"Give it back!"

"Seriously Forehead, it's practically dead."

"I don't care Pig, give it back!"

"You should get over it and find yourself a boyfriend already."

"I'll do what I want, now hand it over!" Sakura lunged and finally snatched the object from Ino's menacing hold. She cradled the worn out dino plushie to her chest. It had multiple stitch marks and patches sewn into it. Like Ino said, it was "practically dead," but no matter how beaten up it was she was keeping it.

"You have to throw that thing away and move on with your life!"

"Maybe I don't want to!" They've had this conversation many times and they always ended in Sakura's favor, but today Ino was relentless.

"You can't wait forever!"

"Watch me!" Exasperated, Ino slumped down onto Sakura's bed.

"Look, it was cute when we were in middle school, but now it's just ridiculous. It's been years! The guy probably forgot about it and has a girlfriend already. Give it up already. And say yes to that hot guy that asked you out!"

"I can't Ino. Not until I see him again. I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

Ten years ago Sakura made her first friend. A boy that comforted her after being teased and prodded at. She developed an instant crush on him. Unfortunately, he moved away not long after they met. She cried for days when he told her. She didn't stop until he gave her his dinosaur plushie, the very same one she held onto for dear life, with a promise that they would meet again. She's never seen or heard from him since. As she got older she tried to find him, but the only information he had, that was useful, was his name. Kids rarely introduce themselves with their full names so she only knew his first one: Sasuke. Putting only that into a search engine pulled up too many results. Even if she had a last name there could be more than one person with the same name. She gave up on that method pretty quickly. She decided to just wait and believe they would meet someday. And here she is, still waiting for that day.

It may sound pretty pathetic to others, but he didn't care. Ino was the first person she told and at first she thought it was "positively romantic," but her opinion started to change as time went by. She was still, if not slightly, supportive, but now...

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't date! You made that promise as a kid, it doesn't mean anything!"

"Well it does to me," she was hurt that Ino was trying to change her mind when she knew how important this was to her.

"Sakura-"

"It's fine, Ino. You're entitled to your opinions…and so am I." It was awkward and silent after that.

"Sakura! Come down and meet our new neighbors!" Thank you mother. That puts an end to this conversation, for now. They both got up at the same time.

"I should go home." Ino said with a strained smile. Sakura nodded.

"I'll walk you out."

On her way down, Sakura could hear her mother chatting it up with another woman.

"My, your sons are very handsome."

"Thank you, I just wish they would find girlfriends. They take after their father when it comes to affection."

"My daughter won't look for a boyfriend either. Unfortunately, my husband is quite proud of that." Said daughter's foot faltered on a step. Seriously, she didn't have to tell a stranger that.

"Oh Sakura, come meet the Uchihas." Sakura had just turned around the corner when she took in the family at her doorstep. Then her eyes stuck onto one of them as shock settled into her.

"This is Mikoto and her husband, Fugaku, her eldest son, Itachi, and-"

"Sasuke?" She didn't realize she said it out loud until everyone looked at her, but she was only focused on the dark eyed male with unruly, spiked hair. He looked at her, and the plushie still in her arms, for the first time and she could see recognition flash in his eyes. She felt so light inside she thought she was flying. It was really him!

"Sakura." He gave her a small smirk, but his eyes gave away his joy.

"Sasuke." She must be smiling like an idiot, but screw it. Sasuke's back!

"Holy-I mean, dang forehead! I take back everything, he is definitely worth it!"

"Ino!"

Ino and her big mouth. XD

XxUchihaCherryBlossomxX