When Sakura woke up on Monday, which she usually hated with a passion, she felt like a million bucks and she didn't even feel tired. She felt…happy. Still floating. She was floating on a cloud. And it was because of the time she had with Sasuke yesterday. It was so…good. She liked that. The feeling of wanting to be jumping around everywhere. She never felt it before. She checked her phone and saw she had three texts, two from Ten-ten saying how her date was and one from Hinata telling her good morning. And one from Sasuke telling her sweet dreams. She sighed happily and noticed she also had a missing call. From Sai, around the time she and Sasuke were on the date. She frowned at that, but didn't really care he called. Sasuke Uchiha was on her mind.

Coming down the stairs Sakura greeted her parents happily, "Good morning beautiful people!"

Her mom glanced at her dad. "Someone woke up in the right side of bed this morning. Especially on a Monday," her father commented, giving her a kiss on the forehead as she made her way to the fridge.

"Does this have anything to do with the Uchiha boy?" her mother asked. Both her parents looked at her.

"Yeah," Sakura said, still smiling and getting toast for herself. She was excited to see him today. What was that about? But also nervous. It seemed everything changed, but at the same time didn't.

"Was this the guy she called a jerk?" her father asked her mother.

"Yep," her mother replied.

"And she went on a date with the boy," her father chuckled and shook his head. "I will never understand you."

"Bye you guys! Have a nice day!" Sakura called, leaving the house. She needed to calm herself. Yeterday, she had to admit, was nice. Really nice. She recalled after the dance, Sasuke took her to her house and walked her to her doorway and him saying that "Today was nice." And she agreed with him and they looked at each other and then her dad flashed the lights, meaning she had to go, and then she just floated on top of the stairs.

But what if he wasn't feeling the way she was feeling? Ever since Sai went out of her life, which was two days ago, she felt better. She didn't need Sai. Never did. Who wants Sai when you have a guy like Sasuke?

XX

When she got to school, a big happy smile on her, and she saw Naruto talking to Sasuke. She stopped. What would she say to him? Would she pretend like nothing happened between them? Just say hi, Sakura.

But then Karin and her crew came up to them, blocking her view of Sasuke. Okay, she was a coward. She couldn't talk to him. She turned back and went to first period. Her first four periods went by in a haze, and then it was lunch, Spanish and then gym class. Both classes with Sasuke, and she just had to endure lunch with him. What was wrong with her? She couldn't make herself face Sasuke.

"You went on your date with Sasuke?" Hinata asked during their lunch. Sakura didn't get a chance to talk to Hinata in a while, and she had some catching up to do with her friend.

"Yeah," Sakura was rolling her peas.

"Was it nice?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," Sakura replied.

"Was the movie good?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," Sakura said, still in her happy place. Yesterday was so good. Maybe she should go to that walk on the beach like Ten-ten suggested…

"Do you like Sasuke?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," Sakura sighed lazily, and then stopped, realizing what she just said. "Wait-" Hinata raised on a eyebrow and a sly grin came across her face.

She looked up and Sasuke was seating himself and to her horror she looked over at Hinata hoping that he didn't hear. Because she wasn't thinking. At all. And if he heard and thought…

"Good day you guys," Naruto said chipper.

"I," Sakura said, "have to go to the bathroom." She got up and gone out of the cafeteria as quickly as she could, not knowing what was coming over her. She couldn't meet Sasuke in the eyes. Last night, all because of last night….

When Sakura entered the bathroom, with her luck, Karin was at the bathroom too, reapplying lip gloss in front of the mirror. "Sakura," Karin called. Sakura took a deep breath and looked at Karin. "Look, just so you know, and to make everything clear, Sasuke doesn't like you. You should know the only reason he went on that date with you was because he had to."

"Well, yeah, that was your brilliant idea, Karin," Sakura said, shifting from one foot, and holding her books to her chest tightly.

"All I'm saying is not to get your hopes up high," Karin said smugly. "I don't want you to get crushed. Me and him…well, in case you didn't know or he didn't tell you, we had this thing, and I know he's just using you to make me jealous. I just wanted to give you friendly advice." Friendly advice my butt. But for a moment, Sakura did wonder, did they have a fling? Was Sasuke really madly in love with Karin? She couldn't really tell. Thankfully, lunch was over- they had a twenty minute lunch- and she walked to Spanish class.

Sakura came late to her Spanish class and didn't dare to meet Sasuke's eyes. She went to her seat and sat there rigidly, fully aware Sasuke was behind her, drilling holes in her head for her to turn around. But she couldn't.

After class was over, Sakura quickly made her way to the gym, dodging Sasuke until she got to the gym and bumped into him, causing her books to fall down. Just what she didn't need.

"Sorry," Sakura apologized, crouching down and looking down, not meeting his gaze. Sasuke crouched down too, getting her big fat history textbook.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you were avoiding me," Sasuke said, in a bemused tone. She rose and he did too, handing her a book. She reached out for it, but Sasuke pulled the book back. "Are you?"

Sakura managed a weak laugh. Why'd he think that? Was she that obvious? "What? No. Of course not," she gulped, twirling her hair with her finger. Sasuke's eyes narrowed a fraction. "I'm just busy. You know how Mondays are." She laughed again and looked at the gym door.

"Yes, Mondays are very busy," Sasuke said.

"Exactly," Sakura said, nodding, and reaching out for her textbook again, but Sasuke was taller than her and still wasn't giving her textbook back. She was looking anywhere but at him.

"So you weren't avoiding me?" Sasuke asked.

Yes, yes I was. "No," Sakura responded. Sasuke tilted her chin and forced her to look at his dark, onyx eyes.

"Then will you go to my basketball game today?" Sasuke asked her. She was surprised he asked her. Did he enjoy last night as much as she did? Was this his date? What this not the fake date? Did guys just tell random girls to come to their games? Was he just thinking about Karin the whole time? "It starts at six and I want you to come." He wants me to come. To make Karin jealous? She frowned slightly, looking around, wondering if Karin was there somewhere, but no one was there in the hallways because they both were late to gym.

"Are you going to win?" Sakura asked suddenly, and remembered something about how Konoha Academy excelled in basketball and only lost once.

"I guess you'll have to be there to find out," Sasuke said, smirking, and giving her textbook back to her, finally. "How much books do you carry? There is such thing as a locker."

"My locker is currently being changed," Sakura said. "I finally had a top locker- then wham- I get a bottom one. Again."

"The short people always get the top lockers," Sasuke commented.

"Hey!" Sakura almost yelled. "I'm not short."

"Hn," Sasuke said smirking again at her, opening the gym door for her. They walked in and stopped when they heard their gym teacher yelling at them.

"SAKURA AND SASUKE! SINCE YOU ARE LATE A HUNDRED LAPS AROUND THE FIELD," their new gym teacher, Gai, yelled at them. Did he think that would help anything? Everyone was staring at them and Sakura became self conscious. If anything, she hated when she was the center of attention.

"I'd rather get a tardy," Sakura mumbled, going to change in the girl's locker room. She got changed into her long sleeve t-shirt and black yoga pants. When she got out, Sasuke was waiting for her, wearing a jersey and black sweat pants since it was cold, especially in the gym.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked.

"I thought he was joking," Sakura said, but Gai was there, staring at them.

"We don't have all day, you two. Go!" Gai ushered them, and when they both went outside, Sakura shivered because it was so cold.

"Are you sure you can run?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course I can," Sakura replied, but secretly she hated running in the cold. And she didn't think she could withstand twenty laps around the field. She was about to run, but Sasuke stopped her.

"Stretch first," he commanded. She sighed and stretched her legs, wishing she could just play volleyball. Volleyball. She hadn't had a game in forever because, well, she was injured for a while, but now she wasn't, and there was a game the upcoming Thursday. And she was going to play in the game. She glanced over at Sasuke and wondered if she should invite him over to watch her.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked suddenly, breaking her thoughts.

"What is what?" Sakura asked.

"You've been staring at me ever since you started stretching," Sasuke said. "It seems as if you want to tell me something."

"Oh-no," Sakura immediately looked away and played with her hair. "I wasn't looking at you, I was just, um, spacing out."

"Well, let's start running," Sasuke broke out into a jog and Sakura kept in pace with him. When they ran around the corner, Gai was standing there, looking at them.

"Stop," Gai said to them, holding his hand up. They both stopped. "Okay, you two, were you having a lovers' quarrel? I can help you know, I used to be a counselor before I found my passion being a gym teacher."

Oh gosh, her gym teacher thought she and Sasuke were…lovers. "No, no we weren't- we aren't lovers," Sakura answered.

"And I know the first step is denial," Gai said. Her eyebrows furrowed. First step in denial of what?

"Well I wanted you two to know, that I am here for you," Gai said, looking at both of them seriously. "If you guys need me to talk, I can help."

"Thank you sir," Sasuke said politely.

"And since the best way to fix a lovers' quarrel is to spend time together, you two are partners in the Run Fest," Gai said.

"We're not-" Sakura tried again.

"That'd be great," Sasuke interrupted her. She looked at him and he gave her a toothy grin. He shouldn't be that hot doing it.

"Good. There is nothing more romantic than youthful love. Now, get back to the gym, and stop fighting, you'll need to be teammates for this Saturday's Run Fest. I plan to win this year," Gai said, going back to the gym, leaving her and Sasuke alone again.

"What just happened?" Sakura asked him, glancing at his face.

"I think our gym teacher likes us," Sasuke replied to her as he walked inside the gym.

"I'll see you at your game," Sakura said when they had to depart. Sasuke stood in front of her and nodded.

"I'll be looking forward to seeing you," he said, walking away. She stood there longer than necessary, watching him then finally walked in the girls' locker room to get her bag- she was planning on meeting Ten-ten and Hinata and then hitting the park.

While she was the locker room, Karin came up to her again. Does she ever know how to quit? "I know the gym teacher thinks you guys are like an item, or whatever, but you and I both know Sasuke won't give you the time of day." Sakura gritted her teeth.

"Well it seems to me that Sasuke spends more time with me than you," Sakura said.

"To make me jealous, duh," Karin flipped her hair, rolling her eyes.

"Of course," Sakura said, getting her heavy book bag and books, not wanting to talk to Karin or else she would get expelled from fighting. She walked out the girls' locker room, the last bell ringing to go home, and she headed outside to the student parking lot to go to go straight to Hinata and Ten-ten. She texted Hinata and Ten-ten: meet in the shop in ten so I can explain better of what happened yesterday :P

When Sakura got there, Ten-ten and Hinata were already there. "What was the whole thing about in lunch, Sakura? I looked at the lunch bathroom but you weren't there," Hinata said.

"That was because I wasn't at the lunch bathroom," Sakura answered. "I was far away."

"You ran away?" Ten-ten gasped, and then added, "chicken."

"I couldn't face him. But before gym class, he confronted to me about it," Sakura admitted.

"He a-actually asked you?" Hinata asked.

"I lied to him saying it was Monday and I was busy," Sakura said. Ten-ten snorted.

"You have it bad, now I want the full length gory details about your date last night," Ten-ten said. Sakura told both of her friends everything that happened.

"Usually if Naruto and I are watching a scary movie, he holds me in his arms," Hinata said quietly, looking bashful.

"Aww," Sakura and Ten-ten crooned.

"Guys, I just had the most brilliant idea," Ten-ten announced. "We all should go on a triple date!" She clapped her hands excitedly.

"I think you forgot the point where Sasuke and I aren't dating," Sakura said.

"Oh puh-lease. Just ask him and he'll gladly say yes," Ten-ten waved her hand.

"You wanna bet?" Sakura challenged.

"Covering my shift for a week," Ten-ten offered.

"And ice cream," Sakura said.

"Who eats ice cream in this cold?" Ten-ten huffed. "No, if I win, which I will, then you're going to have to ask Sasuke to go to your volleyball game." Sakura pursed her lips.

"Say yes!" Hinata exclaimed.

"You guys," Sakura said weakly. "What makes you think he even likes me? He probably likes Karin."

"That witch?" Ten-ten asked.

"Oh no he doesn't," Hinata shook her head. "I forgot to tell you, when Karin was in a group last Friday party you didn't go to-"

"-Karin was making fun of you," Ten-ten said. "And then Sasuke got up and looked Karin directly into her eyes. And in front of the entire school-"

"-He said that you were the most beautiful girl he has seen," Hinata finished, smiling. Ten-ten and Hinata were both smiling at her. So what Ino told her was true.

"To make her jealous," Sakura said, it all making sense to her.

"No!" Ten-ten said. "He really meant it. You could have been there, and just known he meant every word. I wish Neji would confess his undying love for me in front of the school."

"Ten-ten, he didn't profess his love to me, he only called me…" Sakura trailed off, reddening.

"The most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Yeah, I mean that comes close to professing his love, if you ask me," Ten-ten shrugged.

"It's a step," Hinata said. "He defended your honor. I think it's romantic."

"Oh it is definitely. I mean, I don't think Sasuke is the type of guy that would call any random girl beautiful," Ten-ten said. "So are you going to his basketball game today? He wanted you there. That has to mean something."

"I am," Sakura said, knowing she was going when Sasuke first asked her. "I just have to go to the park to clear my head."

"We'll be at the game too- Sasuke Uchiha's personal cheerleader," Ten-ten winked at Sakura and she just shook her head, waving to her friends as she left to go to the park.

When she arrived at the park, she was smiling, wondering how Sasuke played. Good or bad. Probably good since he was the captain of the team. She was going to enter the trail when she her name.

"Sakura," someone called her. She whirled around. It was Sai. He was at the park. Sakura looked around, barely any people was as the park in the cold. What was he doing there? She rarely saw him anywhere in public. With her. Or anywhere. And then that missed call she had that night. What did he want to talk to her about? She had nothing to say to him.

"Hi… Sai," Sakura said, feeling uneasy. He did call her, and it was weird actually. Sai never called her when they were…talking, or friends, or whatever they were. But right now, all she wanted to do was get away from him. He came to her, at arms distance.

"Look, I don't know what came between us, but I know we had something special going on," Sai said. Sakura blinked.

"What?" Sakura asked stupidly. Out of all things, that was the most unexpected from him.

"I want you to be my girlfriend. I like you. I know we have this… thing with us. And I know you like me," Sai said, stepping closer.

"Sai-" Sakura began. She saw something- a flash?- and turned around, but Sai came up to her forcibly grabbed her, pulled her into him, and was crushing his lips to hers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Oh, Sai ain't over.

Until next time- review(:

P.s- I do plan on making plenty more chapters! This isn't even beginning to end (; I hope.