Chapter Two: Truths and Lies

"He asked you out on a date again?"

"Yup, he did, and this time it's a formal date, not like those we had in school."

"Way to go girl! You really are something if you managed to make that Uchiha boy ask you out finally and in the night huh! Seventh time this month, right? And I know he really is a picky guy! Well, he should, with those handsome features of his… Still, you've managed to attract him that much."

"I didn't even know he liked me."

"Oh come on Sakura," said Yamanaka Ino while tying a pink ribbon around the girl's drawn out hair. "You're cute, sexy, and intelligent. What more would a guy look for in a perfect girl like you?"

She was happy her best friend has finally decided to loosen up a bit from all their academics and start dealing with her social life. And for the first time she found someone who could make her happy even for just a short period of time. She knew it would be short-lived if ever the two will have a relationship since Uchiha Sasuke was an apple of the eye in their college and if he were like one of those typical campus crushes—which she hoped he wasn't--he would definitely love changing girlfriends as often as he would change his shirt.

"Ino, I'm not perfect you, know that," came Haruno Sakura's reply while applying face powder on her cheeks, attempting to cover the blush that had crept over them.

"Well," said Ino rethinking what she just said to her best friend, "of course you aren't perfect because I, myself, am not perfect. But at least you're ending up with someone you deserve, unless he's a total crap that there's really nothing behind that pretty boy face of his. And another thing, he's really handsome and I think he's nice. I'm starting to wonder if he's related to those wealthy Uchihas who do nothing but buy everyone else's lives. Obviously though, he isn't. Look at him. He's just like Shika, an average guy though he looks more human than Nara."

Ino sighed and Sakura was having a hard time suppressing a giggle. She knew what, or rather who, Ino was pertaining to. A smile broke on the pink-haired girl's lips and Ino, though blushing furiously, still gave her a questioning look.

"What?"

"Ino, stop harassing Nara Shikamaru when he isn't around," answered a smiling Sakura. "Besides, he'sa sweet guy after all like you've noticed. He's very intelligent and wise. Remember that project he made last time? It was really good, the professors gave him an A plus for that. You just have to understand that he's still having a hard time dealing with tough girls such as yourself! You really can tell he loves you so much because he still puts up with you though you and he don't get along too well anymore."

Ino let a sigh escape from her lips while she shook her head. When she had finished braiding Sakura's hair, she took a chair opposite the door and sat beside the girl. She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head back so that she was talking to the ceiling instead.

"It's he who makes our relationship a living hell, not me," defended Ino, still gazing at the ceiling. She then averted her gaze to her best friend before continuing on. "Oh Sakura, if you only know how—how uncaring that guy is! We go to school together alright but he barely sees me afterwards. He always has this part-time job excuse to send me off. He doesn't care if I go home alone, sometimes even late at night and---arrgh--- all he talks about when we meet up or have a date is that Uchiha Sasuke! Sasuke this, Sasuke that, gods, he drives me crazy!"

"Really?" asked Sakura incredulously. "I thought it was Naruto who can't put up with Sasuke, not Shikamaru."

"No, Sakura dear," said an almost-frenzied Ino. "Naruto and that guy gets along well these days. Anyway, Shika tells me about his encounters with your Sasuke, how he tries to show him who's a greater 'man'. His complaints about him are endless! If I wasn't his girlfriend I'd start thinking he's flirting with Sasuke."

"Ino!" said an abashed Sakura. "You don't mean he's… he's a--?"

"Oh never mind that Sakura, of course he isn't," cut off Ino while waving an impatient hand. "That's one of the reasons why I'm very happy you and Sasuke are finally going together! If you had that guy under you then you could at least request him to stop showing-off or picking up a fight with Shikamaru. Or perhaps change him for the better! If that's what he has been doing like what Shika always tells me. At least everyone could live in peace."

"We're not yet going together," said an embarrassed Sakura. "This is just our first date, Ino."

"Seventh."

"Well, maybe yes but this is our first official date."

"Well, you'll end up together anyway," said a resigned Ino while giving Sakura a reassuring tap on the shoulder. "It's just like that dear, the boy asks you out, then you see each other at school, then you go out on a date again, you'll get more comfortable with one another as days pass, then he introduces you to his friends, you do the same… you know, same routine until one day you just realize you're together. Just like that."

"R-Really?" asked Sakura. She was scared of how Ino described the process as a "routine" and how people tend to end "just like that" but she didn't let any of her worries come out anymore. She didn't want to her fretful friend get sleepless nights because of her.

"Do you really think he's not related to the Uchihas everyone has been talking about?" asked Sakura darkly but with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Sheesh, Sakura," said Ino. "Look at him! I'm dead sure he isn't. He'll be driving an SUV at his age if he were! He can't even have the money to rent out a car you know. Besides, he looks so… normal, you know that? Just like us. If I'm not mistaken he even is a lot poorer than us."

"Ino!"

"But it's true Sakura!" snapped Ino. "I mean, if he is THAT Uchiha, then, he truly is doing a great job lying to everyone. And to think, that would be a great scandal if everyone finds out. Come, on! Just enjoy your date with him and for once, stop thinking about them. You worry too much. It shows on your face. It even increases wrinkles."

"Haha… I guess so," said Sakura with a small chuckle. "Maybe I worry too much."

"Speaking of the angel, I think you should go girl," whispered Ino while jerking her thumb at the door which was ajar. She saw through the small opening the figure of Uchiha Sasuke, with his back towards her. Sakura wondered why he didn't even bother to ring the doorbell. She looked at the time and her heart almost stopped. It was 7:10 pm. Did he hear what Ino just said? Have you been standing there all the time Sasuke?

"It's time," whispered Ino again while she placed a silver bracelet around Sakura's right wrist. The bracelet was a gift to Ino by her grandmother when she was little. It didn't fit her anymore so she decided to give it as a gift to Sakura whose wrists were inexplicably thinner than hers though their bodies were of the same size.

"You think he'll like my outfit?"

"Of course he will, you are sexy," said Ino while giving her a soft pat on the back. "Don't worry girl! Let the moon draw out your inner beauty. I tell you, your date will fall for you over and over again, I swear, I can feel it! Just don't get too jumpy when he asks questions about you. Ask him stuff about himself too and oh, if he gets a bit weird or he does something strange, get away from him. Or if you could dial your cell, give me a ring and I'll come over and kick his butt for you."

"Thanks Ino."

Sakura gave her best friend a final hug before going out of the room. She waved at her as she walked towards the door leading to the outside world and disappeared in the darkness of the night with her date. Ino stared at where Sakura stood before she joined Sasuke outside. Oh, how you've grown Sakura. You've become a lady sooner than I thought.

"Good luck girl! Make your best friend proud!"

--

"Er… Sasuke?" asked Sakura shyly.

"What is it?"

Sakura remained silent for a minute, considering what she was about to ask. She knew Ino had said that she should just enjoy their date and stop thinking about whether Sasuke was a member of that despised Uchiha family or not. Still, she can't help her curiousity. It's just TOO impossible for Sasuke to drive such… such… car. Like what Ino said, even if he had money, he wouldn't be able to rent any kind of car and even more a vehicle like this.

"Is this SUV yours?"

Sasuke didn't answer right away. He looked at the road they were traversing hoping to find a clue telling me what to say to the girl. This was it. He had to tell her. He had made so much lies already that he thought he should spare her from more lies, even just about this small thing. Besides, more lies could just make everything more complicated. Not that it mattered to him anyway, so why not see how she reacts.

"Yeah," he answered after a few minutes. "It was just a gift."

"Oh, ok."

Sakura felt her heart beat go irregular behind her rib cage. She looked at the sky, trying to hide her eyes which were now as round as coins. She saw the moon smiling grimly down at her almost telling her what a jerk she has been. She swore the silver orb shining before her was bloody red tonight. And it was whispering inaudible and absurd words to her already unbelieving ears, words she herself dare not believe, words she hoped would be gone the moment she woke up when she finds out that everything had been a dream all along; that she was back in her apartment lying on her warm comfortable bed, dreaming about school and about Sasuke who's just her average guy and not this rich young man beside her. She pinched her arm slightly and as she did, she felt that it hurt. She sure wasn't dreaming and that made reality hurt more.

"What are you doing?" asked Sasuke, trying to glimpse the girl through the corner of his eye. She sure was acting weird doing all the pinching stuff to herself.

"Oh, nothing Sasuke," muttered Sakura, a little bit embarassed. "I'm... i'm just... trying to kill mosquitoes!" Oh god... He didn't fall for that, no, he definitely didn't. What were you thinking girl! That's pathetic...

She tried to put up a smile on her face trying to hide up the suspicion as well as the blush covering her face. She looked at the Uchiha and saw him reach out a hand to her face, making contact with her left cheek. Sakura felt the blush on her face become redder as the smooth hand of Sasuke rested on her cheek. She was still enjoying the touch when she felt the palm of the boy leave her face already. A line of disappointment was almost visible on the pink-haired girl's face.

"Sasuke?"

"You're not a very good liar Sakura-chan."

Sakura felt her muscles tense and her breathe hitch up on her throat as the response of the boy sunk completely in her head. She stared ahead and tried to clear her mind. It looks like she hasn't said anything yet that gave her a heavy backfire tonight. She inwardly sighed and closed her eyes. Sasuke knew... yeah... he knew what she was thinking. And that she wasn't wrong.

Looks like we totally messed up the facts, Ino… He is a member of THAT Uchiha family and he DOES drive an SUV.

--

TBC…

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A/N: It's short, I know. Like it, no? Tell me pls. I want to know if you find the fic likable. C&C pls. Sankyuu!

-aveya-