Okay yeah I have completely been terrible on my updates. I've been having a terrible case of writer's block on top of college and work. It's gotten a bit overwhelming. Anyway, I apologize to everyone who has been waiting for this. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Enjoy.

"So you were able to see the dress?"

Sakura nodded as they lazily walked around the hall, waving occasionally to people who greeted her as she passed by them.

"Yeah. I absolutely love it!"

Ino blinked, smiling, "Well fill me in! What does it look like?"

A small smirk appeared on Sakura's face, "I'm not allowed to say. Anko-sensei wants to keep it a secret until the actual play," she explained.

"Not even for your best friend?"

Sakura shook her head, "Not a word."

Ino began to pout.

"And don't try the puppy lip, it doesn't work on me."

Ino groaned, "You're no fun…or fair for that matter!"

"Ino…life isn't fair."

The blonde sighed, "That is true. I'm stuck in the house for two weeks…well I guess that gives me time to practice."

"And improve your grades…"

A growl escaped Ino's lips, "Forehead…don't remind me."

The pink haired girl shrugged, "Well I am just stating the truth."

Ino sighed, "I suppose…but still."

Sakura smiled.

"Say…do you have practice today?"

"No…" she pulled her script from her book bag, "It says that Anko-sensei has Naruto and Neji today."

Ino couldn't hold the laughter in, "Those two are going to kill each other."

"You annoy the hell out of me!"

Neji blinked, "I didn't even say anything to you."

Cerulean eyes were swirling with emotion as he growled, "Stop being like the teme!"

Neji sighed, "Well technically I'm older than Sasuke so he is the one copying off-"

"Oh shut up."

"What? I was only correcting you."

Naruto crossed his arms, gritting his teeth, "Just don't talk to me."

The Hyuuga shrugged, "Unfortunately you and I both know that that is not possible at the moment."

Naruto snorted, 'I definitely prefer the teme over this guy.'

"Are you even listening to a word I am saying?"

Naruto waved him off, "Yeah Yeah I heard you. Acting…best friends whatever."

Neji slapped his forehead, "I swear I have no idea what Hinata sees in you," he muttered to himself.

"What was that?"

He grunted, "Nothing…"

There was no way that he could allow his cousin to be with such an idiot.

Anko cleared her throat, "Are we both done arguing now?"

Naruto sighed, "Yes sensei…" he began to pout.

A cat like grin appeared on her face, "Excellent! Okay Shikamaru we're going to start from the part you enter into the castle."

Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed the lazy student standing beside their sensei, "When in the hell did you get here?"

"Well I believe he got here when you were-"

"I was asking him!" Naruto exclaimed as he glared daggers at Neji.

Through all of this Shikamaru sighed, "What a drag…I really could be sleeping on the roof right now…" he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

Anko sighed, "Naruto, Neji, can you both forget you hate each other during practice?"

The blond boy sighed, "Yes sensei…"

Neji nodded simply.

She clapped her hands, "Okay you two. Get into your positions."

Naruto and Neji nodded and walked to the front of the stage standing side by side. Naruto resisted the urge to push him off of the stage.

"Action!"

Shikamaru sighed before starting, "Hello? Hello?"

Neji waited to hear the footsteps before opening his eyes, looking over to Naruto, "Well now you've done it. I told you not to let him in," he grumbled.

Naruto kept his eyes ahead as Shikamaru continued to wander randomly around the stage, "Well we just couldn't leave him to ze wolves!" he retorted in a French accent.

"Is anyone home?"

Neji sighed, "Maybe if we keep quiet…he'll go away…"

Shikamaru sighed, "Is someone there?" he asked as he approached them.

"Not one word Lumiere! Not one!"

"I don't mean to intrude or anything…but I've lost my way in the woods…and I need a place to stay for the night…"

"Shikamaru…try to put some effort into you lines," Anko sighed as she looked up from her script.

"Troublesome…" he whispered.

Naruto looked over to Neji, turning slightly, "Aw poor fellow…oh Cogsworth have a heart," to which Neji grumbled. The blonde then looked over to Shikamaru as he stood in front of them, "Monsieur you are welcome here!" he waved.

"I heard that! I know there's some one there…and I'd like you to come out where I can see you," Shikamaru said as he backed up slightly, looking around him.

Naruto grinned and jumped over to him, "Allo!"

Neji sighed and moved Naruto out of the way, pushing Shikamaru in the other direction, "And goodbye!"

Shikamaru pretended to struggle, "Wait you're…you're a clock…and you're talking!"

"Astonishing isn't it? And quite inexplicable. Goodbye!" Neji retorted as he continued to push him.

Naruto ran in front of the two, "Cogsworth!" he crossed his arms, giving him a look, "I'm surprised at you. Where are you manners?"

Neji glared at him, "We've got to get him out of here before the Master finds out!"

Shikamaru walked up to Neji, "This is amazing…how is it accomplished?"

Neji sighed, while Anko was chuckling in the background.

"Really sir stop that," he said as Shikamaru began to pretend to fidget with imaginary gadgets attached to his shirt, "Don-aha-stop it…stop it I say!" he said as he pretended to laugh, "Really sir," he said, slapping the pineapple head's hand, "Do you mind?"

Naruto was on the floor laughing at this point, "No more…no more I can't take it!"

Neji growled while Shikamaru sighed, "This is too troublesome…he's going to be like that for a while…"

The Hyuuga merely sighed, "Idiot…"

The boy was nothing but a headache.

Sakura laughed, "I'm sure they'll be fine. Anko-sensei can handle them."

Ino nodded, "That is true indeed…so when is the next time you have practice."

The pink haired girl looked down at her script, "Tomorrow…with you, Sasuke, Tenten, Naruto, and Neji…"

Ino smiled, "Well that's almost all of the crew," she said, "I actually look forward to tomorrow."

"Maybe we can all hang out afterwards…and invite Hinata along too."

"Grounded remember?"

Sakura sighed, "Oh right…my fault."

"Don't worry…as you told me…I got myself into the mess."

Sakura looked to her, "Now you make me feel like the bad guy," she said as they walked passed the callback board by the blackbox.

Ino looked to it, "Well at least I won't be for that," she said, pointing to the flyer.

Sakura narrowed her eyes to look, "A dance?" she asked.

The blonde nodded, "Yeah…Anko-sensei always has a pre-musical celebration…"

"I see…"

A grin appeared on Ino's face, "So are you going to go with Sasuke-kun?"

She rolled her eyes, "Who said I was going?" she asked, "And if I was…why would you think I would pick him?"

Ino shrugged, "No reason," she said, the mischievous look never leaving her powder blue eyes.

"Anyway…"

"Oh there you are Sakura."

The girls turned around to see Sai walking up behind them, a sketchbook in his hands.

"Oh hey," Sakura greeted, "What's up?"

He looked to her, "I just thought I'd see if you'd like to accompany me to the art room for a little while," he said, his face expressionless.

'He really acts too much like Sasuke,' Sakura thought.

"Hey Ino do you-"

"No. I have to get home before my parents kill me…have fun!"

She ran off down the hall.

Sakura crossed her arms, "That girl…" she sighed, looking over to Sai, "Well you have your answer now," she said, "Lead the way."

Okay. Whew that's done. Words can't express how sorry I am. Hopefully the scenes with Naruto and Neji were okay. I do plan to do more like that with the different characters to show developments in other relationships besides the main triangle of Sasuke/Sakura/Sai. Well until next time! Oh and I started a more darker SasuSaku fic that might interest some of you, check it out sometime.