AN: Hey, forth chappie, hope you like it, this one starts with me writing... so, don't sue me if it's bad.

Chapter 4: Preparation

Of course, anything Naruto COULD afford wasn't very good, and he was looking around the 2 dollar shop when suddenly a giant wad of cash fell right into his lap. Yes, giant. Yes, his lap. Ye—ANYWAY, he grabbed it and sprinted straight to the jewelry shop to look for something without realizing there were one too many pairs of eyes on him...

Tenten was crying slightly as the credits played on the screen. She wiped her tears away with Sakura-imprinted tissues, ready to eagerly wait for the next episode. She wondered if he would mind her CCS obsession. Of course not, she thought, how could anyone NOT like kawaii little Sakura-chan!? Anyway, if he didn't, too bad. She'd give up even him for her... Anyway, she decided to run back to the party, she did need to give the real Sakura the knife to cut the cake with, since her imagination kind of ran away with her before. Oh no, the present! She had originally planned to give her the pie, since she needed to be better at cooking at all, but so much for that dreaded incident. She detoured to the jewelry store to buy her a nice heart-shaped necklace, maybe. At least she didn't use Kiba's gay excuse. ((switch))

….oh, yeah. Money.

She ran back.

Back in her room, she dug in a drawer and counted a small wad of money notes that was her savings. $125, not bad... she detracted a safe amount for Sakura - what a nice name though! - and, putting on a light jacket, figured the had enough time to buy something before the party. Seeing as it's Friday night, all the stores are open a little later... even in sleepy old Konoha where Tsunade couldn't find ONE drinking joint. I mean, COME ON...

And, no, she didn't have Kiba's gay excuse. I mean, how many times can one guy get fleas in the same month?

Meanwhile, Naruto was elated at his cash - CASH!! - So much he hadn't seen in his life before - OMG CAASH!! - and danced around the jewelry shop a little over-excitedly. The ramen-lady, who happened to be there and trading in an anniversary gift she wasn't too fond of - haha, didn't know SHE was hitched, didja! - assured the store clerk this was normal behavior for this peculiar little ninja. Naruto happily announced to the clerk that he wanted a really, really, REALLY expensive silver necklace with a special jewel in the middle and that's just what he got.

"YEAH... Sakura-chan will LOVE me for this, she has to!" he announced to the world at large, marching out happily. Little did he know that that necklace....

He passed by the $2 store and gave it a triumphant snort.

"SO much for you, super-cheapo! I can afford better now for my super-duper-crush!" again, one too many eyes stared at him... because Kakashi was also there, coming out of a bookstore of suspicious character squeezed inconspicuously between a fruit stall and an old lady selling things made of seashells. But that's not all..

You see, Naruto was being watched... well after he left, though his voice was muffled by the window and doors and the mounds of junk, it was definitely clear WHEN he did leave. This specific street, that is. To the watcher, that is. Who was, as luck - well, okay, he - may have it, hiding AMONGST all this junk, piled high to the ceiling, actually among the rafters in the roof. His foot-hold, onto one very thin wooden beam, finally gave way and he tumbled to the floor with a thump.

"Oof!" the masked - you read right, masked ! - avenger couldn't help uttering as he landed. A few things fell and made an awful racket. He didn't care for the time being, even though he was a ninja and meant to be quiet and all that stuff. Neither did the store clerk. In fact the store clerk hadn't moved ever since he'd come in a few hours ago, at sunset, expecting his orange-jacketed love - Naruto, that is - to come and buy HIS beloved Sakura-chan a present for her party. That's why he hid... to drop money to this kid and make him happy. Sad, isn't it?

Well, now HE had to get to Sakura's party. No, you guessed it, he isn't the kind of guy that's into long paragraphs of daydreaming about how they first met them and their golden blah blahs and so on. You'd probably be pretty disappointed if they were courting you, really. Unless you're into being spied on. Or, whatever.

He got up, was about to apologise to the clerk - but noticed they hadn't even blinked as he came out of the mess he'd made of the shelves. In fact.... they hadn't actually blinked. At all. I mean, for real.

He backed away a little freaked out. The clerk stared into mid-air. Trying not to think about how dry their eyeballs would be, the masked ninja-fellow rushed outside.

....damn. He needed a present too, right?

Well, that's how unorganised 14-year-olds are.

He came back. He looked at the clerk. He picked up some random piece of something and, thoroughly freaked out, left without paying.

Meanwhile... indeed an extra PAIR of eyes WAS watching the action. That pair moved. The head attached to it, anyway. Because of the neck that was attached to it. Because of... you know. Anyway, they were on the rooftop. They were spying on THIS person. Because they were in love with their outrageous hairdo that made no physical sense. But they didn't know it yet. Right now they had a party to get to.... ((switch))

And they couldn't be late, that'd ruin their reputation... even though no-one they know knows they're there...

Meanwhile, Sakura, not aware of all the possible admirers, was blissfully putting up decorations all over her garden, where the party would take place. There were pretty traditional open-top lanterns set well away from trees as a fire-hazard, and ornamental rocks set strategically. She was out on a patio-type outdoor dining area under cover of trees.

The doorbell rang. Sakura dropped the current balloon she was tying to a tree and bounced quickly to the door, opening it.

"Hey, Sakura, happy birthday, I hope you like it, it was sort of last-minute, I hope I'm not late" giggled Tenten. Yes, giggled. Yes, Tenten. She somehow, magically, innovatively, energetically, imaginatively, constructively, spiritually, physically, psychologically and grammatically had gotten there before everyone else. Yes, magically. Yes, inno—Okay, on with it... Tenten handed Sakura a flat longish present wrapped in white paper with a pale pink cherry blossom design and a deep mauve bow. Sakura led her to the garden, and since she was early, she helped decorating while Sakura lay the present next to a navy-with-pale-blue-ribbon-present on the table set aside for them.

Naruto was excited. Naruto was very excited. He was gibbering and giggling, muttering incoherently as well. He had gotten his crush the best present ever, he bet no-one else would think of buying her jewelry! He looked at the invitation clutched in his shaking-with-excitement hand. The sleepover would start at 7:30 pm and end at 10:00 am. Her parents were out for the weekend so they could catch some shut-eye, which wasn't possible while Sakura and her friends were in control of the house. Especially on her birthday.

Mrs Haruno was outside the lodge, skiing down a slope. Mr Haruno was still a beginner, so he was learning while she pondered about how her daughter would cope without her. She knew that she had a secret crush on a boy around her age, but she wasn't sure which. Mrs Haruno wasn't sure she could trust her daughter with the house all by herself. Sure she had friends around, but she heard she'd invited 14 people over. They were all sleeping in the gigantic living-room the Harunos were famous for. She knew they were all around her age, so she thought it'd be alright. The kids were law-abiding, and wouldn't get upto anything... illegal. She trusted them.

Oh how wrong she was.

"I never's a good one, I played it last year." Tenten suggested to the brain-straining Sakura sitting on her futon thinking up the night's entertainment since the movie was cancelled, and the only other thing organized was pizza.

"How's it go?" Ino asked, curious.

"Oh, it's a drinking game," Tenten began, "and I've got drinks," she added mischievously.

"Ooh, go on," Sakura said, intrigued.

"Well, say I was going first. I say something I've never done, ie; kiss a dog, and whoever has, takes a drink."

"Cool, that's definitely in." Ino said as Sakura scrawled it down neatly.

AN: Hoped you like it. If you wanna say anything, review!