DISCLAIMER: I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters!

SONG THAT SHOULD BE PLAYED DURING THIS CHAPTER: '#1 Crush' by Garbage.

PAIRINGS: SasuSaku

NOTE: Constructive criticism and ideas are WARMLY welcomed! No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

Enjoy :D

#1 CRUSH

"I would die for you, I would die for you.
I've been dying just to feel you by my side.
To know that you're mine.
I will cry for you, I will cry for you.
I will wash away your pain with all my tears.
And drown your fear."

SAKURA'S P.O.V

I have never felt so ashamed of myself in all my life – and I didn't blame Sasuke for yelling at me like that back in the corridor next to my locker.

My much abused locker, right now.

I was a complete cow, blinded by my own hurt and loathing of a guy I loved with all my heart, so much so that I refused to think for a second that maybe, just maybe there were reasons behind Sasuke's actions. But I never thought for a moment that he did what he did just to protect both Naruto and I from possible torture, and even death.

The rest of my classes went by with a blur, as I could barely hear the voices all around me, let alone my own voice when I responded to the voices in my head with vague answers, and I stumbled home feeling completely numb. But at least now, I had finally learnt the truth from Sasuke – he loved me as much as I loved him. And apparently he hasn't stopped loving me since that freezing cold night in the park where I practically begged and pleaded with him not to leave and to stay with me. That was the day where I promised myself that I wouldn't trust so easily.

You're a fucking idiot, Sakura. You don't deserve Sasuke's love...

"Hi, sweetheart! Did you have a good day at school?" asked Mom, appearing in my face as I came through the front door, and she pecked my cheek.

I remembered instantly that it was a Thursday night, which meant that Naruto and Iruka-sensai would be coming 'round for dinner like they always did. Their presence at dinner every Thursday night had become a regular thing, because Naruto and I had become inseparable ever since Sasuke had left.

Well, shit.

What was it going to be like now that Sasuke is back? Realising that Mom was waiting for me to answer her question about if I had a 'good day' or not, I nodded absently.

"What did you learn today?" she asked brightly, as she poured me a glass of milk and passed it to me, along with a warm home-made chocolate chip cookie on a plate. I slumped down in the stool I had pulled out to sit on and accepted the glass and plate from Mom.

"The only thing that was exciting about today was that we're going to be studying Romeo and Juliet, and we all got separate roles that we have to act out for the duration of the study." I explained dully to Mom whose face lit up at the mention of the tragic love story.

"Oh that's fantastic! And what part did you get?" I smiled thinly before replying. But apparently my smile had answered for me as Mom squealed loudly and I covered my ears to stop them from bleeding.

"You got Juliet?"

She bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly and clutched my hands in hers in an iron grip. The move almost knocked over my milk.

"You're gonna make such a beautiful Juliet!" She assured me, as though I actually cared at that moment.

"And who got Romeo? Was it Naruto-kun?" I drew in a sharp breath, dreading the answer I was about to give my unsuspecting mother.

"No. Naruto got Mercutio. Romeo... is...um..." Mom was sitting on the edge of her seat, bursting with excitement and I really wished she would sit back before I would answer, so she didn't fall off her perch.

But she didn't so I swallowed and said:

"Sasuke Uchiha." and held my breath for Mom's reaction. Mom blinked for several seconds when she heard Sasuke's name and she flushed red.

"Sasuke's back in town?" she whispered.

I nodded, still waiting for Mom to do something unfortunate like fall off her seat or get really, really angry. But instead her face lit up bright enough to fuel Las Vegas for a few months.

"THANK GOD!" she boomed and I fell off my seat in surprise. I could've kissed whoever was on the other end of my phone as it vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out with shaking hands and flipped it open, distracting me from this highly unnerving situation.

"Hello?" I said pleasantly.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? WHY DID YOU GO AND DO A THING LIKE THAT?" bellowed Naruto in my ear.

I take that back. I am going to kill Naruto for nearly deafening me. I held the phone away from my ear cavity and gingerly brought it back to talking range so I could speak, but keep the use of my eardrum at the same time, if Naruto was going to yell at me like this.

"If you're referring to the way I spoke to Sasuke during lunch, you don't have to tear me a new asshole, I've already done it myself." I replied sullenly.

"I'M GONNA DO MORE THAN THAT WHEN I GET THERE TONIGHT!" he promised with venom dripping from his voice.

"Naruto, calm down please or I'm hanging up." I said feeling irritated by Naruto's tone. I had removed myself from the kitchen as Naruto's voice was easily heard by my Mom who was giving me a stern look from where she was standing.

I knew I had a lot of explaining to do when I hung up with Naruto.

"Fine. Is this better?"

"More or less. I already feel like a total jackass, Naruto. So don't rub it in." I said with a martyred tone.

"So you should. Sasuke didn't deserve what you said to him. Which is why I'm bringing him and his brother with Dad and I tonight so you can apologise to him properly."

I nearly dropped the phone.

"Naruto! Don't ambush me!" I snarled, but Naruto wasn't having a bar of it.

"Tough luck! You're gonna have to deal with it for tonight. It's gonna be awkward enough as it is – considering Itachi wants your head on a silver platter when he finally found out why Sasuke was moping around and acting really depressed at home."

My heart stopped.

"Let him kill me. I know I bloody well deserve it." Naruto paused in surprise. Obviously, he wasn't expecting me to say that.

"That's new. I fully expected you to put up a fight."

I sighed and decided to tell Naruto how much I felt about Sasuke – even though at first, I thought that it was going to be very awkward, because Naruto was my ex-boyfriend after all. But then I realised how stupid that thought was, because Naruto is and always will be, my BEST friend for life, no matter how many boyfriends I was likely to have in the future.

"I only reacted the way I did, Naruto, because I love Sasuke, so much that it hurts."

It was so silent that I could've sworn I heard crickets chirping in the background.

"Yeah, so? I could've told you that myself." I heard voices in the background and then Naruto yelling out from faraway: 'Yeah, I'm about to get in the shower to get ready!' more voices, then Naruto started talking into the phone again.

"Sakura, I've gotta get ready for dinner tonight. You better work on how you're gonna apologise to Sasuke. And make it a good one or it's your funeral." He warned me. I rolled my eyes but nevertheless decided agreeing was probably the safest and smartest option.

"Cross my heart." I said sincerely.

"Good. Love ya, Sakura. See you tonight." Naruto said sweetly. I smiled at my best friend's words – Naruto's love was also something I needed as well.

"Love you too, Naruto. See you later."

The phone call disconnected and I flipped my phone shut and turned to walk back into the kitchen, psyching myself up for the explanation I was about to give my highly suspicious mother.

Mom's reaction wasn't as severe as I had expected, but she definitely agreed with Naruto that I needed to apologise to Sasuke – she also had no problem with two extra guests coming 'round for dinner.

"The more the merrier." she had said enthusiastically.

Whenever Sasuke was mentioned she seemed to get happier and happier. I seriously hoped that she didn't have some sort of cougar crush on Sasuke. That would just be so wrong in so many ways.

"Sakura! You better get ready! Naruto and Sasuke will be here soon. Remember, you have to apologise to Sasuke!" calls Mom from the kitchen.

I sighed and gathered up what I was wearing for tonight – hoping that it wouldn't backfire in my face.

"Way ahead of you, Mom!"

And within two seconds I had steaming hot water working out the kinks and strains in my muscles that I had accumulated throughout the day – especially the ones in my back for when I had hit the locker and slid down it. Then I ducked under and wet my hair and then grabbed my favourite scented shampoo and scrubbed my hair from root to tip. If I was going to make the right impression to apologise to Sasuke, it wouldn't be with greasy dirty hair.

Pretty soon the bathroom smelt like cherry blossoms and jasmine. I shut off the water and then slumped down in the bathtub, letting strands of my dark pink hair trail over my face, dripping, and I hugged my knees to hide my bare chest and rested my chin on my knees. Then I started to brood... again. I still didn't know how I was going to actually phrase my apology to Sasuke – it had to be pretty damn believable to four people's ears: Mom's, Naruto's, Itachi's and Sasuke's.

Although, I would be making the actual apology to Sasuke in private – it was just to be polite.

The door vibrated underneath Mom's blows and I nearly concussed myself on the edge of the bathtub as I got to my feet.

"Sakura! Your friends have just arrived. What are you doing in there?"

I flushed a deep magenta colour, praying that Naruto and Sasuke were not nearby.

"Mom!" I replied in a strangled voice.

She got the message and I immediately hopped out of the bathtub, grabbed a towel and vigorously dried myself, twisting my hair up into the towel, to keep it out of the way while I dressed.

Then I pulled on my best underwear: a pair of black lace French knickers and a matching black push-up bra that showed off my best assets to the greatest degree. Then I put on my charm necklace, making sure it was close to my heart. Over that I pulled on a clingy lilac sweater-type top that plunged at the front and showed just enough to be attractive, but not make me look like a raging slut. I pulled on my hip-hugging grey, plaid miniskirt which I strung a black belt with a shiny gold buckle and fastened it together.

Gathering up my school uniform, which I had neatly folded and placed to one side when I first undressed, I opened the door and looked left and right before sprinting out and headed right for my bedroom so I could dry and neatly arrange my hair and accessorise. I stepped into my room and closed the door behind me. Then turned around and paled instantly – as sitting casually on my bed with a wide sunny grin on his face that would've put the sun to shame was Naruto, and seated comfortably at my desk with a polite, but still hurt expression on his face was Sasuke.

"Konbanwa, Sakura-chan!" said Naruto, amused by my reaction. Sasuke wasn't looking me in the face, but was blushing slightly.

"Konbanwa, Naruto. Sasuke." I replied, trying to keep the shock from my voice.

Then I realised I still had my hair twisted up in the towel. I hastily pulled my hair free and headed over to where I kept my hair-dryer which I realised an instant too late that it was sitting right next to where Sasuke was sitting. I reluctantly reached over and grabbed the handle of the hair-dryer and pulled back again, noticing Sasuke flushing a deeper red and I thought I was safe and that nothing embarrassing or majorly awkward would happen, when Mom's impatient banging on my door, scared the shit out of me and I fell straight onto Sasuke's lap.

"Sakura! I'm not going to tell you again. Finish getting ready so you can greet your guests!"

I just barely heard Mom's voice as I was too busy staring into Sasuke's surprised onyx eyes and I felt my face burning with mortification. But then I realised that this was a good opportunity to apologise to Sasuke.

So that's what I did.

I instantly wrapped my arms around Sasuke's neck and pulled him close. Sasuke instantly tensed up.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn't have said what I said in school today." I said sincerely.

I heard the door open and close behind me and I realised that Naruto had left the room to give Sasuke and I privacy. I felt Sasuke's body relax and his arms wrapping around my waist and pressing my body closer to his. I gulped but didn't move from my position. I continued speaking, trying to focus on the words and not on how much I desperately wanted the boy holding me tenderly in his arms.

"I know that I'm a rude bitch. It's taken seven years for me to finally realise this. And I guess all the rage and hurt I had been suppressing finally peaked and you were the closest person there that I could, unfairly, release the anger on."

I disengaged my arms from Sasuke's neck, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward and got off Sasuke's lap. Sasuke reluctantly let me go, but it was clear that he didn't want me to move away and he was still listening attentively to what I had to say.

"Which means that I don't deserve your friendship, despite how much I REALLY want it." I said, brokenly.

Then I grabbed my hair-dryer and hair brush and moved to deal with the tangled mess that was my hair. However, Sasuke grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to a stop.

"You haven't given me a chance to talk, Sakura." He muttered sounding slightly annoyed.

I turned back and saw Sasuke smiling sweetly at me, which was an unusual expression to be on the Uchiha's face – the standard Sasuke expression was the stoic expression or even more familiar, the bored, pissed off look. I blushed and waited. Sasuke decided that my blush wasn't good enough and instead pulled me into a tight embrace and he kissed my wet hair.

"I accept your apology. And I do want to restart our friendship."

I beamed happily. Sasuke stayed in my room and talked with me while I dried my hair - returning it from a dark pink colour to its original bubblegum pink colour and I pushed my large silver hoops into my ears. Then I shoved my feet in my bunny slippers, grabbed Sasuke's hand and lead him back out to the kitchen and dining room so we could stop my mother getting really pissed with me for taking so long.

"By the way, Sakura..."

I paused and looked back at Sasuke who had a mischievous smirk on his face as his eyes travelled from the top of my head to the bottom of my bunny covered feet.

"You look really sexy tonight." Sasuke whispered in my ear. I blushed in pleasant surprise.

Maybe this might not be so bad...

So dinner started with everyone shouting: "Itadakimasu!"

And feasting on Mom's best dishes. The entire time I couldn't stop beaming from ear to ear as I was sitting in between my two best friends, Naruto and Sasuke, who were for once not fighting or insulting each other and the night went off without any problems. I even scored a kiss on the cheek by Sasuke as he was leaving, who promised faithfully that he would be sitting next to me in English tomorrow.

"You better!" I growled and hugged him goodbye.

But I found it really hard to separate from Sasuke.