Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Enjoy.

After the assemby and three long periods of school lessons, I, along with the rest of the class was held back for cleaning duty. As the school does not hire any cleaners, (Tsunade sensei sure is stingy) the students are forced to take responsibility over their class room, which basically means we are to clean our class ourselves, without being paid too. How fair was that!

As today was the first day, we, students needed to do an overall clean-up. Normally, each day, there would be two students stayed back to clean the board and arranged the chairs and tables in its order. These two unfortunate slaves would be voted by class tomorrow, along with class president and vice president.

"These taints are stubborn, yeah?" Tenten strode up a casual talk, helping me rubbing the window's glass.

"Tell me about that. I have been working on this spot for five minutes and it's still not clear." I replied with a fake sigh.

"I should earn some fee for helping ya." Tenten grinned and we exchanged some trivial talks. Though I didn't like her all that much, after the Hinata back stabbing especially, I reckoned the brunette had taken a fond on me. She seemed pretty keen in making me her friend.

"I saw you talking with Sasuke Kun this morning. He's so handsome, right?" Tenten whispered, peeking at the said boy with a dreamy sigh. The dark hair guy, who was being the center of attention by the girls in class, was cleaning the floor dutily behind us. "And cool, too. I wish I got a boyfriend liked him."

"But he looks angry all the time, you know?" I commented. "And his persona is, um, not kind?" I intended to use the 'horrible' word but on the second thought, I decided to change it. Wouldn't want to be murdered and bullied by fan girls for the rest of high school, yeah?

"That what makes him hot!" Karin, a red head with glasses working nearby, exclaimed loudly, as if she's talking to us the whole time. I shared a look with Tenten and while she boldly peeked behind us, I didn't dare to turn around.

Karin continued to rant on, totally oblivious that the subject she was talking about, located, just behind our back. "And the best part is I heard he just broke up with his girlfriend- from a girl who went to the same junior high with him- so he's single now and probably in need of a lot of love! Isn't it great!"

I hope Sasuke was too dumb to figure out that we were talking about him. Apparently, God didn't hear my pray because I heard a loud crash, as if some one just threw his rag on the floor and stormed off. The three of us jumped a little and Karin gasped in horror, realizing her mistakes. "Oh, my god! Sasuke Kun was behind me all the time and I haven't fixed my hair! I must look terrible!"

'Great. Another Ino.' I thought while Inner was laughing a storm in my head. While Karin bewilderedly brushing her hair with her fingers, which didn't seem to be efficient, I noticed Tenten looked a bit pleased. Probably happy that one rival for her future man was out.

That what I hate about girls, especially girls in love.

Then, imaged of Naruto suddenly crossed my mind and I asked Karin. "Do you know why did they break up?"

"Oh my god! What should I do! I look awful!"

"Karin, hey. You know why?" I tried again, louder in case she hadn't heard me.

"My hair! Oh, and where is my make up, damned it!" I was tempted to point out that they were in a middle of a clean up section and going to head home soon. Why did she need to make her up for?

"Karin! You hear me?"

"Shut up! I need to fix my self because Sasuke Kun wouldn't love me if I'm as ugly as you!" The red head yelled angrily and I inhaled a deep breath to calm my nerve. This girl was really annoying, even more than Pig! And you need to know by comparing her to Ino, she was ranked as supper, extremely irritating.

"Hey! What's your problem!" Tenten barked behind me and I smiled at her.

"It's ok. I can handle it." She looked suspicious and was still scowling at Karin (and was the glittering thing in her hand a knife?). But I wasn't lying to calm her down. Actually, I was being really honest. Being best friend with a moody Ino, I knew just the right thing to do when some grumpy chick was in a sour spirit.

"Let me help you." I said, pulling out a comb and some conditioned powder from my bag nearby.

"What's that?" Karin asked, frowning at me through her mirror.

"I'm an expert in styling and maintaining hair." I replied, casually run my comb through her hair. She didn't trust me at first and demanded me to give her the comb only. However, I held her firm and did some secret massage on her head skin, which Ino loved dearly and would order me to do it for her every twice a day.

Expectedly, Karin relaxed but her shoulder still tensed and she watched my hand's movements like a hawk through her mirror. I didn't blame her for her wariness.

After all, can you entrust your precious hair to one who had hideout hair style and whom you just insulted earlier?

I knew she just let me fix her hair because she was doing a horrible job at it and that my massage while I combed her hair was fascinating (Ino told me so). Tenten was also giving me odd looks, as if she didn't quite believe what I was doing. She must have expected me yell the hell out of Karin or even punch her, not being helpful to my offender.

Applied some cream from my hair conditioner bottle, I continued on my work, skillfully smooth out a knot whenever I reached one. "You got nice hair's texture."

"Of course. I used the best hair care." Karin snorted, but sounding a tag nicer. She must notice how much better her hair look and feel while I was combing on it.

"Hm, but I advise you shouldn't watch your hair everyday." I finished the he final stroke and looking at her through the mirror on her hand. "The chemical in shampoo will destroy your hair and make it's dry. You should only wash it about two or three days a week. It will be easier to style and more manageable."

"Really?" Karin looked awe while she combed through her hair in amaze. She must be surprised that her frizzy, greasy hair could be this soft and much shinier.

I nodded, showing her a bottle of powder. "You can sprinkle this on your hair and comb through it every day. It work wonder, I assure you."

"Whoa. Can you buy me one? I will pay you tomorrow!" Karin grinned at me excitedly and I smiled back.

"Nah. Use that. It's brand new. I only just opened it this morning."

"You sure? Oh my god!" She cried in glee, bounced on me and declared I was her best friend forever from then on.

That was easy. I thought, winking at a dumb-struck Tenten while patting the back of a thrilled Karin. The brunette looked totally shocked, as if the whole process still hadn't been digested by her.

"You're the best, Sakura! The most amazing!" Karin still complimented me non-stopped while Tenten nodded, finally located her jaw back to its appropriate place.

Inner was muttering at how stupid girls liked Karin could be while I silently sent my thanks to Ino. You see, this was one of few advantages I got by being friend with a queen bee, fashionable chick. For having to tag along whenever she went shopping and helping her presenting herself before going on date or club, I had acquired quite a vast knowledge in the area of beautify.

I don't want to boast but even a professional expert in this area would have to hold some respect for me.

Anyway, by having this talent after all the torture Ino put me through, I can make friend (even friend for life!) with almost every girls, just by helping them a bit on their looks. I could be wimpy, clumsy sometimes but I was confident that I girls drew to me liked bees to honey and Karin was not an exception.

After had managed to quiet the hyper girl down, I returned to my cleaning task with the others while asking Karin again. "Do you know why did Sasuke break up with his girlfriend?"

"Beat me. I don't know that much." Karin shrugged and I frowned inwardly. So, all my effort to be friend with her in order to have information was wasted? What the hell? If I know this bitch didn't know a thing, I'd have just left and not staying behind to fix her hair! Damned! And I lost my brand new hair powder too! It's as expensive as bitch!

The red head must notice my disappointment because she hurriedly said. "But I heard his girl friend is very pretty and rich. And she's in this school too!"

Firgure. Some one as stuck up and haughty as Sasuke wouldn't stoop down to lowly, average girl. His girl friend must be a beauty.

Now that I had confirmed that Naruto would stand no chance to lure such girl to cheat Sasuke, I wondered why the Teme broke up with her and what role Naruto played in this mysterious drama. But mostly, I really wanted to meet the chick, who could actually go out with a hotie like Sasuke.

Talk about pretty, I turned to Tenten. "Oh, hey, Ten."

"Ten?" The bunned haired girl raised any eyebrow, seeming to like the nick name I gave her.

"Yeah. Hinata actually is a nice, normal girl you know? She's just too shy."

"Hyuuga? Nice?" Karin exclaimed in bewildered, once again, interrupting. I could tell Tenten was annoyed. " She's the biggest bitch ever! That girl just got a nice look and a little bit money and she thought she owns the world!"

"No. She's very kind-Really! It's just she's timid around stranger." I defended my new friend. Out of all girls I had met so far, Hinata definitely was the best. Not only she's good-looking, she's also cute and even fragile! She deserved to be admired, not resented by jealous bitches!

'You're sick.' Inner sniggered, pointing out that I liked that girl because she's vulnerable and alone and I had a fetish for weakling.

Ok. So what? Protecting others wasn't illegal or it was banned, was it?

"Still, you know," Tenten joined in with a meaningful glance. "If you hang around such beauty, you will look twice the time awful."

A knot twisted my stomach and I felt totally shocked. Why didn't I think about it before? Standing beside Hinata would only uglify me, liked five the times if not more! My face would look fatter, nose bigger and eyes smaller! My forehead probably would expand to the huge rank!

'Hello? Then, your best friend, Ino, isn't pretty?' Inner pointed out irritatingly, must be angry because I was yelling inside my head and she was supposed to be the only voice there. 'The Ino-clone, Karin isn't good-looking? And Tenten isn't that far from cute. It's just that you are ugly! Uglier a bit will kill you?'

I sighed, once again blowed by the offensive statement. Why did that voice could just be so cruel? It didn't need to emphaise the ugly word twice!

But Inner had a point. It still wouldn't matter if I hang out with Hinata. Not that by avoiding her, I'd become prettier.

Still, it's depressed to think how ugly you were compared to your friends, who were all better off being models.

I really had a problem in chosing friends.

A/N: For some odd reason, 'Blue' is actually my favourite work amongst my stories so far. May be, because this is the only fic that isn't crossover amongst my story.