-Dreaming of Petals-
By: ApplesofWrath
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: Naruto is property belonging to Masashi Kishimoto. Neither am I claiming any of Naruto's content nor writing a fanfic for profit. Please don't sue me and support the actual release.
"So... I was thinking about ideas for our project... I already typed up an introduction, which I want you guys to read over for me and tell me what you think. We could go at this afterward with a well-made power point. So we will need someone with Microsoft office skills to do that. We could pass out articles that further delve into the topic. So if anyone wants to volunteer their printer to spit out thirty or so copies for the class, that would be great. Maybe we could even add into some short video clip that gives them a visual perspective, since a lot of people tend to be visual learners..." Sakura trailed off, when she noticed that her group members were unusually quiet. She stood at the front of the marker board of their mini study room in the library and just looked at her uninterested four group members.
Someone decided to speak up and it was Chiharu, but what she said had no relation to the topic at hand whatsoever,
"So, who are you guys going with to the winter formal?" She perked up and asked her group cheerfully.
Sakura gripped her pencil and broke it slowly with two hands. Her group members were completely out of it and had everything BUT their group presentation on their minds. With the annual winter formal coming soon, no one talked of anything else. Sakura then sighed,
"I give up... Let's just forget this for today..." She said as she stacks her books and starting packing her bag. With this cue, the others followed what Sakura was doing. Chiharu was the first one to run out of the room. Ayumi and Takatori stayed behind to talk to Sakura, while the last fourth member of the group, Kameyo said she has to head over to work.
When Sakura noticed Ayumi and Takatori waiting for her in the room, she turned to them,
"Do you guys need something?" Sakura asked, as she packed, "And Yes, I know I'm boring as hell when there's a commotion all this about the winter formal," Sakura rolled her eyes. Ayumi giggled,
"I'm not going to lie, I zoned a few times because I'm excited too," Ayumi held her books close to her chest, "but, If its okay with you guys, I'd like to volunteer for the thirty copies of some related article." Ayumi hoped that would help Sakura not feel like her efforts were completely futile.
Sakura smiled. God bless Ayumi, was all she could think. "Yeah, that would be great," Sakura said with a smile. Takatori decided to speak up afterward,
"And I can do the power point," he volunteered, scratching his left eye under this black frames. Sakura loved these two, she knew she could count on them.
Ayumi headed over to her locker after the group meeting, she fumbled with her locker combination when she heard someone walk over to her. She turned, saw who it was, and instantly smiled,
"Ahh Takatori-san," Ayumi greeted, "What's up?" Takatori blushed a bit, before speaking.
"I-I was wondering if-you were going with anyone to the dance with-a-anyone?" Takatori said, looking at the ground and slightly readjusting his backpack. Ayumi listened, but then frowned,
"Ahh... Sorry, Inuzuka Kiba has already asked me," Ayumi looked apologetic. Takatori just frowned and then nodded,
"Ahh.. Okay, understood. Well, have fun at the dance..." Takatori gave her an unhurt smile, even though he was just hiding his disappointment. He started walking away, but when he was a few yards away, Ayumi called him, which made him turn around, "Yeah?"
Ayumi grinned, "If you do decide to come afterall... I'll save you a dance, okay?" At this, Takatori smiled in thanks and walked away, red as a tomato.
While waiting for Sakura to be finished with her group meeting, Hyuuga Hinata sat outside on a wooden bench outside the front of St. Arabellas. In a content state, Hinata was absorbed into the words of Pygmalion. Besides reading the book for her upcoming quiz, she was reading it ahead out of leisure. The gentle breeze of the lovely spring weather gently blew the corners of the pages in the same way the sand would be moved gently by a low tide.
Hinata rose her head when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She looked at the source, and it was Sakura, walking towards her. Hinata closed her book and placed it on her lap. She smiled at her friend when she was within talking distance.
"Did the meeting go well?" Hinata asked. Sakura shook her head.
"No, it didn't," Sakura slightly groaned. I had to deal with the environmental factor of the spring formal coming up plus two girls who can't stop thinking nonstop about it," Sakura said, rubbing her temples, before continuing, "So we decided to postpone." Hinata just nodded.
Hinata packed her tote bag quickly, and began walking alongside Sakura. A thought came to her mind, and the Hyuuga Heiress decided to share,
"So… Are you going? Ino was talking about how all of us could go as a group," Hinata trailed off, waiting for Sakura's response. Sakura just loosened her tie,
"Well, no one has asked me. So as of now, I guess I'm not going," Sakura said, looking at her friend, before speaking again,
"I heard Naruto asked you," Sakura said with a grin. Hinata just blushed and readjusted her totebag on her shoulder, "Yes. Yes, he did," Sakura could tell Hinata was overjoyed deep down, considering that she's had a crush on the school's class clown since elementary school. Sakura pat Hinata on the back,
"That's great, I'm happy for you." Sakura then decided to joke, "Maybe he has any hot friends that I could go wit—" Sakura stopped herself, realizing what she was saying. and at the same time, Hinata grew a teasing grin on his face,
"You know, you could go with Sasuke…" Hinata suggested. Sakura just shrugged,
"I guess… But I dunno," Sakura said as she looked up at the sky, "I'm not exactly sure what we are… We are accquaintances, but not really… We are friends, but not really… He hasn't exactly made a move yet…" Sakura pointed out. Hinata just nodded, and deep down, she hoped for her friend's sake that maybe the Uchiha prodigy will in fact ask her.
"Ugghhh Ino… Can we go home already? I'm tired and sick of looking through all these restaurant ideas," Matsuri groaned, laying her head down on Ino's dinner table. Ino looked at the rest of the room, which could have looked like a boring and torturous corporate meeting. Her long dinner table was surrounded by friends who all looked fidgety and tired.
Shikamaru decided to speak up, "Don't you think this is a little extreme?" he pointed out, "especially for a winter formal that isn't anything similar to senior prom?" At this, most of the room nodded. Most of the kids here who were good friends of Ino were made to go by parents who encouraged them to make friendship and possible connections for the future. Ino grabbed her glass bottle of ginger ale and banged it gently on the table, as if calling for order.
"Shika, believe me… When prom comes around, you will think that all this was nothing compared to what I have in store for our senior prom," Ino stated. Shikamaru just sighed, and looked around the room. The room composed of Matsuri and Gaara, Shikamaru and Temari, Ayumi and Kiba, and Karin and Hideo. Hinata wasn't here, so Naruto sat alone just taking note for her. Sai had a studio assignment to work on so he wasn't present either. Sasuke sat alone in the back, looking like he was bored and annoyed of everyone's complaints. Neji and tenten… weren't each other's dates to Ino's knowledge. In fact, strangely they were sitting far apart from each other.
Meaning the only person left that she wanted here was Sakura. But she claimed to have some group meeting to attend. The Yamanaka daughter eyed Sasuke, an undeniable curiousity was forcing Ino to have a talk with Sasuke after this meeting ended… Whenever that was.
"Hey Neji," Kiba suddenly asked, unintentionally grabbing everyone in the room's attention. Tenten looked over,
"Don't tell me you are going stag… Who are you taking to the dance?" Kiba asked innocently. At this, Neji's eyes went to Tenten for a discreet, prolonged moment. Everyone in the room was oblvious towards what had recently happened between the two friends. Neji finally spoke up,
"I haven't asked her yet," was all Neji said. He looked at Tenten one more time before becoming quiet. Tenten avoided his eyes. The room's subject changed again, leaving the room to forget the awkward moment.
After another two hours of debating, voting, fillibustering the choice in a restaurant, the majority finally decided on a luxurious italian restaurant that stood on top of a high building, overlooking the city. The girls decided to not shop for dresses together due to chaos of last year's attempt. Picture spots were chosen, and families were invited to witness. The Uchiha house was chosen, since they had a lovely cobblestone garden that would add a lovely background for the pictures. It was no doubt that the night was going to be expensive, but that was how St. Arabella's students did it.
Neji stepped outside to Ino's driveway and looked around. The couples were getting into a car and taking the other home. His eyes scanned the crowd, until he saw Tenten slinging her bag over her shoulder and started walking on the sidewalk. Neji ran until he past Tenten and stood right in front of her. A bitter Tenten just have a scornful look at the Hyuuga prodigy.
"You're in my way," Tenten said coldly, as she tried to walk past him. Neji just blocked her again, causing Tenten to feel exasperated,
"What do you want?" Tenten crossed her arm, waiting for what the Hyuuga had to say. Neji pulled her hand and held it, not letting go, "Go to the dance with me," he simply said. Tenten just gaped at him as if he lost it.
"Why?" She questioned with an annoyed tone, "Why don't you ask Cancer girl to go with you?" Tenten added. Neji just bit his bottom lip and his face fell.
"I don't want to go with Shizuka… I want to go with you," Neji spoke softly. Tenten couldn't help but listen to his voice. His voice sounded sincere and remorseful. Tenten just looked at the ground, "I don't want to go with a guy who wants to go with me out of pity or remore either…" Tenten straight at Neji, her lips in a firm line.
"I do feel bad… But that's not the reason I want to go with you," Neji spoke softly again, gripping Tenten's hand harder as if making sure she didn't run away again.
"I want to go with you because… I think it's time that you and I stop being just friends…" Neji admitted, Tenten just widened her eyes, her mouth hung, lost for words. Neji just looked at his friend, whom he knew he loved for years,
"… So will you give me the honor of being my date?" Tenten just stood there, still speechless. The one boy who she loved for years and never expressed it other than giving cookies, telling him happy birthday on every midnight, studied together, hung out together, was confessing his feelings towards her. The wind blew through Tenten's shoulder length hair and pushed it against her face, but she was unhindered. Time stood so still for Nakashima Tenten.
Sasuke grumbled, "Soo… Why are you keeping me here longer?" Sasuke turned to face Ino, "Haven't you tortured me enough tonight?" Ino just rolled her eyes, and then spoke,
"Sasuke, who are you planning on asking to the spring formal?" Ino decided to go straight to the point, since the Uchiha jerk wanted so badly to leave, but not before she discuss with him something important.
Sasuke just remained expressionless. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from her,
"I know what you're trying to get at…" Sasuke spoke slowly, "And yes, I am planning to ask Sakura." Ino just stepped closer to the Uchiha heir and gave him a glaring look that bore a hole through his back,
"Just know this, Uchiha… You'll regret it if you hurt Sakura…"
Sasuke turned back to look at Ino. He was pretty sure Ino was talking about hurting him physically, since Ino couldn't do anything to him in other ways. Though he didn't feel threatened at all by the crazy blond's pep talk, he understood that it was all just an act of protection towards close friends.
Sasuke gave her an expressionless, but reassuring look,
"I wouldn't do anything to hurt her…" Was all he said, before walking past Ino and leaving out the front door. Ino just watched him leave and felt content that everything was going well.
Sakura exited the front door of the Hyuuga Mansion. She studied with Hinata and then ate dinner with the Hyuuga family. Though the dinner was a bit awkward, the family was unusually silent, Sakura had a decent time. She knew that Hinata's father wasn't very curious about Hinata's friends or what goes on in her life in general, so she had a feeling the dinner would be this way. Sighing, she started heading home.
Sakura was within distance to see the front of her house. But what really caught her eye about her house was that there was Sasuke sitting there on the porch bench, waiting for her. Sakura took a deep breath and approached him. Sakura fiddled with the strap on her bookbag,
"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing over here?" Sakura asked, sounding curious. She placed her bag on her floorboard of the porch and sat next to him, waiting for his answer.
"I wanted to see you," Sasuke said, giving her his smooth smile. Sakura felt her face heat up, she looked at her lap before awkwardly speaking, "Ohh, I … wanted to …see you too…" Sakura mentally scolded herself as soon as she said it.
Sasuke just chuckled. The girl was cute. Deciding to be serious now, he cleared his throat and turned to her on the bench.
"Listen, Sakura…" He decided to return the gesture, and placed his hand over hers, just like she did at the pond that one night. "These past days, have been the best…" He looked at her hands, that trembled a bit under his, "I neither want them to end, nor these thoughts I keep having of you constantly in my head." He then took his other hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek, caressing soft peach fuzz, caused Sakura's heart to pound the blood through her veins and her breath stopped in its tracks.
"I want you to know that think you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met and first girl who has made me feel alive," Sakura's eyes widened, she looked at Sasuke who, instead of giving his usual poker face, his eyes were filled his passion, sincerity, and simple awe. Sasuke looked into her sea-foam green eyes that looked touched, and possibly returned the same feelings he had towards her. He was dying to hear her response, the precious feelings that he longed for. He wished he could just close the gap between them, but his gentlemen side protested against it. The smell of cherry blossoms from her hair and body were drugging his logic and calm demeanor. The smell was so intoxicating, so maddening.
Sakura slowly brought her hand up to his cheek and caressed it. The senses on her fingers were heightened, all of this was real, not a dream. She couldn't believe it. Her feeling toward Uchiha Sasuke were returned, and all she could think of was the fulfilling feeling of grasping an impossible dream, something she never imagined would happen to her.
She looked into his dark-obsidian eyes and slowly spoke,
"I feel the same way…"At this Sasuke couldn't hold himself back no longer. He pulled her into a passionate kiss which Sakura greatly welcomed. The tension that had built up for this past week was finally released. Sasuke wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. Sakura's hand wandered around his neck and the front collar of his shirt, unintentionally making the collar of his uniform looser. He ran his fingers through her silky locks, which he was been dying to touch . They stopped their kiss for a second to look into each other's eyes, only to start again. Never wanting the moment to end.
Author's Note: So whatdya guys think? Read and Review!
