Chapter 5--The accidental stolen first kiss

A/N: This is the last chapter I will update until I can get back from my vacation. Until then, I'll probably get some ideas. lol. Thank you all for reviewing! Suggestions on what you guys want to see help too.

"You are my rival."

Sakura stood there confused. "M-me? Your rival?" her voice came out as a squeak. This was ridiculous. She found the idea of it ridiculous. Before she could say anything else, Uchiha Sasuke had already climbed back down.

She rushed back down trying to tail him so she could tell him that it was pointless because she wasn't planning on staying in the school anyway. But then, when she finally reached him, he was with his father as they were preparing to leave.

"That was a wonderful dinner, Mrs. Haruno. Thank you," Mr. Uchiha said politely. "I haven't had a home-cooked meal since... since my wife passed away."

"Oh.. w-we're so sorry to hear that..." Sakura's mom lowered her head slightly.

"Don't worry about it. It's been five years. Me and my children are strong, we have been able to make do. You're a very lucky man, Mr. Haruno." Mr. Uchiha gave him a pat on the back. "To have a warm family such as this. It's getting late and Sasuke has to prepare for school tomorrow. Good evening."

When they left, Sakura felt a huge weight off her shoulders. Now she would have to break it to them that she wanted to transfer school right
away. Since they were feeling so happy, maybe after her news, they wouldn't be so hard on her. "Mom... Dad..."

"Honey, where were you?" her mom ushered her to them. "The Uchihas have already left."

"I was..." Sakura shook her head and took a deep breath. "I have to talk to both of you about something."

"What is it, sweetie?" Both of them cast worried glances at each other before turning to her. "Was it the tofu?"

"No.. mom," Sakura led them both inside first and let them sit on the living room couches. "Mom, dad... I... I want to go back to my old school." There. She said it. This statement made her parents look slightly aghast. Her father brushed some of her hair from her face. "But, Sakura... you're not... really serious are you? It's only been your first day... you're probably just stressed..."

So much for not being so hard on her. Sakura's mom was suddenly quiet, all the warmth from her had disappeared. "Sakura, me and your father come from very ordinary and simple families. We've never been given scholarships to schools such as what you're having. All in all, I'd say you're very lucky to be able to study in a school like this. Think of the job opportunities in your credentials..."

"Forget my credentials! I don't care anymore. I just want my old life back!" Sakura said in frustration. Everything that happened earlier that day, flashed before her eyes. From when Ino waved her pompoms at her, to when she slapped her in the cafeteria. Hot tears stung her eyes. "I hate it there! I don't ever want to go back...ever!"

"Think about what you're saying!" her mother suddenly shouted making her tremble. "I won't have any of that in this house, Sakura. You can't throw it all away just because you had a bad day. You're going back to that school tomorrow whether you like it or not. "

"You absolutely have NO IDEA what I've been through today! " Sakura's voice rose. A bad day was nothing compared to the hell she's experienced. Sakura's been nothing but nice and friendly. It was just that Yamanaka Ino.. Sakura realized then that she hated the color yellow.

"Don't you raise your voice to your mother, Sakura!" her father who had been quiet up until now, slammed a hand on the coffee table finally silencing her. Her father was usually calm and composed but it was like he was a totally different person than before. "Go to your room."

The tears she was trying to hold in finally flowed and she got up and ran to her room. She shut the door behind her and collapsed face first on her bed. Flashbacks of Hinata hiding behind the tree, Ino bumping her making her drop her books, to getting the highest marks in Chemistry, to Sasuke catching her crying at the back of the school were revolving around her head. And then, Shino's words, 'Hinata was so happy when she made a friend...'

Naruto's face even popped up with his trademark foxy grin. 'Be seein' ya around, genius girl!' It faded and Uchiha Sasuke's image remained, 'You are my rival.' She beat the bed weakly with her hands thrice. Her sobs had died down and all that remained were her sad hiccups. At the back of her head, she reminded herself that she still had to study and had a pile of homework to do, but she pushed it all away. She didn't want to think about school or think about anything else.

Eventually, her eyes closed and she succumbed to sleep...

The next morning, Sakura got up and forced herself into the shower. When she passed by the mirror, she looked like a mess. Her hair was
everywhere and her eyes were swollen. She looked sick enough to be admitted to the school nurse for the rest of the day. Heck, the hospital too, if
she gave herself a black eye and a fat lip. 'That could work... considering I'd rather be anywhere but in Section A..'

Who was she kidding? She turned to the pile of homework that was still left unfinished and groaned. She still had enough time to do them
considering that it was 5:00 in the morning. She didn't feel like it but she needed to pass them today.

Her rage had been subdued but she was still unwilling to go to school. After her shower, she was bent over her study desk jotting down answers as she opened her textbooks. At least it kept her mind off things for a while, maybe if she pretended Ino didn't exist, school wouldn't be so bad.

Sakura reached school and things were pretty much back to normal... except for the people who whispered whenever she passed by them. Okay, so
it still wasn't. But Sakura could pretend, couldn't she? At least she still had Hinata, she'd still believe in her. Speaking of the Hyuuga, she was spotted leaning against the very same tree Sakura saw her when they first met.

Instantly curious, she moved up behind her to see what she was looking at. Sitting on the grass were Uzumaki Naruto and Inuzuke Kiba who were
playing with a little puppy. She wondered why Hinata was eyeing them so carefully. "Hey Hinata..."

She gasped slightly and turned around to face her. "Oh... it's just you, Sakura-san. Good morning!" she said cheerily. "Good morning to you
too. Say..." Sakura's voice trailed off as she peeked again where Hinata was looking at. "You don't happen to like Naruto or Kiba... do you?"

Hinata's face turned red. "Er..." she looked uneasy that she got caught but eventually, she confessed, "I... I like Naruto-kun." her pale face turned red as a tomato. Sakura's mouth fell open. A demure girl like Hinata had the hots for the blonde prankster? She wouldn't believe it if it didn't come out of her mouth. "Really?"

"Yes, please d-don't tell anyone!" Hinata blurted out, hugging her books closer to herself. "Of course I won't. Secret's safe with me," Sakura assured her. "Have you ever talked to him?"

"Nuh-no... I've never been able to form more than two sentences when I'm in his presence." silver eyes strayed back to where they were before averting back to Sakura. Then, a small smile appeared on her lips. "He.. he said, 'hi' to me once..." then, her smile faded. "..but I ran out of the room after that...He hasn't spoken to me since. I'm such a baka..."

"Don't say that, Hinata. You're just really shy. Maybe if you talk to him again--" Sakura suggested but Hinata shook her head vigorously. "I can't. I'm too nervous. Maybe it's better it stays this way." But Sakura knew that every girl who responded that way was obviously in denial of her feelings.

Before Hinata or Sakura could move from their spot, a familiar, "HEY, GENIUS-GIRL!" could be heard. Sakura smiled slightly and took Hinata's arm. "Come on, it's not so hard." and he pulled the protesting girl towards them. "Hey Naruto! Kiba!"

"Hey, you remembered our names!" Kiba said, smirking. "This is our new addition to our group!" he said as he held the small puppy in his arms. "Name's Akamaru!" it barked approvingly. Hinata's eyes sparkled, "K-kawaii!" and she petted it on the head gently.

"Hey genius girl! How's things?" Naruto began. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

Sakura squinted as she tried to recall something. "Forgotten? Bout what?"

"You said you'd eat lunch with me and my pals the next time around. Say..." Naruto suddenly beamed. "Hinata-chan" he said in a voice that made Hinata turn even redder than she already was. "You wanna join us too?"

Sakura nudged her and whispered sharply in her ear, 'Say, yes...!' Hinata suddenly mumbled out jibberish. "A-ano, er... aah..ummm...amm... er..."

Sakura sweatdropped before turning to Naruto. "That's a yes!" Hinata stopped and stared at her pink-haired friend, finally speechless.

"Awright then. See both of you later! Me and Kiba got things to do, right Kiba?" Naruto elbowed him in the ribs. "Stop that!" Kiba growled at him before putting Akamaru down. He looked a little nervous. "S-see ya later, Sakura..." a slight pause as his eyes transferred to the meek Hinata. "...Hinata-san." he mumbled before Naruto dragged him off.

When they were far away, Sakura squealed and hugged Hinata. "Now that wasn't very hard, now was it?" Hinata, still red in the face, moaned. "Oh... dear... I just know I'll do something to mess things up."

"Don't be so negative, everything will be alright. You'll see," Sakura smiled genuinely for the first time today as she stepped away from her. "He asked you to eat lunch with them, doesn't that count for something?"

"I...I guess," Hinata smiled a little. "Thank you, Sakura-san."

"Sometimes girls just gotta make the first move. Guys are too slow sometimes," Sakura giggled. "We can get Gaara and Shino to join us too."

"Ano, Gaara-kun's absent toady because he's sick. But Shino-kun won't mind," Hinata and Sakura were practically skipping to class. Sakura was glad she could finally thin of other things besides the troubles she had. But it wasn't until she entered the room that reality dawned upon her again. Sitting on his desk was none other than Uchiha Sasuke. When she had entered, his onyx eyes looked directly at her.

But refusing to let her emotions run her, she simply pretended she didn't see him and moved over to her seat.

Obviously, Uchihas didn't like to be ignored as she heard the shifting of the seat against the white tiled floor and then, footsteps towards her direction. Her heart was hammering, it was hard to keep track of what Hinata was saying, it was something about Naruto again, but she didn't want to admit that she wasn't paying attention.

"Hey, Haruno." Sakura tensed but she calmly tilted her head to look at him. Suddenly remembering that he was at her house yesterday, panic flared in her senses again. What if he had already told the entire school that she was just there on a scholarship. Or worse... if he told Ino that he was at her house... 'I don't care if he told Ino...' a defiant voice said in her head.

Sakura put on a fake smile. "Hai, Uchiha-san? Is there something you wanted to talk to me about? Is it about... HOMEWORK?" she stressed the last word thinking that was most probably the reason but still maintained her sweet innocent-like composure.

Not moving or having the slightest bit of emotion on his face, he replied. "You can keep trying to hide it, but eventually, we will see who is better." Hinata glanced from Sakura and back to Sasuke, clueless at what was going on.

Sakura's mask disappeared. "...Why don't you just give it a rest, Sasuke? I just got higher marks than you in ONE test. Stop making such a big fuss about little things." Most of the students who were already inside stopped talking and had made a circle around both of them watching the scene unfold. Not a single girl in school dared to talk that way to an Uchiha. Sasuke's lips pursed into a frown, he said nothing but leaned against the table with both hands pressed on the table as he gave her his famous death glare.

Not to be outdone, Sakura returned the glare evenly. They were inches away from each other's faces but they continued their little glaring match. Suddenly from behind Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi passed by with his briefcase oblivious to what was happening, "Good morning, class!" and accidentally swinging it over the back of the brunette's head... making him lose his balance and fall forward...!

((A/N: yeah, another version of naruto and sasuke's scene in the anime. XD lmao! Ahem, I just couldn't resist. Sorry if it's not original. ;;))

Both their eyes flew open and there was this surging sensation from her fingertips down to her toes. She would open her mouth to scream not out of happiness but of pure shock but it was covered by his. Students all around them gasped and their mouth fell open, not really expecting this to be the outcome.

They both pulled away from each other and Sakura covered a hand over her mouth. Then, grimaced and rubbed the back of her hand over her lips repeatedly as if to rub out the tingling feeling of his lips on hers. She saw that Ino had fainted somewhere back there and she didn't care. Anything that had been building up in her from day one suddenly all came back to her. Her classmates' faces were a blur, the only face she saw was his. Her self-control was lost replaced by seething rage.

"THAT WAS MY FIRST KISS, YOU JERK!" without thinking, her right arm fell back a little only to swing forward swiftly. Sasuke didn't have time to react just as Sakura's fist struck him in the face!

((A/N: Although I did add this little twist. XD))

Sasuke fell backwards and Kakashi tapped on the board to get the class' attention. "Haruno, I'm afraid hitting your classmate is against school rules. I'm sorry but I have to give you detention after school." before adding giddily, "But that was a mighty good swing! Sasuke's body flew--whoosh!" the students just looked at him strangely so he cleared his throat. "I thought it was funny... Anyway, someone please assist Uchiha Sasuke to the nurse's office... oh, and while they're at it, bring Yamanaka Ino as well, it seems she has fainted." he glanced around class. "Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji."

"Oh man..." lazy Shikamaru scratched the back of his head uneasily. "Whatever. Chouji, you carry Uchiha over there. I'll get Ino." Chouji gave him a teasing look. "What? She's lighter. Now move your butt before I do it for you!" Sasuke was awake but he seems to be in shock. He didn't even move when Chouji hoisted him up.

A/N: And now a sneak preview of chapter 6.

Chapter 6-- Double Date Disaster Preview The movie house was crowded, stuffy and dark. Sakura didn't like it very much but as long as Hinata was happy. Naruto was nothing but a gentleman to everyone the entire night, even Kiba was surprised. Now Sakura knew why Hinata liked him so much, maybe it was about time Hinata confessed to him, but she didn't want to force anything on her just yet, she bet the idea of it was enough to make Hinata faint. "Hey, Sakura-chan. Thanks for agreeing to come," Naruto suddenly said but in a low voice as to not disturb the other viewers.

"No problem, anything for friends," Sakura said, although there really was a deeper meaning to it. She could see even in the dim theater, Naruto's usual happy cheerful face became so serious. Perhaps he was pulling her leg again? She chided, "Whacha lookin' so serious for, Naruto?" he shook his head in reply.

Suddenly, she felt Naruto enclosing his hand around hers before bending closer to her ear and whispering, "Sakura-chan... I really like you."