I'm alive, fortunately. Exams are over and holidays start. With a last thing to say let's enjoy the chapter.
A HEARTY THANK YOU to all the readers who reviewed the story! I Love you all, and keep reviewing!
I'm extremely sorry everyone for this really short chapter and flame me if you want because maybe I deserve it! I haven't updated in such a long time and after this entire wait I give you such a small chapter. I'm horrible author!
Previous Chapter:
Naruto was the first to bring this up. "I wonder what actually happened to make Sakura-chan this miserable." He said.
"I wonder the same." Shikamaru replied thinking.
"It's Kasumi and Karin."
Everyone turned their heads to the seat at the back to inspect the voice. They were shocked to see it was-
Naruto looked at Shikamaru not knowing what else to do, while Shikamaru mind scanned the person in front of him, his eyebrows furrowed.
Sasuke looked behind out of the corner of his eyes, while the others were just as lost at anything as Naruto.
"Are you sure?" Kiba asked quirking an eyebrow at the mysterious one of the class.
"Yes, I'm pretty sure." Shino replied but Kiba still seemed unconvinced. Shino was the quiet one after all. He never mixed himself up in anything, caring less about other's business.
"Can you explain why?" Shikamaru asked eyeing the boy in front of him. Naruto and the others turned their attention from Shikamaru to Shino.
Shino turned his head a little, allowing his attention to turn from the classroom door to a direct one at Shikamaru. Shikamaru waited for the boy to speak as his frown deepened.
"My seat is directly between Sakura's and Kasumi's. So I couldn't help but overhear everything that happened around me." He replied looking at Shikamaru directly in the eyes.
Naruto 'O'ed, widening his eyes, while Kiba held his chin thoughtfully. Shikamaru returned Shino his gaze. It was very frustrating for Shikamaru to not be able to stare directly in his eyes, as his black goggles blocked the view.
"I never knew you would be one for eavesdropping, Shino." Chouji said frowning and crossing his hands.
"I said I couldn't help but hear what they were saying, seeing how loud they already are." Shino replied turning his head slightly in Chouji's direction.
"It's a bit hard trusting you my friend." Chouji said. Shikamaru continued eyeing Shino.
Shino did nothing but keep quiet.
"Now that I think about it, as much as I've known, you never concern yourself with other's business Shino. It's hard to trust your source." Kiba said.
"That's what I was wondering too. But, somehow, I don't think you are lying. Nor do I want to waste my time on that. I would love to know though, why this sudden help?" Shikamaru said at last.
Shino turned his head down slightly. "Because I thought Sakura musn't go through everything all over again. I was there last year to witness everything. I don't think she deserves all of that again."
"We were there last year too, Shino. We know that Sakura doesn't deserve this." Kiba said with a frown.
"And that's why I am trying to help you. Sakura has been a nice friend of mine in the early days. And I am also tired of Karin. I would only appreciate if she would grace us with her absence." Shino replied with a blank face. Shikamaru eyed Shino in concentration. He sighed finally and smirked. Everyone turned their heads in his direction.
"Let's go. I think we have someone to meet up with." Shikamaru said turning.
"Oh yeah! I'm gonna blow Karin's-"
"Shut up, Naruto," Shikamaru interrupted irately, "Karin can wait, I was talking about Sakura." He said heading to the doors. Naruto blinked at the retreating figure of his captain, and with a wide grin followed him out of the doors. Kiba grinned too and giving Sasuke a pat on the back stood from his own place.
Alright Sasuke! Ready your lips. 'Cause they have some work to do now!" Kiba grinned and followed Naruto, ignoring the glare that the raven haired had given them both.
"Didn't I tell you guys to wait?" Tenten said with her hands on her hips and frowning at the boys.
"Uh…. No?" Kiba said with an amusing expression.
"I didn't?" Tenten asked, not so sure of herself now.
"She didn't?" Naruto asked Kiba, while scratching his head in an attempt to remember.
"No she didn't." Kiba said and rolled his eyes, "Who cares anyways, dumblehead, and dumbletoes"
"HEY!" Tenten and Naruto shouted.
"Watch who you're calling stumblejade and purplejoe!" Naruto pouted.
Tenten facepalmed while Kiba snickered. "Sorry," he said, "I'll remember these next time!" and burst out laughing.
"Idiot Naruto!" Tenten scolded, "And those four words you both used don't even exist!"
"In your world, bunhead." Kiba said.
"You-"
"I hope you remember we have important things to take care of." Shikamaru interfered and knocked the door of the girls' bathroom. Tenten stopped and looked at her toes guiltily. Kiba and Naruto turned serious too.
After a few moments the door opened slowly and Hinata's head came in view. She gasped when she saw Shikamaru, more importantly a boy, knocking at girl's bathroom.
"S-S-Shikamaru!" she gasped, "W-What a-a-are y-y-you d-doing in t-the g-girls' b-bathr-room?"
"Actually we wanted to check on Sakura." Shikamaru said, "Is she alright?"
"W-we?" Hinata asked, looking confused.
"Dattebayo! We all are here to take care of Sakura-chan! Especially teme!" Naruto said in a loud voice pushing Shikamaru out of the way, "So how's she? I mean Sakura-chan?" he asked throwing his hand over Hinata's shoulder.
Hinata went red and fainted right on the spot. Naruto looked confused but held onto her.
"Hinata-chan? Hinata-chan? What happened to her?" he asked turning to others who just shook their heads and ignored him.
"Tenten," Shikamaru called, "Can you check on her?" he gestured to the girl's bathroom. Tenten nodded and went in.
She returned after a while looking defeated.
"What happened?" Naruto asked. Kiba had decided to hold Hinata because she would constantly faint whenever she noticed that she was in Naruto's arms.
"She won't come out unless it's Hinata out there." Tenten said.
They all turned in Hinata's direction who laid red faced and unconscious in Kiba's arms.
"Okay, this is really disturbing, not to mention awkward," came a voice from their right. "and well, I wouldn't like to ask, but as a teacher I would naturally have to, and I'm slightly curious too," Kakashi ('Voila') said, whispering the last part to himself, "but may I ask what's going on here? And why are boys near girl's bathroom and why is Hinata unconscious in Kiba's arms?"
Everyone turned towards each other for possible answers but all of them were out of explanations. The scarecrow kept looking at every student to see who might produce a desirable answer. But well, they looked too shocked to even believe his presence.
"Anyways, forget it." Kakashi said pulling out his book, "Its major awkward to equal my curiousness." And with that he left.
"Whoa, that was close." Naruto sighed, "He nearly caught us! I don't know what he would have said if he knew that we were actually-" But Naruto was cut off in mid sentence as Tenten shut his mouth hastily. Naruto protested but after noticing the return of their nightmare, gulped down every bit of word he had readied.
"Well, I just realized, if you are not in your classes, why not as well get on with your practice, eh?" Kakashi said suddenly appearing.
"WHAT?" Naruto, Kiba and Tenten shouted. No, they just couldn't start with that torture before schedule!
"I'm pretty sure none of you are deaf. So I'm expecting each and every one of you out in the grounds in five minutes. Inform the others please. Okay." And with a flick of a wrist in their direction he left for the ground while the group was doomed to exhaustion.
"Way to go, Kakashi." Kiba mumbled, "That person sure has some timing."
"You bet!" Tenten agreed for the first time with Kiba. "Now what are we gonna do Shikamaru?"
"Well, we're gonna do as he said, ofcourse." Shikamaru replied to the other's dismay.
"Oh come on Shikamaru! You can't be possibly suggesting that!" Naruto complained, "You must have some super genius idea!"
"Yeah, I have. And I already told that." Shikamaru replied, "I'm only a team captain. That guy has a greater hold over us. And he's not the one I would love to go on the opposite side of. Right now our only choice is to obey him. And look at the bright side, this thing actually makes Sakura come out of her small den. She can't possibly disobey Kakashi too. So, all in all, the obstacle was not much of a nuisance."
Naruto and the others cheered. Yup, Shikamaru was right, as he always is. Now Sakura cannot hide any longer in there. She had to come out. And well, they were going to practice together, so everything would work out just fine.
"Naruto, round up the others, will ya? I'm heading straight to the grounds. He is bound to have some troublesome extra chores for me." Shikamaru asked.
"Yessir!" Naruto saluted and went off.
"Kiba, hand over Hinata to Tenten and you get ready too." Shikamaru said and Kiba gave a nod, "Tenten, I guess you'll handle the later." Tenten gave a nod and a big smile.
"You can rely on me!" she said supporting Hinata's unconscious body.
"Right, I'll be going. And don't be late." And with that Shikamaru left too, but towards the boy's bathroom, probably to change his uniform.
"Right." Tenten sighed and rested Hinata inside the bathroom. She tapped the door of the cubicle Sakura was in, but as usual Sakura refused to answer.
"Sakura, I know you're in there." Tenten said, "And I also know that you won't answer until Hinata's here, but I'm really sorry to tell you that she's unconscious right now."
But Sakura didn't answer again.
"Okay, now you refuse to believe me." Tenten mumbled.
"Sakura! I'm telling the truth!" she tapped again, "And you have to get out of there. Kakashi sensei caught us out here, and now he wants everyone in the ground in five minutes! You've got to believe me on this one! I'm NOT tricking you!"
But again, no answer, just a soft mumbling Tenten couldn't catch.
"Okay, if you're not going to believe me then fine. I'm going out now, and bringing back my jerseys. I'm bringing yours too. I'll change and leave and then you can come out. Is that okay with you?" Tenten asked.
"Yes." A short and small reply came out. Tenten was relieved to hear her voice and more relieved that she had finally agreed to at least something!
"Okay then, I'm going now. I'll let you know when I return and when I finish changing." Tenten called out and left.
Soon she returned with her and Sakura's jerseys. Ino and the other girls agreed to change in the sports room after some fake excuses created by Tenten.
"Okay Sakura, I'm leaving." Tenten said straightening out her shirt, "And looks like Hinata's coming back too. I'll leave now." And with that Tenten left not without a slight hesitation.
"Hey, where's Sakura?" Inaho asked, "Isn't she going to come?" She looked around to make sure Sakura really wasn't present.
"Uh…." Tenten stuttered, "She's.. uh, probably, uh… probably, changing her clothes or something, or uh… maybe, uh… maybe doing something sensei,..uh.. ya, uh, sensei must have told her to do." She gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah, she's really busy these days when the matches come near. She works so hard for the team!" Hokuto said.
"Y-yeah! That's our Sakura! Uheheh" Tenten gave an awkward chuckle.
"Oh look there's the boys!" Ami pointed. And sure enough, the boys' soccer team was coming out of the school gates. Ami kept giving flirty glances to each one of them, while Tenten searched for her troop. They were there, so she sighed in relief, more so when she noticed Neji.
"Gosh, I'm so nervous! Boys are bound to be strong, aren't they?" Inaho said in panic. She didn't like Kakashi's idea of training, actually. After all, how could they survive against boys?
"Oh please, Inaho. We are the girls who are getting some awesome opportunities here to score a boyfriend and you're trembling? Please!" Ami said cockily. Tenten had long since stopped paying attention to Ami to even consider her words.
"B-But Ami, they're strong! And powerful!" Inaho said in much more nervousness.
"They are bound to be, dear! That's what makes them so handsome!" Ami replied giving off a flying kiss to god knows who.
"W-What if we get hurt? We possibly cannot survive in front of them!" Inaho said.
"You won't if you think like that." Came voice from a short distance. Releasing that none of the girls from the group had spoken, they turned in the direction of the school.
"They are just players, of another sport, nothing else. We are players too. I don't know why we 'cannot possibly survive in front of them.'"
"That's our Sakura!" cheered Tenten. She was happy like never before to see Sakura back in the out. She saw the pinkette climb down the stairs of the gate and join the girls. There was no look of melancholy on her face, but not necessarily did she look merry. She looked determined, and strict. Her face was hardened and she looked as if she won't give a smile unless it was really, really, really, really, necessary.
"Inaho, I do not want any more nervousness from your part. Show me your confidence. I know you have it. And you dare not say again that girls don't stand a chance against boys." Sakura said strictly. Inaho looked at the ground and nodded, not so surely.
"Inaho, I said show me more confidence. You will not tremble, and you will stand your ground. Do you get it?" Sakura asked her.
"Y-Yes." Inaho stuttered.
"Inaho, I asked do you get it?" Sakura repeated with much force.
Inaho was surprised with the sudden attitude of Sakura, but she dare not anger her anymore. "Yes Sakura, I get it!" she said with all the courage she had. Sakura backed but did not look satisfied. She studied Inaho for a moment and then turned to her team.
"Okay, now if I hear, one more time that boys are in any way greater than us, they would very well get lost." Sakura said and looked at everyone to make her point. The girls nodded automatically under her gaze and Sakura relaxed a little.
"Good. Now then, we are going to practice and give our best on the matches!" She called out and the girls cheered after her. She gave a small smile in appreciation.
'Wow, that's a huge change of attitude for Sakura!' Tenten thought, but she was happy to see the old fighter Sakura back.
"Okay, good thing no one's late. But then again, who would dare disobey me! Muwahaha!" Kakashi said and the students quirked an eyebrow at his behavior.
"Ah don't get scared I'm just kidding." He continued, "So, if everyone's ready, let's start shall we? Well, I would've started even if you wouldn't have been ready so whatever." The students once again had not a clue as to what the hell was wrong with him. But Kakashi did not know how to keep his excitement at rest. Oh how he loved to torture the students! There's a different fun in it that he enjoyed so much!
"Anyways, boys line up on my left and girls on my right." He said gesturing the directions with his hand.
"So, whoever's in front of you start practicing with them. No cheating. Because, I, can see, you." He said not even caring to cast a glance at the students. They wondered whether he even knew the pairs.
The volleyball-soccer pairs scattered on the ground, trying to find perfect spots for practice. As so happened, by luck, our hot headed pinkette, Sakura Haruno was paired with our mister cocky bastard, Sasuke Uchiha.
They settled for a spot on the ground that was a bit far from others. It was naturally chosen by Sasuke so that he can talk with Sakura without others eavesdropping on them.
"Okay let's warm up and then start." Sakura said placing the volley ball in front of her and flexing her fingers. Sasuke hnned in response. She didn't respond as she usually did to his one syllable reply and it did bother our dark haired soccer star.
"You can talk, you know." Sasuke said suddenly through their warm up session. Sakura cocked her eyebrow.
Sasuke sighed in irritation. He wasn't the one to talk, and here this girl was making him repeat his sentences.
"I said you can talk." He replied trying to hide his irritation and failing miserably.
"I know I can. So can you and plenty others of the human race." She replied. Sasuke was really irritated now. One thing he didn't like next to his brother was intended innocent replies. But then again he did not like that because of his brother.
"You know I didn't mean that." He said as they jogged on their positions.
"I don't know what else you meant." Sakura replied increasing her pace slightly.
"Okay, what's the matter?" he asked trying to ease off his anger.
"What's what's the matter?" Sakura asked, innocently yet again.
"With you." Sasuke asked trying to keep his cool.
"What's the matter with me?" she asked stretching her legs.
"That's what I'm asking." He said.
"What are you asking?"
"That what's the matter with you?"
"What is the matter with me?"
"Goddamn Sakura, you're really pissing me off!"
"I really don't know what I have done to piss you off."
"Okay, fuck everything. Sakura tell me what's wrong with you. You're irritating me to no end! And the fact that I cannot see you like this is irritating me way more than you can think. Yes, I can see that you're just acting this bullshit out. So, just tell me for God's sake what's wrong with you!" he had stopped his warm up exercise to face Sakura fully and with determination.
"You want to know what's the matter with me? I ask you Sasuke, why should I tell you what's the matter with me? Why should I?" Sakura replied, stopping her exercise too. "Just because my behavior is irritating you? If it is that irritating just why don't you mind your own business?"
"It is my business to know what is happening with you!" Sasuke replied with equal anger.
"I'm not your possession!" Sakura said with a hiss. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. She wasn't just going to outsmart him on this one. He was going to find out what was actually bothering her.
"Sakura, you're going to tell me what's the matter." Sasuke declared. He had had enough of it.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. No one ordered her around. "And if I refuse?" she said.
"Sakura, you better tell me." Sasuke said trying his hardest to maintain calm.
"Why should I tell you?" she spat.
"Because I love you!" there, he said it. He had reached his limit and couldn't help but burst out the answer he just didn't want to say. He was surprised by his own words but admitted them.
Sakura was shocked. She stared at Sasuke trying to find little signs that showed he was lying, but she couldn't find any. Subconsciously her heart wanted to believe him and respond as she would, but her memories controlled her every nerve and she did something unexpected to Sasuke. She slapped him.
Yeah, I hope you enjoyed it, and seriously if you did enjoy it, I BOW TO THEE! No seriously, I like, I don't know, at first, I used love this story so much! But now, I'm just hating my writing style. I don't know, it's just, urgh! I use so much drama and cliché and urgh! I hate it!
I love this story, but I just hate the way it turns up through my hands. I just hope you guys bear with me. I soooo think I need a beta, but whatever. Enough ranting, and if you feel like it, reviews please!
Fiora-Mieko Down and out. -_-"
Kiba: Man she looks really depressed.