Sakura was actually a little ashamed of herself for breaking down the night before, staring at all of the awards and high grades she'd achieved, and wondering why she even bothered.
She headed into the school, a scarf pulled over her face. Winter was approaching quickly, despite the recent sunny weather. Great. That meant frozen pipes and endless amounts of pupils calling in 'sick' on snow days.
She had a green knitted hat stuffed on her head and was wearing a giant pink coat. She was feeling fairly sullen.
There were students milling about chatting excitedly about the cold and hogging the radiators in the corridor.
Sakura heard a little gasp in front of her and looked up sharply.
Yamanaka Ino stood before her, looking stunned.
For a moment they simply stood there, staring at each other, aghast.
Ino opened her mouth to speak, looking stricken.
Sakura pushed past her and ran, past all of the students who looked up to laugh at her, past the staff room where she was originally heading, ignoring the pale figure of her ex-best friend, standing there watching her run away from her.
She ended up in the girl's bathroom, washing her face.
"You can keep it together," She promised her reflection, "It's just Ino." She watched her face tremble in the mirror.
Just Ino, the girl who knew all about her parents' divorce, had seen every tear Sakura had shed over the whole mess, had been there on the nights that her parents had not, who had known her inside and out.
Her old best friend.
Sakura groaned in frustration. This whole messy war with Gaara was making her think of things she had pushed out of her mind for four years. There were things on that list of her life that she had never told anyone but...
Sakura snapped her head up and stared at her reflection, shocked.
The realisation set in.
She became enraged in seconds, storming out of the bathroom, tearing the hat and scarf off, eyes intent on the platinum blonde hair she could see in the middle of a crowd.
As she pushed past people without feeling any guilt, too overcome with anger, she became aware that Gaara was following her. Suddenly, she couldn't care less about his stupid war or his power.
She was far, far too angry.
She finally reached Ino. The other girl looked startled at Sakura's expression. Sakura lifted a hand and, without warning, slapped Ino, hard.
There were gasps from the crowd.
Ino clutched her face, eyes watering from the pain, looking shocked, "Sakura! What did I -"
"You told Gaara every secret I have!" Sakura shouted in her face, pushing her backwards.
Ino stumbled, speechless.
"I trusted you! You were supposed to be someone I could trust, my best friend!"
Gaara moved forwards, eyes intent on Sakura. If Sakura's mind had been focused on anything other than the pure rage surging inside of her, she would have found it odd that Gaara did not appear to be finding this amusing.
Ino's mouth was flapping open and shut, "I'm sorry! He paid me!"
"You sold my secrets? My parents' divorce, my fucking hair colour, what happened between you and me? How much?" She demanded suddenly, rounding on Gaara, "How much did you pay her to spill my secrets?"
Gaara's expression was inscrutable, "A couple of hundred, I can't remember the exact number."
Sakura looked around the crowd that had gathered around them. Their faces looked eager, entertained.
Sakura felt drained all of a sudden.
"Don't ever talk to me ever again." Sakura whispered tiredly, "Either of you."
Ino's face was as pale as milk, her eyes big and watery, "Sakura -"
"Does this mean you give up?" Gaara asked, looking inquisitive.
Sakura hesitated. What she would give, for all of this to be over?
Anything.
Except her pride.
"No." She said angrily, "This doesn't change anything."
"Sakura!" Ino said again, upset, "I'm sorry!"
"Screw you," Sakura said heatedly, "Didn't I tell you never to talk to me again?"
"For God's sake, it was four years ago!" Ino snapped, losing her temper suddenly.
Sakura breathed in slowly, trying to stop herself from punching Ino in the face. Finally she calmed herself down enough to turn around and say coldly, "You never apologised for what happened four years ago, Ino. And I'm angry, right now, because you were bribed into giving up things I told you in confidence, because I stupidly believed that, despite us not being friends you would still have a shred of decency that would prevent you from telling anyone about them."
And it was a shame, really, because her words left Ino looking as though she had been punched in the face anyway, and Sakura regretting not taking that shot when the adrenaline was still kicking.
"Here's another secret you can have for free," Sakura said, her tone sharp and biting, "I would have never chosen Sasuke over you, Ino. You made that choice that day, not me. I don't know why I ever thought you were worth confiding in. God knows it's a mistake I'll never make again."
And she left them all, snickering and staring, ignoring the sound of Ino's sobs as she walked away, the set of her shoulders strong and unapproachable. Even Gaara didn't dare follow Sakura as she pushed her way through the crowd.
xxxxxxxx
Hinata passed Sakura another tissue and sat, wide-eyed, as Sakura sobbed her way through a whole pack of tissues.
They were sitting on the school roof, the cold of the frost-bitten stone seeping through their skirts. They had a lesson in ten minutes, but for once Sakura didn't seem to give a damn.
Sakura sniffed, hard, and wiped her sore eyes again. Her throat was tight, her stomach was in knots and her shoulders shook with convulsive sobs.
"Sakura-chan..." Hinata said, eyes grave, "What happened?"
Sakura had stormed off, putting on a brave face to hide how close she was to tears. She had stumbled across Hinata, dressed in a big puffy white coat like a snowman, and together they'd hidden on the roof to avoid other students.
"Ino." Sakura said, staring at the tissues in her hand, "She sold all my secrets to Gaara. She's the reason the whole school knows about my parents' divorce, what happened with -" She stumbled over her words, not able to finish her sentence.
Hinata was silent for a while before she eventually spoke up, "I never liked Ino. Even before what happened. I thought she was rude..." Hinata paused before continuing, voice growing hard, "What's she's done to you is unforgivable."
Sakura gave a wry smile, nose red from the cold, "Thank God I was never good at forgiving, anyway."
The door to the roof creaked open.
Hyuuga Neji edged onto the roof. His face was a mess of day-old bruises, his lip was cut and he had a black eye. He paused and stared out at them. A girl with dark hair tied up in twin buns peered around the door and frowned. That nice senior, Lee, put a hand on Neji's shoulder and stared at Sakura and Hinata.
Hinata stiffened at the sight of her cousin, "Neji-nii-san," She squeaked, "What're you -"
"Hinata-sama." Neji said in his icy cold voice. He turned to his friends, "Lee, Tenten. Go back to class. I'll be back in a second."
Lee's mouth opened in silent question, but Tenten grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back inside the school.
Neji started towards them. Sakura hurriedly put away the tissues and stood up, sniffing.
"You got me in a fair bit of trouble, President." Neji said, not acknowledging Hinata's little stammers.
"You hurt my friend. I hurt you. That's how I work." Sakura snapped back at him.
"Neji-nii-san..." Hinata said weakly, "Please leave Sakura-chan alone..."
"I don't have to do what you say, honorable cousin," Neji snapped, "I'm allowed that freedom, at least. You, President, you made those -"
"Neji-nii-san! I heard what you did to Shikamaru-san and I'm sorry you got hurt but blaming Sakura-chan won't solve anything." Hinata spoke up with sudden strength.
Neji blinked in surprise.
His face darkened in sudden anger and he started towards them -
"Oi."
Sakura looked past Neji's shoulder. Sasuke stood, hands in his pockets, Naruto by his side.
"Your friend Tenten asked me to let you know you'll be late for class." Sasuke said coldly.
Naruto looked wary.
Hinata was shaking. Sakura put her hand on top of hers in quiet comfort.
Neji hesitated, glared at Hinata, but something about Sasuke's face made him head for the door.
Sasuke watched him go, radiating hostility.
Neji stopped, hand on the door handle, and turned back to look at Hinata, "See you later, Hinata-sama."
The door closed behind him.
Hinata relaxed visibly after he left.
"Hinata-chan, are you OK?" Naruto asked anxiously.
"Y-yes." Hinata stammered, face instantly flooding with red at the sight of her crush.
"Have you been crying?" Sasuke said suddenly, eyes on Sakura's tear-streaked face.
"No." Sakura said fiercely, "Don't be ridiculous."
"I've never seen you cry before." Sasuke stared unashamedly at her face.
"And you never will because I am not crying." Sakura scrubbed at her face and turned away.
"Suit yourself." Sasuke said carelessly.
"What's that guy's problem?" Naruto said in disgust, pointing at the closed door.
"Neji-nii-san? He... my family... it isn't his fault..."
"We should all get to class." Sakura cut in their conversation after catching sight of her sash.
"Dobe," Sasuke said, "Go on without me. Take her with you." He pointed at Hinata, whose blush was worsening with every second.
"What - why, what's going on -" Naruto began.
"Shut up and do it, dobe."
Naruto and Hinata left quickly, his joking comments and her nervous laughter echoed as they entered the school, closing the door behind them.
Sakura stared at Sasuke with suspicion, "What are you up to?"
Sasuke sat down next to Sakura in the space Hinata had just vacated. Looking as though it pained him to do it, he put his hand over hers.
"What're you -" Sakura began, startled, but he just squeezed her hand and looked away.
"Shut up. I'm trying to comfort you, Haruno. You looked like you needed... something."
Sasuke didn't do anything for anyone unless he benefited from it, Sakura thought uneasily.
But the tiny bit of comfort, however manufactured or suspect, was enough to take her over the edge.
Great big tears rolled down her cheeks and she squeezed Sasuke's hand back.
They sat there, not speaking, as Sakura sobbed and sobbed, pouring out every bad feeling that had plagued her since Gaara's arrival. Fear. Sadness. Shock. Betrayal.
It was nice, Sakura realised, just holding Sasuke's hand in silence.
She tried not to dwell on what that might mean.
xxxxxxxx
The classroom was filled with whispers and giggles. Sakura ignored the students around her and focused on Kurenai speaking. She could not believe she had allowed Sasuke to make her half an hour late - she'd had to show up late, pleading that presidently duties had delayed her.
Gaara was not in his seat next to her. Sasuke was writing quickly, his head so close to the paper that the tips of his hair nearly touched it. Sakura caught herself staring and mentally shook herself to regain her composure.
She had begun to notice an odd feeling in her chest whenever she looked at Sasuke. She did not like it. At all.
The door slammed against the wall and Gaara stepped through nonchalantly. Kurenai looked up, startled, but just sighed when she saw who it was.
Gaara's eyes swept around the room, settling for a second on Sasuke. He looked past him and met Sakura's eyes.
"Sakura," Gaara said coolly, "Come with me."
And with that, supremely confident that she'd just follow him like a good little lap-dog panting after her master, he left the room.
The whole class stared.
Sakura played idly with her pen, ignoring the stares once more.
"Sakura," Kurenai said sharply, "I suggest you go."
"I don't have a hall pass." Sakura said, playing for time.
"Sakura." Sasuke said incredulously, "Don't go."
"Your concern is touching." Sakura sighed, "But I'm pretty sure he'd just drag me out if I didn't go and not a single one of you would stop him."
Kurenai's slightly ashamed eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"I would." Sasuke said stubbornly.
"Me too." Naruto piped up.
"I wouldn't." Kiba shook his head, "That guy freaks me out."
Ino remained silent.
Sakura took a hall pass from Kurenai.
It was nice to know that out of the many students in the class, two of them would consider saving her.
How generous.
She shook her head and left the room.
Gaara was leaning against the wall, staring into space.
"What do you want?" Sakura asked suspiciously.
"You're friends with Hyuuga Hinata, right?" Gaara asked.
"Yes..."
Gaara closed his eyes briefly, as though searching for the right words, "Her cousin. Hyuuga Neji. I do not like him. I heard he was going to go after your friend. I would not want him to succeed."
Sakura's insides turned to ice, "You don't care about Hinata."
"No," Gaara said easily, "But I would not want the Hyuuga to get what he wants."
"And what he wants is to hurt Hinata?"
Gaara shrugged.
"When?"
"Now."
"What? Where?"
"Second floor. I'd hurry if I were you."
Sakura was about to run when her manners kicked in. Hating herself, she murmured, "Thank you."
"What was that?" Gaara said sharply.
"Thank you, are you happy now, creep?" Sakura shouted and ran down the corridor, hoping she wouldn't be too late to help Hinata...
Gaara stared at Sakura's disappearing figure, watching her run desperately. His knuckles stung. "No," He said, in answer to her question.
He wasn't happy at all.
xxxxxxxx
When Sakura arrived on the second floor, she followed the sounds of gasps and shouts.
She had already known that the Hyuuga family were all trained extensively in martial arts - an old family tradition - but seeing it happen in front of her...
Hinata and Neji were fighting. Neji kept going to hit her before she slapped his hands away, eyes looking wide and desperate.
"Neji-nii-" She began to shout, only to receive a blow to her throat, causing her to gasp for breath.
There was a crowd of people just watching as Neji kicked out at Hinata, hitting her knee and making her fall to the ground. No one intervened on Hinata's behalf.
Neji made to punch Hinata in the face as she struggled to get up.
Sakura intervened, standing in the way. A few people backed up after seeing her sash, worried about getting in trouble.
"What have I told you about bullying?" Sakura shouted.
Unable to control her anger, she punched Neji in the face, feeling the skin on her knuckles split and begin to bleed.
Neji's eyes widened in complete and utter shock, red blooming on his cheek.
She went to hit him again, but he was too fast for her, and caught her wrists, squeezing them painfully hard.
"Don't interfere, President. You have no power here. You cannot stop me from -"
"No, but I can." Sasuke's cold voice cut through the sound of the crowd like a knife, and everyone fell silent as he approached.
Sakura kicked Neji in a very private place and pulled Hinata towards Sasuke whilst he writhed in pain.
"Sakura-chan." Hinata gasped, her face looking bruised and sore.
Sakura shoved the other girl behind her. She didn't know a thing about fighting, but she wasn't about to stand by and allow Neji to hurt another one of her friends.
"Did you follow me?" Sakura asked Sasuke, eyes accusing.
"Yes." Sasuke admitted, "I was worried about you. Apparently I had good reason to be."
"Uchiha," Neji spat, looking truly murderous now, "You stay out of my business."
"Your business? Beating up your relatives and Student Body Presidents?" Sasuke affected a mock-curious tone, ignoring Sakura's irritated, "He did not beat me up."
"Detention, Hyuuga Neji, Hinata." Kurenai said, pushing through the crowd, "No fighting on school grounds," She sighed, looking at Sakura, "I can't believe I'm saying this but... detention, Haruno Sakura."
The crowd broke out into furious whispers and giggles.
"Detention?" Sakura gaped at the teacher, "But - but I -"
"You hit Neji. In the face. And tried to do it again. I can't ignore that Sakura, I'm sorry."
Sakura felt faint.
Sasuke gave her an alarmed look, "You've gone white."
Hinata touched her shoulder, "Sakura-chan?" She said questioningly.
I've never had detention before, Sakura thought absently, her legs going wobbly.
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Her detention took place the next day.
She slunk into the room, feeling as though she should hide her face. The red sash circling her waist mocked her as she sat down at a desk, avoiding eye contact with her fellow criminals.
Oh God, she was a criminal. She'd assaulted another student.
She put her head on the desk and stroked her fingers through her hair, trying to comfort herself.
She felt the broken skin on her knuckles flare painfully as fingers brushed over it. She looked up sharply.
Gaara stood in front of her desk, his fingers trailing over her knuckles.
"Who did you punch?" Gaara asked. His voice was still cold and raspy. It unsettled her. She pulled her hand back hastily.
"Hyuuga Neji." She admitted, feeling ashamed.
Gaara shocked her by cracking a tiny smirk, lifting his own hand and pointing to the scabbed over wounds on his knuckles, "Snap." He said shortly, sitting down at the desk next to her.
She realised he was studying her face, "He didn't hit you back."
"Sasuke intervened before it got that far."
Gaara's jade eyes darkened, "That Uchiha..." He said, sounding irritated.
Sakura tried not to laugh, "He really doesn't like you, huh?"
"No. Neither do you." Gaara said, staring at her so intently that she had to look away.
Sakura realised how odd it was that she was having a normal conversation with her enemy.
"Well, that depends. Are we at war currently?" She asked.
Gaara looked around the room, "No. Detention is neutral territory."
His face was so pale, she thought, contrasting so sharply with the dark rings around his eyes. His hair was carefully spiked to look exquisitely messy, he was wearing another black T-shirt, this one had the word 'Monster' scrawled all over it in red. His eyes were a pale, lesser green than her own.
His arm was very close to her own.
"Can we discuss a treaty?" Sakura asked, half playful, half serious. This war had been so painful, had dragged up past hurts and made her feel vulnerable and raw.
He was silent for a while longer.
"No." He said, his voice having a touch of finality to it.
Sakura frowned, the odd, slightly playful atmosphere between them disappearing instantly.
"Why not?"
"Because this school would be boring without our war." Gaara shrugged one shoulder, "I don't like being bored."
"I don't like having my ex-best friends sell my secrets, or having them put up for the whole school to see." Sakura countered.
"It's a war, not a game. If you don't like it, you can always give up." Gaara's eyes were hard.
"No," Sakura shook her head, "I don't give up."
"You once told me you never have detentions." Gaara pointed out.
"That is entirely Hyuuga Neji's fault." Sakura said stubbornly.
They were both silent for a while.
"Please stop involving Ino in this war." Sakura said, eyes squeezed shut to avoid looking at Gaara, despising showing such weakness.
"Fine. It was getting a little dull anyway. I do not understand the fascination with the Uchiha."
Sakura fought to keep the smile off her face.
xxxxxxxx
When they left detention that day, Sakura turned to Gaara with a smile, but he silenced her with a glare.
"Don't forget our war, Sakura. We are not friends." He said cruelly, turning his back and beginning to walk away.
Sakura felt like a total idiot. Of course they weren't friends. What had she expected? At least he'd given up on the whole Ino thing. Unless he was lying.
Sakura groaned, thoroughly sick of this war and if it wasn't for her pride holding her back, she would have marched straight over to Gaara and surrendered.
This war was bringing out sides of her she never knew she had. Crying on the school roof top. Attacking Hyuuga Neji. Stupidly assuming Gaara would want to be friends even after all he'd done to her.
Sakura examined her sash with a frustrated sigh. A Student Body President couldn't go around attacking students and crying hysterically. Particularly not with exam week coming up.
She didn't like who this war was turning her into.
Right! Another chapter done :) I'm moving house tomorrow, so it's very likely that I won't be able to update for a while, but I'll try my best.
Gaara and Sakura are... complicated, at the moment. She hates him and all he's done to her, but he did a nice thing (albeit just to screw Neji over) and she's beginning to hate Ino more, leaving her confused...
Sakura's icy shell is thawing, but is that good or bad for her?
Neji just can't catch a break, can he? Sakura just won't let him beat up students... poor guy.
Quick poll for fun: How do you think the Naruto series will end for Sakura?
A) She'll become a jounin sensei and forget Sasuke (if he was executed).
B) She'll somehow forgive Sasuke and become his baby-making machine.
C) She'll die in order to squeeze out a bit more angst for Naruto and Sasuke's final fight.
D) Other! Tell me what you think!