DISCLAIMER: Sadly I do not own Naruto or anything that would help me rake in millions!

(AN)Author's note- Hello all my readers, thanks for taking the time to read my story. In some of my reviews (thanx a bunch) they said Neji was OCC, last chapter may be true, but I'll explain later why he's like that. And also I've only seen up to season 2 so I really don't know how he interacts with characters I just know a lot about him. And also I know everything about the anime and most of the manga version but to make this story more mine I changed a few details. So enjoy!

STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

Chapter Two

DREAM

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto were all in the restaurant celebrating. Sakura leaned in closer to Sasuke from their position on the barstool and whisphered. "Naruto is certainly popular with all the kids, huh?" She nodded her head towards Naruto whom stood in the center of the restaurant clamouring for his attention.

"He always has been," Sasuke responded. He turned around to face her. "I noticed earlier when we came in," he began, "that you seemed a little depressed, but now it seems you're okay now," he said it like question.

She nodded her head and smiled, "Hai, you're right. I have been feeling a down for the past weeks and mad at myself for not moving on with my teammates, but I feel better now."

Sasuke's expression was questioning, "What changed your attitude?"

She looked around her and lowered her voice conspicously, "This may be hard to believe, but Neji talked to me and it cheered me up."

To her surprise and anger Sasuke exploded into laughter. That captured the attention the attention of nearly everone in the restaurant. It wasn't so strange now to see Sasuke smiling and laughing, but laughing so open and with wild abandon was another thing.

"Will you stop it," Sakura hissed.

He quieted down a little, "You're telling me that that cold Hyuuga cheered you up?"

"Yes," Sakura exclaimed loudly. He started laughing even harder and cluthed his stomach. "Don't believe me then," she huffed and grabbed her purse to walk out.

"Wait," he gasped. "I belive you," he said around peals of laughter.

'Idiot,' she thought as she stepped out of the restaurant. Over the years Sasuke and Naruto had become best friends and as a result were beginning to act like each other. With Naruto learning to be serious, and Sasuke learning to be stupid.

She started her walk home, when a hand grabbed her wrist. She turned to see Naruto behind her.

"Why'd you leave in such a hurry? Sasuke's in there having fits," he announced.

"Thats why I left," she shrieked.

Naruto jumped back. It didn't matter how much stronger he got than Sakura she still scared him witless.

Sakura took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Naruto, I just need to go home. I stayed out with both of you for over 3 hours and I'm beat. You should be too from all the exams and excitement."

He grinned, "Nah. All the excitementis keeping me energized." He adjusted his new headband and he noticed the wistful look that came and went in Sakura's eyes. "And don't forget Sakura we can still do B-Class missions together. And there's more B-class missions than A-class nowadays, so we'll still be a team."

He was shocked and unprepared when Sakura launched herself at him, "Thank you Naruto, you're right." She squoze him harder and he gasped for breath.

"You're welcome," he akwardly patted her back.

She pulled back and yawned, "I'm so sleepy. Its almost nitetime," she looked at her watch. "I'm going to bed now," she stretched her arms behind her head.

POOF Sakura turned to see Sasuke next to her. "Don't forget we have training early tomorrow."

Sakura folded her arms in annoyance, "I'm not talking to you," she uttered.

"I'm sorry Sakura," he had the nerve to grin when he said it.

"What for," she asked determined to pull it out of him.

He sighed in long-suffering, "For laughing at you. You have to admit it was funn-," he broke off when she shot a death glare at him.

"You dont have to believe me but I did speak with Neji, and," she emphasized, "It won't be the last time."

Now Naruto and Sasuke both looked interested now. 'Oh no,' she lamented to herself, 'What did I just get myself into? How am I going to get myself out of this one?"

She smiled feeling a little sick. "So there," she sputtered and quickly turned around. "Goodnight," she called out all but running away. She didn't need to turn around to see the smug and knowing look on Sasuke's face.

When she reached home she clamourmed up the steps to get to her bedroom. Her parents were getting up there, they were already retired for the night. One of these days she was going to move out, hopefully not until she was 21 because she needed to find an apartment and choose a roomate. Ino would most likely be moving in with Shikamaru so she was out. So was Hinata who wouldn't leave home until she married Naruto, and that probably wouldn't take place til years from now. Naruto and Sasuke...no they were both of the question. So that left finding a roommate or getting married. Now she laughed. If she was old-fashioned like Hinata then she would die an old woman in her bedroom at her parents house. She had confidence in herself as a woman, but at present there weren't many prospective husbands in Konaha for her. They were all either too young, too old, married or out of her lead. She reached in her closet to slip on the pink silk pajama set she slept in. She crawled under her covers and sighed contentedly.

'It would be nice to lay beside my husband every night and fall asleep in each others arms.' An image of Neji flickered through her thoughts. Her mind started reeling and she shot up in the bed. 'What made me think of him,' her mind screamed. Just thinking of Neji was worst than pining after Sasuke. 'I have a 100 better chance of becoming the Hokage than even dating him,' she thought wryly. She snuggled back under the covers. 'But Neji really is handsome,' she sighed and thought back to their conversation. The contrast between his rich dark hair and pale silverly eyes was what she found so appealing about him.

She knew better than to start liking him. She was just an ordinary Haruna, but Neji was the heir to one of the most prestigious clans. And to top it off they were old and stuffy about tradition and wouldn't dare marry someone low-class.

'Whoa,' Sakura shook her head in bewilderment. 'What am I even thinking of marriage for anyways. I just think he's cute, and it can't ever go beyond that.' She looked out of her bedroom window and the moon and stars shined at her. Their paleness and illumination lured her into a sleep full of Neji.

AN: Also on some characters OOCness. This story is set in the future and different circumstances cause people to change. So if someone is acting different it could be attritbuted to changes and things that they experienced or somethings that may have happened to them. Till next chapter.

Oh and if anyone reads Taking a Chance, I'm sorry but I'm writing 2 different stories at the moment. And since Strawberry Smoothie got the most reviews it seemed right to keep it. And I reccomend my other story temporarily named Troubled Hearts.