The Time it Took

Summary: Haruno Sakura can never forget what he did to her. Her parents moved her to a new place with new faces...just to forget. Two years can do a lot to change one girl. SakuraxOC

Chapter One: First Year Part I

An emerald eyed shinobi yawned and gazed at the slow movements of the clouds above her. The gentle breeze blew strands of her pink hair around her face, reminding her that summer was about to end. Her fourteen year old body lay there on the roof of her new home, gazing at the sky of a different reality. She was not in Konoha anymore, and hopefully she will never return. She purposely left the village without saying good-bye. She purposely left them behind. She purposely wanted to forget everything. Everything about him. The only reason why she was so happy about leaving Konohagakure was because of what he did to her. In the back of her mind, she knew that she would not be able to forgive Uchiha Sasuke.

She played with strands of her own hair, twirling it between her fingers. She began to get annoyed at her bangs, flowing into her eyes. She grew even more irritated at the fact that she no longer wore her forehead protector, signaling that she was a proud shinobi of Konoha. This new village, her new home, would not accept her for who she was and always will be. They would not accept Haruno Sakura as being a shinobi.

"Sakura! Where are you?"

Sakura stood up from her position and hopped off the roof gracefully. She walked into the living room, where her mother and aunt stood, debating whether to move the sofa near the window or in the middle of the room. Her aunt smiled at her and said, "Sakura-chan, why don't you talk a walk outside? Get to know your surroundings a little bit more?"

Sakura shrugged and walked out the door. She was surprised at how little the population was. Almost everyone knew each other. She slowly walked around the small village, noticing that every single person acknowledge her as a stranger, an outsider. If they knew who she really was, they would consider her a disgrace, which to her, was even worse than being a stranger.

She made her way to the forest, and sat below a huge tree. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. Sakura inhaled deeply and exhaled deeply as she buried her head in her arms. She never thought she could have felt lonely. But if that is how destiny has made it, then so be it, she would accept it with open arms.

Sakura panted, sweat trickling down her face. She glanced at the tall tree and saw that half a dozen kunai were stuck in its trunk. She then glanced at another tree, more than thirty feet away with half a dozen more kunai stuck on it. She walked around the forest, seeing where else she threw her kunai and her shuriken stars. She paused as she spotted a katana on the base of a huge tree. She cautiously picked it up and drew it from its scabbard. The silver blade gleamed as she held it to the sunlight. What a beautiful blade! It's so sharp…I wonder how it got here…

She ran full speed at the nearest tree and swung with all the strength she can muster. Sakura then ran thrust the blade into the ground and fell to the ground, her arm over her eyes. She knew there was only a mere scratch on that tree. She just knew it. She was not strong enough, she was weak.

Weak. That is what she will always be. She was angry at herself. She always let her emotions get to her. If she did not let them get the best of her, she would still be at Konohagakure, laughing with her friends, living her old life. But because of him she would never be able to be the same. And what angered her most was the fact that she would never forget, and not forgetting made her weak. She despised being weak, her reason for it was Uchiha Sasuke, and she hated him more than anything.

No, her inner-self said, you don't hate him. It just hurts. Even though it happened over a year ago.

No you're wrong. I hate him.

You're lying.

No I am not. He hurt me, and I will never forgive him.

Excuses.

I hate him…I hate him…I…hate…him…

No…you don't, said her inner-self calmly. You cannot hate someone you've loved almost all your life. So don't lie.

I do not love him. Not anymore.

Then why are you crying?

I'm not crying.

Yes you are.

Sakura wiped the tears away from her face nonchalantly and tried to push thought after thought of Sasuke out of her memory. She would always see him training, there she was, watching him. On that day, she told him her heart, and since then, Sasuke would always smile, a forbidden smile, just for her. Then the image of Ino came into her mind. Ino was with Sasuke, and they were all over each other.

You saw him with Ino…and left without letting him explain. You know what you saw was not real.

It was real. I saw it myself. He even saw me. He saw me run, but he didn't even stop me. The great Uchiha Sasuke just stood there and let me run.

It hurt…but what's done is done. You cannot keep lying to yourself.

I'm not lying. I gave him my heart and he broke it. I hate him for that. I hate him for even coming into my life. I hate him…I hate that stupid jerk!

"Sasuke you are such a bastard! I HATE YOU!" she yelled, tears streaming onto the floor.

Having nothing but Sasuke on her mind, Sakura ran straight towards the same tree. She gripped the katana hilt tighter as her voice rang throughout the forest, her tears falling behind her.

Sakura slid the blade back into the scabbard and placed it carefully leaning against a tree. She turned her back and made her way towards the village; unaware that someone was watching as the huge tree fell behind her.

Sakura leaned against the window pane, looking at the small village below her. Here she was, living in her aunt's guest room, acting as if it were her permanent home. She did not like it all, it was all too…new.

Her mother knocked on her door and slowly opened it. "Sakura dear," she said calmly, "we have visitors."

Sakura sighed and nodded to her mother as she made her way downstairs. She locked the door to her room and looked at herself in the mirror. Her usual clothes gave the impression that she was not whom she appeared to be. She wanted to look decent, first impression was everything; not that she cared, but she didn't want to impose that she was someone unworthy of respect. Instead of her 'ninja outfit', she slipped on a simple white spaghetti strapped dress. She pulled back her annoying bangs and clipped it back with a simple crimson clip. Sakura then looked herself at the mirror and frowned. It was hard to believe she was looking at her own reflection. She looked like a porcelain doll, and she felt like one too.

Sakura made her way downstairs and saw her mother talking to another woman. "Oh Kiyoko-san! Thank you so much." She heard her mother say.

The lady smiled and replied, "I will always be next door if you need any help."

Sakura slowly walked towards her mother and bowed to the lady as her mother introduced her. "Kiyoko-san this is my daughter Sakura. Dear, this is our next door neighbor, Kawashima Kiyoko."

Kiyoko smiled and motioned for Sakura to come closer. She hesitated and went over to Kiyoko. She looked at Sakura and smiled again. "Emiko-san," she said, referring to her mother, "you have a really beautiful daughter."

Sakura flushed a little bit. Out of nowhere, she heard voices say, "She is pretty, isn't she Na-kun?"

"Hai. What would Sano-temme say if he saw her, Na-chan?"

"I don't know. What would happen?"

"He's stupid ego would grow ten times bigger, that's what."

"Hm…that's true! But I don't know…"

"Doesn't that girl ever talk?"

Sakura looked behind Kiyoko and saw two girls with shoulder length lavender hair and creamy white skin, just like their mother. If it weren't for their outfits, they would have been identical. Twins…kawaii twins…

The twin wearing a tan skirt and a white blouse smiled and said, "My name is Kawashima Natsumi."

The other twin, wearing tan shorts and a white tank top, said, "And I'm Nami!"

Sakura stared at the two and realized that they weren't exactly identical. Natsumi had lilac eyes, while Nami had golden ones. Natsumi gave a friendly smile, while Nami just stared at her. Nami grabbed both Sakura's and Natsumi's hand and walked out the door.

"Where are you taking us, Na-kun?" Natsumi asked.

"It's called a tour dummy."

Natsumi gasped and said, "Na-kun! That was rude! You should have asked Haruno-san if she wanted a tour."

Nami stopped in her tracks and blushed. "Why do you have to tell me now, Na-chan? Why couldn't you tell me sooner?"

Sakura couldn't help herself. These two were so funny. They were like opposites. She just could not stop herself from laughing at them. Since she hasn't laughed for so long, something simple made her laugh so much.

"Oh look, she speaks." Nami said. "Now can she shut up?"

Natsumi hit her at the back of her head which caused Sakura to laugh even more. When she finally stopped, Sakura smiled at the twins. "Haruno-san, you look prettier when you smile."

Sakura blinked a couple times and said, "You do not have to be so formal around me…"

Natsumi smiled and the three began their little walk around the village, making Sakura feel less and less like an outsider.

"Sakura-neechan, did you enjoy our tour?" Nami asked.

"It was worth taking. Now I won't get lost if I walk around by myself." Sakura said with a nod.

Natsumi grinned and said, "That's not true. Our village is not that big."

The three stopped at a small antique shop, admiring the small trinkets and giggling at the pieces that looked like it belonged in the trash.

"Na-kun? What's wrong?" Natsumi asked for her sister was now looking out the shop window, frozen on the spot. "Na-kun?"

Sakura walked over to Nami and looked at the same direction she was staring. She saw only saw a boy and girl talking to each other. Every time the boy talked, Nami would clench her fist and mumble something inaudible to the others. Nami turned around to face Sakura and her sister and said, "I'm okay." She plastered a big smile on her face. Sakura noticed that her golden eyes did not shine as much as before, it blazed with seething anger.

"Natsumi-chan? Who are those people?" Sakura asked.

"They are friends of ours. The guy is Aoyama Sanosuke and the girl with him is Himijima Himiko. Sano-sempai is the biggest heart-throb in the village and Himiko-san is the daughter of the richest man and Sano-sempai's biggest fan."

"Himiko-san is really stupid if you ask me. Who the heck would fall in love with Sano-temme?" said Nami, her eyes gleaming once again.

"Would you like to meet them, Onee-chan?" Natsumi asked.

Sakura merely nodded and they walked outside to meet them.

"Sanosuke-sempai!" Natsumi called as they got closer. He turned around and smiled. Sakura held down a gasp as she saw his face. He was good-looking; his dark brown hair was long and tied back into a ponytail and his onyx eyes showed calmness in them. Unlike some other pair of onyx eyes Sakura seem to vividly remember. Of course, Uchiha was beginning to be less cold, but then again, who cares.

"Natsumi, what are you doing here?" He asked with his eyes fixed on Sakura.

"Na-kun and I came here to give Onee-chan a tour of the village. This is Haruno Sakura; she moved here from…where was it again?"

Sakura gave a small smile and said, "It doesn't really matter."

The girl looked intently at Sakura with her fiery ruby eyes and said, "Of course it matters! A home is a home."

Sakura just stared at this girl; her long black hair was swaying in the wind, her eyes still fixed upon Sakura. "My name is Himiko by the way."

"Hello…" Sakura said, starting to feel uncomfortable at her gaze. "Nice to meet both of you."

Himiko continued to keep her eyes on Sakura and asked, "So where are you from?"

"I'm from Konohagakure." Sakura replied, trying to hide her proud tone.

"Konoha…it sounds familiar." Sanosuke said dreamingly.

Himiko giggled and said, "Of course it does. It's one of those shinobi villages."

"Ah, shinobi…I remember now. So, Sakura was it? Are you a shinobi then?" Sanosuke said, his eyes staring at Sakura as though he knew who she was.

"Me? No, of course not." She replied hastily as she averted his gaze.

Himiko went up closer to Sakura and asked, "Are you sure? Because you do know this is a non-shinobi village. Are you sure you are not lying?"

"Positive!" Sakura said as her inner-self growled with annoyance at the black-haired girl.

Sanosuke smiled again at Sakura, making her feel queasy. Sanosuke seemed to be telling her something with his eyes, but Sakura looked away. He then looked at Nami. She looked back at him and crossed her arms. She had fire in her eyes as she smirked.

"Sano-temme."

"Nami."

They continued to glare at each other when Himiko stepped in. "Sano-chan, you shouldn't be fighting with Nami-chan, she's younger than you!"

"I was not going to do anything, Himi-rin." Sanosuke said sweetly.

"Sano-chan!" Himiko squealed as Sanosuke began to tickle her.

Sakura looked away while Natsumi was staring at Nami. Natsumi looked at Sakura apologetically as Nami continued her actions. Sakura held down the urge to laugh as Nami pretended to act as if she were throwing up. Sakura never felt this way in the longest time ever. She turned to look at Sanosuke who turned to look back at her. He smiled as Sakura turned away. Just taking a mere glimpse at him sent chills down her spine. His eyes were so familiar yet deceiving at the same time, and she just knew that something about this Aoyama Sanosuke was just plain wrong.

The grandfather clock on the floor below chimed one in the morning. Sakura was leaning by the window pane, sitting by on the edge with one leg drawn up to her while the other touched the floor. Her window was wide open as her curtains rustled with the wind. Her eyes were closed as she mumbled, "A home is a home" her mind was racing about Konohagakure. "A home is a home."

In her hand was a photo, one of her most treasured possessions. Hinata was smiling at Naruto, who was pouting. Neji had his arms around Tenten's waist as they both smiled at the camera; well Neji looked more like he was smirking. Lee, Shikamaru, and Chouji were also in the picture, the three of them looking tall and proud, Chouji looking hungry. The two tall figures in the back, Kakashi and Iruka, towered over the children. Right in the center of the picture was Ino, Sasuke, and Sakura. Both Ino and Sakura had wrapped her arm around Sasuke's, smiling as Sakura's fingers held the peace sign. In the photograph, Sasuke was looking at her, smiling his forbidden smile.

Her photo gleamed in the moonlight as Sakura opened her eyes to look at the sparkling stars above her. I wonder if everyone back at Konohagakure is looking at the same sky I am…I wonder if they are thinking about me…if he's thinking about me…

Sakura closed her eyes again. "Why do these tears keep falling? No matter how hard I try they just won't stop…" she whispered, as a silent tear streamed down her cheek.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: It's meeh again! I decided to start another one of my fanfics cuz ideas bout this one kept flooding in my head…so I started it so the ideas wouldn't go away…buh I know for a fact this wont be longer than six chapters! Basically this fic is all bout Sakura. It goes long with 'Believe me It's True' cuz its wut happened wen Sakura left and stuff likee that. Les jus say is kinda of a reflection/effect fic…has Saku reflecting on wut happened to her and it has wut effect Saku's new friends have on her. So yea…hope you guys all likee it.Reviews, comments, suggestions, flames….well anything's welcome cuz I wouldn't mind anything! Till nxt chapter TTFN!