Title: Four Years for Love
Chapter: 3/?
Summary: An alternative universe fan fiction where the Naruto gang is in high school, focusing on the ups and downs of Sakura and Ino's relationship.
Disclaimer: I keep Ino and Sakura in a box under my bed. I feed them everyday and take very good care of them.
A/N: Sorry this took so long. I was waiting for my friend to help me edit it. Plus I've been fangirling Bleach to my fullest. Grimmjow love.
I drew a picture for this chapter. You can find a link to my Deviantart on my profile page, and from there it's the featured picture titled Sundress.
Oh, and if there's any confusion. They're in an american public school, because that's the only type of school system I know. I can't put them in Japan if I don't know anything about it there right? So... no uniforms, Yay!
Sunspots
Once Ino was dressed and ready she stepped out to find Sakura and her father eating the breakfast banquet set out on the table. Waffles, syrup, fruit, juice, milk, doughnuts and coffee, her dad really out did himself this time. He was a real show off, most mornings she'd have to grab herself a bowl of cereal and some burnt toast.
"Well somebody took a long time to wake up today." Her dad mused in a teasing voice.
"We were waiting for you," then Sakura joined along with Mr. Yamanaka, "We thought that if you took long enough in the shower the water would become cold and you'd come running out freezing." A minuscule devilish smirk appeared on the pink-haired girls face.
"I took the time, since there was plenty of it, to show Sakura all of your embarrassing baby pictures." He lied trying to get a rise out of his daughter.
Sakura followed his lead, "You made the funniest faces." She proceeded to scrunch her face up and squish her cheeks together.
"Dad! Sakura! This isn't any fair. I'm a little late and you two choose to mock me?" Ino knew her father was lying about the baby pictures; she just wanted to split up the two partners in crime. However she was glad they got along, maybe just a little to well. They finished up the rest of their hearty breakfast with Ino sitting right between the troublemakers.
Ino's eyes wandered over to the clock. "We should get going." So with a content belly she grabbed her book bag and waited for Sakura to follow her lead. Sakura's pale hands reach to gather her belongs and roll them into her other words empty backpack.
"Oh no you don't!" Mr. Yamanaka called out from the kitchen. "You'll burn with your fair skin. The sun is unbearable today!" Lots of clanging and banging could be heard from the depths of the apartment before Ino's father returned with an old straw hat. He swung it through the air a couple of times letting the dust fly off to settle on the ground. "Here you go, sweetie." He placed the bonnet on top of pink hair before smiling satisfied with his work.
"Ugh Dad, I can't believe you're going to make Sakura wear that ugly thing." Ino complained at her father's involvement.
"That 'ugly thing' was your mother's." The blond sighed before accepting her fate to be tortured by her father's antics. Grabbing Sakura's arm she fled downstairs to the store before her dad could come back with another hat for her.
"Sorry about that." She apologized for her father's behavior.
"Oh, it's alright. I kind of like the hat. The yellow ribbon on it matches the one on the dress." Sakura smiled merrily about it, as Ino's face displayed a critical frown.
"Well, here." Ino picked a colorful blossom from one of the clay pots. Her hands wandered up to her mother's old hat where she stuck the flower into the wraps of the ribbon. "At least it has some color now."
They headed outside together and were thankful to see that the day had done a one eighty since last night. The ground was still damp and puddles spotted the streets but the sky shone with unmatched beauty. Sunlight had covered everything from buildings to blades of grass with a tint of glistening yellow. Pink surrounded the clouds farthest from the massive star. The water glittered as it reflected with radiance. Pale hues glowed with reverence towards the sun. The morning was honoring its hero with a beautiful ceremony and gracing mankind by exposing it to their eyes.
"You look really great in that dress." Ino commented offhandedly, while her heart did jumping jacks. Sakura just nodded and smiled accepting the compliment benevolently. She had no idea how gorgeous she looked against the scenery.
They walked to school in comfortable silence basking in the splendor of the day.
Ridding her book bag of her demolished clothes she shoved them into the bottom of her locker before retrieving her books. She and Ino had split ways just some moments ago. This was Sakura's first visit to her locker for the day and she was eager to relieve herself of the extra weight she had been dragging around.
She arrived in homeroom to listen to the announcements drag on over the loudspeaker. She listened absentmindedly. "Good morning students and welcome back to your second day of a wonderful new school year. Please stand for a moment of silence and the pledge to the flag." Everyone in the classroom rose simultaneously and waited indifferently for the pledge to begin, at which point they placed their hands limply over their hearts and mumbled the familiar dictum. A second or so after everyone was settled back in their seats the broadcast continued. "All seniors are to report to the assembly in the auditorium today after homeroom. Anyone interested in band, chorus or orchestra should report to the front lobby after school today. If you plan to participate in a sports team you must have a physical signed, come by the front office to pick up information. The boy's football team meets after school on the back field. The girl's soccer team meets tomorrow on the soccer field. The track teams meet Thursday after school in the main gym. This year's school play will be Hamlet. Tryouts start next week Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Anyone that wants to take a part of Student Congress should meet in room 304 next Monday after homeroom. GSA's first meeting will also be after homeroom on Monday in room 306. Those are all the announcements we have for this time. Have a nice day."
'That was a long list. But I guess that's normal since it's the beginning of the year and all the clubs are just starting. Maybe I should tryout for a sport or join Student Congress.' Sakura contemplated to herself.
Sakura's eyes scanned the large cafeteria for a blonde with yellow shirt. Ino had picked out one of her brighter outfits to wear this morning. When she finally spotted what she was looking for it was not who she expected. No this bright yellow belong to a boy with sparkling blue eyes and whisker like scars on his cheeks. She found it odd and decided to inquire about it once she met someone who knew the boy. Perhaps Ino would know, after all the girl had given her the impression of knowing everyone the way she sauntered down the hallway waving to each person nearby. She went back to searching for her friend who was currently nowhere in sight. This was frustrating. Before she could walk down the aisles of tables to the other side to get a new perspective, two hands suddenly pounced down on her shoulders. Reflexes forced Sakura's body to stiffen. The student relaxed recognizing the grip from the person that invaded her personal space.
"Ino."
"Hey Pinky," Ino made the nickname up on the spot as she greeted Sakura.
"Pinky?" The pink haired girl mulled over the term.
"At least I'm not calling you Forehead-girl like the rest of the school." The blonde retorted at Sakura's apprehension of the name.
"They're calling me what?!" Sakura's voice shrieked as she reached up to hide her brow.
"Oh gezz, calm down. Nobody's said that." Ino hadn't realized she had just picked on one of Sakura's insecurities. "Come on let's go sit down at the table." Ino said to quickly change the subject alleviating the green-eyed girl's stress.
When they arrived green eyes gazed at the array of students sitting there. The blonde instantly called notice as she proclaimed, "Hey everyone! This is Sakura Haruno, and you better be nice to her!
She pointed to the boy in the seat next to the two empty ones at the end meant for them. The boy had a bored looked on his face as he poked at his tray of food. His black eyes matched his black hair that was drawn back into a short ponytail. Each of his hears had a gold loop earring.
"You know Shikamaru from yesterday, and next to him is Chouji. Those two have been friends since kindergarten." Chouji also seemed focused on his food, but in a much happier way than Shikamaru. This kid was chowing down like there was no tomorrow.
Ino's finger moved to point at a girl with dark blue hair and light sapphire almost white eyes. "And across from you is Hinata. She's really shy and quiet."
"Hi Sakura, nice to meet you." Hinata timidly welcomed trying her best to extend friendship to the newcomer.
Moving down the line, Ino's finger came to a girl with brown hair and warm brown eyes who was avidly chatting to the dirty blonde next to her. "And that's Tenten and she's a lesbian."
At this Tenten snapped and turned to Ino to shout, "I am not a lesbian! Stop telling people that. I like a boy anyway."
"Yeah, Neji and he looks like a girl anyway so it's just as good as being a lesbian." Ino retorted smugly.
"Shut up!" The blond moved on to her next subject.
"That's Temari. She doesn't live in this district. Temari came to our school because we have a good division soccer team. She's team captain and up for a scholarship too. Plus she's Tenten's girlfriend." The girl seemingly ignored the comment, being to above it to respond. However the same couldn't be said for the brunette.
"You know I can hear you Ino." Tenten scowled, a murderous tenor in her voice.
Ino giggled as she sat down between Sakura and Shikamaru, the two she consider to be her closest friends.
Twisting the plastic fork between her fingers as she poked it at the unappetizing cafeteria food, Sakura contemplated the question currently occupying her mind.
"Um…" Sakura started to ask Ino but stopped herself.
"What? Something wrong?"
It was too late to turn back now. "Well, I saw this boy earlier and I was wondering if you knew who he was."
"Go on, describe him." Ino prodded, curiosity making her impatient.
"Short spiky blonde hair. Blue eyes. And there were three scars across each of his cheeks."
"Oh! You mean Naruto." The blond exclaimed. Hinata went on full attention to the conversation when she heard the boy's name.
"Naruto?" Sakura seemed to test the name out on her lips.
"That kid is unbelievable. He always finds away to get himself in trouble."
"Ino, that's not very nice. Naruto's not that bad." Hinata added defending the boy.
"Yeah, he's a loudmouth, a goof and a class clown, but he's a real nice kid. Why do you think he's cute?" Ino winked and nudged Sakura on.
"No, it's not that. I was wondering how he got those scars."
Ino's normally loud and boisterous voice became soft and quiet. "I don't know. He's never said anything about them." Somehow, with no knowledge, it still perceived as a fragile topic.
End Chapter 3.