Okay, I'm trying for faster releases but keep in mind I also have a social life. Please, please, PLEASE, don't get mad if I haven't updated in a couple of days. Thanks.

P.S. Thoughts will now be italicized (Muchhhhh easier ^_^')

Chapter Seven

The Bitch

Dinner was quiet.

Sakura didn't know what to say. For starters, she was pissed off at her mother and secondly, she was depressed to the point of death. Not only did she have to stay in the same house as Sasori, she just had to have the room right next to his. Her worst nightmares were coming true…

"So Sakura," Chiyo finally broke the silence. "How do you like walking with Sasori?"

Oh God, what to say? I can't lie to her…but I can't really tell her the truth either. Sakura chewed on her slice of roast beef.

"It's….interesting." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Chiyo smiled. "Good, good. And you Sasori?"

"I find it very amusing," Sasori said with the smallest quirk of his lip.

Asshole, amusing for you! Sakura seethed as she bit down on her fork to stop her insult from coming up.

"Seeing my two favorite people get along, you just don't know how much it means to me."

This time her smile most certainly reached her eyes. Sakura really loved the sweet old lady; she was like the mother Sakura wished she had. Nothing made her feel more content than seeing Chiyo in high spirits…

But at the same time she was also feeling a tiny bit guilty.

Technically, Sakura and Sasori really weren't getting along; they were kinda in the middle of a war. Her guilt made her slip further into the abyss of despair.

"Um, I'll clean the dishes after dinner," Sakura offered, hoping it might lessen the shame she was feeling.

"No, you're the guest!" Chiyo flapped a hand at her.

"I'll help her," Sasori put in.

Sakura gave him a taut smile. "No, that's all right. I can do it by myself," she said through clenched teeth.

"Oh no! I can't let a little girl do all of the dishes by herself!" Sasori sounded like he was appalled by the whole idea. "Let me help." Cue in his creepy nice guy smile.

Sakura quivered from the cold breeze that hit her. Sasori should be an actor.

Chiyo laughed. "You two—"

Ding-dong!

"I'll get it!" Sakura exclaimed as she sprung up from her seat. She'd do anything to get away from Sasori's menacing shininess. She gave a stiff power-walk to the foyer and opened the door. "Ah, hello."

"Hello," a very impatient woman stood on the front porch tapping her foot. She looked to be in about her thirties and she had black, bouncy hair and hard, brown eyes. The same brown as Sasori's, Sakura noticed. "I'm here to drop off Sasori's things." She spat out his name like it was something vile.

"Oh! Um, I'm sorry I—"

Sasori's voice interrupted her, "Hey, who's at the—" His eyes landed on the woman and his tone went from uncaring to glacier cold. "Oh Aunt Suki, you finally showed up, eh?"

"Don't be so ungrateful," she said with and edge in her voice. "You should be lucky I came at all."

Sasori gave a bitter chuckle as he brushed past Sakura and onto the porch. "I do believe you said you would come earlier. So you wouldn't have to see my face, correct?"

"I can't build my schedule all around you, you selfish brat," Suki informed him as she narrowed her eyes at Sasori.

Sakura looked to Suki then back at Sasori. Whoa, it's even colder out here.

Suki's eye flickered to Sakura who was leaning in the doorway. She sneered and gave a snort. "Who's this?" She pointed a perfectly manicured finger to Sakura. "Your new whore? To think you would do such a thing at my own mother's house, how dare you!"

"You really haven't changed at all, have you?" Sasori gave another tart laugh. "You're the same bitch as always!" He snarled. "Leave Sakura out of our business."

Sakura's eyes widened. Sasori… did he just stick up for me?

"You little bastard!" She snapped as she raised her hand. "Maybe this'll teach you some discipline!"

Smack!

Suki's hand had smacked against Sakura's wrist, she had blocked Suki's hand just in time. She gently pushed Suki's hand away. Sakura stared straight into her eyes. "Please, stop," she said firmly.

"This doesn't concern you," Suki said icily, staring right back at her.

"Seeing as you called me a whore, I think it does at the moment." Her eyes darkened to a pine green; Sakura didn't like this woman one bit. "I happen to dislike Sasori myself but that doesn't mean I'm just going to sit around and do nothing when you openly disrespect him." She smirked slightly. "I must say for an adult, you're acting very childish."

"Yhat gives you the right to criticize me?" She moved closer and looked down at Sakura. She snickered. "You don't know who Sasori really is, do you?"

"I'll ask you one more time…"Sasori said as he put a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Leave her out of this!" Sasori growled as he pulled Sakura back.

Why does he keep doing that? Sakura looked up at him. His jaw was perfectly set as he stared at his aunt.

Hatred. Pure hatred was shining off of him.

What's wrong with him?

Sakura looked down at her feet with the tiniest blush tinting her cheeks.

What's wrong with me! I think I like the infuriating Sasori better!

"How do you think you are! Ordering me around like that won't get you anywhere!" She glared at him. "Just you wait," Suki smirked as she pointed at him. "Your darling grandmother will dump your ass out onto the streets. Just like allll of the others."

"Suki!"

Sakura and Sasori both turned around. Chiyo was in the doorway looking very sullen.

"That's enough of that," Chiyo said firmly as she came up next to Sakura. "Dear, can you wait in the living room."

It wasn't a question...

It was a demand.

Sakura's mouth fell open a bit, never had she seen Chiyo so serious. "Yes," she said before brushing past Sasori. She stopped to give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You're grandma will look out for you," Sakura whispered to him with a grin.

His stern face flickered a bit but he got his composure back and stared at her with furrowed brows.

"That's because she likes you though. I on the other hand, still hate you," she said as she landed a light punch on his arm. A trace of her grin was still on her lips. Sakura laughed lightly and headed back into the house.

Vaguely confused, Sasori watched her leave.

What's up with the brat? She's defending me…and comforting me? Sasori shook his head.

Stupid girl, she doesn't even know how despicable of a person I am…

Sakura made it to the living room and immediately buried her face into a throw pillow to muffle her squeals.

What did I just do!

Yeah….so Aunt Suki's a bitch.

Remember? She was mentioned in the first chapter. Sasori referred to her as 'The Bitch'?

Haha, it might get a bit more dramatic from here on out but nothing stupid and lagging, I promise! (Long and drawn out drama irks me -_-) I was originally going to make this longer but I thought it would be better to stop it about here. But next chapter I'll make it longer with some possible SasoSaku fluff…

'Kay review and all that jazz (Love that expression! ^_^)