Author's Note: Hey everyone, here's the update I promised. Sooo sorry it took so long. Anyway, a few things to say. I don't own Naruto, or anything else I obviously don't own. Two, I was a bit rushed for finishing this chapter up, and due to the fact that I suck at proof reading, I apologize for the mistakes. Third, GaaSaku, a tiny little sprinkle of it for Wiccad! YAY! Fourth, that stupid song, "I Like It", was stuck in my freaking head while I was writing this. Ugh. Fifth, Megumi is my own character. If she sounds like, looks like, acts like, seems like, any of your (Everyone in general) your Megumi (If you have one) I'm sorry. I made her myself. All traits and stuff like that are concidental, and not my intention. Sixth, Rin is one F-ed up wife. I LOVE that part of this chapter. ^^ Thank you for all of your reviews, and a special thank you to Somber Autumn Leaves for inspiring me to write another chapter despite the extreme case of boredom on my end. This is for you, my friend. ^^ Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and please, review! I would appreciate that a lot. Read, review, favorite, love, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I know I said this already in my author's note, but again, I do not own Naruto. Or anything else. Let me tell it to you straight. If I owned Naruto, Rin really would be an F-ed up wife, and Sasuke and Sakura would be making out on a beach. That simple.
"Well, it is Naruto's birthday, after all. I guess I can afford to give him a kiss." I mused, Sasuke's "WTF?" face glowing into the corner of my eye with astounding brightness. He wasn't happy with that idea. Well, we weren't together. We hadn't gone out on a first date yet, so, as far as I was concerned, I was single. If he wanted to prove me wrong, he could feel free.
"Sakura, you aren't serious, are you?" Ino asked, looking from me to Naruto, who was blushing intensely. Hinata stood off to the side, smiling weakly, knowing that it was her he wanted, not me. That fact made me happy. I waved my hand.
"Of course not. It's Hinata's job as his girlfriend to comfort his perverted side. Not mine." I replied, mocking Naruto with the tone of voice I was using. Sasuke sighed in relief, my head turning toward him slightly, my green eyes narrowing at him from over my shoulders as I squinted.
He's possessive of me, yet he hasn't made a move yet. What is he waiting for? My cheeks flushed bright pink, the spot under my eyes turning a slight red. I was beginning to doubt whether I meant anything to him, that big, plastic faced jerk. I guessed he just liked flirting with me. I bit my bottom lip. Maybe he does like Karin. I shifted, my pleated skirt rippling in the wind my legs created, as I bit down harder.
The homecoming dance was tomorrow, and I still hadn't asked him if he wanted to go. I had to buy tickets today, which I would at lunch, but, I still didn't have a date. Maybe I should ask Gaara. It would be a nice change for him…I smiled as a gentle blush found its way to my cheeks, my mind flashing to an image of Gaara's face when he called me beautiful. I nodded. Yes, I'll definitely ask Gaara. I bit my bottom lip again. But maybe Matsuri already asked him…I'll let her have her fun. I guess I'll be dateless.
And then there was the matter of a dress. The theme for the dance was summery pearls. Whatever the hell that meant. It was fall, and snow had already fallen, and the seniors wanted the theme of the homecoming dance to be about summer? Not cool. I was scheduled to go shopping for one after school with Matsuri, Sari and Temari, since Temari was one of my friends, and Matsuri was, well, Matsuri. Although she behaved like somewhat of a bitchy diva, I didn't really mind her or Sari for that matter. Suna kunoichi were slightly less disciplined than Konoha's, but then again, I'd only met three. And they were pretty well behaved, aside from Temari's occasional short temperedness.
I sighed, turning around, and putting my hands on my hips. Sasuke looked over at me, his black eyes slightly confused.
"What?" He asked, Sai, the boy next to him, just as confused. I narrowed my eyes, my left eyebrow twitching.
"You haven't asked me to the homecoming dance yet! Everyone else has a date, and I don't!" I complained, my voice high-pitched. Ino and Hinata flinched, and cowered into Naruto, feeling my temper just under the surface. They were being smart. Sasuke shrugged, sitting down on the window sill beside our lockers, lifting up his palms in an attempt to smooth things over, or to look innocent.
"Well, how was I supposed to know that you wanted to go?" I crossed my arms over my chest, my sleeveless dress shirt's breast ruffles tickling my arms.
"Girls love dances. Didn't your mother teach you that?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Don't bring her into this, Sakura." I tossed my head over my shoulder, my pink hair flying into my eyes.
"I'm not. I'm just saying, because most mothers teach their sons about girls. Alright, I take that back. Did you pay attention when she told you about girls?" Sasuke looked down.
"She never got to." My eyes widened for a split second, as I turned around to face him.
"Okay. I'm sorry for dragging her into this argument then. But that doesn't change the fact that you had no clue that I wanted to go. My eyes have been glued to that banner every morning!" I exclaimed, lifting my right hand up, pointing at the banner on the wall. Sasuke looked over at it, blinking his eyes.
"Oh, right." I snarled, scowling.
"Seriously, how blind are you? All well. I guess I'm not going now." I turned around, looking down the hall, at Ino and Sai, who had moved down the hallway without me knowing it. Naruto and Hinata were kissing in the corner, Rin-sensei getting on them about PDA.
I bit my bottom lip. Why do I always have to be so difficult? Now he'll never want to go out with me…My face flushed a bright pink, as I turned toward my locker, twirling the lock, and opening it with the expert skill I always had, silently pulling out my books. Sasuke stood up, and leaned against his locker, watching me with lazy eyes. He really wasn't in the mood for me today. Am I really that annoying? I shut my locker door, and turned around, clutching them tightly to my chest.
"Sasuke." I started, turning around to look at him from over my shoulder. His black eyes were cold, and consequently dead, emotionless. I looked away, biting my lip again.
"What?" I bit my bottom lip so hard that blood flowed into my mouth along with the sweet bubble-gum taste of my lip gloss. I was too difficult for him. We weren't as good of a match as I had thought. I looked up at him, his face painted into his characteristic smirk I loved so much, that brilliant onyx luster having returned to his luminous irises. My heart leapt at the sight of it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you such a hard time." Sasuke took a few steps toward me, still smirking, his left hand sliding up the side of my face, ruffling the side bangs that were in his way.
"It's okay. You're a girl. And extremely short tempered." I shook my head, blushing.
"And about your mother, I didn't mean to-" Two fingers on my lips stopped me.
"It's fine. Sakura, relax." I looked up at him, his slim height advantage vexing me. His hand slid further into my hair, cradling the side of my head in his palm gently.
"Really? You aren't mad?" I asked in a small voice, blinking my jade eyes. Sasuke shook his head.
"I'm not mad at you." I sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness. I said some pretty awful things." I answered quietly, looking away. Sasuke smirked brighter.
"You're cute when you're angry." I blushed harder, swinging my head toward him in surprise.
"Sasuke, you-" Sasuke leaned his face closer, taking a step toward me. I moved away, my back hitting the lockers, as he pinned me to them, his free hand rested beside my head.
"I mean it, Sakura." He answered, resting his forehead on the top of my head lightly, his face barely touching mine, so that Rin-sensei, who was yelling at Hinata and Naruto about having mouth-to-mouth sex in a public place, wouldn't shift her anger toward us. That hypocrite. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"We have to go, Sasuke." I replied, Sasuke pulling away, peeling his hand off of my head reluctantly.
"I know, homeroom's about to start." I nodded, smiling as I knotted my hands behind my back.
"You going to sit next to me?" I asked, closing my eyes as I smiled sweetly. Sasuke nodded, smirking back.
"Don't I always? We're assigned to sit next to each other, remember? For the whole year." I lifted my index finger to the spot under my eyes, and looked up at him innocently.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I forgot." He poked my forehead.
"You do that a lot."
I slammed the heel of my open toed shoes on the back of the girl's chair in front of me angrily.
"That's bull! Tsunade-sama would never order agree to such crap! You aren't serious." I crossed my arms over my chest, and snorted. Rin-sensei gave me an incredulous look, almost like she was shocked by my assertive behavior.
"Well, Sakura, Tsunade-senpai was talking about allying the Leaf village with the Mist village a little while ago, although our ties with them aren't really there anymore." I turned my head to the side, crossing my left leg over my right one that shoved against the girl's chair even harder.
"That's still bullcrap. It would never happen, not in this lifetime." I answered, blowing air out of my nose. Samidare Megumi, a chunin from the Mist village stood up, putting her hands on her hips and scowled at me.
"Haruno Sakura, are you suggesting that the honorable Mizukage is not to be trusted? That the Mist village is plotting something, such as to attack the Leaf?" She demanded, slamming her palms down on the desk in front of her, her blue side pieces falling past her shoulders. I lifted my right hand and waved it around lazily, rolling my left knee on my right leg.
"Honorable Mizukage? Isn't that a bit of a stretch? Sure, she's not as vicious as the past few were, I'll give her that. But due to the "Blood Mist" village's reputation, I think I have a right to be a bit suspicious, don't you? Samidare Megumi?" I asked, leaning forward, and pointing my fingers on my right hand forward. Megumi snarled, biting her bottom lip angrily.
"How dare you insult the Mizukage like that! Such blatant disrespect…I will not have it!" My lip curled up, and I balled my right hand into a fist, smirking as the blue fire erupted around it.
"You will not have it, huh? I didn't insult her directly, you know. I actually like the current Mizukage. But that doesn't mean I have to trust her with all of my heart and soul. In these past few years, the shinobi world has seen so many betrayals of trust and times of bloodshed than ever before. I was merely expressing my thoughts about this proposed alliance between the Mist and Leaf." I replied, lifting my hands innocently, smiling. Megumi blinked, and sighed.
"That's true. But if you even think one more derogatory word toward her, and I'll run you through more blood than you can handle, Haruno Sakura! You got me?" Fiery. I like that. My emerald eyes sparkled.
"Understood, Megumi. Just relax. I'm not out for a fight." I answered, lowering my right hand. Megumi lifted the corner of her mouth up, showing her teeth, then turning around, her long waist length blue hair flying over her right shoulders to gently swing in between her shoulder blades.
"Rin-sensei, you said that Tsunade-sama had been thinking about allying the Leaf with the Mist for a long time…? I never heard of this and I'm the Mizukage's apprentice." Rin-sensei flipped her short brown hair back, sighing.
"True, she was thinking about it. I'm not sure she will do it though. Tsunade-senpai's smart, not stupid. If she suspects something, she'll back out." I heard the slight rumble of a quiet snarl coming from my left.
"But with this Gokage Summit coming up soon to discuss the fate of the Rain…" Sasuke started, balling his right fist up tighter, the whole entire shape of it trembling. I widened my eyes, looking toward him.
"Sasuke…" I breathed. A red flash caught my eyes, and I looked toward it, seeing Karin lifting up two fingers, shutting her eyes. The Mind's Eye of Kagura. Megumi crossed her arms over her chest, and snorted.
"It's not like we're planning anything. We aren't vile and vicious creatures you know. We may have the reputation of spilling blood, but we're not so reckless as to kill a Kage at the Summit." Karin's eyes flashed open, as she shot up out of her chair, lifting her right hand to point her index finger right at Megumi, her cherry red eyes a bloody ruby.
"Lie! You are planning to kill a Kage at the Summit in a week! Just admit it!" Everyone gasped, the Ame shinobi cringing in the corner, murmuring amongst themselves. I slammed my foot to the floor, cracking the ground as I stood up, balling my hands at my sides, Sasuke looking up at me from his chair. Megumi rolled her eyes.
"Mind's Eye of Kagura? I've heard of that Kekkei Genkai. It's what makes you a spectacular sensor ninja, a tracker. Just like the Copy Ninja's mutts. You disgust me, scum." Karin snapped her teeth together, Sasuke's Sharingan appearing in seconds, my right hand blazing with blue fire, Rin-sensei's eyes narrowing in sudden anger. I stepped around my desk, laying my hand on the surface of Sasuke's my fingers touching his tensed fist in a warning not to move yet.
"You don't look so good yourself, vampire." Karin mocked, her voice dripping with poison. Megumi laughed, taking a few steps toward Karin, the room suddenly getting darker than it already was.
"A vampire? Not even close you ugly little troll. After all of your preening and posturing, who ended up with Uchiha Sasuke? Haruno Sakura, not that she's any better looking than you. And I wonder how she got a hold of him though…It's a pity. He shouldn't be with a girl who has such a large, bulbous forehead." I narrowed my eyes to tight slits. Megumi was pushing it. First she insulted Kakashi-sensei, now Karin, then me. She had one more, then I was going to let her have it. Karin gritted her teeth, Megumi ripping her glasses off of her face, and holding Karin's chin in her hand.
"Grass kunoichi…Are the weakest and dirtiest of us all. With their entertaining mind's eyes, and hideous beauty marks. Who would ever consider you to be beautiful? I wouldn't, that's for sure." Karin bit her bottom lip. Those words sounded like they hurt. They would hurt me if they were directed at me. I had to help her. I had to help my friend. I took a step forward, my hand lingering on Sasuke's, then lifted my right hand, blue fire blazing from it as I narrowed my green eyes angrily.
"That's enough, Megumi. Leave Karin alone." I replied, making it to the front of the row, face to face with Megumi. Her muddy brown eyes, so hideous, stared back at me with contempt and loathing.
"What will you do if I think not? Beat me down with that mockery of Tsunade-sama's strength? Cherry Blossom Impact?" I pulled my right hand back, blue fire wrapping around it in a spear, as I took a deep breath, rearing backwards.
"HERE'S TO MOCKERY, BITCH!" I flung my fist forward, and slammed it into her jaw, sending her flying through the wall, the teacher and kids in the next room staring through the hole I had created with the force of my punch, as I scowled, hunched over, the wind from the momentum blowing my hair into my eyes.
"Just keep bad mouthing everyone I'm close to…And next time, I won't hold back." Megumi slammed into the doors to the outside of the school from the ten room long hallway, flying into the forest, toward the training grounds, screaming all the while. Rin-sensei stepped up alongside me, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You know, this is where I should be giving you a detention, but, I think I'll let it slide. I was pretty close to beating her myself." Karin stepped up alongside me, and touched my shoulder gently, hesitant.
"Hey, Sakura." Her voice was quiet in my left ear, I only just heard it. I turned to her, blinking my green eyes as I stood up straight, Megumi's shrilly scream still going.
"Eh?" Karin bit her bottom lip.
"Thank you. You didn't need to do that." I smiled, and put my hand on the right side of her face, nodding.
"I did. She was putting my friend down, and I don't take too kindly to bullies. You of all people should know that." I replied, poking her forehead. Karin smiled, and nodded.
"Yeah, I know." Sasuke walked up the aisle, and picked up Karin's glasses from the floor, handing them to her.
"They look really scratched up." Sasuke pointed out as Karin took them from him, sliding them onto her face, and wincing. She pulled them off, and looked at the shafts, seeing that they had broken, shards of plastic dripping with blood.
"Ow!" She exclaimed, holding her hands to her ears, pulling them away, blood soaking her fingers. I could see lines of the red liquid threading down the sides of her head, thin, but enough to deal some damage. Sasuke turned to me.
"Sakura." I nodded, lifting my hands up and clasping my fingers together. Mystical Palm technique! I lifted my hands away, the green fire lighting up around them as my eyes closed, my chakra willingly flowing into my palms, my hands tingling. I opened my eyes again, and took Karin's head in my hands gently, healing her ears. She flinched, and I bit the left side of my mouth apologetically.
"Sorry." I muttered as an apology. Karin leaned her forehead on mine, taking deep breaths, Sasuke putting his hand on her shoulder gently, his Sharingan glittering furiously.
He wasn't the only one who was pissed. The rest of the class stared at the hole I had created with furious and disgusted eyes. Some were from Megumi's home village. I could tell that she wasn't well liked among her fellow ninja. So much for teamwork, as Kakashi-sensei would say. I smiled as I wrapped my arms around Karin, resting my right hand on the back of her head, my left holding her soothingly as her soft sobs shook me.
"It's going to be okay. You'll see." I murmured, the green fire slowly closing the scratches. Karin just kept sobbing, Mazaki Kyoko, an Amegakure Chunin walking over to the hole and slamming her mid thigh high boot into it, leaning her face into the hole, her short brown hair falling past her chin as her sapphire eyes flashed angrily.
"Serves that bitch right. Megumi's on my officially-dead-to-me list. I never really liked her from the beginning. But insulting Tsunade-sama, Karin-san, Sakura-san, and Hatake Kakashi…That's unforgivable…" Rin-sensei tensed when Kyoko spoke Kakashi-sensei's full name, her brown eyes glittering nervously. I turned my head in her direction, my green eyes skeptical. She turned away, hiding her face, sensing my curious gaze. Karin pulled away, and wiped at her nose, and tears, lifting up her left hand in a thumbs up.
"Thanks Sakura. I owe you a hug or two!" She announced cheerfully, tears still leaking out of her eyes. I shook my head.
"There's no need for that." I replied, blushing like crazy out of embarrassment. Sasuke smirked, his black eyes glowing brightly.
"Just accept it Sakura. You're a hero among the freshman class. What with beating up three seniors, defeating Karin's Mind's Eye of Kagura, and surviving the fight with Konan, you're probably the strongest kunoichi in the grade. Not to mention…You also have the brightest personality, as well as being incredibly beautiful." I felt my knees go weak at his praise.
"Sasuke, thank you." I whispered, leaning forward on my tip toes, pressing my lips to his forehead lightly.
Rin-sensei had a strict NO PDA rule that I was clearly disobeying, but I didn't care. She practically had sex with Kakashi-sensei earlier today on his desk when I walked in to ask him about the math homework. It was both disturbing, and slightly unsettling. What teacher has sex with her husband in a public place where everyone can see you? Seriously, get some tact, hypocrite.
Sasuke looked up at my lips that were still pressed to his forehead, his black eyes soft, slightly wondering. He still wasn't used to this. He knew I was impulsive, but now that I was acting by my emotions, not stopping myself or carefully holding myself back, he was embarrassed. I bit my bottom lip when I pulled away, closing my eyes.
"Sorry." I muttered. Sasuke blinked, and poked my forehead.
"Relax. I don't mind. In fact, I was kind of hoping you'd-"
"Don't even start, Uchiha Sasuke. NO PDA!" Rin-sensei clobbered Sasuke over the back of the head, her brown eyes narrowed slightly. Karin gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, the tears falling out of fear now, as Sasuke stood up shakily.
"Why do all of the girls I know abuse me?" Rin-sensei sighed, lifting her finger to her chin, and tapping it lightly.
"I don't know, because you push things too far?" She suggested, as Sasuke rubbed the back of his head. I smiled, the bell ringing.
"Way too far, Sasuke." I agreed, shooting him a playful glance over my shoulder as I walked toward the door, picking up my stuff on the way. Sasuke gave me a slightly perturbed glare, as we walked out the door, Karin right behind us.
"Sakura, why'd you agree with her?" He asked a few seconds later, looking right at me. I shrugged. I didn't really know why. I just acted.
"I guess I was being impulsive again, as you like to think." I replied teasingly. Sasuke's signature Uchiha glare flashed onto his face in heartbeats.
"Not funny." He answered. I leaned over, and kissed his cheek, my eyelashes fluttering against his temple.
"I know, but I think it's funny." I answered, sticking my tongue out at him light-heartedly, flashing him the peace sign as I walked into math, Kakashi-sensei slumped over his porn, as always. I stopped mid stride when I caught sight of it, my breath catching in my throat. It wasn't happening again. He was reading the porn in front of us students. Again. For the hundredth time, even after his wife consistently yells at him about it. Would the man ever learn? He was a jonin of Konohagakure for crying out loud!
"Kakashi-sensei, could you please put that away? Or Sasuke, Karin and I are going to get Ms. Ruin-Every-Chance-We-Have-To-Satisfy-Our-Cravings, aka. Your F-ed up wife." I asked sweetly, blinking my eyes innocently, batting my eyelashes. Kakashi-sensei's perverted laugh sounded down the length of the room, the kids that were just walking in flinching and high tailing it back out of the room.
I didn't blame them. If it wasn't my job to tell the Rent-A-Cop that Kakashi-sensei was reading porn in front of us children whenever he happened to be, I would've ran away too. For I knew what lay in wait on each of those damned pages. One messed up love story, that's for sure. But then again, my love life wasn't all that good either, so I couldn't really blame Junko for kicking her asshole-for-a-boyfriend's butt. And who falls on top of someone when they're forlorn, anyway? Only Junko. What the hell.
"Sasuke, call Rent-A-Cop. We got a 2319." I pointed my right hand at said 2319 angrily, my fingers tense. Sasuke rolled his eyes behind me, and snorted.
"Got it. Karin, stay here and help calm Sakura's classmates." Karin nodded, and got to work, clasping her fingers together. I smiled at her, and turned around, glaring at Kakashi-sensei. Something had to be done about his porn obsession. This was getting out of control. He'd been caught reading porn many times now, and he'd gotten a pretty severe beating each time. What was it going to take to get through that thick, silver haired skull of his?
"I called your F-ed up wife. Now, to avoid more work on my part, and unnecessary bloodshed, would you be so kind as to put that wretched book away?" I asked, walking up the aisle toward him. Kakashi-sensei laughed his disgusting perverted laugh again, and looked up at me, shaking his head.
"Sorry, Junko just had sex with-"
"HATAKE KAKASHI!" Kakashi-sensei's eyes widened. The fallen angel had risen. And she was after Hatake Kakashi.
"Oh boy. That's one F-ed up wife."