High School memories: We are looking for a dancer - Make it to the top

by Porcelain.Memories

It was in the moment his hot amazingly soft lips descended on her own, has Sakura realized her aunt Tsunade has always been right: she attracted danger like a magnet and she liked every part of it...of him. And the school s most popular guy had his onyx eyes set on her. If only she was not doing her best to resist him... And she was an amazing dancer to add to the fascination.

14. Hitchhiking in the rain-sweetly trapped

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**CHAPTER 14**

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"Huh, smart observation, Einstein. It is fucking raining, so how would you expect her to be? Tanned?" As far as she was concerned, Ten Ten mentally laughed at the irony of encountering Neji and his friend there, from all the places and from all the people that could have passed.

"..."

"That's not quite the most polite way to greet someone, Ten Ten."

"You are right when you say someone, but considering that you are a cockroach, this doesn't apply to you as well!"

"...what are you doi-"

Of course it had to be the people both her and her rooted in place, unresponsive friend were dreading to see. Sasuke didn't even try to hide his amusement, mirroring his friend's annoying smirk.

Sakura, who had troubles in understanding how karma could have been punishing her for whatever sins she has committed in another past existence, has finally found her shaky voice. "I-I...am out of here."

Out of all the living people, she didn't want to see him. She could feel the embarrassment, the naivety and reproach weighing down on her knees, turning her legs to jelly.

She turned on her heels abruptly, making her short soaked pink locks splash the drops around while hitting her back, dramatically, when Sasuke`s smooth rich, but cold voice made her stop dead in her tracks. "Stupid."

"Wait Sakura, you cannot possibly think of walking back home, could you?" Ten Ten immediately placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, after she threw Sasuke the mother of all the glares, making his smirk cease away.

She knew how her friend felt and the reason why they were in that situation was precisely his loathsome presence, but she had to keep her cool and not give him the satisfaction of seeing her down.

It was a fatal mistake to do while being into guys' like him presence, because it gave them the feel of control and power over them, which they knew how to perfectly and openly exploit, without remorse.

"Then what am I supposed to do?! Stay here with...him?!" She hissed the words, pointing her finger towards Sasuke, while her emerald eyes were blinking rapidly to prevent the large rain drops to trap on her long lashes. "No fucking way!"

"Huh?!"

"Now you want to stay away. And to think that you were the one looking for me at school-"

Not only they were trapped in there, without phone signal or anyone to ask for help, in the middle of a storm -the wind has suddenly intensified- but she had to suffer the consequences of her rash actions as well.

Everything she felt was a painful reminder of how much of a naive girl she was, actually having so much faith in appearances and human condition. "Don't be delusional Sasuke, I was not stalking you. In fact, it was the other way around!"

"Was it really?" He lifted a sharp eyebrow at the way Sakura's forest green eyes were fighting the rain drops or, judging from her unsteady breaths and uneven voice, the tears as well.

He took his time to study her better and the depressing image of her so defeated, wet to the bones, distress present on her way of speaking and acting, has stirred a short clench into his chest.

Unlike her friend who looked like the weather had no effect on her unleashed rage, visible in the way she was glaring daggers into the Hyuga's skull, Sakura looked lost, even tough she wanted to appear tough.

Sasuke saw it right away. Although, he couldn't deny her justified anger on him after his stunt from the fountain, but he wouldn't be that much of a loser and have a moment of repenting then, from all the times. Not to mention it was not his style at all either. "Try to deny it! C'mon, lie into my face and deny what you did in the hall!"

Ten Ten whispered into her ear, tightening her grip on her friend's forearm. She wanted nothing more than to help her murder the boys in front of them, but she considered their options, finding none more promising. They were, basically, out of options. "Sak, not here."

"What happened in the hall? This is getting interesting." Neji was trying his best to ignore the way Ten Ten looked like ready to rip off his head.

He was there to shove her away off his mind and there she stood, drenched and fierce like she has always been, cursing him mentally, like he knew she was.

"Huh, I didn't know you were a gossip bitch like the sluts you hang out with! Oh, don't answer that! I knew you were the Devil's son that feeds from the other's misfortune."

"Ten Ten, I suggest you watch your-"

"Fuck...you, Hyuga! Sakura, I think I am going to make that thriller scenario of yours come true. Only, the roles would be reversed. Too bad I don't have a chainsaw or at least a scythe!"

Something inside her triggered a latent fury inside the chestnut eyed girl's mind, because her hands were shaking in raw anger and her lips were pursed. She wanted nothing more than to take the sun umbrella she had on her trunk, link her arms with Sakura's and do a crazy thing together.

That put a scowl on Neji's face. And to think he has missed the chance to laugh at his raven haired friend's attempts to lure a girl that didn't want him, just because he found himself in a similar situation.

At least Sakura didn't entertain sadistic medieval killing ways. "That sharp tongue is going to take you just as far as your useless car, Ten Ten."

"People, Neji Hyuga made a joke. Please laugh. Who said I wanna go anywhere? Maybe we are working on a project." Ten Ten flailed her hands in the air, addressing to an invisible audience, on a sugary sarcastic tone, mimicking Amy when she had a diva moment.

"...about how many willing for a quickie losers will stop their cars when they see you?"

Indirectly, Neji didn't realize that he and Sasuke were in the same situation. Though, he heard a hard slap of a palm hitting skin coming from his raven haired friend.

But his mistake didn't go unnoticed by the sharp mind of his ex girlfriend, for she gripped her tummy, put a hand on her car and burst out in laughter, which was too times more sinister considering the way rain was making her clothes stick to her body, because, actually, the girl was genuinely amused.

"Bhahahaha...about how many manwhores would you have found here, so desperate to hook up anything that moves to get rid of their urges, on such a weather. I got my answer. Sak, note down their names for the record. In the VIP section, please."

"How many kilometers are there from here to Jacksonville? If I start to run now..." Sakura started randomly, but on a so serious note that the others actually felt the need to believe she had it in her to do it.

As far as she was concerned, the only person she would have liked to hang, was herself for being a stupid fool, who thought she could move mountains with the help of the dragonflies and fairies inside her mind, feeling the ground slip from under her feet.

It was not Sasuke`s fault for toying with her. It was her own fault for allowing him to so cruelly play her.

"You can forget about that, girl. This weather is only good to hide somewhere warm and drink something."

"Heh, too bad you will so not going to do that." Neji felt the need to interrupt her and remind the two girls who had the last word. If Ten Ten's look could have killed, he would have heard the church's bells.

"Oh, here you are wrong again, Hyuga, because I am so going to get cozy in the following half an hour and I am sure you know the reason why."

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke rolled his onyx eyes in exasperation, already aware of their night being ruined by the unfortunate encounter. Of course the two girls would have to come with them, for letting them outside was out of question.

He could already imagine the moment Dana and Neji's friend with benefits would cast their eyes on Sakura and Ten Ten. It had disaster flashing before his eyes in neon lights and glitter.

"Stop the nonsense and get over with it, until we are going to get a fucking pneumonia. You can argue as much as you want some other place."

"At least one of you has a neuron. Is he your legal guardian?" Ten Ten mocked Neji further, zipping her leather jacket up, in a vain attempt to get warm. The nerves helped, but not entirely. Besides her, Sakura was freezing and her clenching teeth and quivering purple lips were anything but attractive.

"You are not stepping into my home, Ten Ten."

"Why, just why from all the places you could have shown your ugly face, it has to be here and now?! Someone there really hates me!" If exasperation would have had a picture in the dictionary, it would have been Ten Ten's contorted in anger and disbelief face.

She couldn't understand how was it possible for life to be that unfair. Every time she wanted to put some distance between she and Neji, destiny has always found a way to bring them one step closer.

"You do not own this street, nor this village, so stop acting childish if you ever dream to get help."

"Help?! And why would you think I would need help from you?"

"You run out of gas. Again. In the middle of a deserted road, during a storm. I don't know...it truly looks like you need it." If the ridicule of the situation was amusing him, Neji did nothing to hide it. In fact, he looked like a little kid, eating a cotton candy, while he was walking around the circus.

"Wow, that is one great intuition you have Hyuga. I applaud your genius. What could I have possibly doing here, except having troubles with my car? Selling donuts?!"

"I already told you I imagine the reason why you are here. I guess me being the first one to show up shows how much bad luck you have. Or...maybe I am not your today's first encounter, am I?"

He pointed towards the fact that she was a slut, and the not so subtle insult made Ten Ten's blood explode in blazing fury and if the manic frown on her face has not been a solid proof of her willingness to murder her smirking ex boyfriend, then her marching towards him like a walking zombie, has been enough to prove her point.

"Are you possibly implying that I am a slut?!"

"Are you not, Ten Ten?"

She cut the distance between them in no time, not even caring if she spent too much time under the cold heavy rain, put a hand on the expensive car like it was mere garbage into her eyes and one on her hips, hissing the words on Neji's face, daring him to go on and call her names.

"Now say that again you asshole, but I truly hope you do have a visa for Mars, because after I plant my foot down your ass and send you there, the aliens are going to throw you in jail."

"You have guts to provoke me, while you hope to get my help. Though I understand your barbarian behavior and lack of manners. In your job...body is all that coun-"

Slap!

She hit him hard, while the sound of slapped wet skin echoed like a bold of lightning striking a trunk, making drops of rain splash around, at the sudden hard contact. "You fucker! Aren't you tired of insulting me already?! Even in this fucking situations you cannot help, but be the pig you have always been!"

"I should take back to you for this." Neji put a hand on his throbbing reddened cheek, mentally cursing his poor memory for not remembering how strong she was when provoked.

Normally, if anyone dared to touch him that person would have signed his death warrant, but somehow, he couldn't do that to her and it was making him both anxious and confused.

"Go fuck yourself, Hyuga. For all I care! Girl, I don't care if I break my legs in the process, but I will still drag my body back home, even on this weather, but I will not spend anymore minutes in this-"

She turned on her heels to go back to an equally dazed Sakura and do something, anything to escape from that situation, before she did something she probably won't regret, but would not help their cause, when she felt a firm grip on her forearm preventing her to advance.

"Are you nuts, Ten Ten?! Where do you think you are going, it is a fucking storm. Get a hold of yourself and stop acting like the mentally deranged woman you are."

"Ha?! Are you telling me to be reasonable, yet you are the one saying that I am here to whore myself to whoever might take this road?! You can't be serious! Let go!"

"I am out of here." Sakura simply stated, opening the car's door to take her wool scarf and search for an umbrella. Of course she knew she would not be able to return home by walking, but there was a hostel somewhere nearby, according to Ten Ten and she had enough money to rent a room for the night. How far could that have been anyways?

"I am right behind you, as soon as this motherfucker gets his filthy hands off me!" No matter how much she tried to pry her hand away from Neji's grip, she found herself unable to do so.

There were few moments when the chocolate eyed girl truly felt the need to punch the stubborn Hyuga and give him a piece of her mind. He always succeeded in making her confuse what she felt for him and oblivion was a state of mind she couldn't stand.

There were some things Sasuke couldn't understand and those were Sakura's constant mood swings.

One moment she was asking him for help, like they were close acquaintances, then the next one she looked at him in such a confusing way that it made him curious whether she was bipolar or truly trying to prove she didn't like him.

The big question was, why did he care? "So now you are trying to run away. I wonder why? Sakura."

"Because, just like my friend here, I am not enjoying the company."

"Hn. You didn't look like you don't enjoy it rather that...you deny it and try to hide. That is something only cowards would do." The midnight haired Uchiha pressed further.

Something in the way her inner instincts were taking in, due to the bad weather and tight situation got him intrigued and interested in seeing how far was she willing to go.

It was precisely the not so complacent way she so blatantly chose to defy him the thing that tempted Sasuke to follow her reaction. He liked that hidden nature because it was refreshing.

Fangirling and drooling? He had too much of that whenever he went, so whatever came as unconventional stood up from the majority. "You are hardly the one to talk, Sasuke. You know nothing about me. At all. Plus...your innuendos are disgusting."

"Heard the lady." Meanwhile, Ten Ten took advantage of Neji's moment of haze, removing her hands from his, giving him a harsh push away, breaking free. "If you have no more things to say Hyuga, I wish you to go die. C'mon girl, that hostel I have been talking about is not far from here."

"You are going nowhere, Ten Ten. Not on this weather."

"And why would you care? Are you my freaking dad or something? Stop trying to act like my conscience. Go nag someone else who cares."

"Because we need to talk and in fact, this is the perfect chance to do so. What have I told you? Destiny rules over everything and you cannot fight it. Just like you are trying to avoid me, but you end up stuck in a tight situation, with only me around to help."

He didn't have time to think about his arranged plans, the moment Neji realized that he got a one in a million chance to make the girl he was seeking to listen to him, and he would not miss it for anything. He has already decided that long ago, into his troubled mind.

Ten Ten couldn't understand why was it so difficult for him to leave her alone to fight her demons and not meddle into her affairs, finding no reasonable explanation for his nagging perseverance.

She thought it was his infatuation and misunderstood ego the one that prevented the boy to take a 'no' for an answer. Like she would have ever wanted to explain everything to him.

Maybe she was afraid that if his answer would have been one that she secretly hoped to hear, her resolve would crumble. In terms of stubbornness and principles, they were too much alike.

"Are you out of pills for your dementia or the shit you smoke eventually blurred your sole neuron? You and I have nothing to talk about. We have said everything one year ago."

"And here you are wrong, my dear. We are so going to talk and I don't want to be held responsible if you die of a cold. Get in."

The Hyuga held the door open, making a quick gesture with his head, pointing towards his car, but the commanding voice made the girl's he was addressing muscles to paralyze.

How come he never realized that Ten Ten was not the person to be ordered around? It was Sasuke`s unspoken question. He just stood there, following the conversation with mild interest. His friend was pathetic in his opinion.

"You wish. I am leaving. I wish you the worst day ever!"

"Ten Ten, don't be annoying and get in. I stood enough in this...refrigerator."

"Let's go Sakura." Ten Ten told to her emerald eyed friend, she too having the same thought in mind. It was her own fault for coming up with such a dumb idea and she got her punishment in the form of her ex boyfriend and his equally uninvited to the party onyx eyed friend.

She wanted to punch that one as well for messing out with the pink haired girl's mind. She could clearly see what was crossing on his mind, but she won't let it happen. No matter how, Sakura would not make the same mistake as her.

"Yeah. Such luck we had."

"Why don't you admit that you don't accept our help, because of me?" Sasuke`s so confident tone stopped her again. Something about his arrogance, like he was the wielder of all the universal facts, was making her temples burn.

He had an annoying commanding way that automatically placed his interlocutors under him and she didn't like it in the bit.

"I don't know what are your talking about, but you are delusional if you think you can influence my decisions."

Sure, she wanted nothing more that to not see him ever again and live her high school days normally, surrounded by her friends and her rightful lover, Sasori, but it didn't mean she had to run from him like he had the power to twist her resolve and dictate her next move.

"You do know and you chose to conveniently ignore it just to appear...confident."

Maybe she did that, but Sakura also knew how much manipulative Sasuke could have been. He had a way with his words that was making everything he said

sound so legit, that she would eventually believe he was able to read inside her heart, but she won't give him the satisfaction of seeing that such a dirty game worked on her. "Forty km? No problem."

"You guys...are fucking retarded." Ten Ten concluded bluntly, scoffing at the two guys in front of her, doing a full check on, measuring them from head to toe, so as to make sure her point was valid, turning around to take her bag out of the car, locking the doors.

Neji on the other hand, would have none of such defiance. He approached the chestnut eyed girl, stopping two steps back, blocking her way. "I told you that I will not let you go anywhere."

"No shit! Watch my back Hyuga, because this sexy chick on here, is so leaving!"

"You asked for it." One moment later, Neji scooped a stunned Ten Ten up, carrying her bridal style back to his car, opening the door with his leg, doing his best to push her on the back seat.

Ten Ten unleashed all the fury at such an outrageous childish display of ignorance, scratching and hitting him wherever she found satisfying, trying in vain to get out. He was solid as a rock. "Ah! What the fuck are you doing, you brute?! Put me the fuck down, now!"

"I told you we have to talk, so talk is what we are going to do."

"Neji, don't forget our...plans." Sure, that almost made Sasuke snort once, not actually believing that his friend had the guts to kidnap a girl that would probably not have any restrain to poison his food or choke him in his sleep, but he would rather not see her reaction when she would realize why were they there for.

"That can wait. I have more important stuff to do now." Of course, he was busy preventing Ten Ten to punch his face and make her stop kicking his stomach with her knee.

"Arrangements?" Sakura muttered, making Sasuke return his attention to him. She figured out that the two of them were not there to admire the landscape or eat apple pie.

But Neji decided to take the lead of the group, cutting her train of thoughts off. "You too, get in if you don't want to face a storm."

"I think I am already doing that..." A quick glance up to the menacing grey steel clouds assured Sakura that those weather conditions were out of ordinary.

It was not just a heavy rain, it looked like it was raining with icicles and the sharp wind blazing was cutting her skin like a sharp blade. Willing or not, they had to accept the invitation, no matter how mind cracking and frightening that was.

"Marvelous. There went all the fun..." Sasuke closed the door, leaning into the passenger's seat, turning the heat on, rubbing his temples.

Reluctantly Sakura got in the car, relishing into the warmth inside, opposite to the coldness outside that filled her skin with goose bumps, beside her friend, who was still screaming and threatening Neji. "I can't believe we ended up like...this."

"Hyuga, you are in big trouble! Wait until my lawyer finds out about this."

"Lawyer? What the fuck...stop whining already, I need to focus. Where is this rain coming from, anyways?! Fucking shit!" Indeed, all of them could clearly see that driving on the rain that started to flood down the already slippery road was anything but pleasant.

He pressed down the emergency brake, stepping on the gas. The moment he did that, the car moved backwards, instead of going straight ahead. "Ah! Hey, what are you doing?! Have you bought that driving license with money as well?!"

"You threw it into reverse, you idiot." Sasuke snorted at his friend's imbecile expression. His fingers were trembling on the steering wheel in rage and he was gritting his teeth, like he was fighting the urge to punch someone, but decided to be the gentleman he was not.

And the fact that he was allowing Ten Ten to call him names and curse him at the content of her heart was even priceless. Who would have imagined that the mighty Hyuga Neji had such a weak spot?

"There was a poodle out there! Do you want this babe to get all covered in mud?! Shut up, before I change my mind and throw you all outside, you inconsiderate morons. Well, except Sakura. She did nothing...yet." The said girl shot her eyebrows up, looking at Neji's furious face into the rear mirror, trying to make out what exactly was going on. If that was a dream, she needed to get up soon, because it was not funny.

She was there to fight anxiety and depression, but she found herself in a teenage adventure. Like a thriller movie in which the leading actors were taking bets on who would be the first one to be eaten by whatever it was hiding in the woods.

"...thank...you?"

"Oh my God, I can't believe you, Neji! Not only you gave your car a pet name, like the biggest fag you are, but you are also afraid of it getting soaked, when there is enough rinse out there to supply the entire Jacksonville with water for a whole year!"

"...putting aside the fact that you have just rudely insulted me, that was the most intelligent sentence you have ever said, Ten Ten."

"I wanna kill you. Sak, how many years in prison will I get for murdering him, if I can make it look like self defense?"

"I have no idea. But I am hungry. And cold. Could you please turn on the heat?"

"...yeah, wait a second..." Sasuke would have told him that it was already turned on, but seeing his idiotic moron of a family friend making a fool of himself with so much talent was too epic to miss.

Why bothering getting angry over a situation he couldn't control, when he could make the best of it? When he got bored of that, he could go on and pick on Sakura and maybe make her show her fangs.

If he was to be honest, he liked the attitude she had when they first met. It turned him on, the sole idea of catching his prey, instead of having it served on a plate.

Ten Ten rolled her eyes, standing and leaning towards the car, making Neji hit another puddle because she prevented him to move the steering wheel. "Oh forget it girl, this idiot drives an ugly car that the only commands he knows are the brake and the gas! Fucking prick..."

"Hey, don't touch my car!"

"Don't scream into my ears! It is turned on, for fuck's sake!" She returned back beside Sakura, who, probably being overwhelmed by stress, burst out in laughter.

Seriously, no matter how much of a troublesome situation she was in, Ten Ten and Neji's bickering was funny and she could clearly see Sasuke smirking at them. Even that one was amused.

She stopped laughing the moment his eyes flew on her. No matter how much she tried, she still had the memory of his taste and feeling and she could feel her body temperature rise.

She darted her emerald eyes to the window, rubbing her cold hands. That guy...was making her want to punch him. She kind of understood Ten Ten's temper around Neji.

Meanwhile, Neji had a hard time keeping his nerves on a leash. He knew that Ten Ten was doing it on purpose just to annoy him further and he wanted to turn around and show her he was not her punching bag, but somehow, a tiny voice at the back of his head that sounded like his conscience prevented him to do so, by chanting that it might have been his fault as well.

He was not the most polite and fair with her person alive, either, but he wouldn't have been caught dead admitting it out loud. "Damn you...auch! Stop hitting my chair!"

"I am not hitting your chair, I am trying to get my blood flow. Is this correct Sakura?" She was banging her knees on the back of the pale eyed Hyuga's chair, in a desperate attempt to not stand up and bite his ear.

He had the guts to go against her protest and he actually went as far as to force her inside his car, like the annoying prick he was. She couldn't stand that superior attitude in the bit and she was doing everything to show it to him.

"Huh?" Sakura answered absentmindedly, making the almond shaped eyed girl wave her hand on her face. She looked like ready to enter a comatose state.

Sasuke answered her, knowing exactly what the emerald eyed girl's main concern was and he took much pride over the fact that he was the one that was making her restless.

Or so he thought, because Sakura was, in fact, thinking about dancing, homework, Nutella and Sasori. But not in that exact order. Chocolate and friends came first. "No."

"Whatever. Let's see...what do we have in here..." Seeing the way Neji was more like sailing than driving, she turned around and started to roam into his trunk, while the Hyuga threw glances at her from the rear mirror.

"What the hell is with all this junk food, have you robbed McDonald's? Oh, tortilla and cheese chips, come to mama!"

His pale eyes went wide in horror. That mocha eyed girl could eat like an elephant, especially junk food. His food. "Don't you dare touching my chips!"

"Don't you dare threatening me after you kidnapped me, you creep. Now shut up and focus, I don't want us to die together, because I won't get the chance to see you suffer and people are going to believe we had a bond."

She took a huge bag of unhealthy food, keeping it in between her legs, stuffing her face with chips. She was audibly munching them just to annoy Neji further.

"Ten Ten...I am running out of patience. Put...the chips...back into the trunk."

"Meh, as long as you don't run out of gas too, then it is cool. Here Sak, share the wonders of getting fat with your friend." She held the bag towards a reluctant Sakura who looked in horror at all the fats and calories it contained.

"Ahm...I should not do this if I want to join the dancing team."

"Oh c'mon, one is not going to kill you. Starting tomorrow, I will personally come and jog with you."

She eyed the bag for another moment, pouting. "...do they have chilli sauce?"

"Duh! Extra spicy! Is the only thing that this cretin does properly, namely buying snacks." Sakura nodded once smiling at her grinning looking in bliss friend, slipping her hand into the bag, took a full fist, stuffing her mouth.

Sasuke felt the need to let everyone know that his friend was not able to do anything proper, just to hear Ten Ten curse him more. He might have gone insane if he was amused by that.

Or maybe it was because he was trying to cease Sakura's luscious kissable pink lips out of his mind.

Did he really want to slip his tongue fully inside her mouth and French kiss her, until their lungs would explode of so much oxygen deprivation? Answer: yes! "Actually, I bought the food."

"Oh, so that leaves Hyuga with nothing good. Hahaha!"

"Thanks for the support Uchiha. It is you who I want to murder the most right now." Neji hissed to his shrugging friend, punching his shoulder. Good thing he drove an automatic, so he had a free to make justice right hand.

"Keep your fucking eyes on the road and stop hitting all this holes, for fuck's sake, it feels like I am riding a roller-coaster."

Indeed, Sasuke has seen many poor drivers, but Hyuga as even worse than his girl cousin and it took her ten times the required time to get home from the club, driving his convertible.

Neji exhaled deeply and loudly, visibly tired and angered by the people occupying his car, who acted like they have formed a secret alliance to drive him nuts.

He secretly craved for Sakura to get contagious of Ten Ten syndrome and give Hell to Sasuke, but the aspiring dancer was acting like the Uchiha was invisible. "I am surrounded by idiots."

Ten Ten banged her leg on his chair for the millionth time, managing to kick him in one of the ribs he had broken a while ago, during a martial arts competition, making him wince. "My thoughts exactly! Ooh, do I spot Coke right there? Neji, you have Coke and you haven't told me?! Sweet addiction, here I come!" Of course the familiar famous label, flashing on the bottle caught her eye. If there has been a bad habit they have cultivated together it was drinking tons of Cola.

"Ten Ten, stop eating my food, I am not running a freaking cafeteria in here!"

"Hey, I am doing you a favor. You have put on weight in the last few weeks. And here I thought you were the one that worked hard. Pff...All the fast food is only going to get you this far." She said putting the bottle in between her thighs, sharing potato chips with an equally starving Sakura.

"I swear you are getting on my-"

"Are you an idiot, Hyuga, or rain has washed away any trace of your barely there intellect? You have just missed the street." Sasuke growled deeply into his chest, turning on his seat to look at the sign with the street's name, feeling the urge to kick his friend out of the car and take the steering wheel.

He was wet, hungry and he craved for some alcohol into his liver, and his moronic whipped brown haired friend tried to be funny.

"Where are we going exactly?" Sakura found herself asking the obvious, not quite caring as long as they were inside a vehicle that moved.

Unlike Sasuke and the rest, she was freezing and Tsunade's Ginkgo Biloba pills had no effect on her. She was thin and she didn't have enough fat on her body to keep her warm.

"With this two? Probably in jail or Hell. Whichever comes first. Or some brothel they would have in..." She stopped for a moment, thinking hard. Suddenly, horrid images filled her mind, making her want to puke, but she would lose the taste of the chips and that would have been a shame.

She was so not prepared to accompany him inside the place that had so many memories of them engraved into the walls, but the odds were against her. For a moment, she foolishly thought they were heading back to Jacksonville. "...don't freaking tell me...Hyuga...are we going to your damn..."

"His house, obviously. "Sasuke said annoyed with all the clamor. He was frustrated to no end by the fact that, not only he was being sex deprived, but he had to deal with a Sakura he could not reach.

The raven haired Uchiha didn't have Shikamaru's patience when it came to women's troublesome attitude, nor did he have Naruto's passion to barge into their lives, until he stripped them off all their secrets, befriending everything that moved.

"House? Do you own a home in here?"

"It is one of my uncle's holiday houses, if you want to put it like this. He let me use it whenever I want and barely anyone from my family comes here. They prefer the one from the mountains for ski facilities."

Neji stated on a proud, solemn tone that made Ten Ten slap her forehead once, while she had a hand roaming freely inside the trunk, digging for more food. The way he said it like it was him the one that worked to earn the money, not someone else, was ironic and laughable in her eyes.

"...translated into English, it is a brothel."

For a moment, Sakura actually took Ten Ten's words literately, freaking out. The girl with the eyes like hazelnuts started to laugh when she realized what was her rosy haired friend thinking about.

Well, she kind of knew what purpose was that house serving, so she was not far from the truth. "A what?!"

Ten Ten shrugged once, searching for another pack of chips, much to the boys' horror. That was the only edible thing they had and sure enough no one was going to find a supermarket in there, open.

Plus, it was raining like there was no tomorrow and sporadic thunders and lightning were striking the sky. "This is the place where he throws all his parties and gets laid, most of the time, when his family thinks he is studying."

"Are you done denigrating me?"

"Why, can you deny the facts? No? That is what I have thought. Man, can this stupid rain get any worse than this? Put that volume up, I wanna hear."

All of them listened to the forecast, because Neji didn't feel in the mood to search for a local music radio station.

Well, it was not like they were working anyways. "According to the satellite, a big storm is going to hit Jacksonville and its surroundings. Thunderstorms and heavy rain is expected. All the citizens are warned not to leave their homes, until tomorrow afternoon. All the flights have been cance-"

Sasuke turned the radio off, switching to some rock CD that his friend had into the player, rubbing his face. That was worse than he thought.

Sakura let her head hit the headrest, not believing her ears. A storm was something serious. God only knew how long it would last while they were trapped inside Neji's home...whenever they would reach the destination.

Suddenly, Ten Ten eating all the junk food seemed like a bad idea, even for her. She started to panic. That was not good. Not good at all. "Great. Just great. I have a project in history to present tomorrow."

"Sucks girl. I had that too. He only gives bad marks."

"Thanks Ten. I needed that."

"Wait a moment! Does it mean we are going to be stuck in Neji's freakish bar aka home for more than twelve hours?! Oh please no..."

"Well no one is forcing you to stay if you don't like it, so stop complaining, my head hurts. I don't understand women..."

She shot back at him angrily, before she took a large gulp of juice. She needed caffeine if she wanted to mentally resist the stress.

Of course she always tried to assure her that everything between she and Neji was finished and she was doing much progress in opening up to new possibilities, but she couldn't do that if she was to spend so much time in his vicinity.

"Of course you don't, because you don't want to do so, you mutant! And I truly hope you have more food than this, either way we are going to resort to cannibalism."

"Don't say that, because it truly starts to feel like those thriller movies I and aunty watch every Friday night. I don't understand why she finds them funny, though. Probably because of the stress getting the best of her."

Ten Ten has realized that one of Sakura's big issues, was negativism. That girl had the mentality of an elder, always complaining of arthritis and how retirement has gotten her into depression.

She was not having the characteristic optimism like all the teens her age. It was good that she was mature, but she was missing important things in life. No risk, no gain.

"I don't know if there is anything left into the fridge. But I am sure I have some alcohol left in there."

Like Neji would ever remember what his maid who came to clean up has put into the fridge. He was not the one to hold his liquor well, like his raven haired friend, but he deduced that he at least had the necessary supplies to not go straight into the mental hospital after that little adventure would be done.

Living with a hating on him Ten Ten under the same roof was like sleeping on dynamite. He newer knew when it was going to explode and blow off his head.

"Great! Like on would be able to live with alcohol! That is only good if you want to incinerate someone you hate and then party all night."

"This is why I keep telling you to stop eating already! You act like a pregnant woman."

"And how would you know what a pregnant woman wants? Don't tell me you have truly managed to impregnate one of those hoes you have quickies with."

"Are you nuts? I wouldn't have done such a shamefully disgraceful act!"

"I am sure you wouldn't...at least not when you were awake, because when you are drunk, you turn into a complete-"

Neji bumped his fist on the steering wheel, turning his head over his shoulder to scream at the chestnut eyed girl, who, in turn, stuck her tongue at him, and gave him the finger. "That's it! If you finish that sentence, I am throwing you outside this car!"

"How can I finish it, when you have so rudely interrupted me?! What is with that crack logic of yours anyways?!"

"Aren't we there already?" Sasuke was having his arms folded upon his chest, counting down the seconds into his brain. If Neji would have gotten them into a car crash, he wanted to be sure of the hour of dead. Was he even looking at the road? Sasuke doubted he did.

Neji had enough of being making fun of, and the onyx eyed boy was acting like he was his boss, which got him riled up.

That Uchiha always had a way to make the others look inferior in comparison and it was beyond annoying. "If you are that smart, why don't you try and drive with all this rain?! I can't fucking see anything!"

"That is an encouraging thought." Sakura sarcastically remarked. It was not like she could have blamed it on him; it was difficult to see a thing into that weather. But she wouldn't take his side, since he was the one making her friend angry and confused.

Sakura was not stupid and she was a woman as well. She realized Ten Ten's internal battle, since she had similar feelings, so she placed a hand on her wrist, discreetly, nodding once, smiling softly. Ten Ten caught the silent message of support, smirking at her.

But, just as the emerald eyed girl was being observant when it came to the other dear people, the chestnut eyed girl too had a good eye for details.

It was the first time since they started their journey when everyone has heard the normal soft sweet tone of Ten Ten. "Hey, are you all right?"

"No Ten, I am wet to the bones and I am freezing, so no, I am not right."

"Gosh...stupid weather...stupid rain...stupid Hyuga and his stupid bad eyesight!"

"I hate you all." Was Neji's earnest confession. He truly did. In fact, it would have been better if he stayed home, secured inside his gigantic room or locked in the training gym his uncle built in the basement and practice kendo.

"This is my line."

"Uchiha..."

"Are you taking attendance or something?! Step on that damned gas and get over with it, there is no one sane roaming around on this streets for you to hit, so go for it!"

"Let him be Ten Ten, I don't want to get to the police as a witness. Is the last place I wanna be."

"You should listen to your friend more Ten Ten. At least one is not a complete loser like the others."

"Don't start insulting my friends Hyuga, or I am going to start on your own ones and Hell if I lack imagination in this department."

Neji stepped on the gas annoyed, splashing water from the puddles on all the windows. His patience was more than running low.

Maybe he should have just let her outside and continue his journey. He had no legal obligation to baby-sit her. "...have you thrown us in a lake?"

"No, but this happens when you go at fifty kmph on this weather! Now can you please shut the hell up and let me focus, before we turn this car into a ferryboat?!"

"You are such a loser, Hyuga. But what can we expect from likes like you? C'mon girl, help me find something sweet. My throat burns from that chilli." He could have tried to act all mighty and mature for all she cared.

Ten Ten actually found herself laughing at the way he tried to imitate his uncle, failing miserably. She felt her appetite grow, like it happened all the times when she was under pressure or stressed.

Plus, rich kids like Neji only bought the best, most expensive and finest selections of sweets, food and alcohol.

"Sweets? I don't think I can feel my fingers anymore." Indeed, Sakura was looking at her purple hands, trying to remember what has Tsunade thought her about how people from Antarctica were surviving at frost level temperatures. Was she the only one freezing in there, even if the heating was turned on? It looked like yes.

"No problem, you only need your mouth to eat something, hands are optional."

A brief silence followed after Ten Ten's statement, all processing how that actually sounded from hormonal grown up teenagers' perverted perspectives.

"Congratulations Ten Ten, for you have managed to make such a simple request come out as debauched. I applaud your genius." Neji would have clapped at her to prove his point, but he wanted to get to his home faster.

"That is because sex is the sole thing that crosses your empty skull. Pervert. Chocolate!"

"No, put that down!" If there was a funnier thing than following Ten Ten and the Hyuga arguing, was the pale boy's addiction to sweets.

Sasuke felt disgusted, looking at his friend like he was the most embarrassing for their gender specimen alive. From that point of view, he was just like that blonde dobe of his friend, who shared the same level of intellect with a Galapagos turtle and his equally lame looser future lawyer of a brother Itachi.

Those two would have gladly sell their miserable souls for sugar, just like Neji.

"What I have found is mine to have." She showed him a long tongue, taking a large bit of chocolate. Sakura eyed her intently. "Peanuts, yummy. I could die happy!"

'Aren't you exaggerating a bit? I mean...there are four of us after all."

Ten Ten waved her hand, enjoying the chocolate, offering some to Sakura as well. She was starting to enjoy herself, in a twisted sadistic and unhealthy way. "Two of us. Who cares about them anyways?"

Sakura shook he head, feeling unable to dig something in...if it was not plums jam or Nutella. That chocolate looked tasty...she blinked once, thinking about dancing and all the fats. It was not worth running two additional laps for a moment of delight. "...this is called eating from stress."

"Ten Ten, stop eating for Pete's sake, it is my food!"

"Less talk, more drive. Aren't we there already?!"

"If this idiot stops losing way to his own home, we will be there eventually."

"Almost there, stop pestering me!"

"Whoa...it looks the same...stupid. Why aren't you painting those walls in another color?! I mean...bright yellow, seriously?! It looks like the City Hall decorated for Christmas."

"How can you say?" Sakura was peeking to the window, furrowing her eyebrows, but she couldn't see a thing. Was her friend that familiar with Neji's home, that she actually managed to spot it right away? That couldn't come as a shock tough, they have been a pair after all. "I can't see anything."

"Smart observation." Sasuke shot back at her, trying to stir a reaction of some sorts, getting none. Was he being ignored? By a girl? Was that apocalypse and no one announced him? Should he start to look out for dead bodies approaching him to eat his brain?

"Honey, there are two things visible from the Moon and those would be the Chinese wall and his house."

"Thanks God we are here. Get down already, you have wetted my whole backseat." He stopped the car, not bothering to gently step on the brake, making the vehicle come to a sudden stop, while all the passengers felt like being inside a plane while landing.

Ten Ten, who was not wearing her seatbelt, flew right on the driver's seat. Neji brought his BMW inside the garage, thanking fate for bringing him safely home. It was a miracle he managed to not hit anything with Ten Ten constantly reminding him how much she loathed him.

"Aren't you all soaked as well?! Damn is cold in here. It is the same thing as being outside. Reluctantly, Neji invited the small group inside the house, turning the lights on.

Of course it was cold inside, since no one has been there for at least two months. It was no problem tough, because he immediately took the remote control and turned the heat on.

Ten Ten followed the other's example and took off the majority of the clothes, remaining in her tank top and jeans. Even she knew how dangerous it was for them to stay wet for so long. "Neji, give us some dry clothes and I truly hope you do have some that are not yours."

"I am not running a damn shop in here."

"Is either you do that or you are going to see me walking around naked."

"..." He eyed her in a funny way, like he was debating whether he should let her fulfill any guy's fantasies or not, well aware that the firecracker of a girl in front of him had it in her to strip of all the clothes and give the audience gathered in the spacious living room an exclusive show. The word 'modesty' was not part of her vocabulary.

"Hyuga..." Sasuke would not just stay there partaking into their hidden perverted ideas of getting cheesy with each other, in their own deprived and sadistic twisted way, so he let his friend know that he should get his facts straight and act like a grown up for the first time in his life.

If he was not aware of all the illnesses they could get, then who? Besides, a quick look at the pink haired girl immediately let him know that she was probably feverish.

"Up into my room. You know where it is."

Ten Ten rolled her eyes, throwing her jacket on the floor, not wanting to wet the couch or armchairs. "I still have nightmares with it. C'mon girl. I am so going to get sick, I can feel it."

"Ah...yeah. Thanks, Neji." Sakura thanked him as politely as she could, following Ten Ten upstairs, taking in her surroundings.

It was not bad at all. The decorations were modern and nothing was too exaggerated. It was indeed expensive, but nothing flashy. Contrary to how Neji really was.

"Whatever. It is not like I would like to see her parading in here naked." Was he having troubles with expressing himself?

Ten Ten felt a dizziness washing through her system, not believing her ears. Was the Hyuga actually having fun on her expense? Maybe she should punch him first then go change clothes? That sounded tempting.

"He's lying!" The chocolate eyed girl shouted from his room, hearing what he said about her.

When the door of Neji's room has closed, Sasuke threw his tired body on the couch, letting his head rest on the headrest. Good thing he had a windstopper, so he was not all that wet like the others. Neji took off all his clothes, revealing his bare torso, joining his raven haired friend on the sofa. "This is fucked up."

"Yeah...there goes all the fun."

"Does it bother you?" Neji started suddenly, making Sasuke wonder if his friend has been possessed by demons. Since when was he interested in such deep conversations?

Was he talking about Sakura? Of course he was bothered but it was not for the fact that she was there. It was something else that made him edgy, but he couldn't quite place the feelings he had. "That she is here?"

"Should it bother me?"

"What about the other-"

"We don't have signal, have you forgotten?"

"...what if they came here, while Sakura and Ten Ten are present?"

"So what? What we do is not their problem. Have you grown soft all of sudden or..."Sasuke let the rest of the sentence linger, knowingly.

Since when have they started to care for what the others said? Girls especially. They did everything they wanted and got whatever they wanted, without breaking a sweat. That was the way it has always been.

Apparently, Neji's mind was fixed on his ex girlfriend, because all that he was thinking about ever since they made out at the club, he just acted like he was one of the nerds that had troubles in getting a date to the Prom, which was a laughable and pathetic thing to do if he still wanted to be called popular.

Although, Sasuke knew how things really were and what popularity really meant. In the Hyuga's case, the other students feared him, instead of respecting him. "You have seen her. She is going to give us Hell."

"She is only going to give you hell. That if you allow her." Sasuke was not there to sort out his problems. He was there to let it lose and that was what he did.

Feeling like being rebel and more of his character, he also took off his T-Shirt and jacket, heading towards the kitchen, with a bottle of Gin in his left hand. "You don't have enough tact to make her listen to you."

"Fuck..."

.

.

.

---

Ten Ten and Sakura were up into Neji's room, trying to prolong the unavoidable encounter with the two guys downstairs, neither of them wanting to face their respective problematic boy.

Ten Ten dived into his drawer, searching for things to wear, while Sakura was biting her nails, a hand placed on her hip, pacing around the room, in only her panties.

Her bra was too wet to be kept glued to her body. Her friend was in the same situation. "This is a disaster Ten. I can't believe our bad luck. Have you broken a mirror in the last seven years?"

"I have no idea. I lost the count of things I have broken so far. Noses and jaws included."

"What do we do now? I don't want to stay here with him for God only knows how long."

"I know girl, it sucks major balls, but at least we got lucky it was not some creep to be the one to stop the car. It is not all that bad...well it is but at the same time, it is not. Is this logical?"

"I have no idea."

As for her part, Ten Ten was kind of having fun. She was sadistic and liked to roam into other's stuff, so she took her time to laugh at Neji's socks with Christmas motifs and red boxers, finding more things to blackmail him with.

Inwardly she tried to fight back the sadness threatening to take over her senses. She craved for the moment when she would proudly say she was free from his haunting memory.

"Hey, relax, it is going to be fine. You are not alone. I am here with you, I will stick to you all the time. Stupid Hyuga as well. This house is big, so we don't have to see their faces all day."

In a desperate attempt to fight her own demons, her chestnut eyed friend and her apparently carefree way of being was exactly what she needed.

In a way, she was glad to get to know Ten Ten better and maybe take a part of the strength she was displaying and use it to built a shield around her heart, so no one would be able to step into her playground and hurt her so easily. "Have you been here before? Though I imagine that would be obvious."

"I have. Many times, whenever there was a party. Sometimes, he would bring me here to have...fun. Or escape his family. We didn't just fuck 24/7, you know?"

"I know there was much more between you two. What do you mean escape his family?"

Ten Ten took out an oversized dark green T-Shirt she found suitable for her friend, throwing it towards her. "Here, try this on. I don't know if I have told you before, but Neji is an orphan.

His uncle, Hina's dad, had a twin brother, Hizashi Hyuga, who worked in the Navy. He died during a mission in Syria, three months after he divorced his wife. He lives with his uncle ever since, but they barely get along well."

Sakura eyed the rock band designed on it, fighting the urge to confirm with her friend if her own similar piece of clothing she wore on Monday was a couple one. She put it on nonetheless, relishing into the warmth of high quality cotton.

She was beyond trembling and she was not that comfortable with the idea of being naked into a guy's home...or room. "Wow, that is some story you have. Is this why he acts like...this?"

"You mean like an ass all the times? Kind of. Damn, what the Hell...red pants?! And here I thought he had better taste..." She turned around to look at Sakura, who was eying her confused.

"He and his father got into a pretty big fight right before the accident. He never got the chance to say he was sorry. It kind of...affected him."

"So he is somehow...like me." The emerald eyed girl started out of sudden, but she couldn't help to voice out her thoughts. Ten Ten eyed her in a dumbfounded way. Was that girl really trying to relate her tragic story to any other she heard or was she simply taking his side?

"I don't think he was practicing dancing at that time."

"True." Sakura went towards Neji's king sized bed, thrown her body on the silk burgundy mattress, covering her forehead with her arm. "I still don't want to go downstairs."

"Then stay here. He still has four additional rooms, excluding the living room and the basement, so he has more than enough space to spare."

"...please don't tell me that all your stories about basements are related to this basement."

As far as she was concerned, Ten Ten has always lived her life at fullest and never once regretted what she did, as long as they were all her own decisions, including the Hyuga and their relationship.

Indeed the house was awaking past memories inside her mind and shaken her much practiced indifference, but on the other hand, it was also a test to confirm that she was on the right way to make peace with her past and indeed, move over.

"In fact, it is that particular one. What, you couldn't have possibly thought that I would do it in my basement, have you?"

"As long as you don't share any detail, I am not going to ask." Not only was she sharing the house with perverts, but the mental images were starting to be fueled by her vivid imagination and Sakura was still arguing with her damn hormones responsible with the dark fugitive images she had involving Sasuke`s touch, and the moment was more than inappropriate.

She took the right decision to stay away from him, Sakura was aware, but she felt that she needed something more to trigger her real resolve.

He was good and he knew what he was doing and that particular manipulative side, that hammered into the skull, implanting artificial emotions was the thing she absolutely loathed him for. Nothing about Sasuke seemed genuine.

Ten Ten came beside her, resting on her side, nibbling her lower lip, while she was combing her untied damp hair with her fingers. She knew what Sakura's problem was, but it didn't have to be that tragically.

In fact, if they would be able to fight bitterness with sarcasm and fine irony, they could have much fun.

"Ah, c'mon girl, have some patience with this crazy friend of yours. It is not like I can talk about this to Hina, she is too innocent for this. And don't make me start with the boys, though Choji might soon graduate."

"Graduate? From where?"

"The virgin's club, obviously."

Sakura rolled her eyes, snorting once. One couldn't just get angry with Ten Ten's disarming honesty. Her bluntness was funny because, unlike the others, she was good willed, even if she was not that much of an eloquent lady as Hinata.

"God Tennie..." She rested her head on her hand, eying the lavender painted walls. "You can talk to me, I don't mind. But don't expect advices, `cos I have no idea how...that works."

"Aren't you eager to find out?"

"...with Sasori?"

Ten Ten shrugged once absentmindedly, following the pattern of the light shaded painted wall, feeling her friend's unexpected hesitation.

Was Sakura the type of girl who wished for a romantic fairytale and secretly wished to find the one Prince Charming to cover her in white roses and spoil her with fine chocolate and sweet chaste kisses?

She wondered. For the chestnut girl, it was an alien concept. "With whomever you might want."

"Is it that good, or just something mandatory for those who long to be in trend at this age?" Truthfully, the emerald eyed girl was quite scared of the prospect of going as far as intimacy between she and a possible guy could go and just like Hinata, she too had her hesitations.

The major concern was the lack of trust. Whether it was in her partner or herself, she didn't' t know for sure. It was pretty awkward to think of that considering their situation, but she somehow felt that Ten Ten's sudden burst was not at all random.

Ten Ten rolled on her tummy, gripping the edge, pouting, thinking about how lucky she was to have met such a girl like Sakura. Even if the topic was probably making her feel uncomfortable, the girl did her best to listen. "It depends on the reason why you do it...and the person...I guess."

"That was deep. And? How was with Neji?"

She took a moment to respond, considering the best answer to come up with to describe how she really felt but it was difficult since she wanted to make peace with the past and move on. She was young after and the world didn't start or end with Neji. "Different."

"Different as in...unique? Strange?"

"Special."

"So what went wrong then?"

"Trust. We lost trust. And that...was a barrier we couldn't overcome together anymore."

"What if you gain it back? Will it work again? Do you have all the other elements except for trust for your relation to work again like before?"

"Whoa, I feel like I am at the psychologist. Don't ask. I had my moments, and a mother whose best friend has graduated from psychology. My alcohol and smoke addiction got her the LLB. I...honesty don't know, but I am still considering giving it a try. You know what the other element, as you like to call it, can be a major obstacle in a relationship, Sakura?"

Sakura gave her a weak sympathetic smile in apology, because even tough she was able to grasp what Ten Ten's main concern was, she didn't know what to say to help her.

Trust was a big thing in her view and hearing it coming from her friend let Sakura know that maybe people around her were not that superficial after all and it only depended on the way outsiders would look at their situation.

"Do you accept an answer from a teenage magazine? Cos this girl here, doesn't have experience in this department."

"Pf...those shit are full of retarded schizophrenic trolls, that misplaced their pills, so no. Time. Time can cure everything, but it can erase the past as well."

She reflected upon the information, feeling that indirectly it was addressed to her was well. Could time wash away the memories that were her sole companions and haunted her through all her childhood? "Do you really think that time can...make you forget about what has been taken from you?"

Ten Ten put an arm protectively around her pink haired friend's shoulders, shaking her for a brief as to prove her point. That friend of hers needed to focus on what she could have had in the future not on the things she lost and could never be returned to her.

"Girl, stop living into the past. Do you really think that your mom wants to see you depressed and grieving all day? Let it go already. It has been six years, Sakura. Six years. If you don't do it for yourself, at least do it for her."

Sakura listened to the rain drumming on the window, being suddenly entrapped by the fast loud tempo the heavy raindrops were creating.

She hated storms and she hated rain. She was born in spring, so she was supposed to shine and have bright eyes and blushing cheeks, like the flowers in bloom engraved into her name.

Yet, her soul has been made of autumn's painted yellow and burgundy colors. Such a shame. "I hate rain. A lot. And thunderstorms. I am afraid."

"I hate them too. But hey, I hate Neji as well and that didn't kill me...yet. Hehe, let's go downstairs and raid his kitchen, until those dinosaurs are going to devour everything."

"Yada..."

"I have no idea what that means, but I do hope it means ok."

"...noooo..." Ten Ten waited for her to finish, crossing her arms upon her hest, leaning on the door's frame, an eyebrow curled up, amused.

Sakura was staying on her butt, with her legs folded underneath, gripping her toes like a baby, pouting comically. "I am hungry. Tennie, feed me!"

"Bwhahaha, here, let me take a pic. Damn aren't you cute like this...and Neji's clothes...fuck this is blackmail."

Before the pink haired dancer had a chance to protest, Ten Ten was already enjoying some very panoramic views of her emerald eyed dancer friend in all her glory, dressed in her ex boyfriend's clothes. They looked like part of his harem.

Sakura gripped a pillow, burying her face into it, protesting, but her muffled sounds only made the chestnut eyed girl laugh at her even further.

Well, they were trying to have a little fun and not give the two boys downstairs the satisfaction to see their effect on them, revealing how distressed and anxious they were to share the same space.

It meant an unnecessary sense of control and power, which the two girls were not allowing to happen. "Stop, don't take that, I know I look awful."

"No honey, you looked awful when we were in the rain. Now you have upgraded to horrible. But that is all right, we both look like shit, so it kinds of make us soul sisters. Then we can go upstairs and take a shower."

"Can I have a photo of you in those shorts as well?"

"Fuck no, I have a reputation to keep!" Clad in a pair of sports long trousers and an equally drowning T-Shirt, was not actually part of Ten Ten's everyday wardrobe, even tough she preferred casual clothing. That was far too embarrassing.

"Not fair, you have mine! Ten, erase it!" Sakura's jade orbs widened at the way Ten Ten stuck her tongue outside defiantly, opening the door, charging outside as if to dare her friend to follow her, wasting no time in jumping off the bed, sprinting downstairs to take the compromising device and erase the photos.

"Nope, I am going to keep it for when I am depressed!"

"Mean!"

.

.

.

---

Downstairs, two boys were having their own troubles, but they were dealing with them like two responsible grown up high school guys, meaning drowning in alcohol and smoking, so as to make up for the inability to sulk.

Tough popular boys were not doing things like sulking, that was for nerds and girls. But it didn't mean they were having the time of their life either, for both knew how many problems they might have encounter with such volcanic personalities and they were not quite in the mood for a teenage diva drama.

"I am fucking freezing." Neji told Sasuke out of sudden, after the raven haired Uchiha promptly sent him to the garage and put the drinks they have bought to good use, both lying on the sofa, prompting their arms on the headrest and their legs spread over the glass coffee table, drinking, half naked, like they were on Tenerife, on the sun lounger.

"Then get a damn T-Shirt or a blanket. Or go turn the heater on."

"I am too lazy to do that."

"Don't turn into Shikamaru."

"Hardly. I don't spend five minutes in front of the mushrooms in the cafeteria, calculating the possibility of them being poisonous."

Sasuke snorted once, thinking if their insanely smart lazy friend had the exact attitude in bed as well. Maybe that was the reason girls were not exactly waiting in line to be with him, tough he didn't lack in any aspect. "That is one idiot genius."

"Yeah...but I will still not move my ass out of this coach." A brief pause to take one more gulp followed, while Sasuke passed his bottle to his friend.

Coal eyes drifted to the not so good looking Hyuga beside him, while he mentally asked himself whether his friend was truly sincere with his own feelings for one spitfire girl he knew as well.

Neji was having sentimental problems that were quite uncharacteristically mature for his age and Sasuke understood why exactly: he experienced too much drama in his life, so the topic family and relationships that were connected was something he didn't cope well with and liked to dive into, like an old man, with a lot of life experience.

Ten Ten was one of the few persons to know about his father's death, or his parent's fights, so it was quite natural for him to still find it difficult to let it go, but weren't they supposed to be just 18?

Was he really expecting to live together with the first serious relationship he had in high school? Was that even possible? Sasuke had no answer, because his thoughts were too far away from his pale eyed almost intoxicated friend.

"What did that announcer dude say about some storm tonight? Are we really stuck in here till tomorrow afternoon?"

"Who knows? Probably."

Neji furrowed his eyebrows taking in the too bored, neutral and nonchalant attitude of his midnight haired friend. Not even a muscle pulled or a single twitch washing over his features were noticed and that made him curious and suspicious.

That Uchiha could have been an unemotional antisocial jerk, but so was Neji, which automatically implied virtual mutual understanding. There were things crossing through his mind, but he didn't want to share them.

Good, because they had Naruto as the psychologist on duty, so he would let the blonde do his job, first hour in the morning.

Neji had no interest in hearing how Sasuke was trying to be he perfect replica of his cool uncle, mimicking his detached demeanor, but failing miserably when it came to the color pink and dancing girls. He was laughable and worth of all his bashings.

Too bad Neji was not in the mood for talking. "Aren't you in the slightest annoyed of this fact?"

"Why should I bother with things I cannot control?"

"Maybe because the girl you want to jump seems to not be that eager to be here?"

"Who said something about me wanting to-"

---

Ding Dong

---

Both froze for a moment when the front door's ring bell echoed through the then going silent living room, promising torture, and the sinister atmosphere amplified by the coming up storm outside made the boys wonder whether Sakura's scenarios weren't just a figment of her paranoid imagination.

In that second, they processed two things: Sakura and Ten Ten were heading downstairs and there was someone they were expecting outside. "No...you've got to be kidding me!"

"Wow, I think there is someone at the door." Ten Ten descended two stairs at once, knotting the oversized white T-Shirt she got from her previous boyfriend, revealing a part of her toned flat abdomen, in a stylish way, addressing her chaser pink haired friend, trying to ignore Neji.

Ignoring Sasuke was no problem since they had nothing to say to each other to begin with. She lifted an eyebrow at the two unmoving boys on the sofa. Were they deaf or was the bell not ringing?

"On this weather? Really? Are you guys expecting someone?" Sakura didn't make the necessary connections at that time, probably because she was busy ignoring a certain overexposed -damn those deep carved muscles- chest and get the phone out of Ten Ten's grip, but the rest did, her friend especially.

"Oh no! You didn't..." She had a brief exchange of stares with Neji to confirm her suspicion, during which her almond shaped eyes darkened and crept open like saucers, blazing lasers through the rooted in place Hyuga, then she lunged towards the front door, beating him to it and in a blink of an eye threw the door open, almost making it bang on the side wall.

Her mocha shaped eyes flew open in shock at the sight of two drenched school mates she knew resting in the porch.

"The Ten, wait..." Neji was not fast enough to stop the disaster from happening. He would have never imagined that those two girls would eventually show up to his home on such a weather. Maybe they have been caught by the heavy rain on the road.

"Huh?! Ten Ten?" One of the girls mirrored the same dumbfounded expression washing the said athlete girl's face.

Of course, being called by Neji Hyuga for a hot encounter and some fun together, then finding his ex girlfriend there answering the door, clad in what looked like his clothes, was something she couldn't have seen it coming.

"Who else would you expect, J.F. Kennedy?!"

"Is she supposed to be here?" Dana tapped her friend's shoulder whispering into her ear. Meanwhile, Ten Ten's blood went from burning to turning into boiling lava.

Neji attempted to come beside a murderous looking Ten Ten and somehow prevent a catastrophe to happen, but the situation was miles away out of his reach the moment he heard Ten Ten let out a throaty 'heh' dripping of venom and sarcasm. "Quit it woman, this is my home, let them en-"

She snapped her head over her shoulder, hearing the bones of her spine crack at the force and the stare she gave him made all the occupants of the living room flinch. She was livid.

"You..." She started menacingly low. "...you motherfucking good for nothing son of a bitch..." she had troubles articulating and her tone was harsh and high. "...so this is why you were so adamant in not driving home, instead choosing to come here at any cost!"

"...I can expl-"

"What is going on here Ten? Who is it?" Sakura asked confused, trying to make out who could have been at the door to provoke such an outlandish reaction from Ten Ten.

Sure the girl had a wild outgoing temper, but something was not right. And that something told her not to go and check out herself, but to stay where she was, meaning keeping the distance. Sasuke chose to remain silent. He knew who it was and it could have been described through a single representative word: Disaster.

"Hey, would you step the hell aside and let us pas-"

"This two worthless roundworms" she pointed towards the two boys, interrupting Dana, not even trying to hide the fact that such behavior was worth nothing before her eyes. "...have planned an orgy with their respective sluts..."she gestured to the two girls being made to remain in the doorstep. "...and we are kind of in their fucking way! Is this answering your question?!"

It was not her tone that bothered Sakura, for she saw her friend's more than justified fury. It was realization the one that knocked the wind out of her lungs and got her dizzy.

She had the undeniable proof of how Sasuke was, when she looked into the captain's of the handball team eyes, who in turn, did nothing to acknowledge her, like the situation was not bothering her. "What?"

"Ten Ten, stop this-"

"Who exactly are you calling a whore?! Do you want me to beat you-"

"You!" Ten Ten turned to face the girls, and her enraged expression spoke volumes. "Evaporate from my field of view, until I count down to five, either way no plastic surgery is going to save your ugly disfigured faces, after I am done with you!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Get lost!" She banged the door on their faces, hearing an 'ouch', probably hitting one of them in the forehead. She ignored the screams.

"And you..." As if she has been intently practicing moving in slow motion like in a horror movie for decades to prove her point, Ten Ten took her time to turn around and shot Neji a dead glare that made the hair at the back of his neck lift, keeping him glued to the floor.

She cut the distance until they were face to face and slapped him. Not once, but twice, making his head turn on his side at the impact. "...I should spit you in your damn face for this, but I don't want to be on your level. Bringing me here, while you knew those hookers would be here as well...is this your mighty revenge?! Huh?! Say it Hyuga!"

Neji said nothing. He was too stunned to even mutter a single gesture. No one ever did that to him ever since his mother found out he was smoking. It was a slap of shame he knew he deserved.

His head was still kept on the side and his lavender dazed eyes were stuck to the floor. A graveyard like silence followed and it was anything but pleasant. The only sounds were the rain washing the streets and the two other girls, who have been thrown into the streets, banging on the door, probably not believing their eyes that Ten Ten has shut the door into their faces, like she owned the place.

No one bothered with them. Sasuke couldn't care less for his friend deserved it. But what bothered him, was Sakura giving him the most heartbreaking disappointed stare he ever saw on a girl or woman.

He darted his eyes to his left and let them clash with livid forest green ones. "Is it true?"

"It depends on which part of the story you are referring to."

"...you...she...they are here to..." Sakura felt the surroundings blur. She put a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes.

It was like she has just awoken from a comatose like state and all her senses were shooting on her brain, filling the empty missing pages of her memory with words, rows and images she didn't want to see or read.

Everything fell into place and it was the most tearing lucidity she has ever experienced. She had the proof of her infatuation being nothing more than an empty delusional childish shell, too worthless to be considered a dream. Suddenly, she felt extremely sick and weakened.

"I am so stupid." Then she started to laugh...hysterically. It caught everyone's attention, even the Hyuga's, who was experiencing similar emotions, but of a different cause. "Hahaha! I am so fucking IMBECILE!"

"Sakura?" Ten Ten truly felt her friend's emotions and she realized that the undeniable proof of Sasuke being just another cheap human living, without moral values, self respect and consideration, was shaking the pink haired dancer's ground. Ten Ten has long realized that Sakura was reminiscent to how Hinata was thinking: both were incurable dreamers, longing for the blue sky and infinite roses gardens blooming into their hearts, refusing to live into the decadent word and accept its flaws. She knew it hurt.

A lot. And suddenly, she had another person to put down on her black list. As if one more would have made any difference.

"And yet part of me truly wanted to give you the presumption of innocence…"

"..." Sasuke said nothing. She looked mad and it was scary considering that her hair was damp and she was drowning into his friend's clothes...that kind of shown much skin...soft skin...he blinked once in disbelief. What the hell was he thinking about?

Sakura turned around to face her friend and every single thing into her attitude turned bitter, cold, sarcastic and unrecognizable, as if she has been hiding her true self all along. I am a stupid...Tennie, do you realize how dumb we look right now?!"

Ten Ten told her firmly, ignoring Neji's panting behind and whatever he had to mutter. "No, if someone is not at fault in here, it is us."

"Fool...I have been a damn fool..." She took two steps backwards, fisting her hands into her already messy short hair, looking in the verge of doing something she normally wouldn't.

"Hey, Sakura, where are you-"

"I need release!" Just as abruptly, Sakura passed Ten Ten and Neji, heading towards the garage. The chestnut eyed girl truly thought Sakura was going to take Neji's car, and weather be damned. She was willing to follow her. Whatever was fine just to not let the suddenly illuminated friend of hers alone.

"What?! Wait-"

"You are going nowhere. Not until we talk." Neji caught her hand the moment Ten Ten wanted to sprint after a gone Sakura. Apparently, he too came to his senses and the palm prints on his cheek were more than suggestive. So was his determination.

"Talk?! What is there to talk about, you fucker?! Go after your slut and bring her back to fuck her, like you intended to!"

"You don't understand, I can explain-"

"Explain, what?! There is nothing to explain in here, for I understand it perfectly! You thought I would stay and watch you flirt with everything that moves, while you fool around with the school's tramps?! First Amy, now Pakura, from the Tennis club?! You deserve to be killed with stones!"

"Why are you always jumping into conclusions, without listening to me first?!"

"Because I have no intention to listen to your ridiculous excuses, Hyuga! What? Are you going to tell me you were going to do group study?! Did she want you to tutor her?!"

She pointed out to Sasuke, who was glued to the window, probably trying to determine whether the two girls who were going to turn the high school into a gossip field the next day after that stunt, or could he have been worried about a disappeared Sakura, looking like she wanted to make a run from the mental hospital?

He caught the meaning and allusion of Ten Ten's speech, but chose to remained silent. There was no point in arguing with Neji's master.

"How do you know we weren't going to do just that?"

"Because your trunk is full of alcohol, chips and condoms, for Pete's sake! Which one of the aforementioned stuff do we need for school?! What classes require these things?! Religion?! Math?! Are you teaching hoes how to divide two vaginas to two dicks?! Get real, I am not your ordinary brainless fan girls, Hyuga!"

Ten Ten couldn't believe her eyes. Neji truly wasn't realizing his mistake and that stirred her even further.

And he even had the nerves to demand explanations. Maybe she hasn't punched him hard enough. "Why don't you listen to the reason why I called them here, then?"

"Because, and this is the last time I am going to repeat myself, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT IT! Like I don't grasp the reason why I am here, except for being made fun of."

"Let's go upstairs, wait until you calm down and then listen to what I have to-"

"Give me your car keys." She cut him off just as sudden, combing her hair backwards with her available hand, throwing heated glances at the pale eyed Hyuga.

"...what for?"

"To go look for UFOs landing on the fields...to drive it back home, you cretin, what else for?!"

She couldn't have been serious, Neji deduced. No sane person would drive on such a weather. Good thing Dana also had a home somewhere nearby, so that kind of didn't make it their responsibility. His answer was firm. "No."

"Just give them damn it, I am going to pay for the gas and drive it to your home!"

"Ten Ten, you are going nowhere on this weather. You cannot drive into that storm."

"Ah, no?! If those pathetic excuses of women are able to do it, then I am so going to do that as we-"

"You are not like them!" That made her flinch at the sudden light flickering into his eyes. She has been able to read the unspoken words clearly and it frightened her. 'I don't care about them, but I want you to be safe.'

"...you..."

"...my room. Come."

"You won't see me walking in there with only you around, for as many days I have left!" He was already heading to the staircase, pulling Ten Ten after him, who was protesting and mentally deciding the best way to kick him unconscious and free herself.

"Ten Ten, stop making this more difficult than...did you get that from my car?" He suddenly addressed to Sakura who paraded back with one bottle of Tequila in one hand, two packs of Tortilla chips in the other and a bag of peanuts and caju in between her teeth, marching towards the kitchen.

She acknowledged no one, while she shut the door with her foot, leaving three stunned people behind. "That friend of yours...is weirder than the rest. And she is eating my food."

Ten Ten stomped on his foot, making him choke on his spit. Good thing she was wearing no shoe or high heels, either ways his bone would have been broken. "Like you are in any position to criticize my friends! First look at your own, you clown!"

"Aish! Stop hitting me if you don't want me to reciprocate."

"Oh, so now are you showing your true barbaric colors?! You brute, bring it on! I am not afraid to kick your ass again!"

"Don't provoke me, I don't want to hurt you..."

"Too late for that, don't you think?!"

"You guys are annoying." Sasuke went into the garage to roam for alcohol cos he needed much, inspired by Sakura, who apparently, decided to turn into her aunt. He got no response, but he heard some winnings coming from Neji and the familiar enchanting sound of a vase and a glass break.

Should he take popcorn as well? Those two were...interesting to watch.

.

.

.

---

Sakura had three bags of unhealthy food displayed in front of her and a bottle of Tequila she was trying to drink of, but found it too difficult to do so.

There had to be something to take away the strong taste and the burning sensation but she didn't remember to mix it with juice.

Nonetheless, she was stuffing her face with chips using both her hands, occasionally banging her head on the table.

"Fuck..." bang "...my..." bang "...life!" bang "...damn it hurts!"

"Stupid arrogant antisocial manwhore and his hoards of hookers...and I was almost one of them!" She messed her fingers hair. "Aaah! Stupid Sakura stupid Sakura stupid..."

Her emerald eyes shot open when she remembered how she asked him to tutor her in chemistry. Bang, she hit the table again.

Why were people doing such irresponsible things, without thinking first? Oh yeah, lack of experience, as if that could have passed as excuse. "I want to die!"

"Don't make me punch your face again Hyuga and stop running, you coward!"

Curious at the sounds that were coming from the living room, Sakura took her chips and opened the door, being welcomed with an interesting scene. It has been half an hour since she took monopoly of the kitchen, wanting to see no one in front of her.

The disappointment and repugnant realization of Sasuke`s horrible demeanor was making her reeling into both anger and...something she didn't have a name for, but it burned her chest and stomach in the same way as Tequila.

Neji and Ten Ten were having a wrestling match into the living room, both panting and sweating, not caring if they were hitting objects, screaming at one another.

Well more like Ten Ten throwing punches into a defending and not reciprocating Hyuga, who was only paring. Sakura took a fist of the bacon flavored triangular chips, leaning into the door frame, debating if she should interfere.

"Nah, she is good at this." she prompted her shoulders on the doorway munching. If one couldn't deal with his very own misery, he then should look around and find much worse cases.

Plus, there was something surprisingly funny and lacking murder intent in the way the Hyuga was not violent towards Ten Ten, like his reputation was. Her friend on the other hand...

But just as Ten Ten aimed another well placed punch into Neji's somehow amused figure, a loud thunder, preceded by a bolt of lightning hitting close enough to their neighborhood, threw the whole house into a blackout, making the chocolate eyed girl lose balance because of the sudden blindness and fall on the coach, gripping Neji's hand out of reflex, pulling both of them down, with him hovering above her, noses touching and breaths fanning over each other's lips.

"Get the fuck off me before I bit your nose!"

"If I do this you are no going to listen."

"And if you don't do this, the only thing you are going to listen to is the priest! Let go you molester, or else I am going to deprive you of certain parts!"

"No. I want to talk so we will talk. Besides...what would you possibly do into this...situation?" he whispered sultry referring to the darkness, not that bothered by how close they were.

There has always been something familiar into their closeness that Neji didn't dint bothersome, like in that moment, be it her scent, voice or characteristic alluring aggressiveness.

As far as she was concerned, Ten Ten had troubles in controlling both rage and hormones and, unfortunately, they all leaded to sexual frustration, much to her despair.

She was not at fault that Neji was half bare and looking like he did. "I don't lack ideas and mind telling you, they are all incriminated by law. Don't need light to beat your sorry ass to a pulp."

"Nah, you are going nowhere...besides...I can feel you are quite enjoying yourself." She had her knee right on his groin, due to the way she tried to remove his stiff body from above hers with no success.

Was the motherfucker having a good time, she wondered? She smirked and kicked him hard, making all his muscles flinch in pain.

"Never let your guard down, imbecile!"

She threw him off her, taking advantage of his incapacitated state, throwing him off her on the floor, sprinting upstairs to the attic. "Don't follow me Hyuga, or not even relic hunters are going to discover your dead body!"

Sakura, who was blinking rapidly to adjust her pupils to the darkness, was trying to make out what the two were doing. Their mere conversations was making her laugh.

At least that gave her a reason to not think about a certain manslut, who was haunting some other room of the same house she was into. And she was quite bothered by the lack of electricity.

Ever since her mom died, Sakura felt claustrophobic in darkness. She saw Neji shrugging once, collecting his frame from the carpet, fixing his tossed pants, then go after Ten Ten. "I told her this is how everything starts."

A hand went to the bag she was keeping close to the chest, like a precious gemstone, taking a chips. "What starts?"

Her mind did not process what was happening or who was she speaking to, because her senses were focusing on Neji though she could only made up his silhouette.

"Thriller movies. Two girls alone in a house and two hideous monster-like killers, rose form the dead chasing them to take reveng-" She stopped midway looking on her side. "The hell?! I was eating that!"

"I bought that." Sasuke replied evenly. It was thrilling because they couldn't see each other. "Monsters? Are we that bad?"

Sakura rolled her eyes out of reflex, taking another three chips at once, so as to not leave anything to Sasuke.

Her tone was just as devoid of inner feeling as his. "I applaud your sense of ownership and possessiveness but I don't give a damn. About what you want, especially."

"I don't like your tone. You are not like your crazy friend." The raven haired Uchiha had one thing in mind and that was her desperate attempt to appear unfazed, when in reality she was probably bawling her eyes at the idea of him rendezvousing random girls. Because she liked him, didn't she?

"And I don't like your guts, but you don't hear me voicing it out. Stop being a smartass and don't come close to me. It gives me a bitter...taste." she referred to the drinking fountain, but refrained from using bad.

Not the taste was bad, but the confusion that came with it after was the thing she was trying to cease away of her skull.

"You didn't have problems in getting familiar with me at school, yet you want me to stay away from you now, how is this fair?"

"Hah! I find nothing more amusing that a total player talking about correctitude. Get real, you are being plain ridiculous!"

"How about you stop throwing unsupported insults at me and try to know first, and then speak."

That made her snap. No, that was the moment when Sakura came to her senses, the others being mere hypocrite lies to herself. Nothing but hate. It was the only thing she felt for Sasuke in that moment and it was more than visible. "Now you are truly a funny guy Sasuke.

Either that or you consider me to be an idiot. First you are rendezvousing school sluts in here, then you come and try to kiss me after you rejected my request! Stop being a philosophical hermit, I can see right through your deception. I will not be a fool." Not anymore were the unspoken words.

"So this is what is all about? You are angry because I refused to teach you chemistry and now, you are not mature enough to deal with it? You ARE a fool Sakura, but your foolishness comes from your naivety."

Inwardly, he felt the urge to protect her from being hurt. He was not aware that he was one of the things that hurt her. She had to first protect herself from him.

"Not even close! If you truly think I am angry just because you don't want to tutor me, than you should enroll in the kindergarten, because you have the mental age of a preschooler.

I cannot force someone to do something against his will or give up his free time for doing something less enjoyable. But what pisses me off is how you choose to rub it in my face every damn time, involving Sasori in the equation. Are you jealous or something?"

A small smirk of over practiced self confidence that Sakura hasn't miss-when did he get that close to her-made its way to his lips. Vaguely, clamor was echoing suggestively upstairs, representing one furious Ten Ten and a probably molested Hyuga Neji. "You wish. He is no competition."

"Of course he has no rival, since I have chosen him. But your actions speak otherwise. I will give you credit for being more subtle than Kiba, but kindly save your practiced flirts for your whores, because I value people for more than looks."

"Then stop reacting when I do it. Reacting...like enjoying." Why did he care and why were they having that conversation?

It was a thing Sasuke was not able to explain to himself and he had no idea of why was it so important for him, either.

Was he really bored or there was much more regarding that girl that he refused to acknowledge? He found no answer and it was revolting.

As far as she was concerned, Sakura would nor tolerate anymore of his actions. He could go and play with girls like Dana and Pakura for as much as he wished, for she was not like that in the bit.

She couldn't get over the fact that she almost gave in to his charms. A charm that he was so naturally and consciously make use of to lure foolish brainless obsessed fangirls into his bed.

The mere idea of being under the same sky with him and such people in general was as revolting as the world's hunger. But most of all, she was angry and disappointed with herself.

"I am not enjoying and you cannot read my damn mind like you want me to believe. You just know how to say the smartest thing that fits every similar situation, but this is cheating, not knowing a person for real and truly understand her. In the end...you are just like the others."

"So you say I cannot read your mind because I just use my charm over you just to fool you?"

"Isn't it what you are doing? Even now?"

"Is it really? Because I am aware of every thing that crosses your mind, even now. You are scared to admit you feel something for me, so you chose to play hard to get, by masking your insecurities in trying to look like you are controlling the situation. Wise, but not enough to fool me."

What if he has been wrong all the time? Sasuke couldn't help but wonder and it started to nag him. There were few people he couldn't properly read and they were all on his ignore list or people to hate for a lifetime.

Sakura...she had a way of being annoyingly attractive when shifting moods as if she was having another inner side that she was keeping hidden from the public view and it was precisely that part of her he wanted to dig in and uncover. The reason? Unknown.

"I don't want to fool you, because I am not like you. What I want to say is for you to leave me the heck alone and refrain from the physical contact. It bothers me...and it bores me. I have a boyfriend like you say. He is the only one legitimate to step into my playground."

She munched her unhealthy food, deliberately slow, with exaggerated moves of her mouth, revealing her teeth to him. "A place you are not welcomed to, Sasuke."

"Hn, true. But... "He suddenly leaned in, caging a totally unaffected Sakura in between his naked torso and the doorframe.

"...too bad I like to play dirty, Sakura." The way he whispered her name, so sensually, rolling each syllable, accentuating the vowels, came like a magic spell, making Sakura shudder, but unlike other times, she found her resolve helping her not melt into a puddle before his legs, allowing her to have what she knew was the best weapon against Uchiha`s blown ego and the supreme definition of defiance: control.

She placed a palm on his chest, pushing him at his rightful place, meaning off her person, silently allowing him to see how she really was when his spellbound didn't reach her.

"And too bad for you that I am a strong defender of the people's rights. You asked me before and I want to strengthen my resolve this time. Your general view over relationships, the nonchalance you reveal when you change the girls you fuck like they are used sports socks and the way you toy with the others for fun like their feelings don't matter..."

To prove that he was not the holder of the copyright for mind games, Sakura put a finger on his collarbone. "...is what I honestly hate about you. I despise you so much in this moment that I feel every damn muscle in my body burning to punch you to Mars and back!"

His heartbeat intensified and it was only coincidence that her touch was a little bit higher, so she didn't realize. It was as involuntarily as his eye muscles contracted when he blinked, meaning out of control.

There she went again saying that one word she shouldn't. "I told you not to toy with your words. It kills the mystery."

Sakura was aware that she was almost screaming, but she didn't care. He was making her very angry with his all knowing attitude and she couldn't stand back and let him disrespect her choices. "I could care less about that. I need to focus on school and I want to be a dancer worth to stand beside Ronja on the stage and shine along, hear this? Some of us know their priorities."

"So this is what you want? To become a fucking puppet and let the others command you? Stupid."

"No. You are wrong and I now regret my confession to you from the dancing studio. You don't understand a thing about me!"

She felt the chips she didn't have time to shove down her mouth slip off her fingers and she used the chance to prove her anger and step on it, dramatically, making it crack.

"Dancing...it what gives me wings. It defines me and it keeps me alive. I will allow no one to judge me for this. Not you nor anyone else!"

"You are the one that doesn't get it. Those girls are marionettes blindly following each other. You are only going to lose your principles in the end because you will want to blend with them. And don't deny what happened back then. You felt it too, when you danced with me."

Sasuke knew what he was talking about and he knew that she understood as well. Dancing with a team at competition level automatically implied being bind to rules, routines you don't agree with but have to obediently follow and try to make them perfect, blend into an environment that would define your character sooner or later, metamorphosing into something you were not, just so as to appear as the necessary perfect link of the chain.

"I hate you. Maybe my feelings were dumbfounded and held no meaning the first time we met, but I am aware of them now. I hate you and I want you to stop-"

"Don't say that-"

Was that desperation present into his suddenly going richer deep voice? Sakura didn't have time to process, since she heard the other two occupants crating a fuss, heading back downstairs, of course, arguing.

---

"You fucking idiot and your equally stupid home! How can you not have any damn flashlight in here, Hyuga?!"

"I told you there are candles in the basement!" There was no possibility to use the lights their phones provided, it only caused their eyes to sting.

They were both descending the stairs, trying their best to keep the light of their phones in front of them and not fall off the stairs.

"Candles?! And what the hell should I do with candles, voodoo?! I am not a freaking Wicca practitioner!"

"Last time I checked, they provided light!"

"Your car provides light and fireflies as well, but it is not like you can bring them in here, you moron!"

"Then what else do you suggest to use?"

"Let's make a fire camp in the living room. That would do!"

"You should be caged somewhere securely, Ten Ten."

"I know. And you will be my room mate!"

"Then stop whining woman and come up with a better idea, either ways is candles!"

"Move your damn lazy ass to your ridiculous car and let's get the fuck out of here!" They both seemed not to notice the suddenly going silent Sasuke and Sakura. For a moment, they just looked at one another in the darkness, then their attention was caught by the flaming troublesome ex couple.

When arguing, Ten Ten and Neji were difficult to ignore and it was mostly because Ten Ten was unpredictable and Neji was too docile.

"I am not driving into that storm, do you want us to die?!"

"For the love of..." Sasuke promptly let his head hit the wall behind, deciding to shift his attention from Sakura to his imbecile friend. Was he sounding like Karin when she broke a nail? Sure, at some point, he knew they had to look for flashlights, but those two...they were ridiculously...entertaining. He decided to deal with the suddenly unreadable pink haired dancer later when he would have more patience or more alcohol into his liver to deal with her mood swings.

"Now you care?"

"Stop being ridiculous and let's go into that damn basement and take candles, I am sick of the darkness!"

"Huh, why? Are you scared?"

"Scared? Oh yeah, I am scared of you burning down my damn house!" She had it in her, Neji knew. When it came to Ten Ten, overrated was just a meaningless term in the dictionary, without relevant meaning for her.

"And I would so do it, if my best friend wouldn't have been in it. That saved your dumb face, but don't worry Hyuga, you are going to rot in Hell soon enough."

"Ten Ten...you are abusing my patience."

"And you are abusing my hearing with your gay complaints and soon enough you are going to abuse my eyesight as well! And I will not stop talking about the air you consume and the fact that I have to inhale the carbon dioxide you produce, you damn useless plant!"

He deadpanned at the way the pair of chestnut that was beaming through darkness whenever a lightning was cutting the sky in half, revealing the golden into her irises.

He decided that mocking her further would bring out the fierceness rebel lioness inside her more and, for a reason that came painfully close to complete insanity, he craved for it to happen. "...plants produce oxygen, stupid."

"Pf…yeah, true true, as if likes like you would ever be able to produce anything beneficent for the others." Ten Ten rolled her eyes at his attempt to appear a smartass, going straight to the kitchen to hunt for Cola, ignoring Sasuke and Sakura.

They were amused watching the scene, so she took it as a tacit coalition of traitors who were laughing at her misery, but she only cursed Neji to all the way to Hell and back when she tripped on the chair. "Fucking hell...Hyuga, move your ass to the basement and bring those damn ritual candles in here! I hope you don't have pentagrams under the carpet because you are in for an exorcism!"

"I am not a damn Satanist, stop it with that! And I am not your servant!"

"Ah, no? Then why are you keeping candles for? Creating romantic atmosphere for you and those sluts? I thought fucking them only required your microscopic dick and a bottle of Rum. Maybe is for actually looking for your lacking dick, while trying not to look obvious."

Sakura was barely containing her snorts and even thought she couldn't' t see Sasuke, she felt him smirking at his friend.

There was something playful in their bickering that lacked the usual aggressiveness and Sakura wondered whether her friend deliberately lowered down her guard, or it just came naturally and both were going on with the flow.

"You were born to serve the others Hyuga, so less talk and more work! I swear if we would have lived in ancient Egypt, you would have been whipped daily."

"I will take back to you for this, mark my words Ten Ten." Nonetheless, the getting irritated Hyuga used whatever was left from his battery phone to light his way down to the basement. Did he hear Sasuke...almost laugh at him?

He didn't know which one was scarier: him laughing or him laughing at him? He would one day punch the Uchiha`s face so bad that his relatives would be asking themselves whether they had another heir or a girl with severe wrinkles.

But not in that moment because he was busy being bossed around by his ex girlfriend. And he forgot what he was looking for. "Fucking stairs...fucking lack of electricity..."

"Yeah yeah, you managed to scare me. Stupid idiot. Is there any glass in here?! Neji?!"

"None. You have to stick to the bottle." Sakura spoke approaching her friend. "I have already looked for one."

Ten Ten turned her head over her shoulder to come face to face to Sakura. She looked...not hat emo for the moment. Good. Choji's favorite food did wonders.

"Girl, I have totally not seen you. Well...I can't fucking see anything in this cave!" She screamed so that he would somehow hear her. She knew he could. His whole house was like a giant microphone. "No wonder a pigmy like him likes to come here and reproduce."

"Don't take it personal but...I want to laugh my ass out loud at the little show. Seriously Ten, the chemistry between the two of you is tangible."

"What chemistry? More like nuclear reactions, because if you were to take into consideration what I have in stock for that manwhore, everything starts with atomic and nuclear bombs. Ah fuck this, I will drink from the bottle! I truly hope that caveman didn't do that, or I am going to take syphilis from all his whores!"

"I think I was the one to drink from that."

"Take another guess." Sasuke said amused, leaving the impression that the conversation did not affect him. Inside, he was a melting volcano and his feet were burning like he was walking on hot coals.

"...I want to throw up." Sakura on the other hand, had no politeness driven, voicing out the way she felt about Sasuke`s intervention. He raised his eyebrow at her, even though she couldn't see him.

Two functional mobile phones were creating an interesting light effect. They all experienced dry stingy eyes. And Neji went silent in the basement.

"Don't do it until stupid Neji brings the candles because you risk to miss the sink. Why the hell is he taking this much...Hyuga! Say yes if you died!"

No reply. The three of them held their breaths in anticipation. "Wow, he truly died. This planet still has a chance. Good, one less loser to eat the food. Damn I am hungry. Have you ever cooked in a blackout, Sakura?"

She did that, but the pink haired girl hid the fact that she did it after her mother died, because she found no sleep and Tsunade had many night shifts or was too drunk and depressed to stay awake and supervise her. "Once or twice, but I burnt my fingers on the stove."

"Yay, sucks. Well, we are going to repeat the experience. You are allowed to burn everything in here, he is already shit loaded, so no drama here."

"If you destroy this house, we will sleep outside or in the garage." Sasuke, who promptly took a seat at the desk, tapping something on his phone, felt the need to be a smartass and make Sakura's repulsiveness grow tenfold.

The moment she had the veil of fascination over God's most perfect creation, in terms of looks, Sakura found it impossible to withstand his insufferable presence, finding his demeanor outrageous, just like the first time they have met.

"And who are you? His lawyer?" Ten Ten paid attention to her friend's suspicious tone, because if Sakura was faking it, she was a damn fine actress. She liked it. Give the two sluts the treatment they deserved. She liked her spunk and the attitude she was displaying. It looked honest.

"Do you really want to sleep under the open sky?"

"Wow, this is the most poetic thing I have heard you say. And yes, if this means not staying with you anymore minute in the same space."

"I couldn't have said it any better myself." Meanwhile, the mocha eyed girl was half buried inside the fridge, with both hands roaming through the frozen packs of food, deciding which one to use. "There is only instant food in here. Damn, he didn't 't change one bit..."

Suddenly, the three of them heard a muffled low thud, followed by a bang and a curse, coming from the basement. Ten Ten took some steps towards the door, trying her best not to trip on something again.

"What is that retard doing there...Hyuga, did you break your neck? Scream something before I get excited for nothing!"

"Stop shouting into my house, Ten Ten!"

"I think we should head downstairs and see if he needs help." Sakura suggested.

Ten Ten rolled her eyes out of reflex, taking a bite of a green apple she found, but she took her friend's advice into consideration. Sasuke and Sakura were right on her tail.

"Of course he needs help. Medical help. He needs a legal guardian or a dog for blind people." She descended the stairs with Sakura behind, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was scared of darkness.

"Be careful to the bulb." Neji warned from the bottom of the stairs. He was down on his butt, rubbing his head, with all the candles spread around him, looking somewhere trapped in between confusion and anger.

"Did you hit it again, didn't you? Bwhahaha! It is the ghosts you conjure, I keep on telling you. Loser."

Feeling huge potential blackmail material being displayed before her eyes, Ten Ten quickly pulled out her phone, taking a picture. One didn't see Neji Hyuga looking like a three years old at the playground, building a sandcastle. "This goes straight on my fb account. Section: top ten losers to avoid in a lifetime."

"Stop being annoying and come down. This candles won't climb the stairs alone." He was past humiliating level. Good thing there were only Ten Ten present, who had loser friends, Sakura who happened to be one of them and she was not one to gossip around, like the others and his traitor friend who was looking for a good one.

"Why don't you try to move them with the power of your mind?" Nonetheless, the chestnut eyed girl was having fun. Who cared that she felt in too many ways to be considered a normal state of mind, like she was part of an abusive relationship and she enjoyed it. She went down, watching her steps, laughing at the Hyuga and his sorry situation.

Sakura felt the need to leave them alone. Somehow...Ten Ten didn't look that much affected and she got the confirmation that Neji would not be able to act towards her like he normally did, being totally out of character when he was in the presence of her friend.

She would venture as far as to state he acted like he cared and that was enough for her. Plus, she had a dinner to improvise. "I see you two are having everything under control, so I will be in the kitchen, searching for things to cook."

"Do that girl, I will join you in a minute, after I collect the garbage."

"Who do you call garbage?"

"Want me to say trash? Because I know other synonyms as well if you wanna." Although, Sakura resisted the urge to record them with much difficulty. Those were like stand up comedy. Too funny to resist. Wasn't that what they considered as having denying feelings?

"Stop talking and hold that damn phone still. Hey, watch it, you stepped on the green one!"

---

Nothing seemed to change since she has last went down to that basement, Ten Ten realized. It was pretty difficult to see anything using just the low battery phones, but she was able to make out the silhouette of his surf board, a canoe and a snowboard, among other tools.

And she had to avoid stepping on the sole sources of light hey had. "Yuck! Wha...was that a...panda bear?! Neji, you have candles with animal shapes?! You freaking fortune teller!"

Neji felt the veins on his temples bulge. Not only he has been left alone with her in the basement, to fight the memory of them being lost into each other there, when they were a couple, but he run out of normal candles so he had to use those particular very precious family scented candles, which were a gift from the elder of their family.

Hyashi's mother was scarier than the Christmas traffic jams when angry. "My aunt brought them here, so stop screaming, or else I am going deaf.

Of course, with every candle they put into the box to carry upstairs, Ten Ten had a meaningful spiritual comment to annoy him further. "Oh, here is a nutria and it has your brooding face! Hahaha! Hyuga, you are so damn funny that they have made candles with your ugly face!"

"You are killing me..."

"Ok. I am out of here." Sakura headed back into the kitchen to see what Ten Ten has managed to take out of the fridge, finding Sasuke already there, sitting at the table, with his legs on it, drinking. Again.

Wasn't he supposed to be drunk, she wondered. That was one hell of a metabolism. Or maybe he has already been drunk by default. Either that, or alcohol vanished as soon as he came in contact with his slutiness.

She tried to hold the phone, while choosing the ingredients for an improvised dinner, without success. "Fuck...why do humans only have two arms..." she muttered, more for herself.

When alone, Sakura had the habit of talking to an invisible audience. Solitude scared her. It had the painful echo of the phantoms of her past, sound and clear, so she did her best to fight back. Sasuke watched how she tried to find a bowl and some plates, carrying them with a hand, taking in every gesture she made.

She was quite clumsy, so he turned the screen of the phone towards her to provide more light, until she had the chance to blow them up while she tested the oven or chop off a finger with the knife.

"Thanks."

A quick look towards her shoulder let Sakura know that Sasuke didn't give a damn if her was sinking into the chair, with his legs resting on the same table that was supposed to hold food, not shoes. "You know, we are kind of going to eat on that table."

"..."

"It was a subtle hint to tell you to remove your legs from the table, Sasuke." He was just sitting there, fixing her with his stare and his intense black sapphire gleaming through the darkness eyes that were challenging it in color and intensity, brought cold shiver down Sakura's spine.

She furrowed her eyebrows at his lack of response or acid remark. Was he mocking her on purpose? "Why don't you say something? This is creepy."

"Why should I say something to you?" No, he was not bitter. In fact, his usually deep baritone voice came as robotically. Or tipsy?

"..." because it is creepy?" She flailed her hands dramatically, using a tone one would have when addressing mentally retarded people. "And weird. You are annoying and weird."

"Watch your tongue Sakura, you have already ruined my fun." His voice turned malicious and dark all of sudden and it was ironically synchronized with a short thunder, adding to the suddenly going menacing atmosphere.

Sakura had a moment of fright, taken aback by the sudden change into Sasuke`s apparently apathetic state, but when she caught the meaning of his words, she swore she saw red.

"Fun? Oh yeah...excuse me for not allowing your royal highness' biological urges to fuck those sluts' brains out and be such a cockblocker!" She ended up dramatically. "Because it was TOTALLY in my intention to be stuck in this fucking house on this weather!"

"You were not sarcastic."

"Good, you caught the meaning, because I didn't even intended to be! Gosh...better not say anything, I can't stand you anyways. How about you go...get out of here? Go into the living room or something."

"Are you telling me what to do? Be careful Sakura, you don't want to see me angry."

"Heh, I have already seen your true colors. Now you are going to show me your famous gangster side as well? Bring it!" She challenged him without any second thought.

Sasuke could have played the mighty gangster or whatever the hell he thought he was, for the emerald eyed girl would not be impressed. She was Tsunade's niece after all and that woman was making grown ups crawl in fear.

Sasuke was only half the intimidating man he considered himself to be. Not after she has realized that everything about him was part of the scenario. His eyebrow lifted as if to question her mental sanity to provoke him further, but Sakura realized that the world was not the raven haired guy's stage.

"A friendly advice: don't provoke me."

"It goes both ways. You are not going to intimidate me anymore, ever since I figured you out."

"You don't know me, Sakura." Without removing his onyx eyes from her face, Sasuke shut his phone to cut away the sole light supply inside the kitchen, throwing it on the table with a thud.

"But..." He stood up swiftly pulling the chair scratching on the floor, approaching an apparently unfazed Sakura, even tough the standing up tiny hair covering her forearms was a solid proof of the effect he could have had when he actually wanted them to realize who they were talking to. But she showed him the other side of her.

Sasuke came face to face to the defiant girl, trapping her in between the sink and his solid muscular frame, planting his palms on each of her sides, on the sink's edge. "...if you insist..."

He knew exactly what tempo to use and how deeply low he should use, so as his voice was silk and smooth as fine brocade, but dark and serious, without any hint of playfulness or permissively.

He was no Neji Hyuga, and Sakura felt her breath got stuck down her throat. There was nothing playful or amused on his face and his body radiated raw unadulterated power, like burning coals radiating heat.

She felt him burn her and it was suffocating. And sexy as Hell, if she wore to be honest, but Sakura quickly shoved that thought away off her mind. She did her best to keep her eyes from roaming, instead, resuming into fixing his gaze. "...I might show it to you..."

He leaned towards her until their faces were inches apart, letting his breath fan over her nose and lips. She could clearly feel how much he had from the strong drinks he ingested from the moment they came to that house and it had an interesting blend with his natural scent. Incredible, how he was able to not have the particular typical scent of a regular drunkard, instead, turning the bad debauched habit into something alluring.

Maybe he was tipsy, hence the attitude, but drunk he was not. She was sure of it. "...how bad I can be."

She put her palms on his hest, attempting to shove him off. "Get off me!" But he gripped her wrists in a pretty strong grip, letting her know the tremendously difference between her fragility and his dominance, prying her hands away from him, keeping them spread on her sides, over the cupboard, hard.

"Now finish what you had to say." What was truly frightening about Sasuke, was the always calm tone he used, almost never losing the trademark calmness, but he had an intangible way of making it drop from cold to frozen when needed and the fact that he was not screaming like any normal person would do, revealed the lack of emotion or a genius level of emotional intelligence, both equally frightening.

"I said get..." Sakura would not back away, so she started with a ferocity that drove him insane. Being that close to her-too close-allowed Sasuke to actually see a flickering into her unique hued irises that he only witnessed once and he found himself intrigued by it.

Normally, girls would watch him in the same pattern, meaning with their eyelashes exaggeratedly lowered and sultry, but her orbs were livid, intense, clear and burning and it boiled his blood.

And before he could stop himself, his gaze shifted to her parted lips, not even aware that he was in the same position, like wanting to tell her something, but the words wouldn't come.

That until she lowered her hips and kneed him in his private regions, hard making him let go of her hands, while she took the chance to slip past him, taking a frying pan into her hands, holding it menacingly towards him. "...off me."

"You...are going to-"

"Stay back or this pan is heading to your head!" If Sasuke was stunned by her, he was good at not showing it. He brushed his fingers through his messy jet locks, straightening his spine.

"You don't have it in you." Too bad Sakura took it personally, because the next moment he knew, the frying pan went flying towards his head, but of course he simply stepped aside and let it hit the window of the cupboard.

The glass broke in large pieces, falling all over into the sink. "Nice done."

Emerald eyes grew open in horror. That was not good. She has just broke Neji's cupboard that was probably more expensive than all the furniture inside her own kitchen. "Ah damn-"

---

Before she had a chance to freak out, Ten Ten's piercing screams came from the basement and she was anything but happy. "You fucker! What do you mean it won't open?!"

Were there bangs on the door as well, Sasuke and Sakura wondered, both going back to see what the problem was. Those two were taking too long to return with the candles and it got suspicious.

"I meant...Ten Ten...that the door is shut!"

Sakura found the door to the basement shut which was weird considering the fact that it was opened when her friend went down and when she tried the knob, turning it without success once, she kind of got the main idea. "Ten, what is going on there?"

"This abominable society reject locked us in here, like the idiot he is!"

"It is not my fucking fault, I told you to not let it close!"

"Now you blame me?!"

"Guys, calm down! We are here to help!"

"We?" Sasuke asked with mild interest. Then she needed his help. Good, she knew when to make allies from enemies. Quite the strategic thinking. So she was nowhere even acknowledging him.

"Try and press the knob until your hear a click." Neji instructed from the other side of the door.

"Ok, hold on." She did just as so, pressing and turning on the knob, applying a bit of force, without any luck. "Argh, it doesn't work." She tried once more, with the same failed result.

"Try once again, harder!"

"Stay back." Well aware that the pink haired girl wouldn't be able to get the two stuck lovebirds inside-he entertained the idea of leaving them there-Sasuke decided to be the man and not let the lady break a nail or sweat, so he gripped the knob, applying a lot of strength, but his attempt was just as "successful". It was stuck. "Hyuga, I think there is something broken into the lock. You have to break it."

"With what?"

"With your stupid head! Just bang it on the door until you break it! Duh!"

"Shut up, you eccentric bitch. This is all your fault!"

"Kick it with your damn leg and break it." Sasuke told his lame friend, actually finding Ten Ten's idea reasonable. He tried to look at the lock once again to confirm his suspicion. But it was difficult to see with the weak light the phone provided.

"Ha! Like this is going to happen!"

"Stand back Ten Ten. You two, don't stay close to the door." Both Sasuke and Sakura took three steps back, extremely curious of the outcome. That should be interesting to witness. "He is not going to succeed. This is African Blackwood." Sakura stated as she was certain he was not going to succeed. Well, to be frankly, what were the chances for him to tear it open? Nothing into that house was old and easily broken and they were no ninja.

Sasuke shrugged once, like he too entertained the same idea, but he didn't quite care that much either. "Of course he can't do it, but at least we are going to see him make a fool of himself." Sasuke stated as a matter of fact, like he was certain it was not going to happen. Well, they used to train together and he knew the Hyuga's strength.

"...such friend you are..."

A loud bang followed by an 'auch' distracted Sasuke and Sakura from a future battle of open ironies and not too subtle remarks, both realizing that the whining and complains from the other side of the door were all due to a failed attempt to be a ...he barely succeeded in putting a scratch on the door and make it pop in some places but nothing to be helpful.

Ten Ten was fuming. Not only she was trapped with her ex boyfriend, who she was doing her best to reject out of her brain, from where he dug his nails and tried to crawl back, but he was incompetent as well.

Weren't guys supposed to be strong, or Hercules has been replaced by Playstation and Shawarma in terms of role models for teenagers? "You are an idiot! Is this how you have been taught how to kick? Have you practiced ballet instead of karate? Get off, I will try!"

"Stop laughing, I think I broke a toe! Fucking shit!" The chestnut eyed girl promptly banged her head on the wall beside her, shaking it in disbelief.

The Hyuga was gripping his shoe, cursing and acting like a little child who lost his mommy at Zoo, complaining about how scary were the monkeys were and how nasty they were looking at him.

"Bhahaba I think you broke a nail...stop acting like Amy, you mopey weakling and watch me!"

Ten Ten straightened her stance and, without even blinking or giving Neji a chance to retort, she kicked the door with her left foot, with all her might, with a loud bang and a crack in the wooden surface that took the raven haired Uchiha and the emerald eyed girl by surprise, because it has been, in fact, quite good, but not enough to set them free.

"Good, try again!" Sakura cheered to her friend, amazed to see how strong she really was. Maybe she should reconsider their sparring session if Ten Ten was able to crack wood. "Damn she is good."

Sasuke smirked at that, nodding once, totally agreeing, thinking at his friend getting beaten by her. She tried four more times, but she only managed to crack it, each time in a different place, without success.

It was still fixed on its frame, even tough the hinges started to weaken. It was still a good sign.

"This is going to takes us ages! Aish! Hyuga you try again! You know what, don't, I don't want police to interrogate me when you die. Sasuke, you try it!"

Sakura shot an eyebrow up, taking a peek at Sasuke, mentally envisioning him challenge his friend's performance.

Oh, she so had the mockery ready for when he failed. She couldn't wait, so she took her time to study him getting closer to the door, preparing to give it a try.

It was funny for her the way Sasuke actually was taking it so seriously, since he dropped his body weight in a semi low fighting stance, which was more relaxed than normal, but tensed enough to strike when necessary, testing the distance by lifting his foot and prompting it on the door, to determine how he should best do that.

Then he exhaled once, breathing slowly, furrowing his eyebrows and focusing on one of the cracks Ten Ten made, that was nearer to the ' hinges.

"I bet it you won't even scratch it."

"Hn." Not even trying to argue with her, Sasuke`s all muscles flexed at once, and the next moment Sakura and the other two knew, he performed a flawless round kick that left Sakura promptly gaping behind him, speechless, tearing the door down in one kick, making it fly inside, rolling on the stairs, hitting the ground.

He turned his head over his shoulder smirking at the way Sakura's confidence fell on the ground, along with the problematic door, her sarcastic tone and her jaw hitting the floor. "Is this good enough for you?"

She had nothing to say at the imposing way he looked in that moment, like a wild rogue warrior winning the last fight and being the last one standing and she didn't have the chance to do so, because Ten Ten was on ecstasy, bashing Neji, both climbing the stairs, exiting the basement. "Awesome! Saw that Hyuga?"

"He had luck." Of course it was him the one to steal the show, like the damned Uchihas always did. It truly drove Neji insane. A bunch of show offs. Him, his brother and their uncle Madara.

He loathed them all with burning passion. And ladies were waiting in line just to watch them being primal and barbaric. He suddenly felt sick. Plus, his toes were bruised and Ten Ten was ridiculing him in front of the others.

"Holly shit!" Meanwhile, Sakura was eying the once closed door lying on the ground in disbelief.

Sasuke had the strength to break down good quality wooden surfaces with a mere kick. Sure, Ten Ten has made some cracks, but they were minor and it was beside the point. And she has tried to push his buttons...maybe she should have reconsidered.

That, until she felt Ten Ten's playful slap on her shoulder, urging her to come out of her reverie and stop giving him that much credit. As if boys like Sasuke or Neji needed more ego boost.

They already had an overload. "Stop fangirling, girl, this is what men are good at: brute force. C'mon, let's feed our stomachs! Man I am hungry! Is there anything edible in the fridge?"

"Some eggs, chicken and I have seen mushrooms, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes and there is some whole grain flour on one of the shelves, if memory serves me right."

"Great. At least I am not going to kill my stomach until tomorrow."

"Don't you think I am going to allow you anywhere near the oven, Ten Ten. Or fire sources in general."

Leaving his ex girlfriend near dangerous objects in general was a very bad idea and unfortunately, the Hyuga has experienced her pyromaniac side when they burnt all the alcohol during a beach party they have attended. That girl had insanity as her given name.

"Weaklings should keep their traps shut."

"I am not a weakling, damn it! How would you have expected me to hit it properly from that angle?!"

"Then how have I managed to get it right then? Through magic?"

"I didn't see you breaking it, so stop bragging." They all went back to the kitchen, with the boys taking a seat to the table and a very fuming Hyuga Neji. He mentally put all the people present in order, deciding who to murder first.

That smirk on Sasuke`s face was more than enough to assure him that his raven haired friend would call him names starting tomorrow and his irony was only adding to his loathsome character.

Oh how much he wanted to punch his face. He so wished the green candle he was doing his best to light, in the shape of a panda bear, was a voodoo one. Maybe some needles would have been useful as well.

"I put four holes into it! There lies the undoubtable proof, humpf."

"Beside omelet, I don't know what can we possibly do with that ingredients." Sakura scratched her arms above her head, feeling suddenly really tired.

And hungry. That was one of the moments when one would honestly appreciated the tasteless abominable food relatives usually cooked. Where was Tsunade's special Feta cheese and broccoli salad when she wished for it?

"If we had internet, I knew some good cooking blogs."

"Now that is quite an interesting topic." Sasuke remarked sarcastically, letting the two girls know that they should keep the topics that no sane guy would want to hear about for themselves.

Well, at least, it should go both ways. How about he would start talking about engines and football games with the Hyuga?

Or he should just ridicule his friend further? That was pure comedy in Sasuke' s vision. The Hyuga's stiffness and the way his fingers clenched around the candle assured him he was a ticking walking bomb. He lifted an eyebrow the moment Neji caught his smug stare. That would be interesting.

"Sorry, illegal substances abuse, random sex and Vuitton bags doesn't obsess me." Sakura shot back, not even turning around to face Sasuke, pouring oil into the frying pan, while Ten Ten lighted the candles.

It was incredibly weird. "Ten, can you put one on the kitchen counter as well? I don't want it to stay too close to the oven."

"Sure thing. Fuck, I feel like we are doing spiritism sessions. Anyone follow those Haunting TV shows and has angered some ghost in the past few months we should conjure and make fun of?"

"Don't say that. I had an old neighbor that lived across the street, back in Japan and she was a huge fan of this...stuff. " With much luck, the emerald eyed girl has managed to find a decent bowl to mix the eggs, adding some salt and pepper.

"In the end she went completely nuts. She used to wander through the streets, chanting incantations and claiming that all of us are possessed and are going to die soon."

"Sucks. I will chop off the vegetables." As sudden as she has been missing a very particular important detail and it came to her memory in that very second, Ten Ten turned around abruptly to take in the whole unbelievable scene: two looking in the verge of collapsing out of boredom guys, them cooking what should have been considered dinner, and scented, expensive, handmade candles providing a warm light...she felt nauseous all of sudden. Candles...

"Fuck if this shit is not weird." She looked around to see three pairs of eyes of her, gazing at her in confusion.

She rolled her eyes at all of them, washing a plate. Were they truly oblivious or decided to let it pass and play dumb? "You won't say to any other living, either way my reputation is over."

"What? The fact that you are in my house, cooking for me?" The knowing taunting smirk on Neji's face announced the chocolate eyed girl that she was one step away of her resolve to choke him with the omelet and it grew impossible to ignore. Was he mocking her?

Beside him, Sasuke snorted at the way Sakura dropped a spoon into the sink 'accidentally'. So she too realized what the scene looked like, huh? In his deranged mind, his neurons were dancing bachata. "Hell if it doesn't start to get familia-"

Ten Ten turned around and threw the bottle of oil that her pink haired friend has just placed on the counter, barely missing his face. Good thing-for him- it was made of cheap plastic and he caught it with no trouble.

"You fucker...if you have time to spout nonsense, then why aren't you moving your ass to help?!" Ten Ten pointed her finger to the oven, throwing angry glances at the Hyuga boy. He shrugged once, playing with the bottle, throwing it up his head, like it was yo-yo.

"This is even worse." the fact that he almost grinned at them let Sasuke known that the after effects of the alcohol started to mess up with his reason, because he felt light headed, his muscles stiff and he had a detached attitude over a situation that normally would have had him reeling into fury and killing intent. Or maybe he was that bored. Either ways, it was alarming.

Neji threw his friend a quick glance, he too having similar symptoms. Uchiha not being sarcastic and bitter for more than five minutes?

Like he would ever. The mighty ruler of the school was already dancing with mini versions of mushrooms and unicorns, on Zog planet, tough he did his best to hide it. "Why? Aren't women supposes to do all the job?"

"Who says I was preparing dinner for you? It is solely for me and Sakura. Besides, I will not be caught sharing with slugs like you. Vinegar? This is new." She said while taking in the way Sakura prepared her food. Family of medics. That was obvious.

"Aunty always adds it into her recipes. It gives them an Asian touch."

"I swear you are ready to get married." She then decided to test Uchiha`s patience a bit, just for the heck of it and let Sakura take revenge for all the moments he played mind games, like he was writing a thesis on teen psychology.

"You should try to make for Sasori when he comes back. Make it a heart shape for the cheesy touch." She could feel anger escalating behind her, like a sinister echo of an upcoming imminent avalanche and it was too damn funny.

Mission accomplished. If only Sakura's hands weren't trembling like she had Parkinson...

Neji was mentally rolling on the floor laughing at the way Sasuke was clenching his jaw, probably preventing a curse to betray his raging nerves. It was epic.

He knew Ten Ten was doing it on purpose and seeing her taking on someone else was quite the spectacle.

And his raven haired friend kind of deserved it. Neji knew about how he treated Sakura and he was not agreeing on that one. "Maybe...but isn't it more appropriate for occasion like...let's see...Valentine's day?"

Ten Ten wanted to hug her oblivious friend at the way she unconsciously played along with her, not catching the meaning. If only they had Swiss parmesan for that omelet and some bacon...

"Eh, who said it has to be a one time thing? We should organize picnics as well. We will have Choji making those Lasagna sandwiches with oregano and Hina can do that chocolate biscuits with butter and some secret ingredient that she doesn't want to disclose. And you my dear, can prepare cupcakes. No French kiss goes better after that."

The moment she heard a chair scratching the floor, she chanted bingo into her head. Sasuke was such a sinner, but at least he suffered as well.

Good. Payback time for what he did to her friend. Bastard. "Mm? I like how that sounds."

"It sounds like something losers and major geeks would do." Neji was hardly preventing his snorts. He was drunk, he was cold, he was feeling his head throb, he was trapped in there with people he loathed and...Sasuke has been humiliated by two girls. He should note them down in order to laugh at the matter when he was alone. At least he threw a blouse on him while he went upstairs.

"It takes one to recognize another, Hyuga. Wow, smells good."

"Give me a plate."

"Are this clean? Doesn't matter, let me wash it first. That looks like a huge pizza dough."

A loud thunder piercing the grey sky was heard outside, making Sakura almost drop the pan, with all the eggs. She felt her heart burst out of its cage, and all her past memories fluttering to fly outside. Her pulse was running high because of the adrenaline rush. "Ah!"

"Hey, take care!" Ten Ten quickly took the pan from her trembling clumsy friend, and put the omelet on the plate, looking at Sakura, her expression soft and concerned.

"Sorry. I got scared." She never liked storms. It was because of a storm that the drunkard lost control of the steering wheel and...she didn't want to go there, it was painful.

Scared? She was visibly trembling. "Are you ok, girl?"

"Y-Yeah, don't worry." She looked at her friend, giving her a short smile so that to assure her everything was just her imagination. At least, that was what the psychologist told her, before prescribing antidepressants to cease away the panic attacks.

Maybe she shouldn't have quit taking them an year ago. And there she was criticizing Sasuke for smoking weed and doing drugs. "It is probably because I am tired, that is all. Let's eat. I am starving."

She took a seat at the table, with Ten Ten following her suit, slicing the food so as each would get an equally large share, starting to eat, but no one actually bothered to call Sasuke.

"I am keeping an eye on you." A serious glace and a pair of chocolate big almond shaped eyes flashing at him assured the Hyuga that she was still mad at him for some unknown reason, going as far as to stab his hand with the fork when he attempted to take a bite. "Hey, what do you think you are doing?"

Neji decided to play dumb just to add a valid reason for her to get angry. Cos not having any was pathological. "...trying to eat?"

"Get your hands off my food you loser. Go stuff your face with chips or go die."

"Ten, don't be mean, it is his home after all." Sakura felt truly bad for ruining whatever plans he made for the night-even if they were disgusting- and she didn't want to be a bother. Ten Ten on the other hand acted like it was her personal space.

And Neji was too complacent. Was he seriously allowing her to treat him like that because...why? She couldn't help but watch them in fascination.

"I don't have enough fucks to give. Hey! Not fair! Give it back!"

Using his sharp reflexes, Neji stole a bit of the food from Ten Ten's plate -she took one large greedy one- smirking at her all the way he enjoyed the taste. Kind of amateurish, but not so bad. He stole a piece, eating. "Make me!"

"Hyuga!"

"Oh, how much you like to chant my name."

"...you are insufferable."

"I thought we have already established that."

"And a real jerk."

"Says the girl that has been hitting me ever since we came here."

"And I will cut down your head for what you did. Now those sluts are going to spread the word that they saw us in here, the reason obvious."

Sakura realized the extent of the situation the moment her mocha eyed friend dropped the subject. Vivid jade sparkled like lanterns in consternation. Like she didn't have enough hate at school, even without that incident. "Oh no..."

"What?"

"School...how am I going to explain this to Sasori?"

Ten Ten lifted an eyebrow at her pink haired friend wondering about how many things could have she deemed as crucial, when in reality, they were much more simple than she thought. "...in words? Oh c'mon Sakura, it was an emergency, he is going to understand."

"What emergency?! That I am in a house with two other guys, along with my best friend?! This is a disaster. I am doomed. He won't talk to me after this. Not after those girls will make it bigger than it is, out of revenge."

"Well if he has some brains behind that red hair of his, then he won't listen to all the rumors those sluts may spread, so chillax my friend.

Beside, they have no solid proof. That if you losers don't confirm it." She looked at Neji pointedly, as if daring him to open his mouth the next day and turn their little unfortunate encounter into the next hot gossip. If he thought she was scary before, he saw nothing.

"Hmph, why do you think that I don't have anything better to do than gossip?"

"Let's...because you like to see the others suffer?"

He exhaled deeply annoyed, taking another piece of the omelet, but that time, Ten Ten didn't try to stop him. She focused on her pink haired dramatic friend. "I don't want to see the others suffer."

"No shit! Then why do you make me suffer all the times and harass me?! Or I am no worth of being considered another human living? Sweet. Mature."

"This lack of proper light makes my eyes sting." Of course, Sakura has voiced out what crossed their minds as well, but it was not like they had a choice. It was still better than the almost empty phones.

There she went accusing him of things he never done, Neji was exasperatingly chanting into his minds.

Why couldn't she explain herself calmly, like any other normal living, instead, choosing the most elaborate insults to bash on him before? "You are exaggerating. I don't want to make you suffer. You are too stubborn."

"Tell me about it. At least we have running water and we can cook, either ways it would have been pretty bad. No, I am sure your maleficent conscience is doing it on purpose."

"Listen to what I have to say then decide."

She got up, discarding the plate into the sink, turning her back on him and his...proposal. Like she would ever want to tell him what truly happened, when in reality, everything she wished for was trust.

And she got zero. Neji has missed his chance. She was not a priest. "No thanks. If I want to hear an entire monologue of people lying smoothly, I just have to turn the TV on and watch politics. Damn is only 20:00. I am already bored out of my mind. This is just as bad as the last class trip we had."

"Last trip? Sounds good. Where?" Sakura decided to change the topic, feeling relief wash through her friend's system. Even tough they barely met, the two girls felt many connections and similarities between them and they formed a strong bond. Out of their group, their personalities were matching in many aspects.

Plus, it sounded good indeed. She wished to have a class trip as well. At her previous high school, the teacher had his own sports related activities, in which he only took his favorite students, and unfortunately for her, Sakura was not one of them.

"I have no idea. We visited some dumb traditional folklore museums in some villages I forgot the names of and we slept in small houses, with rooms no bigger than this kitchen, six people in a room. Me and Hina shared the same room as Karin and some of their friends. It was cold outside as well. Utter Hell in a nutshell."

"In fact it was not that bad." Ten Ten promptly rolled her eyes. Of course it was not bad, since they have turned the holly places into a brothel, stuffing their luggage with alcohol and cigars.

"Not that bad?! There was a monastery across the street, for fuck's sake! And speak for yourself, because I so know that you and your brilliant friends had bottles of whiskey and energizers hidden in you jackets. Damn intoxicated sluts."

"...and how would you know?"

"How do you think I have survived two days without chocking Karin in her sleep?" She turned around, both hands on her hips, nodding at his unspoken confirmation. "Exactly."

"...you stole my drinks!"

"Well aren't you an observant one...good for you I haven't told Kakashi or Kurenai about it, either way you would have still been moping floors and brushing toilets."

Neji rubbed the bridge of his nose, taking the remains of the omelet, munching and frowning, like there was no tomorrow.

He vaguely wondered where his onyx has eyed friend made a run for it, like the jerk he was, leaving him all alone with two girls, discussing cuisine and sharing cooking secrets.

"Anyways, don't worry girl, if those sluts or this losers here dare to sprout nonsense about you, they are going to all face my wrath and my compromising photos collection."

She smiled wickedly at the two. "Hey, when you have been to all those parties, you kind of have a beautiful collection of picture paparazzi would kill for. I took Hina once as well.

Damn she is good at catching the perfect angles. Neji, beware, I have one that includes you, a pair of large boxers with reindeers and snowmen, a bottle of rum and a donkey."

Out of her own accord, Sakura burst out in laughter, while Neji looked shocked. "What picture?" She stood up, leaving the plate into the sink.

"Ah, wouldn't you want to know? Too bad my lips are sealed. Mwuahaha."

He stood up as well, while a sudden idea shot through his brain- or was it alcohol do the talking- coming behind the coffee eyes girl. Sakura lifted an eyebrow at the way he came a little bit too close to her, almost gluing his chest on her back.

"That...is something I think I can fix." And without further notice, he scooped her into his arms, for the millionth time that day, bridal style, existing the kitchen.

Ten Ten was trying to punch him in the face but he threatened to drop her down. She was stunned at his guts to molest her twice and all the way up, she swore revenge in the most painful ways she learnt during history classes from her sadistic role models.

Neji looked unfazed. In fact, he found the audacity to smirk down at her. Oh, she wanted to fix that idiotic grin with a well aimed punch, but she knew he would drop her so she would have to wait until she was on a solid ground. Then she could start her sweet and painful revenge.

So Ten Ten has simply resumed in scratching his neck, trashing into his arms. "You brainless Godzilla, put me the fuck down or I will plant my foot down your throat! Hyuga!"

"Stop screaming already, I am going deaf." Neji went right to the stairs, climbing them all the way up to his bedroom, not acknowledging Sasuke who was watching them with mild interest, stuffing his face with chips and chilli sauce, on the coach, shaking his head. Those two...were weird. And that coming from him spoke volumes.

"Where are we going, oh don't you dare..."

"Fuck, stop squirming woman, or I am truly going to drop you on the head and
Hell if you need it."

"Then put me down! Oh no, I am not going in there! No way!" They entered his room, while Neji shut the door with his foot, discharging the girl on his arms right on his bed. The look she gave him was something the greatest producers were desperately looking for in their serial killers action movies.

---

Ten Ten crossed her legs under her, enfolding her arms upon her chest, pouting at him. "If I beat you to a pulp then go down, are you going to follow me and kidnap me again?"

"Until you are going to listen to me, yes."

"I fucking hate your guts, do you know that?"

Neji came to stand in front of her exhaling deeply, maintaining a bit of a distance so as to let her know he was going to respect her modesty and don't try anything like a major pervert would do, even tough she probably considered him as one.

But his pale eyes beamed genuinely and it was that kind of rare emotion that Ten Ten only saw when there were things Neji cared for and deemed important and that shaken her resolve. "Yes."

She didn't want to fall for his trap if his game would consist in an apparently mature way of discussing and prolonged inner conflicts, because she was certain that another blow like the first one would have been enough for the chocolate eyed girl to lose faith in boys for the rest of her life.

"I want to punch your face so bad that it twists my insides, Hyuga. You are the most imbecile guy I have ever met."

"...I know."

Mocha irises widened in shock. Was he willingly admitting it, without any harsh menacing comebacks? Was he that high or simply drunk? "What the Hell is wrong with you?! No retort, no side remarks? Is that thing you smoke having side effects? You are weird."

"Ten Ten..."

"You wanted to speak, so stop acting like a sinner repenting to the fucking priest and talk, while I am still in the mood to pretend to listen to you."

He exhaled deeply, visibly troubled by how he should start approaching the topic, since dealing with sentimental problems was not something he did on daily basis -not with the other girls at least- and seeing a tough guy like the Hyuga in such a vulnerable distress was a foreign concept.

He crossed his fingers through his equally brown hair, brushing his tresses, coming to sit beside her, but she spread her legs on the bed stopping him. He lifted an eyebrow. "You won't sit beside me. The floor is more suitable for you."

It was the implication of distance the thing she wanted to highlight and Neji got her message. "This is my home you know?"

"This is my private space and it is protected by international human rights, so your point is void."

He then took a sit on the carpet, with his legs folded underneath, in a stance similar to her own, eying her intently, so as to search for some sort of confirmation that she was actually willing to listen to him and have a decent conversation so it was a chance he should get to fruition. Sasuke has been right all along. He should act like a man, not a boy, for once in his life.

Ten Ten rolled her eyes at his choice of the solemn stance. Those people from the Hyuga clan should stop living in Meiji Period era and welcome the wonders of living in the 21st century. Men especially. "Now spit it. You have five minutes at most. Less if you manage to bore me."

"Why have you cheated on me that night?"

She froze not expecting the bluntness, not actually expecting him to dive straight into the deepest waters, but she quickly hid her anxiety escalading her spine, all the way to the back of her neck. "Wh-at? Is this your idea of talk?"

"I want to know why. Why have you done such a thing? Why then?" Why me were the unspoken words.

"Why does it matter?"

"Of course it does. It changed everything."

"What changes? You have never trusted me for real Neji, you have always been too possessive and jealous and always found something to discredit me for. I am not to blame for your insecurities."

"I didn't blame you for anything and should I remind you that you were just the same, so stop trying to make me look like the bad guy here. I am not the only one that is at fault."

"So you are here to annoy me and to remind me of how much of a bad person I am. Nice. Gotta hand it to you for finding the best way to humiliate me...again"

"I am not here to blame anything on you, don't jump into conclusions. I am here to understand."

"You never cared so why now of all the times? Just because Amy brought up with you and you don't want to bother with finding another willing slut? My, you have grown to be a lazier ass than Shikamaru. Competition is acerb in your gang I see."

"I have dumped her because I don't want to be with her. In fact, we have never been together as in…for real." All the while, Ten Ten was constantly chanting down her confused brain that he was just playing his game and she would not follow his own rules, either way, she had no other way to prevent tears from pouring.

She couldn't be a fool twice, it was law. Either ways, how would she be able to face the pink haired girl who confessed she appreciated her strong beliefs and solid principles, displaying such a weak resolve?

It would push her straight into Sasuke`s embrace and it was the last think she wanted. Ten Ten knew she was nowhere a role model.

"No, you have dumped her because you got tired of her. Get your facts straight and don't try to confuse me. Besides, you didn't want her to take back on you for what you did in the club. Was it necessary for you to be that obvious?"

"You are not answering my question."

"I am not obliged to do anything that I don't want to, answering to your unnecessary questions included. It has been an year, so why should I believe you grew to care all of sudden?!"

Inwardly, Neji had troubles in realizing where were those words so alien to him coming from, because he never once entertained the idea of him so openly declaring his longing and consideration for a girl's feeling.

Maybe it was the suffocation and the claustrophobic feeling he had while seeing her so close every day, but knowing her so far out of reach, or the way his mind filled with images of her the moment he tried to look at another girl, that got unbearable and pushed him to step outside his cold prison and face the retribution.

An year...and it was the worst of his life. "What if I told you I do care about it? That I have always cared about it? What is your reason? Do you have any idea of how much I have waited for you to explain yourself?"

"Have you ever given me the chance to do it?"

"I don't remember you trying."

"That is right. Because you never did. You have just accused me and bashed on me along with the others. You were the leading soprano of the choir of people calling me names! Do you think I am blind?"

"I did not do such a thing. I never told anyone to pick on you for that."

"Yeah, but you still pretended not to see it which was just as bad. Instead of defending me, you chose to give me the other shoulder."

"I was disappointed and confused Ten Ten. I felt...cheated and you never explained yourself, when all the odds were against you."

"True. But you never fully trusted me, Neji. You only saw what your eyes wanted to see and you are blind. You chose the safest way, meaning listening to the others, and not me. It has only proven how much you never cared about-"

Her voice came out as a weak whimper, as the solid proof of her resolve weakening, and she even had to avert her chocolate darkened eyes from him to the window. She couldn't...the sincerity in those eyes that so many times popped inside her dreams, were too much to handle. He was mean. And evil. Evil to say such things in a tone like he truly meant it.

"Don't say that!" He stood up one again, coming right in front of her, sensing her inner turmoil she had all the rights to not wanting to face him, after all, everything he ever gave her was mistrust.

"Don't say I have never cared. I care, either ways I would have let you get soaked and pneumonia out there, but you are here, aren't you?"

"You...only did this to get what you want! It was never about us or me, it was always about what you wanted, your needs, your conviction, your disbelief...everything revolved around your stupid arrogant head and I hate that! All I asked of you, was for you to trust me, which you didn't' t, so why bother pretending now?"

"Why him? Who was that asshole? Was he a random guy you have picked up, when your boyfriend was waiting for you like an idiot?"

It was everything he ardently wanted to find out, either ways, his temples would explode. He couldn't even go back to reminisce without feeling his innards clench.

"Add that you were high and drunk as well "

"That is not the point, Ten Ten, the fact is that everyone saw you two leaving the party."

Ten Ten was well aware that rising her voice to a shouting level was a token of panic, remorse and losing control, which were all equivalences of suppressed emotions coming to light, but she didn't care.

He wanted to know, so he would know. "So what?! What have they seen?! What was that incriminating if the witnesses were half on this world and half on Planet Jupiter?! Where have we went anyways?!"

"This is what I want to know, although I can imagine it was either his home or some cheap love host-"

"It was at the freaking hospital!" She screamed at the top of her lungs stunning him, because the ferocity of her tone was mirrored by the intensity and the extent of her confession. Has she just said hospital?

"H-Hospital?"

"Are you deaf or something?! This is what I have said! I was at the hospital! His name was Daniel and he was a transferred student from Norway!" She rubbed her forehead, trying to alleviate the tension.

"I have found him out cold on the floor, beside the kitchen counter, while I looked for alcohol. He died of leukemia at the hospital, I was there all the fucking night." Her voice got quivery, but she didn't care. Neji wanted the truth, so there it was.

"I was equally drunk but...his face...God he was a mess and I...didn't know what to do..." Her vision got unfocused, like she was reenacting the scene before her eyes. Neji said nothing. He didn't know what. He was not even sure he was breathing, but sure enough, he was aware of his cold palms sweating.

"...I was too scared and tired and I have run out of battery as well. I wanted to call you but I couldn't so I returned the next day and you..." Bowing her mocha eyes down on her clenched fists, gripping the silk cover, Ten Ten left the unspoken words linger in the air.

Neji completed her sentence, wanting to be a hundred percent sure his ears were not deceiving him. Sasuke and Naruto have been right all the times. He was an idiot. Suddenly, the idea of banging his head on the wall until it bleed sounded very appealing.

What has he done to her? How could he have committed such a childish mistake, meaning not listening to her from the very first time?

He, a member of the Hyuga family, all recognized for the perfect emotions management and rationality, has allowed himself to taint his family's most sacred moral treasure and fall to the level of a mere superficial rich dumb. "...I already put the blame on you."

"..." She bowed her eyes facing the bed with the hair concealing her face. "I hated you so much. I was disappointed. I am. I still am."

"..." He just stood there scraping his nape searching for her sad eyes that would not face him.

"Can I go n-" Without even considering what he was dong, Neji dropped his body to her level and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, shutting his eyes to inhale the spicy strong perfume she has always been using, feeling an unexplainable warmth in the way her racing heart was bursting out of her ribcage, thumping upon his chest. It was natural and normal and...he liked it. Missed it. "I...am s-sor-ry."

"Neji-" She didn't want to hear what she has always expected him to say, afraid not to crumble and break down in front of her own conscience and return his embrace, even though it was the thing she so much wanted to do.

Every single pore into his body was oozing honesty and it overwhelmed her. Ten Ten knew how to deal with his harshness, with his rejection and mistrust, with his long list of lovers, because of the wall she has meticulously built around her heart, but she had no idea how to respond to an earnest feeling regretful him.

"I had no idea. Fuck, I should have listened to you. I am an idiot." His usually stoic voice came out as a whisper fanning over her left ear and the chestnut eyed girl already felt her forearm cover in cold shivers. Damn her body reacting to his -only his- touch in such an exposed way.

"Let go."

"No." He cupped her chin, with a delicacy that was not characteristic seeing her eyes uncovered of the usual fierceness, exposed and vulnerable.

"Uchiha is, and I can't believe I am admitting this, right. I am idiot. But this idiot is not going to make the same mistake twice. You will not walk away from me again."

"You have pushed me away."

"Not anymore." And without further notice, he brushed his lips over hers, tenderly, not demanding like begging acceptance, not demanding dominance.

Ten Ten felt prickles at the corner of her eyes and her nostrils quiver. She will not cry. Not again and not for him. She too will make no more mistakes.

She pushed him away standing up, with a strength not to respond to his amazingly soft kiss that she didn't know she possesses.

"You say you are sorry, but you still don't trust me Neji." She lingered on the doorway, not facing him for him not to see her real emotions, even tough her tone was ten times softer, quieter and not reproachful.

"...and I don't trust you as well." And left the room heading downstairs to find Sakura. No matter how strong she grew to be, she was not an iron heart with no reflection of light, impenetrable to any exterior force. She too needed someone to listen to her inner demons and be there with a shoulder to cry on.

---

Downstairs, the atmosphere between Sasuke and Sakura has not been anything more cheerful.

He was at his second bottle of liquor, while Sakura was challenging Choji's record for who ate more chips feeling her sugar levels grow alarmingly high. She was looking anywhere but him, while his stare was fixed on her. Their phone batteries were long gone. So were the candles.

"You are uncomfortable."

"I am just freezing."

"Then why are you keeping your eyes on the staircase?"

"Maybe they froze in this position. Why do you care?"

"I don't, but it is annoying."

"I annoy you because I don't look at you? That is ridiculous."

"What is truly ridiculous is the way you eat all the food in a vain attempt to calm your nerves. Gotta admit, your little moment of confidence has lasted longer than I would have expected."

She gave him a look while he snorted audibly once, letting his head hit the headrest, taking another gulp. "You are a combination of all your friends. Sometimes a scared mouse and sometimes an erupting volcano. Un-pre-dic-ta-ble."

Why was he using such a sinfully sultry tone was beyond her, but the cold shivers she felt were definitely not from the low temperature. "You are a weird drunkard."

"I am not drunk."

"No, you are in denial, which is the first symptom of being alcoholic."

"And you wonder why you got a bad mark in chemistry..."

"Don't you dare bring that up! Aish, you are driving me nuts!"

"I hear that a lot."

"Not in that way you little...ah forget it! Arguing with you is like arguing with a monkey over a banana." He smirked at her looking at how her face turned red. "Ok, that was not the best comparison. Give me that!"

She approached him taking the bottle he was gripping and drank almost half of it. She made a funny face, scowling and shutting her eyes tightly when her throat burnt her. "Yuck, this is like drinking gasoline! Disgusting!"

She threw her body on the armchair, hitting the glass table in the process, cursing. "Fucking hell..."

"You are just like your aunt."

"I get that a lot."

"But it doesn't suit you."

"What a philosophical drunkard. Don't talk to me, it bothers me."

"Then go into the kitchen or some other room."

"Can't. This is all the candles we have. Do you think I would have withstood your presence in my vicinity just for the heck of it?"

"What?"

"Are you deaf or something?!"

"Sakura..." He said warningly.

"Neji has more pans. "She deadpanned. "And this time I am not going to kiss-" She realized her mistake shaking her head. "-miss! Ah damn it."

She heard him chuckle. "So you are more honest when angry. Interesting pathology you got there."

"You are the mental one here."

"I imagined that was obvious."

"I fucking hate you." He stared at her smirk ceasing away off his face. "Stop staring at me you freak, is creepy!"

"I swear you are getting on my-"

"Fucking loser of a liar…who does he think he is to say such things?!" Whatever Sasuke wanted to say, and judging by his suddenly going evil blazing onyx eyes, he wouldn't get the chance to voice out, because Ten Ten came marching down the stairs, with a troubled look on her face, coming in front of a taken by surprise pink haired girl, gripping her hand and pulling her back upstairs.

"Whoa! Ten wait-"

"Let`s get the heck out of here, I feel like suffocating! Damn it all!"

"Ok I got it, your conversation went wrong, but have mercy on my poor hand. I need that for dancing you know?"

"Don't worry, you are good even if you don't use both your arms. Which one was it…aha this one. Come."

Quickly, as if she knew the place like the back of her hand, Ten Ten opened one of the door from the first floor and invited them both inside, throwing herself on the bed, muffling a scream in what looked like pain, frustration and agony on the pillow.

"What happened?"

"I hate that stupid imbecile cretin of a manslut to no end and he is doing it on purpose! He likes to mess with my head on purpose Sak and he is doing it because he knows it annoys me!"

Sakura took off her shoes and got inside the bed, beside her friend, covering them both with the bed sheet.

It was truly cold outside and Ten Ten was slightly trembling. Was she crying as well? Sakura couldn't tell for sure, because she has never seen her friend that distressed.

"Have you told him the truth?"

To her surprise, the chocolate eyed girl nodded once in confirmation. She turned on her shoulder, not facing the pink haired dancer. "Yeah."

"Really?! And what did he say?"

"Nothing…I wouldn't have expected." And just as sudden, she went completely silent. A quick look assured Sakura that her friend has fallen asleep. Was she that tired?

"Ten Ten?" And when she got no answer in reply, Sakura simply followed her advice, feeling exhaustion take over her senses as well. It was not like she ever wanted to return to the living room and withstand Sasuke`s presence. It grew as an impossible task to do.

.

.

.

---

"Stop moving..."

"...Y-you-re drunk...a-s...fuck..."

The moment Neji made his presence known into the living room, going down five minutes after Ten Ten, he went straight for the alcohol, joining his ebony haired friend in their little session of liver cancer, drowning his misery into strong beverages. One hour later, they were completely wasted, barely making out where they were, who they were and what was the reason of their anger.

"...youuu tooo...gett off...sllleeep."

"G-o to y-your room...o-or g-go...implore her...t-to forgive you."

Along the lines of their blabbering, Neji has miraculously managed to brief Sasuke on the conversation he and his ex girlfriend had and all that the Uchiha said was 'you are an idiot and I have told you that you lack tact when it comes to this kind of shit', much to Neji`s exasperation.

Leave it to Sasuke to give him a good friendly advice. Nonetheless, he has warned him and that was something the pale eyed boy couldn't deny.

"Whhy? Shhhe hates mme."

"B-because you d-drink...because of...h-her. You wanted t-to...fuck another...gi-rl to f-forget her..."

"...wwhere are you ggoing?" Neji hiccupped.

"...sleep. Too t-tired." He stumbled to the stairs doing his best not go trip on his feet. "Get a f-fuck-king elev-vator..."

Neji simply fell dead on the sofa. Meanwhile Sasuke got the room beside Sakura and Ten Ten's. He couldn't remember where was Neji's so he simply threw his body on the first bed that was in his way.

And the last think in mind was Sakura. He wanted to get another drink. What was the use to intoxicate your body if your mind was as lucid as it was painful?

.

.

.

---

Sakura couldn't sleep at all, no matter how much she tried. It was that kind of travel sickness when every part of the body stops its proper function. She threw the bed sheet off her body, searching for her shoes, with the tip of her toes.

That woke a groggy Ten Ten up. "...mmmnnn...Sakura? What are you doing?"

"I'm hungry."

"Ha...at this hour? " She took a peek at the phone. "It's three o'clock in the freaking morning girl, go to sleep."

"Not tired."

"You are going to get fat."

"At this hour the level of insulin is the lowest so I am safe"

"...the heck...are you talking about..." She hit the pillow, falling asleep. Ten ten could have slept everywhere and strangely enough she was used to that home.

.

.

.

---

"Gosh, this place reeks of alcohol." Sakura rubbed her forearms freezing heading to the kitchen. She has missed Neji sleeping on the couch because it was dark. "Why is it so cold in here?! Damn I am hungry. This is all his fault...idiot stupid moronic jerk..."

She looked into the fridge. She only found some ham and cheese. "Aunty Tsunade is going to throttle me..."

"That if she is at home." Ten Ten tripped on the chair. "Auch! Aish my finger...fucking chair and fucking Hyuga! I hate this house like seriously." She approached her blindly. "What do you eat?"

"Sandwich. I am sorry, I woke you up."

"Nah, it is ok. It is my duty as a friend to keep the depressed one company."

"The fridge...want some tea?"

"Ah yeah...it is a wonder this loon has that much brain to keep the meat into the fridge. Nah, I am too lazy to go to the bathroom every five minutes if I drink anything that doesn't put me in a comatose state .Where are the monsters from under the beds?"

"I have no idea. Sleeping maybe. That or they have been kidnapped by aliens."

"That should be a blessing. Let's hope they weren't fans of BMWs, either way we are not going to see Jacksonville anytime soon. Wow this is good. Emmentaler. That bastard likes to live all high. I bet he stole this from Hina." She came to sit with Sakura entangling their feet.

"Hinata? How come?"

"She likes Swiss cheese. And she usually cooks so...you do the math."

Sakura snorted once, totally realizing what was her friend talking about and where were her ideas drifting too. "Pff...boys are dumb as hell."

"This kind of specimens are presumed to be idiotic. You know what...give me some te-"

Bang!

Suddenly, some foreign noise coming from the door caught their attention, both the girls going silent to listen to the source of the muffled metallic click. Someone was trying to get inside.

"Dude, are you sure is this one?"

" yeah, I have double checked. There is no one inside. Usually that Hyuga is only coming when he has some parties, either ways it is always empty, like now."

"Does he have something we can sell? Boss is not gong to give me any if I don't pay him right on the spot."

"Are you that high or haven't you attended the same school? He is Neji Hyuga, of course he is loaded!" He tried the lock with a pin, forcing it. "Now step aside and hold that flashlight strait. Fucking rain blocking my fucking vision..."

"Hurry up, someone might see us!"

"Calm the hell down, there is no one around on this weather. Gottcha. Come. We will only resume to what is the smallest and the most expensive. Look for electronics or arts."

"Roger." He turned the knob on, slowly pushing the door open, so as to make sure they won't run into the owner himself, because one wouldn't just trespass Neji Hyuga's property and lived to tell the story further to his nephews.

On the other side of the wall, two girls were freaking out. Well, one of them was because the other one looked more like angry than anxious.

"What the heck...girl do you hear this?" Ten Ten whispered cautiously to her emerald eyed friend, trying her best to hear every single noise, not actually believing that someone decided to play the burglar into the storm. Maybe they were tramps in search for a shelter.

"Hell yeah. What was that?!" Sakura tightened her grip on the cup, bringing her hands protectively towards her chest.

Ten Ten stood up, leaving the plate on the window seat, not making a sound. "I don't know. Sounds like someone is at the door."

"The guys?"

"Without making a sound? Only if they are playing hide and seek the bottle of Gin."

At the speed of light, Sakura has gripped her friend's forearm, imploring her not to go and run into trouble. Was she seriously trying to be Catwoman? "Don't go there! Close the door and let's hide under the sink!" She whispered harshly.

"Are you nuts?! Maybe there are burglars. And knowing Neji's luck..." Ten Ten focused on getting a knife, cautiously heading to the door.

Sakura followed her doing the same. She took the first larger pan she found, not wanting to risk and provoke any other noise by searching through the cupboard for a more suitable weapon.

They probably looked beyond ridiculous, she was aware and knowing how things were, Sasuke and Neji were probably out cold.

"Wait!"

"Shhh! Quiet!" She put a hand on Ten Ten's shoulder, while she put one on the doorframe looking into the living room.

Meanwhile the two high school mates of theirs, made their royal entrance like regular burglars, tiptoeing into the living room, eying the surroundings and trying to determine whether the owner was or he was not at home. "See? It is empty!"

"Then why are you whispering?"

Ten Ten jumped backwards in surprise, not actually being prepared for such an unwelcome surprise, with Sakura muffling a small cry with her palm. "Fuck, burglars! I told you not to make a sound!"

"S-Sorry! I was not really expecting someone to be that much suicidal to come and steal on this...this apocalypse! What do we do now?!"

"Kick their asses what else?"

"What?! Have you lost your mind?! They probably have guns! Shouldn't we get Sasuke and Neji up?"

"Pf...have you seen those bottles? They are probably out cold by now this is why you don't see them around. Besides, there is no way we can ho upstairs without crossing the living room.

Besides..." she approached the door silently, resuming in listening intently to their conversation. Sakura held her breath, almost like in anticipation.

"What?"

"I know those losers. Some seniors from 12D. Major druggies. Of course, they probably run out of money to buy their shit. I am going to skin them alive."

"No, Ten wait..." Silently, she headed to the living room, taking advantage of the darkness around, hiding behind the TV. Sakura slapped her forehead, saying a little prayer and followed her suit.

"Did you hear this?"

"Damn there is nothing here we can steal. What are you doing you idiot?!"

One of the seniors that was closer to the sofa tripped on a bottle, stirring Neji who groaned at the sudden noise, but didn't wake up.

He simply rolled on his side, continuing his semi alcoholic comatose state, while four pairs of eyes flew on him. "Shit! shit I told you someone might be inside!"

"Wait a second...stop fucking pushing me!"

"Ten, who is that?"

"Oh no...damn Hyuga and his bad timing! He is drunk. And that means trouble!"

"Do they have guns?"

"No. They are..."

"Dude, don't get too close, let's get out of here!" The other senior who already realized what a bad idea entering the house has been, whispered to his friend, gripping his hand, making the other him the coffee table with his knee. "Auch! Fuck!"

That woke Neji up for real. The Hyuga was groggy and lost, but thankfully, it was too dark inside for the culprits to realize, since he blew off al the candles. "...mmmnnn...Ten Ten..."

Said boys froze the moment they realized it was a name they actually knew, while Ten Ten felt like banging her head on the TV. He said her name. Into his sleep.

Neji was dreaming of her and was searching for her when he got up. Heavens. "So help me God if I am not murdering him...after I finish with them."

Sakura's jade eyes widened in consternation when she realized what Ten Ten had in mind and it was just as crazy as them being there. She has tried in vain to stop her rushed friend. That couldn't be good. "Hey wait-"

The taller of the two seniors lifted a bottle of Rum off the floor, with the intent clear. He started to approach Neji, lifting it above his head.

Sakura's eyes widened at how Ten Ten emerged from behind the hiding spot and caught his hand midway, stunning both.

"What the-" Without even giving him the chance to protest and make out what was going on, Ten Ten punched him hard straight on his disoriented face, sending him on the table spreading the contents aside.

His friend, who has been imitating a cactus rooted to the ground, snapped away of his reverie and, realizing the danger and the suddenly turning ugly situation, he tried to get back at her but he couldn't see her well and that made him completely miss his target.

When another lightning bolt stroke nearby and the room got illuminated, the chestnut eyed girl wasted no time in fisting her hand and punched him on his solar plexus, until she knocked the wind out of his lungs. "Damn losers making it even worse!"

"You...will pay for that one!" The guy who has been impersonating a crashing on the table plane, managed to pull himself together and, brushing the tiny line of blood emerging from his split lip, lunged forward, attempting to kick the chocolate eyed girl's head from behind, while she wasn't paying attention, but it was Sakura the one to come and hit his shoulder, taking advantage of the element of surprise, targeting a medical point she learn from her aunt, making him wince in agony.

He turned around out of reflex, stunned to discover another presence into the house, but he got a kick in the liver and one punch into the face, while Ten Ten was beating the living daylights out of the other one.

Neji rose on his butt, rubbing his head, still too drunk to try and make out the sounds around him, blinking rapidly in a vain attempt to cease away the golden dots dancing in his blurry field of vision. "...wwhhoo is theree?"

"...what...a...loser! Just go back to your comatose, you closet alcoholic!"

"Ten Ten?"

"No, your mother!"

"...mmoomm?"

Ten Ten rolled her eyes at the way the Hyuga sounded, already imagining what his future reputation would look like the moment those two seniors would spread the words about his intoxicated stance, fighting her attacker.

Damn those drugies and their brute strength. Where was all the emergency coming from anyways?

Another punch sent him to the floor and she took in how Sakura beat the other senior, easily, like she has been doing that for ages. "Glad you joined the party girl!"

"I can't...believe this is...happening! Hya!" Sakura avoided a blow of a bottle her opponent lifted from the floor, panting harshly. At least she was getting warm again.

"I will kill the both of you-"

"-will you just shut up already?!" Annoyed with their lame speeches and their audacity to actually attempt to steal from Neji, Ten Ten hit his chest applying normal strength.

She didn't want to break his ribs but he was getting annoying. "Why do people like you make threats when they should make a run for it instead?"

"It has to do with the ego. At least this one is more silent!"

"Please don't kill me!" The shortest and the skinniest put of the two intruders rose his hands above his head, pleading like he was in front of the Inquisition, making the two girls present shake their heads at once. He sounded like a woman on her period.

"Kill you?! I am thinking of a way to sue your ass!" Getting her eyes used to the darkness, Ten Ten took in their appearances while Sakura came beside her. Both were laying spread on the carpet.

Their clothes were thorn, their hair dripping wet and dirty and both had bangs under their eyes, the size of Loch Ness. In a word, they were the perfect mixture of a complete mess. "What do we do with these ones?"

"I say we lock them up into the basement." Ten Ten suggested on a serious tone that shocked Sakura, folding her arms upon her chest, still panting.

"Nah...that would be kidnapping."

"And they are here to rob. Big deal. It compensates."

"Throw them outside. After performing a memory erasure. God this is going to make the headlines at school tomorrow!" Sakura used her palms to cover her face, thinking in horror at all the rumors that were about to come.

She suddenly felt something warm brushing her calves, just to turn around and watch Neji lolling his head on his shoulder, mumbling incoherently, like he has been kidnapped and brainwashed by aliens. "This doesn't look good."

"Get out! Both of you! That if you don't want me to get serious!" It was an unnecessary act of female domination since they were already on the door screaming and cursing at one another and karma for the bad luck.

Just who in their right mind would steal on such bad weather conditions? Or was it precisely for that particular reason, both girls wondered.

"I had no idea his girlfriend was a ninja!" The two girls held their breaths, both not moving until their steps vanished in the stillness of the night.

"Damn it...that was the last resort." Ten Ten turned around abruptly to face a drunk Neji, who stood up, calling and reaching for her, like Frankenstein's bride when she got a soul. "...Ttteeen...Tennn...ffoorgivee..."

"I want to punch him."

"This...is the weirdest day of my life." Sakura admitted without second thoughts. She looked helplessly at Neji, while she was checking if the strange boy she has just beaten to a pulp minutes ago, managed to land a hit on her. She doubted he did. "You know, this is kind of sweet."

Ten Ten got to her ex reeking of liquor boyfriend's side, slapping his cheek to wake him up, to no avail. He was too drunk.

"Sweet?! This is an eighteen years old loser with the mental age of a preschooler that replaced his Teddy Bear with a bottle of alcohol, like a sailooor-ah!"

Just as sudden, the pale eyed Hyuga folded his hands around Ten Ten's waist, the moment he felt her warmth radiating around him, burying his nose on her tummy, holding her tight. "Let go, you drunkard!"

"Nnnnnooo!" It was all in vain to fight him, the chestnut eyed girl realized in horror, because the moment she lowered her guard, underestimating his strength under the alcohol's influence,

Neji brought her down on the couch with him, burying his face into the crock of her neck, barely articulating the words."...stayyy."

She tries to pry his hands apart off her body, with no luck. Sakura was helplessly looking at the scene, barely containing her laughter. What were they doing anyways?

Ten Ten on the other hand, was fuming and panicking. That bastard did everything in his maleficent powers to get physical with her ever since they came into his house and she knew his game.

Was it a game, something at the back of her mind whispered, but she refused to acknowledge it. She would stay stuck to her beliefs…or so she wished. "Oh for the love of...Hyuga, let go or else I will punch you. In the face! With my fist!"

"Tireeeed...sleep."

"Yeep!" How Neji managed to roll them over, so as he caged the chocolate haired girl in between the couch and his body, pulling the blanked up to cover their bodies, was beyond her understanding but damn Hyuga was skilled and fast with his hands...

"Hyuga!" She punched him in the shoulder weakly, because she could do barely nothing since he had her locked into his arms -she could feel every rippling muscle and his warmth and dazing perfume –without luck, since it only made him laugh in his drunk low throaty way and her friend was doing the same like that was something funny. "Sak, stop laughing, this is not fucking funny!"

Sakura was having cramps of laughter at the way Neji was desperately trying to grip on her mocha eyed friend, as if he was on a sinking ship and she was his sole lifesaver.

She was so scared and cold that she lost her mind. Or so she thought. It was adrenaline speaking. "Haha his is...hahaha...so ridiculous, that it is funny!"

"I am going to murder you all! Hyuga! You bastard, get your stupid drunk hands off me, you pervert!"

"...grrr..."

"Is he purring? Ten that guy is...hahaha!"

"This cannot happen to me this cannot happen to me...girl do something before I kill him!"

"Hm..."Sakura came towards the awkward pair, nonetheless, trying to pry Neji's muscled arms apart from her barely breathing friend, but it was like he was made of steel, because he was not budging an inch. "...damn he is strong."

"...doonn't ttaakkee Tenn Teeen..." And the way he was dragging each syllable in his usual stoic way, was a painfully ridiculously amusing contrast between appearance and substance.

In a desperate attempt to free herself, Ten Ten leaned in and tried to bite his ear, but instead she found herself kissing him briefly, pulling his lower lip, on mistake, because he turned his head out of reflex, sensing danger approaching.

And her gesture seemed to be on his liking. Inwardly, Ten Ten had a brain shutdown and her system was working on safe mode. That didn't happen. "Mmm..."

"Aish, Hyuga! Stop it! Oh you are going to have an indefinite holiday to Hell after I am done with you!"

"What are you doing, he is drunk."

"You don't say! Bring me...salt!"

"Salt?"

"This us what they use in winter on frozen roads! Or sand!"

Deciding that there was nothing she could do and it was better to leave it to the two of them to solve their problems, Sakura took the apologetically look that silently assured her friend that she would be somewhere close if she needed a hammer and headed upstairs, feeling dizzy of extreme tiredness...and cold.

Why was she always cold and what was that plant Tsunade told her was a green miracle for blood circulation? Was it Ginko Biloba or something? "I am out of here."

"Hey, where are you going? Don't leave me here with...this mummy!" She hit him again just for the heck of it, already realizing it was in vain. He was already sound asleep and she truly hoped he was not having perverted wet dreams of her in lingerie.

"Sorry, until I get some good ideas, you are on your own. I am going to try and sleep. My eyes are tearing apart."

"Sakura!"

"Have a good night, Ten!"

"Traitor!"

As soon as she climbed the stairs, Sakura went straight to the bedroom, slipping under the bed sheets that unfortunately didn't provide much warmth, blew off the candle-it was a duck shape, she should take a photo-covering herself with the extra wool blanket she found under the bed, adamant in getting some rest. She was beat tired.

Sasuke stumbled to the toilet, tripping twice cursing the dizziness. He was seeing stars.

After what looked like it took him forever to do his job and spread some water on his face, feeling too tired to take a shower -he couldn't even hold the soap properly- tried to determine whether the room he was sleeping in was, meaning on his right or his left. He thought he heard some noises downstairs, but he didn't know for sure.

He entered a room at random he found in his way -he couldn't be sure if it was his and he didn't care about it either- and let his hands roam, after he dragged his body towards the bed he could make out when lightning stroke, letting himself fall on his shoulder, hitting his head on the cupboard in the process. That successfully got him out cold for real.

Sakura crept an eye open, sensing something heavy hit the bed, but she quickly relaxed when she reasoned it should be a friend that managed to escape from her ex boyfriend. It looked like a drunken Neji was a possessive one with his territory. "...mnn Tennie...you didn't throttle Neji, did you?"

She got no reply but she didn't bother to turn around, feeling too comfortable. "I am sorry for abandoning you." Still no reply. "You don't have to be upset. I am going to let you eat my share of muffin on Thursday."

She only heard an even breath in return. "Ok, I got it, I should not speak. You are upset. I was a traitor of a friend." So she shut her eyes and resumed her sleep, burying her face inside the thin blanket.

Ten Ten was counting sheeps into her mind and the method was not working. She was at nine hundred ninety seven and she got an equally high number of silent murdering methods to detangle herself from Neji.

"...Hyuga..." She shook him hard. "...are you awake? Oy, don't ignore me bastard! Hyuga!" She slapped his cheek once, sensing him stiffen his shoulders.

And his grip on her tightened, almost suffocating her. Her face was turning purple. "Can't...breathe! C'mon moron, let go!"

Ten Ten was certain that at least an hour and a half has passed and she was trapped in there. "...he saiiiid...I aaam an iidiot!" He started vaguely.

"Who said that? Damn he is right."

"...fucccking Ucchihhaa..." She rolled her eyes at that. Let it to the 'brain' of the group to do the thinking. Wasn't it Shikamaru`s dream job, to begin with? Those people…

"Why?"

"Beccausee I ammm druunk."

"And why are you drunk?"

"..."

"Hyuga? Hey don't die on me now!"

"Mmm...bbecauseee...of youu!"

She froze in horror, not expecting to hear a drunkard's spontaneous honest confession. He did that twice in the same day! "Because of...me?! The fuck would you drink because of me?"

"...don'tt fforgivvee...me...me...lloovee youuu..."

She put a palm on her forehead, reeling in confusion. "What are you saying..." Just for that night...she would allow herself to be weak. And that was why she let her cheek atop his head, closing her eyes.

"Damn it...forgive me girl...for not always be the tough girl I appear..." Tomorrow she would go back to her previous self. Like chocolate addiction you try to cut down from your diet. You try to stay away of it, but you can allow yourself to succumb to temptation, even if it is once a month or year, in her case. That was Neji for her.

A drunken Neji was a honest and not hostile one. And that was the reason why his embrace hurt that bad.

She felt sleep coming to take her, relaxing her muscles. And she felt Neji's heart rate slowing down, both falling into slumber on the living room.

.

.

.

---

Sakura was not ordinary cold, she was freezing, literarily. Her fingers were having an abnormal pallor and she couldn't feel her toes and fingers, meaning she was extremely uncomfortable.

But she quickly found her solution, namely, getting closer to her sleeping friend and steal some heat.

Ten Ten, no matter what she did, was always warm, even if she felt just as cold and they were already like sisters, so she, not once opening her eyes, half asleep, half awake, turned around on her shoulder, facing the wall, her back at the window, getting closer to the body resting beside her, putting a hand around what she considered to be Ten Ten's waist, entangling their feet and she couldn't help but exhale contently when her skin felt like covered in chocolate at the contact. Indeed, she felt the hotness and it was an astonishing difference.

There was a quick stir, but she managed to not wake up her friend, so she glued her forehead on a bare shoulder she found -not taking the hint, because both wore oversized clothes- resuming her sleep.

The thing that woke Sasuke up from his more like comatose state was not one hell of a hangover that promised an extremely dehydrated body by the next day, a dry throat and many bathroom visits, or a throbbing headache.

No, it was a small cold pressure he felt attached to his body and it was alien all right, but surprisingly enough not an unwelcome one.

He crept his stingy eyes open, blinking several times already feeling nausea making its place to his system. His stomach was riding a rollercoaster. He took a peek on the window, frowning at the dark grey clouds of the morning. No sun was understandable, but at least the rain was lighter.

"...fuck..." He tried to stand slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose, already regretting his choice of strong beverages, feeling his mind fight oblivion.

He didn't remember much from the previous day, with the exception of a lot of pink, a pair of angry disappointed emerald eyes and a power cut. The rest, starting from drinking with his friend, making fun of him and his girl, was silence. "...!" He tried to move his right hand in vain, feeling something warm puffing on his ribs.

"What the-" He quickly became alert, despite the grogginess. He understood two things right on the spot.

First, he wore no clothes on his upper body and second...he was not alone in the bed.

Alertness and adrenaline made him throw the blanket on the side, his onyx bloodshot eyes widening the size of the Pentagon in horror, when he realized who exactly was the foreigner he has been cuddling with. "-oh shit!"

Pink. That is the first thing he saw. Not only that, but the last thing he expected to encounter in the morning was Sakura cuddling with him, sleeping contently, with a hand sprawled over his chest and her legs entangled with his own, pressing her body comfortably on his own, likely they have had...he shook his head in disbelief, trying to cease away the mental frightening images.

There was a moment in which Sasuke was sure he stopped breathing, stopped blinking, even stopped existing, looking at the situation he found himself in, trying to make out what could have transpired.

He couldn't have been that imbecile to sleep with her, could he? "Sakura?" He called softly, trying to wake her up. Maybe he should just detach from her and get away as soon as possible, so as to not having to explain something he himself couldn't figure out.

He tried to pry her limbs away, with no luck. She was too much pressed to him -in so many rightful ways- and she looked deep into sleep. He shook her once again, that time getting her stir her shoulders.

"Sakura, wake up." Great, he sarcastically thought, his voice was hoarse and guttural, like he has been screaming all night.

That didn't look promising. And neither did Neji's T-Shirt on her, with one sleeve rolled down past her shoulder, revealing a generous hint of cleavage...and she wore no bra.

"Fucking great...Sakura!" He already felt his hormones react to milky luscious porcelain skin, that looked beyond smooth and velvet skin to touch, and damn right if he was not fighting with all his might to keep his fingertips to run over her exposed shoulder and feel the softness.

Why was she such a vixen and what kind of spellbound was she casting on him, even if she was not even aware of what she was awakening? That girl…was anything but ordinary, Sasuke decided.

"...hm...aunty?" He froze when she started to mumble incoherent things, pursing her lips. "...ten more minutes..." He promptly rolled his eyes at that. She was mistaking him for the busty blonde girlfriend of his uncle. That was not his week, which was for sure.

"Sakura, I am not Tsunade so wake up damn it!" She reluctantly opened her eyes, but she had to play funny and hug him tighter, probably thinking that he was her pillow, moving her legs in the process, and she actually managed to brush her knee right above his front pants, making him bit his lower lip when she, almost like doing it on purpose, rubbed twice the starting to get problematic lower region.

How did they get into the same room was a mystery, but that was Sasuke`s last concern, when he cast his eyes on Sakura, feeling her shoulders stiffen, sucking in a deep breath and it only meant one thing: she was awake for good and she looked anything but content. The reaction was worth a scene from a movie with stupid people.

"...?" First she opened her emerald eyes, blinking trice so as to take in what was happening. Second, they widened in horror when she realized what she was doing. Third, her stare roamed deliberately slow from his chest, down his uncovered body, at their touching legs, then it flew on his face.

Lastly, she did what any reasonable living would do in her situation, namely pushing him off her, kicking him off the bed with her leg, screaming at the top of her lungs, making dead rise out of their graves.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH! RAPISTS!" She was gripping the blanket on her chest, resting on her knees, still piercing the stillness of the morning with her high pitched voice.

And boy did she have amazing lungs, Sasuke realized, when she collected his body off the floor. His queasiness worsened and it was magic the way he survived without throwing up right there and then. "Sakura, stop...screaming, my ears hurt."

That triggered her rage. "WHAT IN THR SEVEN PITS OF HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THE SAME BED AS ME?!"

That was a time when being honest did Sasuke no good. He simply shrugged once, fighting his dizziness. Standing suddenly became something inspirational for the human evolution. "I don't know."

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?! YOU DON'T KNOW?! WHAT IF I BEAT THE HECK OUT OF YOU AND SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID IT?! YOU PERVERTED ARROGANT ALZHEIMER SUFFERING INTOXICATED RAPIST!" She pointed her finger accusingly towards him.

"...are you threatening me or insulting me? Because you are confusing." He had absolutely no idea what to do with a hysteric Sakura and her screaming insults at him didn't help. A reproachful woman was annoying no matter who she was.

"Stay back, you freak!" He simply came closer to her, trying to calm her down but she exploded. She gripped the pillow, hitting his head once. Feathers burst out of it, entangling into his messy raven hair.

"Hey, stop that-" Sasuke was going nuts and he knew all the medical consequences of chocking on feathers. He tried to grip her hands again, but she was constantly aiming to his face and she was proficient as well.

They were doing a mess out of the mattress. The rest of the pillows went flying on the floor. "-pff...Sakura...you test the patience I don't have...calm down and listen to-"

"Get...away! Yada!"

The door flew open in that moment, revealing a scary looking Ten Ten, being ready to do permanent damage and impalement. "What the fuck is going on here? Sakura?!"

There were few scenarios going on into her mind at the moment, all based on the scene enfolding in front of her: Sasuke and her best friend were both kneeing on the bed, while he was half naked and their hairs were disheveled, Sakura's T-Shirt was hanging low, uncovering most of her chest and the surrounding looked like Katrina hurricane paid them a surprise visit.

A quick look into the pair of equally disturbed emerald orbs staring right back at her was enough to make her blood boil. "Uchiha?! You screw it! I am going to cut down your balls and choke you on them!"

"This is not-" Actually trying to reason with two eccentric girls, with anger management problems assured Sasuke that he lost his mind. For certain.

"Don't you dare lying!" Sakura took the chance to hit him hard with the pillow once, enough to send him backwards off the bed. "You snuck under the blankets taking advantage of me! Pervert! Freak! RAPIST! I am suing you!"

"You can't sue a dead body!" Ten Ten screamed from the doorframe, marching into the room. Sasuke felt his mind explode.

"You two shut the fuck u-"

"Take this!" Sakura threw the pillow towards Sasuke, but he saw it coming, so she threw her shoe as well, which he dodged stepping aside, proving that he had sharp reflexes.

She hit a looking green sleepy Neji, who found the moment appropriate to appear into the doorframe as well, probably awaken by the clamor, straight into his head, making him lose balance and fall on his butt.

All that he did was to look straight to a freaked out Sakura, who had her mouth covered apologetically with her palms, then he looked at the object that landed beside him, then he looked at Sasuke and Ten Ten who both had the same expression on their figures, meaning none.

And all he managed to say was: "Cinderella?" That sent Ten Ten straight into a hysterical laughter and he could have sworn he even saw Sasuke let out a full hearted laugh, which automatically meant that the last sign of apocalypse. The storm has been just the trigger.

"Gosh, I am so sorry!" Sakura jumped off the bed, going to Neji, helping him collect his body off the ground. He looked disoriented.

"Are you ok? Does it hurt somewhere? Any blood? Feeling hazy? Clouded vision? How many fingers do you see?" She bombarded him with all sorts of what she expected to be medical questions, even tough he looked like he couldn't spell his own name without stuttering.

"I...think I am going to-" Without any further notice, he turned around and lunged towards the bathroom, thanking his luck for it being in his way, emptying all the poison out of his liver, leaving a stunned Sakura behind.

She felt a still laughing Ten Ten putting a hand on her shoulder, while she was gripping her tummy with the other, knees bent, shoulders trembling.

"Hahaha...are you...haha...all right? What are you two doing in here hahaha?"

Then she was reminded of Sasuke. She turned to look at him, slightly surprised to see amusement on his face, but it was strategically covered with the tiredness and the signs of one nasty hangover.

"You! Explain yourself! And it better be good, or else..." She let the threat linger, hands planted on her hips. Ten Ten was curiously looking from Sasuke to her.

He furrowed his eyebrows, like trying to figure out if she heard him correctly. "Or else what?"

Smartly, Ten Ten told her that she was going to check on Neji and take a picture of him dying, while Sasuke approached the unmoving pink haired girl, not bothering to go and find something to cover the flashing sculpted body that stirred dark desires inside the opposite sexes' minds. "You are quite violent."

"Pf..."

Sakura felt a lump rising on her throat, which she obliviously chose to put on the expense of her rage, gulping once, keeping on chanting how much he loathed the character in front of her. If she was affected in a way she shouldn't, she was good to hide it. "...you are the last living in here to talk."

"And you keep on insulting me like I am your friend or any acquaintance, which I don't like."

"I don't give a damn about what you like or not. Why in the world are you here and how come I found you..."

Realization that they might have spent the night fondling each other hit them both at the same time, like lightning striking a trunk in half, making Sakura feel cold shivers down her spine and Sasuke get some sort of alien feeling down his chest."...wait a second! When exactly have you come here?"

Sasuke quickly understood that he simply mistook the room for the one he chose to sleep into, while trying to find his way back from the bathroom, on a blackout, under the alcohol's influence.

For him, it was not big deal, but apparently it freaked her out, like he had rabies. It was crystal clear they didn't do anything, either way they would have been naked and less stressed. "Sometime last night."

Sakura wanted to strangle him for the smartass retort. The nerve of him to mock her so obviously as if his blooming smirk at her livid stare piercing his skull was not a solid enough proof.

"No shit! I cannot believe your guts, Sasuke. At all. Haven't I made my point clear last night?!"

"Since you have missed me with the pan, I would say which one of them?"

"Argh!" She messed her hair, mumbling curses in Japanese, until she run out of ideas. Meanwhile, Sasuke decided to take back at her for calling him names, toying with her mind.

He wouldn't use violence -physical or verbal- on a girl, especially if it was Sakura. And by doing that, maybe her foam creamy skin and precise curves would stop popping into his mind. "You are insufferable and a major pervert! You tried to take advantage of me, admit it!"

"You didn't seem to mind that much, admit it, either ways you wouldn't have..." He lowered his chin to her eyes level, whispering seductively to add to the tragedy. "...hugged me so tightly. It was...spicy."

Her cheeks blushed violently, mentally cursing herself for her stupidity. Her gaze flew on her shoulder and her lips were pursing and twitching, like she was arguing with her inner self.

"Fucking jerk..." She slipped past him, making the bed, then without even sparing him a glance she went downstairs, where she found Ten Ten taking care of Neji, stuffing his face with water, arguing with him to eat something. Were they thrown into a parallel universe all of sudden and no one told her?

"I told you to stop nagging me woman, because I can't fucking eat!" He was having his arms crossed, while Ten Ten was bent on his level, with a finger rose in the kitchen's direction, where she was heading.

She vaguely heard Sasuke follow her up to some point, but he remained somewhere upstairs.

"You two are acting like an old married couple, over each other's will."

"No, we're not!" They both answered offended, at the same time, using the same tone, which Sakura found creepy. They claimed to hate on each other, but they were so much alike it was frightening.

"Is there anything edible left here, besides fast food?" She roamed into the kitchen, throwing glances outside. The rain stopped for the moment, but the wind was blowing and the sky was covered in clouds.

Water was flooding the street and the yard. Good thing that most of Neji's front yard was covered in asphalt, unlike his neighbors` ones, whose yards were mostly grass. The mud was impressively leaking in between the bars of the gates.

It was Ten Ten who shouted from the living room. "Try the highest shelves and the fridge!"

"Ok..." She found two eggs, some curry, sweet ketchup -avid pizza eaters- carrots, tomatoes, a garlic, some salt and mozzarella. And an expired yoghurt. She should give that to Sasuke for his stunt.

Her mind was reeling into both anger and distress. "...Ten, should I make one for you as well? Backed eggs I mean!" How could she has been that stupid to mistake her friend's slender delicate body, for Sasuke`s hard rock ripped one, was beyond her intellectual level.

Or maybe it was the familiarity and lack of alertness his presence was having the one that clouded her judgment. That, or tiredness has been an ultimate factor.

She was full of nagging worries, while her hands were busy with mixing the eggs with the ingredients, absentmindedly. She couldn't wait to get home. "Make one for stupid Hyuga as well!"

A confident 'no' that left no room for interpretation was his firm refusal. The she heard a knock she wouldn't want to question.

Meanwhile in the living room, Ten Ten was reminding Neji how much of an useless for the community creature he was, going through all the bashings and elaborate curses she knew, making a complete complicate description of how much his attitude was pissing her off. "I don't get you! Do you want to die?! Go eat the damn food!"

"Ten Ten, stop freaking ordering me around! Go nag someone else!"

"Ha! Now you have some spunk, you punk! Big words for a cry baby who wouldn't let me go last night! You are truly a loser, by default!"

She crossed her fingers through her long mocha hair to comb it, tightening it in a messy high ponytail, all the while having a glaring contest with Neji.

"Stop staring and go do something useful!" All the while, everything that crossed her mind, was his honest words coming from the bottom of his drunk heart confession. He told her he loved her.

Ten Ten felt like beating him and she was certain it was projected on the outside as well. "You are getting on my nerves."

"Now this is something we agree with! Give me the car keys!"

At that, Neji felt all the drunks he had coming once up again. She knew that car was important for him and he just didn't land it randomly to anyone. "No."

Ten Ten rolled her eyes at him, coming even closer, until their knees touched, looking like the commander officer in the army. "I think alcohol has affected your hearing because I heard a no. I said give...me...the...freaking...car...keys!"

"Why should I?"

"Are you doing this on purpose to annoy m further?! What could I possibly be doing with your car keys, you psychedelic intoxicated lunatic, except from heating up the engine?! Can't you see is fucking freezing outside?!"

"This is stupid. I am doing no such thing, you will not touch my car."

"That...is debatable." She lunged forward, truing to slip a hand into his pocket, where he knew he was safely keeping the keys, both fighting for their rights, trashing the mattress of the sofa. "Give it Hyuga!"

"Stop that, you crazy girl! Auch! You bite me!"

Two people that were supposedly hating on each other were fighting into the living room over something no one could know, but by the look of it looked like they were engaged in any other activities, shouting at each other and a pink haired girl who was talking to herself passionately into the kitchen, in a language only she understood, were the things that made Sasuke wonder if he went straight into a scene portraying a daily routine of mental hospital patients.

He took the first blouse he found on Neji's wardrobe, going downstairs, pressed by the urge to give his rumbling stomach the much needed food.

He briefly stopped to see what were his friend and his ex girlfriend were doing, rolling his eyes at the way she was bossing him around and manhandling him. He couldn't have been anymore pathetic.

"Hyuga, I am telling you for one last time to fucking go and eat and give me the keys! You are not driving in your condition!"

"And I told you I am going to eat whenever I want and you are not going to lay a hand on the steering wheel. All I need is a strong dark coffee, mind telling you."

"If you don't eat after you have drunk, there is a higher chance to get peptic ulcer from ingesting a ton of coffee, in order to get enough energy to get your body produce more energy than normal, plus you need to replenish all the calories you have burnt in order to get your damn body to function properly, either ways, your brain is going to stop working properly and you will get dizzy in the next two hours, at the lack of energy."

He got two people stopping what they were doing, looking at him like he grew horns. He gave them a deadpanned look.

"Wow that was deep. Sounds more like talking from experience." Sakura emerged from the kitchen with the eggs she has cooked, placing four plates on the coffee table, throwing herself on the armchair, shoving the fork down her own bit, resuming her eating.

Surprisingly enough, the other occupants of the room did the same, without complaining or saying anything else more, probably mentally agreeing with one another that they should take everything that has happened into the grave, not saying a word about it to any other third party.

That until Neji, who was starting to get his mind to function, looked around once, deciding to break a mid comfortable silence.

"Why is the lamp on the floor and why do I spot blood on the carpet?" Sasuke looked on the carpet he too wondering the same thing, but he thought is was taco from the chips or ketchup.

Sakura and Ten Ten's gazes briefly connected so as to determine whether they should say it or keep it for themselves, agreeing it was better to choose the first option.

"Some druggies have barged in here last night, around 3 am, looking for things they could have exchanged for weed."

Neji's shocked expression imitated the one of a scared old man in front of a giant crab. "Say what?!" The only reaction Sasuke had to frown, lifting his onyx eyes to look at Sakura. She shrugged once, lifting an eyebrow at him, as if it was nothing much. He heard nothing and he was surprised that nothing happened. "What do you mean someone has been in here?"

Ten Ten exhaled deeply once, taking her time to eat her food, adding ketchup all over the eggs.

"You know that gang from 12 D, the ones you crashed your previous car into their Jeep at Mei's birthday party. It was that blonde one with the ponytail and the brunette with rasta. They wanted to rob you, but me and Sakura have handled it. I think they are going to talk about this at school, so expect rumors."

"What do you mean you took care of them? Did they hurt you two? Did they have weapons?" Ten Ten snorted once, shaking her head in disbelief. Like he cared. Bastard.

"Nah, we are fine. But I can't say the same about them. I broke one's nose and I bruised his eye. Of that I am sure."

"I think the guy I punched has a bruise the size of a comet on his chest. I don't think I have managed to break his rib, either way he would have screamed of pain, but I think he pulled a tendon when I hit his calf with a low kick. And I spit his lower lip." Sakura said casually, with a hint of self pride.

Ten Ten gave her a thumb up. They didn't have time to talk, since Neji kept her hostage all night. "Good. That is going to teach them not to mess with us."

"You are going to have problems." Neji remembered those seniors all too well. They were always in some sort of altercation and their encounter were more than unfortunate.

And the idea of Ten Ten being involved with them didn't sit right with the Hyuga, no matter how much he tried to deny the facts.

It was Sasuke the one to creep the audience again. No one has even seen him finishing his food.

"No, they won't." And with that, he stood up, washed his plate, took his jacket and went towards the garage. It took Sakura, Neji and Ten Ten good five minutes to process what happened. "What did he mean by we won't have problems?"

Neji understood all too well and Ten Ten as well, tough she felt somehow insulted, the feminist in her stirring.

"Long life to the mighty knights! Like I would ever need your help." She rose from the sofa, discarding the plate into the sink, followed by Neji and Sakura. He simply told them that one of his maids would come and clean up.

In the garage, their argument resumed, much to Sakura's amusement and Sasuke`s desperation. He was already seated on the back seat, brooding at the two children, fighting. Again. "Hyuga, give me the keys."

"Get inside."

"Not after you give me the keys. Today!" She lifted her hand, with her palm wide open, tapping her heel on the ground. The sole reason why Sakura didn't want to get inside, was because she didn't know where to sit.

If she chose the passenger seat, maybe Neji would want to stay beside Ten Ten and give her instructions about how to drive his car.

On the other hand, if she went for the back seat, then Sasuke would get the wrong impression that she wanted to be close to him. So she just stood there, trying not to laugh at the way Neji's eyebrows were twitching. "Ten Ten..."

"Hyuga...give me the damn keys and stop wasting our time, you idiot! You are barely standing on your feet, let alone have accurate and sharp reflexes.

You are going to be like those people from funny videos that throw up on the window or fall asleep while driving and get us crushing a truck."

"I am a very responsible drive-"

"If you are done acting like this damn car is the eight world wonder, Hyuga, would you get your fucking ass here and let her drive, so we can move the hell out of here? Good."

"Hear your friend, give me that!"

"Hey-"

Before Neji had a chance to take back at the people plotting against him, Ten Ten stole his car keys, pushing his back on the back seat, while she wasted no time in throwing herself on the driver's seat, putting the key into the ignition, turning it once, cursing the too tight stuck seat belt. "What the...you had this customized?! Is this an elf?!"

Sakura exhaled deeply in relief, climbing beside her friend on the passenger seat, trying to locate the button that turned the heat on. She was beyond freezing level. "Ok, time to finally get away from this place!"

"Stop sounding like this place is haunted or something." Neji was experiencing all kinds of negative emotions.

He had his arms crossed upon his chest, sulking and brooding at everything that looked into his general direction, starting with his onyx eyed traitor friend, who was shaking his head at him, visibly entertained. He gave him the finger.

"It is! Your maleficent presence is damn everywhere! What the heck..." As soon as the garage opened, Ten Ten pressed the gas pedal, a bit too much, shaking everyone in the process, making the wheels scratch on the wet alley, much to Neji's horror.

"Hey, be careful, do you have any idea of how much this costs?! Don't press it that so much, this is not that pathetic ancient relic you call your car!"

"Stop screaming into my damn years Hyuga and stop talking about this shit like it is worth anything! How the hell do you shift the gears?!"

"Are you blind?! This is automatic!" Sakura was barely containing her laughter, even if the situation was anything but. Neji was basically leaning towards the steering wheel, screaming at Ten Ten to not abuse his precious car, while she was punching his shoulder and head or ribs, taking advantage of the fact that, without having to maneuver the gear lever, she hand an available hand. "Slow down! Get down, I will drive!"

It was obvious that it took Ten Ten some time to get used to a complete different car, which was smoother and newer, because she drove like a beginner.

And adding that to the fact that the road was slippery wet and water was flowing on the streets, making the car splash drops of water on each side, like they were a boat sailing, it was ridiculously funny. "Stop that I can't see anything! Go get a damn haircut!"

"I start to think that you indeed can't see a thing!"

"For the love of...get back here and let her drive already!" Sasuke promptly gripped his friend's back pocket, roughly dragging his body back on his seat, feeling like murdering someone.

It was the most bizarre experience of his life and considering all his past experiences, it spoke volumes.

"She is going to get ourselves killed!"

"I don't give a damn, nothing is worse than your whining. You sound like Karin."

"Hear that Hyuga? You are a bitch."

"Don't call me a-"

"Hey, watch out!" Sakura has just had a revelation: the seat belt was the most magnificent invention her, for she would have been flying right through the window at the sudden brake Ten Ten pushed, when she almost hit two stray dogs crossing the street...on the zebra.

That made Neji's stomach do a flip flop. He opened the door wide and promptly threw up, much to the others' disgust. Sasuke was mentally planning not to show his face to school in the next few weeks.

Weren't the classes suspended anyways if it has been a storm? He didn't care. His uncle had a Ducatti that was waiting for him in the garage and a million faraway destinations to head to. He needed to clear his mind.

With that new resolve, he nodded once for himself, while leaning in to held his intoxicated friend's shoulders and pull his hair back, while he let all the neighbors know that he was a pansy, who couldn't hold his liquor well. Just like Suigetsu. He only had friends like that.

Ten Ten turned around, slapping her face with her palm, dragging it past her cheeks. If she was alone, she would probably throw the 'mighty' Hyuga on the street, leaving him there to die.

"Seriously?!" She pulled the emergency brake and got off the car, feeling Sakura tape her shoulder. "Here, give him this."

She felt two pairs of eyes on her, while she took the bottle of water she into her bag pack, holding it and the pill towards her friend. "Medicine. It is going to help with the queasiness and headache. I got them for my aunt."

Sakura didn't quite wanted to reveal that information, but she needed to sound credible. They didn't question. Ten Ten only nodded once, giving them both to Neji, after he got back into the car, holding his temples.

Ten Ten got into the car with him, urging Sasuke to go drive. "I will stay with this pussie. You take the wheel."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the chestnut eyed girl. First, she bossed him around. Second, he was in no better condition.

"Like Hell I will." So he got off the car, letting the two people get comfortable, opened the passenger's seat stunning Sakura, who was constantly pressing on all the buttons she could find, making her halt at the sound of his voice. "You drive. Now get off."

"What?!" Three different voices have harmonized together, making any professional choir envious at the simple command. "Oh no! I have no idea how to drive an automatic. No way!"

She even made the cross sign with her arms, shaking her head firmly, definitely opposing.

Sasuke let out an audible exasperated sigh, leaning in to unbuckle her seatbelt, gripping her hand, and before Sakura had a chance to retort, she found herself shoved into the driver's seat, with the door shut with a harsh thud, while Sasuke climbed into the passenger's seat, not bothering with the seatbelt.

"You know the pedals; don't shift the gear lever...instructions. Clear?" There was a long agonizing minute during which they both had a staring contest.

"What?" If Sasuke was exasperated, he did nothing to hide it from the others. It was no need for he didn't quite care what they thought about him and he knew that secretly, they felt the same.

"This..." Sakura started slowly like she was addressing the President and the Government. "...is the strangest day of my life." Unconsciously, she has spoke Sasuke`s mind entirely.

She then blinked rapidly so as to make sure she was not imagining things, stepping on the gas pedal, softer than her friend, making the engine come to life. "You drive like Hyuga's cousin."

Sasuke let his head hit the headrest, exhaling deeply, regretting the fact that he has drunk the previous night, for the first time in his life. Why wasn't he the one driving? Oh yeah, he was not alone. Someone there hated him a lot.

"Hey, don't insult Hina, she is good!" No one badmouthed her friends in front of her, Ten Ten would not accept it.

"How can such a skinny thing be so loud..."

"What are you saying Hyuga?! Want another punch?"

A quick peek at the speed Sakura was driving to assured Sasuke that his patience was going to be pulled to its limit. That was not how he imagined that day to be. Sakura was going with 40 kmph. "We will never get to that damn town?"

.

.

.

---

It took Sakura a hour and a half till they reached the highway to Jacksonville, but with all the stress, tiredness and confused feelings, all courtesy of the dark haired guy who was half awake half asleep beside her, Ten Ten managed to keep her entertained.

All the way she kept on calling Neji every each way, then when she got bored of insulting him, she started to name all the things she didn't like about him, which were too many to remember, but each one was funnier than the other, much to his exasperation.

Seeing such a guy like Neji Hyuga, who normally appeared as untouchable and extremely tough imploring his ex girlfriend to stop and not insulting her back -not even once- or get mad at her, was something to look out for.

She didn't have any clue of what have they talked about the previous night, or what they have done, because clearly Ten Ten has not slept in the same room as she, but Sakura realized something, the moment she has been honked by a taxi driver for driving too slow: Neji actually cared for her chocolate haired friend, either way he would have not tolerate such behavior.

"So, where do we go first?" She found herself asking when they entered the town. At least Sasuke had the decency to help her find her way, knowing she had no idea of where she was or what the streets names were.

"You can go to your home first. Then I am taking your place and leave Sasuke to his home which is quite close to this cretin's one and finally I can spend the night at Hina's. My mom has texted me an hour ago. She is out of town."

"You sure you don't want to come to my home?" It was not that Sakura had any problems with Ten Ten not dropping by her own home, but the idea of she not having any troubles with spending the night at Neji's cousin, which implied his home as well was suspicious.

"I don't want to disturb you and I am sure Tsunade needs rest." She spoke softly and calmly for the first time that day, letting her pink haired friend know that she understood what her hidden message was, but she was considerate with her problems as well.

"You don't disturb, you are welcomed anytime."

"Dobe said that today's classes have been cancelled due to the storm last night. The basement and the gym have been flooded and there is a tree that has been struck by lightening and has fallen on the entrance gate."

"Oh thanks God, I wasn't planning on going to Kakashi's class today. Pfuh!" It was a news that got all of them slightly happy, even tough they have expected such thing.

The city has not suffered that much damage, except from some missing bricks from the rooftops, fallen branches, some traffic lights broken and thorn electrical wires.

There were many ambulances around and the police was maintaining the order, meaning preventing burglars and shopliftings.

"Biology, two hours of chemistry, geography and something I can't remember...whoa, that's a good sign."

Relief washed through Sakura's system the moment she entered the alley of her neighborhood, taking quick glances around at the people cleaning their yards and houses.

Then she furrowed her eyebrows at a growing familiar car parked in front of her home. "Is that your uncle's?" She addressed the midnight guy from the passenger's seat.

"Hn." Great, he thought sarcastically. Sasuke had no intention to go home and face his overreacting hysterical and worried mother, so he planned on going to Madara's place, take a quick shower and go die for a week. But no. His uncle was busy wooing women. Maybe his passion was genetically after all. "Looks like."

"What is he doing here?" She parked the car on the alley, mentally applauding herself for actually doing it properly, despite not being her car, getting off.

A looking beat concerned Tsunade bolted out of the house, like she has been watching them from the kitchen, marching towards the group of teens, with Madara following her suit, having the same anxious expression on his handsome usually collected face, but he was managing his nerves better than the busty blonde woman.

"Sakura! By all the Heavens, where have you been?"

"Aunty-" She couldn't finish her sentence, because the next moment she knew, Tsunade pulled her into a tight embrace, looking like she was on the verge of tears, but she tried to fight back the embarrassing over worried attitude, not wanting to put Sakura in a difficult position."-can't breathe..."

"Sorry." They pulled apart, with Tsunade rubbing her niece's bare forearms, quickly letting her trained doctor eye to do a complete first glance check up, so as to make sure she was out of any danger.

Then her mind started to spin like a windmill when she took in the condition Sakura was in. Basically, her niece has appeared to her home driving a sport car, clad in what looked like a man's T-Shirt, having bags around her eyes, like a Panda's, with her hair disheveled.

"Do I...want to know what happened to you?" The skepticism in her voice has been more than honest.

To make it all the best, Sasuke got off the car as well, followed by Ten Ten. Neji wouldn't budge. He found a position he was comfortable with. "It is a...long story. I am so sorry aunty." Her voice came out as hoarse and she coughed once, making Tsunade's instincts kick in.

"Ok, get inside." She smiled at the other kids, taking in their similar messy appearances, speaking firmly, but gently, putting her long green cardigan over Sakura's shoulders.

"All of you get inside. I will prepare hot chocolate and something to eat. Your friend from the back as well."

"Gottcha!" At the sound chocolate, Ten Ten riled into bliss. She quickly pulled a reluctant Neji out of the car, more than dragging him, much to his weak protests, inside Sakura's house. He got two medics quickly realizing what his problem was.

"Hey, Sakura, how is it going?" Just as the group was advancing towards the Senju's house, a by passer had to be present there from all the places, choosing the best moment to walk his dog.

At the sight of his schoolmates, Kiba's eyes went wide as UFOs. He spotted Sakura with her aunt, so he stopped to greet her, but his grin ceased away as soon as it came when he took in who the others were.

He understood the presence of the chestnut eyed tomboy of her best friend, but Sasuke and Neji were another story. He was dead confused and the dumbfounded look on his face spoke volumes. "Huh?!"

"Kiba? What are you doing here?" In her mind, Sakura was committing suicide. Out of all the individuals roaming around at the exact moment, it had to be him walking on the front alley. She knew he lived somewhere nearby, but seriously, was he stalking her?

She vaguely saw Ten Ten slapping her forehead at the corner of her eyes, mentally applauding her for showing up what crossed everyone's minds. "Fucking great. The loser of the century turns to be a major creep. Told you you attract danger girl."

If Kiba wanted to say something at the insult, he refrained from doing so. Not only Sakura's relative and another adult were present, but he didn't want to pick up a fight with two of the populars in the middle of the streets. He was not afraid of them, but he would rather not get involved with them, for he knew their history.

"Glad to see you too, Ten Ten." He preserved a hint of satire into his voice, resuming his attention to Sakura. "So? Has your home been flooded as well? You should see our home. It looks like a giant swimming pool."

"Ehm...actually I...have just-"

Tsunade quickly caught the message, tightening her grip on her niece's shoulders, smiling politely.

"-I sent her out with some business, so she was a lucky one that didn't have to do all the cleaning. I hope your family is coping out well. Tell your mother I said hello!" With that, she entered the yard, smirking at the way Sakura let her head rest on her shoulder, muttering a quick 'thank you'.

Ten Ten and Neji were right on their tail, with a feeling inspired almond shaped eyed girl, marching towards the entrance. "Tsunade, make me your apprentice!"

"You are already violent enough. And crazy as fuck." Neji couldn't have cursed the bad timing more.

He knew how Kiba was. That was the confirmation that, by the end of the day, every single person would know that the four of them have spent the night at his villa, then they gathered at the new dancer's in town home, acting like they were family friends.

Madara approached his nephew, both being the last to enter the yard, after they stood back, watching the show. He put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze, eyebrow shot up at him.

Sasuke stared back blankly, assuring him that the situation looked worse than it was. "What happened? And why was Sakura driving? No, leave that aside. How much have you been drinking?"

Oh, he went straight to the subject, Sasuke thought sarcastically. Of course, Madara was not a reputed medic for nothing, moreover he knew his nephew and his habits like the back of his pocket.

"I don't know for sure. Two, maybe three bottles. Hyuga had more. I let Sakura drive because her friend is insane."

"I see. Tsk, you are too much like me, boy." They both entered Sakura's home, being hit by the warmth, the cozy family feeling and the smell of cooked food. The raven haired younger Uchiha was reminded of how hungry he was.

Tsunade lead them all into the kitchen, placing cups of hot cinnamon and orange chocolate, while she warmed up what she said was fried chicken rice and lasagna.

The kitchen suddenly appeared too small for such a large group. "We look like refugees. All that is missing is tents outside. Damn, this is good!" Ten Ten was in Heaven. She felt warm and the idea of eating made her realize Choji's passion.

Sakura was stuffing her face with the rice she couldn't wait to cool off, already finishing her cup of hot drink, while Tsunade was giving Neji some miraculous pills for his hangover. She couldn't help but laugh at the nonsensical of the situation. There they were, four people that couldn't stand each other, being forced to compromise and put aside their personal frustration, in order to cooperate.

"You're right. This looks like an alien invasion. Aunty, do we have Nutella? Screw the diet, let all the calories come to me!"

"Sure honey, on the cupboard." Tsunade instructed, while she was checking on the looking slightly better Hyuga. He gave him a chicken soup, a probiotic yogurt and precise indications.

"This is going to help you digest better. It looks it takes your liver more to metabolize the ethanol, so you should stop drinking, at least not that much."

"She means like a sailor when he knows he is going to face imminent death." Ten Ten couldn't help but make fun of him.

Better take the chance to embarrass the mighty Hyuga more. She knew his appetite for drinking was high and she even brushed aside that tiny particle of worry that wash through her system. He could drink until his liver would drown for as long as she cared.

"...like you are any better..."

"What was that?!"

"Now now kids, let's not become dramatic." Madara rose from his seat, helping Tsunade in placing the dishes in front of the kids surrounding them, while Sakura and Sasuke both watched in horror at the familiarity the two of them displayed when they interacted.

And the subtle finger brushes and stolen winks didn't escape their vigilance. Sakura was...happy. Her aunt was content, and that brought her peace of mind. Sasuke wanted to puke. His uncle was flirting like a high school teen.

Not even he did that and he had the age. Well...what were the things his age that Sasuke did, besides going to school? "Don't mind Neji, he is always dramatic. Like a diva. Someone has trolled him really hard and told him he is great. He has this...problem with his pride, meaning he has none."

Sakura almost choked on her food. She had tears in the eyes, not able to contain her laughter any longer.

Not only Neji was pale as Casper when he tried to look into a mirror, but the look on his face when he realized he was being the target of Ten Ten's unleashed wrath, adding to his probably bad health state, was raw epicness.

She entertained the idea of taking some photos and keeping them as blackmail. She didn't forget that he was giving Hinata a hard time.

"Ho ho, I like this girl's spunk!" Tsunade hit Ten Ten's shoulder playfully, making the said girl drop her plate on her lap. Good thing the content was still intact. Her friend was exhausted, even if she tried not to let it show, but she didn't fool Sakura.

They needed a good long talk. She dreaded the next day's school for she had a bad feeling about all the rumors circulating around. And Kiba...judging from his loud mouth and his infatuation with her it was the perfect recipe of a disastrous party.

"So...which one of you would like to enlighten us about where have you been and why none of you answered your phones?" Madara simply started, while his onyx eyes were sharply taking in the teens' reactions, like a hawk. He chose to let his stare linger on his nephew, but Sasuke was simply eating his meal, not bothered to answer.

Sakura felt like it was her responsibility to be their lawyer. Sasuke took a longer look at her, having another general impression over the professional dancer.

The emerald eyed girl was eating Nutella, the mother of all the cholesterol and fats, with a large spoon, straight from the huge jar -she got that one they sold in limited edition, with a 30% discount- and occasionally, she took bits of bread. "Well...Ten and I decided to go for a ride after school."

She explained, not once removing her eyes from the buttery chocolate, like she was a pregnant woman with cravings. All the ears were on her. "She wanted to show me a local restaurant from the countryside, which she said was famous for the apple pie."

"So you have decided to take a ride without telling me?" Tsunade's voice was not reproachful, not in the bit.

She was not angry with her niece, because she was responsible and knew what she did. But she was worried. She couldn't face her deceased sister if something happened to Sakura. "Not even a quick message?"

It was not like she didn't want to call, but she remembered how bad and confused she felt. And to Sakura's horror, the one to turn her world upside down with a single touch was present into the room. "I...had some...problems...no, I mean I was...distressed."

"Distressed?"

"The clubs and all. Yesterday I have officially wrote my name on the audition's list so, I kept on thinking about the training, the choreographies...and I kind of...overlooked it. You were tired and sad. I am sorry."

She took a large bit of the chocolate, looking into the softened gaze of her aunt

She didn't want to hide things from Tsunade, but she couldn't have let her own childish boys problems get in her way to happiness.

If her aunt would find out that Sasuke was bothering her, it would cause a rift between her and his uncle, which she did not want to happen. "Oh dear, you can always tell me everything, how can you think you are upsetting me?"

"Anyway, Ten's car run out of gas and it has already started to rain when Neji and...Sasuke have found us. Neji has a house in there, so we have all stayed inside, until today morning. The strangest part is that we don't have signal in there."

"Countryside Village Jacksonville. A paradise for those who want to live in the 17th century, a curse for the modern society."

Madara explained to a suspicious Tsunade. He himself hated that place with burning passion, but he quickly figured out what his nephew and his friend did there, especially since both the boys reeked of alcohol.

Tough he highly doubted Sakura and Ten Ten were involved. The emerald eyed girl's explanation seemed reliable enough. It was not that he doubted her, but he knew how teenagers their age could be. Sasuke and him would have a long chat back home.

"A town without signal? Are you serious?"

"It is not like they don't have any, but it is only on the highest parts and quite weak in the rest."

"Well...sounds like a handful. So? This is all? Good thing you haven't been caught into the storm."

"Oh you have no idea..."

"Excuse me dear?"

"...I meant you are right, aunty. We stayed there, digging in what apparently is inoffensive drugs, namely chips and unhealthy stuff, waiting for the storm to pass."

"That sounds like an adventure all right." Sakura helped her aunt with the dishes, while Sasuke, Neji and Ten Ten were sharing similar thoughts. 'If only she knew...' But they decided Sakura's explanation was good enough, so they let it pass.

"This doesn't' explain you, your friend and a trunk full of alcohol." Madara whispered discreetly to Sasuke, standing up, while the fest did the same, taking his leave. The two owners of the house paid their goodbyes from everyone.

Ten Ten threw her arms around Sakura's neck, embracing her tightly, whispering on her ear something she agreed on, with a quick nod.

"We have to talk! I will have my car delivered home today. I am dropping by tomorrow at six am. Ok?"

"Bye girl, have a good rest and...see you tomorrow!"

"You too, give Hinata a hug from me."

"You can bet on it."

"Ahm...Neji...thanks for everything and...I will have your T-Shirt cleaned and I will give it to your cousin." The mere idea of returning his clothes at school, with everyone as a witness was a big no, so she decided on the safest solution.

Neji nodded once at her, not actually having anything against her, nor liking her too much either.

For him, Sakura was something neutral. She was not that annoying like the others, but she was nothing that special either. Of course, not when there was a coffee eyed girl haunting his mind 24/7. "Fine by me. Thank you, Mrs. Senju."

"No problem young man. Just don't overdo it."

As for the most difficult part, Sakura didn't even want to look into his eyes. Those smoldering impossibly black sapphire eyes that red her like a scroll. "Bye." It was everything she told him.

And his answer was just as brief. "Aa." Sasuke turned around and left the house, heading straight to his uncle's car, not wanting to witness Madara taking too long to pay Tsunade goodbye.

It was not that he cared about his private life, it was particularly for that reason he understood that private meant secluded from the public. Contrary to what they were displaying.

As soon as Sakura found her home empty of strangers, she exhaled once in relief, feeling her temples burn like lava. "Aunty, I am going up to take a loooong bath." She more than whined, dragging her body towards the inviting room.

She was certain that she caught a flu, but Tsunade had a mobile hospital in her room, where all kinds of medicine imaginable were placed. In alphabetic order. That was one meticulous doctor. "Ok honey, take your time!"

She filled the bathtub with her favorite bath salt and bath foam, with strawberries and vanilla fragrances, soaking her body on the steaming water, moaning contently. She wanted to just find a way and erase the past 24 hours from her memory.

.

.

.

---

"So, what exactly have you kids done in there?" Madara knew that his sister Mikoto has returned to town and ever since she found out she couldn't get in touch with her younger son, she went on rampage, meaning giving him hell for not taking care of the raven haired nephew that spent a worrying amount of time in his company.

Fugaku was in Brazil with business, not having any care in the world when it came to his family, especially the young lad. "Wasn't Sakura clear enough?"

As soon as they left Sakura's home, Madara gave Sasuke some disturbing news that perturbed his temper even further: his brother Itachi has arrived in town earlier that morning, wanting to surprise his family.

And being the loving and caring brother he was, Sasuke decided he would spend the following week at his uncle's peaceful solitary villa, away from such a cataclysmic presence.

As if his overprotective mother who was pampering and fondling him like a kid has not been enough, he was not going to withstand Itachi's mockeries and older brother embarrassing advices about life and...women.

Madara perfectly understood where the angst beaming on his nephew's face was coming from.

"Come on Sasuke, you cannot possibly expect me to believe that. It is obvious from the way she was avoiding looking into our eyes when she briefed us about your little adventure. Especially, she was avoiding you. So, what have you done?"

"Why do you care? Don't you have any other methods to find your way into her aunt's pants? I thought kissing people's asses was not your style."

"Look, Tsunade is a rare case of independent, intelligent and confident woman, who happened to cross paths with me and she is also someone that has caught my interest in more than one way. I think we get along and understand each other pretty well. But if our development bothers you so much, then I-"

"I don't care about that. You two can go do whatever you want and play lovey doveys whenever you want. What I want to say is why is everyone thinking that I am always responsible for every single think that the others sulk for?"

Madara massaged the back of his neck, already feeling bad for not having enough tact to bring up the delicate topic in front of his favorite relative -it was no secret he preferred Sasuke more- when it was crystal clear for the naked eye where Sasuke`s distressed was coming from and it always had a close connection to his family.

"I am not accusing you of anything, I just want to know. Excuse this old man for being such a troll."

He heard a deep tired exhale coming from Sasuke, who was roaming through the glove compartment, probably searching for a cigarette.

He couldn't do more than giving him the lecture of the millennia about the after effects of smoking, but he was an adult, so it was just that much what he could do. "She is the confused one."

"Confused? About what?"

"About what she feels, and she is trying to deny it, lying that she likes that lame boyfriend of hers."

"Which means she is denying you. Does it bother you? Don't tell me you like her as well." When they arrived at a stop, a quick glance towards the unresponsive ebony haired Uchiha told Madara everything he needed to know.

It was happening again. Sasuke was caught in a crossfire and, ironically enough, she was also a dancer. "You do." it was not a question, but a firm confident statement.

"No, I don't." Was it really true? It was a question Sasuke started to chant into his mind ever since he first met Sakura and not in the form of a simple normal lust over a hot body and a beautiful face.

He was surrounded by that around the clock and it was something he could have had with a simple snap of his fingers. If there was something he didn't like to do, was to be dishonest with himself, like Sakura did.

Sasuke perfectly understood that, having one face for the others and one hidden inner was perfectly normal, but lying to himself meant not having control, which was not an option for a confident attitude.

It was not about what he could have accomplished through money, looks and social status, but it was precisely the things he couldn't have that made instincts he thought latent to come alive.

"Who is the other one? Her boyfriend. Someone older? Someone you know? He must be from school since she has only moved here. That if she doesn't have a boyfriend she left in Japan."

"Akasuna Sasori. One of Itachi's loser friends." The hissing of a serpent was the way he spelled the two names.

It cleared everything up for Madara. He did not pity his nephew, because that meant insulting his ability to handle situations and the tough personality he inherited from him, but he was worried for his mental stability.

Sasuke has always been unpredictable and changed moods, and, unfortunately, he changed a dark attitude with a colder and more distant one, close enough to malevolence. "The red headed kid. I see. Well, it is not like you could force someone to like you."

"No, but you can force the hands of the destiny, through taking advantage of a favorable context and make yourself look better than you are."

"Hm? True that. But don't worry too much, Sasuke. If this is the case, the truth would come to light...eventually." With that, Madara pulled his car into the Uchiha`s yard, waiting for the onyx eyed boy to pack some clothes and come back.

He would have liked to greet the other nephew and Mikoto, but he knew his sister would have never brushed aside the opportunity of having a family gathering at dinner and he was supposed to go to the hospital in two hours. "Don't take too much, I have some patients in ER."

"Hn."

As he was marching towards the front door, Sasuke was praying that his family would have a cozy gathering into the kitchen or library or wherever they wanted, but not into the living room, for he wished to see none of them, especially a loathsome older brother, with a future bright career as the defender of all criminals and a revolting attitude, but no such luck.

The moment he has shown his face into the large room, he was chocked by a dead worried Mikoto, who he hasn't even seen coming.

"Sasuke, dear!" Not only, that but to his horror, the living room was full of inhabitants. Noisy ones. And some he has never met before. Heavens help him.

"Mom..." He returned the equally raven haired woman's embrace, trying to escape the too tight embrace. She bombarded him with all the possible situations, like he has been missing for three years, instead of couple of hours. "...I want to breathe."

"Are you all right? Oh my God Sasuke, has something happened to you? Has someone kidnapped you for bounty? Have you been caught in the storm? Has something happened to your car? Has one of your friends-"

Wasn't she damn smart? He stopped her midway, kissing her forehead, detaching from her embrace.

His bastard of an older brother was supporting his tall frame on the grand piano, arms folded over his chest, smirking knowingly at him. Sasuke welcomed him with he mother of all the glares. "Mom, I am fine, don't worry."

"Where have you been?! You cannot imagine how worried I was. I think my brother is not going to talk to me for a whole month!"

"I was at Neji's house. The one from the countryside. Nothing happened."

"I am sure it didn't. Boys just wanted to have some...fun." Before Sasuke had a chance to make a run for it, Itachi joined his mother in annoying his younger brother further, tapping his forehead, like he did when they were kids, much to his amusement.

The scowl on Sasuke`s face grew sinister. "Hello, foolish little brother. In what mess have you found yourself into this time?"

"From which planet have you landed among us the mortals this time? Didn't you have some jails to visit, last time I checked?"

He was already at the base of the stairs, feeling his blood mix adrenaline with anger, when something caught the sight of his peripheral vision, namely one very beautiful woman with a little girl combing a doll's hair, resting on her lap.

He threw a suspicious glance at Itachi, actually putting it past likes like him to come back home earlier, because he had a bastard child and he had to take responsibility. "Who the hell are you?"

Guren took her time to study Itachi's younger brother, immediately finding both the striking resemblances and the obvious differences. In terms of looks, Sasuke was just as gorgeous, but in terms of personality, they were like water and oil. "I am Gu-"

"Oh my, where are my manners?" Mikoto snapped put of her daze, coming to rest beside Guren and her child, putting a hand on her shoulder, taking responsibility to officially introduce the visitor, as the perfect host she was.

"These two ladies over here, are Guren and Samira." A pair of big surprised eyes caught Sasuke staring intently right back, just as dazed. Something about that girl was painfully reminiscent to something he couldn't quite put a finger on. "Isn't she lovely?"

"Whatever." He studied the woman and the girl once more so as to confirm he still had his mental sanity intact, then he decided to take back at his brother for the smartass remark.

"Some new unfortunate encounter, brother? I thought lawyers were more...discrete about their personal affairs."

"Sasuke, that is rude!" Mikoto knew her raven haired son was not the epitome of refinement and politeness, at least when he didn't want to, but Guren had no fault, plus it scared Samira, who in turn, decided to say something Sasuke never heard from the female population, ever in his life.

"Yu are bad! And you have chicken ass on your head!"

Itachi's cheeks were red from all the gulps of oxygen he was holding in order to not burst into laughter.

Guren looked more than apologetically, already feeling bad for being a bother to those people, while Mikoto was brushing the girl's auburn tresses, giggling at her cuteness. "Hehe, my aren't you adorable?"

Sasuke`s knuckles went purple at how tight he was gripping the railing. The level of need to murder someone grew alarmingly high, and a laughing Itachi seemed like a very inviting option. His onyx eyes were heated like coals, melting everything with his intense gaze.

That until shock hit him full force at his brother's explanation about the two temporary inhabitants of his home. Good thing he didn't have time to take more than three steps on the stairs.

"Actually, I am sorry to disappoint you little brother, but the lady here and her precious and her very observant little Samira, is my friend's ex lover and this is their daughter."

And it was not that piece of information what made him shot his head over his shoulder, making his longer midnight bangs splash over his face and neck, but the identity of that particular friend.

"Tsk...just like you to be acquainted with such irresponsible cretins. So, which sucker is that? Kisame? Deidara? Please do tell me is that Dracula freak with the scythe."

"Sasuke, this is enough, they are our visitors-"

"Actually, it is none of the ones mentioned. She is Sasori's daughter."

Silence. Every eye was cast on the way Sasuke`s face contorted in such a vile way, that it was a miracle that the Devil himself hasn't show up at their doorsteps, with a white flag to admit defeat and bow to his master. His usually already low rich contralto voice trembled through the stillness. "What?"

"I am sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Guren and this is Akasuna Samira. Me and Sasori had an...affair. She is our daughter, taking his name. We are not married." Her eyes were holding all the shame in the world, mirroring the mouse like whisper level of her quivery voice.

Mikoto shook her head at her son, who had no justification for his barbaric behavior while Itachi's quick wheels inside his sharp brain were working and processing the strange attitude his brother was displaying.

Why was Sasuke acting that flaming over something that, normally, would have at least made him laugh? "Is there any problem, Sasuke?"

"No." His answer came out too quick to have any sort of credibility. "Why aren't you...and her, staying with the father then? I don't remember this home to be a hostel."

"Sasuke-"

"We are leaving to Europe, and I need a temporary shelter until our passports and visas are ready. My family threw us outside what was supposed to be my inherited house. Sasori is sharing his flat with two more colleagues. There is not enough space for everyone."

"Cut it out Sasuke, I called them here." Itachi had enough of his brother 's unjustified rude attitude. There was something in his darkened gleam that didn't sit right with him, mostly because he became too much like Madara, a relative he usually couldn't agree with, though the older Uchiha was polite and collected. "Why does it bother you?"

"We should go, I don't want to be a bother-"

"Nonsense! Sasuke dear, say you are sorry." That time, Mikoto's honey imploring stare did nothing to sweeten Sasuke`s spicy attitude. He ignored everyone in the room, beside Guren. "Are you two together?"

"No. Me and him are just friends, at most."

"Just friends..." With that thought in mind, Sasuke turned around abruptly, heading towards his room.

He had a bad iron taste inside his mouth and alcohol was not at fault. Sasori has screwed up big times and Sakura was the idiot of the century. She had no idea in what mess she found herself into.

"What's with him?"

"I have no idea honey."

"I am sorry, this is all my fault. He has all the right to be upset when there are strangers occupying his home. We should leave."

A firm hand stopped Guren from standing, after she placed her cup of tea back on the table, feeling worse than ever. She should have known better than to accept Itachi's offer, but, on the other hand, she had no choice.

She felt like a bother, albeit what truly pained her soul, was the situation her daughter had to go through, because of her parent's recklessness. "You and Samira are more than welcomed to stay. Sasuke is just...he is a teenager. You know how they can be."

Mikoto was just as confused. The truth was, it became more and more difficult to ignore Sasuke`s alienation from his family, especially when it came to his father and brother and it pained her. "Honey, you should talk to him."

"Indeed...but not now." Itachi was following his brother emerging from his room two minutes later, with a backpack, not even sparing them a glance. Well, he nodded once to his mother, not being a complete jerk, but that was it. "Where are you going?" Mikoto asked him weary.

"Uncle's." And with that, he was out, going straight to Madara, throwing his bag on the backseat, fumbling with the DVD player, until he found Metallica, putting the volume up, until he was not able to hear his thoughts anymore, shutting his eyes tight, sinking into the leather chair.

"Drive."

"That bad?" Mikoto's older brother knew all to well what was bothering his nephew, and it started with 'I' and had a low long ponytail.

They were out on the street, on the third line, flying towards his villa, on the other side of the town. Maybe the distance was the thing that was making Sasuke that comfortable with his home.

But he wasn't expecting the raven haired Uchiha`s venom dripped answer. "He has a bastard child and she likes him. Just like a fool." The real problem was: why was that bothering him so much?

.

.

.

---

Sakura has slept all the day after her prolonged bath, not waking up once. She woke up the next morning feeling invigorated and sneezing.

Of course, after she spent at least half an hour in the rain and froze the whole night, that was expected. She bumped her alarm clock, yawning lazily, taking a look outside at the first rays of the morning.

"After all that damn rain..." She threw a traditional Japanese night gown in the form of an yukata, a gift from her aunt, with red and black embroideries and painted Japanese dragons and birds, on her body, tying her short locks into a small bun, heading downstairs.

Ten Ten promised to come earlier to get her. She found Tsunade preparing breakfast, already in her hospital lab. That woman didn't know the term 'rest'. "Morning aunty. So early?"

"Morning dear. We are supposed to go earlier today. The number of patients grew over night and we are short of personnel. Got a good sleep?"

She placed a bowl of Sakura's favorite musli and dietetic yoghurt, sitting in front if her, with a large cup of hot coffee. "Well good luck. I have slept like a dead person. I think I got a cold."

"Fever? Other particular symptoms?"

"I don't have a fever yet, but my nose is runny like the Niagara waterfall. I am going to make the tissues shops go bankrupt."

"Oh, poor thing. Don't worry, I will give you some herbs. They will help. Here. Mint and lemon tea. Drink while is hot."

"Thanks."

"Maybe you should stay home today and take a rest."

"Nah, it's ok. I have some classes I would rather not miss. Especially chemistry."

"Any problems on that one? You had a test if I remember correctly."

She already felt all the ships sinking inside her brain, making her feel her head two times heavier.

"Let's just say my performance is nothing to be bragging about." She rubbed her eyes tiredly, taking in what the time was.

She then cast her emerald eyes on the large bags under Tsunade's eyes, that she didn't have the skill to properly cover with concealer. "I need help."

"On chemistry or boys?" She just couldn't have hit the nail on the head better. Sakura's large bit of her food was a major giveaway. And when she asked for a large spoon of Nutella-again-she knew she had normal teenage problems. "You look like I got it right."

"I don't want to be a bother. You are busy and tired and I don't actually have time to do much work in the house to ease your job and there are my stupid problems to add to your already overdos-"

"Hey hey, take it easy dear, we are not one hundred years old hags. We can handle everything if we are together, isn't it how we always managed to cope with everything?"

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts. Everything you need, I am here to help. If it is help with your studies, just say so and I will find a way. I cannot call myself your relative, if all the day I take care of the others, but neglect my own niece."

The fact that Sakura was hiding things from her, keeping all the worries to herself, thinking that she would upset her with her concerns, seemed absurd to Tsunade.

It absolutely killed her resolve as being a better relative for the pink haired girl to act in such a worrisome way and make her rather take bad marks than ask for help. She couldn't have been that pathetic to be worth of a youngster's pity. "Thank you, aunty."

"No worry, we will have that mark corrected in no time."

"I have two tests by the next week. The teach didn't properly explained the basis. Everything from there is a mess inside my brain."

"I see. How about we do this: drop by the hospital everyday after school and as soon as I finish with my patients, I will take my time and study with you, so as you don't have to wait for me whenever I come home late. If he is available, I will ask Madara to help you out as well, if it ever happens for me to be that busy."

"...hm...so I will have time to study for the rest of the classes and rehearse for the audition. I love it!" There was that feeling of sudden burst of mind easiness and blooming hope washing through Sakura's cells and she felt the weighing worry as a form of solid rock being lifted out of her chest.

If everything has been so simple, then why hasn't she dealt with the problem like that from the very first time, going as far as to involve Sasuke?

Why were people in general doing such mistakes, always soughing for the most complicated ways to solve their problems? It was a question the emerald eyed girl had no answer for. "Sounds like fun."

After finishing her breakfast, Sakura went upstairs to prepare for school, deciding to wear a simple white T-Shirt, a long pastel wool cardigan and a pair of skinny jeans, quickly combing her hair, parting it on the right side, applying a red gloss, taking her bag.

"So, how is dancing? Have you met your rivals?"

"I befriended one of them. Her name is Chiara and she is really nice. I have also spotted some girls that are only there for the show. Tough, they were many competitors and the choreographies are insane!" Ten Ten was already downstairs waiting for her, beeping.

"Sounds like fun. So Ronja decided to make it all the hardest, heh?"

"Looks like it." Sakura planted a quick kiss on her aunt's expecting cheek, wishing her a great day, running outside to her honking friend. It looked like she has blocked someone else's garage.

She got in, while the chestnut eyed girl pressed the gas pedal, drinking what looked like her favorite milkshake. "So many calories at this hour, Ten?"

"If you had at least one particle of Nutella today, don't you dare talk to me." Sakura snorted audibly at they way her friend looked like. In fact, she seemed to be even more tired than the previous day and that was already a problem.

Her eyes were blood shoot, she wore thin clothes, she applied dark eye shadow and black eyeliner and her messy ponytail completed her trashy look perfectly. Even so, she had an unique touch and she was still very pretty. "Bad dreams?"

"Dreams? More like nightmares. Damn, the Hell is with all this traffic jams? Is all the city on the streets at this particular hour?" Indeed, the heavy traffic was a problem. Since the streets have been drained over the night almost entirely, no one wanted to walk on the dirty alleys. Good thing they have decided to leave earlier.

"How was at Hinata's?"

The mere thought was making the chestnut eyed girl both laughing like crazy and punch something, preferably solid, with one particular guy's face. "That was a sight to behold. First, I argued with stupid Hyuga all the way there, because he kept on complaining that I killed the engine twice, because his stupid car won't accelerate. I arrived to his home the moment I was certain I was going to throw him off his own car. Your aunt's medicine has done him good, cos his freaking mouth wouldn't stop!"

She inhaled sharply once, taking a tissue, sneezing once. It looked like the mocha haired girl was not in her best of conditions either. Then she resumed her tragically story, much to Sakura's amusement. She couldn't help herself.

Ten Ten had a natural way of speaking that turned her into a comedian. "Then we went inside and guess what? Hina was there with Naruto, and they were in studying mode, meaning the poor girl was all red and mumbling things, while her Romeo was eying her boobs."

"You're joking!"

"Wish I was. You should have seen Neji. I swear he looked ready to murder him. Then Naruto started to laugh at the way he looked like, saying things as 'good for you dude, you are so incurably lame that you need your ex girlfriend to come and drag your sorry drunk ass from whenever you were wandering'.

Then Neji started to throw pencils at him, hitting his uncle Hyashi, who has just entered the house, straight on his new suit."

Sakura could have only imagined the outcome since she has heard about the Hyuga family's patriarch's stiffness and strict behavior.

Her first reaction was to worry for her lavender eyed friend. Hinata has just seen her longing accomplished, so someone ruing it in a blink of an eye was painful to even be taking into account. "So? What did he say?"

"Well, considering the fact that he was not alone, but accompanied by his co-worker and his wife, who were invited to dinner, I would say he wasn't all colors and rainbows."

"Auch!"

"Double auch. Oh, for the love of...who the heck drives like a snail?" There was an yellow car, driven by an old couple of hipsters, who had the astonishing speed of 30 kmph, making a long line behind them, two cars in front of Ten Ten's one and it drove everyone nuts.

"He started to talk again about the Navy or Military Academy which was damn funny, because Neji's most horrid nightmare is to have his hair cut down short. Then Hina's mother emerged from the kitchen trying to keep him on a leash, saying that such things happened. Then she freaked out when she has seen the way we looked like and she invited all of us to remain for dinner, Naruto and I included. Then he saw Naruto and that idiot was laughing on the background."

"That I can imagine." In fact, both Ten Ten and Sakura were more like laughing, than talking about the story.

They were both trying to prolong the peaceful moments together, because, as soon as they would cross the path of school, they would be the target of all the rumors imaginable. "And? What happened next?"

"Well, this is where the drama begins. When Hyashi has seen Naruto again...you know he doesn't quite like him...he went on rampage, calling him names and telling him that he was an, I quote, a poor homeless worm unworthy of dating his precious daughter or crossing his property and he actually threw him outside the house and forbade Hina to see him or have any sort of contact."

"No!" Sakura's jade eyes went wide as plates. She was doing her best to apply a metallic eyeliner she found on Ten Ten's glove compartment that she has instructed the pink haired girl to try on, doing her best to draw a precise line, when her already shaky hand froze in horror.

That was one typical case of overprotective father and boys teenage drama. At least Tsunade was living into the right century. "This is awful, Naruto is a great guy, and he is being severely misunderstood!"

"Tell me about it! I was about to say something but, believe it or not, it was Mrs. Hyuga who started to throw a tantrum. She hasn't spoken to him the whole day. It was one awkward dinner, I am telling you. Too bad, because the food was great. Hyashi only talked about stupid business affairs, while Hina went straight to her room. When I went to check in her, she was bawling her eyes out, saying things like she is going to run away from home to escape her manipulative father. I swear I have never seen her like this ever in my life."

"Gosh. How come you haven't come together?"

"I left an hour earlier when my car arrived to fill in the tank. And don't you even dare to say a word." She playfully warned her jade eyed friend, already dreading to see the familiar gate of the school. The janitor was repainting the fence, because of the fallen on it branches.

"I am not blaming you. Damn, it is 6:45. I thought we would have more time to chat. We so need to talk and you have to tell me everything about what happened between you and Neji after we beat those guys up."

Sakura took a moment to reflect, taking a paranoid look around the moment she and Ten Ten got off the car, having Neji's warning ringing inside her mind. "I can't believe we did that."

"I can't believe you hit that good." The chocolate eyed girl shrugged once, locking her car, linking her arm together with Sakura's, ignoring the stares they got from the wanderers or the smokers. She knew what they were talking about, and she couldn't care less. "Don't mind them, you know it is not true."

"Same here. Aunty is a black belt and she did her best to pass that on me, tough her training has been harsh. Then it turned into a ritual. You know, kind of a bonding time between aunt and niece."

Inwardly, Sakura felt her knees tremble like jelly fishes out of salty waters at the way some people seemed to hate her worse than usual. Gossip traveled fast if the wrong people have surprised them in a situation they shouldn't. It was worse than her first day of school.

"Why are they talking about us?" They went to the respective lockers, with Sakura burying her head inside, only taking the necessary book and notebook. "Are those girls that much of gossip type?"

Ten Ten was just eying her rosy haired dancer friend with mild amusement and disbelief, while she threw her bag inside the locker, only taking her notebook, a pencil and bubble gum.

"You know, if you want to hide inside, you should at least wear a pair of glasses in the form of telescopes. That way, you will blend with the authentic nerds that always get bullied."

"What are you talking about Ten, I am not hiding. I am just looking for my..." She threw a dejected glance over the chestnut eyed girl, who prompted her shoulder on her closed locker, letting her know that she forgot to take her tough inner from home that morning.

"...I have no idea what I am looking for. Damn it!" She shut the door harshly, like it was Pandora's box, hitting it once with her fist, making the sound of aluminum echo through the filled with students halls.

"First, I think you have history. Second, if you want to punch something, then don't use school's belongings. They cost too much to be replaced and the price is not worth the trouble. Lastly, next time you want detention, give me some time to think of something brilliant to come up with and join you."

"Are you trying to make me feel good?"

"No, I am trying to help you save money and time. Although, they all say they go hand in hand. Don't worry, badmouthing in here means they are rotting in jealousy, which is good. It means they see you as someone important. See you on biology."

With that, Ten Ten took her leave, leaving Sakura behind to roll her eyes once at her antics, silently envying her for not having a care about what the others thought about her. It was easier to survive high school like that, she decided.

Just as she was about to throw one last glance into the mirror she had glued to her locker's door -a gift from Hinata- something, or rather someone collided with her back, giving her a harsh shove, making her stumble and almost hit her nose on the locker, if she wasn't sharp enough to grip the door with her hand, tough she got a scratch on her knuckles.

And she was not in the bit surprised to find a certain person, arrogantly looking down at her, like she had no right to be present on the same area. "Nice cut, Haruno. It matches a slut like you."

What has surprised Sakura was the short period of time in which she has been suspended, judging from all the things she has done. Weren't there jails or more severe punishments out there?

She quickly came into her senses, not wanting to look like she has been intimidated by a presence that has been anything but ridiculous and laughable. "What do you want Mei?"

The head of the cheerleaders planted a firm palm on the next locker, preventing Sakura to take her leave, not allowing Sakura to ignore her.

The said pink haired girl briefly wondered if she was to not have her friends always around would have given her the same level of spunk. Like wild wolves, which only attack while more.

Or bitches. "What do I want? Don't play virgin Mary with me, you skunk! I thought I was clear enough when I told you to stay away from what is rightfully mine!"

A delicate pink eyebrow rose up in question, taking a moment to decide whether she was talking about Sasuke. Of course, what else she thought of being hers, except for everything she cast her eyes on?

"Oh? And here I thought delinquents who are not arrested or in jail are forced to wear bracelets or any other accessories to distinguish them from the normal society."

She was so not in the mood for such things. Sure, Mei was reputed for being violent and crazy, digging her way out of every situation by the use of her dad's money, but something told her that if she wanted to show another face of her, she had to start and speak for herself. Her aunt or friends would not always be there for her, guarding her.

"Besides...I have no need for your things." She even found the confidence to smile innocently at her, shoving Mei's hand out of her way, that time, applying enough force to let her know she should consider the option of being in her way once again.

"I have no usage for used things." She directly referred to Sasuke, making her point sound and clear.

"Why you little-"

"Save it. I am sick of you bitching around." With that, she turned around on her heel and headed towards her classroom, mentally cursing the late time. Mei did a good job on preventing her to arrive earlier and find a good place.

Back on the hall, the beautiful, but brainless maleficent cheerleader was fuming. "She is going to pay!"

"Is it wise to mess with her again?" One of her friends started, scoffing at the retracting form of Sakura, while the others nodded once.

Hating and picking on a student was a thing, but having Sasuke and his friends on their backs was another. "What if Sasuke finds out about this?"

"He is going to do nothing. I am sick of this pathetic excuse of a dancer. I need to finish her off once and for all and this time, make sure she is not going to show her face to the world again."

While vile dark intentions linked inside her brain, Mei caught the sight of a gang of seniors coming back from the smoking place.

The pungent distinctive smell lingering behind their backs assured the cheerleader that they have been smoked weed, which was only playing into her favor.

"Are those the ones that saw her and the other tramp at Neji's place?" She asked her friends, doing a small gesture with her chin towards two messy looking teens, heading to their respective lockers.

"I guess, tough I am not sure. Dana said she has proofs, but she didn't say what kind of proofs."

"Doesn't matter. I know enough shit about her to make her give them to me. I will not lose Sasuke for someone like her. Come."

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.

---

Sakura exhaled in relief the moment she has seen Choji waiving at her, saving a place for her on the second row, near the window. " 'morning!"

"How is it going?" Of course her friend was busy eating, but that time, Sakura has realized it was not chips or burgers, but something covered in what looked like whole grains. "Want some?" He caught her staring at his choice of breakfast, making her take a double look.

"What is that?"

"Honey, almond and whole grain cereals cookies." He placed the lunchbox in front of Sakura, who tried one, already being invaded by the sweet fragrance. It covered the bitter taste the encounter with Mei has left on her tongue.

"Karui's favorite breakfast recipe. She prepared this especially for me."

The chubby boy stated proudly, sharing the remaining two ones with a giggling and winking Sakura.

The small blush on his cheeks and the brief lowering of his stare assured her there was some romance going to there and she was glad. "Yummy, this is absolutely tasty. I bet she added extra syrup. Am I right?"

"Well...hehe..." He rubbed the back of his head embarrassed, shifting his position to entirely face her. "...I was thinking about...I wanted to…you know...ask her out."

"Awww!" Sakura couldn't help but squeal. "Totally do this!"

"I wish I could, but she is a straightforward girl and I...am not that confident. What if she rejects me?"

"She will not." Sakura understood how bad the others could have influenced one's character at such a fragile age, when a teen became an adult.

If you have been constantly told you were not good enough, you were stigmatized with a brand that didn't belong to you and it didn't matter how great your resolve was, because in the end, you would start to believe it as well.

"You are an extraordinary guy, Choji and you know it, your friends know it, I know it and Karui knows it as well."

"Y-You truly believe this?"

"If you were a girl, I would have done the pinky promise. C'mon, she sent you food! Aren't you two like...cooking partners?"

"Well we have this class together...and arts...and psychology...and-"

"See? It is your very special thing." Since when has she become a love expert, Sakura wondered?

If Ten Ten were to see her then, she would have probably called her a hypocrite, for she was giving advice over topics she couldn't have handled herself.

"You two seem to have something special going on. Something beautiful. I know it is difficult, but the trick is to be natural." Somehow...it was easier to offer others solutions than to found ones for herself, she has realized.

Choji looked lost. Well, Sakura wouldn't blame her, for she had no idea what she was talking about either.

Out of their group, the love 'teacher' was Ten Ten, but the pink haired girl was certain Choji wouldn't want to hear some useful advice of how to lure a lady and Hinata still had troubles in spelling the word boyfriend without stuttering. "Look, you don't have to be bold and tell her you want to go on a date, if you feel it would be too early.

Just go with the safest option, like asking her to go shop for groceries or have a look at cooking book for an upcoming project or oral presentation. There has to be something like this you could use. If you involve school, then you are going civilian on her. If she wants more, she will let you know."

The wide grin on his face, like he has been provided unlimited acknowledge over universal wonders assured Sakura that her friend got the meaning of her words and that was good from two aspects: one, their teacher has just entered the class and second, she run out of ideas.

He whispered back to her, both opening their books at the mentioned page, like the teacher instructed. "Actually, we are supposed to come up with a simple dessert recipe on Friday and present it. We can use your idea and go look for inspiration."

"That's great, Choji. And if everything goes fine, invite her to the party."

"Party? Oh that..." It took him a moment to consider the choices, because actually, there were two parties going on Friday, but he quickly understood it had to do with the one organized by the seniors to celebrate the beginning of the year.

It was like a modern version of a festival dedicated to autumn, with a thematic. "...I have not been invited. I am not sure about her."

Sakura promptly rolled her eyes, as if their participation was not something already arranged, since she was one of the organizer's girlfriend. That, and the teacher was having a hard time remembering the year of the First World War. Oh, Heavens.

"Choji...Sasori officially invited us all to the party and he told me I can bring all my friends along, no exceptions, so, in case I am going to be hit by a truck, have a Berzelius glass explode into my face in chemistry or you decide to stop being my friend until Friday, you are coming to the party. Clear?"

And she told him all of that, holding her breath.

The teacher raised his glasses from his book to catch the culprit disturbing his class. To her luck, he caught some girls talking about the latest trends in nail polish at the back of the class.

One of them asked why was it called the First World War and why haven't they found a more original name.

"Thank you, Sakura. Tough, I don't want something to happen to you."

There were some moments when Sakura felt like fed up with so much stupidity going on around, so she raised her hand and answered the teacher's question.

History was a class many people wanted to enroll into, because the teacher had no demandings, didn't take the attendance and you had to be a complete moron not to have a high grade, but she was the kind of student who took everything as serious and useful and learnt for it as well.

"Well...considering my chemistry skills...don't count the Berzelius things out yet."

"By the way, I told Karui about you guys and she actually told me that her sister is also a dancer and she has actually signed up for the same audition as you."

That made Sakura curious. "Really? This is quite the coincidence. What's her name?"

"Chiara."

"Really?!" Although, she should have lowered her voice a bit, because that attracted attention towards her. Again with those stares, she sarcastically thought.

Like she and Choji were not entitled to have an opinion or something. But...that was not the thing that was troubling her. Behind those stares of theirs...there was something more.

All of them threw weird glances at her after they checked something on their phones, she has realized that. "Weird. Anyways, I know her. We met each other in chemistry and she is awesome. You should have seen the way she was not afraid to speak her mind."

"Karui is just like that. She told me they are really close."

"This is all the better, because , as far as I am concerned, Chiara is going to the party as well. Also, more chances for you and Karui to meet there. That if you don't invite her first."

"Yeah, you're right." Choji took a brief look around, he too sensing his classmate's eyes on them. Then he realized it was not him their number one concern, but his pink haired friend.

He wondered what has happened again for them to not allowing her any moment of rest. "Why is everyone looking at you? Or us?"

"I...have no idea. Earlier, Mei came and tried to pick on me again, threatening me to stay away from Sasuke. Maybe she did something again."

"Mei? Wasn't she supposed to be suspended or expelled?"

"Apparently not." One girl, with big blue eyes and curly brown hair, that sat behind them, patted Sakura's shoulder, making her turn around. She recognized the girl as being from the same literature class, because the emerald eyed girl has lent her the text book.

She silently gave Sakura her phone, while the teacher was not paying attention. Sakura felt her head start to spin.

"Oh no..." She quickly gave the phone back to its owner, thanking the girl for showing her what the problem was, letting her forehead fall on her palms. "...when did they get this?"

"What happened?" Choji had a worried look on his face, seeing Sakura so dejected all of sudden. He took away his own phone, turning around at the same girl, asking her to tell him where to find what everyone was looking at. He was surprised to find it was a facebook account.

"What is this?" He had to take a double look to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him, showing Sakura what he was looking at. "Sakura?"

"That...is one hell of a problem I so hoped would not turn into the hottest topic, Choji." She was already texting Ten Ten, not in the mood to write down any notes or pay attention any more. The worst part of all, was the biology lesson she had as her second period. "We wanted to let you guys know about it during lunch. It is nothing as it looks."

"You don't even have to tell me this, I believe in you girls. But they don't." And when she heard someone from her side saying 'how cheap, she is just like the others', she realized how right Choji has really been. The rest of the class was raw torture. And the road to the biology lab, the walk of shame.

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---

Sasuke didn't want to be there at all and judging from the way Neji looked like Master Yoda on anti depressants, he understood that he shared his feelings entirely.

Not only his uncle has simply forbidden him to use his bike if he skipped classes that day, but Itachi decided he got too much free time at his disposal and he was playing the worried older brother, bombarding him with messages and calls, which he blatantly ignored.

Then, when he decided to show up his face in biology -he wouldn't have been seen alive in psychology- he has been assaulted with all sorts of strange questions, coming from all sorts of the most bizarre specimens of his class mates, all with the same topic: how good was Sakura in bed?

His first and most honest reaction was an apathetic "what the fuck?", because, in all honesty, he had no idea what where they talking about.

Then, when he entered the class, he found Neji glaring at everything that met two criteria, meaning being alive and enter his field of vision, saving a seat for him, but surprisingly enough, at the back of the class.

"Why the hell is everyone asking me how-"

"I think you didn't make yourself clear from the very first time. Someone is denying your authority."

Neji threw his phone under Sasuke`s face, feeling his temples pulsate and his muscles spasm. He was not angry with his raven haired friend, God forbids. What bothered him was, to his utter shock, the fact that Ten Ten was being picked on without a reason.

Sasuke scrolled down the page of the facebook account, belonging to the girl he decided to rendezvous, namely Dana, the handball player, taking in the two photos posted half an hour earlier, feeling his inner demon scratch his conscience's walls, crawling outside his chest. "What is the meaning of this?"

"What does it look like? She stayed there all the entire night, taking the pictures when we were busy arguing. How where we supposed to think that something like that could have happened?"

"I am going to throttle those sluts for real."

"Shut up and don't make it any worse. Fuck just...fuck!"

Sasuke couldn't have agreed more with Neji. Somehow, Dana has managed to take two photos of him, Neji, Ten Ten and Sakura, while they were getting inside Neji's car, the next morning after the storm and that was all because Neji found it stylish to have one of his garage's walls made of see through glass. "This is all Mei's doing. I heard she is back."

"Get Shikamaru to erase those shit or go talk to Dana yourself and tell her to remove them right now."

"And what good would that make? You do realize everyone has seen this by now and the chances for it being saved by at least one person are almost a hundred percent, right?"

"This is...whose fault is this anyways?!" By the ways he more than growled, Neji looked better than the day before, Sasuke concluded.

He inwardly smirked when he remembered his poor condition and Ten Ten's wrath unleashed over him. Of course he was worried about her, because no one dared to accuse him of being a total player, it was just painfully obvious.

Then his mind drifted to Sakura, for the millionth time and it both annoyed him and confused him.

Since when has Sasuke freaking Uchiha grew soft over a woman? "Ours." He admitted without hesitation, handing the phone back to Neji, shoving his stereos down his ears, music blasting on his eardrums, appearing as unfazed in front of the others.

"Ours my ass."

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---

"Hello, Sasori." While she was waiting for Ten Ten and Hinata to come from their respective classes, Sakura decided to play it fair and let her boyfriend-they were a couple, weren't they?-know about the silly rumors, calling him to see what he was doing and brief him.

She was having her back on the hall, facing the window, looking absentmindedly over the parking lot. "Are you busy?"

"For you? Never." His cool voice brought Sakura a welcomed source was peace of mind. It was the best aphrodisiac she could have had and she would have been an idiot not to appreciate that such a guy has even looked at her. "How is it going? I heard about the storm."

"I'm fine. How are you? Is the competition over?"

"Almost. All that is left is Hidan's performance on hairstyling. I won the first place, but Deidara has been drunk over two days, sulking that he came as second. Apparently, the judges were not that impressed with his Karura C4, but that is understandable, since it is basically a giant replica of his own self, made of recycled paper and clay."

That made Sakura giggle, for she knew how was his project supposed to look like. Deidara has bragged about it and showed the emerald eyed dancer a sketch of it at lunch.

"Tell him I think he should have won for his originality. Congrats, by the way. For the first prize I mean. Now you can use all the money and buy more brushes, paint and clay and something strong to make your friend feel better."

It took the red haired artist some moments to answer and mask the inner turmoil and prevent it to show on his speech. He has already put all the money on Guren's empty bank account. "Yeah...maybe I should do that."

"Listen Sasori...there is something going on of which I want you to hear from me, not from the rumors going on around." She started cautiously, feeling a lump form into her throat and her palms get sweaty, gripping the phone. The topic was making her unsteady.

"It is a long story which I am going to tell you when you come back, but to make it short, the day before, Ten Ten and I decided to take a ride and she suggested Jacksonville's countryside, but her car run out of gas.

There was no one around because we got caught by the heavy rain and we didn't have signals on the phones."

"Ah, I know that damned place. Hidan adores it because he thinks their old Presbyterian cemetery is haunted by demons. Are you girls all right? That was dangerous."

"We are fine. In fact, fifteen minutes later, a car has come and rescued us, but it proved to be Neji's. He and Sasuke were heading to a house Neji's family possesses there, so he took us inside as well."

From the way she heard him suck on air, Sakura understood that Sasori figured out what the problem was. Basically, they were like a couple on a prolonged weekend, far from the curious eyes. She went on.

"We had no choice but to spend the night and leave the next day, with Neji's car. The problem is...he and Sasuke decided to..." She made a small pause, lowering her voice, angling her head when a group of students passed her, not wanting to fuel the gossip further, wondering where her friends were. "...meet some Dana chick and her friend who I don't know and..."

She left the sentence unfinished on purpose, fighting the bitter taste that surged her mouth when the disgusting ideas and the mental images formed inside her head.

"...they were there for a good fuck. Now that is some luck you and Ten Ten had. I am scared to ask about what happened next. Tough something tells me that your friend didn't just stay there on the sidelines, keeping her mouth shut."

"That's correct, she didn't. In fact, she threw them outside the house, but apparently, they have stayed the whole night somewhere nearby, because they managed to take two pictures of us getting on Neji's car and leave.

Moreover, our clothes were soaked, so we had to borrow something from him. To make it even worse, some seniors that Ten Ten claim are also seniors from 12 D I think, attempted to rob him and they barged inside his home."

"This starts to sound like a horror movie. You must have been very scared. I am sorry you had to go through this."

"Well, now I think we made ourselves a reputation, because we have kind of...beaten them up and forced them to leave the house. They wouldn't have recognized us because they were high, but Ten Ten couldn't help herself.

Kiba saw us as well when we sopped by my house. I am sure you can imagine the outcome. That girl has uploaded the photos on her fb account and now half of the people around are calling us sluts and half of them have named us 'Charlie's angels' ".

"...so all in all you want me to not believe the rumors."

"This is the real version of the story. If you chose to not believe me then-" He cut her immediately, before she had the chance to bet depressed for nothing.

"Right. Because I would chose to believe some envious fangirls with the hobbies of kindergarten kids, playing the spies, instead of listening to my girlfriend. C'mon Sakura, stop worrying so much over such trivial things, this world is full of losers. You can't just possibly stop all of them to talk behind you back. But what you can really do, is show them you are higher than them. Beat them at their own game. Don't be upset and hive those girls the satisfaction of seeing you down. This is what is fueling their motivation."

Sakura would have given everything for him to be there. Not only his words were everything she wanted to hear, even if she herself didn't realize what her needs were, but he has called her his girlfriend and he hasn't even hesitated and...it made her happy.

Truly happy. So happy that she would have liked to hear his voice more often. "I...when are you coming back?"

"Miss me?"

Why was she feeling the soft skin around her redden and her cheeks flaming, like she has been the copy of Hinata? A quick look into the window assured Sakura that she was blushing over a phone conversation.

That was embarrassing, but she couldn't help the fluttering sensation roaming freely inside her stomach rising on her chest and it was not necessarily unpleasant. "You know what to say. And it makes me happy."

She heard him chuckle and his face popped up inside her mind, making her forget where she was for the moment, providing her some sort of security. "I will take it as a yes. Tomorrow. Hidan will be over in two hours at most. There is the gala and the after party, but we won't be participating. Our flight takes off at 5 am. I won't be coming to school, but I am going to wait for you when you have finished your classes. You can tell me the whole story by then. How is that?"

"I can't wait. Listen, Ten Ten is coming. I have to go. Kurenai is more punctual since she is with the baby."

"I know and for that, Asuma is later than usual. Good luck and see you tomorrow."

"Wait!" She found herself reluctant to end their conversation. Ten Ten looked like ready to burn whoever has wronged her in any way down with the power of her flaming orbs. She came to stand beside her, lifting her eyebrows at her. Sakura muttered 'Sasori' making her smirk. "Yes?"

She should give her chocolate eyed friend a reason to gossip about while they were at it and she just couldn't have helped herself. "...can you say that once again? That we are...you know...together?"

Ten Ten threw her head backwards, stopping her fits of laughter with her palm when she heard her pink haired friend's request.

That was a clinical case that needed serious attention. And she had no idea that, as far as she was concerned, Sasori had a genuine smile blooming on his tired, but content face. "You are my girlfriend, Sakura."

When she bit her lower lip, not able to prevent herself from smiling like an idiot over a cute puppy, Ten Ten promptly rolled her eyes, taking her hand and dragging her along towards the classroom.

They were a funny looking pair indeed. Sakura looked trapped somewhere in La La Land and Ten Ten threw her classmates a glance that promised permanent impalement and a painful depravation of certain very useful organs, if they even entertained the idea of saying something bad about them. "I am."

"Glad we have established that. We can make it official on Friday if you wanna. See you later."

"Bye!" Sakura hung up her phone, finding herself inside the classroom, with Ten Ten having a wicked grin on her face. She turned to look at her friend questioning her choice of mood. "What?"

"So...when have you two set the wedding date? I must say tough, if you even think you are going to dress me in pink, as your maiden of honor, then you can forget about it."

Sakura promptly rolled her notebook, and slapped a laughing Ten Ten's head once. "Auch! Ok ok, I got it, you want to elope and marry on Mozambique or Nicaragua or Zimbabwe."

"What the hell are you talking about Ten, we are not getting married! We...were just talking, that's all."

"No dear, that is called sexting and by the look of it, he can be really kinky."

"You are sick." Sakura opened her notebook, revising her notes once, taking a more serious attitude. "Where are they?"

Ten Ten immediately caught the meaning of the words. "At their rightful places: the back of the society." She meant the last row.

She suspected it was Neji's idea who guessed they were going to chose a further seat as well, but she decided to not let him get the impression that he was two steps ahead of her.

After what has happened, being in his vicinity was the last thing inside her mind. "What should we do to the slut?"

"Nothing. Ignore it and eventually, people will get tired of it and find something else to talk about."

"Are you seriously not affected by this?" Ten Ten asked in disbelief. She knew that Sakura was the kind to not let her stress and frustrations be revealed and it put a heavy burden around her shoulders, like a cloak she was bound to wear, hiding her heart from the others, so she would not be fooled. "They have basically stalked us!"

"So what do you want me to do? Go there and start a fight? Try to come up with an even lamer excuse and make it even worse? I don't want to give them the satisfaction to see us down and think they have the upper hand on us. Sasori is right."

"Sasori is not here and he is not the one involved."

"Mei has given me a welcomed push into the locker today. What is she doing here?"

"I have seen her at the bathroom. Fucking bitch. I have no idea, she should have been kept somewhere secured. Did she do something to you?"

"No, I left before she had the chance to do so. What happened between Neji and you?" She leaned in to talk to Ten Ten, who in turn, dragged her chair closer to her emerald eyed girl.

"The bastard was drunk, as you know. And a drunk Neji is honest, clingy, sick and totally docile. Creepy, in a nutshell. No matter what I did, he just wouldn't let me go. Somehow, he managed to drag me on the sofa and he just fell asleep."

"...so you have slept together? Are you serious?!" If Sakura ever considered herself to suffer, then she must have bumped her head in the shower. Her problems regarding Sasuke were child's play compared to what Ten Ten had to go through.

No matter what she did, she found herself in the arms of the boy she was running from. "So you haven't come back to the room for the entire night?"

"That's what I told you, didn't I? Relax, he was as good as dead. Until the next morning when you woke us up.

Somehow I have managed to fall asleep. I found myself lying on the top of him and thanks God I was the first to wake up before him. It seems that he doesn't have any memory of what he did which is good, because the motherfucker said he loves me!"

"What?!" Somehow, Sakura has always suspected that the Hyuga still had feelings for her friend, but it took all of her willpower not to shout out loud her astonishment, and that was because she knew that the two people they were gossiping about, were also present into the classroom. "Oh God and what have you told him?"

"What could I have told him? He is a loser, he doesn't even know the meaning of love."

"Are you sure Ten? He even asked you about what has happened before you broke up and he even told you he was sorry."

"He can take that lame confession and shove it up in some really tight place, for all I care. I don't have the mental strength to deal with likes like him. He can ceremoniously go to Hell, I will put the red carpet for him."

It was always difficult to determine what was crossing Ten Ten's mind, because she had a natural ability to mask her real thoughts with nonchalance. It was an useful weapon against the people's reproaches and bashings, but it was a difficult to conquer fortress for the ones who wanted to get closer to her heart. "You know him better than I do."

What advice could she have given, since the chestnut eyed girl seemed to both want to stay away from her ex boyfriend, but at the same time, it looked like that brought her even more unhappiness. "I want to kill Sasuke."

That made her let out an 'eh' that comprised all her disbelief at her choice of words. "Want some methods? Painful? Silent? Quick as lightning? Agonizingly slow?

What has he done? Oh wait, you two were practicing BDSM upstairs when we came up!" She held her pen accusingly towards a turning blue Sakura. "Admit it, you are into that stuff!"

"Stop saying such horrid things, for fuck's sake! He had the nerve to come and sleep beside me and the worst part is that I thought it was you instead and since I have been freaking freezing, I got closer to him to get warm!"

Ten Ten quickly reached the brilliant conclusion, visibly prepared to go in hysterics. She had a full hearted contagious laughter of that Sakura has been afraid, because the only thing that attracted so much attention, were the alarms on ships. "You mean you cuddled with him?"

"...Does embracing his naked chest, resting my head on his shoulder and entangle my feet with his own count as cuddling?"

It was ten times worse when she voiced it out loud. It didn't sound as bad into her mind and Sakura found her body temperature rise like millions solar explosions.

Ten Ten was biting the inside of her cheek, having tears at the corners of her eyes. The only reason why she was not laughing her ass out loud was because she didn't want to attract a certain person's attention, although she could feel his penetrating gaze burning down her skull, almost like spell bounding her to turn around and face him, but she would be damned before she would succumb to his will. "Pff...I can't believe you girl. How come you manage to find yourself in such situations all the times?"

"Stop laughing because this is not funny, this is a disaster!"

"Only if you enjoyed it. If not, it only proves what a major creep and stalker he really is, which I doubt. From all those manwhores, Uchiha is the last to count as a pervert. He doesn't stalk girls, it is not his style."

"You mean he doesn't need to, since basically every girl is throwing herself at his feet."

"No, I mean it, it must be something else. I think he was drunk and, just as you, he hasn't realized what he was doing."

That has crossed Sakura's mind as well, tough she would rather not dwell much on the problem, since it came along with a painful headache and more confusion, a state of mind she wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Well he did smell like alcohol, but it is difficult to say since he was...he was being himself, you know what I mean."

"I know. It is hilarious, I am not going to lie, but be careful what you do girl, you are with Sasori now."

"I know and I know this is the right thing to do. I really like Sasori and after I have seen that Dana girl being there to sleep with him, like calling for prostitutes, makes me sick on my stomach. I have a nasty feeling whenever I think about him and what he does. I was a fool but I am no longer one."

"Good. `Cos he is not worth the suffering."

The moment Kurenai has entered the classroom was the moment Sakura and Ten Ten have realized that their lavender eyed friend was missing. "Ten, where is Hinata?"

"This...is something I would also want to find out."

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.

.

---

"Look, I know how you feel, believe it, because I too think you have all the right to decide for yourself, Hinata, but I can't agree to this."

"I-I know this i-is not the right way to...handle this situation, but I can't agree to what...my dad says and n-not see...not see you."

Naruto was currently skipping his second period, along with his girlfriend, both staying trapped into one another's tight embrace, at the end of the second floor's hall.

Ever since Hyashi has unceremoniously thrown her boyfriend out of her home, forbidding them to have any sort of encounter, her world turned upside down, like the sky has fallen over her head, making the ground under her feet crumble.

The natural characteristic shyness has been overshadowed by the dread of losing a boy she has been dreamed of being acknowledged by a long time ago, and she was willing to break all her boundaries for his sake, even going against her father's absurd will.

Naruto tightened his arms around the lavender eyed girl's waist, while she felt her rest her cheek down his shoulder, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. "You will not. I am going to figure out a way for him to like me."

Although Naruto's distinctive never give up attitude has always been the source of inspiration for people like Hinata who lacked his will and the fighter attitude, his words hadn't have the same tremendous impact as usual, for she knew all too well how strict the leader of the Hyuga family was, especially when his two daughters knocked as his conscience as a father, before anything else.

"I am a-afraid this time...it is not going to be this easy. You don't know father. He can be manipulative and find his way out of everything by using the fear he inflicts i-into people."

"He doesn't scare me enough." He cupped Hinata's damp of meandering tears reddened cheeks, brushing his thumbs over the fine bones, smiling softly down at her in encouragement, while she took in the way earnestly was beaming into his clear cerulean irises, like crystalline dew drops, placing back the reassurance she has been fighting to earn back.

"Nothing could make me stay away from you. Not even your father. Not even you. I will always be watching you, Hinata."

"..." The shy Hyuga has been left speechless, muffling another sob, nodding energetically in both agreement and understanding. She didn't even care if some random skipping classes students were passing them by, throwing curious glances over the new controversial pair caught in a deadlock.

"Now stop saying crazy things like running away from home. This is something only a fool like me would do, not a responsible girl like you. Ok?"

The moment Ten Ten has gone to sleep the day before and Hinata was absolutely certain that her stinging dry eyes had no more frustration and sadness to shed, she called Naruto and told him she was going to do something dramatic and she was not completely certain if her flying on the keyboard fingers were driven by the spur of the moment, or it was her own revolted heart and the genuine feelings she had for the golden haired boy talking.

Ever since she had befriended Sakura, good things started to happen for her as well, and, in deep connection to that, whether it was pure coincidental or a subtle cause effect, she felt some changes going on inside her mind, and outside as well, widening her horizon.

Naruto has been one of the best things the new wave she was surfing on has brought to her, and so she found herself not caring in the bit if she was missing from biology, because anxiety has been overshadowed by another more powerful emotion, that, at that time, valued more.

"I-I should be having classes with Mrs. Kurenai."

"Don't tell me you have never skipped classes before."

She did, but for completely different reasons and they were all shameful and painful, such as when she was bullied and picked on by the others and she had to spend the rest of the day at the nursery. She was quite close to Shizune and the nurse was always allowing her to rest at the infirmary. She didn't feel like a proud thing to tell to her boyfriend.

Not when she was feeling pretty bad for having the feeling that his reputation was quivering because of his association to her. "T-This is not the first t-time but back then I..."

He placed his index upon her full lips, preventing her to voice out her inner scars to him when she was not ready and it was not the proper moment. He was there to make her feel better not to add to her distress.

"Shh, don't worry about that. And don't even entertain the idea that I am ashamed to be with you for any reason."

Naruto followed the way Hinata's violet eyes widened in surprise at the way he read straight into her core, where the battle was the most intense, sensing where the lack of confidence was lying into, trying to cease away her fears.

He didn't need her to tell him what she has been going through almost half of her high school days, and, by association, probably her elementary and kindergarten as well, for everyone knew who the eternal targets for the mockeries where, and, to his rage, the girl crying into his arms has been one of them.

"Calm down, either ways I am afraid you will have to skip the next classes as well." Was has been the key word, because Naruto swore he would kill the one that would lay a finger on her as soon as he would still be breathing.

She managed a weak giggle at his serious mood adorning the usually goofy and carefree face, slipping her hands into the pockets of his cotton hoodie. For some odd reasons, the heating was not working and it was pretty cold after the violent storm.

She shuddered, gluing her body to his athletic hot one, relishing into his warmth. One that came from his heart, and radiated through his pores. "It i-is not classes I am interested in, b-but lunch."

That amused Naruto to no end, for he was thinking at the same thing and it was a common trait they shared. "Lunch? How come? Have you eaten anything since you have left your home?"

"I didn't. I was not hungry. They h-have caramel pudding at dessert today." They both burst put in laughter at that, knowing how much of a sweets addict Hinata really was and it was amazing that she still managed to keep herself in a perfect condition. In fact, of the pale eyed Hyuga was to seriously consider the fact, everyone from her circle of friends, except Lee who was a strong believer and defender of fruits and vegetables, was a huge sweets addict.

She has seen Ten Ten digging in ice-cream with ladle, using both her hands, like the ambidextrous person she was, when she broke up with her cousin, or she got angry because of him.

Well, the fact that she used rum instead of chocolate topping was another story. And she has witnessed Sakura diving into the Nutella jar, or eating a full tablet of yoghurt and peanuts chocolate, all by herself, at once. Choji was their mentor.

And Naruto knew as well, because they spent much time talking about their respective groups, meaning gossiping about their friends and although Naruto did most of the talking, coming up with the most embarrassing stories about Sasuke, Suigetsu or even Shikamaru, Hinata has her fair share of them as well. They trusted one another enough. "Hehe, you like that?"

Naruto was glad to feel Hinata's once stiff shoulders relax, as a visibly sign of tension leaving her body, rubbing her back with his palm, in a lulling manner. "Y-Yes. It reminds me of m-my mother's favorite sweets. She prepared one f-for me and one for Hanabi every S-Sunday."

"Nice. Jiraiya prepares pasta and tuna every Sunday, but I wouldn't say he is quite the expert. He is trying. You can have my share as well. And if you still want some, I know some bastards that don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"T-Thank you. For everything."

"No, I thank you. For being...you." He frowned his eyebrows, feeling Hinata's shoulders tremble. She was looking for the most efficient way to politely cover her laughter. "Ok, that had no sense, did it?"

"...i-it did."

"Then don't laugh, I am new to this." He felt the tip of his nose and his earlobes get a rosy hue in embarrassment.

What Naruto meant was being involved into a serious relationship with a girl that was worth to be cherished like a rare fine spring mountain flower, which was something that he, one of the players of the school, had to learn step by step.

But, as long as he had Hinata to walk side by side, it was the first time when learning was something he enjoyed.

"...m-me too." Still knowing that her friends were probably worried for her, Hinata turned her phone on and sent a message to Sakura, for she knew that the chances of the pink haired dancer to be present were higher that the chestnut eyed girl's ones.

Not after Ten Ten has told Hinata about their little adventure back at the Hyuga's villa. Hinata understood how confused her friend was and she could see that it was getting more and more difficult for her to stay away from what her heart wanted.

It was like the melted wax of a candle. Once it got the shape, it could easily be lighted up again and burn. "I am fine. We will save you a place into the cafeteria. H."

Hinata almost froze when Anko has passed the pretty deserted halls, probably being on duty, but the eccentric woman gave them a knowing wink, munching on her dumplings, acting like she hasn't seen them and somehow her heart pumped at an intensity like never before. She recognized it as adrenaline and anticipation. Her embrace has tightened as well.

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---

"Hinata sent me a message." Sakura leaned in to whisper to her chocolate eyed friend. Ten Ten was busy taking notes, meaning she was not once casting her eyes down on her notebook, writing in every direction possible, gripping her pencil until her knuckles turned white, occasionally biting its end. "She is fine. I think Naruto is with her."

"Where are those two? Going at it? Quickly, answer her and tell her to not use the janitor's closet. I think I have seen that cheerleader with purple bangs and a gorilla from the basketball team going at it in there when I came to this stupid lab."

The thing that was bothering Ten Ten was the obvious continuous stares coming from the back of the class, where Neji stood. Not only that, but he kept on assaulting her with notes and messages, which have managed to attract Kurenai's attention towards them.

He stopped eventually and Sakura was certain she heard Sasuke hissing at him to stop being such a demented creep, but she couldn't have turned around to take a look. If she did, she was certain she would throw a pen towards the raven haired boy. "They are not doing such thing, for God's sake, Ten, he is just keeping her company."

"Yeah, some company that clown is."

"Why are you so angry? Naruto is a cool guy. Dumb, but surprisingly wise. And he likes her, even I can see."

"Yeah, but what you haven't seen is the scandal from yesterday. I am afraid Hina is in big trouble and guess who is going to have to step in and back them up?" Ten Ten turned to give Sakura a look that left no room for interpretation.

The emerald eyed girl exhaled once, understanding how difficult it was for Ten Ten to withstand both her classmates' whispers behind her back and Neji's constant pestering. It was getting her irritated as well, and she was a third party.

"Us."

"You've got that right. When they are going to escape to some faraway city where they can get married and wear aluminum soda can caps, under a fake name, we will be the ones to hid them from Hyashi. And fuck if that man is not Suleiman undercover."

"Oh, c'mon, this is typical. How many parents agree with their kids to have a relationship in high school? Fathers, especially?"

"Why asking me? I only live with my mom."

"I assure you aunty Tsunade is not a crossed gender either."

At that Ten Ten found the opportunity to brighten up her mood and laugh at her friend's misfortune. Weren't they like sisters or what? "Well...not for long because now your aunt has Sasuke`s sexy uncle to keep her company, so I would say you can start sharing opinions over that matter. You know, just for the heck of bonding."

There was a brief paleness crossing Sakura's features that made Ten Ten hiccup once, trying to cease away her shorts the moment she caught the meaning of the hidden implication. "No."

"Why not? Won't you become relatives when Tsunade marries his hot ass? Besides...now that I think better...what kind of distant relatives will you and Sasuke be?"

Sakura promptly slapped her shoulder once, attracting Kurenai's attention towards them, but their only salvation came from the first row, where a total nerd was having difficulties in understanding the nerves system. "Don't even bring that up, or else I am jumping off the window!"

"Do that, but try not to fall right on my car, I have it parked right under this window."

It took Sakura exactly three seconds to make the tables turn and she almost burst into hysterics, if not for Kurenai to announce an upcoming unexpected test by the end of the week and ruin all the fun.

"Under this window...you mean...in front of that particular sign with a blue wheelchair on it, near the back entrance?"

First, Ten Ten's almond shaped eyes budges out of their sockets, then she shot her hand up, asking for the permission to go to the bathroom, which she immediately got, because she looked like she really had a problem, then, with her car keys secured into her pocket, she was out of the class, running like the wind down the stairs.

And she has missed Naruto and Hinata, who were in hysterics the moment Sakura sent her pale eyed friend a message, telling her not to worry if they see Ten Ten running like she was being ceased by hungry bears through the forest, because she was trying to avoid having her car getting towed for illegal parking on the parking space for people with disabilities.

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.

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---

"Oh will you freaking stop laughing already?!"

"Hahaha...sorry...but it was too funny!"

"Sorry Ten Ten, but this cherry blossom here is right, besides, taking the rightful place of the people who were in need, was an unyouthful thing to do."

Lee had to make use of his sharp reflexes to avoid being hit with a bun, by a Ten Ten who was frowning and cursing to Hell and back, because she has barely avoided getting a fine.

It looked like the gatekeeper had no other business than to keep an eye on whoever illegally parked their car.

She was going to leave a poetic scratch on the fresh horrible green painting, she vowed. Meanwhile, she was trying her best to ignore Sakura, Naruto and even Hinata, who were gripping their tummies, having troubles eating their food, all being currently into the cafeteria.

The chestnut eyed angry girl was sometimes throwing fries towards their faces, because they were laughing at her and it was not solely for the place she has left her car on, because that incident was something common among the rebels of the school.

But the thing that made them threw their head backwards and have tears at the corner of their eyes, was the fact that in her rush back, she slipped on the wet floor in front of the entrance and fell on her on her face.

She has managed to avoid bumping her nose on the ground by placing her then scratched palms in front of her, but she landed on her knees and ripped her new pair of jeans. That was why, she was fuming. "I hate you all." Her glares were only making them laugh more.

"Haha...sorry Ten, heard what Lee said."

"I-It was good that you didn't injure yourself." Due to their word, Hinata and Naruto saved a table for everyone, since they were among the first to arrive, which has been a smart thing to do, since the place was packed with students.

It looked like the new chef's special pudding had a magnetic effect, since even the habitual smokers were shoving each other to get one.

Naruto agreed to share his with Hinata and he even ignored Ten Ten's remark. That girl was...she and Neji were one hell of a pair. He didn't forget to mock his friend later on.

"So..." Lee started, attracting the attention of his friends. He had to raise his voice to cover the screams echoing through the cafeteria.

It was as crowded that he found his chair stuck in between the other students' beside him ones. "...what us the thing Ten Ten told me you girls have to share and what are those pictures everyone talks about?" He was trying to fins a way of asking that would not offend the two girls.

Even Naruto's gaze softened when Sakura took a whole spoon of her dessert, bowing her head into the bowl.

He gave Sasuke one hell of a lecture for not stepping in and deal with the mess the girl he has been messing with has created, but he realized how pointless his argument was, when the raven haired Uchiha cut him off sharply with three words: "Itachi's back."

It would explain why he has already smoked a whole pack of cigars and didn't change a word with anyone else. In fact, he was not even present inside and was not answering his phone.

Ten Ten started to explain, but her eyes were constantly darting over Hinata's shoulder, glaring towards something they all suspected was Neji. In fact, it was nothing like that. "Is that Choji with a chick?"

All of them turned to look at what their missing friend, who was engaged in what looked like an extremely interesting conversation with an exotic looking tall girl. The thing that attracted their attention was the rasta and her hippie clothes.

"Is that his classmate, Karui?" At a second glance, Sakura could easily see the resemblance with her new friend and she wondered if Choji was putting her advice into action.

"What other girls are talking to him in here besides her and us? Gosh...don't tell me he is trying to...oh fuck he is flirting with her. Look at his hands, he is playing with his fingers!"

Ten Ten banged her head over the desk, feeling the shock come to her senses as a pleasurable brief dizziness. Choji looked like he needed help and he was an ocean of hungry kids away from them.

The girl didn't seem to mind too much, for she was grinning at whatever he was saying, she too acting strange.

She found them too weird, but Choji was her friend and she was glad for him. Hinata had a hand resting upon her heart, anime hearts into her eyes. "I think they are cute!"

"Aren't you supposed to be on their side?" For Naruto, watching how the ones he always ignored was a funny and interesting experience and he found himself fascinated of how different teenagers his age could be, if they were not from his usual entourage.

They might have been old fashioned ,with all their hesitation in asking girls out or approaching the others, but he quickly realized they were just normal and he and the others, with their cocky attitude and arrogance that opened doors to the wildest parties and forbidden stuff, were the ones that were living a fantasy.

"I am. But someone has to tell him why he is always picked on..." She couldn't help herself when she darted her chestnut eyes on Naruto's cerulean eyes, making all of them got silent as if they were at a funeral. "...by likes like you."

"Ten-"

"I know and I am not trying to defend myself, or my friends. But I am not like this."

"Meh, I don't care as long as you don't hurt my friends. Plus you make Hina come out of her shell, so you are fine." She smirked evilly at the way her lavender eyed friend's face turned the color of a crab under the August sun. "In fact, I would say you are doing a well damn fine job in there, Uzumaki."

Meanwhile, Choji has managed to get to them and, in fact, he brought his new friend along, much to Ten Ten's disbelief. Naruto gave him a thumb up, patting the chocolate eyed girl's shoulder, knowingly.

She shoved him off, frowning comically. Sakura stole two spoons of pudding from her, while she was not paying attention and Lee swore he would not say a word. She felt her sugar level grow alert and she couldn't give a damn about it.

She was tensed and stressed and it made her even hungrier. Plus, it was delicious. She followed the way Choji introduced his friend to the group. "Everyone, this is Karui."

The girl was his complete opposite, oozing confidence and honest feelings, much like Ten Ten. She shook hands with them all, both sitting down with much difficulty, since they barely had place.

Well, it was not like Ten Ten, who sensed a person she would get along with meeting her, kindly pushed the guy's behind her chair with her foot, to make room for Karui to enter and sit beside her.

The girl was not exactly fat, but she was not a bikini model either. She had curves.

"So, I finally get to meet you guys." She started, enjoying the food she has personally prepared and had packed, sharing some cookies and bruschetti with all of them, turning the lunch break into a picnic. "Choji wouldn't stop talking about you guys."

"I bet he doesn't." Naruto snorted at Ten Ten's meaning, while the chestnut eyed girl got a hit on her leg from Sakura. "He talks about you as well. A lot."

"Hehe, he should. We are working on the same project."

"We agreed to ask the teacher to let us work on the new recipe we have to come up with on Friday." Choji winked suggestively at Sakura, nodding once. She understood. Her friend has taking her advice into consideration and it worked. As for the party...

"Great! I am glad for such a youthful display of trying to make this world a sweeter place in such a youthful way!" Lee declared eagerly, holding the spoon high in the air. It had to be that particular moment of mild silence, so almost everyone has heard him.

Ten Ten shook her head in disbelief. "Keep on talking like that and you will go to the party with Eustace, you moron!"

"Who is Eustace?" Unlike her sister, Karui has transferred at their high school at the beginning of the semester, like Sakura, so she was new to it as well. She joined the cooking club because it was her all time hobby.

"The skeleton from the chemistry lab."

"Auch, you guys are mean." She laughed along with them, nonetheless. It was like Choji has told her.

They were all so different, but very funny and reliable. She threw a glance towards the new dancer as well, deciding that, indeed, it was just like Chiara has told her. That girl had something...else. "I like that."

"Hey, we are not mean. Just ridiculously honest, this is why we are the nerds."

"So, Ten Ten, now that we are all here, why don't you tell us what is going on here." Lee pressed further. They all grew stiff for the moment.

"Well, the short version of the story is something along the lines of Sakura and I here, went on a little trip in Jacksonville countryside." They all nodded once, urging her to go on.

"But I run out of gas, right on the middle of the freaking road and it was already raining and it was kind of getting dark."

"So you got caught into the storm."

"Kind of. So I suggested hitchhiking."

"No, you have told me I was nuts and went in the middle of the road, giving thumbs up to the ravens."

"You wanted to walk back on Jacksonville. How would you call that?"

It was Naruto the one to prove his immeasurable intelligence. "Awesome!"

"A healthy challenge of youthfulness and endurance!"

"...you both need medical attention. Anyways, you can imagine who found it funny to appear, out of nowhere."

Choji and Lee both stated at the same time. "Neji."

"Correct. The bastard came there, laughing at me, ordering me around to get inside the car."

"And Sasuke." It was Sakura who found it appropriate to share that one detail as well. Naruto grew more attentive. He suspected he would kick his onyx eyed friend's ass later on and he has just found a good reason to do so. "They were heading to Neji's home. For obvious reasons."

Karui raised an eyebrow at the emerald eyed girl, who shrugged once. "Obvious?"

"She means they planned an orgy with two girls." Ten Ten went on. "See that chick over there, surrounded by those monstrosities from the volleyball team? Dana. She is one major slut. She is the one that took the photos."

"This is awful! Can't we do anything?"

"No Lee, we don't want to add gas to the fire."

"So you girls have spent the night at Neji's?"

"Long story short, yeah. The longer version includes a blackout, two druggies we have beaten and threw out of the house and a lot of arguing with those losers. And a drunk as fuck Hyuga with one kick ass of a hangover. It was torture!" She emphasized the words, while the others shook their heads.

"And nothing happened?" Naruto asked wearingly, knowing exactly how things were. The fact that Neji and Ten Ten had a history that has left a mark on the school's record and giving Sasuke`s sadistic pleasure of toying with Sakura's head was enough to make him edgy.

"Nothing that crosses your perverted skull, Naruto. Sorry Hina."

"I know how the Teme and Neji are. And I am not a creep!"

"Pfh...yeah..."

"They...were reasonable. Insufferable, but reasonable." Sakura simply stated, feeling her blood boil at the thought of...she had any thoughts, equally confusing and she was doing her best to make them stop haunting her.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well this is your problem. Anyway, this is how the rumors have started. It was not like we could have stayed there wet like stray dogs, so of course we have borrowed Neji's clothes."

"Like the ones in the pictures."

"Yeah Lee, the pic has been taken when we got inside and drove home."

"That kid...I don't know what his name is, but he is annoying and smells like dog food, said something about seeing you Sakura driving."

Karui, just like the others, was updated with the news, but she trusted Choji who immediately stood for the two girls and her sister assured her the school was full of cretins.

"Kiba!" Ten Ten clapped her hands once, already in the mood to punch a football player with a dog and hear him bark. "I will chop off his tongue! Where is the motherfucker?" How could she have forgotten about him?

"Don't mind him Ten, you know how he is."

"Yeah, he is obsessed with you and has a large mouth that needs my foot planted there urgently! Sak, that idiot only did that because his sole neuron got jealous!"

"Stop screaming jeez, people are watching!" A quick look around assured her there were whispers going on behind their backs. "This is ridiculous!"

"Don't mind them, not everyone is thinking that you girls are...like that. Me and the people from the cooking club think you are good girls."

"I don't, but Sakura wants to enter Xue's team. She needs a reputation, duh."

"No, I don't. Ronja is not the one to gossip or listen to gossip in general. She is on a different league."

"You think she doesn't? At least you have Sasori. The others can help too."

"I can go beat the hell out of those two and make them do something about that." Naruto was already standing up, when Sakura shot a hand towards him, stopping his attempt. "No!" He stood down, looking at her in question. She looked tired and fed up with that, he could tell. "Sasori told me something that got me thinking about many things."

"...yeah...and he also told you that you guys are to make it official on Friday..." Ten Ten shot back, getting a glare from Sakura. She had an idea of what that meant, but she would give her advice later on.

"I mean Ten Ten...that he told me I should play it cool and not do their game." She took her phone away, accessing her own facebook account, going to the said profile. "And this is what I am going to do."

"Do what? Are you going to erase that pic?"

"This will solve nothing since those girls have a copy. In fact, I think everyone has one."

"Yeah, we should think of something else."

"M-Maybe going to t-the principal?"

"Nah, that is just like Mei's case. It is going to solve nothing."

"Just wait a second. Damn why is so difficult to write on this touch thing anyways?" She was more than sick of being a target, so she decided she would fight the way she found to be the most appropriate in the context.

So she left a comment to one of the picture, in which she wrote: 'I applaud the brilliant skills of the illegitimate owner of this picture and since this school has so many talented undiscovered paparazzi, who are so dedicated to their work, even going as far as to withstand a storm to update their audience with the most important latest news, I would take the liberty and nominate her for the President in charge with the school's newspaper.'

"Ready." Somehow, she felt ten times lighter than before and the pudding got another taste.

"What in the name of holly spirits of this pudding have you done?"

Naruto, Hinata and Karui were already checking on the photo. Their general reaction was a round of clapping. "Genius!"

In less than two minutes, her comment was the thing on everyone's mouths, and they all had similar thoughts as Sakura's friends. She got over 100 likes. Some were even chanting to Dana that they supported the idea.

The girl's face turned purple in rage. She was still into the spotlight, but from a different perspective. "That bitch...I can't believe she did that!" It was too late for her to erase Sakura's comment since it went viral.

And her friends were not helping at all. "You know Dana, I think she is right. You should be the editor-in-chief or at least the vice-president. I think Mr. McKenzie will have nothing against it."

"Marie...shut up! I knew this was a bad idea."

"Then why have you posted that pictures? Or at least...why on your profile?"

Dana's eyes darted towards the head of the cheerleaders, who was laughing at the way she made a fool of herself, alongside her friends, gritting her teeth in rage. "Remember the party last month? The one were police caught us drunk, driving trice the speed limit?"

"...you mean the one when we were driving in our swimsuits? What about it?"

"She was the one that talked the officers into not getting us detained."

"Well shit."

Although she knew she has been used, the head of the handball team chocked in her rage, resumed her eating. She could do nothing. No matter how much she loathed Mei, she owned her. More than once.

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.

.

---

"Bwhahaha I swear that girl has spunk!" Suigetsu was having the time of his life, laughing his ass out loud alongside a smirking Shikamaru and some other guys of their group.

The situation was too epic, moreover, the way the girls were leaving heated bashful messages under Sakura's comment was even funnier, because it was basically a mini war. It looked like not everyone was that against the pink haired girl.

"She is just so full of herself! I can't stand her!" Karin joined the group of the ones who were saying that Sakura should have stayed in Japan and not show her ugly face among them, flailing her hands in the air, like an approaching meteorite approaching the Earth has been announced on the radio.

Her friends were agreeing, without having an opinion of their own. "She thinks she is so smart!"

But the climax have happened the moment Ronja liked her post, writing 'instead of pudding, we should have champagne', silently pointing to the girl's appointment as the next President. The hidden message was an obvious remember of the handball team's last defeat, when they were not the winners who, by tradition, got the medals and a huge bottle of champagne, as a celebration of their victory.

From then on, everything went downhill. Dana has removed both the pictures, leaving the cafeteria. "That is one blown up ego." Karui stated, following the spectacle alongside the others. She has been right, that emerald eyed dancer was different.

"Serves her right! Nice done girl."

"Meh, I didn't want it to be this big. I just wanted to prove them it doesn't affect me."

"And you did! Way to go!"

"Thanks Lee, but you know how much I hate to be their topic of discussion. I can't even eat properly without being paranoid."

"I think that someone has eaten half of my pudding...without being paranoid." Indeed, Ten Ten felt like she has barely eaten half of it.

She looked at Sakura, lifting both her eyebrows at the innocent look on her friend's face. She had pudding on the tip of her nose and left cheek. "You ate my dessert."

"Sue me!"

"I don't think it was Dana's idea. Not even Amalia's one." Naruto started out of sudden, fixing his cerulean eyes on the head of the cheerleaders. Since staying beside the popular group was out of question, she made up with her rebound boy toy, sitting with his friends. "I think it was someone else."

"Mei?" Sakura knew of course. She was not a fool. "I don't care. She can hurt me no more."

"Be careful, she can be really vindictive."

"Have you been having troubles with her before?" Karui has been oblivious at what has transpired between the two of the girls. The others kept their mouths shut. Whether she and Hinata chose to disclose the incident, was their own matter.

"Kind of...a big argument. But it was over before it degenerated."

"Why is this school so much like a..."

"...like a soap opera?"

"...like the mental hospital?"

"Try juvy instead." If only they knew all the things that happened behind the closed doors, Ten Ten stated inside her mind.

"Because of the sluts and brainless idiots that only love two things, namely alcohol and girls, are ruling over this place. The moment their monarchy ends, democracy will lead this place into the 21st century of civilization and human rights."

When she only got blank stares in disbelief, she rolled her eyes, standing up. "I love history, blame it on he teach. He only uses books with big photos. Damn it, why in the world have they built a cafeteria that is too small to take us all in?!"

"What are you doing?"

"I spotted lemonade. With grapefruit!"

"Since when do you drink lemonade? What about Cola?" Sakura and Hinata had to stand as well, to make their friend place. They found out she couldn't get through.

"I have a strict policy over that. No more than five per day."

"That is quite the record. I think you should try to pass under the table." Sakura suggested, getting a snort from the chestnut eyed girl, who planted a firm palm on the table, pushing her body up, sliding right on the desk.

"Like Hell I will. That is for rats like Neji." She jumped on the other side in no time, like the athlete she was, heading towards the inviting drink.

"She is cool." Karui had no problem admitting. She only got nods in agreements. "I like her way. Rebel, fierce, independent, strong willed and smart. I like her."

"T-That is our Ten Ten."

"Wow, I am being talked against my back. I hope it is not about how crazy I am, cos that would be a waste of time. Ah, damn it, now I can't pass through!" It only took the coffee eyed girl a minute to get back to he friends.

She was Ten Ten, ex popular, currently undecided social status, so she was not to wait in line when there were only superficial school sluts in front of her. She cut the line no problem, returning to her seat. She gave Sakura and Lee a lemonade, well aware that they loved it as well.

"No, your insanity speaks for itself. But we all agree that we love you just the way you are."

She rolled her eyes at Sakura's cheesy confession, amused. That until she felt someone placing a hand on her shoulder, to attract her attention. "Ten Ten, I have something to say."

She snapped her head over her shoulder, almost feeling the need to pour the lemonade down his head, having a strong painful deja vu. "Why in the world would I give a damn about whatever you would want to say, Hyuga?"

All the eyes from the table were on the troublesome pair, and not only. Whenever Neji and Ten Ten were face to face, the show was about to begin. Naruto was worriedly looking to his friend's face.

Something about the obvious agitation into his grave tone was out of ordinary. Neji was, much like Sasuke, stoic and unemotional.

He was more than ready to interfere in case something went wrong, and given the odds, the alarms into his head told him it was pretty much likely to happen.

And it took Neji one sentence to make Ten Ten spray the lemonade she was drinking, looking like a broken fountain, having troubles in proceeding what she has heard coming out of his mouth. "I...want us to be together again."

Her friends' jaws hit the floor simultaneously, the unexpected confession leaving them mouth agape, without blinking.

"Say what?!" Ten Ten more than screamed in his face. The nerve of him got cosmically.

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---

"I haven't seen this many patients since last spring, when the avian influenza stroke."

"Well that was to be expected, considering the fact that many elders have been caught into the storm. Poor them. Five of the ones I threat of pneumonia and sinusitis can't afford to pay for the heat.

"I think I am going to pull an extra night shift again."

At the hospital, it was a constant tumult. Because of the massive storm, there was a flooding of children and elders, with all kinds of illnesses caused by the dirty and cold water, or broken arms and legs.

The surgery rooms were also full of the more unlucky ones who were caught by a fallen branch or bricks. Tsunade herself had to perform two surgeries and she was beat tired.

Madara didn't look too energetically as well. They were trying to have the lunch break, but it turned into a contest of who was able to ingest more coffee.

They were both waiting for their patient's results from radiology or bacteriology to start the treatments. "With all this surgeons that are on break, I might as well join you."

Madara smirked once at her, knowing how much of a workaholic the blonde medic could be, but for him, she was a perfect subordinate. Never complaining of anything and always doing her work properly.

In less than a week, every single nurse and doctor has become aware of Tsunade Senju's unmatched medical genius.

And the fact that she and Madara had a relationship was making her even more like the local celebrity. "You look tired, Tsunade. Wouldn't it be better to take it easier? I don't want you to exhaust yourself."

"Heh, aren't I surrounded by medics? If I faint then I might as well let you cure me." Tsunade wickedly suggestively at the older Uchiha, making him chuckle. That was one interesting woman indeed.

"It is my job to treat everyone in need. This is what Hippocrates said."

"True. And I have a cute patient at home that has a flu." She felt bad for Sakura, and the busty woman has just remembered that her niece was supposes to come after school and have a tutoring session.

She rubbed her temples, making Madara shot up an eyebrow, taking another bite of his sandwich. "Oh damn."

"Something the matter? Is her condition that severe?"

"No, it is nothing like that. I promised her I will help her with her studies, but...I don't think I am able to do it today. Not with all this people here, popping in out of nowhere with broken bones and weird coughs."

Madara understood where she was coming perfectly, nodding once, taking in the way she was biting her nail, while she let her mind look for a window in her schedule.

Even tough he never had children, the fact that Sasuke has always been attached to him, until the sixth grade when he basically started to consider him as being his legitimate father, he kind of understood the crucial role of a parent and the responsibilities. "Let her come and we will see what we can do."

"I don't think I can handle it today and I don't want to waste her time, but God, she took a mark that rivals that old woman from cardiology's blood pressure."

"You still have some hours left until all the results are out. You know this is going to take a while, bacteriology tests especially. Meanwhile, I can take a look at some of your patients, while you help her with her homework." Considering the fact that basically half of the city's population decided it was time to meet the doctors and rendezvous in there, Madara wouldn't feel pressured with checking on some additional people.

He had so many things to do that it was ridiculous. Plus, he knew that one raven haired nephew of his was probably plotting how to murder some unwelcome for him guest, namely his brother, so he not going home after work was probably not a wise idea but he had no choice. "Are you serious? But you are just as bus-"

He stopped her midway, shaking his head. "Don't worry, she needs you. I understand."

He saw the blonde exhale deeply in relief. He couldn't appreciate her dedication and attachment to a niece she was caring for like she has been her own daughter more. It was the last he could do to help.

Plus, if he were to be honest, Madara liked Sakura. The girl was a mini version of the woman he was dating, plus the teenage drama she was going through was similar to his nephew's, so he was more than glad to help Tsunade. "Gosh, thank you. I own you for this."

"I will hold you onto that one." And if he was to be complete honest with him, and he was, Madara was ready to take another step into their relationship, sensing that Tsunade wouldn't have a problem with that either.

They were getting along very well and their way of thinking was very reminiscent. "I have a storm expecting me home."

"Something about your nephew? That boy is constantly watching you, you know?"

"Indeed. My other older nephew has returned from Europe. He has a short break and he came to visit his family. Sasuke made him his sworn enemy. Yesterday, he moved to my home for as long as Itachi will be in town."

"Why are they fighting for? Is it just a simple rivalry between brothers or..."

"Well you could say it is and at the same time it is not." If only he knew how to briefly summarize all the problems existent into the apparent perfect Uchiha family, Madara would have gladly let her know.

They have talked about their respective origins and kids, but he never mentioned how bad the Uchiha brothers couldn't stand each other.

Well it was not that Madara and Fugaku were inseparable relatives and best friends either.

"You see, Fugaku is kind of the opposite of me. He likes military discipline and never once revealed what he thinks of his children. He is too much similar to a statue for my liking. But he somehow managed to let it be visible that he prefers Itachi more. Maybe it is his attitude that makes him the perfect candidate to inherit Fugaku's business."

"And Sasuke feels neglected."

"Neglected is an understatement. I witnessed a fight between my sister and that tyrant when they were talking about Itachi studying abroad and Fugaku had the guts to say that maybe it would have been better if they would have stopped having children after Itachi was born. Unfortunately, Sasuke heard it all as well. He was in the seventh grade."

Tsunade's eyes briefly widened for a second, surprised to hear such things. She never realized that Sasuke`s closeness to his uncle had nothing to do with the rebel and cool attitude, that any teenager would find inspiring.

That truly looked like a perfect powerful family. It looked like money and social status came at a high price to pay. "This is not exactly the things a kid at such an age should hear. It makes you hate Fugaku without even knowing him."

"I know. He has never been of my favorite list either. We got into an argument ever since my sister introduced him to us, but, seeing her happy was more important than my opinion on him, so I said nothing. Since then, he and my nephew have grown even more distant and that was the moment when I chose to step in."

Madara never meant to be unfair, for he loved Itachi as well, but just like Fugaku, he felt more attached to the younger brother. While Itachi was his father's carbon copy, Sasuke was a mini version of Madara and the rest of the family found the resemblance frightening.

He couldn't just stay beside and watch how the first child became a successful man, while the younger one became a drug addict and a criminal, like it was most likely to happen. His mother could have only done as much as o love him unconditionally, but she alone could not have tempered such a character.

"So you took Sasuke under your wing because you didn't want him to be deprived of a paternal figure in his life." Tsunade concluded. She knew, for her case with Sakura has been the same.

She could have never taken her sister's place, but she could have make up for the lack of maternal figure into her niece's life and show her the right way. Something akin to what Madara was doing and he looked like he has not been wrong.

"Yes. Something along the lines. Everyone think that, out of the two, Itachi is the prodigy that will come to take his family name even higher, but in reality, I think they are all wrong."

"Wrong? What do you mean? He is not that good?"

"No, he is, I will not try to discredit him. Indeed, he is the perfect candidate to step into his father's shoes. What I mean is that they have severely underestimated Sasuke. He is far better than Itachi and I am not only talking about his intelligence, tough I have no doubt he is more gifted in that aspect as well. Sasuke has an untamed spirit and vision, so that is why he cannot be a suitable candidate to inherit the family business. That is for complacent people like his brother, who is used to silently and meticulously follow orders."

Tsunade understood what he meant by that. Sasuke was not the one to follow rules and be bound by them and have his vision limited by the others.

From that point of view, it was reminiscent to Sakura's view on dancing. She liked to be free to express herself. "And you chose medicine for him, because you think this is a good way to channel his genius to something useful?"

"I have only come up with the suggestion. I have never meant to impose him something, like his father would do. He saw me doing this so many times that I think he piqued the dream from me. It was not like he had any aspirations. He used to think that only Itachi was able to become something and do something meaningful with his life. You should have seen the way he was three years ago. By God, I thought he wanted to commit suicide."

"That bad?"

"It was the moment Itachi left to Vienna. And it was the moment he told me he wants to do medicine. I couldn't but agree and support him. It is the perfect expertise for a boy with his brain and unrestrained mind."

"From what I was able to see, he does remind me of you. If he can become just as a great doctor as you are, then why not?"

"Are you trying to flatter me?"

"Hehe, I don't think I need to." Tsunade finished the rest of her coffee and toast, looking at her pager. The familiar beep made her exhale tiredly. Another emergency. "Better not fuel that ego of yours further. Have to go. Duty calls."

"I will keep you company up to the third floor." The two doctors made their way to the elevator, slipping past the many rushed nurses and other of their medic colleagues.

"Oncology? And here I thought you were stalking me."

Tsunade would have found it funny the way Madara's smirk was another trait that his equally handsome nephew has picked on, if she wasn't that enchanted by its effect. She felt like a teen in love, but of course, she was past the immature innocent level.

The thing she felt whenever she was in his company was familiarity, understanding and intimacy. Things only a he could give.

"Not my hobby, but I would ask you about what plans do you have for Friday night?"

"Normally, me and Sakura would watch a movie and challenge each other at eating pizza, but since she has a party on Friday, I would say it will be me and my daily problems."

She heard the click of the third floor, where the suffering from cancer patients and the labs were, making place for Madara to step out. "Then maybe you and your daily problems should drop by my home and try my secret Lasagna recipe."

"Not very romantic, but I can't wait to see your talents in the kitchen."

"Then it is a deal." Madara turned on his heel, greeting two of his patients in the way. "Call me when you are ready with your niece. I will cover your shift for as much as I can."

Tsunade shook her head, smiling and following his retracting figure, pushing the button to the fifth floor. She took in the confident steps and the elegant, but intimidating way he walked. He had the aura of a God and his patients felt both intimidated and safe into his capable arms. "Show off...but he has style."

.

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---

"You want me to what?! Are you taking me for a cretin? Don't mistake me for your whore!"

"Quiet down if you don't want to be involved into another scandal." If there was something Neji didn't like, was the others to peek into his private matters, but since Ten Ten was not a reasonable person who was willing to listen to what he had to say, he had to address her in front of the others and she always made a scene just like in that moment.

"And whose fault is this?! Mine?! Was I the one that agreed to meet and do it with a cheap stalker whore? No! Of course not! Because we know who from the two of us can't handle his shit!" Ten Ten placed her glass of lemonade on Naruto's hands, because he was the closest, jumping back on her seat, towards the table.

The others were stunned that she managed to not touch anything. "Now piss off, I want to enjoy this lunch." She took back her drink, eating the remains of her food, but the silent threat lingered: she was not ashamed to discard the leftovers down his head, like the last time, tough that would have been unoriginal.

"Look, if you would come outside and talk to me like a civiliz-"

"Don't you dare implying that I am inferior to you, you mutant, because I am going to plant my foot down your throat, until you will look like a human tuba! Gosh, how come you can't give me a moment without making your stupid presence known before my eyes?!"

"Neji, I don't think this is the moment to-"

The pale eyed boy interrupted Naruto, not in the mood to listen to his marital counseling. He was there with business, after a torturous night in which he realized that, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't tear the photo with him and Ten Ten hiking apart. "You stay out of it. Ten Ten, please, come outside."

"The fact that you from all the people begged me to do something should scare the Hell out of me, but it is overshadowed by the nerve to talk to me. So you didn't manage to impress me. You have two working legs, so put them to good use."

Sakura was looking at the way her friend's barely visible veins were starting to bulge on her temples, as an obvious sign of how stressed she was.

As the niece of a doctor, she knew the cause and she felt sorry for Ten Ten, even tough the worse thing one could have done to Ten Ten was to pity her. She wanted to do something, say something to matter, but she didn't know what to.

And for some odd reasons, the Hyuga was persistent. She shifted her jade eyes from her chestnut eyed friend, who was doing her beat to act impassive, to the other member of the Hyuga family, soughing mockery into his intense gaze, but she didn't know whether was the lack of experience or honest talking, because she found out that his intentions were genuine. "Ten Ten...What should I do for you to come with me? What should I be for you to be with me again?" He found himself asking out of the blue. Ten Ten felt her vision cloud. She so wanted to punch his face, to dart out of the suffocating place, to go smoke and escape the constriction from her throat...she wanted many things.

But most of them, she wanted to cry out in frustration. Why? Why wasn't he letting her be and fight the memories of him, inside her mind, at night, when she was reminded by him again?

She had no answer for her questions, but the heavy pressure upon her shoulders was taking a toll on her running low patience. "Someone else." It was the last thing she told him, before she grew completely silent.

In the end, he got the meaning and, instead of returning to his place, he made his way out of the cafeteria, on the back door. "Think about it once again. You know where to find me."

"Hey, sorry for that."

Not even removing her eyes from the half of lemon she was playing with, Ten Ten answered Naruto half heartedly, slightly confused. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I should have done something. But you know...even I can see that he is not a complete ass, even if he treated you bad."

"Are you defending him now? Mind your own business Uzumaki. You have just invited yourself into this group and now you are giving me advice!" She harshly shot back at him. Naruto said nothing, for he could see the hurt and the fury blazing into her heated glance. "It is just so much I can handle."

After saying that, she took her tray of food, pushed a girl who was making herself comfortable at the desk behind the chocolate girl's one, shoving her chair back towards the table and left.

"I think...you shouldn't have said that." Karui stated the obvious. Sakura was at loss of what to do. She wanted to follow her, but she felt that Ten Ten preferred to be left alone for the moment.

"I-I think w-we should follow her and see if she is r-right."

"I don't think this is a good idea, Hinata."

"Sorry guys, this is my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut."

"No, you have done nothing bad. She is only tired and has a bad mood, that is all." Sakura was playing her phone in between her fingers, considering if she should at least send an encouraging message. She wrote her a short innocent one, with a suggestive emoticon. 'The scythe is at Hidan's, but I have the chocolate.'

The rest of the lunch break revolved around random conversations, mostly from Karui who wanted to know more about the school, the teachers and the students she should avoid.

Then Naruto brought up the topic party, which everyone expected, but he managed to sadden Hinata, who knew her father would never agree to that. Sakura firmly stepped in and assured her she could tell the strict father that she was going to spend the night at her dancer friend's home and watch educational channels, about wild animal and indigenous populations, so she could easily participate to the party.

And it has been a good opportunity for Choji to ask Karui to be his date. Well, she told him they were going to meet there because she would come with her sister, who had a dentist appointment on Friday, but it was still good.

They all headed to their respective classes, with Sakura and Naruto heading to chemistry. She called her aunt and ask her-for the millionth time-if she wasn't a bother and her aunt told her that if she wanted to lead the life of a hermit, she would have found a cave in Athos and change her family name.

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---

Sasuke was bored, furious and all the smoke was making his already stinging onyx orbs burn, like they were in flames. He looked like a locomotive with coal. He decided to skip the lunch break and avoid being stared at more than necessary and he barely had any patience left to resist to two more classes of AP chemistry and astronomy.

He lighted up another cigarette, mentally wondering how many would he need before he developed lungs cancer, lazily following the students roaming around, sharing his hobby.

He has been approached by some of his friends, but he quickly let them know that he was not in the mood. Although, he didn't miss Sakura's way of handling the situation and he found that to be very interesting.

It was everyone's topic of discussion and at least, someone else's problems made his attention drift from his own.

He took into account all the possibilities of successfully avoiding to meet his brother, realizing that, if his mother wouldn't try to force them play the ideal family and invite everyone for dinner, he would survive a week.

Just the mere thought of the older Uchiha brother was making his muscles throb and his rage sting his chest. There were many things Sasuke wished for, and seeing his brother being kidnapped by aliens and being sent to a faraway galaxy, that was at least 24 billion light years far from the Earth, was one of the most ardent ones.

He couldn't have hated on someone that bad. With the exception of his father, of course. At least his uncle promised to lend him his bike starting tomorrow. He sent a message to Naruto, asking him to drop by later on and drink something, but he dobe was busy with his girlfriend. Sasuke promptly rolled his eyes at his reply.

'Hinata has some issues.'

Some? In Sasuke`s mind, she had a lot of issues. After what Dana did, meeting a girl and satisfy his urges was out of question-the other girls and women he slept with were out of town or busy-so he chose the safest option, meaning texting Madara and ask him for a round of drinks.

But his ever so considerate, extremely busy doctor uncle, told him to come over and help him write the receipts down on his register. He felt the need to bang his head on the wall. That was the last thing on his mind, until he caught the sight of an interesting ridiculously comical scene. He was amazed he could still see clearly with all the smoke around.

First, Ten Ten stormed towards the farthest place, near a large tree, and challenged him in smoking, pacing around and cursing.

She was dead funny. Two minutes later, he spotted his equally mocha haired friend dashing towards the parking lot, looking like he has been stricken by Parkinson. Sasuke snorted once, taking another long drag. "What a cretin."

To think he even warned him not to approach her like that, but Hyuga's ego rivaled his stupidity.

Hasn't he learned his lesson yet? Ten Ten was not that kind of girl, everyone could see. The raven haired Uchiha even entertained the idea to follow him and laugh at the way he was not able to solve his problems, but decided otherwise.

He stepped on the leftover of his cigarette and headed towards the entrance. A tiny whisper at the back of his mind, that came quite close to the start of a conscience urged him to not skip chemistry.

As for astronomy...meteorites and comets could hit the planet even without him being present.

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---

Sakura felt extremely tired by the end of her last period. She couldn't even focus on simple tasks as keeping her eyes open or breathe properly. And she was hungry as well.

Not only that, but she was also really depressed. Before chemistry, she took some time and chatted with Chiara mostly about dancing and it looked like the hard working exotic girl has already started to work on the most difficult routine for the audition, while Sakura hasn't even seen it once and that made her lose the confidence she barely had.

And that was the exact attitude she had when she marched towards the hospital's reception to ask for her aunt.

The middle aged woman from there asked her whether she was looking for the neuropsychiatry clinic when she saw Sakura's way of dragging her body towards the elevator. All of them were experts in her anger, she bitterly thought.

Ten Ten has texted her and announced that she has gone home, because she was not in the mood to see Neji for the rest of the day, which was suspicious, because the Hyuga has vanished as well. But the chestnut eyed girl swore that they were not together.

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---

"What kind of idiot wrote this book anyways?"

"My teacher."

"Then your teacher is an idiot." Tsunade was flipping the pages of Sakura's text book, scoffing and bashing on how poorly for their age was it written, while her niece was solving an exercise she has just explained.

Due to her word, Tsunade was already into her office, waiting for Sakura and the blonde assured her that Madara was covering for her, so they had an hour or two to have a tutoring session. They have been working for half an hour already and Sakura was feeling her mind explode.

Her aunt started with the basics and was indeed a great teacher, but the pink haired girl had many unclear parts she was having a hard time in figuring out. "Tell me about it."

"It is no wonder you kids can't understand a thing from this!" Tsunade was also studying Sakura's test paper to get an idea of the kind of problems the teacher approached, shaking her head in disagreement.

"The educational system is rapidly facing its glorious end. Have you managed to find the mass of the substance?"

"Not quite. I don't know why you have used this formula here." Sakura dragged her chair closer to Tsunade's, turning the notebook over so her aunt could see better.

"This is because you have to find the molar mass of that substance, then do the math for 100 g of substance."

"...am I always supposed to do that?"

"Yeah. For each problem when you have found the right chemical reaction, to find the mass you need to see the number of atoms in each molecule, then find the answer you are looking for, using the cross-multiplication."

Sakura meticulously noted down what Tsunade has told her, mentally exhaled in relief. She would have never figured that out alone because there was no such thing explained inside the book and the teacher...she didn't want to start thinking about that hedgehog with goggles.

"Can you lend me your brain when I have the test?"

"Oh honey, you don't need that. I was not even close as smart as you at 18. It is normal for students to get help with their studies."

"Sasuke doesn't need help and I don't see him staying home, learning..." She muttered sarcastically, but Tsunade heard. She let out a short laugh.

"Haha, who lied to you? That's not what his uncle says."

"You mean, he is studying? I find that hard to believe...wait...you guys are gossiping about us?! What other embarrassing things have you told him about me? I don't want to fill Sasuke`s agenda with stuff to mock me with."

"Oh relax sweetie, we don't talk about you in such a way, besides, boys don't gossip."

"You say that because you haven't seen Naruto and Lee...together! I thought I was going to die during lunch break. They know everything about anything!"

"Well, if you want to know, Madara is not like that and I am sure his mini version is not either. In fact he invited me for dinner on Friday."

"And here I thought he invited you to the party…" They both laughed at the idea of the busty blonde and the stoic Uchiha hitting the clubs and partying like high school students. "...Sasuke? A mini version of his uncle? Yeah right, the only think they have in common is looks."

"I am sure they have more in common that you would think. It is just one's maturity being more obvious, but that is just the generation's gape. He is going to cook Lasagna."

"Okay! You know what they say: the road to Hell is paved with...Lasagna, in your case. Or the road to his bed." Tsunade playfully bumped Sakura's shoulder, both laughing. Meanwhile, a nurse has came to ask Tsunade if she needed something and the doctor told her she could bring them Chinese food from the cafeteria.

"Ok, now for the redox reactions…" Tsunade went on with her explanations, while the moments passed felt like ages to Sakura, but she paid attention, well aware that one, it was for her best interest and second, she was wasting a busy aunt's time...and Madara's.

Fifteen minutes later, Tsunade has been called for an emergency and apparently, she was the sole available surgeon. In the last hour, the number of patients has doubled and it was crystal clear that Madara couldn't deal with all of them anymore, so the two ladies had to cut their lessons short.

"Jeez what now?" The Senju heiress scowled at her constantly beeping pager, getting up. "I am sorry honey, we have to end it here." Tsunade went to her purse, took out her car keys, handing them to her niece, kissing her forehead.

"Take my car and go straight home. There is food on the fridge. I think this is another night shift I will have to cover. Stay here and finish your noodles. My nurse is going to come and lock the door. Ok?"

"Yeah. Thanks a lot aunty and sorry for...being a nuisance."

"Don't even mention it. Call you later." And she was out, barking orders at the paramedics and nurses, heading towards the surgery room. Sakura let her forehead slap the office desk.

She felt her vision double. Maybe she should go and sleep instead, but she knew she couldn't. She had five routines to master and homework.

There has been a short knock on the door, which she hasn't heard because of the noises outside and the tinnitus inside her eardrums, so when the door has opened, she simply supposed it was Tsunade or the nurse that came to kick her out of the office.

"I got it, I will go, just give me a sec to finish-" Whatever she wanted to say got stuck down her throat. Good think she finished eating, or else she would have chocked on noodles.

Sasuke was blankly staring down at her, with a pile of files in his hands. He simply brought them towards the desk and let it fall with a loud thud, in front of a star struck Sakura. He then slipped his hands down his pockets, challenging her to a staring contest.

"What...the hell...are you...doing...here?!" It only took her that long to be reminded of his cheap attitude to make her snap.

Sasuke answered her in the laziest most bored way possible, like addressing her in that moment was like being Atlas, supporting the planet on his shoulders. "Speech-language pathology is on the first floor, room 47."

She stood up, packing her things, wanting nothing more than get away of there. His presence was making her inhale harder. "And the gynecology and STD diseases room is right around the corner."

While she was busy throwing her things inside her bag, Sasuke took in what she was so intently studying, finding it beyond entertaining. "Are you that much of a fool to actually bother your busy aunt and have my uncle do her work as well, jus because you can't understand a simple formula?"

She stopped for a brief, taking her time to cast her emerald eyes on him, surprising him with a glare so fierce that it almost made him flinch...a muscle...from his pinky. She was not only menacing looking, but she was very hot as well. "If I knew you were that desperate, maybe I should have agreed to tutor you." He pressed her buttons further, just to see how her face turned the shade of his favorite vegetable.

"You inconsiderate son of a bitch...don't you dare make fun of the ones that want to do something with their lives and don't always wander like tramps, smoking, whoring and get into all the shit all the times!"

She more than spit the words into his face, while her voice sounded richer and lower. Meanwhile, Sasuke`s mind envisioned all the possible dark scenarios of what he could do to her inside the internist's office and he could not prevent an evil small smirk creeping on his face.

He even let the obvious insult pass like nothing. She didn't have to know what he did in his private time. "Hn. Then if you say you care, why don't you take care about your own matters and not be a drama queen and make the others lose their time?"

"Because we are not talking about others, we are talking about my aunt. Besides, what are you doing here? Wooing nurses?" She cast her jade eyes over the files he brought, furrowing her eyebrows. "Are those...receipts? Don't tell me you wrote them."

"No. It was my shadow clone. I have one for every activity I deem annoying." He leaned towards the table, bringing his face closer to Sakura's, deciding to toy with her further.

And the little seductress in disguise has used that fresh water lily and vanilla perfume on her pulse again, making his hormones go wild. Oh, how much Sasuke wanted to have her scream under him, until she couldn't spell her own name correctly. "Like now, for instance. Maybe you are not talking to my real self."

'But, can you?' A hidden voice at the back of his skull wondered, while the ebony hared Uchiha ignored it.

Of course Sakura didn't catch the deeper actual meaning of his words, because she was too busy coming up with smart insults. "Hmm...well, since I can smell slutiness from miles away, I can state that your aura..." She moved her finger up and down in his direction, pointing out to his person. "...is inimitable."

"So that means you learnt the way I smell."

"No, I set my anti arrogant and anti social jerks radar on high level." She shot back at him, bringing her face even closer to his own, just to let him feel her breath fan over his nose and lips.

But, he quickly realized that she had the same unfazed by his closeness attitude as the first time he met her, because, inside those sparkling emerald eyes that were digging holes into his skull, there was not even a particle of lust present. Only disgust. And that, really managed to take him out of guard.

He has severely misunderstood her. And it only made the game more interesting. He licked his lower lip tantalizingly slow to see if she would follow-she didn't-as to confirm whether her feelings were genuine or she was fighting to ignore it, thinking about what her reaction would be if he were to crash his lips on hers and kiss her.

So he did just that, leaning even further towards her, deliberately slow, his smirk only growing tenfold when she shot her palm on his chest, realizing what his intentions were, in order to stop him, but he didn't.

He advanced, fighting her resistance easily, until the tip of their noses almost touched and-

The door to the office has suddenly been thrown open, making Sakura jump ten feet high in shock, revealing a sweating and panting nurse. Sasuke merely turn his head over his shoulder, mentally cursing the woman for her bad timing.

"Dr. Senju has sent me to ask her niece for a p-phone number..." She entered the office, taking a paper and a pen at random, noting something down.

"Phone number? Of...who exactly?"

And the answer got both Sasuke and Sakura froze in shock. "Of your, I quote, shy friend. Neji Hyuga had a car crush. He is in the surgery. We need to contact his family."

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Author`s Note:

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No, I will not even try to justify this long time of not updating any of my stories. I had exams and, learning from 7 am to 1:30 am each day, for two months, kind of took all of my time. In fact, I can barely stand on my feet. I am tired, exhausted, stressed and I don't even care –in this moment, because usually I do- if this chapter was good, bad, poorly written, a total waste of time. I wrote it in the short breaks I made while learning, so this is the best I could have came up with.

Now that the exams are over –for now- I will have more time to update and I truly hope it won't take this long. I am sorry for this, I don't want to keep my readers waiting, but I didn't have a choice. I will be graduating this year and the amount of books I have to study is surreal.

Anyways, I thank you all for still sticking to my story and thanks you for all the reviews and for liking it. I love you guys, you are amazing!

For the readers I have 'managed' to disappoint and told me they don't like this story, or they don't find it worth reading anymore, I am sorry for wasting your time.

This is my view of high school teens and I don't want my characters to have one dominant trait and stick to that to the very end. I have seen countless of stories, in which Sakura was either a kick ass or a complete weakling, and so the others and they were more than boring. It is really easy to write about a tomboy Sakura that only bashes on Sasuke and rejects him, or acts violent and dark and then, just as miraculously, she falls for him.

That is not my style. I want my characters to be complex, to experience all kinds of emotions, to suffer, do mistakes and learn from them. This is maturity and the process of becoming an adult, in my opinion: inner turmoil and identity conflicts. There is no human being that is either a complete tough untouchable person, or, on the contrary, a complete shy mouse without a backbone. I feel that such portrayed characters are unrealistic, and this is not the style that defines me. If you don't like it, then don't read it, because I am going to keep on writing my characters like this. I hope it is going to be good.

Anyways, I appreciate all the feedback, the ideas and the mention of the things I have a good approach of, or, on the contrary, are not on your liking. Many thanks for still follow my story(es) and encourage me. I haven't given up any of my stories and I will try to update faster. Until we meet again…