Hello guys! I know it has been a while; I have been on a hiatus and I never even realized that it has almost been two years since I updated this story. I was feeling a bit uninspired but I am back now feeling more relaxed and less stressed now.

I would like to thank all of my new and old readers for continuing to read the story and thank you for waiting so long. I know I am very bad for staying away for so long.

This chapter is a little short but I just need to get back in the swing of things. I am currently working on a few other stories, so expect to see more from me in the near future. Hopefully you guys remember what happened the last couple chapters, I had to go back and read over them myself while working on this chapter. Here is the latest chapter of Tomboy to Princess. Enjoy!


Previous Chapter

"Well I better get going," Sakura said turning around and rushing off to the door.

"Hey Eli, you dropped something," Itachi said picking up a piece of paper that fell out of her jacket. "…why are our names written on this paper?" he asked looking at it.

Sakura froze, her hand on the door ready to open it.

Itachi unfolded the top half of the paper. "People I could possibly be in love with," he read out loud.

He looked up from the paper and over to whom he though was Eli at the door with their back to them. "Sakura…is that you?"

End of Previous Chapter


Chapter 26: Playing With the Big Boys

"Sakura," Itachi repeated again taking a step closer. "Sakura, is that you?"

Sakura's palms started to sweat and her grip on the door handle started to loosen. Sakura cleared her throat. "Of course it's not, w-why would I be Sakura?" she said laughing lightly talking in her best deep voice.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and glared at her. "Hn."

Tobi rushed over quickly and before Sakura could do anything he ripped her brown wig off her head and her own pink locks cascaded down like a waterfall to settle around her shoulders and back.

"Oh my gosh," Naruto faked gasp. "It's Sakura, she crashed the man hangout!"

Itachi glanced down at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand and back to Sakura. "So…you're in love with me?"

"Yeah, what's this all about?" Deidara asked demanding to know as well. "And my name is on their too," he pointed out to Itachi.

Itachi glared at him. "My name is first, so obviously I am more important then you. You are dead last."

They both started to argue and soon everyone was fighting about something.

"Yeah, how could you have no ramen at a guy's night?!" Naruto piped in.

Sakura wasted no time and was out of the door, thankful for the distraction. They turned everything into a competition if they could; the names were in no particular order.

"Ino," Sakura shouted as she ran down the long driveway. "INO!"

"What forehead girl?" Ino said stepping out of the bushes.

Sakura sent her a fierce glare. "We have to get out of here!"

Ino's eyebrows furrowed together as she looked back at the mansion. "Why, what happened?"

"I'll fill you in later," Sakura said, helping her push her scooter out and onto the street.

The door to the mansion bursted wide open and Tobi stood on the porch. "There she is!" he pointed.

"NOW!" Sakura yelled, hopping onto the scooter. Ino got on quickly and started to turn it on.

"Sakura!" she heard Gaara call her name, running after them. Ino picked up speed, and they were gaining distance.

"Sakura, come back!" Deidara shouted in his cupped hands. Soon Sakura and Ino were turning onto the next street and she exhaled the breath she had been holding since she had been found out.

"Do you now want to tell me what is going on?" Ino hissed as the cool night air ripped through their clothes as they drove.

"The list fell out of my pocket," Sakura confessed.

"What?!" Ino shrieked, trying to look at her over her shoulder.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Sakura panicked as they barely missed a pot hole. Sakura wished that she had a helmet.

"Sorry, so they saw the list that-"

"-that basically said I was in love with them, yeah that list," Sakura puffed. "I didn't even realize I had put it in my pocket!"

Ino adjusted her grip on the hand bars. "Well, if they saw the list, that means-"

Ino was interrupted by a loud horn and a limo pulled up right beside them. It maintained the same speed as them and inch closer so that they were facing the rear.

"You have got to be kidding me," Sakura growled as the back window rolled down.

"Sakura, pull over right now," Itachi said the hair whipping his long hair all over the place; he stuck his head out further. "We need to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about," Sakura tried to talk loudly over the motor. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"I can only go 50," Ino responded. "Wait a second, hold on tight."

Ino made a sharp turn onto a narrow street; Sakura grabbed her waist to hold on. She turned around to see the limo could not fit into the tiny space.

"This is a short cut that Shikamaru showed me; it's a faster way to get to his house since he is so lazy."

Sakura had to repay Shika really good; he had helped out so much. The shortcut would take them out onto Shikamaru's street, Sakura's house only a few blocks away.

The shortcut put them out on the main road again and they made their way to Sakura's house. They pulled up to her home just as a limo was coming from the opposite direction.

"You're not the only one that knows shortcuts," Tobi said from the sunroof pointing his finger at them.

"Hurry!" Ino yelled as they both ran to onto Sakura's porch her scooter crashing to the grass. Sakura quickly searched her pockets for her keys.

The boys stalked across the yard slowly. Ino looked over her shoulder at them. "Maybe you should just let them catch you, they do look quite yummy."

Sakura glared at her as she found her keys and started frantically sticking it in the lock, she turned the key just as someone grabbed her waist.

"Gotcha."

Sakura accidently put all her weight on the door and fell right inside the house. Her face was squished against the cold hardwood floor; she left a very heavy weight on her body. She tried to turn her head and notice a glimpse of black and red hair. "Itachi, Sasori," Sakura wheezed, "get off, you're hurting me!"

"Sakura?" she heard someone call her name. She looked in the direction of the couch and saw her mom sitting on her dad's lap, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Mom?! Dad?!" Sakura said in horror. Her parents stared at their daughter with two guys piled on top of her.

Itachi cleared his throat and both Itachi and Sasori helped Sakura up from the floor. Sakura straightened out her clothes and slowly walked up to her parents.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Well, uh, sweetie," she giggled and looked at her dad. "We have some news to share with you."

Her dad grabbed her mom's hand and held her close. "Very good news."

"What?" Sakura said watching as her parent's look ready to burst from excitement.

Sakura's mom smiled. "We…are dating…again!"

"Really?!"

"Yes, well, uh, we have kind of been talking for a while and things kind of just led to another," her dad blushed, holding her mom's hand.

Sakura smiled at her parents. "Well that is great news!" Sakura's eyes narrowed as she studied the spot of red lipstick at the corner of her dad's mouth. "Were you guy's maki-"

Sakura's dad cleared his throat cutting her off. "Sakura, would you care to explain first what they are doing here?"

She turned to see her dad pointing at the boys who she just realized were still shirtless; they never had a chance to put their clothes back on. Sakura blushed thinking about the half-naked Itachi and Sasori that were pressed against her not just a minute ago.

"Oohh Sakura, is one of these boys your boyfriend?" her mom asked cheerfully hopping off her dad's lap finally.

"Nooo," Sakura answered way too quickly.

Sasuke smirked. "No is correct, but she is in love with one of us."

"Love?" her parents said in union. "Our Sakura?"

"Yes she is," Itachi nodded pulling out the piece of paper. Sakura glared at the paper, hoping it would randomly burst into flames. "This fell out of her pocket. It has a few of our names on it that she could possibly be in love with."

Everyone turned their gaze to Sakura who was picking imaginary lint off her jacket. "That…is not mine."

"So this isn't your handwriting?" Gaara questioned her. Sakura tried hard not to make eye contact with anyone.

Sakura's mom eyed the piece of paper. Sakura tried to plead with her mom using her eyes to be quiet as she examined the paper. "Yeah Sakura, this is your handwriting. I would know it anywhere."

Sakura sighed as she hit herself on the forehead. "Yes… it is my hand writing but it is not mine, right Ino?!"

"Totally not hers at all…she is helping this girl at school who is, uh, in love with all of you guys."

"Yeah," Sakura nodded playing along, "and I was just going undercover to do some research on you guys."

Sasuke gave her a look. "You expect us to believe that."

"You don't need to believe because it is the truth."

"Then why didn't you explain that instead of running away when we found out who you were?" Deidara asked curious.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You guys do not listen to reason at all; I doubt you would even listen to me instead of trying to jump me."

"Very true," Sasori nodded as he looked at Itachi.

"I would not jump Sakura," Itachi said defensively.

"Riiiighhht, and I am not a ramen addict," Naruto scuffed.

"So then, who is this girl?"

"Yeah, what's her name?"

"Why does she need your help to spy on us?"

Sakura held up her hand to stop all the questions that she was being bombarded with. "Look, I can't exactly reveal all of that yet but she wants to date one of you. I'm just helping her narrow down the choices. You guys need dates, you have been single for a long time."

"I don't want to date this 'mystery girl', I want to date you, yeah," Deidara said very bluntly looking at her. Sakura avoided all eye contact again suddenly feeling warm all over.

"Uhh, I'm so sleepy," Sakura fake yawned and stretched her arms.

"Imgoingtobedbye," she blurted out, quickly running up the stairs and locking herself in her room.

"Awww our Sakura getting nervous around boys," Sakura's mom smiled.

The guys stood out on the front yard after Sakura's parents escorted them out telling them good night.

Tobi pouted laying his head on Sasuke's shoulder. "How come the mystery girl doesn't like me?"

"There is no mystery girl, baka," Sasuke said, nudging him off his shoulder.

"There isn't?"

"Do you honestly believe that story she cooked up?" Itachi said. "She is hiding something and we are going to find out."


Sakura sat on her bed, her heart still would not slow down and it continued to flutter in her chest. She rubbed her hands down her face. "What is wrong with me?"

Her phone ringed, scaring her. She eyed it, afraid to see who exactly was calling and exhaled when she saw it was Ino.

"Oh gosh, I thought you were one of them," Sakura said, taking off her bomber jacket throwing it on her desk as she slid into her chair.

"They were ready to eat you alive, the tension was so high!"

"Tell me about it. Now I have to find some random girl who loves all of them…ugh this is not going to work."

"Actually it could. There are plenty of girls who are in more than one fan club."

"There are?"

"Duhh, I was once a fangirl before I changed my ways," Ino said, reminding her.

Sakura thought back to how annoying Ino used to be. "So you have a plan?"

"Of course! Meet me at the front of the school at 7:00 am."


"Sakura, this is Miko, Miko, this is Sakura," Ino introduced her to the brunette who was giving her the stink eye.

"I know who she is, she hangs out with the guys like she is some royal princess," Miko sneered.

Sakura ignored the girl and looked at Ino. "Who is this?"

"Miko here is a fan and adores Itachi, Gaara, Sasuke, Deidara and Sasori, so she agreed to be the mystery girl."

Sakura eyed the girl with her extremely short mini skirt. Sakura could use her finger to scrap away the makeup piled on her face. "She did?"

"Yes, I paid her-"

"You paid her?!" Sakura shouted.

"Yes, which you owe me. She will do whatever you say and she will keep quiet about the whole thing."

Sakura looked at the girl again unsure. She chewed her gum and twirled her brown locks around her finger, undressing Gaara with her eyes, who was at the school door talking to Naruto. She did not like her to say the least.

Sakura pulled Ino aside. "You couldn't find anybody better than her," she hissed.

Ino put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Look, she is the cheapest person I could find. Those fan girls were trying to make a profit, and even after I told them that they would have access to the guys, they still tried to hassle me. Miko is the only one that would work for $100 so-"

"Did you just say $100?" Sakura whined.

"Hey, that is cheap compared to what the other girls were demanding."

Sakura sighed and her shoulders fell. "I was saving up money to buy this new skateboard. She is definitely not worth my money!"

"Well, you're doing it for love, well to cover up love, so nobody will know that you loved them."

"I don't love them," Sakura crossed her arms.

"Then why did you make a list?"

"I dunno but I don't love them," Sakura convinced herself. "Now I just need to clean this mess up."

"Well good luck, pinky."

"Never call me that again!"


"Gentleman, I would like you to meet Miko," Sakura introduced her to everyone at the lunch table. "She is the mystery girl I have been telling you about."

Miko was speechless and stared at them openly, not believing she was standing right in front of them.

"Nice to meet you Miko, I am Naruto as you may already know. It's a good thing you don't like me because I am kind of already taken but it could have worked out if-"

Miko pushed Naruto aside and sat next to Gaara. "Oh my gosh!" she squeaked. "I cannot believe I am sitting next to you."

"Uhh yeah, pleasure is all mine," Gaara said, scooting away a bit from her.

"You don't know how much I have dreamed about you," she went on, leaning into his personal space.

"That's nice," Gaara said trying to get away from her.

"I want to have your babies!"

Silence filled the table until Itachi cleared his throat and got Miko's attention which was not hard to do. "So Miko, you're in love with me?"

"Absolutely in love," Miko stared at him with hearts in her eyes.

Itachi grabbed her hand and placed a soft kissed upon it. Miko turned her head and giggled at the gesture. Sakura rolled her eyes. "Disgusting," Sakura muttered to herself.

"So you sent Sakura to spy on us for you?" he asked, now rubbing her hand with his thumb.

"Y-yeah that's right," Miko said, remembering what she had rehearsed.

"How come you didn't do it yourself?" Itachi raised an eyebrow giving her a sly smile.

"Oh he is good," Sakura thought to herself.

"I…wanted too, but, uh, Sakura said it would be better if she did it herself. She thought that I would blow my cover." Miko smiled, glad that she was able to come up with an excuse.

Sakura nodded hear head in agreement when Itachi looked in her direction, checking the story.

"Hmm-hmm…." Tobi sounded unconvinced. "How do you know Sakura?"

"We're…friends."

"Since when? I have never seen you hang out before."

"Since…why, uh, are you asking so many questions?" Miko started to panic.

"How come I'm not on this list of yours?" Neji demanded to know.

"Er, your eyes are kind of creepy."

Neji glared at her.

"No offense."

"How did you meet Sakura?" Tobi continued the questioning.

"Well…I noticed that Sakura spends a lot of time with you, so…I thought that she could help me in determining which one of the guys would be the best for me…so, I asked her to help me, and yeah." Miko looked at her skirt playing with the ruffles.

Sakura mentally sighed. "This girl cannot act."

Sasuke moved in front of Miko and his black orbs look deeply into hers, she was already lost swimming in the black pool. "Tell me Miko, what is really going on?"

Miko was in a trance as she continued to stare at him. "Well Sakura paid me to-"

Sakura slapped her hand over Miko's mouth and silenced her quickly. "She doesn't know what she is talking about," Sakura fake smiled brightly. "Let me go talk to Miko in the hallway for just a tiny weeny second."

Sakura dragged her out by her arm forcibly, about to rip her shoulder out of its socket. Miko pulled her arm away and straightened her shirt. "Gosh, what is your problem?"

Sakura gave her a look. "My problem? I think the problem is that you were going to spill the beans. You know what our deal was but you so easily fall for any dreamy eyes that look at you. Are you that easy?"

Miko glared at her. "You're just jealous of me."

Sakura laughed as she stared at the crazy girl. "Excuse me?"

"It's true, you are jealous. I bet they can't stand you. You're so boyish, not very feminine at all, and quite frankly, really not that pretty."

Sakura eyed the layers of makeup on Miko's face. "You're entitled to your own opinion-"

"Like seriously, what do they see in you, you got man hands-"

Sakura looked down at her hands, they were quite small and people told her they look very dainty.

"-along with those huge calves and don't get me started on that pink hair, it is just so tacky."

Sakura crossed her arms. "Really? You're calling me tacky." Sakura poked Miko in the chest with her index finger. "If you can't do as you're told then you can simply just quit."

Miko rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. I'll continue your stupid little plan but only because I love them," she sighed, staring at the table, her hand over her chest.

Sakura sighed as she walked down the hallway away from the cafeteria.

"So Sakura paid her to be the pretend mystery girl. Interesting," Itachi smirked.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked.

"You heard what Miko said before Sakura dragged her off, she paid her to get us off her trail. Do you really think Sakura cares to play matchmaker for us?"

"Well then if she wants to play games so can we, yeah," Deidara suggested rubbing his chin.

"Ahhh… I see an evil plan brewing, tell me," Itachi demanded.

"Simple, we just make her jealous."


"So how long do you think Miko is gonna last?" Ino asked as she and Sakura left the restroom.

"Not long. I'm sure she will annoy them to death and they will forget all about this silly matter," Sakura smiled noticing Deidara and Miko up ahead.

"See look, I'm sure Deidara is ready to blow up his brain by now." Sakura observed them as they stood in front of a bulletin board outside their art class. Miko appeared to be talking a mile a minute and was standing so close to Deidara they could have been attached at the hip.

"He will be telling her to hit the road in no time," Sakura smiled again until she saw Deidara smile and twirl a piece of Miko's hair around his finger causing her to blush and giggle.

Sakura quickly ducked behind a column and eyed the couple. "What is he doing?" she asked no one in particular forgetting Ino was there.

"Uhhh, I don't know," Ino said confused as well. "It looks like he is flirting with her."

Sakura grabbed Ino and pulled her behind the column as well. They both ducked their heads out to study the situation unfolding.

"No way, that cannot be," Sakura said in disbelief as he put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her even closer.

Sakura gasped and watched in horror when Itachi walked up to Deidara and Miko and snashed her away from him dragging her down the hall by her wrist. He opened the door to the supply closet and both entered.

"Well I wonder what they are doing in there," Ino wiggled her eyebrows.

Sakura glared at her as her left eye twitched.

"Uhh Sakura, are you okay?" Ino asked concerned.

"I'm peachy," Sakura growled as she stomped down the hallway.


For the next three days of school, Sakura watched the constant flirting between the boys and Miko and it was making her sick to her stomach.

They had simply just forgotten Sakura existed and treated Miko she was the last girl on the face of the earth.

"Sakura, are you sure you're okay, you don't look so good," Ino asked examining the dark circles under her green eyes.

"I'm fine, why do you keep asking that?" Sakura growled, slamming her locker shut. She picked up her book bag and marched down the hallway.

"Well, you've been on edge this week, are you sure it's not cause of the boys and Miko? Doesn't look like you have been sleeping well."

"I could care less what they are up to, they can get married for all I care," Sakura snapped.

Ino examined her nails. "Okay, okay, don't attack me."

Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just been a rough week and-"

Sakura stopped when she heard Miko's annoying giggle and turned to see Miko and Sasuke coming up the hallway. Miko's arm was wrapped around Sasuke's waist and she was trying to cuddle up on Sasuke's shoulder.

Sasuke was about to throw her off into the floor when he noticed Sakura. He sighed deeply as he was supposed to stick to the plan. He smirked at Miko and wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked past Ino and Sakura.

Ino glanced over at Sakura's open mouth. "Hmmm… almost seems like you are jealous, no?"

"J-jealous?" Sakura choked on the word. "I am not jealous of that, I would never-" Sakura paused. "Wait, do you really think that I am jealous?"

"It appears so, maybe your jealous because you are in love with them or all of them!" Ino laughed.

Sakura pinched her wrist to wake herself up. "No, I would not be jealous, that Miko girl just annoys me to death."

"Not of Miko, of the attention she is getting from them, you wish that was you."

"Not true!"

"Whatever you sayyyy," Ino singed as she walked to her class leaving Sakura in the hallway to ponder her jealously.


"How much longer are you guys going to keep this up," Tobi asked.

"I'm not sure but I'm ready to kill her right now," Sasuke scowled as Miko waved at them over in the lunch line.

"Don't worry, Sakura is caving in, just look at her, looks like she didn't get any sleep last night," Itachi pointed her out. "I want to go over and hug her so badly but I must refrain myself."

"I don't really think this is working, Sakura doesn't really get jealous," Gaara told them.

"Trust me," Itachi told them. "She will be ready to spill the beans about her little plan and everything will go back to normal," Itachi assured them. He noticed Sakura heading towards them.

"Act natural," Itachi hissed.

"Sooo Sakura, how are you doing this fine day?" Tobi grinned as she picked over her sandwich.

Sakura ignored them as she sipped from her water bottle.

Miko decided at that moment to prance over to their table following Sasori closely. Sasori had just about enough of the plan to make Sakura jealous and could not wait for this girl to go away.

"-and then I said that that was soo not possible since you know I am too pretty to do such things like that," Sakura heard Miko say as she came within ear shot.

Sakura watched as Sasori nodded and took a seat, Miko sitting down beside him grinning away.

"So Sasori would you like to go with me to a party this weekend?" Miko blinked her eyes trying to look cute.

"I'm not a party person," Sasori mumbled.

"Come on! It will be fun," Miko assured him as she rubbed his arm.

"Not really my thing," Sasori said as he pried her hand of his body.

"But it will be fun and we cou-"

"The man said that he didn't want to go, can you not get that through your thick SKULL!" Sakura yelled, reaching her breaking point.

Miko glared at Sakura. "I was not talking to you forehead girl," she scoffed flipping her hair.

Sakura only saw red as she stood up ready to wrap her hands around Miko's neck. Miko screamed in fear and pressed herself closely to Sasori as close as she possibly could.

Gaara held Sakura trying to keep her calm. "Whoa now, you do not want to get in trouble with Tsunade, do ya?" Gaara asked her, doing his best to hold her back. She was so strong he was having difficulty. Sakura finally calmed down and shrugged Gaara's arms off of her.

"I'm fine," she assured him as she walked out and headed to the bathroom. She immediately went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, relaxing as the coldness brought her to peace. She looked into the mirror and noticed Ino leaning against the wall.

"Well forehead girl, I knew you were jealous but I did not know you were so full of anger," Ino smiled.

Sakura glared at her as she used paper towels to dry her face. "This is all your fault."

"My fault?"

"Yes, you are the one that found that Miko girl!"

"Well then maybe you should have not let the list fall into the wrong hands!"

Sakura sighed and leaned against the sink her shoulders dropping. "You're right. I am the one that started all of this. Maybe I should just tell me and let them know I was jealous."

"What?!" Ino shrieked. "No, no, no, you never tell a guy that you are jealous."

Sakura frowned. "What kind of rule is that?"

"You do not want to give him the upper hand; he will use it against you, which is probably what they are trying to do to you."

Sakura eyes furrowed as she listened closely to the blond girl. "So…you think they were trying to make me jealous."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Of course, do you really think that they like Miko?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno."

Ino shook her head. "You really know nothing about love."

"It's kind of a new subject for me. Well what do we do now then?" Sakura questioned. "You're the expert here."

Ino smiled as she slowly walked up to her and placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Simple, we make them jealous."


"Where is Sakura?" Itachi asked looking around for the pink haired girl after school.

"She was very quiet in class today," Sasuke told them, brushing a piece of hair out of his eye. A group of fan girls sighed with content as they eyed the raven boy.

"Your fan girls are creeping me out," Naruto shivered. "Maybe you should get a haircut and then you wouldn't have to keep brushing your hair out of your eye."

"Touch a hair on his hair and it will be the end of you, Naruto!" a fan girl hissed holding up her fist to him.

"I wasn't going to touch him," Naruto whined, hiding behind Sasuke.

"Hn."

Sasuke heard a familiar laugh and turned to see Sakura at the front of the school, talking to a certain boy. He scowled. "Why is she talking to him?"


1 hour earlier

"Ino, please tell me your joking," Sakura gave her a look as she eyed the boy in the corner. "How am I supposed to make them jealous with him?"

"Trust me, it will work," Ino assured her. "Now just meet each other in front of the school."

Sakura looked uncertain but agreed to the plan. "I don't see how this is supposed to work, but I will try."


"You're still going to buy me that pizza right?" Choji asked Sakura as he snacked on his rice cakes.

"Uh yeah, sure just stick to the plan," Sakura whispered, noticing the guys staring at them from the corner of her eye.

"And some udon, right?" Choji asked squinting his eyes at her.

"Yeah, yeah sure," Sakura said not paying attention. She laughed loudly and hit Choji on the stomach. "You are so funny!"

"Oww," Choji whined, rubbing his tummy. "I didn't even say anything funny."

Sakura glared at him. "You are impossible."

"You remember that green tea ice cream was a part of this deal as well," Choji said, now continuing to eat his rice cake.

"Inooooo," Sakura growled.


"Why is Sakura talking to Choji?" Gaara asked, confused.

"I have no clue," Deidara said watching at Sakura hit Choji's stomach, laughing again.

"Yeah since when did they get so chummy," Tobi questioned, looking at them suspiciously.

"They are not, I'm sure they are just discussing food or something," Sasori said, assuring them.


"Have you ever tried sushi wrapped in bacon, it is just mouthwatering," Choji, gasped thinking of the delicious treat.

Sakura was thinking mentally of ways to torture Ino for putting her through the torture was currently dealing with. She tried her best to stay sane.

"Choji, that is nice and all, but you do remember why you are here?"

"Yeah something about making some people anxious or something."

"Jealous, jealous!" Sakura repeated, ready to rip her hair out of her scalp.

"Right…you got any food on you?"


They continued to watch the two talk Sakura's face turning red as the conversation went on.

"Is Sakura…blushing?" Itachi asked in disbelief.

"No, she can't be," Gaara said staring at her.

"Well you guys were so busy trying to make her jealous, maybe she thought that you guys actually like Miko and she lowered her standards and moved on," Naruto said, scratching his head.

"The blonde makes sense for once," Deidara said.

"You're blonde too," Naruto pointed out to him.

"The dumb blonde makes sense for once," Deidara corrected himself.

"That's better, hey I'm not dumb-"

"Hush," Sasuke pushed Naruto in the face, silencing him.


Sakura's cheeks were flushed red with anger as she tried her best to stay composed with Choji blabbering away like a fool.

"Choji!" Sakura called, gathering his attention. "This isn't working."

"Yeah, you're not really my type."

Sakura grinded her teeth together and forced herself to grin. "I meant this jealously plan."

"Yeah, it really sucks you are not very good and you got a mosquito on your shoulder," Choji said smacking her arm.

"Thanks," Sakura said dryly.


"See look, he is even touching her!" Naruto pointed out the two.

"Hiii, hot boys," Miko cooed as she walked up to them, swinging her back bag on her shoulder. "What are we up to?"

Sasuke glared at her. "Hn."

"Get lost," Deidara said now sick of seeing her. She was the one that drove his women away to hang out with Choji.

"What?" Miko croaked.

"He said get lost," Itachi said turning to look at her. "We were using you anyway."

"Using me," Miko said in disbelief, blinking at them.

"Yes and now we don't need you anymore," Sasuke muttered, keeping a close eye on Choji and Sakura.

"But," Miko said desperately. "I will do anything!"

"You heard them, time to get going," Naruto said sticking his tongue out.

Sakura waved goodbye to Choji and started to make her way towards the group. Miko eyes narrowed as she cleared her throat. "Well then, just so you know, Sakura and that Ino girl hired me, something about a piece of love paper."

Sakura's snapped to meet Miko as she grinned and continued. "They wanted me to pretend that I made some list and that she was helping me by matching me up with one of you guys."

Sakura cursed under her breath as all eyes were on her.

"Is this true Sakura?"

"Ummm….well…," Sakura started. "Back to square one," she thought.

"I-"

"Come on Sakura, we know it's your list," Sasuke smirked.

"So you are in love with one of us?"

Sakura sighed and adjusted her book bag on her shoulder, slowly turning away from them and walking away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Gaara asked trying to catch up to her.

"I just want some time to myself," Sakura said heading in the direction of the front gate.

Gaara silently watched her go, not stopping her.

"Look what you guys did," Naruto hissed.


Sakura entered the convenient store heading towards the sweets. She did not know why her heart ached so much but she needed something sweet to relieve the pain.

She looked over the popsicles selection when she left someone tap her on the shoulder and turned around to see a guy smiling down at her, wearing an employee outfit.

"Can I help you?" Sakura asked, confused of what she had done wrong.

"Are you Sakura?" the guy asked.

Sakura studied the guy. He was a head taller than her, his brown hair shaggy and pulled into a ponytail. His brown eyes twinkled as he watched her; he licked his lips, waiting for an answer.

"Do…uh, do I know you?" Sakura asked, not sure who he was.

He chuckled to himself as he smiled brighter. "I figured you wouldn't, it's me Idate," he pointed to himself.

Sakura half-grinned as she shook her head, not remembering him.

"We went to school together."

"…"

"I was in the same class with Naruto, Gaara, Shino, Kiba-"

"Idate!" Sakura screamed, finally remembering. They were in the same classes in elementary school. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," he laughed. Sakura punched him on the shoulder. "I mean, when did you move back here?"

"About six months ago," Idate answered. He opened his arm up facing towards Sakura. "Could I possibly get a hug?"

Sakura hesitated but walked into his arms wrapping her own around his back. Just as she was about to release him she heard someone clear their throat very loudly.

She let go of Idate to see the boys all staring at her.

Itachi gave Idate a once over. "Who is this Sakura?"

Sasuke glared at Idate who took a step away from Sakura.

Gaara cracked his knuckles loudly.

Deidara clinched his fist tightly.

Sasori usually the one with a bored expression was awake now and looking back between Sakura and Idate.

Naruto tip toed over to Sakura and whispered loudly for everyone to hear. "Sakura, are you dating that guy?"


And that is the end for now. Idate Morino is a character from just the anime of Naruto in one of the filler episodes; he does not appear in the manga in case anyone wanted to know. It feels good to be working on the story again and hopefully you will not have to wait too long for an update, I hope you enjoyed and tell me what you think. =)