Hey guys, Thanks for sticking with me for so long :] I love you. And if it's any consolation for the crappy storyline, I would give you a cookie if I could.

Um...This is indeed the end. I am going to make an epilogue though.

"We were just kids in love,

the summer was full of mistakes we wouldn't learn from.

The first kiss stole the breath from my lips,

why did the last one tear us apart?"

After my oddly intimate discussion with Suigetsu, I calmly walked out of the bathroom and to P.E.—sure, I was a few minutes early, but it beats going to the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the cheerleaders decided to inhabit the locker room this particular lunch period, and noticed me as I strolled in.

"Hey!" cried one of them, un-straddling the bench and following me as I walked to my locker. She starting fumbling with her phone.

"Yes, I've seen the picture. No, I'm not breaking up with Sasuke—" She opened her mouth to say another thing, but I caught onto that before she could, "—and yes. We're exclusive."

Whoever she was sauntered back to her friends. I don't even know this chick's name—but she reminded me that I need to call my bo—that doesn't really sound right to describe Sasuke. Not because he wasn't—but because we just didn't do the romantic stuff that generally inspired such a name. I'm not really sure what to call Sasuke.

Whatever he is, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts. I listened to a dial tone twice before I heard his familiar voicemail.

"Sasuke—please call back. I understand how hard everything you've gone through is, and I'm sorry I brought that up. It was more than a little insensitive. I know it was wrong of me to make-out with Suigetsu. I guess that's it. Like I said, call me back. Oh—and thanks for punching Naruto. I don't think I could've done it." Although I usually wasn't the violent type, it felt good to have someone stand up for me.

…

As I exited the P.E. hall having successfully ignored Naruto for the full hour, I discovered Sasuke leaning against a wall. I walked over to him and stood there, waiting for him to say something. He did not (wooow.)

"Hey. Isn't the English wing on the complete other side of the school?" I queried; there was no way he got all the way over here in less than 2 minutes after the bell rang.

"Yes," was all he replied. I raised my eyebrows in response.

"But I wasn't there," he admitted, his posture straightening. Naruto walked past us, but didn't say anything. I suppose he got the message.

"You skipped?"

"I left early."

"You still skipped."

"Details," He said, waving his hand nonchalantly. My eyebrows only raised themselves higher.

"But I had a reason too," He continued, turning his body to face me now. I crossed my arms and started beating my foot against the ground. He waited a few seconds, and I started to tap my wrist.

"Impatient much?" He asked, sticking his hands in his pockets. Oh my god, I know we have issues, but could this be any more tedious?

"Sasuke! C'mon! Just tell me!" I said, poking his stomach. He flinched backwards and smacked my hand, then glared at me. I only smiled. We stood there, with him glaring at me and me smirking, for a few seconds before my hand reached out to poke me again. He grabbed it and poked me with his other hand, inspiring a loud squeak from me.

"Sasuke! Seriously! Just tell me why you're here!" I begged, struggling (unsuccessfully) to release myself from his grip. I could feel his smirk.

"Okay. Fine. I will," He finally said, letting go of my hand. I brushed myself off for no apparent reason.

"Thank you."

"I got your voicemail." I tensed up. I don't know why I tensed up, but it happened.

"Yeah?"

"And I'm sorry. You shouldn't be."

"But I—" He put his finger to my lips.

"I was kinda ignoring you. Don't take all the blame. You don't need that weighing on your conscious." I raised my eyebrows for the third time during this conversation, shifting my weight unto my other foot uncomfortably. I'm not sure of the reason behind it, but I was nervous of what he was about to say. Nevertheless, I let him continue.

"Look—I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I'm an avenger. I'm a brooding, cold-hearted jerk that hates his best friend and ignores his—" He, like me, struggled to describe our relationship, "—girlfriend. But after everything that's happened in my life, I'm not surprised anymore. Disappointed, yes. But not shocked. And I don't want you to be like me, Sakura. I don't want you bent on revenge. I don't want you tainted by something so dark that you're just emo about everything. You're so happy, so confident—so please don't change. For anyone." I gulped. I was a little saddened that he didn't want to tell me anything, that he didn't think I could handle it. I guess I'm just tired of being the innocent one, you know?

"Don't stop there, Sasuke," I whispered, looking at the ground. No one says that kind of speech without some sort of resolution.

"I'm leaving, Sakura." I froze. No words were coming out of my mouth as my head shot up and looked at him.

"I'm not coming back—maybe ever. Thank you, Sakura, for everything you've done, but we just can't work. I have to find my brother. It's just what I have to do. You—go be you. Find someone that deserves you. Someone that can take care of you. Forget about me, okay?" He said, taking a step back. He was talking far too much for my liking today.

"Sasuke, stop! Please! You don't have to do this!" I wimpered. I felt my knees shaking before they gave out and I collapsed onto the floor. The flood gates on my eyes, surprisingly, were still holding. Sasuke bent down next to me and wrapped his arms around me.

"I do, Sakura. I told you. It's my fate. It's what I deserve—"

"—NO! Stop it! You can do whatever you want!" I screamed at him. I know I'm a hot head, but I'm usually not this emotion-controlled. He shook his head and sat down next to me as the bell rang. I couldn't give a shit.

"Sakura—look at me." He tilted my head up towards his and kissed my forehead.

"Forget about me. Never think about me again."

"Sasuke! I—I love you, Sasuke! Please! T-take me with you or something! Just…don't leave me alone," My voice started shaking as my eyes watered up. Stupid girl emotions, "please."

Sasuke kissed my forehead again, and smiled. Sasuke Uchiha smiled.

"I love you too, Sakura."

"Sas—" I was overwhelmed by my sobs. He stood me up, wrapped my in his arms again. I just cried into his shirt. This isn't happening. After everything we've been through, it can't end this way. He can't just up and leave. This isn't fair. He's got to stay—he can find his brother some other way. He doesn't need to go to Otogakure, someone is filling him with false promises. Naruto and I can support him. He needs support, right? Everyone does.

"We can help you, Sasuke. Please. Stay here." I finally whispered. He tightened his grip around me.

"No, you can't, Sakura. I have to do this myself. You guys—I'd forget about my goal. I'd be to tempted to live the life you guys can have. But I can't."

"You can." I felt him shake his head and I just continued to cry into his shirt. We sat like that for a good 5, maybe 10 minutes. Finally, he let me go.

"Don't leave, Sasuke, I'm begging you."

"Sakura—" he gulped and put his hands on my shoulders. I looked up at him, waiting for him to just agree and forget this conversation ever happened.

He pulled me in for a kiss. I don't know why, but I welcomed his root beer flavored lips against my own. But it wasn't the sweetest thing ever. It was a goodbye kiss, a bitter-sweet trick. A forgiving kiss meant for me to forget everything we had ever said to hurt each other, and if I was ever to look back on any part of this relationship, be satisfied in what we had and never want more. He wanted me to forget any part of myself that wanted him, and he wanted to forget any part of himself that wanted me.

His hand pressed up against the back of my neck as we pulled apart.

"Thank you, Sakura."

The hallway suddenly got very dim, and before it completely faded out, I felt his familiar hands catch me before I hit the ground.

"Goodbye."

…

I woke up in my own bed. Well, woke up makes it sound like I pleasantly arose with the sunlight streaming through my window. It was more like I jolted awake.

"SASUKE!" I shouted suddenly. At first, I thought that entire day may have been some crazy dream, and I'd wake up laying next to Sasuke again before he would fumble around for his clothes. But as I looked down and discovered I was still wearing what I had been during that—confrontation—I covered my mouth and felt tears bubbling up again.

"Sakura?" My mom said, coming in and sitting down next to me. I sniffled and stopped myself from crying again.

"Yeah, mom?" I said, forcing a smile.

"Sasuke—that's the dark-haired young man's name, right?" I nodded, "yes, well, Sasuke came by and dropped you off, saying you had fainted during P.E. He didn't want to bother us with a call so he took you home himself. He seemed very distraught though, Sakura," She smiled, "I'm sure he really care—"

"Yeah. Thanks mom. I'm fine. Bye," I said, forcing that same smile again. She frowned and lowered her eyebrows in worry, but left anyways.

As soon as she left the room, I crushed my face into my hands. He's gone. Sasuke's gone. He really left. I don't know what he did to me and how I ended up here, but I was glad I wasn't at school, because I'd probably look like a freak with all the mascara that was probably everywhere on my face now. And I continued to sob.

Finally, my phone rang. Naruto' s name buzzed across the screen. I let it go to voicemail, then listened to it when my phone notified me he was done.

"Sakura—please, answer. I saw you talking to Sasuke after P.E.. I hope everything's okay with you two. I don't want to have to miss you, and I really want you back. I know it was completely wrong of me to do what I did, and I don't expect you to forgive me, but—maybe I could do something BETTER that you would never forget—you know, in a good way? Call me back. Please," The message ended, and my phone prompted me to save or delete. I saved, then sent him a text.

To: Naruto Uzumaki

Not going to kill you. Please come over after school.

…

Naruto did as he was told. I don't know how he got to my house—ran, I suppose—but he got there.

"Sakura!" He yelled, bursting into my home. He didn't knock, he just rushed in.

"Hey," I replied. At this point, I was sitting on my living room floor, messing up my rug with my fingers. My mom had come by numerous times asking if I was alright, but I just nodded.

"A-are you alright?" he asked, running up next to me and sitting down. I shook my head and the tears started again. He wrapped his arms around me, but I shook them off because it felt to familiar. Naruto looked hurt but backed up.

"I-it's not you, Naruto, I'm not mad at you. I don't even care anymore—" sniffle, "—about what you did. Seriously, I could give a shit."

"Well um," He looked relieved, but worry still took up most of his face, "What's wrong?

I choked back another sob before I talked. "Sasuke's gone."

Naruto ignored my protests and wrapped me in his arms anyway. I still had my face in my hands.

"H-He just left? Just like that? W-what did he say?"

"I-I don't want to think about it, Naruto. Nothing horrible. He just said it was his 'destiny' and that he 'had to do it.'" I squeezed my reply in before a fresh wave of sobs hit me. Naruto tightened his grip around me and started petting my head.

"Well let's go get him."

"He's probably halfway around the globe by now, Naruto. Who knows. We can't just go—chasing after him!" I yelled defensively. Naruto didn't take it personally, though, because his face didn't change from his unwavering determination.

"I promise, Sakura, I'll bring him back."

"Don't do that, Naruto—you can't keep it."

"Seriously," he offered out his pinky, "I promise."

I smiled, and even though I knew I shouldn't, I wrapped my pinky around his outstretched one.

"Thanks."

OH MY GOD, IT TIED INTO THE ACTUAL NARUTO. You're shocked. Don't pretend. I know.

NOTE: THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE. DON'T LOOSE HOPE NOW.

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