For some reason, Sakura felt better on Monday morning than she had in weeks. The boxing had helped get everything out of her system, and she'd had a productive weekend despite the Sasuke mess on Friday afternoon. She didn't even know what to do (or think) about that.
But even Sakura knew she had to face one fact: she didn't hate Sasuke anymore.
There was no way she could hate him, without it draining everything out of her (not to mention how immature it was, really). She didn't think she'd ever hated him, even when he'd first come back and they'd had that awful (but satisfying) confrontation in the parking lot. Everything he'd done since he'd come back had contradicted her expectations of him, of who he'd been (now that she thought about it, she couldn't even remember what her expectations had been, before he'd arrived). He was so different. Unless it was all fake, but Sasuke had never been one to act. He was the total opposite: he didn't care if you knew how he felt about you.
But she couldn't trust him. That was the thing. She couldn't go back. She could put aside the full hatred but…nothing more. Going back would mean forgetting everything that made her who she was now, forgetting how far she'd come. She didn't care if other people thought it was irrational. It wasn't. If she saw him from now on, she would be polite, but nothing more than that. Anything else and it would be going back too far (not to mention too soon). For some people, rekindling their relationship (whatever that meant) might have been a step forward, but for her…It would be two steps back.
One of the worst things about Spirit Week was the tradition that past Konoha cheerleaders had established: the squad wore their uniforms to school every day. Which was why, on Monday morning, Sakura found herself in her very tight, very short outfit, driving to school to avoid any embarrassment (not to mention to avoid the cold weather, to which a miniskirt was probably the worst possible option).
She met Ino in the parking lot (decked out with her sleek ponytail in a red and gold ribbon, the picture of an ideal Konoha cheerleader).
"Today's Clash Day, right?" Ino asked when Sakura came into view.
Sakura shrugged. "I thought we were exempt. We're already dressed up."
"This, dressed up? Ha. Enjoy it while it lasts! We get to parade around in our super sexy skirts for a few days."
"It's ridiculous. No one else has to do this."
"No one else is the embodiment of school spirit!" Ino said in a peppy voice. "You'll be a cheerleader sore thumb, but you always are. So I don't know why you're worrying."
"Wow, Pig, thanks."
"I'm always here for you, Forehead."
Ino wrapped an arm around Sakura's shoulder and they walked into school together.
Konoha had all sorts of weird Spirit Week traditions, and the school was decked out in posters and decorations (a huge banner dominated the lobby). Taki would be their opponent for the football game on Saturday, and they wouldn't be much of a challenge, but everyone wanted to be as hyped up as possible anyway. Homecoming was the biggest game of the season (and judging from the sheer number of fans who'd already been showing up to past games this year, it was going to set a record for turnout). The week leading up to the game on Saturday was jam-packed with activities, pep rallies, and just general excitement. The cheerleaders had a rally on Friday afternoon, before a soccer game, and then a big routine during the Homecoming game itself on Saturday (they'd barely starting prepping for it). Then Saturday night was the Homecoming dance, which Sakura was planning to go to with a group of friends (she'd gone with Sai last year, even though they hadn't started going out officially until Christmas). Homecoming King and Queen were announced during the dance.
People went all out during Spirit Week, and since everything was crazy most teachers tended to just give up and stop assigning homework for the week. It was welcome relief for Sakura, who was going to be spending every free moment after school prepping the routine with Ino and then practicing it with the rest of the girls. The week was going to be a whirlwind of sports and chaos.
Later that day, Sakura and Ino maneuvered their way through the huge crowd in the cafeteria, who parted for the two cheerleaders.
"See? The uniform is a blessing in disguise." Ino said to Sakura, flashing a smile to the guys who were standing to the side to let them pass.
Sakura rolled her eyes and set down her tray at the end of the cheerleaders' table. The whole squad was getting an uncomfortable amount of attention, because apparently when you wore a tight skirt, guys decided it was much easier to approach you. Ino was already in the process of kicking all of them out of the vicinity of the table, though the rest of the girls were giggling about it.
Right after Ino sat down, the two of them saw the majority of the football team coming into the cafeteria. As they passed the cheerleaders' table, Sakura and Sasuke made eye contact for a (prolonged) moment before Sakura looked away.
"So…" Ino said, looking at her with a slight frown, "Are you gonna tell me what's going on between you two?"
Sakura sighed. "I don't know."
"He came to see you at the gym on Friday, didn't he?"
"Yeah. And about that…" Sakura glared at Ino. "I thought you weren't interfering in any of this."
"God, Forehead, I was worried about you. And anyway, before you say anything else, I didn't tell him where you were. Naruto did. Or at least he guessed."
"Of course it was Naruto." Sakura stabbed a piece of chicken.
"Well…What happened? Because you're clearly different about him."
"I'm not any different about him." Sakura said fiercely. "We talked. End of story."
"Like, violent confrontation talking? Or civilized talking?"
"Of course it was civilized," Sakura retorted. "It wasn't friendly, but it was civilized. And that's all he can expect."
"Fair enough. So it helped?"
"Yeah…I guess." Sakura didn't know if 'helped' was the right word, but she felt like she had more closure now. At least until the next time she'd be forced to interact with Sasuke, because she had no idea what she'd do when that happened.
Ino nodded and then turned to the rest of the table. "Okay, everyone, listen up!" They all turned toward her. "Let's talk about the schedule for this week! And Kasumi, kick your idiot boyfriend out, this table is for us girls only."
Sakura had to revise her thinking that it would be an easy five days, schoolwork-wise. There was one teacher who made no exceptions for Spirit Week.
"I'll expect the finished assignment from all of you tomorrow, no exceptions!" Dr. Tsunade said loudly to the class after the bell rang last period that day and everyone scrambled for their books. They'd just finished a particularly tedious lab.
"Sakura, stay back a minute, please!" Dr. Tsunade called.
Sakura approached her desk warily. If she'd failed the latest test…No, that wasn't possible.
Dr. Tsunade put down the papers she was looking at and leaned back in her chair, looking at Sakura. She frowned, eyeing Sakura's outfit. "I wouldn't have pegged you as a 'wears her uniform to school' kind of girl."
Sakura turned red. "It's not by choice. Spirit Week rule."
"Of course." Tsunade shook her head. "I've never understand those traditions. Anyway, I don't just want to remark on your clothing. What I really wanted to talk to you about was your football game, a week or two ago. I heard what you did for that freshman girl who fell."
"Oh, um…You heard about it?" I sound like an idiot, Sakura thought. It was always like this around Dr. Tsunade.
"Her accident has been all over the school. I'm not deaf, you know." Dr. Tsunade sighed exasperatedly. "But I found out about your response from Nagato."
"Dr. Nagato?" Sakura asked, surprised. "You know each other?"
"Of course we know each other. He was a student of mine, when I taught at KU."
"Oh. Wow." She knew Tsunade was famous in the medical world, but she'd never expected that connection.
"One of the best students I had. He got in touch a few days after you two met and asked if you were in my class. Told me what you did for the girl before any real aid got there."
"He did?"
"Of course he did. He was very impressed by it. And after hearing the whole story I must say that I am too, Sakura." Dr. Tsunade was almost smiling. "We might make a doctor of you yet."
"I shouldn't get that much credit for it," Sakura said hastily. "I barely did anything."
"Modesty is a good quality in certain amounts. You, however, are too modest." Dr. Tsunade said. "Sometimes you just need to accept something and say 'thank you.' If you want to get anywhere in this world, it takes confidence."
"I—Right."
Dr. Tsunade surveyed her over the tops of her folded hands for a moment. "That's all. You're free to go and do whatever ridiculous Spirit Week things you kids do now."
"Okay. Thanks, Dr. Tsunade."
"You don't have to thank me for anything. Don't take that advice completely literally."
Sakura nodded and restrained an eye roll. Instead, she collected her books and made her way to the door.
"Oh, and Sakura—" Dr. Tsunade called. Sakura turned around.
"I know it was hard, for something like that to happen. Just remember that you're not the only one things like this happen to, and it'll happen again. You have to put it behind you. I know that won't help, but you're an unusually strong girl."
Sakura managed a nod, and then Tsunade waved her out the door. She left the classroom, slightly puzzled. But as usual, Tsunade's blunt words were completely right.
Sakura walked up to the field with Moegi, who was on crutches now. She was taking everything really well, and as excited for Homecoming as the rest of the freshman, even though she'd been sidelined for the event. She came to every practice and was their biggest supporter.
"Are you sure you're alright on the bleachers? I feel bad seeing you there just watching." Sakura said, walking slowly so Moegi could keep up on the uneven ground.
"No, don't feel bad! I don't mind." Moegi said with a shrug. "I mean, I'd want to be out with the rest of you, but I'm learning a lot just from watching. It helps to see it, like when we watch old routines to fix mistakes. I know I'm done for the season, but everyone's still treating me like I'm part of the squad." She smiled.
"Good." Sakura said, satisfied.
They reached the field, and Moegi went to join Shizune on the bleachers while Sakura joined the rest of the girls doing stretches.
"Alright," Ino said as they all gathered in a circle after warming up. "I'm thinking for the pep rally on Thursday, we use most of our old dance routine and then add in a few things to spice it up a little. We don't need much, just the fact that we'll be onstage will be enough for most of them."
"That's for sure." Sakura said with a sigh. "So what, did you have new moves in mind?"
"As long as we're not doing backflips at the back of the stage." Ami said. "I almost got hit when Tenten had us do that last year."
"Backflips would be horrible with the routine," Ino said with a sigh. "Don't worry, Sakura, I have new choreography. I'll show everyone later when we're finished practicing the old stuff."
"That would be great, Ino. We need to get this routine locked in." Shizune said.
"Right. Tomorrow we'll start running the routine for Homecoming. That's our big comeback moment, after all." Ino said. Then she stepped back. "Alright, let's do this from the top!"
Moegi pressed Play on their crappy stereo and they all found their places.
It was a long but productive practice, and they left the field at the same time as the football players, so they all walked down to the changing rooms together.
Sakura stayed at the very back of the group, away from Sasuke. He met her eyes for a second when the two groups had merged together (or maybe she'd just imagined it, because she felt pretty paranoid right now) but then she'd slipped behind a few giggling sophomores on the squad so there'd be more people between them. The last thing she wanted was to continue the conversation from Friday afternoon.
She watched one of the freshmen on the football team approach him and ask something. Sasuke answered and Sakura saw him smirk.
It was all so confusing, she'd been so set on ignoring him for the rest of the year, and when she was forced to see him, she could hate him outright. But that wasn't going to work anymore.
Until she knew who he was, she was keeping him at an arm's length. And even if she ever did find out who he was…She didn't know if it would (or could) change anything.
A/N: Thanks to snow days it's three updates in one week (not bad, am I right?)! If I stay up super late writing tonight, you might get Homecoming tomorrow (it could happen, I'm in the mood).