Hello everyone. It's been a while from my last update and I know you all probably thought I forgot gave up on this again. Truthfully I had about 75% of this chapter completed for over a month now; I just couldn't find the time to finish it. For that reason I wanted to a make sure this chapter was a bit longer. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Cover My Eyes

by, Rampantt

Chapter Sixteen: Sasuke and Sakura

Insecurity was a foreign concept to Uchiha Sasuke. He was used to feeling confident and sure of himself. Even at his lowest point, while developing his company, he never once doubted himself. He never had a reason to. He was naturally gifted and good at just about everything he put his mind to. Sasuke was used to being at the top in all areas in his life. It wasn't until a certain someone came into his life that uncertainty lurked in the back of his mind. Sasuke was now more aware of himself, more than ever before. No one – no woman – had ever had him on edge the way that the Hyuuga heiress did. And though he tried to hide it, every now and again the heiress would throw him a curve ball and leave him confused. He found himself now in one of those predicaments.

Sasuke would be lying if he said that he hadn't been dreading the day he would have to discuss his relationship with the heiress with her father. Ordinarily, this wouldn't have frightened him at all. Then again, his last relationship was with Sakura and he wasn't at all intimidated by her father. He wondered if that was due to his lack of interest in a long-term relationship with her, even though did spend a few years together with her. Hinata was different however. She was not a means to an end. Sasuke wanted to build something with Hinata. He could see himself with her in the long-run; he wanted to wake up to her smile in the mornings and come home to her embrace at the end of the day. Part of him felt a bit guilty about that. He wanted with Hinata the things he scoffed at with Sakura. He was beginning to realize just how poorly he had treated Sakura, especially towards the end. Sakura was no angel of course, but he realized that she did not deserve what he did to her. Sasuke didn't want to dwell on it too much however, especially not now. He was in the lion's den and needed concentrate on making a good impression – something he never worried over until now.

Although he really shouldn't have been, Sasuke was surprised when he received a call from Hyuuga Hiashi's assistant to meet with him for dinner. He had never officially met the man and only knew stories of him. From what he gathered, Hiashi was a lot like his own father, proud and strong and fiercely protective of his family. The details surrounding his coupling with Hinata had been very public and very messy and so there was no doubt in his mind that her father was already aware of the situation they were in. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if he was asked to back off Hinata. While the tabloids didn't personally bother him, he was coming to understand how it affected Hinata as a woman. There were no real drawbacks to be painted as a "bad-boy" by society; case in point being that none of the articles written about them seemed to call him out for his behavior and focused mainly on Hinata. The attacks on her character had been ruthless and downright nasty. Sasuke was fully aware of what being with him meant for Hinata and that she was sacrificing her reputation. Sasuke was a selfish man however, he had no plans to let go of her so easily, damn the world. Her father was another story though. He was prepared for the worst and even more prepared to fight to remain by Hinata's side no matter what.

The heiress must have sensed how tense he was because she reached out in that moment and gave his knee a tight squeeze. He looked to her then, onyx and opal clashing, and found a soft smile curving her lips. He locked his fingers with hers, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Don't worry too much," she told him.

"I'm not worried," Sasuke replied.

Hinata wasn't buying it. If she could tell he was nervous then her father would too. Hiashi would eat him alive if he sensed any weakness. Her father would not allow her to be with any man he felt could not protect her from even himself. She wanted to tell him as much but decided against it; there was no need to make the man more worried than he was already.

Hinata had never brought a man before her father and so even she was a bit nervous. She had plenty experience with her father and masking her emotions in general, so she was certain she would remain calm regardless of the circumstance. Sasuke may have not been as hot-headed as Naruto but he did have a temper and could be quite sensitive at times. Hinata hoped that he would be able to put on his best poker face and survive the night.

Her father had chosen his favorite restaurant, an upscale establishment in the heart of Konoha. The dinning room was immaculately decorated and crowded with the town's aristocrats. They all came here as it catered to their status. It was the perfect place for the wealthy to rub elbows with one another without the hassle of dealing with the "lesser" class. This place always made Hinata feel awkward. While technically she was surrounded by her peers and an obvious elite amongst them, the atmosphere almost made her feel sick. It may seem comical, considering the designer clothes she wore and the foreign cars she pushed but, Hinata had always considered herself to be humble about her wealth. Here surrounded by these snobs she was reminded of her place in society. She wondered offhandedly if there was an ulterior motive behind her father selecting this location.

She didn't get a chance to mule over it much however, because before she knew it Hiashi was making his entrance at last. She and Sasuke stood together as he approached, offering a polite bow once he was at their table. Once they were seated again, she could feel the eyes on their table. The dogs were hungry for a bone and a big one just waltzed into the room.

"Hello Father," she said to Hiashi, a polite smile curving her lips.

"Hyuuga-sama," said Sasuke.

Hiashi eyed the two of them carefully before nodding his head in acknowledgement. "I hope I did not keep the two of you waiting too long."

Hinata shook her head. "Not at all, we just arrived a moment ago."

"Good."

Silence fell between the three of them. Sasuke couldn't tell whether the silence was awkward, but he was certainly aware of it. He was also aware of the prying eyes and hushed conversations happening at tables around them.

Hiashi, picking up on the obvious gossip, interrupted Sasuke's thoughts. "I requested a private room originally, but my daughter seems to be under the impression that I would be too intimidating behind closed doors."

Was that a joke? Hinata and Sasuke thought at the same time.

Sasuke wasn't sure how to respond to that. He wasn't particularly funny and didn't want to risk putting his foot in his mouth, but he also didn't want to be rude and not say anything at all. His mind was racing for a response, but he kept drawing blanks.

"Father…" Hinata said instead, shaking her head in disapproval.

Hiashi figured his jokes wouldn't be appreciated. Hanabi had advised him to appear relaxed and not too serious, however this was obviously not his strong point. He rarely meant to intimidate others, but he was unable to present himself in any other way.

"Shall we skip over the pleasantries then?" Hiashi asked the couple. "I asked you here tonight, Uchiha-san, because I understand that you and my daughter have entered into a public relationship."

Sasuke nodded his head once. "Yes, I apologize for not arranging a meeting with you first," Sasuke said. "I know you must have some concerns about me, but I want you to know that I am serious about Hinata, and that I only have her best interest at heart."

Hiashi considered this for a moment. "You know…," he started. "It's interesting that you should say that."

Hinata knew where he was going to take this. A lump began to grow in her throat.

"Would you say you had her best interest at heart when you pursued her while in a relationship with Sakura-san?" the father asked.

Hiashi knew it was a difficult question but he still needed the answer. He could not understand, though he tried, why his daughter would want someone else's man, especially that of her best friend. Hinata had truly thrown him for a loop. This behavior was completely unexpected from her eldest daughter. Hinata had never stirred up trouble for herself before and he found it interesting that she chose now to do so. Her teenage years would have been a better time for such frivolous behavior. Hiashi would not lie and say he approved of the circumstances surrounding their relationship but Hinata was his daughter and he wanted to at least understand her.

Sakura again… Sasuke thought to himself. "Honestly, I don't have an excuse for that, Hyuuga-sama. I realize that the way I handled things was done in poor taste, but you must know that I did not actively pursue Hinata until my relationship with Sakura had already ended."

One of Hiashi's eyebrows climbed his forehead. "Actively pursue?" he questioned.

Sasuke nodded his head to confirm. "Yes. I had been interested in Hinata for a while, but I did not seriously consider moving past our then relationship until I settled things with Sakura," he answered. "I would not have approached her seriously without first tying up my loose ends."

Hinata was becoming nervous at the turn the conversation was taking. She tucked a lock of her raven hair behind her ear and cleared her throat to interrupt the conversation. "Should we order our food now?" she interjected, looking between her father and the man she loved.

"Sure," Hiashi answered.

Hinata knew that tonight would not go smoothly but she also did not expect her father to get straight to the point. She had hopped, for Sasuke's sake at least, that there would be a bit of awkward banter and fake pleasantries before they got to the elephant in the room. It seems her father decided to forgo that and get straight to it.

She signaled for the waiter's attention.

"Do you mind if I order for the table?" Sasuke asked the group.

Hinata shook her head. She was fine with anything. It was her hope that if her father's mouth was full then he wouldn't be able to ask too many prying questions.

Hiashi's brow traveled up his forehead again. "You've been to this restaurant before, Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke bobbed his head once. "Yes, both my father and my brother frequent this place."

Hiashi almost forgot that he was the son of Uchiha Fugaku. "That reminds me, your relationship with your family is strained, is it not?"

Sasuke hadn't expected to be asked about his family. Most of the people around him knew better than to ask because the situation was sensitive. Sasuke supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. The father of an ordinary girl may not have asked him that but Hinata was not ordinary and so he was realizing that he was going to have to come out of his comfort zone quite often for her.

"Yes, it is, but it's not anything that can't be fixed," Sasuke told him.

"Then why haven't you fixed it?"

"Father…," Hinata chimed in, her eyes pleading for mercy.

"Hinata, I am only trying to understand the young man. I didn't invite him out to bite his head off," Hiashi said to his eldest. "You can't expect me not to vet the men you allow into your life, especially since you are now at the marrying age."

Hinata swallowed past the lump in her throat. Hiashi was not asking anything unreasonable once she thought about it. She also was curious about Sasuke's relationship with his family. The Hyuuga were a proud clan and valued family above all else. It was not so unusual for Hiashi to be concerned with Sasuke's family ties. However, she only wished that Sasuke didn't have to talk about it now. She knew it was a sensitive issue for him and while she wondered, she never dared to open that conversation up. She wanted Sasuke to tell her about it when he was ready to.

Where is that damn waiter… She wondered.

"It's okay Hinata," said Sasuke, squeezing her knee under the table. "It's a valid question and Hyuuga-sama has every right to be curious."

Hinata looked to him, studying the way his lip curved upward every so slightly.

"I distanced myself from my family because they could not support the vision I have for my future," Sasuke started. "My father intends to leave his company to my older brother, which is fine with me really. I just don't intend to spend my life as number two to anyone, family or not."

Hiashi considered his words for a moment before speaking again. "What does that mean, not being 'number two'?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. "I have my pride if nothing else, Hyuuga-sama. At the time, I wasn't content with being a backup plan for my family. I didn't want to be the 'stand-in' son who would only step up if something should happen to my brother. I don't have any ill feelings towards my family for choosing him, as it is only natural for the eldest son to inherit the family business," he reasoned. "Its because they intend for him to lead that I felt it was important for me to create something that was intended only for me. I want to have something to leave to my children as well. My pride won't allow me to live a life free of the burden of building a legacy. It seems too easy to just spoil myself without putting in any hard work and I enjoy my work."

Hiashi bobbed his head, considering everything the rebel had said. He had inherited Hyuuga Enterprises as his birth right while his younger brother, his twin, served as what Sasuke considered the 'stand-in son'. When he was alive, his brother complained of this from time to time but because he lacked to words to truly get his point across, no one had ever considered his position. Hiashi was ashamed to admit that he too had never truly considered how his brother must have felt.

"My father couldn't understand me, however," Sasuke continued. "I could have stayed and lived a cushy lifestyle and reaped all the rewards that comes with my last name, but I only have one life to live. I hope to be remembered for what I left behind in this world, not just for my affiliation with an elite family; though I do appreciate those bonds."

Hinata looked to Sasuke in awe. She had never dared to ask him about his family but hearing him speak about it now filled her with admiration for the raven. He wanted to stand on his own two feet as a man. In their social circle it was a rare thing for anyone to be self-made. Most of her peers came from old money; long family lines of wealth. Her father did not have any sons and so she took it personal when he began to raise Neji in his image.

Hinata could almost empathize with him. Because she is a woman her peers expected her to live an extravagant lifestyle as an heiress and socialite. The fact that she wanted to run her father's business made her different from other young ladies of her status and often made her an outcast amongst them. Hinata understood perfectly how he felt; she too had something to prove. In that moment, Hinata knew she was falling more in love with Sasuke.

Silence fell over the table as Hiashi considered everything Sasuke said thus far. He could understand how the young man felt; he agreed with the importance of establishing a legacy. Despite that, Hiashi still had his reservations. He wanted the best for his daughters; any man who intended to be with them had to be a man that could support and take care of them.

"Alright. Let me ask you this: what are your intentions for my daughter?"

Hinata's teeth clenched. They hadn't had that conversation yet. Everything had been so complicated thus far. It had been a challenge for them to first admit how they felt and then to decide to be together. Truthfully everything was still pretty new. Hinata had dated men before but things were different then and so she was not sure how to properly navigate things with Sasuke. If she were to be honest, they were winging things so far – they just let things happen as the came along.

"Father we – "

"I intend to marry her," Sasuke cut in. "That's if she will have me, of course."

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and heat rushed up her neck to her face, painting her skin red. Hinata was unable to control her reaction. She stared at him, mouth slightly agape.

Did he just…? In front of Father? She wondered to herself. She could not have been more shocked. There were a lot of things still left for them to talk about. They had certainly not reached the marriage conversation. Plenty of men have asked to marry her, but Hinata had never let it phase her. She knew those men, while they may have had genuine feelings for her, were only asking because there was much to be gained by marrying into the Hyuuga Clan. However, Sasuke was different. Sasuke did not need to marry her for the notoriety; if they were to marry then it must be for love.

"Sasuke…" she said once she was able to find her voice.

"That's a bold statement young man, I don't believe you two are ready for that level of commitment. Marriage isn't a child's game," Hiashi said, unimpressed by Sasuke's declaration.

Sasuke nodded his head. "I agree, it's not something I take lightly.

I'm not proposing to you right now, Hinata," he said to her, holding her hand under the table. "But I want you and your father to know that my intentions are sincere and that I don't plan to take our relationship lightly."

Although her face was still red, she was glad to know that he was not proposing at this time, that would have been too much for her to handle. She needed time to process this revelation. If Sasuke truly meant what he said, then she was now officially in her first serious relationship. Sasuke wanted to marry her.

"Hm," said Hiashi, mulling over what Sasuke had said. He could tell by the look on his daughter's face that she was stunned by his admission. Hiashi wasn't convinced that Sasuke meant what he said, the boy could easily just be saying what he thought would sound good. "I'll be honest with you two: at this point in time I wouldn't be comfortable with you marrying my daughter. I do not like the comments being made about her because of her relationship with her. I have a major problem with the way the two of you have gone about this. What is the plan to clean up the mess you two have made?"

Hinata and Sasuke both looked to each other then. They hadn't even considered what they would do in terms of damage control. Hinata was used to people talking about her and taking pictures of her – she was certain someone had already taken a picture of the three of them together now – and so she was prepared to simply ride the wave until things calmed down. People would become bored with the story sooner than later. Why should they address it? Its not like any of them were government officials – they didn't make their fortune from the public's tax dollars, why should they owe anyone an explanation? Hinata felt there was only one person who was owed an explanation, well, one other person.

"Father, I don't think our relationship needs to be justified to anyone," Hinata said at last. "I don't believe I owe anyone an explanation for how we ended up here. Honestly, addressing it publicly would only further fuel the flames. I would rather they make up their own nonsense than gave them anything more to talk about."

"I agree," said Sasuke. "If we make a public statement about our relationship it would be the same as inviting everyone to further discuss us. So long as the 'scandal' doesn't affect business then I think its best to let the people get bored.

If keep our mouths shut, then we will starve them out. Eventually they'll get bored and move onto something more exciting. Hinata and I will soon be old news."

Hinata nodded her head. The public was fickle, one minute they hate you and then they love you. Hinata learned long ago how to navigate her celebrity. No matter what she did people were going to talk about her, good or bad. For that reason, she figured she might as well live in her truth, screw what people thought. They were still going to stay at the Hyuuga resorts, dine at their restaurants, shop on her website and follow her social media. All she needed to do was weather the storm.

Hiashi nodded is head once. "Okay," he said to the pair. While he may not have put it the way that they did, the two did have a valid point. There was no avoiding controversy when you are as wealthy and known as their families were. "I am not sold on your compatibility with my daughter, however, if she is happy with you and you continue to show me that you are worthy of her and the Hyuuga Clan, I will consider your marriage further down the line."

Sasuke could allowed himself to smile, a rare sight, but he could not control it. While he didn't have Hiashi's full approval he was willing to take what he could get for now. He had no problem with proving to him that he deserved Hinata – he had already planned to prove it to her. He squeezed her hand under the table, earning himself a sweet smile from the heiress.

"Now, Sasuke-san, I do believe you were planning to order for us?" Hiashi said.

Hinata's eye traveled up her forehead. It seemed Hiashi liked Sasuke more than she thought he would, they were now on a first name basis…sort of. Hinata's heart fluttered in her chest, she was glad her dad could see how good of a man Sasuke was. She did not want to have to fight him on this, nor did she think she could bare it if her father did not give her his blessing. Hinata was a traditional girl after all, and more than that, she truly valued her father's opinion. As old fashioned and outdated as it may seem to some, she was not willing to marry a man whom her Clan did not approve of. She simply couldn't. Especially since she planned to inherit everything her father's legacy – Neji be damned.

"The kaiseki ryori here is outstanding," Sasuke said, signaling for the waiter who had been ignoring them until now.

Hinata on the other hand allowed herself to relax at last. She smiled and laughed throughout the night, happy that her father and her love seemed to be hitting it off despite their rocky start. Hinata was starting to believe she could truly have it all.

Things had been going rather smoothly since the dinner with her father several days ago. Hinata felt closer to Sasuke than before and she couldn't lie, she did feel comforted that he intended to marry her one day. She was starting to allow herself to be happy and letting go of the guilt she felt in the beginning of their relationship. She wasn't making light of what she had done, she simply decided to stop beating herself up about it for the time being. She only had one life, one shot at true happiness. Hinata was determined to hang on to this feeling for as long as possible.

She was so determined in fact, that she even allowed herself to be greedy and clingy with Sasuke this week. They had spent every day together since that night and they didn't care who saw them. Yes world, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata were officially a couple, who was going to stop them now? It was truly a relief to simply hold his hand and make googly eyes at each other regardless of who was there to see them. They promised each other that they would love each other out loud and wouldn't care who didn't like it. They had found each other. They had someone who understood them. They didn't have to fake conversations either; when there was nothing left to say they simply enjoyed each other's presence. It was enough to simply be there with one another, they didn't have to keep each other entertained. Hinata often felt exhausted after socializing for a while but not with Sasuke. He could appreciate her silence and she could appreciate his.

Their days consisted of working separately and then either she would end up at his place or he at hers. At that point the possibilities were limitless. Hinata felt happy that she didn't have to second guess herself or force herself around him, she could just be. Sasuke felt the same way as well. There were not many people whom he felt he could be around for hours at a time without getting frustrated or bored – in fact, there was no one other than Hinata. Sasuke was surprised that they hadn't rip each other apart yet. They had been together every day this week and hadn't argued once. Being with Hinata was truly a breath of fresh air.

Sasuke was coming to terms with the idea of him actually being in love. It was the first time in his life that he had ever felt like this before. He had liked other women before, he even liked Sakura at first, but the feeling Hinata gave him was different. It was a wonder that he never realized how similar they were until recently. Hinata could have gotten anything from him and he suspected that she knew it because when she asked him to escort her to the Juicy Cosmetics' Spring Campaign launch, there was no way for him to tell her no.

He had his reservations about the event however; Sakura would be there – she was the face of the campaign after all. Sasuke had to admit, he was anxious to cross paths with Sakura. While he did not regret the break up or is decision to pursue Hinata, he could see how messed up the entire situation was. Sakura had been separated from her long-term boyfriend as well as her best friend and Sasuke knew that he was responsible for all of the drama that had been stirred up in their lives. While he knew he owed Sakura an apology, he was simply not ready to face her. What was the raven to do when those clear eyes begged him not to let her go alone?

Sasuke found himself now at an event he would have never attended before the Hyuuga heiress entered his life. It was ironic because Sakura would have fought him tooth and nail to be here if they were still together and all it took from Hinata was one smile and he caved. He felt bad about that. He was sure that his guilt would mount as the night progressed.

"Are you sure it's a good idea for me to be here?" Sasuke asked as the couple entered the ballroom. The launch was sponsored by Hyuuga Enterprises and so the event was held at the prestigious Hyuuga Hotel in downtown Konoha.

"I can't say whether it's a good idea, but I'm glad you're here with me," Hinata answered. "I could use the buffer."

Sasuke looked to her then, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. The night was guaranteed to be bothersome, so he figured he should at least not cause any tension between the two of them, especially when she looked as good as she did. Hinata donned a slinky, silver, mini dress that shimmered and sparkled under the lights of the ballroom. It had low dips in the front and the back, offering up a generous amount of cleavage as well as showing off her toned back. Her long black hair was parted and scooped to the side for a long, dramatic ponytail. She stood about six inches taller thanks to the red heels strapped to her feet. It was more risqué than the dresses she normally wore but Sasuke wasn't one to complain. He liked this dress on her – or rather how her body looked in the dress – he liked when Hinata was confident.

Hinata, sensing the direction in which his mind was traveling, offered him a shy smile. "Sasuke, you're embarrassing me," she said softly.

"I haven't done anything….yet," he said with a smirk.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. They had been together for a few months now but they hadn't done more than kissing and a little touching – all very PG. The way he was looking at her now made her all too aware that they haven't crossed that milestone, especially since they had spent all of the previous week together.

"Relax," he said to her as they made their way to the red carpet. "I didn't meant that."

Hinata's face flushed red. Apparently Sasuke knew her well enough to know exactly what she had been thinking too.

"I mean, unless you wanted me to mean that," he teased with a wink.

"Sasuke!" she exclaimed, swatting at his arm.

Sasuke grinned.

clk. clk.

The couple looked up to find the paparazzi snapping candids of them. Hinata straightened up quickly, offering a more practiced pose for the camera. She remembered then why she was there. She was the ambassador for Hyuuga Enterprises and she was expected the work the crowd, smile for pictures and network. And if she could…. she was also planning to avoid a certain pinkette who seemingly had not yet arrived.

The pair mingled for a bit, stopping to chat with familiar faces. Sasuke could admit that this was not his crowd. While his ex was on the verge of becoming a super model, he himself was not used to being around all of these important fashion figures. In fact, he wasn't even sure he knew the name of the designer to made his tux – he had simply trusted Hinata to pick out what he would wear, certain that she would make better choices than he would have on his own.

Before he had a chance to dwell on that thought for two long, the lights began to dim, signaling the start of the ceremony. Sasuke allowed Hinata to lead him to the front of the room where all the very important people, probably investors, gathered.

"First, on behalf of Juicy Cosmetics, I would like to thank you all for being here tonight," said the MC.

The crowd clapped politely, Hinata and Sasuke included.

"Please help me in introducing the beautiful, Sakura-chan," the MC urged the crowd, clapping first to start the crowd up again.

The heiress could feel her heart sinking down into the pit of her stomach, weighing her down like cement blocks. Although she expected to see Sakura tonight she still couldn't help the anxiety that bubbled in her chest. She found herself squeezing Sasuke's hand instead of clapping with the rest of the crowd. Hinata watched as the pinkette glided across the stage, the crowd cheering for her. Sakura was strikingly beautiful; she dazzled the crowd with her pearly perfect smile, earning herself more applause. Hinata marveled at her one best friend. She was statuesque, dwarfing the MC with the help of her black strappy heels. She donned a red leather dress that clung to her like a glove and offered a generous amount of cleavage, leaving little to the imagination. Hinata could never see herself in a dress like that but then again, she also did not look like Sakura. Her pink tresses were styled in waves and appeared to have grown out some since the heiress last saw her. Hinata couldn't help but stare.

"It will be okay," Sasuke told her, squeezing her hand to offer comfort.

Hinata turned her opal gaze to him and smiled. He was right, things would be okay, she just had to give it time. He offered her a small smirk and a wink in return.

Sakura's chest tightened as she laid eyes on the two people who once meant the most to her. She wanted to scream and rip her hair out at the sight of the two of them together, smiling as if they had done nothing wrong. How dare they show up here? Tonight, was the most important night of her career and those two had to spoil it and make it about them. She could understand Hinata's being there, for the most part, but the fact that she would even bring Sasuke with her pissed her off. To Sakura, it looked as if Hinata brought Sasuke with her to tease her, dangle him in her face like the stolen toy he was.

For the last few months Sakura was trying her best to forget about the two of them. They had brought chaos and embarrassment into her life ever since their little scandal. Since then, all Sakura had been trying to do was live peacefully and move on with her life, but it seemed like the universe had other plans in store. Sakura was desperate to jump down from the stage, push through the crowd and grab Hinata by her ponytail.

Is she testing me? Sakura wondered to herself as she made eye contact with the heiress.

Hinata's face flushed red and she averted her gaze.

Still weak, thought Sakura.

She gritted her teeth together and did the best she could to keep smiling, though she was certain everyone could see the steam coming from out of her ears.

"Now, Sakura-chan, would you like to do the honors?" the MC asked, cutting into her thoughts.

Channeling her energy into work, Sakura offered a bright smile, showing off her perfect white teeth. "It would be my pleasure," she said sweetly into her microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is a true honor to be the face of Juicy Cosmetics' Spring collection. I hope you all enjoy all the fabulous treats we have for you. Every girl deserves to feel pretty."

The screen behind them turned on and revealed campaign add featuring the Pinkette in a dramatic headshot. Sakura looked stunning in the close-up image, showcasing just her face. Her eyes were closed and featured very dramatic eyelashes and a dark green smoky eye-shadow. Her cheeks were contoured to perfection and her lips a glossy pink. Her short pink tresses were pressed impossibly straight and pulled back from her face. Sakura stared at the image; while she could appreciate the avant-garde art direction, she wished that hadn't gone with the shot that made her forehead look even bigger than normal.

Additional images revealed themselves around the ballroom, earning sighs of appreciation from the audience. Music soon followed, echoing throughout the hall. Sakura took this as her que to remove herself from the spotlight. With the help of the staff members, she stepped down from the stage and allowed herself to mix in with the crowd. She needed a drink.

As she worked her away across the ballroom, she stopped for pictures with investors and fans. Though she smiled pretty for each camera that was pushed in her face, she was dying on the inside. Her heart was thumping so hard she thought maybe other people could hear it. She would have died if anyone knew just how much Hinata and Sasuke's presence was beginning to affect her. The pinkette was desperate for a drink, if only she could make it to the bar.

"Sakura-chan!" a voice called out to her.

She turned to find a woman about her age smiling pleasantly. "I'm with KonoPop, do you have a moment for a quick interview?"

Sakura supposed she couldn't say no. It was her job after all to promote the brand, what with being the brand ambassador and all. She offered a sweet smile. "Yes, absolutely. Ask me anything."

The woman smiled back then signaled for her crew to start recording. "Tell us about Juicy Cosmetics and what your fans can expect."

The pinkette tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before speaking. "I really love this collection. It has a lot of greens and pinks, vibrant reds and some neutral tones as well. Its perfect for every girl."

The reporter nodded her head then shot to her next question. "Glad to hear it, Sakura-chan. Hinata-hime is here tonight with a special guest – her rumored new boyfriend, who also happens to be your ex. Care to comment on that?"

Sakura's mouth almost hit the floor. The pinkette was completely stunned. This woman had the nerve to ask her a question like that. By the look in the reporter's eye, it seemed she thought she had the pinkette stumped. Despite her initial shock, the pinkette managed to answer the question with grace. "No comment. Excuse me."

It took everything out of Sakura not to cut that woman a dirty look. How dare she ask such a personal question? Wasn't the answer obvious anyhow? Sakura was getting tired of the media circus that surrounded her relationships with those people. She wanted to act out and storm out of there at the mention of her rival's name, but she knew better than to do that. This was the biggest night of her career. She just had to survive one more hour before she could finally escape.

I need a drink… she told herself.

Before she could make her way to the bar she was stopped by various media outlets for interviews and promotion. She smiled pretty for the cameras and answered the questions as best she could, being sure to appear bubbly and happy. Sakura understood her personality was also apart of her appeal. She needed to maintain a certain image to be successful in today's modeling world. For that reason, she knew that her personal life was always going to be a topic of discussion. While she knew that came with the job she couldn't stomach the questions about her relationship with those people. Honestly, Sakura couldn't believe that they dared to even show up tonight, together no less. Hadn't they done enough to tarnish her image? She was supposed to be everyone's dream girl – all the men were supposed to want to be with her and all the girls were supposed to want to be her. Now she was known as the model who got her man stolen from her. Wasn't it enough for them to put her through it once? Why did they need to drag it out further? She knew they knew this event would receive heavy press and the gossip that would follow her around now that they had been spotted together here? Sakura now knew that evil truly did exist in this world and it was ugly.

The pinkette was able to separate herself from the media at last and at this point she could really use a drink. She stood by the bar, drink in hand, scanning the crowd with her emerald eyes. Just one more hour until she fulfilled her contractual obligation.

"Hello, Sakura," a familiar voice sounded.

Sakura's heart began to race.

Sasuke.

She turned to face him, emerald and onyx clashing. She felt her grip tightening around the glass in her hand it took almost everything from her to remember where they were and not cause a scene by tossing her drink in his face. The pinkette took a deep breath and forced herself to smile as she was certain a camera lurked nearby, ready to capture the moment she lost her cool.

"Sasuke," she said, acknowledging him. "How unfortunate meeting you here."

Sasuke's lips tilted upwards a bit and he found himself uncharacteristically nervous. "Unfortunate, indeed," he said, humoring her a bit.

Sakura clenched her teeth, a habit she developed while practicing to remain calm in public. She couldn't afford to make herself look bad tonight. "Are you here to further humiliate me?" she asked with a smile.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, although I can admit that this isn't a good look for me."

"I agree. What do you want?" she asked him, getting straight to the point.

"I was hoping we could talk."

"There's nothing to say," said Sakura.

"I have something to say," Sasuke insisted. "Can we talk some place privately?"

Sakura shot him a look, the smile leaving her face for a moment before tugging at her lips again. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Would you rather air our dirty laundry out in front of the cameras?" he asked her.

Sakura scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Like that stopped you before…"

"I'm serious, Sak… I'm not here to hurt you," he said gently. "Just hear me out. You can curse at me if you want, just not in front of these strangers."

Sakura stopped smiling then and looked at him, really looked. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she wanted to scream so badly she could hardly stand it. She would have been lying if she said she didn't want to hear what he had to say. For months the question "why" lingered in the back of her mind. Why did he leave her? Why had he blown up her life? Why did he embarrass her by running off with her best friend? Why Hinata of all people? Pride had stopped her many times from contacting him in the middle of the night. Sometimes she found herself so desperate that she looked at pictures of him that she hadn't been able to delete from her phone. Her heart clenched, and a tear built up in the corner of her eye. She caught it with her finger tip before it had a chance to fall – she couldn't bare to let him see her cry.

"Okay," she said softly.

Sasuke pretended not to notice the look in her eye; he knew better than anyone that she didn't like to show weakness, not even for a moment.

The pair disappeared outside. The winter air was so cold he could see his breath.

"Here, take this," he said to her, offering his suit jacket.

The pinkette hesitated at first, but in the end she accepted. It was cold enough that she might freeze without it. She shrugged the jacket on over her shoulders, not allowing herself to slip her arms inside. She never did like that look and opted for the more fashionable approach.

"You have a cigarette?" she asked him.

Sasuke's brow cocked. "Since when do you smoke?"

The pinkette shrugged, holding his jacket closed around her dress. "Doesn't take much for people to change."

Sasuke knew it was a dig at him but he allowed it – she earned a few punches as far as he was concerned. "Check the inside pocket."

Sakura took out the lone cigarette that was nestled in the breast pocket and brought the cancer stick to her lips. Sasuke lit it for her and the pinkette took a long initial pull, blowing the smoke out and mixing it with the cold air.

"So, what do you have to say to me?" she asked him.

Sasuke studied her for a while as she continued to smoke the cigarette. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was tall and athletic, sharp nose and jaw line and the most incredible green eyes. He had to admit, short hair was a good look on her as well. His heart panged in his chest.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry," he said at last.

Sakura nodded her head. "Yeah, you're one sorry piece of shit."

"I am."

Sakura nodded again, taking another pull at the cigarette. "Is that all you wanted to say to me?"

Sasuke took a step back, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I just… I wanted you to know that what I did, I feel terrible about it," he started. "You and me… yeah we weren't doing too well, probably because of me, but that didn't mean that it was okay for me to do to you what I did. I fucked up.

I should have been honest with you about how I was feeling. I wanted out and I should have said that before taking things where I did. Hinata is your best friend – "

"Was my best friend," Sakura interjected.

Sasuke nodded. "She was your best friend and I ruined that because I'm selfish, I'll admit it. I see how things between you two are completely fucked up and its because of me and I want to apologize for that too."

Sakura scoffed. "Don't apologize for Hinata," she told him. "Hinata's a big girl. She knew she was fucking me over but she didn't stop herself. You don't have to feel bad about blowing up our friendship, Hinata did that herself."

Sasuke supposed she was right about that. Hinata shared as much blame in this mess as he did but he had to take responsibility for leading her down the path with him. "I just think you should know, at first, Hinata was hesitant and she did everything she could to avoid me. I was the one who pursued her."

Sakura smiled painfully, shaking her head again. "You both suck, Sasuke."

"We do," he admitted.

Silence fell between them for a while save for the sounds Sakura made each time she exhaled the cigarette smoke. "When did it start?" she asked him.

For months she had been dying to know. He didn't just leave her and start pursuing Hinata. She had a bad feeling while they were together, but she couldn't quite name it. She knew something weird was going on between them, but she never imagined they were sneaking around behind her back. The idea kept her awake at night to this day. She found herself pacing her room from time to time trying to piece everything together. Had they been doing this for years? Laughing behind her back while she smiled like an idiot. Tears built up in her eyes again but this time she couldn't stop them from falling, or maybe she just didn't care to.

"When?!" she asked again, screaming at him.

Sasuke swallowed past the lump that lodged itself in his throat at the sight of her angry face. Her brows were crumpled now and her mouth slightly ajar. Her cheeks were pink from the cold air and stained with tears.

"The night of the surprise party," he told her.

Sakura took another pull of her cigarette. "So… not too long ago then," she said softly, exhaling the poison from her lungs.

Sasuke was quiet.

"Why her?"

Sasuke shook his head a bit. "I'm not sure."

He could tell she wasn't satisfied by that answer even though she didn't say anything. "I didn't plan any of this Sakura," he told her. "I wasn't happy, but it wasn't my intention to hurt you. I – "

"Three years, Sasuke…" Sakura whispered, a tear rolling down from her eye. "I loved you for three years. In all that time, even when things were bad, even when faced with temptation, and you know there were plenty of opportunities – I never once stepped out on you. I never once thought of even hurting you the ways in which you've hurt me over the years.

Did you ever think of me? Even once in all that time? Have you ever once considered how I felt? Do you think I was happy all the fucking time?" she asked him.

Sasuke was at a lost for words. He realized now that he hadn't considered her, just as she had suggested.

"To you, I was just this vapid girl, incapable of feeling anything," she continued. "You did so much shit to me that you probably don't even remember most of it. I tried so hard to make things work but you wouldn't put in any effort at all; you just left me hanging Sasuke! Worse than that! You left me for someone else! Do you have any idea of what you've done to me? I can barely look at myself. You've got me thinking something is wrong with me."

Sakura was almost screaming at this point, tears running down her cheeks like Sasuke had never seen before. Guilt swelled in his chest and the backs of his eyes were stinging like he was going to cry too but he wouldn't dare to, for more reasons than one.

"Fuck this," she said finally. "Don't ever speak to me again."

She ripped his jacket from her shoulders and tossed it into the snow, followed by the cigarette and stormed off.

Sasuke stood there for a while. Watching her back as she walked away from him. She had never walked away from him before, he realized then. If he were to be honest, Sakura had always been good to him – he hadn't been any good to her. His heart panged in his chest. Sakura had given her all to him and he couldn't have been bothered to give her anything in return. Sasuke was more certain than ever in that moment that he was an asshole.

So you made it through all my grammar and spelling mistakes, thanks for that. I'll be honest, I generally don't like to re-read my stories so these are all first drafts. Is it cheap of me to consider re-writing this story with my own characters? I mean obviously a lot of things will change but the general feel will be the same. Anyway lol don't bother answering that. Leave me some encouraging words, give me the strength to write another chapter before the month is out. I feel like this story will be wrapped up in 10 chapters or less.

With love,

Rampantt