Team Kakashi

By: Lady Evelynn

All standard disclaimers apply: I do not own Naruto. The characters and all their tragedies belong to Masashi Kishimoto; I am nothing but a lonely fanfiction authoress... who lacks the drive to finish anything! So please... no suing!

Chapter 3: A Ticket to Heaven... and Hell.

Sakura woke up with a loud sneeze. She had been fighting the urge to wake completely, since her body began shivering, to do anything about the apparent cold. In retaliation to her disobedience, her body jolted her awake and made her eyes open involuntarily directly into the rays of the sun.

Sakura grimaced, instantly covering her head with her duvet. She hated when she woke up like that. It was only after her heart slowed down to its regular pace she realized the sun was too high for it to be the early morning, or the time when she normally woke up for school.

School. That's right! It was Monday morning. Sakura closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She didn't get nearly enough sleep to cover up for her lack of sleep she had during the weekend.

Turning towards her nightstand, she checked the time. There was a note.

'Hope you enjoyed sleeping in, Saku-chan

-Ino'

"That boar! I should've expected much from her since I made her clean up all that rubbish in the spare room last night," Sakura shook her head and removed the sticky note. It was past eight. School starts in less than ten minutes. The pink haired woman groaned. How was she supposed to explain this to her teacher?

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura called out, stumbling out of her bed. She hoped Hinata was there still, and she didn't leave without her. 'Maybe Ino put her up to this too! That conniving bitch,'

"Hai?" a soft reply came from out her door, seconds after Sakura.

"Oh thank god you're still here. How come you didn't wake me up?"

"Ino told me not to. She said that you were so tired this morning you pushed her away when she tried to wake you up. She left early to sign up for school. They're going to transfer her grades and attendance to her other school in…" Hinata paused a second, "I have breakfast on the counter for you. I'm going to be heading out. I have a lot of studying to do,"

Sakura then heard Hinata's light padding leading out to the door.

She looked back down to the note and smiled softly. 'I take that back, Ino,' Sakura then prepared herself for another hectic day. What normally took her about two hours to complete, she had to do in less than ten minutes.

Calculating the time it'll take to rush out of the apartment complex to the bus stop, then the ride to school, she finished primping herself up before she came up with a number. Deciding to place her hair in a bun so she didn't have to go about untangling it for half an hour, she rushed out with her regular school attire.

Though technically her school didn't require uniform, Sakura thought it would be proper to wear something uniform everyday- a comfortable and conservative type of clothing. Her idea of a quick change was skirt, leggings and a sweater to top it off. She'd have to arrange a few things once she got to school. She was a great note taker, if her brain didn't already memorize the material. She'd catch up on what she missed.

Sakura smiled to herself as she ran down the stairs and towards the bus stop. She had always been a top student, and is currently the top student in her class. She had never been late, so hopefully her teacher will excuse her absence for the first half hour of class; she was even considered to be a know-it-all, which she prided herself to be.

To top it all off she looked good, too. Though she was concerned with her forehead. She had heard many times that it was too big from other students. Some of her friends told her they were just being jealous, but after hearing it so many times you have to believe it's true. She tried one day wearing a bandanna over it, but the girls still talked.

Sakura crossed her arms over her stomach as she walked into the bus, hunched over. She wouldn't consider herself popular, or even geek standards. She was basically a nobody at school. She was sure Ino would see that too. It was embarrassing, her best friend from her childhood returns and sees that Sakura has surmounted to nothing.

She tried blocking that image from her head: a laughing Ino. But it kept on coming back to her, annoying her pride.

Sakura gritted her teeth. She wasn't so sure she wanted to go to school anymore. But as that thought finished, she noted vaguely the familiar scenery of Konoha's High School Campus came into view.

It was quite large— being that is was in the city of Konoha, and not in the suburbs. So it had to fit hundreds of students. It was considered by others schools, modern and pretty to look at. It was very green, with many trees decorating the fields in haphazard places. So large that many students would study under the trees to wait for classes, and even nap during break times.

Sakura hurried to her section of the school after getting off the bus, marked with large greeting letters: "Welcome to Konoha Secondary School."

It was… awfully rowdy for being 8:52 in the morning. Students should have been in class by now. In the distance she saw a familiar figure. It was Hinata, alone and under a tree, studying, as she said she was.

Nearby she saw another familiar figure, that of a man lying down under a nearby tree. "Nara Shikamaru!" Sakura called out, avoiding some people who were standing in the middle of the field talking amongst one another.

The body didn't move, but she knew he heard her. When she reached him, his eyes were closed. "Hey!" Sakura said, kicking his side. He then opened his eyes and looked up at Sakura.

"Nice skirt," He said in a dreary tone.

Sakura pulled down her skirt and looked around once more. "Why is everyone meandering about?"

"Didn't you hear, Sakura… it's late start,"

Sakura groaned in response, sinking down onto her knees. She could've slept in. As Shikamaru would say:

"What a drag," he moaned, closing his eyes once more. "They apparently posted on the school website on Sunday, but who checks the websites? Who even knew there was a website?"

"Oh, so these people are the unlucky ones," Sakura mumbled. "Oh, and thanks by the way. The food was delicious. Unfortunately, our gig is up. They knew it wasn't me who prepared the food,"

"You should have known," Shikamaru replied with a suppressed yawn.

They waited in silence a little longer, then Sakura spoke. "So we're all going our separate ways after this semester?"

Shikamaru grunted in response.

"Just promise me... not to lose touch when you're out making a difference in the real world, m'kay?" Sakura smiled softly, a hint of sadness in her tone. "Oh, where's Tenten?"

"In class,"

"...What?"

"Yeah, class B still has regular time, you know?" Shikamaru said in a tone that made Sakura feel as if she was supposed to know this; like it was common knowledge.

What? "What?" Sakura whispered, despite the rage building up inside her. "Why didn't you tell me this before hand?"

Shikamaru shrugged and turned over. Sakura sighed and lifted herself up. She was really going to have to do some explaining to do to the teacher now that she was later than necessary. Damn you, Ino-baka!

As she ran through the hallways, searching out for disciplinarians, she caught sound of Ino.

"What do you mean this isn't school appropriate? Fine, I have a jacket anyways. No need to treat your new students with respect or anything. Not even a welcome. How rude," Ino muttered the last few parts as the door shut from the attendance office. Ino looked up after reading something that was in her hand, and smiled smugly at Sakura. "How'd you like your extra sleep? I told Hinata it was late start today, and to not wake you up,"

"It's late start for class a students apparently, not for my class, Ino," Sakura muttered, slowing her pace down and stopping before Ino.

"Oh. Oops. I thought I was being kind," Ino smirked. Sakura twitch.

That bitch! She knew I was in Class B, and she still had the nerve to do this!

"Don't even ask me to help find where your classes are at,"

Ino laughed, studding the paper she held into her shoulder bag. "That's why they invented maps, forehead,"

Sakura tilted her head up, mocking her insult, and continued on. "Run then, little piggy, before you get a detention on your first day for being so late,"

"Heh. what are you talking about. Unlike you, I am in Class A," Ino grinned then walked off into the opposite direction. Before she disappeared, she yelled behind: "See you at lunch!"

Class was over before it even started, or so that's what Sakura thought. She had already caught up on notes, and she was still knew each question the teacher asked. It was lunch, however, when Sakura felt off her game. She was never really social to start off with. She was more like a loner, preferring to weave in and out of crowds, greet acquaintances, and eat her lunch while she studied. When she arrived in the courtyard, food in hand, she saw a swarm of people in a certain area. Curious, she made her way there only to see it was Ino who had drawn all their attention.

"So there was this one time in my old school..." Ino's hands were all over the place as she described the details, and her smiled was bright and welcoming. Everyone seemed drawn into her world. Even Sakura. The pink haired girl shook her head and walked away. she knew exactly what Ino was doing. She was making her jealous that she can make so many friends in a little amount of time, and Sakura still could sount her acquaintances in both her hands.

"Hmph," Sakura tilted her head off and stalked away. But Ino caught sight of her hair and called to her, stopping her 'epic' story mid-climax.

"Hey pinky!" Ino greeted, smiling. "I want you to join us. We were just talking about the band that's preforming here this weekend,"

Everyone nodded along with Ino, encouraging Sakura to join. Sakura smiled and made her way through the opening of the crowd. 'How nice...'

"Listen to this," Ino said, taking the headphones from another person's ear and placing it in Sakura's. "They're very famous. And it happens to be that they're touring through here. It's not official yet, of course, but I have my sources. You've heard of them before, right?"

"This shining city built of gold, a far cry from innocence

There's more than meets the eye round here look to the waters of the deep

A city of evil"

Sakura's eyes widened. It was that one band! They had very catchy music. She heard them on the radio sometimes, but never caught the name. "Um, that one band. It's um... I love their music,"

Everyone looked at her expectantly, those of the people left crowding Ino.

"Team Kakashi!" Ino added, raising her brow. "You do know them, right?"

"I've heard of them!" Sakura retorted, taking off the earphones. "So how come you know?"

"When you're this popular everywhere, you have connections, girl," Ino smiled. "You all coming?" Ino asked the rest of the crowd. They all nodded. "Then get your tickets before it's announced that it'll be here!"

"Oh! That's right. I got a ticket yesterday!" Sakura said in a chipper manner.

"Really?" Ino tilted her head. "I got mine as soon as I found out. It's a decent seat, if I do say so myself. This is also another reason why I'm here. This is such a big deal. I mean to see Uzamaki up close and in the flesh. I might die! And Loveless! The backup vocalist and bassist. O, kill me now so I can die and go to heaven with those hotties!"

"Uza... Loveless?" Sakura asked.

"Girl, you and I have to do some major updating in your social networking. These guys, Team Kakashi, are the newest hot topics since... hot topics were invented,"

Sakura smiled sheepishly.

When Sakura got home, the first thing she did was grab an apple. She didn't each much at lunch, and felt very uncomfortable eating during lectures.

Hinata was already at the apartment, cleaning. She was working on the living room now, dusting and rearranging small things. Sakura waved, her mouth covered by the apple she had just bit into. As she made her way to her room, the doorbell buzzed.

Hinata opened the door. "Sakura, it's Shizune-sama. Please, come in,"

"You are too kind. Ah, Sakura. I heard that you broke your pager. Tsunade-sama couldn't get a hold of you on Saturday, so she called your household for the emergency. We will have to dock the broken pager off your next pay. In the meantime, here is another one," Shizune presented a more modern version of the pager Sakura had, and Sakura took it eagerly. "Return the old one when you get called in next. Oh, and expect a call soon. Tsunade-sama is very swamped with paperwork this evening and will need your help,"

Shizune, who was secondarily in charge next to Head Doctor Tsunade-sensei, bowed politely and left.

After Hinata closed the door, Sakura grinned and lifted up the new device, "YEAH! A new pager!"

When Sakura finally got called in, after she squeezed in a light nap, she ran through the hall still excited.

"Hey! No running!" It was Tenten, at the reception desk, glasses on and looking very professional, "Pink? Sakura-chan?" Tenten blinked.

"I got a new pager! And you're not laying a finger on it this time!" Sakura grinned, after poking her head out from around the corner so Tenten could see her.

"Congratulations," Tenten smiled.

When Sakura reach her designated level, she began to walk out when she stopped at what her eyes landed on. It was... that one man. He was back! "Hey!" Sakura called out, ready to attend if necessary. He ignore her though, walking down the hall at amazing speed.

Itachi...

"Itachi!" She called out, hoping that would stop him. He momentarily paused and looked back. But because he was so far away she couldn't see if he was doing well or not. With renewed hope, she began chasing the patient, when all of a sudden he disappeared. What?

She shook her head. She couldn't blame her visions on sleep deficiency this time; she took a short nap before she was called in. But it couldn't be possible... he didn't just... no. Sakura shook her head. She was thinking too much about that Itachi fellow. Her mind was creating crap for her. Or maybe it was a good time to get a boyfriend. Daydreaming of unknown patients was never a good indication of sanity. She was borderline obsessing. Nuh-uh, never a good sign.

She then continued on her current mission at hand.

A/N: The lyrics are from Avenged Sevenfold. Hope you enjoyed! :D