Hey guys here is the chapter update. Probably the last one before I have to use the school's computers...Damn.. I hate those Acers!! Aha, this chapter is special because I feel bad to not have updated, so special chapter and events! Please enjoy and forgive me for not updating. Oh yeah, very long chapter in case you haven't noticed.

Going to a new school, especially being a boarding school, is hard.

Ok this is the beta-ed version, mercifully beta-ed by Kisa Kisa Yum Yum, so say thanks ok!

Sakura woke up stiff and cold, after lying on the ground for the whole night. She yawned and stretched. She stared into space, the memories of last night flooding back into her mind. The familiar burning sensation of hatred filled her once more. One hand traveled to her neck; undoing the clasp of a certain necklace, she brought it to her face.

Her features twisted into a mixture of pain and hate rolled into one. She gripped the necklace tightly and felt a tear roll down the side of her cheeks and off her face. Struggling to her feet, she winced at the change in altitude. Carefully and quietly, she made it to the door of Sasuke's room. She paused and took a deep breath. Exhaling quietly, she entered.

Padding her way softly, she was hit by a strong sense of nostalgia. All those times when she had come to him for help, saying goodnight or when she wanted to talk or bother him...he had answered every single thing she asked, hadn't he? Every stupid question conceivable, she had asked and he had dutifully replied. Over the years a sense of trust had developed within her. A feeling that she could rely on him, trust him, entrust her life to him. But all that had came crashing down yesterday.

With a barely audible clink, she set the necklace on his desk. Sasuke stirred on the bed. Sakura froze, dread filling her stomach. She wasn't technically allowed in his room. Tiptoeing as quietly as she could she made her way into her room. She chose some tight fitting jeans, and a figure hugging black t-shirt, and dressed quickly. She fished out some eyeliner she had hidden from Sasuke and rimmed her eyes with them. Her minty eyes stood out more, and her eyes looked big.

She scowled at the mirror then smiled. She didn't have to listen to Sasuke, nothing could stop her.

"Hey Sakura!" Ino called and waved to her, but Sakura ignored her. She figured Ino deserved a little punishment after what had happened last night.

"Hey Sakura!" Ino called again in case Sakura couldn't actually hear her the first time.

Sakura deliberately walked toward Naruto and started a conversation with him. "So Naruto, what did you do yesterday?" she asked desperately as she saw Ino start to come over from the corner of her eye.

"...Uh...I...I dunno..." he replied. scratching his head.

"C'mon Naruto, there must have been something you did..."

"Uh...uh..."

'Naruto!!' Sakura thought, teeth clenched, staring hard at him.

"Um...Sakura what did you do?"

"I..Uh..."

"Sakura!" Ino said reaching her destination. "Why couldn't you hear me?"

"I..." She faltered.

"Never mind. Anyway do you know about the upcoming dance?" she asked, steering Sakura away from Naruto with an arm around her neck.

"D-dance?" he repeated nervously, her hatred toward Ino momentarily forgotten. She didn't know how to dance.

"Yeah...by the way, what are you wearing?" Ino began scrutinizing Sakura. Sakura looked down at herself. She thought she had looked cool to start off with, but now she felt ridiculous.

"Um..nothing." she said quickly to get Ino's attention off her clothes. "So what about the dance, when is it from?"

"Well it's only the dance that have posters stuck up all over the walls since like a week ago," Ino said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Um...right."

" So I was thinking. Wanna come to my house and get ready?" Ino asked. "Tenten and Hinata will be there." she added hastily, seeing the girl's panicked expression.

"...Sure.. But Ino..." Sakura paused, biting her lip nervously, then continuing, "I don't know how to dance."

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura..." Ino tisked, shaking her head slowly in disbelief at what she was hearing. "Dancing is the easiest thing in the world." She took out her iPod and put on a song.

Closing her eyes, she nodded in time with the music, then she started moving. Flowing in time with the music. Shifting around, raising her arms in the air and moving her body around. Sakura watched transfixed. Ino was a good dancer. She tried to copy what she was seeing but after a few moves she felt like an idiot. She lowered her arms and watched Ino, who was totally in her own world, shaking her hips and moving her shoulders in a sensual way.

She bit her lip again. She couldn't go to the dance and feel humiliated. Too many people, too much pressure.

"And so, x equals four, because two to the ninth power is equivalent to the x, therefore this problem is proved!" Anko-sensei yelled and hit the whiteboard.

Naruto yawned openly.

"Uzumaki! Stay after school and clean the classroom!" Anko yelled, rounding on the poor boy. Naruto groaned and glared at Anko, this time earning a detention.

Sakura sighed. Typical school day. Her gaze flicked to the clock. Two minutes. Anko insisted to have school lessons until the very last minute of the day. Usually other classes were let out five minutes ago. She sighed again as she heard the slamming of locker doors and laughing and buzz of conversation, scraping of bags on the floor... Freedom was a minute away.

"Class dismissed!" Anko bellowed and slammed her hand down on to the table. 'Much like the way a judge would slam down the gavel,' Sakura thought with amusement as the class dragged their tired bodies out of their chairs, stretching and yawning.

"Hey, Ino?" Sakura called out to the blonde. They were best friends again. Ino had apologized profusely, she had no idea, and she would take Sakura's feelings into consideration the next time.

"Yeah?" Ino yelled back over the buzz of students.

"Can I sleep over tonight?!"

"Yeah! Will Sasuke mind?" she yelled back.

"He won't care.," Sakura said, pushing her way to Ino, arms full of binders and books.

"Ok then. Um...you gonna borrow some of my pajamas and stuff?"

"I don't care," Sakura replied, cheering inwardly.

"Wait a sec, lemme get my bag first."

After a panicked fifteen minutes of searching for an invisible notebook that just so happened to be at Sai's desk, the girls set off towards Ino's house.

"Ino?"

"Yeah?" Ino lifted an earphone from her ear and looked at Sakura.

"Can you teach me how to dance?"

"Mmm..ok, but I'm telling you, it's the easiest thing in the world."

"Yeah, but I can't help but feel stupid when I try...It's like..." Sakura faltered.

"See! That's it! You have to seem as if you really mean it! Like you're doing those moves on purpose!" Ino told her with a grin.

"..." Sakura paused, thinking.

"Look, if you like I'll teach you a different kind of dance. A dance that guys like."

"...hm?" Sakura cocked her head.

"I'll teach you when we get home ok?" Ino said putting the earphone back in.

I don't want to go another day.

So I'm telling you exactly what is on my mind.

The sweet dulcet tones of the Pussycat Dolls leaked from the speakers in Ino's room.

Seems like everybody's breaking up.

Throwing their love away.

But I know I got a good thing right here.

That's what I say.

"Okay. Sakura! Pretend I'm the guy!" Ino said, coming over to where her friend stood.

"Um...right." Sakura said hesitantly. Ino snaked her arms around Sakura's waist.

"Now put your hands on my shoulders; if you want, you can put them around my neck." Ino instructed.

Sakura complied. "Now what?" she questioned.

"Just sway in time to the music."

Hey,

Nobody gonna love me better.

I must stickwitu forever.

Nobody gonna make me feel this way.

I must stickwitu.

Sakura broke away from Ino.

"Ino?"

"Yeah?"

"What if no one asks me to dance?"

"Then, you have to ask them."

"But what if they reject me?"

"Then find someone else." Ino said shrugging like it was no big deal. Sakura sighed. Ino got it easy. She already had all the boys she wanted. No one would ask her.

"Hey relax.. It's a party! It's supposed to be fun!" Ino said enthusiastically, enunciating the 'fun'.

"Y-yeah...I'll try."

"Hey!" Ino cried out suddenly, snapping her fingers together.

"W-what?" Sakura asked apprehensively, because the last time Ino snapped her fingers she got in trouble.

"Wanna go out and-"

"Nah..."

"You didn't even hear what I was going to say!" Ino protested.

"I'm tired."

"Lets have dinner, then go to bed. Tomorrow we can decide what we want to wear." Ino said this with a mysterious smile.

Sakura and Ino walked to school in silence. They had been up all night discussing boys and had only gotten to sleep around four in the morning. A typical girl sleepover, but it was worth it. Each sleepover they had, they felt closer and more intimate as friends. So many heart to heart conversations were held that night, so many secrets shared, so much more blackmail material. (sweat drop)

"Sakura-chaan!" Naruto smiled and ran up to them, hugging her. Sakura looked at her best friend slowly and blinked her eyes. Neither girl was functioning properly this morning.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto questioned with a tilt of his head.

"Mmm?" She looked at him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"Are you sick?" he asked in concern.

"Mmm?" Sakura slowly took her seat, and the moment she sat down her head hit the wooden desk. Ino was already sleeping, head tucked neatly in the crook of her arm.

"Haruno! Yamanaka! You will wake up this moment or you will get binned!!" screamed Anko, slamming her hand down right next to Sakura's head.

Both girls shot up and Sakura widened her eyes, trying to look more awake than she actually was. She looked around at Shikamaru; he was sleeping. He didn't get picked on because he was sitting at the back and he was always got the answers right. Not to mention the teacher had told him off so many times, she just didn't bother anymore.

"Yamanaka! Answer this!" Anko pointed to the board.

"Er..I don't know?" she said sheepishly.

A vein popped out on Anko's head. "Haruno..?" she asked dangerously. Sakura gulped and answered very quietly.

"Correct!" Anko boomed and returned to the lesson. Ino gave her an I-owe-you-one look. Sakura smirked back. She leaned back on her chair with ease and looked at Kiba upside down.

Damn, he had gotten hotter over the years. She never really noticed. Kiba raised an eyebrow and prodded her forehead with his pencil.

"Back to work Ms. Haruno," he whispered and smirked. She smirked back and returned to the boring chemistry lesson.

"Sakuraaaaaa!!" Ino screamed as soon as the bell rang, signaling the release of stampeding teenagers and children.

"Come on, we gotta get Hinata and Tenten." Sakura said smiling. Such a day could not be wasted with no smiles. White clouds stretched on to oblivion, in the sky above; the light was gray but bright; it was slightly chilly and made you shiver, but every time you shivered, you got warmer.

"Yeah...Okay, I'm going back to get my notebooks, I'll see you guys downstairs!" she yelled as she swung her messenger bag over her shoulder.

"Hinata? You ready?" Sakura asked, approaching the two Hyuugas, carefully packing their books away in their respectable bags.

"I'll see you at the dance then, Hinata. I'll take you home later, alright?" Neji said, looking at his cousin carefully.

"Y-yes Neji." Hinata replied, giving him a quick hug. Sakura just smiled. Neji was so protective of his cousin. So careful and firm. They were almost like brother and sister.

'Oh and here comes Tenten; wasn't that much of a problem,' Sakura thought as Tenten walked over to Neji. She knew Tenten had liked him since forever.

"Hey Neji," she greeted, staggering a little under the weight of her binders and textbooks.

"Hm," he replied shortly. (Spelled correctly. Precisely "Hm" not "Hn")

"Do you have the sheet for math? I had it, I just can't-"

Neji handed his over wordlessly.

"But that's your only sheet! Look, I'll just-"

Neji turned away and slung his bag over his back, brown jacket in his other hand.

"I think he likes you," Sakura commented as they walked toward the meeting point.

"No way! He only likes me as a friend. No other way." She stated defiantly. Sakura studied Tenten carefully. She was masking her feelings well.

"He does like you.." a quiet voice piped up.

"He does not. I mean, seriously-" Tenten said loudly.

"Tenten-chan," Hinata said softly. " He told me so."

"..." Tenten was silent.

"Who likes who?" A loud voice cut across the playground.

"Ino pig! You're late!" Sakura shouted, waving her arms to get Ino moving on a little faster.

"Sorry, Forehead! Nara held me back!" she yelled back, running over. She slowed to a walk when she reached them.

"So what's this all about?" she asked, warming to the conversation.

"Neji supposedly likes me," Tenten said, blushing lightly.

"Oh my God! That's great! Tonight's your chance!" Ino said excited. Sakura nudged Hinata and both shared a small giggle.

"You know, I've never seen Neji say more than three words out of the classroom," Tenten said conversationally as they turned into Ino's house.

(Those who think this chapter is getting boring and is too long, I'm with you. But the dance is in this chappie!)

"Yeah, he is such an ice cube," Ino agreed and led the girls upstairs to her room.

"H-he said he was going to ask you tonight, Tenten-chan," Hinata said, smiling at her.

Sakura smirked and nudged Tenten, making suggesive faces.

"Shut up!" Tenten growled, nudging Sakura back, but she looked oddly pleased.

"Guys! Help!" Ino gasped out, staggering into the room under a load of chips, Coke, cookies, and other yummy junk.

"Oh yeah, my bad!" They lightened her load. Ino turned to the stereo and cranked up some music.

"It's time to partay!" she cheered as the music revved up.

This was never the way I planned, not my intention.

I got so brave, drink in hand, lost my discretion

It's not what I'm used to, just wanna try you on.

I'm curious for you, caught my attention.

The girl cheered as the chorus came on, and sang together. Even Hinata, without blushing for once, gladly joined in.

I kissed a girl and I liked it,the taste of her cherry chapstick

.I kissed a girl just to try it,I hope my boyfriend don't mind it.

It felt so wrong,it felt so right.

Don't mean I'm in love tonight.

I kissed a girl and I liked it

(I liked it).

The girls slapped hands raucously and laughed. Tenten poured them all a cup of Coke and they sipped it slowly, enjoying the taste and the company.

As the song played on, Ino got up and went to her wardrobe. She pulled out several tops and jean skirts, plain jeans, shoes and accessories and dumped them in the middle of the circle.

"Oh wow," Tenten breathed out, holding a pretty top to the light.

"Uh.." was all Hinata and Sakura could say as they rummaged through the heap of very revealing and wispy tops and shirts.

"Okay Tenten, tell Sakura this is a PARTY, and tell her to lighten up," Ino sighed as she picked out a pretty white shirt with a complicated design and a jean skirt.

"Sakura, look. This is like the only time you get to show what you have. If you have it, flaunt it. Or however the saying goes." Tenten shrugged and went back to the pile. Sakura glanced at Hinata, and both shared a look.

Sighing with as much exasperation as she could muster, she went back to the pile. She found some jeans that were tight around her thighs but were boot cut, and a top that was low on her chest but had to be worn with a camisole.

"Ok guys...this is it." Ino glanced at the clock. It was striking six. Show down!

Loud music boomed across the courtyard and the lights were dimmed. As they got closer, the music became louder. They entered the common room, which had been modified to fit forty kids. The party was in full swing. It was really dark with the exception of flashing lights and a disco ball.

Sakura noticed people dancing just like Ino had; they looked good. She perked up as she saw Gaara leaning against the wall, quietly sipping from a paper cup while surveying the scene in front of him.

"Hi Gaara." she greeted him, coming right up close so she didn't have to yell. He looked at her once to acknowledge her presence and returned to his previous activities.

"Aren't you going to dance?" she asked, undaunted.

"No." He granted her one glance from his black-rimmed eyes, then took another sip.

"Uh, yeah...see ya!" Sakura laughed nervously, edging away. She sighed; if only Gaara would talk a little more. She was sure he had some interesting opinions on the world.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto roared, barreling over to her. He was wearing some baggy jeans and a plain white shirt, hanging loosely on his shoulders. He pushed a drink and a slice of pizza into her hands.

"Come on! I found a nice quiet place." He led her under the stairs not too far from the dance floor.

She smiled and ate the pizza gratefully. It was still warm. Naruto leaned against the wall and finished the drink in one toss. He grinned.

"Did you dance yet?" he asked.

"Nah, not yet," she replied, looking at the night scene. The city was sparkling with lights, twinkling at her. She was going to enjoy this night. No matter what.

"Come on, Naruto." She led him by the shirt onto the dance floor. The heavy beat of Basshunter filled their heads, and they started to dance. Sakura shimmied around, unsure of what to do, but tried to make it look like she knew what she was doing.

The music finished and a slow song came on. Sakura came down from the high of her adrenaline and slowly inched away. Couples had already joined together and were slowly migrating onto the dance floor. She waited for a brief moment. She knew it. No one was going to ask her. Ino was dancing with Shikamaru, head on his shoulder, Tenten was dancing with Neji, blushing while looking at the floor. She noticed Kiba leading a girl with black hair; she was rather small...it was Hinata! She smiled, happy for the girl. But she knew she looked like an idiot just standing there.

She turned to leave when she came face to face with Naruto. "Hey," she said softly.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"I...do...do..." Naruto swallowed hard. This was his chance. If she refused him now...

"Yeah?" she prompted him.

"Do you want to...dance..?" he asked real softly.

"Na...ruto?" Sakura looked at him.

"I um...never mind," he stammered hastily, turning as though to leave.

"Naruto, wait!" She grabbede his arm. " I do...want to dance."

He gave her a smile and both entered the room. The atmosphere was heavy and warm.

There's a hero.

If you look inside your heart.

You don't have to be afraid of what you are.

Sakura closed her eyes as she felt Naruto's strong arms wrap themselves around her waist, pulling her close. Automatically, her arms snaked around his neck and she put her head on his shoulder, just like Ino had the day before. Naruto smelled like ashes and fresh bread. He swayed her slowly, from side to side. She didn't know why, but she felt a certain stirring feeling in her stomach. It was then she realized that she liked Naruto. Actually liked him. More than a friend. No one else could have made her feel this way the way Naruto was making her feel.

Safe and warm. It brought back feelings of nostalgia. But from where or why she didn't really know.

The song ended and they broke apart rather quickly. Sakura blushed; it was worse than Hinata's.

"Erm.. Naruto, I...um..." she stammered, quite unable to say anything after the dance.

"Wanna go home?" he supplied.

She nodded.

It was a silent walk back. Sakura couldn't say anything to Naruto without blushing like crazy. They neared her house.

Naruto swallowed; it was now or never.

"Sakura-chan," he began abruptly.

"Y-yeah?"

"I like you."

"I like you too," she replied.

"No, I mean more than a friend," he continued.

"...Me too."

He swallowed. "Sakura chan? Wanna go out with me?"

"..Yes, yes I would." Her nervous smile disappeared and a real one took its place. Naruto's facial expression mirrored hers, and he hugged her tight.

"Next Saturday?"

"Uh-huh."

"Sakura chan. I like you."

"Me too."

A curtain in the house swished shut. Possible yanked across with anger...

God that was effing long! 3000 something words...I usually write up to at least one thousand so this is three chapters in one! hope you liked it! I promise it is sasusaku...but who doesn't like some narusaku...honestly...review please! and I hope you're happy!

lol,TroublesomeGirl