Next day, Sakura wasn't feeling that much better. But not as much upset, as she felt last night. Her anger about Sasuke acting jerkish had dissipated by a lot and she had spent all night being worried over that Itachi person. She closed the little crystal tightly inside her palm. The dark raven had been wandering in her mind for hours, reminding her of the scary scene in the hospital. Sasuke probably hated her, and he had showed as much. And it would take all the positivity and hope in Sakura to gather her powers and confront him. But she had been thinking about it, all night. Towards early noon, just before the lunch, the pinkette decided to walk up to Sasuke's room and demand his attention.

She dragged her steps to his door, painfully slow, as her heart beat increased and became too intense for her own good. She almost felt her chest hurting. She took a deep breath, and knocked on the door, before her courage left her and she ran away.

No reply came. She knoched again. Still silence. She broke it in a trembling voice.

"Sasuke?" she almost whispered. Again, no reply. This time, she waited 3 minutes before knocking angrily on the wooden structure.

After a while, an annoyed voice came from inside.

"Leave."

Sakura felt her cheeks coloring in anger. She was about to come up with some bitter retort but she remembered the reason she was there and stayed patient, giving it another try.

"Sasuke, we need to talk."

Total and utter silence.

"Please..."Sakura said almost pleadingly, her voice a broken mess.

"Thck. Annoying." Sasuke sput.

"Hey!...Listen, we need to talk. It's important,okay? Trust me?"

"Just go away, already. I am busy now." Sasuke said.

"Okay. So, when will you have some time?" Sakura asked, standing on the tip of her toes in anxiety.

She heard some steps approaching rapidly the door and she backed away in a flash.

The door opened, and Sasuke's handsome face peered at her through it. He had his backpack hanging from his right shoulder as he looked down on her with indifference mixtured with disdain.

He was wearing sporty clothes and sneakers.

Sakura caught herself staring and she immediately focused her gaze back on his own, suddenly feeling too awkward under his cold glare.

"For you? Never." Sasuke said in an arrogant tone, as he walked past her and went down the stairs.

Sakura took a minute to process in her brain what he had just told her. Almost fuming with anger, she ran after him, trying to catch up.

"Sasuke, wait!" she said, her voice sounding more pleading than what she had meant it to.

Sasuke stopped briefly on his track, as if waiting for her to speak.

"This is important! Trust me." she whispered, too afraid of his reply. She knew in her heart that all his reactions would be negative, yet her worry pushed her to keep trying.

"Trust you? I never did. What makes you think I'm gonna do it now?Especially now?" Sasuke chuckled bitterly and resumed his walking.

Sakura felt her heart missing a beat at the mean words that cut through her like a sharp knife.

She watched at his retreating form, trying to come up with something, but the seconds slipped away and her mind was frozen at his words. It was as if the time had stopped.

The only thing to remind her that she wasn't living in a dream, was the sound of the door closing.

"Wow...Thanks." she muttered bitterly, as if Sasuke could still hear her.

"But...I guess you're right. I wouldn't trust me, either." she whispered as she sat on her knees looking at the spot Sasuke was standing on before he left.

He doesnt even want to listen to what I have to say. I feel so alone. He...it hurts to admit but...he will neve forgive me! Sakura thought in depression, as she looked down on the floor in front of her and brushed the wooden surface with her finger, as a tear ran down her pale face and fell on the pavement, staining it a darker brown.

She stood there for some seconds, her mind tottaly blank, unable to get out from the pit of misery Sasuke had thrown it into. Suddenly, an anger she hadnt felt before surfaced through all the pain and made her cheeks flash a dangerous red, as she stood up.

"You know what! Have it your way! I am not even going to try and warn you again for that stupid lunatic! Afterall, it's your problem, not mine. Stupid Sasuke!" she yelled to noone as she fixed her clothes in fury and walked to her room.

She was sick and tired of Sasuke's nasty behavior ever since the dark truth had slipped past her lights on that fateful night. But what made her even angrier is that with Sasuke's words to her before, she realised that his behaviour was never exactly anywhere near nice.

Sure, she felt guilty and all. But there was no need to let Sasuke push her around all her life. Sasuke had to learn his limits.

At the same time, she hated herself for not being able to resist wondering where Sasuke had gone to. It was Saturday, a day he usually spent inside, playing games on his playstation.

Judging by the way he dressed, he's probably going to play basketball with Naruto and his friends.Sakura thought, kicking softly her legs in the air, in frustration.

Little did she know that Sasuke had no plans of actually going out that day and had turned down Naruto's offer to join them in the Saturday game, but had started getting ready to go, as soon as he heard her knocking on his door.

The rest of the weekend went by painfully slow for Sakura. Sasuke had been giving her the cold shoulder whenever she tried to approach him. She wouldnt flat out do as much as talk to him but she was still trying subtly to get his attention or initiate a conversation. But he would always push her off in a stuck up way, like immediately walking out of a room when she entered it, or turning the tv on really loudly when she crossed the living room or going out of the house, as soon as their parents left the house, even if they had asked him to stay inside to guard Sakura.

Sakura's patience and confidence was dropping lower each passing hour. What made it worse is that she knew he wasnt doing this simply to piss her off. He was doing it because he really couldnt stand her presence around him.

On monday, both her and Sasuke were in for a big and not very pleasant susprise.

Sakura was walking around the school corridor with her friend Ino, as Sakura pretended she was listening to Ino's endless gossiping, whilst her mind was lost in deep thoughts.

"Sakura-chan!Ohayo!" she heard a cheeky voice yelling and immediately she knew to whom it belonged.

"Oh, not that loud guy, again!" Ino scoffed, annoyed she had been cut off by Naruto.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun."Sakura said surprised by the sudden approach. With the corner of her eye, she caught Hinata talking to her friends in a discreet mode in the other side of the corridor and she had the faint impression that they were all looking at their place.

Naruto carelessly pushed Ino away and took Sakura to the side to whisper to her.

"Saku-chan. Will you help me please? Please! I told Hinata-chan that you are my girlfriend to make her jealous cause she said she doesnt like me anymore and that bastard Sasuke ruined it, saying that I could never get a girlfriend, in front of her. So, please, can we pretend we are boyfriend and girlfriend for now? Just for today? It's all I am asking! For the sake of our friendship!" Naruto finished, watching around to make sure none heard him whilst Ino was shooting angry glares towards his side.

Sakura listened to him frightened for some seconds, wondering what she was about to get herself into. But Naruto felt like a friend to her and she couldnt deny him help, even though her gut screamed to her to say no.

"Ok, fine, fine. I will help you. But just for this break. Ok? Then it's over." Sakura whispered.

"Yes, thank you! Dont worry, just this once will do, Sakura-chan. I knew you'd help me!" Naruto said.

"So...what do we do now...?" Sakura asked awkwardly, unsure of the plan.

"Uhm,...we have to hold hands and walk closely and pretend we are chatting like a couple, hehe." Naruto said, looking at Sakura pleadingly.

Sakura didnt want the rest of the school thinking she was with Naruto, but since there werent that many pupils in the corridor to begin with, she could drawn in her embarassment and do a good deed for a friend, for this once.

"Uh oh, okay...You start." Sakura whispered.

"Yush!" Naruto said. He gently took hold of Sakura's hand in his and dragged himself closer to her.

Sakura blushed as she felt suddenly everyone in the corridor death glaring at them.

What did I do? What did I do? She panicked. Naruto took her out of her thoughts, when he spoke.

"Come on, Sakura-chan. Put up some acting, let's get it going, ya know?"Naruto said, starting to feel akward with Sakura's lack of reaction.

"Yeah, you're right. I am sorry!"Sakura laughed it off, as she held Naruto's hand back in hers and pretended she was focusing on him in admiration.

Ino nodded at her with an expression as if she was saying "What the fuck are you doing?"

Sakura mouthed to her "I will explain later." and Ino seemed to understand cause she stopped staring at them like they were crazy and gave a quick glance over to Hinata, knowingly. Sakura was glad that her friend was as smart as they came.

Vaguely, Sakura wondered if Hinata or her friends could tell it was fake, as well, cause everyone almost in the school knew that Naruto's real crush was Hinata.

As minutes went by and the acting went on-Ino had already excused herself and walked away in boredom-Sakura concluded that Hinata was rather jealous, judging by the death glares she was throwing at them and the intense chatting going on with her friends.

"I think we got her." she winked playfully at Naruto, only to notice he was staring in the distance, as a deer stuck in red lights.

"Oh, no, the teme. He's gonna ruin it again." Naruto cursed under his breath and Sakura followed his gaze immediately, feeling the blood in her veins freezing.

Her eyes fell on her brother, whose coal orbs had fixated on a death glare on his friend, Naruto. Now if only looks could kill. Sakura thought, as she unwantingly shivered.

He approached them slowly, under the gaze of everyone in the corridor.

"Hey, dobe. What are you doing here?" the raven said, mockingly.

"Go away, teme. Can't you see I am busy with my new girlfriend now?" Naruto said loudly so that Hinata could hear, winking at Sasuke at the same time, so that he would get the hint.

Sasuke seemed to get it because there was a brief pause before he respoke.

"Heh, dobe. I didn't know you were that desperate." Sasuke said in irony, slipping a quick but sharp glance over Sakura.

Sakura had to clench her first in order to contain herself from retorting but Naruto got her first.

"Teme! Don't talk like that about Sakura-chan! And besides, you got no room to talk. Karin. Remember?" Naruto said, letting go of Sakura's hand as he approached Sasuke in anger.

Sasuke stayed still on his spot, unaffected and perfectly calm, something that only fueled Naruto more, as the two broke out in a staring contest.

"At least, mine was real. And not a vitrine. Seriously, just grow up, already. No wonder Hinata doesn't like you." Sasuke said, his eyes coldest than ever.

Sakura wanted to interfere and stand up for Naruto because she thought Sasuke's behavior was so unfair and unneeded for, but she held back, too paralyzed in shock to do anything. She didn't understand why Sasuke was acting so fiery about this, but she had a vague feeling it had to do with her and she didnt like it. Was he trying to show his disgust for her once more?

Naruto heard Hinata's friends bursting out in giggles in Sasuke's last words, while Hinata only stared at them kind of sad. That was all Naruto needed to dive forward and try to punch Sasuke.

Sasuke had seen it coming, so he stepped back immediately and tried to kick Naruto on the shin.

Sakura felt that it was all her fault and she suddenly jumped out from her paralytic state. She ran to the two fighting boys, trying to break them up, whilst faint voices could be heard saying

"Quick,break it off! Teacher's coming!"

Naruto was pushed back by Sasuke and hit his back against the wall, whilst Hinata looked at him in worry but ran away as fast.

Sasuke was ready to run back to Naruto and consume his fight, whilst Sakura was trying to act as a human wall for her friend. She felt the blood in her veins freezing as she looked into Sasuke's eyes. It felt as if it wasnt Sasuke anymore. As if he had lost control. She felt that Sasuke was hating on someone, but that wasn't nor Naruto nor her. He just hated. Whilst she was trying to keep Sasuke from lanching back to Naruto, Sasuke knocked over a statue head placed on an altar on the corridor, causing it to fall and break in half.

Sakura let a scared gasp escape her lips and the sound of the statue breaking was enough to bring Sasuke back to reality. He regained his composure and Sakura stepped back, trying to look around.

She heard Naruto saying "Shit!Run for your lives!" before he ran away scared and she turned her face to the direction he had last looked at before he turned away, only to see the headmaster and a teacher descending the stairs and looking at her and Sasuke(the only people left in the room) in a strict way.

She took a quick glance at Sasuke, who was staring off in the distance, thinking he hadnt got enough hits to Naruto, as he realised the punishment would fall on his head.

"What on earth is going on, here, you two?" the headmaster asked and Sakura knew this wasnt gonna end well.

" I slipped and pushed the altar by mistake." Sasuke said in a perfectly controlled voice. Sakura's green orbs shot at him in surprise. It was true that he was the one who had broken the statue, yet she didnt expect him to take all the blame on himself, since she's the one who had pushed him to do so.

"No, it was me! It was me the one who broke the statue!" Sakura said, trying to sound sure about herself, as she was wondering why the damn she was doing this all so suddenly.

She felt Sasuke staring at her in surprise, as well. But it was quickly gone.

"She's lying. It's my fault." Sasuke said, turning back to the headmaster.

"No, it isn't! I pushed you!" Sakura said, turning to him. Sasuke didnt spare her a glance, awaiting for the headmasters answer who was staring at them as if they were insane.

"Here's what we'll do. You're gonna both get the punishment for this, since you want it so much. Oh and you better pay up for the school property you so carelessly destroyed! Detention once school's over. Oh, and be careful to not break anything else. Or, suspension's gonna follow!" the old man said as he shook his head dissaprovingly and walked away.

"Brats these days..." he whispered as the teacher agreed with him and suggested something about stricter punishments.

As the voices faded, Sakura turned to look back at Sasuke only to realise he had already began walking away. She looked at his retreating back, sighing deeply.

What had she got herself into, again? She was so mad at Naruto, all of a sudden. But she knew she had none to blame but herself. And despite everything that followed that episode, Sasuke's hating eyes couldn't stop wandering in her mind. It was then when she started realising a tiny bit of the shadow he was hiding in him.

She still had 3 classes before school was over. For some reason, she found herself looking forward to it. Being in the same room with Sasuke...Would it finally give her the chance to come closer to him?

At the english class, Ino was gifting her a headache with her constant questions about what had happened and how and Sakura was replying patiently to all of them just to avoid her asking them later. She knew there was no way Ino would let it drop, she would learn what she wanted, whether it was now or after a week.

"Damn, forehead! You could have just said it was Sasuke's fault! Silly goose!" the blonde said, chewing a gum impatiently.

"I couldnt do that. It was partially my faul, Ino." Sakura said soberly, as she copied the notes from the blackboard to her notebook.

"So what? The headmaster didn't have to know that." Ino said, as if it was common sense.

"Forget it." Sakura said tiredly, as she let her pencil down and looked at her watch.

"Alright, pinky! But I still think that was stupid!"

When the classes were finally over, a teacher led Sakura to another classroom, the one she'd be in detention for. It was the same classroom they held everyone who was in detention. Sakura had been there once before. She vaguely remembered the inner structure, the wide windows, the eroded walls, the dusty chairs and old desks.

"You can go after an hour has passed." the teacher said, pointing the wall clock to her.

"Okay. Bye." Sakura said as the teacher waved bye and left.

She stayed in complete silence for 10 minutes, wondering if Sasuke had got away with it, in the end.

Her heart took up beating ten miles per second, when she heard steps out of the door.

The door opened and the same teacher accompanied Sasuke in the room. He showed him the clock, and left, locking the door behind him.

Sakura couldnt prevent herself from taking a deep loud breath, as she felt her heart would explode any minute, as she watched the raven's handsome figure walking to the back of the room under the faintnsun light falling so fittingly on his soft features.

Sasuke's onyx eyes fell on hers for the slightest of seconds, making her breath to stop on its tracks.

He had a mysterious unreadable look in them.

When she regained her breath, Sasuke had already accomodated himself at the back of the room, sitting on the dusty windowsill of the big closed window, as he stared in front of him, pensive as ever.

Silence.

Sakura was wondering what was in her brother's mind. She started fidgeting with her fingers, wishing she hadn't thought it'd be that easy to spend that detention with her crush.

As minutes went by and none talked, Sakura took a deep silent breath and decided that this was her best chance to talk to Sasuke. This time there were no other rooms he could go to, no tv he could turn on, none else to focus on.

She slowly stood up and cleared her thought. She turned around slowly and looked at Sasuke shyly.

He was looking at his hands resting on his knees, lost in thought.

Sakura took some steps towards him. His head rose. She stopped on her tracks. Yet his eyes didnt trail up to her figure. His gaze focused on the space before her feet. She sighed inwardly.

Sasuke's POV

My sin

/

His head dropped again. She resumed walking. And stopped when she was standing next to him. She quickly sat down near him, half a meter separating their profiles.

"Sasuke...I think it's time we talked" Sakura whispered unsurely, staring at the blackboard, as she played nervously with her fingers.

"You're so predictable." Sasuke chuckled sarcastically.

Sakura had forgotten all about Itachi these last days, with all that had been going on.

Sakura turned to stare at his profile.

"What?" she asked.

"The moment you said it was your fault, I knew you had this in mind. Say, Sakura, this is why you did it. To talk to me, by all means, even if I made it clear I don't give a crap about what you got to say." the raven said, turning slightly to the side to look at her knowingly.

Sakura felt her cheeks blushing, not sure if it was because he was right or cause of anger. He was upsetting her, that was sure.

"I know you don't care, Sasuke. But it's something to do with me. I want to feel better about myself by telling you some things."

"Do you feel guilty?" Sasuke asked her, turning to fully look at her with a fake non chalant look on his face.

Sakura's breath stopped for a while.

Why did he have to make everything so much harder?

A prolonged pause followed. The pinkette broke the silence, trying to sound collected.

"Yes." inwardly she ordered the tears in the edge of her eyes to stay hidden.

Sasuke's POV

I don't.

/

"If you think that I actually mind, then you're once more badly mistaken. I have told you before, nothing you can do or say to me can affect me in any way." Sasuke said calmly and coldly, returning his gaze to the blackboard.

Sakura's eyes widened in hurt.

"How can you say that, Sasuke? Dont you feel even a bit bothered by it? We are siblings!"

"Shut up, already." Sasuke sneered, sighing as he leaned his head slightly to the side in annoyance.

Sakura felt her face catching on fire, as she stood up and stood in front of him.

"No, I wont! You won't boss me around anymore! I want us to solve this so that things can go back to the way they were before!"

"So annoying..." Sasuke sighed, as he closed his eyes with his hands and looked at the pavement.

Sakura caught his wrists and dragged his hands away, forcing him to listen to her.

Sasuke looked at her in susprise.

"Sasuke, stop being such a wuss! Stop facing away from what bothers you!" Sakura yelled, tigthening the grip on Sasuke's wrists painfully.

Sasuke's onyx orbs took in an angry motion.

He dragged his hands out of Sakura's grip with an abrupt move.

"How can this bother me? Things haven't changed at all for me. I told you, you're not my sister! I do not care to make things better with you." Sasuke said slowly with controlled anger.

"Oh...oh...Ok. So if I am not your sister, then what on earth am I to you?" Sakura, said, her hand burning with the desire to slap the raven's pale cheek flesh as hard as it could.

"You're nothing." Sasuke said simply as if he was stating that the sky is blue and the roses are red.

"Oh..." Sakura muttered softly, as tears started rolling down her face. She turned away and faced the opposite direction, trying to control herself.

Damn you. Do not break down. She thought.

"Ok, so what do you want me to do? I've run out of ideas on how to deal with you. I really have." Sakura complained, trying to hide the trembling in her voice.

Silence followed. Then the raven broke it.

"Don't deal with do not talk to me. Ever. Pretend we never met. We are strangers under the same house. And that's all." Sasuke said slowly and casually.

Sasuke's POV

If you do that, everything will be easier. For both of us. But mostly for me.

/end of pov

"Is that what you want?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling.

"I do. But I doubt you could ever stop talking to me." the raven said, with a rather tired look.

Sakura turned around fast and walked back to him.

"Oh, you think so? Don't be so sure. I might just do it! And never talk to you again! E-v-e-r." Sakura said as she wiped the flowing tears away and turned around again.

Sasuke's POV

That just can't and won't happen. Heh.

/end of POV

"That's a good thing." Sasuke said, only to piss her off more. Sakura sat down for a bit on a desk somewhere in front but not too far from Sasuke, showing him her back.

Calm down, girl. You can be strong. I know you can. Don't let that jerk get you your tears and say yes. You have the strength and you know it.

Sakura looked at the watch on the wall. Three more minutes and she'd be free to go, to run away from that nightmare of a detention.

She heard the door being unlocked and the teacher peered in to announce to them.

"Detention's over. You can leave. Don't forget to bring your money, tomorrow. Ja ne." the teacher said but Sasuke didnt even bother looking at him. His eyes were fixated on the back of Sakura, a hint of concern gracing his face.

Sasuke's POV

Why is she so silent? Is it possible that she's really considering of what I told her? Sigh, I hope this day had never happened.

/end of POV

A brief silence followed. Neither of them spoke.

Until, Sakura said, calmly and determined, with a hint of finality in her tone:

"You know, Sasuke,..."

she sighed

" I am actually not going to talk to you ever again. Bye."

And with that, she stood up in a flash from the chair and ran to the door, as she couldnt keep her tears on hold anymore.

Sasuke's POV

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NO.

/end of POV

"NO. Don't." she heard Sasuke, saying softly but surely.

She stopped for a minute, then shook her head lightly and ran out of the classroom with all of her might.

After some seconds, she heard someone running towards her. She didn't even bother to look back. She knew whom it was.

Before she was able to put her hand on the door, she was suddenly turned around and pushed back against the glass door, as Sasuke trapped her between his hand and the wall, standing 5 inches away from her.

She couldn't even manage to look into his eyes. She kept her gaze fixated on his blue shirt, having lost any mood to deal with anything and anyone. Her mind wasn't in a state to process anything. All it could vaguely register was that they were alone in a huge building and Sasuke's fast paced, short breaths that running had caused to him.

Please, let this be over. Her mind cried at her.

Sasuke's POV

It won't, because I won't let it to.

"Sakura. Don't do it."

PS: I know ya'll hate me for writing Sasuke such a jerk in this chapter!It was painful even for me to write all those hateful lines that I wish I didnt have to and that I could take back! But this is a part of the story I had to get over with! I am sorry for any possible dissapointments! I will make up for it! I promise. :)

I had promised to a dear reviewer that Id' make a Sasuke POV in this chapter. I know the one I made here is too small and prolly you didn't like it. But I spent all night typing this chapter up and somehow I forgot all about the POV. Trying to fit it in just didnt blend that nice. I promise there will be chapters with more of Sasuke POV in the future, though. Gomen!

Reviews? :3