Hell High
Chapter 7: Within Reach

To always keep you next to me…

She clutched the pillow she held tighter, afterwards, turned to her other side and met the stuffed lion's face.

"Sasuke…kun…"

Her eyes slowly closed as she recalled what he said the other day when she caught him smoking.

"How many… sticks did you smoke..?"

If the pillow was alive, it would have complained for the lack of oxygen.

"Why… didn't you just tell me?"

Slowly, her eyes opened to stare at Shi-shi's half-closed eyes.

"Are you… jealous of Akira, Sasuke?"

She sighed and got out of bed, afterwards, walked over to her closet to change into a fresh batch of clothes.

She undid the knot of her robe and pulled it off of her, glad that she already wore her undergarments earlier after taking a bath. Next, she opened her closet and looked for something to wear for the day, deciding on a knee-length skirt at the color of white, and a pale blue thin-strapped shirt, with a darker shade of blue hooded jacket over it. She pulled out a pair of navy blue stockings and put them on, afterwards, picked her black heeled boots that reached about two inches above her ankles. She checked her jewelry box and pulled out a black leather laced choker which had a small silver butterfly for a pendant. She used the same blue clips with a cat and rabbit head design on them, and attached it to her left bangs, leaving a few strands to fall onto her face.

When she was about to leave, she stopped and picked a small black backpack, afterwards, put her mobile phone, wallet, and Shi-shi inside with its head peeking from the hole. She smiled and took out a white handkerchief which had red linings and a few cherry petals as a design. She folded it and kept it inside her hooded jacket's pocket.

Sakura rushed down the stairs and went inside the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Where are you off to?"

"Out for a walk." She said with a smile before kissing her father's cheek. "Bye dad."

"You have your phone and wallet with you?"

"Always!" she called out.

"Why is… Shi-shi-"

"Bye!" and she was out the door.

Ikichi just blinked, smiled, and then shook his head.

His ears picked up the sound of the doorbell, so he walked from the kitchen to the living room, and stopped before the front door. He undid a couple of locks first before opening it, eyes widening upon being greeted by a very bright and warm smile.

"Hi."

He blinked a few times before raising a brow.

"Erm…" She kept her grin. "Hi..?"

"May I… help you?"

She smiled. "My name's Haruno Sakura," she extended her hand to the older man, who slowly took it. "I'm looking for Sasuke, is he here?"

He let the girl's hand go and let her in. She thanked him for his hospitality and removed her boots before following him inside the living room.

"I'm afraid you just missed him." He said when she sat down. "He had to go to work today."

"Oh," she sighed. "That's too bad."

He kept his eyes on the young girl, noticing the pink hair, as well as the stuffed lion in her backpack, before smirking lightly. "You must be… the Konoha Princess, correct?"

She flushed and laughed nervously. "Why, yes, that would be me."

"My son talks about you almost everyday; before going to school, and upon arriving home." He chuckled. "Of course, only when I'm around to hear it. I'm not so sure if he talks to his brother about you."

"O-Oh…" she flushed. "You must be… Uchiha Fugaku-san."

"Well, I didn't think he'd say my name."

"He doesn't talk much," she admitted. "But when he does, he mentioned you, his brother, and…" she trailed off, and Fugaku knew why.

"Mikoto." He said. "That's his mother's name."

"I… I see…"

He gave a small smile. "I understand why he refuses to mention her, after all," he leaned back and intertwined his fingers together. "Among all of us, he was the closest one to Mikoto, and my wife loved him very much."

"If I may ask…" she kept her hands together and leaned forward. "What happened?"

"Truth be told, I'm not so sure. One moment we were fine, and then the next, we had a few arguments, and she just… left one day… without saying goodbye, even to Sasuke."

"Is that why… he started to smoke?"

"He has this illusion that when losing someone," Fugaku chuckled lightly. "That person will come back if he does something that he or she will not like."

Sakura recalled what happened the other day, when he started to smoke again, and only stopped when she found him.

"Let me guess, something similar has happened, correct?"

Sakura nodded once. "Yesterday," she began. "A former classmate of mine came and didn't let me go, I looked for Sasuke during dismissal time, and I saw him smoking not just one stick, but almost a whole pack."

"Did he say why?"

"He said… it's to keep me next to him."

Fugaku smiled. "It didn't work for Mikoto, but somehow, it works for you, and whenever he thinks he's losing you, he will smoke to get you back."

Sakura gave a small grin. "Not a very healthy way of wanting someone."

"Indeed." Fugaku sighed. "I used to be an alcoholic, you know, while my eldest went for drugs, and Sasuke, well, he started to smoke."

"Your wife's departure took a toll on all of you."

"I'm… glad you understand." He admitted. "We all depended on Mikoto's warmth, so when she took it with her, everything seemed so… dark and cold."

Sakura didn't realize that her eyes were watery until a drop had fallen from her left eye, and she quickly wiped it away with her sleeve, forgetting the handkerchief she brought with her.

Well, she was pretty much sensitive when it comes to family matters, or if anything is depressing or sad.

"I never could bring myself to find someone else, and those two kids never showed any interests or signs of dating women, well, until you came along, only did Sasuke start to act much more responsibly." He chuckled. "He managed to convince me to stop drinking, and also got his brother to stop doing drugs. Actually, Sasuke has been meaning to drop the habit of smoking, he just couldn't find the right motivation."

"So I've been told." She smiled. "I'm… glad to be able to help."

"By the way, Sakura, may I call you that?"

"Of course sir."

"Your father… he is… Haruno Ikichi, correct?"

"Yes sir." She tilted her head slightly. "How does he know my father..?"

"Please," he nodded once to Sakura. "Tell him to avoid a man named Uchiha Madara."

"Is that the last of them?"

"Hopefully…"

He shook his head and patted the man's shoulder. "I'll be having a guest today, so please."

"Yeah, yeah…"

He walked off and left the man in the stable.

"By the way, where are the other horses?" he asked upon seeing only his and another horse he reserved for his beloved Princess.

"Running, they need some exercise."

"And who is keeping an eye on them?"

"Who else?"

"Ah, him, of course." He nodded once and walked over to the approaching butler who was being followed by the apple of his eyes. "Ah! Sakura-hime!"

Sakura forced a small smile to Akira and managed to side step in order to avoid the unwanted hug. "Thanks for the invite."

"My pleasure, my dear."

She discreetly rolled her eyes and looked at the two white horses. One had black stockings and dark colored mane and tail, the other was purely white, and both were pure breeds – mustangs to be exact. Sakura just gulped upon seeing how tall and large the build of the two horses were.

"Erm… Akira, I'm not sure I'm okay with this."

"Nonsense! They're both perfectly tame!"

Sakura looked at the pure white horse, seeing its nostrils flare and dark eyes narrow down to slits when it looked at her. Immediately, she shook her head to get rid of such illusion and tried to convince herself that her fear is making her see things.

"Let me take care of that for you miss."

She nodded to the man who came from the stables and watched how he saddled up the horse that she just imagined earlier to be bull-like. When it was ready, he helped her mount the animal and asked if she was alright.

"Y-Yeah… I'm fine as long as it doesn't run."

"Just don't kick its sides too hard."

"I'll keep that in mind." She smiled at the man who soon went to Akira. "Hm… familiar looking guy." She shrugged and waited for Akira to be ready.

"Alright, let's take a ride down the vast fields!" Akira lightly kicked the sides of his horse as it moved. Sakura gulped and did the same, and she nearly cried out when the horse she was on began to move, following Akira's lead who started to talk about the history of his mansion, of his family, and of the large fields surrounding them.

"Let's gallop, shall we?"

"Gallop? Wait, what?!"

Akira made his horse gallop, all the while telling Sakura to do the same, who had no idea how to do it. So, she just decided to kick the horse's sides a little bit harder than earlier, but it didn't make a difference but just continued walking at a slow pace. Again, she kicked, a little much harder than earlier, but it just neighed and shook its head a bit. With a twitch, Sakura kicked harder than ever, causing the horse to neigh louder and stand on its hind legs, a warning sign that meant it was about to run.

"NO NO NO NO!!!" Sakura yelled when the horse had sprinted and ran.

"Sakura-hime!!" Akira yelled.

"HEEEEELP!!"

From the stables, he dropped the haystacks he was about to feed to the younger horses and ran out of the large barn-like structure. "Oh no." he placed both hands on his head as he watched Sakura yelling her head off with Akira attempting to stop the running horse.

Without any further delays, the stable man pulled out a walkie talkie attached at the left side of his hip and pressed the button in the middle. "Yo."

"What?"

"We've got a situation here."

"What kind?"

"Code red?"

"...Fuck. Seriously?!"

"Yes, heading your way in about… a minute or less, I guess."

"Crap." He cursed and listened to the sounds of yelling, and his eyes widened upon spotting the pink-haired girl who was crying out loud while on a running amuck horse. "Sakura?!" and when he recognized the girl, he immediately got onto the black horse he usually rode to lead the other horses into running. "Come on!" he kicked the sides of the steed and had it run towards Sakura, eyes narrowed down to determination in saving the girl.

He caught sight of Akira yelling useless words, and he had to fight back the urge to roll his eyes and instead, focus on getting Sakura to safety.

From what he could see, Sakura's horse was heading for the nearby lake, so he got his own stallion to turn right and run down the hill to further advance to the lakeside.

He got there earlier and pulled at the reigns so that he could stop the horse from going to the water, afterwards, directed it forward, kicking its sides lightly to make it go faster. His eyes turned from up ahead to his left where Sakura was headed, the horse not stopping from its running spree.

He clicked his tongue a couple of times to get the horse he rode on to head for the incoming white mustang, afterwards, he pulled onto the reigns, making the black stallion stand on its hind legs and wave its front limbs in front of the white horse Sakura was riding, causing the smaller immaculate horse to skid to a halt and also get up on its hind legs in alert.

Once the black stallion was back on all fours, he jumped off of its back and ran to the white horse which was panicking still, so he had to wave his arms a couple of times to get its attention and grab its reigns. He pulled it down, forcing the horse to get back on all fours; afterwards, he petted its neck in an attempt to calm it down.

"Shh… shh… it's alright…" he said in a soft voice despite the neighing.

The black one he was riding earlier had managed to position itself next to Sakura, who had fallen off of the white stallion from the sudden panic it had upon standing on its two hind legs. Somehow, it sensed that the girl was in danger, so it blocked the wilder white horse from hitting Sakura due to its constant panic.

Akira arrived a few moments later, but he didn't mind him and just walked over to Sakura, who was pretty much surprised to see him there.

"Sasuke?! What're you-"

"I work here." He finished, kneeling down on one knee before her seated form to check if anything's wrong. "You should be glad I do, otherwise, you could have drowned in the lake."

She narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think I can't swim?"

"You told me before." He said calmly while pulling her left boot off of her leg gently. "Tell me if this hurts." He placed his fingers on her ankle and pressed a bit hard, making her grit her teeth and pull her leg back. "You must have sprained it from the fall." He pulled out a bandage from the belt bag he had around his waist, afterwards, looked at her. "Do you mind..?"

She shook her head and lifted her skirt up a bit slightly, and he pulled off her stockings on that leg in order to bandage her sprain.

"You dare to touch the Princess's-"

"Shut your trap."

Akira gasped at the retort.

"Do you even know how to ride?"

Sakura bit her lower lip and shook her head.

Sasuke looked at Akira with a glare. "Yet you still forced her."

"Well, I… but…"

He sighed and turned back to Sakura. "You had me worried."

She blinked and tilted her head to the side a bit as a small smile grazed her lips. "You were worried?"

He turned a light shade of pink and looked away. "Hn."

She just kept her smile and pulled out her handkerchief from her jacket's pocket, afterwards, tied it around Sasuke's left arm.

He quirked a brow at her, wondering what she was doing.

"From my research," she began while knotting the material. "Back in medieval times, Princesses would either use their hankies or tear a piece of their dress to tie it around the Knight's arm or weapon, depending on which Knight has won her favor." She finished tying the cloth around his arm and looked back up at him to meet his gaze. "And since you're my Knight," she smiled. "Well, you've won my favor a long time ago already."

"Sakura..?"

"…Yeah?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Get it off."

She blinked, and then stuck her tongue out. "No."

"Take. It. Off."

She just grinned.

He twitched. "It's… girly."

"It's a symbol that you've won my favor."

"Get it off."

From the sidelines, Akira had gripped onto his own handkerchief and was currently biting a piece of it. "Why..?!"

"If you hate it that much, why don't you just remove it?" Sakura challenged with a raised brow.

"Hn…" he just chose to let it slide for now, and then got up and picked her up in his arms – causing Akira to react negatively.

"S-Sasuke?!" she blushed.

"It's not like you can walk, and you're wearing a skirt, so I can't carry you behind my back." He smirked. "Unless you want to flash someone."

She punched his chest lightly. "Just shut up."

He let her sit down on the black stallion he was riding earlier, and her grip on his arm tightened from fear.

"Geez, relax, he's much tamer." He said, patting the horse's neck. He walked over to the white horse Sakura was riding a while ago, and tied the reigns with the black one's. Next, he looked up at Sakura's frightened gaze and smirked. "You didn't think I'd really leave you alone, did you?"

She blinked, and gasped when he got on the black steed behind her, afterwards, had both arms around her to hold onto the stallion's reigns.

"This is Blackout," he told her. "Sort of like the lead horse."

"And how did you tame him?"

"Hn. No one else has dared to approach him, much less feed him."

"No one fed him?!" She looked at the horse. "Poor thing…"

"Sorry, I meant no one had enough courage to walk closer to him for feeding, the previous worker always threw the stack of hay at Blackout's stable."

"And so, he developed a sort of… superiority complex?"

"Sort of." He looked at the horse which shook its head a couple of times to rid the annoying flies attempting to land on its face or eyes. "Lean on me." Sasuke whispered, making her flush slightly, but she laid her head on his shoulder none the less. He clicked his tongue twice and got the black stallion to move, the white one following whereas Akira grumbled and got onto his own horse to follow the two.

Somehow, despite the black horse's gallop up the hill, she felt much safer than earlier, and a hint of a smile appeared on her lips while her eyes closed. Soon enough, she relaxed in her Knight's arms.

"So, how did you tame him, exactly?"

He looked at her, and then back up ahead. "Would you believe through equestrian sport?"

She eyed him.

"Hn." He smirked. "There're a lot more things you don't know about me."

"You… know how to play that game?!"

"My grandparents used to have a rodeo, but it didn't last long since they couldn't take care of all the horses by themselves, most of which were sold to the Tsukiyoshi family."

"Then… that means the other horses…" she looked behind Akira, where a herd of horses followed. "They used to belong to your grandparents."

"Aa." He raised his left hand in greeting, and Sakura turned to where he was looking. "That's Itachi, my brother."

"…That explains the resemblance.'

"Long story short, my brother and I delivered the horses, yet we wanted to keep caring for them, so we asked PITA's parents here to have us care for them." He noted Sakura giggle at Akira's nickname. "We didn't ask to get paid, yet they still pay us for a job well done – especially after we were introduced to Blackout." He patted the horse's neck. "He was a pretty wild horse, and PITA wanted him because of Blackout's position in the herd, yet this guy won't let anyone break his spirit."

"Yet you managed…"

"Maybe." He smirked as Blackout seemed to somehow understand what they talked about when it neighed all of a sudden from Sakura's comment. "Let's just say that Blackout and I have come to an agreement of sorts."

"So, how..?"

"I volunteered to tame him, despite PITA's parents telling me that it was suicide, yet my brother said I could do it, so they let me." He had a short flashback of how Blackout kept warning him to step back when it always rose to its hind legs. "It took a long time for me to get onto his back, since he wouldn't calm down each time a person would approach him."

"And then..?"

"When I finally did, Blackout wanted me to regret my decision, so he tried to defy me when I would make him turn right or left; he jumped higher and while in the air, was determined to send me off."

"But..?"

"I did fall at one point, but I went for it again."

"And when you succeeded, Blackout deemed you worthy?"

"To put it simply, yes." He glanced at Akira who was grumbling to himself. "I didn't recognize him in Oto, since I only catch him wearing the proper attire for the equestrian sport, and… well… when the Tsukiyoshi family thought Blackout was tamed, PITA jumped to the opportunity and almost got a broken arm or leg when Blackout went wild."

"Akira managed to ride him?"

"No, he rushed to the horse, and Blackout thought it was a challenge, so like any lead animal in a pack or herd would do, he fought back."

"Let me guess," Sakura grinned. "You were the one who stopped Blackout?"

"Aa." He glanced at the horse and gave a small smirk. "This guy caused me a lot of trouble."

"How so?"

"Because of the stunt he pulled, the family almost gave him to a guy who owned a race track for horses."

"Aw…" she patted Blackout. "I bet Sasuke convinced them to let you stay, huh Blackout?" she grinned. "Wait, so if he won't let anyone ride him but you, how come he didn't complain when you had me sit here?"

"I gained his trust." He said. "And PITA's mother gave him to me."

She smiled. "Akira's mother is really kind, you know." She saw how Sasuke's eyes softened, and how his gaze seemed to be a bit far. "Sasuke..?"

"Yeah…" he glanced to the side a bit. "She's really kind."

It was brief, but somehow, she remembered Fugaku's words regarding Mikoto and Sasuke's close relationship.

"I insist Sakura."

"Please, Aria-san, it's fine, I can even walk a bit now – it was just a minor sprain."

Aria, Akira's mother, shook her head and sighed. "This is clearly our fault."

"No, no, it's not! It was an accident." Sakura said. "I mean, I annoyed the horse I was riding, and… well, if Sasuke wasn't around…"

The older woman looked at the said boy who was tending to Blackout. "He really is Knight-material, don't you think?"

She flushed at Aria's comment.

"It's no wonder why Akira dislikes him so much." She laughed. "I should have told him stories of Prince and Princesses instead."

"Don't you..?"

"No," Aria smiled. "I keep telling Akira of tales regarding a Princess being taken by a dragon, and then saved by a Knight." She looked back at Sasuke. "I tell him fables of Knights battling against each other to win the Princess's heart, and from what he's told me, he started despising Sasuke when he said he was your Knight, Sakura."

Sakura recalled the day Akira came to Oto and confronted Sasuke for helping her stand up.

"He feels threatened, you know," she told Sakura. "And I keep telling my son that… he shouldn't force someone to be his, because that's like being the villain."

"I'm… sorry for all this trouble."

"Don't be, Sakura." Aria smiled. "I love my son, and so does my husband, but we've also grown fond of both Itachi and Sasuke – they're such good kids that we can't bring ourselves to give in to Akira's demands of firing them or… well, at least, keep your Knight away from you." She giggled. "If Sasuke is keeping you safe, why should we give him a restraining order on you, right?"

Sakura sweat dropped. She didn't know if Akira was just really childish, amusing, or downright annoying.

"Well, I don't blame Akira for liking you, you're such a beautiful and sweet girl after all," she looked back at Sasuke. "At the same time, I can't blame Sasuke for not wanting to give you up either."

She flushed. "W-We're just… f-friends."

Aria smiled. "My husband and I were once friends too, why do you think do I tell Akira about Knights and Princesses? It started with us."

Sakura excused herself when her phone rang.

"Hey Ino." She answered. "No, I didn't forget, why?"

It took a while before Sakura was able to answer.

"I can still go, don't worry."

Another round of rambling.

"You're being dramatic Ino."

And another…

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll bring someone along, how's that?"

And then another…

"Okay… I'll bring a couple of-" she twitched. "Alright already! I'll take whoever I'm close with in Oto, okay?!"

Ino finally calmed down on the other line.

"Yeah, casual right?" She paused. "Wait, it's not casual?!" her eyes widened. "Why did you change it at the last minute?!"

Aria tilted her head to the side.

"My father won't be home 'til tonight Ino! Where am I gonna get the money to-" she sighed. "No, I am not letting you lend me your credit card again."

Aria smiled.

"Ino…" Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. "They study in Oto but it doesn't mean they're broke!" she blinked. "I thought you said it was your party, not-"

Aria caught Sasuke raising a brow at Sakura's antics.

"But- well- stop cutting me off woman!!" she yelled. "Look, I'll see what I can do, alright? Just make sure we won't have trouble getting in! Damn you…"

Even Blackout stared at Sakura.

"Geez, why you became my best friend, I'll never know…" she pouted. "Stop rubbing it in! I thanked you already for getting Ami off my back and – shit! Ami!" she bit her lower lip and glanced at Sasuke, who still kept his brow rose. "Uh… you should really go to Oto and see the guys…" she murmured. "No..!" she hissed lowly and toned down to a whisper. "I am not talking about Sasuke..!" she flushed. "Okay, okay, I am…"

Aria just shook her head at Sasuke's questioning gaze.

"Just… handle the entrance." And she hung up and gave a heavy sigh, afterwards, faced Sasuke. "Um… remember our deal about your… habits?"

"Hn…" he patted Blackout one last time before closing the stable. "Where do you want me to take you?"

She grinned. "Konoha."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But a deal is a deal!!"

"Hn…"

"So, yes?"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"Because I don't want to."

She frowned. "Fine! I'll ask someone else to take me!"

"Knock yourself out."

She twitched as he remained nonchalant and continued to walk on ahead.

"Maybe Akira would gladly take me."

"He would."

"Or Lee…"

"He'd be thrilled."

"…Sasuke..!!"

"Hn…"

She sighed and turned away from him. "You suck."

"Hn…"

"You promised!"

"No I didn't."

"When we made that bet, it's considered a promise!"

"Says you…"

"Oh come on!"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"I don't want to."

"Don't want to what?"

"Take you there."

"Why not?'

"I don't want to."

"Don't want to what?"

He glared at her as she grinned. "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

He sighed and walked faster.

"Please..?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"With sugar on top?"

"No means no."

"It could mean yes."

"No it can't."

"Sure it could!"

"Whatever…"

She stopped and gritted her teeth as he walked on further ahead.

"UCHIHA SASUKE!" she yelled at the top of her voice, causing Sasuke to stop and twitch. "This is Haruno Sakura talking to you!" she said out loud. "This is your Princess! And you are my Knight! Therefore, you can't ignore my request!"

He sighed and turned his head slightly to her. "Really?"

"Really!"

He smirked. "I just said no."

"Well you can't!" she pointed.

"Hn." He turned to face her. "And what if I can?"

"There will be hell to pay!"

"Right."

"You owe me!"

"Hn…"

She felt annoyed that he wasn't giving in too easily today, and then, to his surprise, she dropped to the ground on all fours and hung her head.

"Sakura…"

"Don't then." She said. "Even if I beg you and am on my knees, you'd still say no."

"Fuck…"

"It's fine, go home…" she was shaking already. "I thought… I just thought…"

He felt a bit embarrassed at the predicament he's in.

"I thought you were really my Knight… and… and…"

He sighed and walked over to her, afterwards, knelt down on one knee before her. "Will you please get up?"

She didn't move.

"Alright, I'll take you, happy now?"

She still didn't move.

"Sakura, come on, look, I'll take you, okay?"

Still no sign of moving.

"Fine. I'm sorry, okay?"

Her hands formed to fists.

"I promise I'll take you to the dance Konoha is having tonight."

She looked up at him. "Prove it."

He sighed and stood up. "Never mind."

"See?!"

He looked at her.

"You still won't take me!" she walked ahead. "Fine then! I'll go alone!" she told him when she reached the gates of her home. "Good night!" and she walked in, leaving the guard confused.

Sasuke just sighed silently and walked home.

"Just. Shut. Up."

Ino frowned. "Sheesh, what's with you? Time of the month..?"

She walked pass her best friend who was clad in a purple halter dress. "Don't ask."

"Come on, smile! You look great in that dress, but even more so if you grin!" Ino coaxed. "Blue is a beautiful shade for you." She said while looking at Sakura's spaghetti-strapped dress. Around her neck was her butterfly necklace, and her ears had dangling earrings – a silver star on each of them. Her left arm had a ribbon wrapped around it at a darker shade of blue, while her right contained a few silver bracelets with charms of different shapes.

"I'm not in the mood…"

Ino just eyed her best friend who had a scowl on her face, though her green eyes clearly showed either disappointment or sadness.

"You're not happy to be here, are you?"

Sakura turned around, afterwards looked away again. "Hey Sai."

Said boy smiled slightly. "You seemed so excited when we first mentioned the dance."

"Things… change." She murmured, looking at the multiple teens of Konoha High's students enjoying each other's company. "Well, it's not like coming here without a date would be the pits… right?"

"Well," Ino looked around. "Don't think I'm making you much more depressed, but Ami is sure to rub it in your face," she sighed. "I mean, you were Konoha's most popular girl! And if she sees you without a date, she'd definitely take advantage of it and humiliate you!"

"Maybe… maybe the others won't buy it, you know? I mean…" she smiled slightly. "You did say they missed me."

"Yes, but with Ami taking your place when you left, they'll take her side instead of yours!"

"But-"

"Sorry Sakura," Sai butted in. "But I have to agree with Ino, after all, this is High School."

Sakura frowned and eyed the people dancing. "No," she murmured. "It's hell."

"It should be, since you're here."

Sai, Ino, and Sakura turned to glare at the newcomer, Ami, who was being followed by two other girls and their dates.

"Look what the cat dragged in."

Sakura glared. "Yeah, I am looking."

Ami twitched. "Have you even looked in a mirror lately?"

"Of course, and unlike you, I've seen improvements."

"I've heard better retorts from a monkey, considering you're of the same kind."

"FYI, Ami, in terms of Science, we all evolved from monkeys."

"You and them, perhaps." She pointed at Ino and Sai. "But for us, we're created in the image and likeness of God."

"More like Satan, if you're talking about yourself and your friends."

Ami scoffed. "You should know, since you're his apprentice."

Sakura clenched her fists.

"And what's this..?" Ami looked at Sakura's left, right, and back. "No date?" she smirked. "I expected you to have at least brought a nerd, or a ruffian."

"Just because Oto is a public school, does not entirely mean they're-"

"Of lower class? But they are." She laughed. "You once said you're transferring to the pits."

"Yes, I did, but that was when I was like you," she glared. "An airhead, a spoiled and good for nothing brat."

"You're still one."

"If I'm still one, then you're lower."

"Hmph." Ami snapped her fingers, causing the two girls next to her, and their dates, to glance at some of the students who stepped up and stood by her side. "You dare to challenge Konoha's Queen?"

Sakura looked around. "Where is she?"

Ami sneered. "You're lucky Sarutobi has you listed as a guest of honor."

"That's Sarutobi-san to you." She corrected. "Even until now, you can't respect your elders."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sakura-oba-san."

Sakura clenched her fists.

"So, let's see… if you speak so defensively for Oto, why is it that you're the only student to arrive from there?"

She held back her tongue to not lash out something irrational.

"I guess they don't care about you, they don't really take notice of your presence, because they think you're nothing but a spoiled little girl, a pampered brat. You're an outcast there, admit it." She smirked. "No one befriended you, no one showed care or concern for you."

"You're… you're wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Assuming that there's someone who does," she looked around. "Where is he..? Or she?"

Sakura lowered her head slightly.

"Then, I guess I'm right." She walked around Sakura and opened her mouth. "Look at your previous Princess, dateless and alone! Quite pathetic, don't you think?" she smirked as some agreed.

"That's enough Ami!" Ino yelled.

"Stay out of this Ino," she looked at Sai. "And don't even think about backing them both up, because even if there will be three of you, there's a lot more on my side."

"Nothing we can't handle."

Everyone turned to the entrance of the gym, and Sakura stared wide-eyed upon seeing familiar faces from Oto.

"I mean," the speaker shrugged. "We've beaten up more thugs than all of you combined, and they're pretty big – like bouncers." He grinned at Sakura. "Sorry we're late, we got lost."

"Naruto…" She spoke. "Hinata…" said shy girl waved.

"Don't forget about us!" Kiba cried out with a grin. "We had to ask a few guys and girls to come, and even if some of their parents didn't allow them, they snuck out just to back you up!"

"Yeah!" Lee exclaimed with a raised fist. "For the Konoha Princess!"

Ino and Sai smiled at this, while Sakura was just speechless at what Oto was doing for her.

Ami just glared. "She is no longer the Konoha Princess!"

"Fine then," Neji shrugged. "She can be Oto's, but she is still a Princess to us."

"True," Shikamaru yawned. "Despite how much of a drag these parties are, well," he looked at himself. "I still borrowed my dad's old tux for this."

"So," Shino looked at Ami. "Do you still have anymore useless things to say?"

"Hmph." She looked at Sakura, and then smirked. "You may have them, Sakura, but you're still dateless."

Sakura glanced back at the students of Oto who were glaring back at the students of Konoha. She searched the crowd for a dark-eyed, spiky-haired teen, but found no one who matched the description of her Knight.

"Well, Princess? Where's your Prince?" Ami retained the smug smirk on her lips. "Out with another Princess? Or does he not exist?"

"Sure he does..!"

And from the crowd appeared Akira.

"I came here as fast as I could Sakura-hime!" he panted. "I-" he wheezed. "Whew…" he wiped the sweat away from his forehead. "Fear not, I am here to-"

"Thanks Akira, but…" she looked at Ami. "I… don't really need a Prince."

"But-" Akira's mouth was covered by Naruto's hand.

"Not all Princesses need a Prince." She said. "It's not a Prince that makes them royalty, but rather, it's their leadership, as well as their concern for their people."

"Even I have to admit that that's well said, Princess." Ami sneered. "But how can a Princess continue her legacy without a Prince, hm?"

"I…" she lowered her head.

"See? You do need one. Because every Princess needs a Prince, and you don't have one."

"Will a Knight do?"

Ami noted Oto's students having smug smirks on their faces, and she looked back at Sakura.

"I'll ask again," due to the sudden silence of the room, the sound of light hooves echoed the hallowed walls of the gym. "Will a Knight do?"

Sakura's wide eyes half-closed as her gaze softened, so she turned around to face the person she's been waiting for, surprised to see him riding Blackout.

She saw him, witnessed how he jumped off of the horse and got his coat from Naruto, afterwards, put it on.

"Sasuke…"

He smirked and walked towards her in confident strides. "I had to get Blackout," he gestured at the horse who grunted. "A Knight can't be a Knight without a horse, right?"

She held back a giggle.

"So…" He stopped when he reached her, one hand pocketed while the other brought something up to her – a white rose, the color contrasting his black suit, yet blending well with the white dress shirt. He had his hair parted from the right, just like the time she saw him in her father's library, wherein she mentioned she liked his hair that way. "How about it?"

She couldn't help the smile on her lips.

"Can your Knight be your date?" he offered her his right hand while waiting for her response.

Ino held onto Sai, trying to hold back the squeal that was threatening to come out.

"Will you let me be your date?"

She lifted her hand and placed it on his after taking the rose from him. "Of course." She looked at their hands, watching how he had their fingers intertwined upon contact, and she beamed at him. "Yeah, a Knight's better." She gripped his hand. "Because a Knight would give everything and anything for his Princess, and at the same time," she lowered her head, feeling a bit shy from his gaze. "A Princess would want her Knight to always be there."

"Hn." He used his left hand to raise her chin and make her look up at him. "The feeling's mutual."

"HAH!"

Ino just had to ruin the moment.

"In your face Ami!!"

Ami flushed and glared at the blonde, and then at Sakura. "How could she score someone like that?!" she thought while eyeing Sasuke. "Then again, he looks familiar…" she furrowed her brows.

"Alright, looks like this party has been delayed long enough."

"Wait!" Ami said. "Sakura here is a guest, and if this guy is her date, then he can come, but as for all of you-"

"They're also guests."

Everyone turned to look at Sarutobi who entered the gym, and next to him was a dark-haired man – Oto's Principal.

"This is Orochimaru, a former student of mine here in Konoha. He's the Principal of Oto High, and he's my guest, therefore," he gave small grin. "All students from Oto will be guests as well." He glanced at Sasuke. "Even former Konoha students."

Sakura blinked. "Konoha..?" she eyed Sasuke.

"Of course!" Ami yelled while pointing at Sakura's Knight. "I knew you were familiar!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, and Sakura could feel his grip on her hand tightening.

"You're Uchiha Sasuke!" she said out loud. "You were once a student here!"

"What is she talking about?" Naruto asked Hinata who bit her lower lip and stole a glance at Neji, who placed a finger on his lips to indicate her to keep quiet.

Ami walked over to Sasuke, and Sakura felt him pull back.

"You… you killed a student here!"

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked at Sasuke who glared at Ami.

"It is you!" Ami said. "You were expelled! Principal Sarutobi sent you to Oto!"

"No way, that can't be true," Sakura looked at Sasuke. "It… can't."

Sarutobi and Orochimaru chose this time to intervene.

"Watanabe-san, please," Sarutobi said while Orochimaru placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder upon sensing the boy's darkening aura. "It was never verified if he really is responsible for the incident. I had him move to Oto not because of that, but-"

"Don't cover for him!" Ami yelled. "He killed my older brother!"

Monday morning at Oto seemed normal – to some extent.

For one thing, the cool wind was calming today, yet the tension was too thick between them.

For possibly the eighth time, she opened her mouth, but only closed it again, still unable to say anything to him.

He wasn't helping either, because he just stood there with pocketed hands, eyes staring off into the horizon with such an intensifying glare that even she couldn't make a move to tug at his sleeve.

His eyes frightened her right now, and she didn't think it was possible to see him like this.

"But…" her eyes softened. "Seeing him like this…" she placed a hand on her chest. "It makes me feel how lonely he seems right now, but at the same time," her fists began to clench. "He doesn't want to talk to anyone or welcome any comfort."

The bell rang, signaling the start of school, but she didn't see him show any sign of being aware of it.

"Sasuke..?" she called out softly.

"Just go…"

"Eh..?"

He glanced at her, though she couldn't get a good view of his face. "I'm… not in the mood for school today."

His tone just made her feel sad, and she couldn't help but walk forward a bit and wrap her arms around him.

"Sakura…"

"I want to stay," she murmured. "I don't want to leave you."

His eyes went back to staring off into space.

"You said before…" she continued. "That you want to always keep me next to you, so, can I… always keep you next to me as well?"

He still remained silent.

"Can I… stay here..?" she gripped onto his uniform. "Can I stay here with you..?"

He didn't say anything, nor did he nod his head, but he did place a hand over her arms, and she understood that as a 'yes'.

"Whether you're innocent or not, I don't care." Her grip tightened, and he looked down at her upon feeling it. "Because in my heart, I know you're not guilty, and even if you are," she shut her eyes. "I still love you…"

And he was grateful for that.

Though she didn't really want to spend a school holiday here at the Tsukiyoshi's, she needed to, not just because Sasuke asked her, but also because she wanted to know something.

"Itachi-san?"

He stopped transferring the haystacks from one stable to another, and turned to the owner of the voice who called him.

"Can I… talk to you for a second?"

He raised a brow.

"It's about Sasuke."

And he leaned against the stable walls and nodded at her.

She took a deep breath in and sighed it all out before starting. "What do you know about his case in Konoha?"

He frowned and lowered his head.

"I need to know," she said. "I… don't like seeing him like this." She said in a softer tone. "It makes me feel helpless…"

"He's innocent." He said after a few moments. "He was framed for that murder."

"Who would do such a thing?"

His eyes narrowed. "The same man who caused our lives to be this way," he looked elsewhere and tried to calm down, even for a bit. "Uchiha Madara."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Words to Say

"Why is it that you always, always have to be like that anyway? Why can't you just tell me straight what it is that you're thinking?"

He looked to the side.

"You're doing it again! You're not listening to what I'm-"

"I always listen!" he cut her off and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Even if you're rambling I still listen to every single word you say!" he lowered his head slightly to hide his eyes with his bangs. "Don't you get it, Sakura? I hate stuffed animals yet I walked in a store full of it for you! Just to say I'm sorry! I end up doing things I normally hate so much just for you, and do you even know why?!" he raised his head, the glare still present on his face while his fists remained clenched on his sides. "It's because I love you."

A/N: We're getting close to the ending – the supposedly original ending, that is. XD After re-reading the previous chapters in my files, I realized that there will be a loophole to Sasuke's side of the story, so Hell High's gonna be a bit longer now.