I did it! I wrote the next one before I had expected to.

See I had one of those energy drinks today so I could get really hyper and get cracking on my studies. But instead I felt like writing and did this chapter before I knew what was happening around me. I hope you like it, but now don't plan on the next chapter for about a week. (Those energy drinks are awesome!)

PG-13 (although one scene in here might be a little more, but I doubt it)

Sakura's POV

Chapter 12
"I'm home, Sakura!" My mom announced as she entered the house. "Sakura, where are you?" She closed door behind her. I felt the air around me begin the chill. Why was that?

Ino still glared at the phone without blinking. I wanted to laugh at her, but resisted it because at that moment my mother entered the kitchen. "There you Sakura. What are you two girls doing?"

I spoke softly, "I was just showing Ino around. Don't forget mom, she doesn't remember this place, so I had to help her." My mom glanced at Ino, who finally took her eyes away from the phone, but did not meet the eyes of my mother. Instead, Ino was staring at me as though she were a lost child. Her eyes told me she wished to get away from my mom. Sadly, my mother saw this and took it for an insult.

"Oh, so you want away from me? You don't like me?" My mom began to change her tone into a harsh creature. I tried to stop her.

"Mother? You must've had a rough day at work, please go sit down and rest while I make–"

Mom turned on me and slapped me across the face, "Do not interrupt me, child."

I held my hand on my face and leaned back against the wall, watching in fear as my mom yelled and spouted curses upon my friend. Ino cowered slightly, in the same way I did, leaning on the wall for support. But this was a problem for her because she was cornered. An adrenaline rush shot through my body. I screamed as loud as I could,

"STOP IT, MOTHER!"

The room was silent, except for the breathing of the three of us. My mom turned around. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared into my eyes, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Sakura. I hit you, didn't I?" She fell to her knees. "I'm sorry, so very sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." She emphasized the word 'you' with a harsh tone, implying it was Ino she wished to hit. I moved away from the wall I stood by and neared my mother hesitantly. I then caught Ino's eyes, so scared and full of terror and confusion.

"Ino, go upstairs to my room," I said to Ino when I finally got close enough to my mom to let my best friend leave without any more danger to her. "Oh, and Ino, please close the door behind you." She nodded and left slowly, fearing any sudden movement might set my mom off again.

As soon as I heard the door close upstairs, I sat down on the ground next to my mother. Her tears fell to the floor in groups; they seemed to have no end.

"Mom, I don't understand your hatred and the anger problems you've been having lately. Please talk to me. Holding stuff inside will only make it worse. You must tell someone. I can send you to a psychiatrist." Her head shot up and her eyes glared into mine, "No. No psyches. Sakura, I don't think you'd understand. It's just too…" She sighed in frustration.

"Mom, please, I'm sure I'll understand. I'm not a little girl anymore."

She sniffled a bit, "I know. Well, can you remember your dad, Sakura?" I nodded. "He was cheating on me with some girl. I chased him out of the house one day, nearly screaming his ears off. Two days later, I got the divorce papers from him and not long after, he married the girl he was cheating with. But that girl had a daughter, named Natsumi, who I actually knew. The daughter was nice, but once you got to know her, she was reckless, wild and rude, just like your friend, Ino." I watched intently as my mother continued her story. The already cold air around me got even chillier to the point where I began to shiver.

My mother continued, "Natsumi was actually depressed underneath it all. She hated her step-dad and her mother even more. One day Natsumi lost control and shot everyone in her family, even the pets, and even your father. She then shot herself. She didn't leave a note, nor any evidence of reason for killing anyone. She had told me she was depressed and all that stuff, but luckily, you and I were out of town the day she killed her family, because we were probably actually to be part of her victims."

"What? Why?" I asked, my eyes wide.

Mom hid her face from me, "I told her that her step-father was my ex-husband. She felt for us like family. I was like an aunt and you were to her like a sister. I never expected you to remember her, but when you became friends with Ino, your friendship with Ino became the way you were friends with that girl. I just feared for you and felt that Ino would be like Natsumi." Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn't believe that Ino would be like that. She's not like that. It wasn't possible. Ino didn't have parents. She's an orphan…

I stood up and looked down upon my mother. "I'm going upstairs. I hope you feel better now that we've talked." I tried to sound warm and secure, but my voice kept cracking. I then decided to change the subject, "Hey mom, when's dinner?" But she didn't seem to be listening. She was in her own world, and despite all my daughterly instincts told me, I decided to leave her for a while in her solitude.

I walked past my mother in the same way Ino did when she went upstairs. I was halted when a hand grabbed my leg. I looked down to see my mom, she had tried her tears and was smiling slightly, "Please don't tell her anything, I'll try to be nicer to your friend. I should trust your instincts, after all, you are my daughter." She let go of my leg and stood, still staring at me. I began to walk up the stairs to talk to Ino, when I was stopped yet again half-way up the stairs.

"By the way Sakura, dinner will be egg rolls and fried rice."

I smiled to myself and finished my way up the stairs to my room. I opened the door carefully, as so not to scare my best friend. I saw Ino at my window, staring with fish eyes at something. I guessed she was still shaken up about the earlier events.

"Hey Ino, don't wor–"

She turned sharply with one finger on her lips telling my to shut up and then gestured for me to sit next to her. When I did, she pointed to something out the window. I too, gained wide fish eyes when I saw what I believed Ino wanted me to see.

Nartuto, the school klutz, and Sasuke, the school hottie, were across the street under a street lamp. They were not fighting or yelling. Instead they were doing the unbelievable. They stood in each others embrace, each boy's arms around the other. And their mouths were locked together in a passionate kiss. I could not believe my eyes. I heard Ino giggle a little saying something under her breath that sounded like, "I knew it." But that wouldn't make sense that she guessed those two would be in love. She barely saw them yesterday. But then, maybe when we were followed by Gaara, Naruto, and then Sasuke, might've implied it to her.

What about me? Did she notice my crush? I doubt it. I did my best not to show it.

My eyes caught a red patch behind the bushed near Sasuke and Naruto. I nearly laughed and showed it to Ino. There was Gaara, spying on the couple. He was nearly glowing with hatred.

We watched the scene in front of us for a while but decided to close the shades when the scene got a little hot. But we did enjoy seeing Gaara turn redder than his hair. After that, we chatted about stuff and I helped Ino with her homework. Too soon did mom call us down for dinner.

Not much had happened during dinner. But when we entered my room, we heard yells from across the street and had guessed it was the hottie and klutz. I dared Ino to look first.

"No way. How about rock, paper, scissors?" Ino suggested. I guess some things stayed in her memory. We always did rock, paper, scissors in competitions and stuff. But I always…

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

..lost.

"Ha, you look Sakura."

I grumbled under my breath and peered through the shades and saw an even more hilarious sight than I had seen earlier with Sasuke and Naruto. Ino looked though the shades when I began laughing.

Gaara was yelling at Sasuke, who was in the middle of something with Naruto. Naruto just sat there blushing madly, and Gaara got frustrated and pinned Naruto to the ground. Sasuke threw random rocks at Gaara, but it did not stop him from kissing Naruto sweetly. When he stopped, I heard him say faintly, "Who's better?" The look on Naruto's face was priceless. I checked the time and frowned at my clock. Time flies when you're having fun.

"Sorry, Ino, but I'm tired and I don't feel like watching gay porn."

Ino laughed, but paused thinking about my words.

She yelled and glared at me playfully, then yawned and agreed with my being tired by crawling on the bed. She curled up on one side of the bed, reminding me of her request earlier. I turned off the lights and plopped on the other side of the bed.

I sat there for a while, un-able to sleep. Mom's story haunted my thoughts. I began to fear that Ino's 'orphan' story wasn't true and maybe she had done something similar. In thinking those thoughts, my heart ached painfully. I really hope she hadn't done anything like that, but I guess I'll never know now that she can't remember. Heck, she thinks she has parents right now, just they're out of town.

I felt her moving around restlessly on the other side of the bed. I faked I was asleep to see if maybe she would say something or do something that might hint my fears to be true. But yet again, I was taken by surprise.

Under the sheets, her hands found one of my hands. I felt her breath on my face and heard a small whisper.

"I love you Sakura."

I still faked sleep and tried to calm my breathing when she leaned towards me. I opened one eye just enough to see her face close to mine. My lips were captured in a chaste kiss. But the kiss felt like it could last forever. I resisted wanting to answer the kiss and left my lips limp like I would when I was asleep. Still keeping one eye open barely, I watched Ino smile, staring at my 'sleeping' form. She let go of my hand and turned to back to the way she was at first. She curled in a ball and cried quietly.

At that moment I really wished I could've kissed her back or said something, but I really was tired and fell asleep before I could control it.

TBC…
Hee, I sure hoped you people enjoyed that, I know I did! Yummyyyy! Sorry, theat energy drink still is affecting me.

Nejisaku4ever: I'm so glad you liked it (laughs stupidily at your inability to make sense even though I can't either) Well, one has to be unique and bold to make it. Never go with the flow 'cause you only need to accept yourself. Marry you? Umm… if you're a lesbian, maybe I'll consider it, but I'm not so sure my family would let me marry yet (laughs again)

Yugi-obsessed: My class last year was a lot more gay then the Konoha class, believe me. (laughs manically) Sorry, I guess that part was a bit confusing. Sakura was in her own little land and thought Ino was going to kiss her, then she snapped out of it and nearly did kiss Ino. Sorry, 'bout that. I'm not so sure about the ending being fluffy, but I hope you'll like it anyway, and I won't say anymore that might give it away.

Uber, uber, uber HYPEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR! Ok, now review, and maybe I can write the next chapter this weekend or tomorrow, but no chance next week 'cause I'm testing. Bai bai! (showers everyone who has reviewed this story with pocky and other goodies)

Ja ne!