1ST PLACE ISN'T EXACTLY THE BEST
-CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE-
The Dance
Sakura looked over at the smiling Shikamaru.
"Well,if he was stalking you,I would've beat him up for you anyway."
Sakura leaned over and gave Shikamaru a little peck on the cheek.
"Thanks Shika-kun."
Her boyfriend nodded and waved goodbye as Sakura opened the door to her suite.
"Two more days…just two more days…"
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During the two days leading to up to the dance,Sakura did not talk to Sasuke once.During that period of time though,her relationship with Shikamaru blossomed.Sasuke also grew closer to Temari,even though he would regret it later.Before the dance,Sakura had been asked out by almost every guy in the school.She had turned down every person who asked though.But not because she had Shikamaru,it was mainly because Sakura was secretly wishing that Sasuke would ask her.Sakura tried to push the thought out of her head as she concentrated more on her work.
The evening of the dance,Sakura had made her way to the gym with a bright pink silk dress on with cherry blossoms scattered all over it.She blushed heavily as a crowd of boys had tried to hassle her for a dance before she pushed the gym doors open.All eyes were on her as he friends walked over to her.
"Sukooooora-chaaaan!Yuh look…er…wunnerful!"
Sakura looked over at the drunk Naruto who had obviously snuck sake into the gym.She slapped him silly,along with TenTen and Ino.Hinata was blushing at her boyfriend's goofy behavior.
"Nar-Naruto-k-kun!D-don't drink too much!"
"Soooor,'Nata-chun!"(sure,Hinata-chan.)
Everyone laughed at Naruto's attempt to stop the slurring of his words.After a while,Naruto collapsed and Hinata sat Naruto down in a chair as Sakura made her way over to Shikamaru at the punch bowl.He smiled sweetly as Sakura took the cup of punch he offered her.
"You look beautiful Sakura-koi!A lot of people are looking at you!"
'A lot of people' was an understatement.The whole gym was probably watching her by now.
"Oh..please,Shika-kun…"
Sakura could see even Sasuke watching her in the corner of her eye.
'Stupid jerk!Eat your heart out!'
She could also see Temari,who was wearing a bright yellow strapless dress that matched her blonde hair.Then Sakura frowned.Temari was slapping Sasuke senseless and he looked completely helpless.
"It's probably a fight over Sasuke not getting her roses o something."
She nodded at Shikamaru's comment.
'I don't know if he deserves this…'
Then,slow music started playing.Shikamaru just stood near the punch bowl looking eagerly over at the couples already on the dance floor.
-Looks like Shikamaru's waiting for you to ask him to dance.-
'Alright…I'll ask him already!'
"Hey,Shika-kun?You wanna dance?"
Shikamaru gulped down a healthy amount of punch before he wrapped his arms around her waist.All was peaceful between the two until the music ended.Sakura seemed disappointed at Shikamaru's 'dancing skills',but Shikamaru looked rather relieved.
"Hey,Shika-kun?"
"Yeah,Sakura-koi?"
"I have to make my decision by tomorrow."
Shikamaru's eyes expanded in shock.
"You didn't even decide yet?"
Sakura scratched the back of her head nervously as she nodded her head no.
"Sakura!"
She attempted to quiet her boyfriend before Sasuke or Temari had ever heard about her hesitations between picking her boyfriend and picking her enemy.
"I'm sorry,Shika-kun.But I just don't want to disappoint anyone!"
Sakura's boyfriend fell into deep thought as he stroked his chin.Finally,he had come to her with a conclusion after what seemed like the tenth song that had played.
"Sakura-koi…I have come to a conclusion."
"Finally you baka!You should keep a lady-"
"Ino!SHHH!"
Sakura covered Ino's mouth in an attempt to shut up her friend.
"What is it Shika-kun?"
"If you pick me,I'll be happy for us…but if you pick him…,"Shikamaru shot an evil look in Sasuke's direction before continuing,"I'll be happy for you."
"Thanks,Shika-kun."
Then,TenTen had burst into their conversation with an announcement.
"They're going to play the last song!"
Sakura looked at her friend weirdly.
"…So?"
TenTen sighed.
"Never mind…"
Sakura turned around and found Sasuke right in front of her.She jumped slightly as he stood there,staring at her.
"Sasuke-kun!Uh…what are you doing here?"
Sasuke scratched the back of his head nervously as Sakura looked at him with utmost confusion.Finally,he spat out his reply.
"Will you dance with…me?"
Sakura smiled,but quickly tried to hide it.
"Sure…Sasuke-kun…"
"Hey!It's….urm…Susoooooookay!"
"What's up,dobe?"
Naruto had just tumbled onto the scene with a bottle of sake.
"Urmf…Noffink!"
He chugged the bottle heartily and hiccoughed as Hinata took him away.
"Bye…Sasura-teme!"
"(asd) Do you want to go dance now,Sakura-chan?"
"Sure…"
Sakura took Sasuke's outstretched hand as he led her onto the dance floor.They were standing in the middle of the dance floor for a while until Sasuke had leaned over to whisper something in her ear.
"Uhh…Sakura-chan?"
"Yup?"
"I…don't know how to lead…"
'(asd) Just great.'
Sakura smiled with the pleasure of dominance over Sasuke.
"Alright then,I'll lead."
Sakura placed her hands on Sasuke's shoulders firmly and he planted his hands on her waist.The music began playing and Sakura found herself smiling.
'What am I doing?'
Sasuke was smiling too as they both stared into each other's eyes.
"You look really beautiful."
Sakura slipped out of her trance and tried to maintain a calm demeanor.
"Oh…thanks,Sasuke-kun.You look so cute too."
She smiled playfully and he drew her closer to him.
'What is Sasuke doing?'
They were dancing in a tight embrace for what seemed like forever.Sakura couldn't help but rediscover her feelings for Sasuke and he found that he couldn't like anyone more than her.
"…Sasuke-kun?"
"Huh?"
"Why…do you like Temari…and not…someone else?"
Sasuke had a blank look on his face as Sakura laid her head on his shoulder.
"To tell you the truth,I don't really know."
"Oh…"
Sasuke paused.
"Why?Who would you want me to like?"
His pink haired companion stayed silent.
"Sakura-chan?"
Sakura smiled at him convincingly.
"I expected you to like..."
Sasuke waited with anxiety.
"I expected you to like Ino-chan!"
"(asd) Oh really?"
The pink haired girl smiled again.
"Of course!"
The music stopped and Sakura immediately let go of Sasuke as she looked at him in the eye.
"Sakura-chan?"
"…Uh-huh?"
"I have to talk to you."
Sakura gulped as they both made their way to the table with a large bowl of punch placed in the center.
"What is it Sasuke-kun?"
It was her friend's turn to gulp and act all nervous.
"I really like someone,but I don't want to tell her though."
"So…what are you going to do?"
Sasuke smirked.
"Well,actually,I was supposed to dance with her at a dance;and I was supposed to kiss her..."
'I know where this is going!'
It was silent between the two until Sasuke leaned over to Sakura and Sakura panicked,as usual.
Her hand slipped and it tipped the punch bowl.The red liquid splashed all over her and she gasped as the punch soaked the fabric of her pink dress..Sasuke just blinked confusedly and Temari started laughing.
"Nice job,my dear Sasuke-kun!"
Temari made her way over to Sasuke and hugged him.Sakura looked at him with bewilderment.
"What?"
Sasuke's girlfriend smirked.
"Well,Sasuke-kun was in on my little plan to ruin your your dress was just a bonus!"
"SASUKE!"
The cherry blossom dress was an old one of her mother's and her mother gave it to her before she started getting busy with business.
Temari was cackling and Sasuke looked like he was double-crossed.Sakura,however,was fuming.
"Sasuke you teme!I loved this dress!...I never thought that you'd do this to me."
"But Sakura,I-"
"I can't even believe that I actually pitied you because you were getting slapped up by Temari!"
Sasuke sighed as Sakura gave him a punch to the face and stormed away.
"I really did like you,Sakura!"
It was too late,since Sakura was already out the door,and out of his life.
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Author's note…
I know that it's taken so long just to get this stupid chapter out…but I've been so busy ever since classes started again!Plus my editor's been busy with school too,and it's more harder for her since she's just in elementary((hey,she's pretty smart for an eighter.But it's kinda weird that I have an elementary student doing a niner's editing)) and her teacher's an ass((tee hee)).I'll try and update soooooooooooon!
-Shihna Dojinshi-