The Heat of Summer Sunshine

By: Sweet Bliss

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Author's Notes: Dedication for this lovely chapter goes out to the one and only, Sakura Uchiha. Not only did you sympathize with the writer's block I had in past chapters, but you messaged me constantly with demands of updates. Well, not demands but I did get the point and got to work on this chapter! Thanks so much for your help!

And to all the reviewers that have stuck by me through my inconsistent updates. The Heat of Summer Sunshine wouldn't be what it was without you! Love you all and hope you enjoy this chapter. You might be happy with the ending… : )

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Chapter 7

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"As you know the summer is drawing to a close, and… I would like very much if you would… stay for a while."

Sakura tilted her head to the side, placing her hand over her father's. and said, "Dad, I'll visit again. Don't worry. I love it here."

"Sakura, I don't want you to visit again. I want you to stay here… permanently."

Sakura sucked in a breath, gasping in shock. Her eyes had widened considerably as well.

Permanence? He wanted her to live here… No, strike that. He wanted her to move here and stay until it was time for her to start her own life. He seemed to sense her hesitance and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"You can take the rest of your summer to decide what you want to do. Hell, I'll even give you longer. I missed you, honey. I missed being a part of your life, and your mother has consented. It's all up to you from here on out."

Sakura nodded numbly, her mouth somehow refused to work. Her father's grin widened and encased his only child into a warm embrace. It was an embrace that she returned half-heartedly. The only thing on her mind at that moment was leaving her friends…

Finally her mouth managed to form words and she managed to offer her father, "Thanks, Dad. I'll think about it, okay? I'm going to go to my room now. Be back in a few."

"What the hell do you mean, Naruto?"

The blue-eyed boy swung his feet back in forth over the edge of the counter as his moody friend glared at him. It had been kind of quiet for the past day or so without Sakura, and both had begun to miss her. Especially Sasuke. And now he has found out she quit her job.

Naruto sighed and repeated, "Sakura is staying with her dad and decided to quit working here. That is all there is to it, nothing difficult. And people call me the stupid one."

Sasuke frowned, wiping the tables clean in the tiny shack. Sakura quit… was it because of him? Neji? Was she just tired of this shitty summer job? That girl was so complicated sometimes.

"Honestly," Naruto breathed with a sigh, "I don't blame her. Asshole co-workers, jerk of a pig, and some dick who decided he was too good for her. The last one, though, is entirely her fault, since I did warn her about him. And then there is this shitty environment. Plus a really whorish store name. I mean the 'Shake n' Shack Beach House'? That's just practically screaming cheap hotel and a hooker."

Sasuke tried his very best to ignore Naruto's incessant murmurs, but found that difficult… even while running the store's air conditioning and the milkshake machine. What did he care if the shack had a very suggestive name? Had Naruto ever met the president of the organization? He would certainly understand, and refrain from asking these questions, if he had.

Exiting the main room, where his hyper friend still sat atop the counter rambling, Sasuke pulled out his phone. Searching through his contact list, he finally landed on the one person he needed to talk to. Quickly dialing the number, he placed his phone to his hear and waited for the person to answer.

"Hey, Ino, we need to talk."

Sakura grabbed her cell phone and flicked it open. She turned it back on, having turned it off after Naruto called her non-stop begging her to stay with him and not visit her dad. Stay. That word hit her hard as she thought back to her father's offer. Should she accept? If she did she knew she would miss them all, especially her ramen-obsessed friend. She smiled at the thought of him. But then there was the whole thing between Sasuke and now Neji... Naruto would understand, right?

When her phone finally booted back to life, she saw there were three new voice-mails. She assumed they were from Naruto, but decided she would check them anyways. She was surprised to see they were from Neji, Ino, and the most recent one (having called only an hour before) Sasuke.

She checked the Neji message first, wondering if she should the whole time. Should she give him a chance to redeem himself? Give him another chance? Was he even worth it? She sighed as she waited for him to speak.

'Hey, Sakura, this is Neji. I was calling to explain what I told you yesterday. You misunderstood me, so when you get this call me back okay.'

There was a click and then she waited for Ino's message.

'Sakura, hey it's Ino... you probably don't want to talk to me right now, huh? I... If I were you, I wouldn't want to either. I should have known, after all I am supposed to be your best friend, right?'--Ino sounded a little teary now and she had paused to regain her composure, but it did not help--'I really am sorry for what I did. And if you don't want to be my friend anymore, that's okay. I know I deserve it. But please talk to me again. I beg you. Goodbye, Sakura.'

It clicked off as well. What the hell was Ino rambling on about? It couldn't be... No, that was impossible. Naruto swore not to tell, saying it was not his business. And she was positive she had not let it slip. So, that meant... but Sasuke would never say that, would he? The next message started playing and she barely even noticed it.

There was a long pause and then:

'...Sakura, I told Ino...'

There might have been more to the message but she didn't hear it because all that registered in her mind was that he told. The silver phone slipped from her dainty fingers and hit the floor. Sasuke told Ino about the weeks before Ino came home. He told her about them...

The next day it was raining.

Sakura looked outside the window of her father's car as he drove her back home. Familiar street signs passed her by and soon he was pulling into the driveway of her tiny little home. They sat in silence for a while, before her father put his arm around his child in an awkward hug. He pulled away and she tried her best to offer him a smile.

"Bye, Sakura, remember to think about my offer. I love you," he spoke comfortingly and she could not help but feel guilty.

She really did not want to think about his offer. The more she thought about it the sicker she became. Moving meant leaving everything behind and having to start over anew. Even if Sasuke and Neji had been jerks or if Ino had been a bad friend, she could not manage to do that part of her life over again.

So, she pecked his stubbly cheek and whispered back, "I love you, too, Dad."

She stepped out of the car and waved goodbye. When he was finally out of sight, she walked out into the rainy streets and towards the apartment complex that her ex-coworker lived. On her way over she had come up with numerous things to say to him, but when she found herself standing in front of the large building… All words left her.

Sakura contemplated on buzzing him. Did she want him to know she was there? Or did she want to spring this visit on him and throw him off guard. Either way she was at a disadvantage. Sakura had no clue on what to say to him.

An elderly lady pushed open the door and made her way outside. This snapped Sakura out of her inner battle, and she seized this chance to slip inside the building. Maybe she could think of something to say on the way up… maybe not.

Sasuke stepped out of his bathroom and shut the door, damp hair sticking to his face and beads of water trailing down his shirtless chest, when he heard the timid knock at the door. He frowned, dark eyes set into a glare. Who would be visiting him? Certainly not Naruto, the blonde was out with Jiraiya. Ino would not be at the door either, after he had explained everything she went extremely quiet and then hung up the phone.

He ran a hand through his wet hair and pulled open the door. What greeted him was something… unexpected to say the least. Haruno Sakura, head bowed and pink locks hanging around her face like a curtain, was murmuring to herself in his doorway. He could not make out what she was saying, but when she finally noticed he had answered she flushed bright pink.

He could not tell if she were annoyed or embarrassed. Most likely both.

The Uchiha stepped aside to let her in, still wondering why she decided to visit him. And more importantly… how the hell did she get in?

"I got your message," she said, apple green orbs locked with his. "But why did you do it?"

Sasuke shrugged, face as impassive as always. When he set his gaze back onto her she was glaring at him. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his navy pajama pants and sighed. He himself did not know why he had done it.

Why had he done it?

"It's because you feel bad for me, huh?"

Her voice was so quiet and forlorn that he did not know whether he had heard it or not. It was so unlike her to feel so down. At the moment all he wanted to do was to make her smile again, however cheesy that sounded.

Her head snapped back up and he saw that defiant glow in her eyes. And damn, he could not think of a time she looked any better than now.

"I don't need your bullshit, Sasuke. All I want to know is why the hell you did this? First I'm not good enough, and then you use my best friend too? How low can you possibly get?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. Him? Low? Was she not being a tad hypocritical in that sense? He might have been with her in a strange relationship, but he was not the one that broke that up. Sure he might have been an asshole and is to blame as well, but it was her self esteem getting in the way. Not Ino. He grabbed hold of her wrists with his hands to keep her from moving and finally spoke.

"Sakura," he said calmly through gritted teeth, but she thrashed about in his grip. "Damn it, listen to me!"

She blinked, clearly not sensing his outburst. He sucked in a breath, and then explained. He had never felt so helpless as he did now. And it was all because of her.

"I… Sakura, I like you a lot, okay. I have since that one day at the coffee shop, despite the numerous bruises that marked my legs." She bit back a smile at that, but he caught it. "And I thought you liked me back, but then next thing I know you're shoving Ino into me. I was so confused and mad. I didn't understand why you were acting that way, so I did let Ino hang out with me. I wanted you to know how I was feeling at that moment. And I thought it was working, but then came in pretty boy. Neji. Fucking. Hyuuga."

He averted his gaze, a frown playing on his lips. Sasuke stopped at that moment to catch his breath, and Sakura had never seen him so pissed off before. The pink haired girl opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"No, listen. I want you to hear this. You wanted an answer so here it is! So, maybe I did use Ino a little at the end. Maybe I was jealous. I did want to get you back… But then after that fight… I didn't want you to hate me. I wanted you to at least talk to me and I knew that was only possible if I let Ino know the truth."

Sakura took a sharp intake of breath. She had no clue he felt that way. And now all those feelings that she had felt for him were bubbling up to the surface. Especially now that all coming in-between them was her dampened t-shirt and a bit of tension.

"Sasuke, I-"

The rest of her words died on her tongue as soon as she locked eyes with him. And in them she saw raw desire, an emotion she feared, but knew that her own were mimicking the same look.

Because in that heated moment Sasuke finally closed the distance and crushed his lips to hers.

…TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER EIGHT…

A/N: Ha ha! Another chapter down and it didn't take me five months to do it, although it did take me a while because I did have to go to the hospital. Why? I got tripped down a flight of stairs at my school and came really close to crushing my knees. But don't worry, I am doing better.

On another note, this is a Valentine's Day gift to you all as well as a b-day gift to the lovely Sakura Uchiha. I hope you all have enjoyed it, and I know you were all hoping to get the answer to her father's request. All in good time, people, all in good time. Oh, and the other thing is, just because they kissed does not mean it's going to be a walk in the park after this. We still have to see what Neji wanted, her father's offer, Ino, Sakura's reaction to the kiss, and all the outcomes of it. But I do have a treat for all of you who have read this! Tell me what you think of this little spoiler! And take it however you want to, and if you don't understand my message… you will if you continue on : )

…PREVIEW…

Sakura had been out of it lately. Ever since that night at his apartment, she had been worse than what she was before. He did not regret what happened, not at all. It had been something he wanted to do ever since the fight they had in the backroom.

But did she regret what they did…?

He had not seen much of her the past few days. When he did, she would avert her gaze elsewhere and ignore him. Even Naruto did not know what was up with their pink-haired friend. And neither had the chance to ask her, but Sasuke knew she really would not feel up to telling him.

He decided to ask anyways. Since when had they done what the other wanted? It was part of the rules in their twisted relationship.

Another thing he knew was that she loved coffee about as much as him. And that was where he found her. She was sitting all alone in a booth in their coffee shop, the exact same table they had coffee the first time. He was beginning to wish that they could go back to that.

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Sakura idly traced her fingers on the smooth surface of the coffee shop's table. Her mind was elsewhere, thinking of her father and that night with Sasuke. Her stomach churned at the thought of leaving now more than ever. She had been so lost in thought that she did not even think to order something to drink.

That was until an ivory mug was placed before her, the scent of hazelnut wafting through her senses. Only few people knew her favorite drink, only one knew the kind she loved most. Uchiha Sasuke.

Her green eyes traveled up the length of his arm and settled on his concerned (as worried he could be) expression. He furrowed his brows, as if trying to read her thoughts, but then gave up when she broke their eye contact. She knew what would happen if she dared keep up with that intense gaze, and she really was not sure she wanted it to happen again.

Not with how things were going at the moment.

"I," she started taking a sip of the caffeinated beverage, "assume you want to talk."

Sasuke leaned back in the seat he occupied, trademark smirk playing at his lips, as he answered, "Maybe, but you do know what happens when you assume things. It makes an ass out you and me."

Sakura rolled her apple green eyes, raking a hand through roseate locks, and bit back, "Nice to know you finally realized you were an asshole. You really deserve a cookie."

"Flattery isn't going to work, Sakura," he said and she could not help but to laugh.

Maybe things were not going to be as bad as she thought. Not only did she get treated to her favorite drink (and many more), but she got back the Sasuke she knew before Ino came back home. Maybe, just maybe, this summer would not turn out as bad as she once thought.

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A/n: What'd you think? Feel free to express anything in your reviews. You can even give me ideas or events that you would like to see happen. Reviews are much appreciated as highly welcomed! Love you all! And keep reading,

Sweet Bliss