For a second, Sakura was stunned. He was asking her out to a very important event? Did he even like her? She didn't really like him, and besides, if she would have went to a dance; it wouldn't be with the guy who was standing here, looking handsome, and totally full of himself.

"Naruto thought it was a good thing if we all went together and if I went with-"

"No," Sakura said firmly. It kind of felt good, saying no. And especially the surprised look on his face.

"No?" Sasuke asked, looking a little perplexed with his handsome features. He usually looked totally bored or just expressionless. It was good that she got some reaction from him. She felt a little triumph. He deserved to get rejected. Probably his first time of rejection. She wasn't even going to thank him for asking her. There was no need. Was this why he was nice to her, teasing her, just so he could sweeten her up and then wrap her around his fingers so she would say yes to him? Think again, buster.

"I am not going to go to Homecoming with you, just because Naruto told you to. I am going with someone who likes me, and too bad that can't be said about you," Sakura said. "And I think your admirer Karin would be more than happy to go with you." With that, Sakura turned around with all the dignity she could muster and went to her next class, downstairs as fast as she could, bumping into somebody.

It was Shino from her Spanish class.

"Sorry," Sakura mumbled.

"No- it's actually," Shino said, "alright. I wanted to ask you something." Sakura regarded him cautiously.

"What's up, Shino?" Sakura asked, a little cooled down from her run-in with Sasuke.

"Bugs are very interesting creatures, and they, well, they don't get the credit they deserve for being on Earth," Shino said. Sakura only could look at him. She learned more about bugs from Shino than she did when she dissected a worm. "Bugs are special. And, I know, with you being in the scholarship program, but you, Sakura, are like a bug."

Did Shino just compare her to something like a cockroach?

"I don't understand," Sakura said tightly, a little exhausted, from spying, to someone- the first person- to ask her to the Winter Dance. She wasn't going to go with a date, and didn't think anyone would want to go with her, but of course Sasuke Uchiha only wanted to go with her because someone had to tell him to. He was just being a good friend. She frowned. Was Sasuke a good friend? And he obviously looked down on her. Why didn't Naruto tell Sasuke to go with his cousin Karin? Well, Naruto was a good judge on character and nice….

"You see, I want you, even though you're on scholarship, and your family isn't all that well off, to go to the Winter Dance with me," Shino said.

"But we never talk," was the first thing Sakura said and thought. And Shino just…insulted her. He wanted her even though she was on scholarship? What was he trying to say?

"Ah, yes, but that Spanish project we did? I felt something. You are beautiful. A delicate little bug," Shino said. Sakura really didn't like being compared to a bug. Unless it was a butterfly. Even then, butterflies were kind of ugly when you saw them up close.

"I'm…uh…flattered you would even think to take me, but I already have someone else I would like to go with. No thank you," Sakura said as kindly as possible. "Well, I have to go," she left just as fast, hoping she wasn't going to be compared to a bug again.

Bugs just creeped her out.

"Oh! Sakura! Wow! Fate has intertwined us once again!" Rock Lee said as she was near her class.

"Hi again, Lee," Sakura greeted.

"Can I ask you a question?" Lee asked her.

"Sure," Sakura said, looking around, hoping she wouldn't miss her class; 2 minutes left.

"I hope this…well, you see…. I really like you- even though I tackled you down- and I hope that you can go to the Winter Dance with me?" Lee asked her, bowing, for some reason. Sakura was a little flattered. First, the hottest guy in school who was the biggest jerk, then some bug fanatic, and now an overzealous guy wanted to take her to the dance? Ten-ten told her she'd be lucky if one guy asked her out for the dance.

"Lee," Sakura sighed now. "Look, you're really a great guy."

"But," Lee's face fell crestfallen. Sakura's heart fell a little. Lee was a sweet guy, unlike his basketball captain Sasuke, so he deserved a nice rejection. If there was such a thing.

"But," Sakura said, "I have a date." Even thought she didn't, but she wasn't a hundred percent sure the guy she wanted to go out with would say yes. Would he?

"Lucky guy," Lee said, smiling.

"I hope we can still be…the best of friends? And I will definitley save you a dance," Sakura said.

"Oh, that would be most wonderful, Sakura," Lee said. "I hope I still have a chance to be your boy that is a friend!" with that, Lee ran off, leaving Sakura late for class.

XX

After school the same day she rejected Sasuke, Shino and Lee, she was working at the coffee shop, in a sour mood when Sai came in. She had never in her life rejected that much guys in one day. Was it something she wore that got their attention or what? Sai was holding a sketch book in his hands. "Hey," Sai greeted, smiling at her, "you look a little…mad?"

"Just…people getting me mad," Sakura said. Was she actually mad? Mad at Sasuke thinking she'd easily say yes? Why was she even mad about that? Sasuke shouldn't make her mad. She should stop thinking about Sasuke.

Starting now.

"Tell me about it," Sai sighed.

"Can I?" she asked, looking at his sketch book.

"Sure," Sai handed her the sketch book.

"Wow," Sakura said as she flipped through his sketch book- he was great. "Maybe the reason why I am so amazed is because I can't draw to save my life." Sai chuckled and took her hand.

"I'm almost done with your drawing," Sai said. There was a ringing of a bell, and they both turned to see who it was, and Sakura's heart dropped. Ino. What was she doing here? Ino saw them, gave them a huge killer smile and went on to the tables. Sakura went back to looking at Sai's sketches, and took a deep breath in. She had to ask him.

"So, I know this is so not what is supposed to go like, but would you go to the Winter Dance with me, Sai? To Konoha High, where you have to endure all those people again?" Sakura asked, hoping he'd say yes, crossing her fingers. Sai was a great guy, she liked Sai a whole lot, and when she figured out Sasuke didn't like him very much, she liked Sai even better.

"I'd love to," Sai grinned. She smiled.

"Wonderful! It's in two days on Friday," Sakura said. "Then it is finally finally Mid-winter break. A whole week of no school… Are you doing anything?"

"Can't wait until Friday…and I might leave out of town, visit family members up north," Sai said, he checked his phone and then looked up at her. "Until then, Sakura." Sai got up and left the building making Sakura feel giddy.

Who needed Sasuke?

XX

The next day during lunch, Sasuke, much to Sakura's relief, was not sitting at the table. It would have been awkward if they did sit together, wouldn't it have? And if he was here, she was going to lie to them and say she needed to go to the bathroom, and stay there for an hour.

"You're not going with Sasuke to the dance?" Hinata asked as they all sat down. Sakura took a sip of her juice.

"Sakura do you not like Sasuke?" Naruto asked, frowning.

"I...don't know," Sakura said truthfully. "I mean I don't hate the guy." He's just a jerk and arrogant… "You told him to ask me. He doesn't like me." Naruto raised an eyebrow as he dug in his hamburger, looking like he knew something she didn't.

"Really, Sasuke never ever ever ever comes to the parties, but lately he has, for some reason," Naruto said, waggling his eyebrows. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right," she said.

"No, I am right," Naruto insisted. They fell silent. "So, you're not going with Sasuke?"

"No, I already have a date," Sakura said, smiling a little.

"I hope you have fun then. We're still picking you up…But I'm wondering now…Who would want to go out with him to the dance?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. Sakura resisted the urge to laugh. She was pretty sure there were plenty of girls Sasuke could choose from. Like the whole female population of Konoha High. "I thought…Sasuke and you would…" Naruto stabbed his steak. "Guess not. Who is your lucky guy anyways?"

"Sai- he been here before," Sakura said. Naruto coughed.

"Sai?" Naruto asked, his eyebrows furrowing. "Where did you meet him?"

"He comes to the coffee shop to see me, and we met there," Sakura said. Naruto looked down then looked back up.

"Sakura, I just… Be careful, okay? As a friend, I don't want you to get hurt," Naruto said. Sakura tightened her grip on her spoon. Why did everyone hate on Sai? It was clear that Sai was not the bad guy. Why should she be careful around Sai? He didn't do anything to anyone. And Naruto was saying it too? First Sasuke then now Naruto… and Naruto likes everyone, so why was he warning her about Sai?

Suddenly she didn't feel hungry anymore. "You know what, I don't feel hungry. I have to go to the library." She didn't want to talk about it, the situation with Sai. Was all people so…so biased about Sai? Or was it just that Sasuke told Naruto, and since Naruto was Sasuke's friend, Naruto too didn't like Sai?

"But you're always hungry!" Hinata protested.

"Sorry you guys, but you know Spanish class- I have a vocabulary quiz that I have no idea what any of the words mean! Enjoy yourselves!" she quickly went to the library, which was huge. She loved the school library. There were just shelves and shelves of books, two stories high, and a section where people could just sit down and study. There was even a coffee shop in their library near the entrance.

She could hide here from anyone, and spent her lunch period hiding.

XX

The same day, where Sakura finally could get a chance to talk to Ten-ten about the Winter Dance, Ten-ten asked as she came in the coffee shop door, "Guess who asked me out yesterday? And to the Winter Dance? It was ah-mazing. Simply extraordinary."

"I wonder who," Sakura grinned.

"Neji! I am like the happiest girl alive right now!" Ten-ten clapped and skipped to the counter while Sakura shook her head. There was a few people who were staring at her as if she was crazy. "Anyone ask you? Wait, I bet they did. Who did?"

"Sasuke did," Sakura began, but before she could say anything Ten-ten screamed, and that got a ton of dirty looks from the customers. Ten-ten only stuck out her tongue and clamped her mouth shut with her hands.

"Details! Details! Seriously, you are going to make me die here," Ten-ten exclaimed, clapping. "I am officially the happiest girl alive. I have a date and my best friend has a hot date with the guy who is probably the hottest guy I have ever laid my eyes on!"

"I said no to Sasuke and I am going out with Sai to the dance," Sakura finished, a little disappointed because Ten-ten's whole face fell down and she was pouting now.

"WHAT? ARE YOU ABSOLUTLEY CRAZY, WOMAN?" Ten-ten screamed, and there were a lot of stares and dirty looks. Ten-ten calmed down.

"Ten-ten, Sakura, can you guys like…" their manager, a pretty woman named Kurenai came from the back and gave them a smile, "shut up?" They both nodded. Their manager seemed sweet enough, but get her mad, and it was just a complete nightmare that no one wanted to witness. "Good. Now, get working. I wonder why I even let you two work in the same shift."

In a much lower voice, Ten-ten turned to Sakura again and said, "Okay, let me get this straight," Ten-ten said. "Sasuke Uchiha asked you out and you rejected him for a friggin guy who goes to my school? You ditched Sasuke for a guy. That goes. To. My. Run down. School?"

"Naruto asked him to ask me," Sakura said. "Ten-ten, he doesn't really like me, he just asked me because Naruto told him to."

"Um," Ten-ten shook her head, "I still would have said yes. It's Sasuke Uchiha. Uchiha, woman! Man, I think I would have just died there on the spot if he asked me."

"Well I wouldn't and I didn't. I had Sai, anyways, and we're going to the dance together," Sakura said. "I'm happy- shouldn't you at least pretend to be happy?" Ten-ten gave her a look.

"Still, Sasuke asking you out…even if it was something Naruto said to him…"Ten-ten shook her head. "Seriously, you could have gotten to know Sasuke better."

"I don't think I would like to get to know him better than I already know him," Sakura said. "And…two other guys asked me out too."

"Gosh, Sakura, look at you, girl! You go," Ten-ten whooped. "Too bad Sakura is already taken…even though, you know, you and Sai never really officially said you're an item..."

Hinata came up just then and greeted them.

"Gurrl, what do you think of Sakura going with Sai and not Sasuke?" Ten-ten asked, pushing Sakura aside. "I mean Sakura, people say I am on something, but you rejecting Sasuke, clearly it's not only me on something."

"N-Naruto told me that the Sai person w-wasn't really good," Hinata said. Sakura huffed.

"I bet Sasuke told him that," Sakura mumbled.

"Just…b-be careful," Hinata told her, looking serious. Sakura sighed and shook her head. What was up with everyone telling her to be careful?

Careful was her middle name.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

't hate me! She said no. Sorry my fellow readers, but don't fear, there are more complicated things to come. Next chapter is the awaited dance~

Until next time- Review(: