A/N: Okay, so it's a little short. Okay, so it's kind of REALLY short. It's still an update, right?
I wrote most of this just yesterday (Sunday, June 14th, 2009!), but, um... 'finalized' it today.
So yeah. Enjoy.

Cheerleaders
Awkward Moments, Painful Moments

I walked nervously out of the bathroom and through the wide school halls. Needless to say, my skirt was way too short and all too flimsy, flapping around like no one was actually staring. Which wasn't the case. I let my fists clench and unclench repeatedly. Since our uniform had a green, white and black pattern going on, I wore a black headband to make a clean separation between my hair and long bangs instead of my usual red one.

Despite my discomfort, I kept my head held up as I walked. Whatever I did, I couldn't let myself look pathetic doing it – one of the many rules the squad had bestowed upon me. I also had on black leather gloves to protect my fingers (which made it harder to clench and unclench my fists). They were supposed to help with all the catching and throwing business, but they just made me uncomfortable… and they made my hands all sweaty. They were only temporary, luckily, so I would get to throw them out soon.

Just as I turned around a corner, someone appeared and rammed right into me. I stepped back, and did my best not to fall over and look even more unsophisticated. Before falling was even an option, the one who'd bumped into me took hold of my arm, holding me until I was standing in a safe position. I looked up to find familiar smoldering black eyes and a sharp stare.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" I blustered, reaching for the end of my skirt instinctively and tugged down a few times. Except, it only drew his attention to my attire – and I twitched in mortification as he looked down at what I was wearing. The skirt was short, yes, but it had shorts underneath it, so I could deal. The top, however, ended at the waist, and my naval was completely… there.

Naked.

Exposed.

Uncovered.

Blargh!

"Sakura-chan." He acknowledged, and then looked passed me. I cringed at the sudden sound of a loud, piercing whistle.

"Sakura-chan!" … Naruto. I could recognize his voice anywhere.

I turned around slightly, my face turning a shadowy pink. "H-Hi, Naruto-kun…" I said slowly, and fumbled around with my hands. I didn't even have pockets to stash them away in! After a few seconds of nervous twitching, I crossed them tightly in front of my bare stomach.

He wiggled his eyebrows playfully as he stopped in front of me, holding a strong poker face. The tips of his mouth struggled to fight back a smile. "Ooh, la la," He said in a deep, commercial voice. And then, unable to contain himself, he burst out laughing.

I took a hesitant step backwards and forced out a weak laughter. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, so I quickly turned and began walking away. Despite my completely sneaky escape, they followed closely behind.

In a matter of minutes, we, the silent, awkward students, made it to, not the main field, but the secondary field. It was smaller then it's stadium-sized neighbor, with fewer bleachers. I saw Ino waving at me many feet away, sitting on the first row of the bleachers with the rest of the squad. After we'd grouped up in the clubroom, we'd set out to the bathroom to change into our uniforms, and afterwards we'd go outside.

Dark blue mats were placed on to ground, which we'd stolen from the gym. It had been in use, as it usually was (the squad rarely got a chance to use it). Since we had to go outside for most of the practices, the gym teachers had allowed us to come by now and then for 'equipment'. Once Ino stole a pogo stick and nearly broke a rib.

By the time I had joined them, everyone was looking at Sasuke. Karin grinned at him before explaining that their date was that afternoon. Sasuke didn't seem as excited. In fact, he looked sort of indifferent to what was going on. He just sat down patiently as we migrated to the floor mats.

We started out with the pyramids. I wasn't tallest, but I wasn't shortest either. I was positioned at the left edge of the middle row of the pyramid. Pyramids were a pain; take my word for it. Temari and Hana were my main support, and Ino, being the best with her balance, was at the top, waving her pompoms as we shouted another loud cheer together.

It was extremely fun; but seriously degrading. Why? Other than the jumping around and screaming about how great our school was part, I was the only one who hadn't gone through at least two years of gymnastics prior to joining the squad. I was like a fill-in bubblegum Barbie doll made to make the squad an even number of eight members.

The only extraordinary thing I'd done was synchronized swimming – which was totally unrelated, in my opinion.

I also did some boxing over the summer, but I stopped when the school year started again. Don't tell anyone about that though; it was mostly during free time, to vent out the anger I had trouble expressing properly. I didn't have biceps to prove it, or impressive abs, though my stomach was flat, so I didn't tend to spread it around. Another reason would probably be that I was afraid a lot of people wouldn't believe me. And if they did, they'd probably find me even weirder. I was sure that no one in the squad was conscious of those pieces of information. I just wanted to keep it that way.

"Sakura. Routine. Now!" Hana barked at me a second time and I quickly stepped off her back and got into position.

"Let's see that smile!" Ino encouraged me.

"Loud and clear, Sakura!" Tenten added.

Honestly, they were making me feel worse. I put on my most charming grin and yelled out the first line. I nearly burst out laughing as Temari initiated the chain reaction fist-in-the-air move. I almost forgot to pump my first when I nervously remembered that Naruto and Sasuke were wandering around somewhere nearby.

We all came together and this time we were going to toss Hinata. She was the shortest, and the lightest out of all of us, so she was easy to send into the air. The only problem was that she hated being thrown up.

Nonetheless, Temari, Tenten and I picked her up while the remaining members cheered in front of us. Who knew cheering would be so dangerous, anyway?

She was up, already. I saw Naruto and Sasuke dragging themselves back in our direction, and then suddenly she was coming down. I forced my hands upwards like a reflexive reaction right in time to perfect a smooth landing. Beside me, Tenten and Temari were grinning – and I couldn't help but smile too, in my sense of self-accomplishment as I help holding up one of Hinata's feet.

We heard a loud, piercing whistle as Naruto and Sasuke stopped in front of the bleachers. We all turn to see Naruto clapping – and clapping alone. Sasuke stood silently and made the whole world sigh at his trademark smirk… Or was that just me?

While we were distracted by them, Hinata lost her balance, gasping – and in half a second she was falling. She pitched backwards, squeaking. I was standing behind her, so I was the one who was supposed to catch her upper body, while Temari and Tenten were to support her legs. Except I wasn't paying attention – or, I was paying attention, but not to Hinata, and the two teenagers across the field.

"What are you doing?!" Karin exclaimed, hands flying into the air.

Hinata's back collided with my face and I began to fall backwards. Tenten and Temari tried catching her legs but the angle she found herself in made it useless. She ended up kicked them both in the face; Tenten on the forehead and Temari on the chin, and they fall back, too. Somehow, we all ended up on the mats, lying on our backs. Hinata quickly rolled off of me, and I put a hand to my nose..

We were all dazed, but not dazed enough to notice the multiple bursts of laughter erupting over us (only after we were confirmed as 'unbroken'). I knew my face was beet red, but through my embarrassment I found a stronger feeling; amusement. I laughed not the loudest, nor the quietest – but I was in between, somewhere in all the noise. I laughed with them, and it didn't matter if I was on the verge of tears or the verge of giggles. Finally, I felt like I was part of something.

For once, I wasn't alone.

I was leaving the school, backpack hitched securely over my shoulders, when I was suddenly ambushed. I couldn't help it – three tall men appeared before me and I let out a pitiful yelp, maybe even a scream, and held my thick science manual defensively in front of me. Maybe one of two seconds passed before I recognized them and another three before they could no longer contain themselves and burst out in laughter.

This time I didn't laugh with them.

I shrunk back into myself, hugging the heavy book tight against me and looking downwards to my feet. I immediately felt angry with myself. If I weren't here, in this stupid school, I wouldn't be so shy. It was so big, filled with so many people I didn't know, and that's what made me nervous. It was unfamiliar.

Sometimes it was different, though. Like when I spoke to Sasuke. I didn't know what it was, maybe my subconscious annoyance towards him for giving off the impression that he was so damn perfect when he was far from it, but when I spoke to him I wasn't afraid, not even nervous. Because I wanted to find out what he possessed that could make him so great, and I couldn't afford to be shy. I was determined to figure him out.

A hand slapped down on my shoulder and I jumped. I was thankful my mouth kept itself shut this time.

"Sakura-a-a!" Deidara sang, putting an arm around me almost friendlily.

I let myself glance at him. "Yes…?" I asked with a small sigh.

He grinned, and begun leading me forward. The two other seniors – Kisame and Sasori, whom I had also unfortunately met – dispersed to let us through, and then followed us as we walked.

"Where are we going?" I asked, but his answer was soundless as he pushed open the door and we all stepped outside. My skirt rustled in the light wind.

"See that, yeah?" He asked, pointing to the black car in the parking space at the extremity of the lot as we all stopped.

I let my eyebrows furrow, but nodded.

"For the next two weeks, that's your ride!" He said in a way that made it seem as if I'd just won prize.

My eyes widened, stayed so for a few seconds, and then narrowed to slits. I turned to him. "This isn't an abduction, is it?" I asked seriously.

Sasori stepped forward. "A rather crude accusation, is it not, Sakura-san?" He began. "Children are abducted. You, however," He paused and did a thorough, deliberate once-over, "are not a child."

Kisame grinned pointed teeth. "The proper term would be 'kidnapping'." He added helpfully.

My eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets as I took three quick, consecutive steps backwards.

Deidara whipped around and gave the two a funny look, which they both responded to with satisfied but sheepish looks. When he turned back around, grabbing my wrist to stop me for creating more distance between us, he smirked at the expression I still had on my face.

"This is not an abduction, nor a kidnapping. I meant what I said. You're hitching a ride with Itachi." He said, putting a hand on his hip.

My eyes drifted back towards the car. One of the doors opened, and Itachi stepped out. I felt a giggle rise and stop in my throat as he stepped out slowly and reached up to the black glasses he wore. 'What the hell is going on?' was the first though that went through my head.

He removed the glasses, folded them neatly and carefully, and then slid them into the pocket of his school uniform vest. A large hand pressed against the small of my back so that I started forwards. By the size of the hand, I guessed it was the pale Kisame, who towered over six feet. Walking in front of him, I must have looked vertically challenged. Which I was not.

When I reached Itachi, I only felt worse. Now I had two people looking down at me, though Itachi wasn't freakishly gigantic, he was more… elegantly tall. I snorted at my own words. This was Sasuke's brother. I looked up at him, and another face popped into my head.

Sai.

Where had he gone, anyway? I was beginning to worry. I told myself firmly that I would see him tomorrow, and, so easily, I was convinced.

"Sakura, get in." Itachi said, putting a hand on my shoulder to guide me to the open door.

I put my hand against the car, taking a moment's hesitation. "Why am I not beating you to a pulp right about now?" I murmured to myself, though I had my head turned in his general direction.

He raised an eyebrow. "Because you're getting a free ride. Hurry it up, or that Yamanaka girl will recognize you." He noticed the pause I made at the name, and added, "Don't look."

I immediately straightened up to try and spot Ino. She was standing at the bus stop with Temari and Naruto, and she seemed to be looking at Sasori and Deidara, who were waiting at the school entrance doors. Her head began to turn our way…

… And Itachi put his hand firmly on my head and pushed down. Kisame put his foot on my butt and shoved me inside not-so-gently. I slid in clumsily, falling on arms, face and chest onto the floor (which was actually quite spacious). I lay there for a few silent seconds, feeling someone bend my knees so my legs fit inside completely. I was sure that if I hadn't been wearing leggings for the lowering temperature, they would have seen my underwear.

"I say don't look, and you look." Itachi muttered, with a sigh my ears barely caught.

The door shut closed, and I groaned in annoyance. I barely felt obliged to rise from my twisted and crumpled position on the car's clean, dark carpet. I heard Itachi get in the car and sit in the driver's seat. Finally, as he revved the engine, I looked up.

And saw Sasuke, staring down at me like I was some mad, rabies-infested zoo specimen. Yes, he did have that somewhat startled but mostly intrigued wide-eyed look on his face. Or, he tried to demonstrate that expression. Our eyes locked. We stared at each other silently for a few seconds, each willing the other to look away first.

"…Sakura…?"

I looked to his right, and saw that Karin was sitting there, looking fancy in her dark skinny jeans and blue and white brand name sweater. I bit my lip when I realized I was sprawled all over her feet. Her face was red. Whether it was from embarrassment or anger, I would never know. Anyway, why was she here?

Oh.

The date?

Yeah. That was today.

Huh.

'Sakura… you are an idiot.'

And then I banged my head against the floor. Hard.

A/N: I've had this song stuck in my head for a while. Actually, I've got two. "Just a Little Girl" by Trading Yesterday, which was just totally MADE for SasuSaku, and then there's "Stop This World" by Ne-yo, which is just awesome, so... no comment.

Now go press that review button! =)