A/N - So this personal challenge in my head popped up to try to keep my chapters ahead of my reviews. LOL It wasn't until I was talking with one of my fans that I had a desire to do so.

But I'm already at 16 reviews, and this is only chapter ten D:

Don't you dare stop pouring them in though! I WANT MOAR

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto

"I need to start working out," Ino stated conversationally as we sat outside her work for lunch, "Summer is rolling around and I have to look good." Her reasoning for working out is what confused me the most. I opened my mouth, but only to scrunch my eyebrows, sigh, and close it. Ino noticed and perked, "What? What were you going to say?"

I opened my mouth again, but when nothing came out I only shook my head and stated the only word that really expressed my confusion, "Uh...what?"

She laughed as she went back to her food, eating happily, "Well I do need to look good for the summer. I mean, it's the season of hardly wearing clothes."

Oh dear lord help me. Sighing, I explained as best as I could, "You know, Ino, you already look good. I mean… what are you working towards if you are already flawless?"

The roll of her eyes was all I needed to come to the conclusion that she didn't believe me. Rolling my own, I listened as she complained, "I'm not flawless Sakura, and I haven't worked out in so long. My tummy is getting fat."

"Tomorrow I will bring a chart that will show the amount of candy you eat within a week, and your current body weight after the fact." When she laughed, I simply pressed, "If you take stats into account, you are pretty much doing heavenly despite your diet speaking otherwise."

Waving me off, she drawled to herself, "I wonder if I should start running again or just start trying to tone myself up."

Huffing as I grew annoyed, I snapped my fingers in her face to grab her attention. She blinked, a bit startled, and turned to me with her eyebrows wrinkled together. Giving her a bland look, I tried to explain it in a way she understood, "To work out to look good would just be too much of a good thing. If anything, why don't you work out to be healthy?"

"Isn't that the samething?" She asked, confused.

I shook my head and took a bite of my fry, "No, it isn't. One takes you starving yourself to death and beating up your body to lose weight, the other is an easy going constant routine that keeps you looking how you look now."

"But I-"

I brought my hand up to her face with a grim expression, "If you sit here and tell me you don't look good now, I swear to you I will throw every last stash of candy in your home away."

She gasped in shock, "You wouldn't dare!"

I glared and stated otherwise, "I have a key to your place, remember?"

"I call cheats, Sakura," She whined as I went back to eating my food while ignoring her, "The red flag has been thrown! You can't just keep my candy hostage over something you dislike me doing."

"And yet the fate of your candy lies in my hand," I replied as I grabbed my bag of food and crumbled it into a ball, "Your choice."

"Ugh," Ino whined, watching me as I got up to throw my trash away, "Fine, whatever. I will work out to be healthy."

"Great," I said with a nod while turning around from the trashcan, "then when should we start?"

"You will join me?" she asked with a giddy little bounce as she jumped from her seat.

I took her trash and threw it away, "Duh. How else am I supposed to make sure you aren't abusing your body?"

"Great!" She squealed, grabbing her purse as she slowly began to walk away, "Let's start tomorrow!"

"Only if you are up for it," I answered with a shrug, "Then sure, we will start after work."

"Wooopieeeee" I rolled my eyes as she danced all the way to her swinging door.

X

Oh god I was out of shape. I think it became kind of obvious after the 2 mile run we did. I had hunched over just as we crossed the finish line and coughed out a lung as I heaved in breaths. How anyone sits here and runs every day, I don't know. What was so enjoyable with having your heart continuously thumping in your chest as your lungs literally never- seriously NEVER- had enough oxygen?!

Let me answer you: Nothing was enjoyable about it!

"Whew two miles!" Ino shouted, pumped as she bounced around my hunched figure, "That was great! I feel alive!"

"Funny," I coughed with a groan as I straightened up, "I feel the exact opposite."

"Man you are out of shape," She teased. The glare I gave her obviously wasn't threatening enough. She only giggled and pressed, "I mean jeez, you look like death."

"Then you are going to look just like me in a second," I warned, placing my hands on top of my head as I slowly gained back my breath.

She only laughed. We gradually made our way back to the gym; the trail of our run was just behind it in the woods. It was starting to get a bit dark seeing as we started so late, because yet again Ino hadn't been ready when I got to her place. She complained she couldn't find her sports bra, but thankfully didn't ask for my help in the search.

I could hear Ino's music from her headphones, she had taken them out of her ear just as we finished. When I heard the squeal of a guitar and some singing, I was a bit surprised. I hadn't taken her for a girl who liked rock. She looked more like those preppy girls that loved the pop song with the boy being crazy in love and the girl singing about how she was to shy to speak.

I shivered; such terrible songs. I listened as she hummed along with the tone, bobbing her head to the beat. She had been doing the bobbing head thing more often since the dance lesson, which made me think maybe she truly didn't know how to dance and I actually DID teach her rhythm.

But I gave up wondering about it a while ago, Ino wasn't one of those people you could pin point-which might have been the reason I crushed so hard after her. She wasn't predictable, honestly everyday was a flipping adventure, and half the times I laughed the hardest was with her around.

Plus she was a hot ass drinking partner.

As we strolled into the Gym, Ino beamed and said hello to the people in the front desk. I smiled and nodded to them as well, but they were hardly paying attention to me as Ino walked past. I tried to ignore the obvious stares they were giving her, but it was hard too when I recognized their looks all too well.

I don't why it always felt like Ino was my own personal treasure, but every time I saw other guys, and even girls, realize how gorgeous she was I was left feeling surprised, and a bit jealous. I couldn't help it, I wanted her to myself, but it was hard to contain something as amazing as her unless you forced a trench coat over her figure.

Then again, her face will still capture the attention of many with her beautiful crisp blue eyes and flowing hair. Maybe if I forced a hat on her head and some sun glasses…

"Sakura will you hold down my feet?"

I blinked and snapped out of my musing. Slightly confused when I didn't see Ino next to me as I thought she would be, I dipped my eyes down to the ground to see her laying there, grinning up at me. I tried to ignore her figure that she was practically flaunting around with her skin tight tank top and too short shorts. Instead I smiled slightly as she wiggled, whining when she got impatient.

"Keep it up and I'll have you struggle on your own," I warned when I finally kneeled down in front of her and grabbed her ankles.

"Psh posh, you would totally give in for the sake of me being healthy," she pointed out, teasing me with a smile. I rolled my and didn't reply, just simply waited for her to start. When she lifted herself up with her hands behind her head, she stuck her tongue out at me. She continued to do it each time she completed a full sit up, which after a while I couldn't help but laugh at.

She was so childish, yet in the most mature and adorable fashion. When she finally finished, she collapsed on the mat she was laying on and groaned out a sigh, "Worse part of the routine," She complained as her arms plopped out full length beside her, "They hurt so muchhhhh!"

"You are getting faster," I encouraged when I stood up, "You did way more than last week too."

"Hopefully I keep up the progress," she grinned as I handed her my hand. Taking it, I pulled her as hard as I could, which caused her to come up to her feet and jump up to a stand; it was honestly probably her favorite part of our workout, me helping her up like that. She giggled, and bounced to a final stand, twirling gracefully to the mirror that was in front of us. When she caught sight of her reflection, she flexed with a pretend mean face; which was pretty much her scrunching her nose and eyebrows and saying 'arggghhhh'.

"Look I'm so tough looking," Ino told me as she continued to flex, arghing away on her own, "I look like I can kick butt."

I laughed and rolled my eyes, "Yup, you look like you are a force to be reckoned with."

She giggled and straightened her face, turning back to me, "So what now?"

"Well it's a Friday," I drawled as we made our way to the ladies room, "Nothing wrong with some drinking once a week after some exercise, but we are gonna have to get the low calorie stuff."

She deflated, "Low calorie beer sounds depressing."

I couldn't help agreeing with her as I nodded, "Yeah, kinda. We can try different ones until we find one we like. If we end not liking any, there shouldn't be anything wrong with having our cheat days on Fridays with some beer and fried foods. Still, we have to try at least."

She only groaned.

We grabbed our bags and left the gym heading to my car with some chatter. In the middle of sliding into the car, Ino's eyes widened with a sudden realization. I eyed her curiously, but she looked away from me. Frowning slightly, I asked, "What is it?"

"Uh," Ino started, buckling herself in as I cranked up the car, "we can't hang out tonight for beer."

"Oh," I answered, feeling a tad bummed out about it but attempting not to show it for both of our sakes, "Well, ok. I guess we can hang out later."

"Yeah," she mumbled back, looking at her fingers, "Later."

The rest of the car drive was a pretty quiet one. Whatever Ino was thinking about consumed her mood entirely. When I dropped her off at her place, she got out with only a good bye. I tried not to feel too bad about it, I mean she obviously had plans and she was allowed to have them. I just…

Kinda wished she would have at least sounded a bit more cheerful and gifted me with a smile before she left.

I have this girl who talks to me about how Sakura and Ino should just have sex already. I literally have to beat her down with a stick and explain it isn't time yet! LOL I'm only putting it up here because I hope she sees it.

You. You stop it and be patient. OF COURSE this is yet ANOTHER chapter without sex. Deal with it yo.

Anyway I'm starting to get into-

Wait, I can't tell you it'll spoil it! Just look out for the next chapter!

Shycadet loves, Out.