Disclaimer: Still dont own Naruto. TT

Pairings: Sasu/Saku, Naru/Hina and Shika/Ino (possibly. Still just possibly.)

Author's Notes: Oh, the times I feel like doing what Ino does. I think I've been writing as her a bit much recently, as I keep starting to think actually like her. Its quite scary sometimes, but in a good way. I think.

Due to reader's request, this chapter has Gaara! Got anything you want to see in the story? Review with what you want, and I'll try and fit it in somewhere!

Chapter 4

After Shikamaru had paid for the camellia and left the shop, I hung the 'closed' sign up on the door then jumped up on the desk and lied down. And that's where I am now: lying back, thinking about one thing. And it's not Sasuke.

But why did he look at me like that? That grin…surely I'm not the 'perfect girl' he was talking about? No way. I can't be…can I?

No. Shikamaru doesn't like me like me. We're friends. Just friends. Me, Shikamaru and Chouji: Team 10. Friends.

So why am I having to convince myself that I don't like him either? Oh, I'm so confused!

There's a knock on the door.

"We're closed!" I yell, turning my head only slightly to see who it is. A red-clad, pink-haired, giant-foreheaded girl is standing there. Great. It's Sakura.

She opens the door and walks in, regardless of the sign on the door. Or of what I said. She's so rude. If it were any other shop in Konoha, she wouldn't be doing it. But no, it's my shop. So it doesn't matter to her.

I glare at her, not bothering to shift my lazy butt from the desk. "I said we're closed." I growl.

"I know." She shrugs. "But this is important."

Oh yes, high and mighty Sakura thinks she's more important than anyone and everything. Especially me and my shop.

I slide off the desk and walk over to her, sizing her up. Thinks she can look down on Yamanaka Ino then does she? Not that she could. Ha! Not only is she a freak, but she's a short freak too.

"OK then Sakura." I say, putting a hand on my hip and a sickly sweet smile on my face, with a voice to match. It's the kind of smile that says 'Im only smiling because Daddy says its not nice to beat up the customers, but secretly I enjoy plotting the different ways I can destroy you.' At least, that's the message I'm trying to get across.

"So what is it you need?" See? Perfect salesgirl at all times, me!

"Just a daffodil."

Oh god. Not again. Her and her flipping daffodils. Since Rock Lee and Sasuke were in the hospital after the Chuunin exams, she's been almost obsessed with the damn things. If she knew a single daffodil really meant 'misfortune' I bet she'd change her tune. But I think I'll keep that important information to myself for the time being.

"It's-" she starts to say. Oh god. Not this speech again.

"-a hardy flower that shows its beautiful face even in the dead of winter...patiently waiting for spring without bowing to the cold." I finish mockingly. "Just like Sasuke." Honestly, put a new record on Sakura.

She just smiles at me. Why is she smiling? She's not meant to be smiling!

"Exactly, Ino." She says, looking around at the displays that I spend most of my spare time preparing. "All this time, I never thought you really understood Sasuke. But I guess now it's just a little too late, huh, Ino?"

She doesn't even see what's coming before my fist connects perfectly on target with her nose. Hard.

She screams and points an accusing finger at me as her nose turns from red to a purplish color. "You…you…" she stammers. I guess she really wasn't expecting me to do that. Here's a lesson for you Sakura: When you're dealing with Yamanaka Ino, expect the unexpected.

"You deserved that." I shrug. She's staring at me wide-eyed with anger. She still can't work out what to say.

"You…you flat-chested bitch!" she yells. Ooh, Sakura. That hurt. Really. COME ON GIRL! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!

I giggle at her comment. "Maybe. But I guess that way they don't get in the way, do they?" Ha. Now she really is lost for words.

I pluck a decent-looking daffodil from a display and hand it to her. She takes it silently, but I can see her blood boiling. This is so much fun!

"Take it." I say, grinning evilly. "No charge."

She turns to leave, but I call after her. "Oh, and give Sasuke my love! 'Cause it's not optional."

Ooh, I'm loving this more than you could even imagine. She storms out the door, slamming it behind her, clutching her flower furiously. I half-expected her to hit me back before she left, but I guess it is Sakura. She doesn't have the guts to hit me, because she knows I'm better than her. The only reason I didn't completely kick her ass in the Chuunin exams was because I didn't know she was a schiz.

I think I'm gonna go out for lunch, so I lock up and call up to my dad.

"Dad!" I scream. "I'm going out!" Then before he can answer, I'm out the door and running through Konoha, feeling the luscious wind in my face as I dart through the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

As I reach the village center, I spot Naruto and Hinata in Ichiraku's ramen store. Those two are so sweet. I'm glad Hinata finally got Naruto to notice her, she deserved it.

I pull up a stool next to Hinata. I spot Gaara in the corner on his own, but ignore him. I don't really know him all that well anyway.

"Hi Hinata. Naruto." I say. Naruto doesn't even acknowlege me as he's too busy slurping away at his huge bowl of ramen, but Hinata looks at me and smiles.

"H-hi Ino." She says "Wh-"

I don't hear the rest of what she says, because it's drowned out by maniacal laughter as Naruto adds his empty bowl to a pile next to him and shoves some Yen into the man's hand with a cry of "Hit me again!"

"Um…Hinata?" I say, looking from her half-eaten ramen to Naruto's stack of empty bowls to the two steaming hot portions that have just been set infront of Naruto and me. "How many has he had?" As I hand over the Yen for my ramen.

"O-only about…um…well…that w-would be…his…s-seventh…"

"Seven!" I exclaim. Naruto must be loaded. Well-done Hinata!

I shrug, laughing as Naruto sucks up his ramen like a vacuum, and then lift my own chopsticks to my mouth, breathing in that delicious smell.

A hand rests on my shoulder and I jump so much I almost choke. Coughing and spluttering, I manage to gulp down my mouthful then whirl around.

"What the hell!" I scream at the person in front of me. His dark hair hangs over his face, but it's still easy to tell that he's evilling me with those dark eyes of his.

"Sasuke…" I say quietly.

"We need to talk."

'We need to talk.' Four words that can mean a lot of things, all of them capable of breaking a girl's heart. But what is it that Sasuke needs to tell Ino?

Find out in CHAPTER 5!

xxxSammi-chanxxx

P.S. This has gotta be the most fun I've had writing a chapter so far. And I'll just say now, that Ino v Sakura was rewritten about 10 times during my French lesson...