-Believe Me, It's True-

Summary: Sasuke has always hid his innermost feelings for as long as he can remember. But at age sixteen, he can't afford to hide those feelings anymore. But what if the one he loves hates him for past misunderstandings? SasuxSaku

Chapter Five: Eavesdropping and Girl Fights

Sakura took a deep breath as she watched the morning sun rise above the horizon. She only had two more days…just two more days. It was just her luck that it had to be during a festival. She had an excuse to stay a little longer in Konohagakure. But still, a festival that has to do with 'intertwined destinies'? That could be interesting. Two days just seems so short to her. What can she do with so little time?

"Sakura?" A sleepy voice rose from the kitchen as Hinata walked in. She yawned as she sat on the table, her movements lethargic. "What are you doing up so early?"

Sakura smiled as she turned to face her. "What are you doing up so early? Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

"Well, I'm not the one sitting on the kitchen counter on the break of dawn."

"You got me." Sakura replied as she threw her arms up in surrender. "I'm used to waking up this early. It's an odd habit that I'm dying to break. I miss waking up to the sounds of busy people, but lately I have been waking up to the sound of…well…nature I guess."

Hinata giggled softly. "That's what you get for leaving Konoha and moving to the wilderness. You get more in touch with your…uh…'inner senses.' But next time, please don't be so loud when waking up."

"Sorry, I thought I was being quiet."

"Quiet? Whispering newborn babies are quieter than you!"

Sakura and Hinata burst into laughter as the citizens of the ninja village began to wake up and go about their business. The two teenage girls eased down and sat in silence, hearing as people walked around outside.

"Why did you leave?" asked Hinata suddenly as she broke the silence.

Sakura turned again to the rising sun, pretending as though she did not hear a word coming from her mouth. Not wanting to be rude, she replied quietly, "It was something small and…now that I think about it…stupid. But I was naïve and didn't care whether my parents moved me or not. I actually believed I would be happy when I moved."

Hinata just stared at her. She muttered, "Happy? Were you happy?"

Sakura looked at her dangling feet and whispered, "Does it matter? I don't want to talk about it."

"But Sakura it does matter! We weren't the least bit happy when we found out you left without even a goodbye! Tenten was not herself; neither was I! Naruto could not even say one sly remark for weeks…we weren't the same for a long time without you. When you left, we had no idea what was wrong…you left us in the dark and we felt as though we weren't your friends…"

Sakura jumped of the counter and walked over to Hinata. "I'm so sorry…I really am. Please, don't cry."

"I just wanted you to talk to me…" Hinata wiped her tears away and looked at her. "I wanted you to tell me what was wrong."

"I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I was too much in…I don't know…depression."

"Sakura…you could have-"

The kitchen door burst open as a chocolate haired shinobi walked into the room.

"Hinata! Sakura! Good morning! Eh? What's wrong Hinata?"

Hinata smiled and said cheerfully, "Nothing at all!"

Tenten looked at her and shrugged and joined the other two at the kitchen table. "It's all right if you don't want to tell me, I would probably find out later. I only came here to see if you to would like to join us for a little party." She said, as she took an apple from the bowl.

"Party? What's the occasion?" Sakura asked.

"Haruno Sakura!"

"Me? Since when did I become the reason for a party?"

"Yeah, her birthday was weeks ago, when she was still in the mountains." Hinata said, trying to figure out what Tenten was saying.

Sakura nodded. "Well, not unless I am turning seventeen with another birthday I was unaware about, a party would not be necessary for me."

"I know that. But a reason for this party is necessary."

Sakura and Hinata looked at Tenten, confused.

"It's about her coming back." Tenten finally said, annoyed at the dense thinking of her friends. "We haven't celebrated the coming home of Sakura!"

"Wasn't that weeks ago too?"

"It was either today or never! You're stupid cousin finally agreed with me on this whole party thing…It took him weeks to just say, 'Okay Tenten, we can have the party at my place.' I seriously do not know how you can be related to that idiot!"

Sakura held down the urge to burst out laughing as Hinata asked, "Aren't you dating that so called idiot?"

Tenten sat there as though in thought and smiled lovingly. "But he's my idiot."

"Typical. Only something Tenten would say." Hinata said, smiling at her.

Sakura let out a sigh and said, "So the party is at Neji's place then?"

"It is the biggest house out of all of us…so it makes sense." Hinata said.

"When is the party?"

"What time is it now?"

Sakura looked at the clock. "Almost seven."

"Well then, the party is in three hours and from that time the party will end in about…" Tenten stared at the ceiling as she bit into her somewhat forgotten apple as she tried to determine a time.

"How about it ends when everyone is too tired? I mean, we can't go to a party then get ready for the second festival day, already exhausted. We do need some resting time." Hinata said, recalling how they slipped back into bed way past midnight.

"Smart. I better get going; you know get the party ready. Thanks for breakfast!" Tenten said as she threw the apple core into the trash. "See you later!"

Sakura stood in front of her closet, tossing things on the floor. "Where the heck is it?" she mumbled as she threw a box of papers unto the floor. The box's lid was thrown open and papers flew in every direction. "Great."

She kneeled on the floor as she picked up each paper and crammed them in the small box. She did not care that almost every single one was being crushed and/or torn. The papers were meaningless, it was what she was looking for that counts.

She put the box and all the random clothes back into the closet and prepared to fall into her bed. She stopped herself when she remembered that her bed was occupied by her festival outfit. This time it was crimson in color decorated with lilac stars. She sighed at her incomplete outfit.

She walked over to the drawer on the opposite side of the room, opening each box and container on the surface. She almost jumped for joy went she drew a silver chain from one of the boxes. Hanging from the chain was a silver star connected to a pale yellow crescent moon, gleaming in the morning sun. "I finally found it." She carefully placed the necklace atop her kimono and smiled. This was the very first and last gift she received from someone she now hated, or so she says.

Flashback

"Happy Birthday Sakura!"

A now thirteen year old Sakura smiled as her friends waved good-bye to her. Her party was now over, and she was glad. She enjoyed her party very much, but deep down inside, she was hurting. She invited every one she knew, and every one came except…him.

Sakura went her way to her bedroom and lay on her bed, her head buried by her pillows. The moon shone through her window as Sakura lay there, thinking of how much a fool she was for thinking he would come. She sat upright when she heard something outside of her window. She opened it and looked around for the cause. No one was there…but at the foot of her window was a small package, wrapped in nothing but a brown paper bag. She opened it carefully and gasped. Lying in the palm of her hand was the most beautiful necklace she has ever seen.

She picked up the card and read:

Happy Birthday.

It wasn't signed, but she knew that writing anywhere. "Thank you, Sasuke…"

End Flashback

She sighed again. Two weeks after that she gave Sasuke her heart. Four weeks after that, he broke it. Simple as that, one year later she left. Now she has returned from a two year departure and despite all that, she waited almost four hours for a party her friends would be throwing her.

"Sakura! It's almost time to go!" Sakura brushed her hair and quickly tied it into two ponytails as she made her way downstairs. "Sakura! Let's go! Hinata yelled again.

"I'm coming!"

"A toast! To the return of one Haruno Sakura!" Naruto said, holding up his glass of soda. Every one followed suite and said, "Cheers!"

Sakura placed her glass on the table and smiled. Everyone around her was chatting and drinking, having fun considering it was only the first two hours of the party. They spent the latter on nothing but talking about the past and good times.

Naruto chugged down the bottle and grinned widely at Sasuke, who was already finished with his. "You lost again."

Naruto restrained himself from screaming and merely smiled, cracking his knuckles.

"No one can beat my Sasuke!" Ino squealed as she wrapped her arms around him. "He's the absolute best!"

On the sofa, Sanosuke grunted and said, "The best? At what? Being a sore loser?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Here we go again.

Sasuke turned to face him and smirked. "You can't just handle the fact that I'm better than you."

"Oh yeah? Is that so?" Sanosuke replied, leaning over to glare at Sasuke.

"Yeah, jealous?"

Tenten stepped in between them and said, "You guys shouldn't be fighting! This is a party and you guys are supposed to be gentlemen, giving respect to the women around you."

"I'm so sorry," Sanosuke said, grabbing hold of Tenten's hand, "but I will stop because your radiance has-OUCH! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?" Sanosuke was holding the top of his head with Neji towering over him.

"Hands off." Neji growled with death in his eyes.

"Okay, okay I get it. It is alright though, because Saku-rin is the only girl for me…" Sanosuke made his way to Sakura and wrapped his arms around her.

Sakura pulled away and said, "Not in this lifetime."

The group howled with laughter at Sanosuke's misfortune with the women of Konohagakure.

"So Sanosuke, who exactly are you?" Hinata asked.

"Me? Well, my name is Aoyama Sanosuke, but you can all call me Sano, because it sounds hotter."

Naruto rolled his eyes and asked, "So what's your deal? Why you here?"

"Does it matter to you?"

Naruto crossed his arms and muttered what sounded oddly like, "Idiot."

Sasuke looked at everyone and leaned back into the sofa. Luckily for him, Ino was talking to Hitomi. He closed his eyes for only a few seconds when he heard Sakura's voice. "Sano and I are only friends."

"Only friends? Saku-rin, you are breaking my heart!"

Sasuke looked from Hinata to Neji, who were rolling their eyes at Sanosuke. Pathetic.

"Oi, Uchiha, got a minute?" Sanosuke said, looking at Sasuke.

The two onyx eyed teens made their way to the next room.

Ino and her friend, Hitomi, sat on the sofa, Sasuke on the opposite side of Ino. They were both whispering to each other.

"I cannot believe that she actually came back. Ino, what are you going to do?" Hitomi asked.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Why bother doing something when I have what I want? Hitomi, it would be a waste of time if I tried to kick her out of Konoha."

"But what if Sasuke…?"

Ino sighed and whispered, "My Sasuke would not think about doing that. Besides, I have that thing."

"Thing…?" Hitomi repeated.

"You remember…the thing that I have against him?"

"Oh, you mean about two years ago? But it didn't really happen…"

"Hitomi I know that! As long as you saw it then we could say it did happen!"

Hitomi sighed and whispered, "But what if Sakura still…you know…loves him?"

Ino looked shocked and said, "After what she saw Sasuke do? I don't think so. Sasuke is mine; he will always be mine and no one else's. I would kill anyone who tried to get to him."

"K-kill?"

"Like I said years ago, if I can't have him then no one else can."

Hitomi fell silent and stared at Ino as if she were staring at some stranger. Sasuke then stood up and left the room with Sanosuke. "Come on!" With that, they followed the boys. As they closed the door behind them, the two girls placed the ear over the doors surface.

Sanosuke locked the door behind him and glared at Sasuke.

"Uchiha."

"Aoyama."

"Fool."

"Coward."

Sanosuke grabbed his shirt and shook the Uchiha. "Idiot!"

"Bastard!" Sasuke pulled away and punched him squarely in the face. "Next time you want to talk to me, make sure I want to listen."

Sasuke began to walk away as he heard Sanosuke manage to sputter, "Did you quote someone? That sounds awfully familiar, Uchiha."

Sasuke turned around. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. She told me everything. Your little flower told me what happened between you two."

Sasuke froze and glared at him.

"Speechless, Uchiha? Or stunned? Saku-rin told me how she felt about you, how she gave you everything yet you threw that everything in the garbage. She saw you with that blonde girl, and she never forgave you. You should have seen her when she told me all this. She was crying in my arms!"

"Shut up."

"You broke her in pieces, you killed her spirit!"

"Be quiet."

"She hates you, and I hope she always will. That day, when she told me everything, I swore to her that I would protect her from you and I would make sure she stayed with me."

Sasuke rushed over to Sanosuke and punched him again. "I said to shut the hell up! I don't care that she hates me! You know why? Because she doesn't!"

"Stop lying to yourself!"

"I'm not. Why did she come back then? She still loves me."

"NO! She loves no one else but me! And I am the only one capable to love her back!"

"No, Sakura loves me. She came back for me. And you know what? You don't love her at all. I love her, and I will make sure that she knows it."

Ino stood there, her mouth hanging open. Hitomi stared at her friend and whispered, "Ino, let's go back."

Ino nodded and they made their way to the party room. Ino stopped when she heard Tenten say her name from beyond the closed door.

"Ino? I thought we were talking about Sasuke?"

"We are. I just want toknow if them going out isn't a hoax." Sakura said.

Naruto inched closer to Sakura and said, "Do you still…love him?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, me loving Uchiha was a loooong time ago. I hate him."

"Do you really hate him?" Hinata asked, looking at Sakura intently.

A silence fell between all of them, and Sakura began to feel uncomfortable.

"Or is it," Naruto said, breaking the silence, "that it's Sano-what's-his-face that you love?"

"I thought we were talking about Sasuke?" Neji said as Naruto held the big lump on his head.

"Hold on! Sakura…how does Sasuke make you feel?" Tenten asked.

"Pissed off." Sakura said simply.

"No! I mean before!"

"Oh, well, I don't really know. It's pretty hard to describe."

"Okay! That's it! Back on subject!"

"Tenten, what was-" Hinata started but was cut off by Tenten.

"Haven't you noticed his change?"

"Which one? The fact that he may be stronger than me but I can't tell because someone doesn't want me to fight him?" Neji said, almost in one breath.

"Well, no, the other change." Tenten saw the clueless looks in everyone except Hinata and sighed. "Hinata? You know."

"He's happy." Hinata replied.

Sakura sat there and repeated, "Happy?"

"Yup. Happy."

"But wasn't he always? I mean he is with Ino and all…"

Naruto laughed. "Does he look happy?"

"Doesn't Sasuke like Ino?" Sakura asked, trying to hide the sound of hope in her voice.

Everyone shook their heads.

"He's only happy because you're here, Sakura." Tenten said, as she snuggled in Neji's embrace.

"But…I thought…"

"It's really obvious. So don't worry about it." Hinata said.

Sakura smiled. She never knew that about him. Now she was glad that Sasuke didn't really like her. Seconds later, a fuming Ino burst through the door and slapped Sakura right across the face.

"Sakura! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" Ino screamed as she rushed her way toward Sakura. "Don't you dare go near him! Keep you hands off him! He's MINE!"

Sakura sat there, stunned. She did nothing to Ino. She barley talked to her ever since she came back! Furious, Sakura stood up from the couch and slapped Ino back saying calmly yet fiercely, "What the hell did I do to you?"

"You're asking me? You should know!" Ino slapped her again.

"Well I don't!" Sakura screamed, ducking at Ino's attempted third slap.

Ino grabbed Sakura's hair and pulled her up. "Liar!"

Slap!

"You're a bitch…"

Slap!

"…who always gets…"

Slap!

"…in MY WAY!"

Slap! Slap!

Ino shoved her to the ground and straddled her and made another attempt to slap her but Hitomi and Tenten tried stop her. They were both pushed away by the enraged blonde who attempted yet again to hit Sakura. Ino screeched as Sakura punched her and was the one that ended up on the bottom of their cat fight. Sakura double-slapped Ino then was pulled back by Naruto while Ino was pulled by Neji.

"You pig! Why the hell are you doing this? What did I do?" Sakura pulled herself away from Naruto and stared at Ino, breathing hard.

"Sakura you piece of crap! What did you do? You want to know? YOU CAME BACK! EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL YOU CAME BACK!" Ino yelled as she pried from Neji's grasp.

"You guys stop it!" Hinata cried, but to no avail because the two angry teenagers were ignoring everyone around them.

She rushed to Sakura and tried to strangle her, but Sakura kicked her out of arms reach as she heard a long rip. Ino came back, and punched Sakura, making her fall face first onto the table casuing several bottles to break. Sakura got back up and made her way to Ino. She grabbed her long ponytail and yanked it hard, causing Ino to fall to the ground.

"Let go of me!" Ino screamed, as she tried to pull her hair from the pink-haired shinobi's grasp.

"As you wish!" When Sakura let go, it caused Ino to fall back to the floor, but she quickly got up and her outstretched arms ready to grab Sakura.

"Stop!"

A male figure stood in the middle, and literally threw Ino on his shoulder, despite her tantrum to be released. Ino stopped squirming and burst into tears. Sasuke turned to look at Sakura who was being held back by Sanosuke. She was struggling still, and when he let go of her, Sakura just straightened her skirt and glared at the now tear-stricken Ino.

"What the hell happened here?" Sasuke asked, placing Ino on the sofa. Sanosuke looked just as confused as he looked around the thrashed living room and the people in it.

Hinata, Hitomi, Tenten, Neji, and Naruto were all shaken and speechless. Ino was sobbing rather loudly and in between each sniff she would hiccup the words, "Oh, Sasuke!" Sakura was silent and looked at the two boys, Sasuke's hair was messed up and Sanosuke had a huge now purple bruise beneath his left eye.

"You guys look horrible." Sakura said.

"You should look at yourself and Blondie over there before you judge us." Sanosuke said, pointing at Ino.

Sakura looked at the wailing Ino, her hair was sticking out in weird places, her face red with the beginning of a bruise. She then looked at herself and held down a laugh. She knew her hair was also disheveled, and the numbness in her cheeks meant they were red. She put her hand to her foreheadand felta cut on the farright side.Her white t-shirt was torn at the sleeve, revealing a red tank top and a small cut on her chest. "I think, we should all go home and get some rest."

"Are you okay Sakura?" Naruto asked, as they neared Hinata's place.

"I'm alright."

Hinata sighed and looked pleadingly at Naruto who only shrugged.

"We have almost five hours until the featival starts. Why don't you two hang out or something?" Sakura said.

"What about you?" Naruto asked.

"I'll be alright. You two worry too much. I just need some rest." Sakura smiled at them and made her way to the house.

Naruto and Hinata stood there, watching as Sakura's pink hair swayed behind her.

"Will she be alright?" Hinata asked.

"She'll be fine. She is Sakura after all."

'What a way to throw a party.'

Sakura locked the door to her friend's house and made her way to her loaned room. She grabbed the necklace on her bed and walked quietly to the small living room. She lay on the couch and held the necklace lovingly. 'How is it that the person I love the most becomes the person I hate more than anything? Not unless…I…

The image of Ino and him blared into her mind, as if it were burned there forever.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke walked the crying Ino to her doorstep. Ino turned to look at him and said, "Sasuke, do you love me?"

"What do you think?"

"Sasuke," Ino whispered, "don't forget, I can ruin everything for you. So I'll ask you again. Do you love me?"

Sasuke hesitated and managed to say, "…yes."

"Good." Ino walked into her house and closed the door on a now scowling Sasuke.

To Be Continued…

-Author's plea: okay um…my sources were telling meeh that a yukata was a summer kimono…then I hear that its wut they used for sleepin….so now im totally confused…can u guys kinda help meeh out? I used yukata on the last chapter and kimono in this one…which one is it I really don't want the fic to sound weird…. My head is spinning . id be glad if ne of u guys can help meeh!

-Author's note: This chappie is long…wow…im kinda amazed at that…so yea…I mite take a lil longer updating cuz skool starts Thursday…im gonna have plenty of seniors pick on meeh…the poor freshman….ha ha no not really…I made some senior friends during summa volleyball…so yea…I guess im okay. Hope u all liked this chapter! Reviews…comments…suggestions…flames…anything to say are all welcome!

Preview of Ch.6: His Attempts, Her Avoidance, Their Revenge Part I

Sanosuke sat on the bench and stared at Sakura. "Saku-rin. I don't want you to go anywhere near Uchiha."

"Well, that's easy. I hate the guy."

"No, I mean it. I swore to protect him from you, and that's what I'm going to do."

Sakura sat beside him and said, "Sano, you worry too much." Just like everyone else.

"I meant what I said, Saku-rin. And I mean it when I say that if he even goes one inch near you I'll slit his throat."

A female voice behind them spoke out and said, "Aoyama Sanosuke, was that a threat? I definitely will report that to the Council. And hopefully they won't be so easy on you because you're dating the rich girl." A lavender haired girl stood behind the bench as the two turned around.

"Nami? What are you doing here?"