[A/N: I apologize, everyone, for my stupid-assed rant in the previous chapter. It was dumb of me to edit the chapter/finish the author's note when I was in a bad mood. Once again, I apologize. Also, I am placing a request for a beta reader. Here is my email: cherryblossomuchiha yahoo . com (remove the spaces and that's my email… it's also in my profile.)
Btw: Wow people, can you believe it? Ten chapters!!! Thank you for reading… but I'm not done yet!
Naruto: That's right, you still haven't gotten Sakura and I together!!!
Rock Lee: O.O SAKURA IS MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!
Neji: Haha. That's great. BUT SAKURA IS MINE!
Kakashi: It's funny, I'm the only one who actually doesn't like her, but I get stuck with the brat!
Sakura: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?!?!??
Um, right. While they duke it out, we'll just continue!
Chapter Ten: Trouble on the Horizon
The next day, Sakura sailed along the hallways in pure marital (well not quite, but at this point she was sure she would marry Hatake) bliss. Nothing could faze her, she was just that happy! Hatake and me, Hatake and I, me 'n Hatake, Sakura Kakashi! She squealed, earning many looks from the girls in her homeroom. She smiled widely. Today was perfect! The sky would have been blue had it not been cloudy that day, the grass wasn't green because of the summer draught but it was coming onto a nice fecal brown, which was DEFINITELY a step up from the charred look it had taken on in the past few weeks, and, okay, the birds weren't singing, but who cares! It was a BEAUTIFUL day, absolutely nothing would ruin her day-
"ROCK LEE!!!! GAAAHH!!! GET OFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!" All eyes reverted to the screaming pink haired girl, and the strange looking boy bearing the thick eyebrows who had lodged himself in between the girl and her desk.
"Sakura my sweet! How I have pined to see your shining forehead- AHHHHHH!!!"
Sakura harrumphed with satisfaction at the sight of Rock Lee smashed up against the wall, and retracted her fist, her weapon of choice. Ino's eye twitched.
"…What the heck was he doing in here in the first place? It's not even his homeroom!"
Rock Lee slithered to the ground, not unlike a wet paper towel. He crawled under the desks and along the aisles, and out the door. Sakura sank into her seat, blushing at the loud silence in the room. Ino spoke again.
"Um, has anyone else noticed that there are only girls in the room?"
It was true. Rock lee had been the only male in the room. Sakura checked her pink watch with cherry blossom petals for clock hands and cherry blossoms at twelve, three, six, and nine. It read 7:59.
"Homeroom will be starting in forty five seconds… so we're not all early." She said. Ino nodded, and stood up. She walked to the door, and scoped the hallways from the doorway.
"Even if it is your fan club, Sakura, wouldn't Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Kakashi Sensei still be here?" One girl with short curly brown hair adorned with bows and barrettes piped up. Ino shook her head.
"Kakashi Sensei's always late, how many times has Shikamaru showed up at school? And as for Sasuke…" She sighed. "He could be hiding from me, or something." She said sadly. For a moment (only for a moment, though) Sakura felt sorry for the blonde fan girl. Maybe, if Sasuke just gave her a chance… maybe they really would work out? It was definitely a possibility. Sasuke…
Sakura was reminded of the fact that he was a full fledged Shinobi. Maybe he was out on a mission? She was vaguely reminded of a cartoon from when she was little about a suave male assassin who was much like James Bond, shinobi style. She giggled at the thought of Sasuke in a stylish car with a pretty blonde in pearls and sunglasses. As if! Sasuke had no time for women.
Poor Ino, her relationship with Hatake had crashed and burned at the ninja academy, and now she was failing at even talking to Sasuke. On top of that, she and Hatake had to face each other, every day, in homeroom! It was kind of romantic, in a way…
[inner sakura] BUT HATAKE IS MINE! HELL YAH!!!!
"HelllllllllooooooooooOOOOOOOooo, Konoha to Sakura!" Ino was flapping her hand in front of Sakura's face. "You COMPLETELY spaced out there."
"O-oh, er, sorry!" She stammered, flustered. Ino rolled her bright blue eyes, and sauntered away, to the front of the classroom. Sakura glared at her back, how her blazer was perfectly thrown over her shoulder, how her skirt was too short but she got away with it anyway… it just made Sakura so mad! She was the opposite. Her blazer was buttoned up completely, her skirt reached her knee cap, and even if she had worn her skirt shorter, she would never have gotten away with it. She sank in her seat, scowling at stupid Ino.
"So, I think that we should notify-"
"Gooooooooooooooood MORNING Konoha, today is Tuesday, September 15th. The time is 8:01 am, we're running just a TAD late today, but that's A-OKAY! The temperature is 59 degrees Fahrenheit today, a little cooler than yesterday, but still pretty darn warm if ya ask me- ZABUZA, I MISSED YOU!"
…
"Wh-what do you mean, over? W-w-we c-can't break up, we're [sniff] the only gay couple in Konoha high! What was that? WHAT!?!?! I AM NOT TOO DEPRAVED!!!! … Hm? Oh, right, sorry, Principal, I JUST KIND OF BROKE UP WITH MY LONG TIME BOYFRIEND HERE! MY SOULMATE, MY LOVER, MY- Okay… sorry.
"Anyway [sniff] your daily [sniff sniff] forecast is as [sniff sniff sniiiiiiiiiiiiiffff] follows! It's gonna raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn. JUST LIKE MY MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! What was that, Neji? Get over it? WHAT?!?! HOW CAN I GET OVER THIS!? I LOVED ZABUZA!!"
A series of loud crashes and bangs were heard, before Neji's smooth deep voice echoed throughout the school.
"Hello, students, Haku will no longer be the announcer for obvious reasons. If anyone would like to apply for the job, please see me during the day about an application and an audition, or contact principal Tsunade. Moving on, the male population is absent from the school today. I don't know why they all are missing, but it is just as well, as I have this poem I have authored for Sakura Uchiha. I hope you are listening."
My love for you grows day by dayLike your pale, shiny forehead
Your hair is like the most luxurious pink rat's nest
And your eyes look like miniscule squinty emeralds
You trip as gracefully as a swan
And you kick THAT EVIL HELL CREATURE INO IN THE HEAD
Your shoes squeak very melodically
How I love thee, fair Sakura, lover of mute music
Your voice is like a thousand squawking seagulls
Fighting over an old, moldy, crusty French fry.
Hysterical laughter was now heard.
"SHADDUP HAKUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!"
More loud crashes and bangs.
"There will be no interscholastic athletic games today, as always on Tuesdays. Today the lunch line up is as follows: Pizza. Vegetarian menu is tofu chicken and rice balls. That concludes the morning announcements."
Sakura wanted to die. Did NEJI, someone she had merely SEEN once, write THAT about her!?!? Gosh. The first thing he said was that my forehead was growing day by day!
Her gaze landed on the Rock Lee shaped hole in the wall and it made everything ten times worse, just seeing it there. Oh, where ARE you, Hatake?
None of the boys ever showed up, so the girls just headed for their next classes. Sakura's next class was history of Konoha. She smiled weakly. Well, that was one good thing, she would get to see the only Hyuuga that she actually liked!
The hall was empty, and she could hear her shoes clicking against the floor. She quickened her pace… she was usually the last girl to arrive at class and then the boys would arrive, chasing after her, but today there would be no boys. That would make her last to class… She started running, her shoes slipping and sliding now. Why did she always have to be late for every class? She emitted a sound of frustration, and was about to go faster, when she tripped.
"GAHHH!!!" She landed a few feet away, right on her backside. She moaned in pain, and turned around to see what she had tripped on.
O.O
One of the linoleum tiles had been lifted. Peeking out from the space were a pair of black eyes, adorned by thick eyebrows, another pair of baby blue eyes, and a pair of creepy silvery ones. They looked angry. Voices were heard.
"Rock lee, move OVER! Sakura needs me right now in her time of pain!" Naruto hissed. Rock Lee glared, but disappeared from sight as Neji's eyes moved over.
"Hmph. This is much better." He said in that deep voice that, just a little while ago, had read to her that atrocious poem. Sakura pushed away from the square, grating her heels against the floor. The tile lifted some more, and Naruto's goofy blonde hair popped out of the square. He scouted the area, eyes narrowed, until he saw Sakura, on her hands and knees, desperately scrambling away. He grinned.
"Hiya, Sakura!"
"You FOOL! You gave us away!"
Sakura froze when, after hearing Neji squawk at Naruto, Sasuke's voice floated into the hallway.
"I think she already knew you guys were there… you aren't allowed in here, you're going to get suspended if Tsunade finds you."
"WHAAAAAAAAAT!?!? What are you doing here, Sasuke!? You're SUPPOSED to still be tied up to that tree!"
Sakura's eyes bugged out. So THAT was where Sasuke was! Her lips curved into a smile. They were trying to prevent him from saving me from them! Haha, silly Naruto! Sasuke is invincible! He's a NINJA! She almost laughed, but then remembered how late she was for class.
"Uh oh," she muttered, scrambling to her feet, and brushing off her uniform. She started to run again, her heart pounding in her chest. So that counted for a few of the boys… but what about the rest of them???
She sped down the hallway, slipping and sliding she was going so fast! She rounded a corner, then- BAM
"Oww… Not again…" She whined, holding a hand to her head. She started to get up, then was stopped by a hand in front of her face. She looked up into Hatake's grinning face.
"Not a moment too soon, I see!" He said. She took his hand and stood up completely, feeling slightly dizzy. "That was the fastest I've ever seen a student run to History!" He joked. Sakura blushed, looking away from his cute tousled silver hair and mischievous grin. He was so perfect!
"None of the boys are here!" She said, remembering the incident merely seconds before.
"I know… they tied up Sasuke to a tree so he wouldn't be able to save you, and then they started arguing about who you liked better…" He sweatdropped. Sakura's eyes bugged out for the second time in the past five minutes. "…Oh, and in the meantime they tied up Shikamaru to the tree too, because he and Sasuke were walking together and it was convenient…"
"What'd they do to you?"
"Oh, nothing, I just slept late."
Finally, Sakura had made it to History of Konoha, twenty three minutes late… She blushed hotly at her encounter with Hatake, and sank in her seat, overcome with that warm, fuzzy feeling.
What's with you? You are late, and you're blushing like mad!Sakura smiled at the note that Hinata had sent, and scrawled back a reply.
O nothin. Ran in2 sum roadblocks but other than that i just got here late.
Ooooh. Oh, I am so sorry about Neji this morning! If I had had any idea that he was going to do that, I would have stopped him!
It's fine. I can't believe Haku got fired! Already i was used 2 his voice on the loudspeaker!
Yes, I know! I wish I were more of a speaker, then I would try for the job!
Im gonna.
What!?
i think i want 2 get 2 kno Neji better and this seems like a good way 2 do it
Well… I guess it's a good idea! Oh my gosh, fan boys would be coming in right and left!
Lol yeah. Maybe. Kakashi sensei told me that even tho Haku is fired, he still will b hosting the auditions.
Uh oh, you had better watch out, Sakura. I hear that Haku can have very weird mood swings, and now that Zabuza has dumped him… He'll practically be bi polar!
i kno.
"Good morning Kono-"
"Not cheerful enough!" Came the muffled reply. Sakura scowled, and glanced back at Haku, who was leaning back in his chair, pigging out on white rice in a white take out container.
"GOOD MORNING-"
"Still not-"
Neji entered the room.
"Oh, hi Mr. I'm On Prozac! Haruno here is just auditioning for the new job as announce-"
"I know." Neji deadpanned. He turned to Sakura.
O.O What was with those eyes? She was trembling, sweat dripping down her temples as she stared at those eyes… Piercing through her very soul-
"Hello?? Sakura??? Konohagakure to Sakura!" She turned to Haku, who was waving chopsticks in her face.
"S-sorry." Not again! I keep spacing out today!
"I said, I thought you were fine the first time." Neji turned on his heel and left the announcement room, his long hair waving behind him. Haku rolled his eyes, and wiped some rice from his mouth.
"Hmm… it seems that Mr. I'm On Prozac has left the room…" Haku's eyes narrowed in concentration. Sakura sweatdropped.
"Um, duh, Haku?"
"Oh, right, sorry! I just have these moments…" He trailed off, his eyes going misty. Sakura quirked an eyebrow.
"Sakura… is there anyone special in your life?"
"…You asked me that five minutes ago. My answer is still the same: My boyfriend." She said flatly. She was losing patience with Haku and his "moments." In which he would suddenly go very serious and muse philosophically on "special" people… Namely Zabuza.
"Oh…" Haku said airily, pulling out a picture of Zabuza. He had a bandaged face from god-knows-what and no eyebrows. Sakura rubbed her oversized forehead in frustration.
"Sakura, do you have anyone special… someone you'd like to protect?"
"Yes… my boyfriend!!!"
"Who… is… this, boyfriend, as you call it?"
"Eh… someone secret."
"Secret?"
"Secret."
"Why is it a secret, hmm? Is this an… illegal romance, by any chance?"
"Uh, um, ummm…. No, it isn't! Just, uh, well, not for the general public to hear!"
"We're all alone in here… you can tell me…"
"No, I can't."
"Why?"
"Because it's a secret!!!"
"Secret?"
"Secret."
"Why is it a-"
"SHADDUP!" She screeched, kicking Haku in the face, sending him backwards.
"GAAHHH!!!" He cried, white rice and chopsticks flying everywhere, and most importantly, directly onto the face of-
"PRINCIPAL TSUNADE!!!" Haku yelled. Tsunade glared. Haku weakly jabbed a pale manicured finger at Sakura. "SH-she KICKED me!! In the FACE!"
Tsunade and Sakura both sweatdropped.
"Big deal. You needed it." She replied. "Anyways, I would just like to tell you that your audition has been aired on the intercoms all throughout the school…"
O.O
"WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?!!" Sakura shot up. Tsunade sighed.
"Haku must have turned on the entire system."
Oh no… now everyone's going to know I have a boyfriend! And then…Sakura promptly fainted.