I HAVE FINALLY UPDATED! (Curse you, writters' block)

I would've written more instead of making this only part two, (only to add part 3 later) But I feel like that's gonna take a while so I'll post up what I have. Which leads to this.

Honestly I was supposed to post this up last week on Valentine's Day *coughcoughSINGLE-AWARENESS-DAYcoughcough* but I ended up a BIG distraction. (yes, finally a decent excuse for my readers)

I've been having issues with my best friend with whom I've secretly liked. He's been ignoring me since Christmas so I thought I did something to tick him off and made him not wanna be my friend anymore *snifflesniffle* But, to the present day, I was taking one of my usual 'ditch-after-school-activities' to go to a lake near my school for writing (this is where I come up with stories/songs/fanfic ideas) And it turns out by sunset he had followed me and was watching me the entire time, pretending to read a book out by the grass fields.

(Which I thought was creepy at first since i didn't recognize him o.0)

But it was cool, and we sat there in awkward silence for a while, just starin' at the lake and stuff... Total fanfic inspiration right there.
BUT, we ended up staying there until dark and watching the stars, which we NEVER see where we live. But at that moment, out of no where... he told me he liked me.

OOOMMMMGGGGG

Turns out he's been avoiding me not because he was mad but because he started falling for me (which I thought was sooooo sweet...! Until I realized how stupid I was being all this time agonizing over 'WHY ISN'T HE TALKING TO ME ANYMORE? HOW COME WE WON'T LOOK AT ME? WHAT DID I DO?' When instead... yeah.
Cliche fanfic story plot there, which beforehand I was ironically going to use for this story eventually. Clueless and oblivious girl who's best friends with the guy who starts to fall for girl - it's a lot like Sasuke and Sakura. We both skate. We both fake-dated once. We both used to argue all the time, and... yeah it goes on.

The weird thing was, GUYS DON'T FALL FOR ME. (AKA really dorky, wears private school skirt past her knees, face of acne, not a cool fashion sense) So I kept thinking I was dreaming at first. I mean come on, this is SO unrealistic! Lake-side setting. Night sky full of stars. A warm WINTER NIGHT. And a confession from your best guy friend to top it all off! THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE!

But... I think it just did, which should give a lot of hope to other readers who always dream their fanfics of romance will come true one day. ^-^

And well, yeah, THAT's my excuse for not updating... Sorry for the rant. I just feel so giddy inside. A weird happy feeling.

BUT ONTO THE CHAPTER.

UPDATE: 2015
Also working on a comic version, with original characters and everything. Proj. in progress
Come and support!
Tumblr: sammakesamess
DeviantArt: MemorySoul

Step 4: THE 'ACTUAL CARING' Pt2

After Sakura relives a traumatic experience at the harbor, she's put out of commision for a long while - getting everyone else worried. But most of all Sasuke feels guilty for it, AND HE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY! *gasp*

It's been nearly two weeks since the incident at the harbor. I remain at home in that closet/bedroom of mine. I'm a bit more active compared to the beginning. Sometimes I'll sit against the closet walls and read something pertaining to childhood, or I'll be in the kitchen trying to make something instead of just grabbing whatever is on the counter. But I still can't talk - I just can't.

Meanwhile at school...

Shikamaru was walking down the hall after the bell, signaling all students to proceed to their second period class. However as he was strolling down the hall a pale arm flew out in front of him, the hand making a loud sound on the lockers beside him. The arm blocking his path belonged to a pestering and annoying blond, to whom Shikamaru gave his trademark groan and glare. "What do you want Ino. I'm gonna be late."

She gave a smirk and scoffed, not dropping her arm. "Late? Since when did you start caring about being late?" Instead of arguing with the woman, he tried to go around her. Ino would just step in front of him each time, clearly aggravating him. She wanted something and he knew what. "So, what's up with Sakura? She's been out for like two weeks what gives? Did Sasuke work her too hard skateboarding or something?"

"Yeah. Can I go now?"

"Nope!" Ino smashed her hand onto Shikamaru's forehead before he could go past her. That was going to leave a mark later. Shikamaru opened his eyes, ready to say something to her until he noticed her serious and direct stare. She knew. "There's something you're not telling me."

"Even if I did it's none of your business," he retorted, removing her hand from his forehead. "You're so much more troublesome now, geez."

"Because you're being all secretive and I don't like it!" Ino bossed with her hands on her hips. "Something happened to Sakura, right?"

"You don't know that."

"Did Sasuke say something to her? Because if he did I'll-"

"This has nothing to do with Sasuke, alright? Gosh, you're so nosy." The bell rung, and by then the school halls were completely empty, save for Shikamaru and Ino.

"See? Now we're late. If you would've told me then w wouldn't have had to stand out here for so long," Ino blamed, causing Shikamaru to either sweatdrop or grow an anime vein. Whichever it was, he knew this girl was clearly too stubborn to accept no for an answer.

"Well, seeing as we're late I guess there's no point in going to class if we're just going to get scolded," Shikamaru sighed. "Feel like skipping with me?"

By the look on Ino's face, just the idea of skipping made her sick to her stomach. "Skipping? Shikamaru that's ridiculous!" Ino snapped, trying her best to keep her angry but decently loud tone down. She began pointing her finger up to him as she continued to speak. "I'll have you know that I am a straight A student on the honor roll. I am not skipping and neither are you so I-"

Shikamaru used his hand and put it over Ino's raising hand. The touch instantly shut her up. "Let's go to the 4th floor room," Shikamaru insisted, giving Ino a look that admitted both defeat, and the anxiety of possibly telling her the truth.

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Seven minutes into second period, the two were upstairs on the abandoned/storage floor inside the gang's usual hide out spot inside the office-like room. "So that's why," Ino said quietly, sitting on a stool beside the wall.

Shikamaru was leaning against Sasuke's head desk, having told as much as he could remember about the past two weeks that were at first confidential. But what with Ino being as involved with everything as everyone else, he felt she had the right to know why her best friend had been missing for so long. "We thought it'd be best not to tell you."

"Yeah and look how that worked out," Ino scoffed, not quite sure how to react to this information.

With a curious lift of his head, Shikamaru looked to Ino across the empty room. "Did you know about Sakura and the harbor? From, back when she was a kid?"

Solemnly she nodded. "I knew about it, but not as much as you've just explained to me." Ino crossed her arms deep in thought. "No wonder she was against getting close to guys in elementary school. Now that I think about it, this sounds almost exactly like what happened back then."

"It could've been," Shikamaru muttered regretfully. "The others and I barely put up a good fight against those guys down by the harbor. We god our asses handed to us, that's for sure."

"If it wasn't for the fact that those goons beat you guys up then I'd have to do it myself," Ino joked, still somewhat upset about the matter. "But, I guess I have to say thank you... for trying to protect Sakura, I mean."

Shikamaru nodded. "No problem."

"But, about Sasuke," Ino started with a wary voice. "Did he really not get to visit her yet?"

"The guy doesn't want to," Shikamaru admitted with a confused shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine as to why, though? None of us can ever bring up Sakura's name without Sasuke walking out of the scene."

"I see..." Ino started, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Her eyes glanced around the room to where her board was. The fourth card she removed earlier - she was staring up at the chalked word.

Shikamaru starred at her wondrously. She was just standing there, starring up at the board. Eventually he got up off the desk and went up next to her, following her gaze. His eyes landed on the new 'revealed word' : Step4:The 'Actual Caring'. "The 'Actual Caring' what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Ino's gaze softened at the phrase. "It was only a matter of time I guess. This isn't exactly a situation I'd ideally use but, I guess we can't be picky now can we?"

Shikamaru's odd stare turned to the girl next to him. "What are you going on about now?"

"Don't you see?" Ino asked, turning towards him. "Sasuke isn't visitng Sakura because he feels guilty. He feels he's the one who led her to the harbor and got her into this condition. That or something else but either way he can't bring himself to see Sakura because of guilt."

Suddenly Shikamaru felt stupid for not realizing that earlier. Of course that'd be why Sasuke's distanced himself. "Well, Sasuke will get over it eventually won't he-?"

"No he won't," Ino assumed with a shake of her head. "As long as he doesn't see her, he'll never loose that guilt."

"Okay then we'll just bring him over to Sakura's place by force."

"Nah. It won't work because Sasuke doesn't realize that he's guilty yet," Ino replied, turning back to the board with a pondering look about her. "I bet he's somewhere around this school wondering why he's so confused about things, confused about Sakura." Ino gave a short laugh just imagining it. She pointed up at the word 'caring'. "That's their next step. You see, they've been pretending to date for a while. And at first it all just started as just acting, right? Pretending to be happy, pretending to enjoy each other's company - well, obviously if that was the case then our Sasuke wouldn't be so distraught about Sakura's well being now would he."

Shikamaru thought for a moment about what the blond just told him. Thinking back to the beginning of all this, he knew that if I had gotten hurt like this in the very start just after we made the agreement to fake-date, then Sasuke wouldn't be so concerned. None of them would.

"But now he's a decent acquaintance of Sakura's. Friends, almost. All of you are," Ino smiled. "But for Sasuke, he's never cared this much about Sakura before, so it's all probably new to him."

"To be frankly honest he's never cared about any girl like this before," Shikamaru admitted, starring at the board too with a dragged look on his face. "So what now? It's not like anything we've just talked about is really going to make a difference."

"Oh yes it will," Ino grinned, practically jumping on the inside if not for the fact I was still incapacitated. "Actually caring for one another is the next step in their relationship."

"You mean fake relationship."

And surprisingly, Ino shook her head no. "That may be how it started, but you and I both know that those two share something."

"Well, you're not wrong there," Shikamaru realized.

"I bet that through the rest of the steps of this board, Sasuke and Sakura could really learn to like each other." She laughed to herself. "And who knows? Maybe somewhere down the road their fake-status relationship could actually turn into something real."

"How random, though," Shikamaru complained, scratching the back of his neck. "I mean we all only met by accident. If Sakura hadn't gotten into that skating accident back then, Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't even know each other."

Ino replied with just a cheerful shrug. "Goes to show that even the tiniest events can create the greatest impacts in life, don't you say?"

Seeing her smile this, Shikamaru couldn't prevent the tiniest blush from coming onto his face.

Suddenly the sound of an echoing crash came from beyond the door. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" shouted a voice, followed by another crash.

"What was that?" Ino asked after jumping.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. He knew that voice. "Naruto..."

Ino and Shikamaru ran out of the office room and followed the continuous sounds to a door at the end of the tiny hall, which led to the stairwell to the roof. Shikamaru went on front and carefully yet quickly led themselves along the route. The light grew bit by bit as they went up the seven stairs until they reached one more door, which was left open.

Out on the roof gathered together were Sasuke, Kiba, Neji, and Naruto. The two onlookers found it raining, with the skies light gray and the beats of the raindrops blocking out distinct sounds. Still, there were knocked over trash bins and crates all over, and by the looks of it, the guys must have been in a fight.

"What's going on?" Ino whispered, hiding behind the semi-closed door with Shikamaru.

"Looks like the guys beat us to confronting Sasuke about this whole troublesome mess," Shikamaru figured.

An already beat up Naruto yelled and ran at Sasuke - probably not for the first time - and tried to land a punch at his face. Sasuke, seemingly already tired, easily blocked Naruto's fist and redirected it to his own.

The fight continued between the four, while the two observants wondered why. By the looks of things, all three of them seemed to be fighting against Sasuke, and he seemed to be holding his own pretty well against them all.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Ino asked with growing concern.

"No," Shikamaru replied with no hesitation. "Watch."

"You lazy bastard!" Kiba argued as he went for a back-kick behind Sasuke, only for Sasuke to land a punch of his own to the Inuzuka's gut before his attack could land. Kiba sank to the ground, clutching his stomach. Yet he continued to speak. "Don't you care about that chick at all?" he strained out.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sasuke replied coldy, only to catch another oncoming fist - this time from Neji Hyuuga. Sasuke refused to land a direct self-defense hit against the brunette, for respectful reasons of course, this being Neji. But Sasuke could see in Neji's hardened eyes the same message Naruto and Kiba had been resonating too. "You too, huh?" Sasuke glared as he tried to twist Neji's arm.

Unlike Kiba and Naruto who mounted to brute force for the most part, Ino and Shikamaru watched as Neji put up a decently equal fight with the Uchiha. That is, until Sasuke found Neji's weak point and managed to land a good hit on him. With that, all three of Sasuke's challengers were on the ground, soaking in the rain unmoving.

"You... YOU TEME!" Naruto screamed as he tried to drag himself back up on one knee. "What the hell's the matter with you...?Everyone's gone to visit Sakura! Everyone except YOU! You're the only one who hasn't gone so why is that! Huh!"

Sasuke's expression didn't change, and neither did his silence.

Naruto winced as he put force onto his feet, pushing himself up to stand and limp towards Sasuke. Both had bruises and traces of blood. Ino and Shikamaru, still watching discretely, wondered if Naruto was going to try and land another failed attempt at a punch to Sasuke's face. But surprisingly instead Naruto managed to just grab Sasuke's shirt, face close with glares and spit and blood. "AREN'T YOU ANY WORRIED ABOUT HER AS THE REST OF US!" he screamed in Sasuke's face.

"She'll get over it," Sasuke denied gruffly.

Kiba, while still down in the rain, had managed to raise his head and spit blood in Sasuke's general direction. "You son of a..." Kiba winced, unable to do anything else.

Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke's shirt. "Sakura's been mute for days now, and all of us have put an effort to trying to make her get better. And do you know what? Nothing's worked. Nothing! She won't speak, she won't talk. All she does is frown and cry and fake-smile and stare at us like we're monsters! She's never going to just 'get over it' Sasuke!"

"So what do you want me to do about it!"

"You go see her, you teme!"

"Haruno's just a girl! Whatever happens to her that doesn't have to do with our fake dating doesn't concern me! If she's going to ignore our deal and be a drama queen for the rest of her life then we'll just replace her! People like her are expendable don't you get it!"

"Don't YOU get that everything coming out of your mouth is complete bullshit?" Naruto this time with no holding back as he hit Sasuke square in the face. Sasuke didn't even block it, even though he clearly could have. Sasuke flew back until he hit the roof's floor, sliding about two feet in the rain. Further off, Ino gasped and was about to go out and try to stop them, but Shikamaru blocked her way with his arm.

Naruto stepped up to Sasuke's body and just stood there, hovering over him. "What's the matter with you?" Naruto muttered, loud enough for Sasuke to hear. "I hate to say this, but you're probably the only one who can get her back on her feet," Naruto admitted darkly. "She's closer to you out of all of us. So why haven't you gone to her yet?"

Sasuke picked his torso up at his elbows and spit some blood to the side. He wiped his lips with his arm which showed a small line of dark blood which contrasted much to his normally pale skin.

The anger growing within Naruto was clearly evident. "Just admit the truth, dammit!"

"You want the truth, Naruto? I made her the way she is now! A wreck! There!" Sasuke shouted from the floor. This response, it wasn't the one Naruto expected to hear, but at least it was something. Sasuke forced himself up as the rain continued to drench his hair, now covering his eyes. "That day at the harbor, she trusted us. That idiot girl trusted us with her safety and we couldn't even give her that." The look in Sasuke's eyes were mixed with guilt, hatred, anger - all the negative emotions one could imagine. "How can I face her knowing all that."

"You just suck it up and just face her," Naruto scoffed, still angry. "What the hell do you think the rest of us have been doing all this frickin' time?"

"You guys weren't the ones who knew she had a shitty past with guys before Kakashi told us! I knew and I didn't have the brains to remember and protect her!"

"Why are you doing this?" I shuddered between a whisper and a cry, my head still leaning under Sasuke's chin at the hospital. "You don't even like me. Why are you being so nice to me?"

He held my back with one hand, using the other close to the back of my neck. This was so unlike his person, to comfort a crying girl, to just hold them and nothing more. Instead, he replied, "No one's going to hurt you anymore."

"She tried to tell me a long time ago why she was so against being with guys. And then all this had to come up."

"You know," Naruto began. "You can fix this by just seeing her. Make her realize you're still protecting her."

"And then what? Risk getting her into something worse? What if next time we get her shot or something? You can't deny it Naruto - you know the guys and I aren't the safest group of people to hang around with."

"So you're just going to force yourself out of her life because of some stupid fear."

"So Sasuke's been avoiding Sakura all this time..." Ino realized.

Shikamaru lowered his eyebrows, still watching the whole scene unfolding. "Uchiha strikes a good point though." He turned to Ino. "I'm surprised you're not taking his side. You're Sakura's best friend. Shouldn't you be against us hanging around her even more after all this stuff?"

Ino kept her gaze glued to Naurto and Sasuke, standing out in the rain that seemed to be pouring harder now. "If this were still the first few weeks of us meeting, then yes, I'd threaten you guys daily to stay away from my Sakura. But," her blue eyes softened, "I'm actually pretty happy that she has you guys around." There was something in her voice that Shikamaru noticed. A sense of truth, honesty... gratitude. "Maybe somehow she's actually better off with you guys than without."

Shikamaru scoffed again. "Tell that to Sasuke."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The rainy day continued off well into the afternoon. The day was long and enduring, despite not really doing anything productive. Of course the past few days have been like that, so it's not really anything out of the ordinary.

I'm sitting against the wall of my closet, listening to music on my mp3. The voice of the singer made me think of my own. How long has it been since I've heard myself speak? I can barely remember what I sound like now. And quite frankly... it's sort of depressing. Sometimes, I'll find myself trying to speak but I just can't, you know? So I've been reduced to sitting in silence, accompanied by music and a spot on the wall.

Then I heard a knock on the closet door, signifying a visitor. After five more seconds, it opened to reveal Ino and Shikamaru. Well, this is new. I wonder if I have any emotion of shock in my face.

"Sakura you're okay!" Ino exclaimed, running over to me and falling to her knees, hugging me and almost knocking me over. Her arms encircled me and she held on as if she never intended to let go. But she did eventually, though she kept her hands over my shoulders. "Geez Sakura! You left me alone with those dolts for forever! Please tell me you're doing better and will be coming back to school soon. "

I heard Shikamaru scoff against the closet doorframe. "How chipper do you sound."

With an instinctive glare from Ino, she couldn't help but notice my body shrink and my face falter. I didn't mean to fall into a mental world of 'guys are monsters', but it's a feeling that I can't rid myself of. Shikamaru knows that. Sometimes I'll loose myself to this alternative personality and be afraid of any guy present. It's not that I intend to, but it happens.

"I-It's okay Sakura it's only Shikamaru," Ino tried, holding me in more gentle hug. I tried to nod 'yes' in understanding but my brain was to jumbled up to comprehend.

"Told you she gets like this sometimes," Shikamaru told, trying his best not to sound too concerned. "I think it's best if I step out for a bit. I'll be in the bedroom okay?" He took his humble leave and closed the closet door, leaving Ino and I to our private and well-needed girl time. When Shikamaru left, my body's tensed up state seemed to ease.

This further intrigued, and worried, Ino. "It's worse than I thought," she said out loud in a low tone, even though I could see by the look in her eye that she didn't mean to say that. "Oh Sakura I only found out about the situation today and I had Shikamaru take me here. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked in this motherly tone, pushing some hair behind my ears.

I put my most assuring smile and I gave her hand a comforting squeeze to express my answer. I didn't intend to worry Ino.

"Have you said anything since the incident?" she asked in disbelief. I could only shake my head no, wishing I could reply otherwise. "Has Sasuke visited you yet...?" Again I slowly shook no. "I see."

Later that afternoon, Ino left the closet so I could get some well-needed rest. She updated me on some things in school that Naruto hasn't already told me, and she promised to visit again soon. Afterwards, Shikamaru and Ino were seated downstairs in the Haruno kitchen with Kakashi, who was passing time cooking.

"So even with this two hour-girl talk of yours, Sakura still won't say anything?" Kakashi summed up.

"That's what I said," Shikamaru remarked, just barely blocking a smack in the shoulder from Ino. "And quit that."

Ino placed her arms up on the counter. "I just wish there was something we could do to get her used to guys again. And that Sasuke is just totally pissing me off! Sakura obviously is wondering where he is and he's not showing up!"

"I thought you said that's because he's in denial for how he truly feels for her," Kakashi slowly quoted.

"No - he's just racked with guilt and doesn't know how to deal with it," Shikamaru loudly corrected with emphasis, slowly turning to Ino.

Ino scoffed and turned away from them both. "Hmph, well we all know he likes her anyway," she muttered.

"You know, if it's a forced get-together you want then that's something I can arrange," Kakashi piped in, sliding two plates of warm food onto the counter before his guests. "I know a friend who owns a private country club in the next town over. We can all spend the weekend together and hopefully that'll bring Sakura out of her shell."

"Yeah after unicorns fly out of my butt," Shikamaru opposed with clear sarcasm. "That's a nice idea and all Kakashi but let's be realistic."

"What's so unrealistic about it?" Ino voiced. "Kiba and Naruto would never say no to a free field trip. And Neji's in if its for a good cause."

"Yeah and what about those two other troublesome people who are the entire reason for this supposed trip? We'd have to drug Sakura to sleep to come along and drag Sasuke by his toes. They'll never agree to go."

"Oh Sakura will go. I can make sure of that," Kakashi said in a tone that more or less left the two teens in a wave of suspicion and curiosity, and slight worry. "As for Sasuke, well, that'll be your job I'm afraid."

"Oh give us the harder job. Thanks Kakashi," Shikamaru frowned.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're very sarcastic?"

Ino replied by raising her hand with an emotionless face. I didn't see that, but I did manage to overhear it all. Upstairs in my closet, with only a pillow and the floor seperating me from the kicthen, I heard their entire conversation - their plan to ship us all to a private get away to force me to get better. I don't know how staying with half a dozen guys is supposed to make me get better, but knowing Kakashi I don't think there's really anything I can do about this. I huddled under my covers, feeling actually kind of anxious about the whole ordeal. Should I be happy or upset about this?

Even more so, what is Sasuke going to think about all this? 'So he's been avoiding me on purpose because he feels guilty'? Those were my first real solid thoughts on Sasuke, all in my right mind anyway. But I refused to believe what I heard them say downstairs. Sasuke Uchiha? Capable of feeling something as low as guilt? No way. If anything he's probably annoyed for me ditching days' worth of skateboarding practices.

Still, I can't deny I'm a little unstable right now. I don't intend to, but I feel like if I see the guys all in one spot together I'm going to just loose it. (Again, not like I want to). I also feel like I'll be clinging to Ino the entire trip, the only other girl that'll be there. Right now, she's my strong point in all this.

But, on the slightest chance that they're telling the truth, just what exactly is going on with Sasuke anyway...?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"No way," Sasuke said.

"Come on man!" Naruto's voice boomed from the speaker on Sasuke's phone. The Uchiha held is phone away for a moment before Naruto resumed. "This is for Sakura, you know. You don't have a choice in this."

"If the purpose of Kakashi's stupid trip is to make her 'get used to guys' again then you guys can handle this on your own. Come back when she's fixed."

"You're a real ass, you know that?" Naruto sighed, obviously trying not to loose his temper over the phone. A mere four hours after the conversation between Kakashi and Ino and Shikamaru, Ino had texted all the guys (except Sasuke) about the weekend trip to a spa/hot spring outside town, all expenses paid for by Kakashi. Of course, it would take convincing for Sasuke to go - a job which Shikamaru miraculously persuaded Ino to give to Naruto. "Look, I know you're still feeling bad about the whole situation, but you're never gonna get over it unless you confront her head on."

"look who sounds like a therapist. You gonna major in it after high school, Uzumaki?"

"Sasuke listen to me," Naruto repeated. "Even if by some way the guys and I manage to get Sakura back on her feet, when we come back you're still going to be on the fritz with her! So it's no use if you don't come with us and FACE HER LIKE A MAN."

Sasuke leaned back in his seat, suppressing an aggravating groan coming on. He was having a decent quiet night at home until this numbskull called. He picked up by Naruto's fifth call. "...Fine. I'll go."

"Pack your bags and meet us at the mansion at 8:30," Naruto quickly ended before hanging up, not even giving Sasuke the chance to back out. Sasuke waited a moment in silence before checking his phone to see Naruto had ended the call.

"Bastard," Sasuke cussed under his breath, throwing his phone back towards his bed.

Meanwhile, Itachi was passing by past his door before hearing the phone hi the wall before falling to his sheets. Itachi back up a few steeps, peering into his little brother's room. "Troubled, are we?"

"Shut up. I don't want to deal with you right now." Sasuke got out of his chair and towards his small closet, pulling out random clothes to pile onto his table.

Itachi starred in wonder at what he was doing, crossing his arms against his door. "Going somewhere?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow for the weekend," Sasuke replied simply, pulling out lastly a bag for his stuff. "Tell Mom for me when she gets home tomorrow will you?"

"Sure," Itachi answered warily, watching Sasuke distractingly stuff his clothes ino the lugage. "How's your girlfriend?"

Stuffing his last shirt in, Sasuke turned to Itachi with his normal-state glare. By instinct he was about to say 'Sakura's not my girlfriend', but then he remembered their stuatus as 'fake lovers'. And so, he forced the words right out of his mouth. "Sakura's doing fine."

"Have you slept with her yet?" Sasuke sent another serious look at his older brother. A smug smirk from the eldest. "You don't think I haven't heard you before with past girlfriends?"

Sasuke couldn't deny that, but mixing the subjects of 'sex' and 'Sakura' just didn't really bode well in Sasuke's head. Forcing those thoughts to the back of his head, Sasuke zipped his bag shut. "Sakura's different." He couldn't bring himself to lie and say he already slept with me. He probably would have at one point earlier in our fake relationship, but not now.

... OMAGAWSH I FEEL SO GIDDY! (sorry XD, still overflowing from my awakened inner fangirl from the story at the top of the page) LIFE IS GOOD MAN.

Tumblr: sammakesamess
DeviantArt: MemorySoul

PREVIEW:

"Well... yeah," Kakashi smiled. "I thought all of us could use a more middle-class experience, so I got us a decent used RV."

"AT LEAST RENT ONE THAT WON'T BREAK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!"

x-x-x-x

"Wow, an actual hot springs," Kiba grinned, jumping out of the RV first and into the sunlight. He outstretched his arms and legs, showing off his natural fangs through his smile. "I've never been to one of these before."

x-x-x-x

Everyone's going through all this trouble for me and I can't even do anything! I had one opportunity to be with Sasuke and not freak out but what do I do? I freak out.

A silent blow of wind escapes my mouth and I rest the bottom of my head on my hands. This sucks. If Sasuke were here, would I freak out again or, would I actually try to talk to him?

x-x-x-x

But just as quickly as Sasuke's soft eyes come, his hardened ones return. "I swear, if I ever see those guys again I'll make them pay personally for what they did to you."