Chapter 5

Her first shift was very busy, although all she did was clean, she didn't know where everything went and she didn't really make great firsts impressions with everyone. Although Naruto was happy to help her, the others just seem to avoid her. Shikamaru would walk past and if something was in the wrong place he would fix it and mutter the word "troublesome".

By the end of the night she was exhausted, there was still no sign of Kakashi and if he didn't get back soon she would miss her bus forcing her to walk home in the dark. Well she could always leave before he got back, but she didn't really want to get on the bad side of everyone working at the diner.

Entering the dining area she noted there were still a few people left there. A lovey dovey couple in one of the booths and a middle-aged man sitting at the other end of the diner drinking coffee. Also not to her surprise the boys biggest fans, also known as the biggest bitches in the entire school, moreover she really didn't like the way they all looked at her when she walked through the kitchen doors. Diverting her eyes to the counter she saw Choji sitting there scoffing his face with chocolate cake and chatting aimlessly to Shikamaru.

"So Sakura how was your first day of work?" Naruto welcomed Sakura, and a small squeak was heard from behind her where the fan girls where sat. She glanced at Sasuke for a moment and saw him glaring at the girls and they began to leave.
"Umm" she really didn't like the way they all looked at her, she knew whatever she said would be wrong. "Hard I guess" She smiled sweetly.
"Well I have to say I don't think I've ever seen the dishes so shinny" Kiba grinned and winked.
Great her discomfort was so obvious to see that even Kiba, who was maybe a little less dense then Naruto, was standing up for her.

"Any idea when Kakashi is coming back?" Sakura said to change the subject.
"Did he say he was coming back? Cause if he didn't I wouldn't count on it" Kiba stated
"Yea he said he was coming back and bringing presents." Sai said.
"Presents?" Sasuke inquired "From the guy that doesn't give us a Christmas bonus in till threaded with sharp objects."
"You guys have such a nice relationship with your boss." Sakura said sarcastically.
"He's your boss now too, Sakura." Sai smirked and Sakuras face looked a little frightened.
"Anyway, weather he's baring gifts or not I need to go before I miss the last bus." She turned off the stool she was sitting on only for Kakashi to walk through the front doors with big plastic bags, the kind that the launderette gives your freshly cleaned cloths in.

"Ut-oh I don't think I'm going to like the presents he got for us." Naruto in a crooked voice.

"Ok everyone I want you to close your eyes"
"I think that conflicts with the health and safety policy." Sasuke stated looking emotionless as ever.
"How troublesome" Shikamaru said shaking his head, while Choji oblivious to his surroundings kept eating.

Kakashi placed the bags onto the counter and pulled out a balling-shirt with the colours orange and green.
"If there what I think they are, they better not be." Sais face was deadly serious.
Kakashi then pulled out Sakuras uniform. It was the ugliest dress imaginable, orange and green, knee high and frilly. Its hideousness was almost enough to make her gasp.

"Cute right?" Kakashi grinned.
"Yea, if you're blind!" Naruto yelled "I'm all for the colour orange" various groans where heard "but that" Naruto pointed at the top in Kakashi's hand "That is revolting"
"If that's my uniform then I'm quitting" Kiba said and they all cheered in agreement.
"Oh please" Kakashi rolled his eyes "You're all over reacting, there not that bad"
"Yes Kakashi there that bad" Sakura tired to spell it out to him.
"Well then Sakura what would you suggest?"
"Keep to what we usually wear!" Kiba spat out
"Well Kiba I didn't know you had a sex and name change. But I gotta say your D'cups really bring out the bitch in your eyes." Kakashi said sinisterly, he was obviously pissed, he had tried to do a nice thing for is employs and they turn the noise up at it.

"Well can I ask about the colours? Why orange and green?"
Kakashi amused her questions "They stand out" She nodded slowly.
"And a balling-shirt? It would make sense if we were on a balling team but..." She trailed off

"Fine Sakura you're in charge of the uniforms now. You'll need to bring them in for tomorrow." Great she did exactly what she didn't won't to do, piss off the boss. She should have left when she had a chance.
"Fine." Damn her and not being able to turn down a challenge. "If I can design and make uniforms that the boys are willing to wear and the customers like I want extra benefits" Kakashi raised an eyebrow
"Such as?"
"I want a title, extra pay and aloud the flexibility of phoning in the morning when I don't want to come in"

"A title? Like Lady of the pain-in-da-ass." Sai said and they all cracked up
"And being able to phone in when you can't come in? You mean like when you're sick?"

Ignoring their comments she continued to stare at Kakashi. She didn't really care for the extra money and the job title would of course look good on a college application. What she really wanted was being able to phone work on short notes to riffle his feathers or so to speak.

"We have a deal." And they shook hands on it and once again he left the scene and headed towards his upper office.

Spinning on her heel. "Nobody moves" She said pointing and glaring at them all. She returned seconds later with a book in one hand and a pencil in the other. Flicking to an empty page and doing a quick trace of a male body. "Know tell me what everyone wants."

After hours of creating the perfect brain-storm uniform and taking their measurements everyone had gone home apart from her and Sasuke. The last bus had left ages ago and she was debating whether to ask him for a lift or not, it would have been a smart thing to do, it was past midnight and this area wasn't so safe at this time. Also it would take her over an hour to get home seeing as she was sleepy causing her to walk slower. But she could tell Sasuke was tired too and she didn't want to be a nuisance for him.

"I'll see you tomorrow Sasuke" She smiled her sweet smile with tired eyes.
"You're leaving?" Sasuke asked
"What did I say my good-byes wrong?" Sakura joked.
"Its 12.20"
"Stating the obvious again I see"
"Just ask Sakura." He was too tired to play any stupid games. She was taken back for a second sure she must have looking a bit dumb-struck.

"Can you please give me a ride home?" She bowed her head a little and clasped her hands together.
A simple "Hn" was heard from him and he turned out the lights.

She stepped out into the freezing night air, Sasuke close behind. His car was the only one in the small parking-lot.
Locking up the diner he let out a loud sigh.

"Everything ok?" She asked looking a little concerned for him.
"Long day." She smiled at him. "Where do you live?"
"Umm, you know the other day when you saved me from walking into a poll, well that's my road"
"You where planning on walking, this late at night, to almost the other side of the city? Do you have a death wish or something?" She didn't know whether to laugh at this or to be honest. In the end she chose not to say anything at all. While he looked at her with his usual blank exasperation. He sighed again "Get in the car."

He stepped in first and she gracefully slide into the passenger's seat. The engine purred and away they went at high speeds, she couldn't tell if the street lights where going blurred because of his speedy driving or her tiredness.

The silence was killing him. He wanted to turn on the radio but she looked so peaceful with her half closed eyes. And he wasn't one for conversations and usually one sided conversations where annoying. He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

"Why?" she looked at him slightly startled by the one worded question but before she could ask anything he spoke up again. "Why did you agree to become a waitress at Kakashis' diner?" he glanced at her for a second and then looked back at the road.

She now also stared out the front window "A lot of reasons I guess. To start with I had a huge argument with my mother that got me thinking about..." she trailed off. There was a moment silence before she started again "And, can you keep a secret?" She looked over at him and he glimpsed at her and nodded. Biting her bottom lip "I think, that maybe, it's possible that he's having" she took a deep breath "an affair with my mother."

For a seconded there was a shocked expression upon his face, only for it to quickly return to its normal composer.
"So what you're really doing, is spying on him." That was more a statement than a question "And this after-noon when you wanted the freedom to call in whenever, that's to keep him on his toes. Well Sakura, you're a lot smart then I thought you were."

"Oh, I bet that you thought I was another brainless fan girl that wants to jump your bones." Sakura said while rolling her eyes.
"Yea, pretty much." And she burst out laughing .
"Oh hang on that's my house coming up." She pointed to the house with the small cherry tree in the front yard.
"Does no-one in your family drive?" He ask when noticing there were no cars in the drive way. Then he noticed the slightly sad look on her face. "There not home are they?" She shook her head to tell him we was correct. Now feeling a little awkward "Are you going to be alright alone?" he observed her hands turn into tight fists that shook slightly but she turned her head with a huge smile shining across her face.
"Of course, this isn't the first time." She opened the car door and let in the bitter cold night air. "Thanks again for the ride home. I'll, ah, she you tomorrow. Goodnight." She gave another smile and she gentle closed his car door. He couldn't help but wait and watch her walk up to her porch, open the door and lock it again. She saw he was still sitting outside and gave a small wave goodnight.

Starting the car again he couldn't help but feel concerned for her. Although she put up a brave face, no doubt form years of experience, when she balled her hands he could see she was upset.

Sakura went strait to her mother's room, within the room there was so much clutter that it was almost impossible to turn around. Her mother went through fazes, similar to a child and their future careers, actually this was almost identical.
A few years back her mother went through a "fashion" faze, buying boat loads of material and a high tech sewing machine. Saying it was her destiny to bring back shoulder pads. Only to get board of it after a few weeks, but luckily another man was able sidetrack her. But Sakura was grateful, it showed her that she had a passion for fashion and design and she also got to inherit a fancy sewing machine.
Looking back over the notes she made earlier she got right too it, knowing that she was going to pull an all-nighter like normal. At least tonight she would have something too keep her entertained.

The next morning after staying up all night making the diner uniforms, which were still unfortunately unfinished she headed to school early, she had planned to get off two blocks and grab a descant coffee from the nice "Corner Cafe" which was a family run business.

The coffee warmed her hands as she walked the rest of the distance to the school, hopefully to arrive with plenty of time. Which she had, the school yard wasn't very crowded. And she saw Hinata standing with her cousin Neji by the doors.

"Sakura!" there was an orange blur and then Naruto came into focused.
"Good morning" She smiled politely. "How do you have so much energy in the morning?"
"Ramen!" Naruto grinned and she raised an eyebrow
"You had ramen, for breakfast?" And he let out a little laugh and rubbed the back of his head.
"How are the uniforms coming" Sai asked and the rest of the group appeared behind him and Naruto.
"Almost done, thank goodness I have the afternoon off."
"What do you mean you have the afternoon off, we have double gym after lunch." Kiba asked a bit confused.
Sakura just looked at him and he started back at her completely confused.
"You're not going are you?" Sasuke enquire. Sakura smiled and shook her head.
"Of course not." And her smile grew a little wider.
"But Sakura that's naughty, you'll get into trouble." Naruto almost shouted making people in close proclivity look in their direction.
"Well Naruto being a girl I can come up with a good reason to get out of it." She beamed and a few of them look a little confused at her and the others tried to hold there sniggers. "Ok I'm going to leave now before you embarrass me anymore" and she walked away from them passing Neji who was heading towards his friends.

"Good morning Hinata" Sakura greeted her shy friend.
"W..W... w..where you and N..N...Naruto talking about" Hinata asked in a worried tone
"Oh nothing really, just wanted to borrow my notes from last lesson." She replied slightly upset about lying to her friend, again. But her concerned face didn't vanish she was still looking at her intently.
"Sakura you look tired. When was the last time you got a good night sleep?" She had to think about this for a moment, trying to remember the last time she got a sold 8hours sleep. It wasn't last night she got non, the night before she stayed up late at Ino's home, the night before that she stayed up till the early hours of the morning waiting for her mother to arrive home then only to leave 5minutes later after their argument, and on Friday night although both her parent where there when she got home after the movie her mother left after her and her husband's disagreement and her father left around 4 in the morning to catch his flit so once again she didn't get a full 8 hours sleep.
"Umm, Thursday when I stayed over at your house." She said avoiding Hinata's eyes. But Hinatas face was very unimpressed. But she chose not to say anything, she knew Sakura would still get the message.

"We should go in know, Ino and Tenten are probably waiting for us" Hinata said
"Ok you go in, I'll catch up with you in a minute." Hinata nodded and went on her way.

Sakura headed for her locker, she turned a corner and was suddenly ambushed by three other girls who flung her into a bathroom.