Da NA na NA yeahhh

Second chances

And everybody sins
And it all begins
It goes back around
Nobody ever wins.
And you stab yourself in the back
Everybody just relax

It all just hits so close to home
we all got friends but we stand alone
And you're on your own.

I found him, standing there with his arm around the petite Hinata. Her hair was styled into long curls with her bangs pulled back by a clip. Naruto clutched her close to his side, beaming as he bragged about winning the soccer game between friends over the weekend. It amazed me how much he could do after a hang over.

"Yeah, this one burly guy was trying to make a pass—Sasuke!" He greeted me with a giant smile. "What's up? …Sasuke?" The idiot stuttered, jerking his head to the side and his hair swooshing, whip-lash style.

"Idiot." I spit between my teeth, totally aware that my jaw was clenched. I picked him up easily by the collar of his shirt. Hinata squeaked, closing her eyes and blushing wildly as he quickly dodged out of the way. She lashed forward slightly, tugging at my arm with no force. "S-Sasuke-kun… stop." But when I flashed her a glare she backed down.

"What the hell?" Naruto screeched, kicking his legs.

I could feel my face still flushed.

"You told Sakura!?" I barked, and out of the corner of my eye I could see students gathering around.

"What? What did I say?" His blue eyes searched mine. His face was beat red as he began to sweat, flaring his arms, trying to escape my grasp. I let him down roughly, and he wobbled on the heels of his Nike's.

"You damn well know." I bellowed, and Naruto's fist clenched.

There was a pause of silence, and Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Oh god! I knew you were too much of a coward to actually tell her yourself, so I hinted. You should be thanking me—"

"Thanking you for humiliating myself?" I shook my head. "She wasn't even thinking the same thing as I was… after what I just did, I won't be surprised if she doesn't ever want to see my face again."

A smile spread across Naruto's face.

"So, you told her."

I stood there, and then furrowed my brow. "What exactly was there to tell?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, stepping up and his nose almost brushing mine. His eyes were intense, a clouded blue.

"Stop it. Seriously, this denial thing won't make you shrink away from the scene. Or even, damn better for you, make you pop and sparkle in your reputation rank."

"Pop… and sparkle?" Naruto always had to kill the moment.

"You know what I mean." He whispered.

"I told her, but I didn't exactly… tell her." I whispered back, and Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"Oh my god… you just confessed to it." Naruto said, laughing faintly.

Oh sh—

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata screamed, and my knuckles turned a bright red as Naruto stuttered backward. I had hit him in the jaw, but all he would get was a bruise. Maybe I should have hit harder.

"Hinata, it's okay." Naruto assured her. Voices clattered and whispered, and a few Seniors said 'fight' repeatedly under their breaths. Freshmen scurried away, not wanting to be in the mess. Sophomores were giddy, hoping they could see some action. But there was nothing more for me to do here. Naruto understood. Even I understood.

Sakura and I—

"Sasuke." A voice spoke, and I turned to see those jade eyes. She blinked, and I could taste her on my lips. She saw Naruto and her eyes widened.

She had found me. Now I couldn't run away.

"Sakura-chan, I'm okay." Naruto assured her as she brushed past me to cradle Naruto's rough face in her gentle hands. Her long fingers brushed his bruise, just like she had done to the scratches she had left me, and Naruto smiled at her. Hinata stood back, understanding their friendship but watching with timid eyes.

Naruto's eyes flashed to me, and Sakura kept talking but he wouldn't answer.

That gentle female that I wanted to suddenly call mine took that blonde-haired boy and soothed him, touched his skin. She felt for him. And he accepted that, and her.

"Because I loved her once, too."

The bell clanged, and I turned to take my leave when I felt a tug on my wrist. The pale figure of that girl took my hand and led me through the crowd, behind dumpsters and buildings and students.

She stopped when we rounded the corner of an abandoned Used-to-be-Health classroom, and she snuck me back there with her.

Neither of us said a word as she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips against mine. But I stopped her.

"No…" I whispered, and her eyebrows pulled together as she crossed her arms over her chest.

She slid down the wall, her face serious. I paused, hearing people scatter into their classes. I looked around us before sitting down in front of her, playing with the blades of grass.

"You kissed me." She said.

I flinched, my stomach shuttering.

"It wasn't intentional." I said, turning my head to the side. It felt really hot outside. Damn it, why was it so hard to talk to her all of a sudden?

"So, you're face slipped…?" She teased. "You know, it's not a problem that you kissed me. Truthfully, I would spend most of my time kissing you." Sakura smiled. My lungs jumped.

What did she just say?

I didn't respond. I heard her sigh noisily.

"You know, someone saw us in the parking lot."

Oh damn it!

"And it's all over the school that we're dating…"

What…!? But it was just a… and I didn't mean to..

"And so now everyone is expecting us to show up at lunch holding hands or whatever real couples do…"

Real couples? Holding… hands?

"So, what do you want to do about it?" She asked, and I looked into her eyes. She hugged her knees, her hands curving around her calves.

"I really don't care what people are saying." I grumbled.

"Maybe we could…" She began, but stopped to bite her lower lip.

"We don't have to do anything," I assured her, "Just ignore them."

"Sasuke, they already think we're… dating. So, do you want me to pretend to be your… girlfriend?"

"You don't have to." I said, raising an eyebrow. What kind of a question was that?

Sakura groaned.

"Okay, then, why did you kiss me? To be more firm…" She rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were assuming something." I mumbled.

"I was thinking you wanted me to… Tutor you." She smiled sheepishly.

…Tutor?

"Not exactly." I bent my head down, and Sakura scuffled her shoes.

Class had already started. What was I missing? Oh right, Biology. I think.

"What did you think… Naruto told me?" She whispered, and I turned my head away from her.

"It's not important. And I don't want you to pretend to be my girlfriend." I spat, my voice shaking. I coughed, turning my head in her direction. Her cheeks were pink from the suns warmth, and she bit her bottom lip as she stared into my eyes.

"It sounds like it is. For you to kiss me—"

"Would you quit saying that!?" I barked, and Sakura jumped.

"Saying what…?" Her voice was gentle, and she pulled herself closer by her sneakers.

"That I kissed you!"

"But it happened. Don't deny it."

Deny, Deny, Deny, Denial. Was I always so defiant? Why couldn't I just say it…

"I don't want you to pretend to be my girlfriend. It's a show." I wanted to be point blank about this.

"Sasuke… even if we don't end up together, I need you to know. That night, I don't think you really listened when I told you what I felt for you. I don't care that you walked away from me, I just wanted you to hear me. Notice me. So, just listen when I tell you this…" She breathed, and I turned to see her face inches from mine.

"I…" She gulped, her eyes darting down to my lips. I recoiled a bit, unsure of what was going on.

"I really…" Sakura tripped over her words, and she buried her face into my collarbone, her hands clutching my sleeves as she went limp. The top of her head tickled the underneath of my chin, and I placed a hand on the back of her neck as my fingers found her pulse. I listened to her heartbeat, her own song, as I realized all along what I was so defiant about. And I didn't want to be that way anymore.

"I love you." She whispered, her lips reaching up to brush my ear. Her jade eyes linked with mine, and I couldn't hold back any longer.

I didn't need words as my lips brushed hers, my mind working as I found a place for her in my heart. Finally.

"I told you I didn't want you to pretend to be my girlfriend… I want you to be. If you will let me have a second chance." I whispered, and her shoulders shook as she gripped my face closer to mine.

"I've always believed in second chances." She laughed, tears filling into her eyes as she leaned her chin up, pressing her lips against mine a second time.