Haruno Sakura; 3 Years Later

Age 15

-Pink Heels-

Not only was I by far the most beautiful ninja in the entire village, but I was most definitely the most beautiful girl my age.

Strike that, most beautiful girl PERIOD.

Therefore, there was no way Sasuke could ever deny me.

I was also past that age in which I sneaked into my mother's room to steal her make-up and put it on only when she wouldn't see it.

The make-up made me look even MORE beautiful, if that was even possible, and my mother knew it!

That's why she bought me my own make-up kit.

My hair was really long now. It was probably as long as Ino's before she cut it back when we were twelve. Now her hair is so short she looks like a boy.

Well, not so much anymore, but she still looks ugly and butch. I'm pretty sure she's given up on Sasuke too. I mean, if she hasn't then I feel bad for her. Not only is Sasuke mine, but she's going about it all the wrong way. Everyone knows that Sasuke likes long hair.

I hardly showed up for training anymore.

If I went to training then I might break a nail or ruin my hair or something else that would be equally horrendous.

Naruto occasionally came by my house asking where I had been. I always hide in my room and pretend not to be home.

"Sakura!" I heard my mother call up the stairs.

I tried to ignore her. I was in the middle of doing my make-up and she should know that I hate being interrupted while I was doing my make-up.

"Sakura!" she persistently yelled.

Just ignore her. Just ignore her.

"SAKURA!" she shouted.

I slammed my hand down on the table. "What IS it mother?" I said.

"Telephone!" she said, sounding exasperated but I was the one who should be exasperated.

"MOM!" I yelled. "Why didn't you tell me it was something important like the phone for me?!"

I know I've said it a thousand times, but my mom is probably the worst mom ever.

I went to the phone in the other room. She won't even let me have a phone in my room! That's how bad she is!

"Hello?" I said, careful not to touch the phone to my face because I had just put my make-up on and would hate to smudge anything after all my hard labors.

"Sakura?" came Ino's voice.

"Oh…hi Ino." I said, a little disappointed. Had I been expecting Sasuke? Maybe.

"Hey, you doing anything tonight?" she asked.

"Maybe." I said. "It depends."

"Depends on what?" Ino asked.

That was a stupid question. "On what you're going to say." I answered.

"Oh." Said Ino. "Well, I'm inviting a bunch of people down to the club… oh, I forget the name, but you know which one, right?"

"Right…" I said, twirling the phone cord around my finger. Oh, a chip in my nail polish. I'd have to fix that.

"So, do you want to come?" she asked.

I sighed. Why would I want to come with Ino and 'a bunch of people' down to a club? Ino's definition of 'a bunch of people' probably consisted of Shikamaru and Chouji. Like I wanted to spend time with THEM.

"Sasuke'll be there."

"What?" I said, nearly jumping out of my seat.

"So Lee will swing by your house at 7:00 to pick you up." Ino said.

"Right, whatever!" I said. "See you there!"

I hung up the phone without saying another word. Oh! Ino had set me up on a date with Sasuke! I was so happy.

But what was it she had just said about Lee picking me up? I didn't want to make him think that I wanted to go out with him or anything. I'd just have to leave before he arrived.

7:00?

Time to get ready.

I knew exactly which dress I was going to wear. I was going to look completely irresistible to all men, but especially Sasuke.

I had the perfect shoes to match. They were pink and were really high heels. I was going to look like a goddess with my dress and shoes on.

I shoveled through my closet for my shoes, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Mom!!" I yelled. "Mom!!"

My mother came to the bottom of the stairs.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Where are my pink, super high heels?"

"Sakura, what makes you think that I know where your things are?"

"I don't know!" I said. "Maybe because you're my MOTHER?!"

"Well, sorry, I don't know." My mother said, walking away.

That was her solution for everything. Just walking away like that.

I turned around to look for them some more.

I pulled almost everything out of the closet. I NEEDED those shoes.

But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find them anywhere.

"MOM!!!" I yelled.

"WHAT?!" my mother's faint voice came from downstairs.

"I CAN'T FIND MY PINK HIGH HEELS!!!!" I yelled.

She didn't answer.

"MOM!!" I yelled louder.

"SAKURA, I'M VERY BUSY!!!" she screamed at me.

She's so unreasonable!

I was just going to have to settle for my pink boots. Sure, they were heavenly but they definitely wouldn't attract as much attention as my super high pink heels.

I slipped the dress on and hopped down the stairs, grabbing my matching pink purse on the way.

"Sakura, where are you going?" my mother said.

"Just out." I said. "Do you ALWAYS have to know exactly where I'm going?"

"Yes." Said my mother.

I gave a sigh. "Mom, I'm just going to the club with a few friends."

"What friends?" she asked.

"It's INO!" I said. "You remember Ino?"

"Oh yes." She said with a nod. "I remember Ino. She was such a sweet girl! How come she never comes over anymore?"

"I don't know, ask HER!" I said, going out the door and shutting it behind me. I think my mother likes my friends more than she likes me… which would definitely be typical of her.

I suddenly remembered that Lee was going to be stopping by. I opened the door back up.

"Mom, if Lee comes by, tell him I already left." I called.

"Okay, Sakura." She said back.

Then I left for good.

The walk to the club wasn't a very long one. But on the way, I realized just how much I didn't like my pink boots and wished that I had my pink heels instead. I would attract so much more attention if only I had my pink heels!

I entered the club and immediately began my scouting mission for Sasuke.

They weren't too hard to find. There was Hinata, Naruto, Ino and Sasuke sitting at a single table. I was going to make my way over and smoothly get his attention.

I started over and then caught Lee coming in out of the corner of my eye, so I jumped into the arms of some kid who had been dancing.

I spun him around and used him like a human shield as Lee ran by towards the table. Now I knew things wouldn't be so smooth.

"Hey." Said the kid. "What's up?"

I looked at him.

"Don't read too much into it." I said, letting go and pushing him away. "I don't dance with losers."

I flipped my hair the way they do in the movies and then began my walk over to Sasuke. But then I watched as Ino grabbed Sasuke by the arms and forced him to his feet, pulling him over to the dance floor. My eyes nearly popped out as she set him up to dance with her.

He obviously didn't want to.

She was laughing.

I knew she was laughing at the thought of me coming in.

This had all been a set up to make me lose faith in my love for Sasuke. But I was smarter than that and I would rise above Ino and her tricks.

I marched right over to where they were dancing. But Ino was leading, so it was obviously just an act.

"Who do you think you are?!" I demanded of her. She immediately stopped dancing and looked at me as if SHE were the victim. "How DARE you do such a thing! You ask Sasuke out behind my back and trick him into coming out with you and then you try to cover it up by making it a group get together thing! You KNEW I loved Sasuke!!"

Ino didn't say anything. She knew I was right and therefore couldn't even begin to defend herself.

I looked at Sasuke who was just standing there. HE was the real victim.

"Sasuke, look deep into my eyes." I said.

"I'm looking."

"And tell me you don't love me." I instructed.

This sort of reverse psychology always works on men. You see, men have a certain tendency to not do as they're told so if you ask them to say they don't love you then they are likely to reply with--

"I don't love you."

Like I was saying, guys really just do whatever they're told to keep things less complicated.

"NOW," I commanded. "Look deep into my eyes again!"

"And?" Sasuke said.

Oh…Sasuke's beautiful eyes…

"And tell me that you love Ino."

He stuttered.

"Well?!" I demanded. He wasn't saying anything.

"I…" he started. "I…"

An answer TODAY would be nice!

"Sakura, don't put Sasuke in this situation!" Ino yelled suddenly. "You're a terrible person and you seriously need to reevaluate everything you stand for!"

I was in shock. Ino was trying to look like some kind of hero by saying something like that. She wanted to impress Sasuke but some kind of macho shorthaired girl isn't what Sasuke wanted! Even though she DID look kind of pretty in that purple dress… she still wasn't nearly as beautiful as me.

"How dare you, Ino." I said. "I thought you were my FRIEND."

"Well, I thought so too. But not anymore."

I didn't know what to say to that. I looked at Sasuke but he wasn't going to say anything either. This couldn't be happening. I was on the same three-man team as Sasuke. Ino wasn't. I was ahead of her. How did this happen?

I stormed off.

I was angry, but at the same time extremely sad.

Then I looked back at Sasuke and Ino. Neither of them were coming after me to apologize. They had just gone back to talking to each other as if I had never even come.

That's when I began to cry.

If only I had my pink heels then he would have noticed me instead of just having eyes for Ino.

I ran out of the club and slouched down on the curb.

I felt so dejected. Sasuke was MINE! How could Ino do such a thing to me? She thought she was so great just because she was a chuunin! Well, I'd show her!

"I hope Naruto and Hinata's date goes okay." I heard from across the street.

I looked up to see Sasuke and Ino walking together. I don't think they noticed me because they didn't look at me at all.

Sasuke was going to drop her off at her house. And then, when he was alone, that's when I'd make my move. Obviously, Sasuke had been influenced by Ino's presence when I had asked him to express his true feelings for me.

I got up and followed after them, keeping my distance.

Then I figured I'd take a shortcut to Ino's house to cut them off.

I came in and hid behind her front steps. I waited there for a minute and checked my make-up just in case any of it had smudged when I had started crying for that brief moment.

I could hear them approaching so I shut my mirror and sat there in silence.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry." Ino said.

Just go in the house already.

"WHY do you keep saying that?" Sasuke said.

Don't ask, just let her go in the house.

"Because I AM sorry!" Ino stomped her foot and then I heard the sound of something hitting another thing.

I couldn't help but peek over the steps.

I had to throw my hand over my mouth to keep myself from gasping out loud.

Ino had thrown herself upon him! I had thought she was above all that, but apparently I was wrong! No wonder he was so awkward around her!

"I didn't mean for that to happen." She said, but it was obviously a lie. "And these heels were really expensive too… they were my mom's. I borrowed them from her because I didn't have anything that would match this dress…it's actually Tenten's since I don't have any dresses and—"

I almost did gasp out loud at what happened next.

It LOOKED like Sasuke kissed her, but I knew that would never happen.

She must have kissed him.

How DARE she kiss him!

And how DARE he look like he liked it!

End! End!! You tramp! How dare you kiss my Sasuke!

"Good night." He said when they had finally finished slobbering all over each other.

"Good night." Ino said, as she went into her house.

Sasuke lingered in the doorway for a moment or so and then slowly turned, walking away.

How could he? How could he?

I didn't get out of my hiding spot. I let him leave.