1ST PLACE ISN'T EXACTLY THE BEST

-CHAPTER EIGHT-

Sasuke's being shy!

Then the bell rang to signal that their period was over.

"We'd better get back to class."

Sasuke nodded and said,"You go on ahead,I'll meet you there."

"…okay,sure."

When Sakura left,Sasuke went back to the boy's change room and mumbled to himself,"Almost forgot to untie Gaara.Whoops."

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"Sakura,you must compose posture!Sasuke's not on to you,you're safe!"

Sakura tried to convince herself that Sasuke was not going to find out that she had out-skilled the owner of her newly furnished condo.She had just emerged from the change room to retrieve her bag and to change out of her gym uniform.When she was walking silently in the hallway,she half-expected Sasuke to jump out and scare her,which got her confused.

"Why am I thinking of that bakayaro so much all of a sudden?"

-I think you like him.-

"I do not!I-I guess that's it's just natural for people to think about the person that has threatened to kill them!"

-Yeah…right.-

Sakura had almost reached the hallway of her classroom when she heard Gaara and Sasuke behind her.

"Sakura-chan!Wait up!"

"Shut up Gaara!"

"Why don't you?"

Sakura turned around and saw that both guys were running down the hallway to try and reach Sakura first.If you were standing behind the very unfortunate pink haired girl,you could clearly note the large sweat drop at the back of her head.

"Gaara-kun?Sasuke?"

"Yeah,Sakura-chan?"

"What do you want,big forehead?"

"Don't call her forehead!She's sensitive."

Sakura decided to leave the two guys standing there to try and 'work it out'.Like that ever worked!

'Hey,inner self?'

-Yes?-

'Why are there two cute guys trying to fight over me?'

-Actually,I just think that Sasuke wants that cake that he tried to steal from you during class.-

'…thanks…I guess.'

Sakura had managed to slip away unnoticed until Sasuke punched Gaara in the face and caught up with her.

"Hey,Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate you!"

Sakura flashed the very annoyed-looking Uchiha a fake smile.

"Th-thanks!Thar's all I wanted to hear from you!"

Gaara finally caught up to Sakura and said,"Is that baka teme bugging you?"

"Pretty much."

"I'll take him out for you!"

"Don't,.I don't want to be forced to help someone to the office."

Sakura slid open the door to their classroom and stood back as Gaara and Sasuke were trying to beat up each other.It was only until their teacher noticed that they were back that he stopped them.

"Gaara!Sasuke!Sit down in your seats or else you'll have to go to the principal!"

"Hai,Sensei!"

"Yeah,whatever Kakashi."

They both took their seats and Sasuke didn't even glance in Sakura's direction as he sat down.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Don't call me that."

"Alright…fine.Sasuke?"

"What?"

"I need to ask you something."

"What the hell do you want?"

"Who is your girlfriend?"

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Please,tell me."

Inner Sakura: I'm trying to be as polite as I can…BUT IF THIS GUY DOESN'T TELL ME WHO SHE IS,I'LL HAVE TO BEAT HIM UP!

"Why are you so nice all of a sudden?"

"Please,may I know?"

"NO!"

"What was that Sasuke?"

Both Sakura and Sasuke looked up to see the teacher looking down at them with 'I'm completely pissed off' written all over his face.

"Ah…gomen Kakashi-sama."

Sakura bowed her head as she apologized.

Inner Sakura: Hey,I don't want to get in trouble on my first day!IT WAS ALL THAT BASTARD'S FAULT!

"What about you,Sasuke?"

"Yeah,yeah.I'm sorry too."

The teacher went back to bugging people to straighten out their desks and to finish their work.

"Sasuke!"

"..."

"Sasuke!Please,talk to me!"

"…"

"Fine,it looks like I'll have to ask Gaara!"

Sakura now knew his weak spot - Gaara overpowering him in anything.Heck,Sasuke just hated people overpowering him in general.(Note the time when Sakura had beaten him in the arcade)

"Okay,okay!I'll tell you,if you must know so badly…It's Rika."

"The girl that I knocked out the other day?"

"You were the on who knocked her out!"

"Yeah,well…."

"…"

"(ahem)"

"…but it's not like I actually like her…she threatened to force the teacher to make her sit beside me."

Inner Sakura: Is he trying to imply that he's single?Ew!AS if I'd ever go out with him!

"But isn't being her boyfriend much more worse?"

"Just shut up now,okay?"

Sakura found this as the perfect time to brood.The teacher looked like he was sleeping,so she could get away scott free from not doing anything.

'Hm…there's Gaara…but then there's these weird feelings with Sasuke.'

-I think that you should pick Gaara.-

'Why?'

-Oh…are you actually thinking of going out with that jerk now?-

'…NO!'

-Then pick Gaara.-

'But I think that Gaara wouldn't want to go out with me…'

-Uh-huh…that's why he kissed you?-

'Shh!Not so loud!'

-Who will hear us!Look,just go out with Gaara and laugh in that bastard's face when he sees you together!-

'But…Sasuke doesn't even like me!'

Sakura glanced over at the now-sleeping Sasuke.

-Why are you even questioning your attraction towards Gaara?I thought you liked him!-

'Yeah,you're right…he's a bit cuter too ((notice that the author is now rolling on the floor laughing)).'

Sakura blushed a bit as she had finally figured out her decision.

"Why are you blushing so much?"

Sakura looked beside her to see that Sasuke was now fully awake and looking at her extremely weirdly.

"I was doing no such thing!"

"And why were you giggling?"

"Because…you'd look funny in a hat!"

-Sakura…what the hell did you just blurt out?-

'Uh…the first thing that came to my mind?'

"Yeah…um,Sakura…"

Sasuke went back into his 'I'm-so-shy' mode and scratched the back of his head.

"Yes?"

"You know Gaara?He and Hinata are…they…"

'Hey,it's as if he was reading my mind!He must be psycho!"

-You mean psychic!-

'Sorry…wasn't thinking there…heh…'

"They…are what,Sasuke…-kun?"

"Well…Hinata…is…yeah…"

"Hm…?"

Then the bell rang again and Kakashi jumped up in his chair.

"Class,dismissed!I'll see you after lunch!"

Sakura saw Naruto waving at her to come join the rest of her friends so they could go to the cafeteria.

"Sorry Sasuke-kun.I gotta go!"

"Wait!I didn't tell-"

"I can ask you about it later!Okay?"

"Dammit!"

Sakura joined up with her friends as they were asking her if she was okay or not.

"I'm okay guys,really…"

Ino looked at her with pity in her eyes and said,"Are you sure,Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah,pretty much."

Naruto looked at the area of Sakura's head where the bump had been.

"Sakura-chan…there's no more bumps on your head or anything?"

"No,Naruto-kun.I'm fine."

"That's good!"

"Yeah…"

Sakura hung back from the group as the made their way to the cafeteria.

"I wonder where Gaara is…"

Almost as if it were on cue,Gaara tapped her shoulder from behind.

"Oh!There you are Gaara!"

"Yeah,I've been looking for you."

Sakura looked up at his face and noticed that he looked rather flushed and he was blushing a lot.

"Gaara-kun?"

"Look..Sakura-chan…I like you…and you like me…so."

Before Gaara completed his sentence,Sakura gave him a kiss and said,"Yeah,I'd love to be your girlfriend."

Gaara was left in a daze as Sakura made her way to the cafeteria where her friends were probably wondering where she was.

"Gaara is my boyfriend…Gaara is my boyfriend!"

Sakura was skipping her way down the hall happily,but her words fell upon the wrong ears.

"WHAT!"

Sasuke almost flipped out of his skin.

"Gaara…her…boyfriend!"