a/n: Thanks for reviewing. :D This chapter is kind of Sasu/Saku... it's from Sakura' POV, and Sasuke's is up next. I liked my Naru/Saku better, but this is ok. :) I've decided to definitely finish Team Seven, but if you'd like me to do more teams then just say which team you'd like me to do next. On with the story!

Her name was Yamanaka Ino.

Ino was the best friend I could ever have. She played on the swings with me, and we picked flowers together. We would laugh together.

When the girls would make fun of me – for my pink hair, for my large forehead, for my shyness – Ino would defend me. She was tough as nails and as loyal as they come.

She inspired me to get rid of my bangs, to be more like her. She was everything I wasn't, most importantly confident.

And we were best friends forever.

His name was Uchiha Sasuke.

I was head over heels in love the moment I saw him, even though I didn't know it. I just knew that the sensation I felt around him was one of the strangest, most wonderful things to ever happen to me. I couldn't speak around him; all I could ever manage was a shy smile.

He was always kind, and in my heart, I still believe that he is.

He used to smile at me, even when (almost) no one else but Ino gave me a second thought.

Used to…

His name… well, I never really knew his name. But later, he let it be known, loud and proud. Uzumaki Naruto.

He was the only other to smile at me.

He was the class clown. I didn't like him, but maybe that's because he was everything I wanted to be.

He was loud, energetic, honest, and ever-optimistic. I wished I could take off my mask, be more like he was. Who I was. But it seemed that I was doomed to incurable politeness, studiousness, and insecurity.

He was always bright. He was always there. And in a way, maybe I loved him, too. The way he sat on that swing but never said anything, just let me be… that spoke volumes.

I went to Uchiha Sasuke's house after school. He hadn't been at school that day, and I was concerned. I had asked Iruka-sensei about it, but he had no answer for me.

There were jounin around his house. They wouldn't let me in. But I noticed the blood on their hands, and I was scared. What was going on?

I was more worried than ever. I rushed to Ino's house. I needed help, support.

And there he was. Sitting on a park bench in the darkening evening.

I sat next to him, on the opposite side. I was relieved - you couldn't imagine how much - that he was alive. Alive! But the look on his face sobered me completely.

"They're dead," he said, his voice raspy and quiet. He'd been crying. I can still see the wet, salty tears on his face.

His family…

I felt my head spinning. I couldn't begin to imagine his pain... Sasuke didn't deserve this. I knew how he adored his brother, how much he loved his mother and father. Dead? All of them? And not Sasuke?

Thank God it wasn't him. I couldn't help but feel thankful. All this tragedy… and I could only thank the gods that Sasuke was still alive.

His tone took on frightening conviction, shattering my momentary relief.

"I will kill him," he said, his voice as forceful as he could make it, "I swear that I will."

"Sasuke?" I was more frightened than ever now.

He looked at me. For the first – but definitely not the last - time, his glance was cold.

"Go away. You're annoying," he said. And with that, he was gone. I knew in my heart that he was gone forever.

I ran the rest of the way to Ino's, nearly crying.

She gave me a hug, comforted me. In a lot of ways, she was like a big sister to me, even though we were the same age.

Sasuke wasn't ever the same again.

Years later, and I had more friends. Lots more friends. And I still had Ino, who was really the only one that mattered.

But there was something missing.

Sasuke.

He was different, now. He wouldn't talk to anyone.

He seemed to hate me. But I tried to talk to him anyway. Ino tried, too. In fact, now all the girls wanted to be his friend, or perhaps more accurately, his girlfriend.

Ino didn't pay so much attention to me. She would giggle with the other girls, and when I walked by the would stop and then start back up as I passed. She would speak coldly to me, if she spoke at all.

I didn't know what was wrong with her, and now I felt like two chunks of my world were missing.

I felt empty.

And this is when my world began to break.

I was in a clearing, in the park. There were clouds out, and it looked like it might rain. It was dark.

You know, I hate that clearing to this very day. The same way I hate the bench where Sasuke vowed the kill his brother… coincidentially, the same bench at which he rejected me twice more.

And Ino met me there, like she'd said she would. She glared at me, not the comforting gaze I was used to. I had hoped she was here to apologize, but this wasn't going well…

"We need to talk," she said, her voice predatory.

My heart froze. This was the tone she'd always used with the bullies, the ones she defended me from.

"What about?" I managed, trying to match her tone. I found that my voice sounded assured, confident. I had changed in the past years. I had become an even better actress.

Her eyes narrowed. "Uchiha Sasuke."

I could feel myself going cold. I'd suspected for a long time now that she liked him, but I couldn't bear to thin that. He was mine, mine! I didn't want to share… and neither did Ino, from the way she spat her words out.

"Sakura, I know you like him. You've been growing your hair out long… there's been that rumor that he likes long hair."

I glanced at her blonde hair. It was longer, as well.

"No," I protested forcefully, before I realized what was coming out of my mouth, "I love him, Ino!"

She looked furious now. "Well, I love him too! So you'd better lay off, okay forehead?"

I was stung. Forehead? Ino had never once brought up my forehead, and never in a million years would I think she'd do so in such a petty way.

I retaliated, almost instinctively. "Well, we both know he wouldn't go for a pig like you, would he Ino?"

Now she looked as though she was going to hurt me. Ino was sensitive about her name, just as much as I was with my forehead.

"Get away from me," she spat angrily.

"Gladly. I never want to speak to you again," I hissed.

And with that we walked away from each other.

We hated each at that point. It's an awful thing when a friendship like that crumbles. I've had that experience so many times in my life… people leaving me, deserting me, acting like Haruno Sakura's feelings don't matter.

After I knew she wasn't around, I just stood still for a moment. I looked up at the ominous, gray clouds.

I was crying.

I raced to the playground, my old safe-haven. I hid at the side of the building, where no one could see.

I let myself cry. I was drenched with rain, and shivering from the cold.

And when I opened my eyes, he was there, looking at me. When I'd tried to hide myself, he'd still manage to find me.

Silence. Then:

"It's okay," he said. Like everything really was fine.

"My best friend hates me. I wish it didn't end this way. We… we were going to be best friends forever Always there for each other, you know? And it's all over because some stupid boy… but… I… I…"

It was true. I loved him.

But for a moment, looking at this boy I barely knew, I began to doubt that. Maybe it was only for a second, for a millisecond, but I did doubt it.

And maybe for only a second, for a millesecond, I loved Uzumaki Naruto.

"Love hurts," I said, sniffing.

It does. But new love, new friendships, can be built. Sometimes you can even rebuild the old ones.