sasuke walked away…hand in hand. Sakura smiled weakly, they looked really cute together…Aya was beautiful and Sasuke was way beyond gorgeous. Lucky Aya, Sasuke was a great guy. Then again…both Sasuke and Sakura had missed chances with each other. To believe, it was because of just one measly innocent kiss? "They look happy don't they Naruto?"
"Yeah…"
"I have to admit though," said Sakura, "I am a bit jealous of them."
"Why's that?"
Sakura put her bag to the floor. "Remember when I liked Sasuke way back?"
"What about?" Naruto asked, turning to look at her.
"I guess you could say that old feelings are hard to erase," she said quietly, her head down.
Naruto looked at her in disbelief. "Do you…do you still like him?"
"No! I'm so over him!"
"Honest?"
"Honest!"
"Good."
She looked at him and then looked away again, a blush creeping on her cheeks. Yes, that blush was coming back…that same blush that adorned her just yesterday. A Naruto-caused blush…
She put her hands behind her back. "Why worry? There are better guys out there! Ryo and Sasuke…heh…even you can top them!"
Naruto instantly turned red. "Sakura…since you…well…"
The girl just stared at him, suddenly afraid. He looked so serious and intent in what he wanted to say to her. His sapphire eyes were gleaming…it almost seemed…so…handsome…
"Y-yes?"
"I just wanted you to know t-that…" Naruto blushed as he mumbled some incoherent words, all the while averting his gaze from her.
"What?"
He looked up at her again, his eyes fierce and determined. "Sakura, I don't care if we are best friends!"
Stunned, Sakura backed away. "W-why are you saying this to me? Does that mean…t-that you don't want to be f-f-friends anymore? I mean, earlier you said that I was one of your special people right? But…if you d-don't want to be friends…then that's just fucking fine with me! B-because I can…always…forget about our friendship if it didn't mean shit to you, Naruto!"
The boy shook his head fiercely and grabbed her hand, looking straight into her emerald eyes. "That's not what I meant!"
"Then what is it?" she yelled, tears brimming her eyes. Naruto was her best friend…and here he was telling her he didn't care about their friendship… "Explain everything to me!"
"Sakura…"
"Tell me o-or else I'm leaving a-and going home and forgetting that you were ever a part of my life!"
His grasp on her wrist tightened, and he blushed even deeper. Naruto's determined countenance remained the same as one lone tear escaped from Sakura's hold. Naruto snapped at seeing the tear and blurted out, "Damn it Sakura! I freaking lo–"
"SAKURA!"
Sakura quickly looked away from Naruto and saw Ino running up to her with Shikamaru close behind. She pulled away from Naruto's grasp and ran up to them, a fake smile playing her face. "Shikamaru! Ino!"
She tried to busy herself by talking to her other friends, but something was tugging at the back of her heart. She knew it…she knew it! Well, she just found out right now…but…it was still shocking. How was she supposed to deal with this? She really liked Sasuke who was dating Aya, she is starting to like Naruto…and…Sakura really wished she was under a rock at this moment, playing a fake game with her friends. She smiled, laughed, and joked around with Ino and Shikamaru while Naruto stood quietly alone, behind them, his fist clenched tight.
She wanted very much to love him more than that but…after the whole Sasuke thing…Sakura was not so sure about her own feelings right now.
"Earth to Naruto! Jeez, you're more spaced out than Sakura during the basketball game!" Ino said, waving her hand in front of his face.
He did not reply to Ino, his attention elsewhere with his sapphire eyes blank and emotionless. He glanced over at Sakura…and froze. She was happy right now – at least that's how she looked to him – and she was smiling at least…
That's all that mattered to him. Even if they acted awkward towards each other in the following days…he did not care! All he really wanted was to see her smile…he loved it when she smiled…but at the moment, he just wanted so badly to untie the knot he so tightly bound in his friendship with his special person.
"Naruto…?" Sakura looked at him, her face filled with worry.
Naruto didn't care if they were best friends, but only because he loved Sakura more than just a mere buddy.
To Be Continued…
Author's note: ohhh….gomen…I finished finals a week ago but I couldn't concentrate on the fic because I was stressed about the results…ohhh…gomen…please forgive me…and pray for me…I still don't know what I got…Reviews/comments/suggestions/flames/anything else is welcome…
(edited on 2.6.06 due to a small typo that makes a difference…thankies to Queen Cow and Steak for noticing!)
Next time…Sakura sure is in the biggest predicament in the world! Sasuke or Naruto…hm…she loves them both equally right? But not in that sense right? Shikamaru is Sakura's big brother for god's sake, not her lover! Ino and Naruto's secret admirer and Sakura equals one big quarrel! (What about Aya…?)