N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y. - I'm so happy you guys liked that chapter! I was so nervous writing it, I was thinking like, 'What if I wrote a bad interaction between them', and 'I hope I didn't make it overly dramatic.' Well, enough of my babbling and let's get to the story! Here's the next chapter, please read and review, thank you.

And I apologize if you think I'm a Sakura-basher. I am not; I'm just giving the spotlight to someone else for once.

No flaming, thanks.

I want to thank my great beta-reader –Kristine x3-

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters. I only own the plot of this story.

Chapter 9: Learning the Truth; Rivalry at It's best!

Ino rolled over lazily, pulling the covers over her eyes to shield the sunlight pouring from the window. She groaned and rolled over on her back. She had a headache for some reason, and her hands hurt like hell. She sat up and blinked her eyes a couple of times to get used to the light. She sat on the edge of her bed, fisting a hand on her pants. She then noticed she slept in her clothes. Her blue eyes widened, remembering what happened the previous day. Her anger getting the best of her, and Sasuke stopping her.

Ino sighed and went into the bathroom. After taking a bath and changing into her lavender t-shirt and skirt with no bandages this time, for she was too lazy today, she then stepped outside the house and sat on the steps. She ran a hand through her pale blonde hair, which was pinned up with a hair clip. She put her hands on her forehead and tried to relax. She thought about the day before and regretted clinging onto Sasuke-kun like that, so she decided to apologize to Sasuke for her unacceptable behavior.

She continued walking, a light breeze blowing her loose bangs gently. She turned her head and saw Team 7 in their usual training grounds, getting ready to train. She wanted to train too, but it was obvious she was in no condition to. Her eyes remained on Sasuke, who was sitting against the tree nonchalantly, and Sakura, who was sitting next to him. By the looks of it, she was saying a lot at one time to him.

Ino took a deep breath, and started walking towards them. At the same time, Sasuke looked up.

"Sasuke-kun? What's wrong?" Sakura looked up and saw Ino approaching them.

"Oh…it's Ino-Pig, want me to scare her off?"

Sasuke ignored Sakura's comment and stood up, walking towards Ino. Sakura watched him, her eyes narrowed, feeling jealous immediately, especially since it was Ino.

Ino and Sasuke both stopped a few inches away from each other. Ino took another deep breath.

"Hi Sasuke-kun," She said, almost shyly.

"Hn…" Sasuke stood there, waiting for her to make her point. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to say sorry for…yesterday," Ino looked at her feet in embarrassment. "I must've made you extremely uncomfortable." She quickly bowed and glued her eyes onto the floor, showing a sign of respect. Although it killed her to show a vulnerable side of her, she decided she should do it anyways.

'But, Yamanaka Ino never admits defeat unless necessary…right?' Ino pondered on her personality while awaiting Sasuke's answer. 'Yeah…Yamanaka Ino never backs down, always head strong and loud…like always right?' Ino thought to herself, feeling somewhat down. In the meanwhile, Sasuke thought back on the night before.

He felt a movement, and she was snuggling up on his chest. A light blush stained the Uchiha's cheeks and he looked away.

Oh yeah, that was extremely uncomfortable.

He could feel heat arise on his cheeks, but fought back the blush somehow. When he thought about her being so close, he started to feel weird; his heart would beat really fast.

"…Hn." Sasuke, accepting her apology, began to walk away.

Sakura frowned and stood up; walking over to Ino.

"What did you say to Sasuke-kun!"

Ino glared at Sakura. "It has nothing to do with you forehead girl, mind your own business!" Ino poked Sakura's forehead, she was beginning to sound her old self.

"Ino-Pig, you better stay away from my Sasuke-kun!"

"Who made him yours forehead girl! He's not a toy, he doesn't belong to you!" Ino yelled.

Sasuke sat against the tree again and rolled his eyes. 'Annoying…' He thought.

"I don't have time for this." Ino turned away from Sakura and walked away.

Sakura put her hands on her hips and pouted. She walked over to Sasuke. "So, as I was saying…"

Sasuke could hear her talking, but he wasn't listening. He was curious to why Sakura and Ino had stopped being friends in the first place. He knew that they were best friends when they were younger, and he wanted to know how they ended up like this…as rivals…

After Team 7 finished training, Sakura placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "So Sasuke-kun, do you want to walk home together?"

Sasuke shrugged her arm off. "No."

Sakura pouted. "Please?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and started walking home.

"Okay bye Sasuke-kun see ya tomorrow!" Sakura waved.

Naruto walked over to Sakura. "Hey…uhm Sakura…do you want to walk home together!" Naruto asked her.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "No!" She walked away and left a disappointed Naruto behind…

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Sasuke sat on a bench in the park, snacking on an apple. He was still thinking about his confrontation with Ino. He had never done that with anyone before. He wasn't one to comfort other people when he couldn't even comfort himself. He didn't know what came over him when he told her to cry.

If you need to cry, then just do it. He had said to her the previous day. He didn't have the right to say that; he never let himself cry, he never released his feelings. He felt like a hypocrite…then again, maybe he was.

He then saw Ino, once again picking flowers.

Now that she was here, it reminded him of what he wanted to ask her. He walked over to her.

"I want to ask you a question," Sasuke said to her.

Ino turned around and looked at him. "Sasuke-kun."

"Why are you and Sakura no longer friends?"

Ino then became very still. She picked a flower and traced the petals with her fingers. She chuckled.

"It's a very petty reason actually," She said and sighed. "Well to put it shortly, Sakura and I had a crush on the same guy…When she found out that I had liked the same guy she did, she sat next to me and said, 'So I guess that means you and I are rivals.'.'" Ino said, and closed her eyes. She decided not to tell him who the guy was, it was better for him not to know anyway. "And, although I was the one who help her through all the bullying and teasing and always stood up for her, being her one and only friend, she chose a guy over me. Heh…I guess girls are trivial, right? Haha…" Ino starting to chuckle, although inside she wanted to let the sadness of a much cherished friendship out. (Editor's note: Yeah, I wrote this part, if it's not up that great; complain to me, not N.O.-S.A.N.T.U.A.R.Y)

Sasuke was a bit taken back, but didn't show it. He had always thought that Ino had ended the friendship instead of Sakura. In truth, he did accept and favor Sakura more for the lone fact that she and he were teammates, but he had did not expect this. It sounded very petty indeed; he didn't actually think Sakura would end a friendship with her best friend because of one person.

"That's all I wanted to know," Sasuke said and turned around. "Bye."

"Goodbye Sasuke-"Ino looked up, but Sasuke was no longer there.

Sasuke still thought about what Ino had told them; to be honest, it sickened him a bit. He didn't know why, he was an avenger; he shouldn't care about other people's problems. But, for some reason, it bothered him. He stopped walking and stood alert; someone was following him. He silently drew his kunai from his weapon pouch and chucked it to his right. He heard a squeal, a very familiar squeal. He narrowed his eyes and spoke.

"Why are you following me Sakura?"

Sakura came from hiding and walked over to him, the kunai thrown at her in her hands.

"Sasuke-kun, I wasn't following you, I was just passing by…" The pink-haired kunoichi said as she handed him his kunai. "You know you have excellent aim Sasuke-kun, no wonder why you're one of the best rookies."

He narrowed his eyes again; he hated when she complimented him. She was a suck up.

"Hn…" He began to walk again.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura jogged to catch up to the raven-haired shinobi. "I just was curious…how come you were talking to Ino just a minute ago?"

Sasuke's onyx eyes glanced at her; those emotionless orbs staring at her for a moment, before he looked away. "I thought you weren't following me," He said bitterly. "What does it have to do with you anyway Sakura?"

Sakura looked at him with wide sea-foam green eyes. "I was just…wondering, that's all."

"Don't expect an answer then," Sasuke said as he went his separate way to his home.

Sakura stood there and frowned. She then looked up into the sky.

Ino-Pig…whatever you're doing, you better not take Sasuke-kun away from me…. Sakura said as she clenched her fist. She worked to hard to even get him to take a glimpse at her, she wouldn't lose to Ino.

"I won't lose to you…Ino…"

N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y. - A bit of competitiveness! I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please read and review, thank you!