I'm going to write a Neji x Sakura fic after this one is complete. It will be called Emphiteal. Look at my ending notes for more information.

Recommended Song: Jesse McCartney – Beautiful Soul

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of its characters. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

-Ready? Fight!-

-14-

Run…

Run…!

"Sakura run!" The little brunette whispered harshly as the familiar beat of footsteps echoed along the walls of the corridor beyond their door.

"No! What if… she might… what about-!"

"I'll be fine Sakura… I gotta look out for you remember?" The girl smiled warmly making her cheeks round highlighting the small freckles on her face. Sakura bit her bottom lip and let out a choked gasp. She stood up after a forced nod and made her way to the window. Opening it quickly, she jumped out onto the metal fire escape which rattled and shook beneath her.

Her shaking, knobbly knees led her down the clanking metal steps with a sharp ping. A loud throaty scream echoed above her making her advances pause and her head shoot up, concern written over her small, moon lit features. Her pink hair blew past her face, tickling her nose and she forgot how to move when she noticed the familiar gaze from the elder woman running the spit of hell in which she currently lived.

oOo

Her eyes opened slowly, and the shaky breaths followed. Her body's weight kept her immobile against her freshly scented mattress and the pillow beneath her had taken form to her head puckering around her facial features.

The door swung open violently crashing against the wall beside it and effectively wakening the sleeping beauty. She rose into a sitting position in one quick motion and her eyes grew wider at the familiar figure approaching her.

"I thought you said you could keep track of yourself… so when I receive a phone call from one Tsunade Sannin asking of your whereabouts, I naturally grow angry…" He hissed as he continued approaching her. When he arrived beside her he grabbed for her hair and dragged her out the bed. She squealed and clutched her hair from which she could feel several loose strands snapping from her scalp.

"I-I understand…" She managed to squeak out. "I'll get ready straight away!"

"Oh, I know you will…" He finally said throwing her into the bathroom and closing the door on her. She couldn't believe she had slept in…

oOo

She ran along the corridors of her school with grace, but up close anyone could sense her tenseness. She rushed and breathed heavily until a familiar cocky voice rang through her making her stop her mad rush and take a breather to size up the enemy.

Or, one Ino Yamanaka.

"Late are we?" She laughed with one hand on her thin waist while the other hovered above her mouth. "The perfect Miss Haruno late for school? So Forehead-Girl, who were you banging in the mean time?"

Sakura blushed furiously looking over to the blonde who seemed to be truanting along with the Uchiha and some other unknown girl who kept her head down in fear. She momentarily forgot the fact she called her an enemy and behaved irrationally around the popular, leggy blonde.

"I was not! I just slept in!" She said pouting with a faint blush. Ino only seemed to find more amusement and began to laugh again, forgetting the Uchiha behind her, who looked with narrowed, yet curious eyes.

Sakura took this time to notice that Tsunade seemed to have healed his broken nose, making it seem like he had never been hit. She frowned further for she wanted the whole school to know she stood up to him and that they could do the same, but she should have guessed her Shishou would heal his wound. It was school policy after all…

"Defensive Sakura… makes me think you're trying to hide something…" Ino chirped sending an accusing look towards the pinkette.

"I…" she trailed off looking to the floor in sadness. A small trail of fear was laced into her expression. "Yeah… I guess I am being a bit defensive huh?"

Yeah, hiding something… but not what anyone would expect…

Ino looked confused but dismissed it when the onyx eyed, handsome Uchiha passed her with a bored expression. He sent a threatening glance over to Sakura who merely looked away with shut eyes in defiance.

His eyes ravished her body sending a chill up her spine as he continued to pass her. When she opened her eyes once more, Ino was watching after the Uchiha with a look of longing in her eyes before she fixed her stern expression upon Sakura.

"You-!"

"Why?" Sakura asked interrupting, and silencing the Yamanaka who merely looked back, all previous thoughts erased with even more confusion. The hallways were bare, and because of the lack of students, their voices were effectively heightened with a hollow sound. The sun seemed to be passing across the windows which shone shadowed patterns across their face from the partings which separated the windows.

"Why-…?"

"Why do you follow him?"

"I-!"

"Do you really love him?"

"… of course!"

"Then what about Kiba?"

"K-Kiba?!" Ino almost choked and felt her inner confidence gradually thin down with the blunt questions.

"You were childhood friends were you not?" Sakura deducted with a single finger rose in an informative matter. "What does the Uchiha have that Kiba doesn't? He certainly respects you more! Which leads me to asking why you put up with his shit? He isn't the nicest of people…"

"I can choose who I want to hang around with Sakura!" Ino protested crossing her arms defensively.

"Then choose the right people! You are too good to hang around with such bland, stereotypical assholes with no consideration for any other human!" Sakura took a deep breath after her long sentence making Ino giggle at her description and effectively match it up with the majority of the group, including Sasuke. "We're having a party tomorrow night… it's Naru-tard's 17th… you are more than welcome to come and hang around with a carefully chosen bunch of people who are from a wide range of the groups here… only the nice people of course…"

"You're inviting me?"

Sakura blinked unsure if she had just heard the queen of popularity immodestly putting herself down. Ino always brought herself up with a never ending line of confidence so it was unfamiliar with Pinky to hear her slate her own being.

"W-What do you mean?" She asked dumbly thinking she was missing a main point.

Ino sighed and looked away in disgust. "I haven't been the nicest of people myself Sakura…" She admitted making Sakura's eyes widen. "Forgiveness doesn't come easily to those who continuously kept up a streak of bad habits…"

"What did you do?"

"I constantly put others down. Crumpled the small amount of confidence others carried. Threatened people who wanted what I wanted. I Destroyed friendships to be noticed and respected… tell me Sakura, what is there to respect of that?" Her tone gradually turned sour and her eyebrows furrowed in concentration and revulsion.

"The fact you admitted it and dislike what you've done?" Sakura focused utterly on Ino who turned stunned and intrigued as to how it could be of any benefit to her, in admitting these problems. Sakura ran a little, pale hand through soft pink locks and looked to the side wall where neatly aligned lockers rested. "Look, you clearly don't like what you've done, so why not change it? Become a better person!"

"-and give bread to the poor whilst attending church on a Sunday? Please Sakura… its harder than you think…"

"I'm not asking you to turn into a saint. Do it for yourself… start with the little things… apologise… give help or tips to those you once mocked… bring friends back together… Come to terms with the fact that everyone is different yet do share similar tastes… and yes Ino… you're obviously not the only one smitten with Sasuke…"

Ino laughed once more before turning away in thought. What if Sakura were right and these things could make a difference. After all, Sakura made a difference every day. Hah! What would the school think if Blonde, Miss-Popularity became a caring, all-round girl who socialized and helped everyone? Hell, what would Saki think? Well, that bitch had it coming. Compared with Saki; Ino was already a saint.

She turned around against o face Sakura with a rare grin; which was very out of character for the usually, seducing Ino. "You got yourself a deal Haruno… and I'll see you tomorrow… tell me the details later… gotta go!" She yelled passing Sakura in a slight jog.

Sakura paused taking in the information and then sighed with a warm smile. She mentally took down a list of people added to the group. It seemed like destroying the social settings was easier than she anticipated.

Temari: Check

Kankuro: Check

Gaara: Check

Nina: Check.

Sasori: Check

Deidara: Check

Neji: Check.

Shino: Check.

Sai: Check.

And now Ino… Check.

'Who would've thought we would change so much?' Inner Sakura chimed, making Sakura's confidence soar. 'Make way for Sakura Haruno!'

oOo

"…I'm quite sure on my own decision… yes… It shall remain as I have ordered. Thank you, good day…" The busty blonde slammed the phone back upon he receiver and sighed loudly. That damn council always question her orders.

She placed her finger down on the speaker button and leaned over the desk to talk into the small box. "Shizune… where is-!"

The door opened harshly and a wheezing Sakura stood in the opening, looking quite flustered yet with a small amount of happiness. "Shishou!" She said

"Never mind Shizune" She said into the speaker before retreating to lean back in her chair and look up to Sakura. She was about to give her an earful when the younger beat her to it, starting up a detailed description of another story. How could she shout at the girl when she looks so happy?

After telling her all about Ino Sakura grinned and sat down opposite her. "So you brought out the best in another?" Tsunade asked giving Sakura a warm smile.

Sakura nodded and let out a long sigh letting out the built up breath that had been held in with excitement.

"…and that is why you are late to my office?" Tsunade asked setting a smug grin on her face to watch horror spread on Haruno's face.

"I… uh… well…"

"Relax Sakura; you're a straight A student who's attendance is at its peak. I would have allowed you the day off, but your father didn't seem to like the idea and hung up immediately…" Tsunade replied looking over Sakura's expression curiously wondering what emotion Sakura was desperately hiding. She decided on a change of subject to retrieve the perky student she loved. "I wanted to inform you: your after school classes, which focus on superhuman strength, are taking their toll. You no longer can learn anything more from me in that aspect. Before you get cocky, no, you are not a master and it will take you at least one more year to build on your strength to the highest possible level. That entirely rests on your own shoulders, meaning you should take it upon yourself to train whenever you can."

"Thank you Shishou"

"Don't thank me yet… Yes, there is nothing me you can learn from me, but you have no experience of martial arts, meaning your strength is useless unless the enemy offer you a free shot…" Tsunade joked making Sakura pout but then wonder what she was getting at. "I've enrolled you on classes in martial arts after school and on a Wednesday. I will spectate these classes since you are my student…" She coughed making Sakura smile. She always was there every step of the way, even if she didn't need to be. "…they start immediately in replace of our own lessons."

"But, what about Medicine classes?"

"Shizune is more than capable to take their class. She, too, is an adequate Medic. I will continue to give you pointers, during these lessons, as to how to use this strength effectively with different combinations, but your senseis will be Gai Maito and Kakashi Hatake: dismissed."

Sakura stood and after a short, polite bow, she turned an exited the office, but not before turning and sending a cheeky wave in Tsunade's direction. The elder woman chuckled. If it had been anyone else, she would have put a detention on their ass for such familiarities.

As soon as Sakura took one step away from the office, she heard the ringing of the school bell making her run to make it to second lesson. As she was weaving in and out of the hoards of different students, some greeted her making her give a rushed wave or a muffled response but they didn't take offense. It was Sakura after all…

She found the familiar spikes of red hair in front of her and she ran to catch up to him. He of course sensed this, but didn't take note of the student, thinking they would run past him if they were intelligent, or at least graced with common sense. He ignored the rushing pupil and continued to walk until he felt a small, shove which made him stumble to the side and look towards the student with an intent to kill. When he noticed the familiar, bright emerald eyes and the soft pink hair his gaze lessened and he, instead, settled for a confused look. Did she just push him? Why?

"Haruno?" He partly greeted, partly accused.

She ignored the students around them who froze after feeling the death aura. They promptly turned and avoided them both but some just continued as if nothing happened. They knew Gaara wouldn't hurt her or anyone when she was around. All in all, they felt safer when the pinkette was accompanying the red-head.

"Hey! I slept in…" She said sheepishly. "You didn't miss me for too long did you?"

He had to find humour in her sentence because of the irony. Every five minutes he had sent a worried glance to the door and then inspected, or glared as others viewed it, the clock. It wasn't like her to be late.

"Why would I do that?"

Sakura pouted up to him before turning her expression into a smirk of her own. "Who else is crazy enough to approach you in your little circle?" Sakura pointed towards the small space which surrounded him. The students seemed to part like a wave when he approached leaving him walking in a small circular space.

He looked towards her own smug expression before sighing and sending a small 'hn' in her direction. She mimicked his sigh and continued to follow the corridors. But when she decided the silence between them was too much, as usual, she perked up.

"I have to take martial arts lessons after school and on a Wednesday…" She said mindlessly.

Gaara looked to her a little shocked at first and then curious. Have to? This meant she had been up to something or needed them for something. Of course, amidst the confusion, there was a small amount of happiness. This meant she would have yet another day of classes with him. "Why?"

"To perfect something…" He didn't like grovelling and instead settled for an intense stare, hoping she would continue. "…nu-uh! I'm not telling you!" She said in defiance as she walked into their English class and past Iruka-Sensei. She knew that look through the experience she gained with the broody guy.

oOo

An intake of steady breaths were what she needed. Momentarily frozen outside the dojo doors, she listened carefully to the series of pants and grunts which occurred behind the door. The scent of fresh, male sweat drifted from the door clogged her senses making her want to gag. Sure, sometimes a male's sweat could prove quite erotic to her senses. But when mingled with that of around ten others… it becomes quite gross.

She plucked up the courage in remembering Gaara told her the previous day that he was in the same classes all day. If something were to happen, she was sure he would be by her side either way.

Shaking, pale hands met with the door and swung them open to be greeted by around twenty males and five females. At the sudden disruption all eyes turned and focused on the shy female with radiant pink hair and focused emerald eyes. Of course, the whole school knew Sakura or had at least heard of her reputation for being an all-round nice girl. Also meaning they knew what she looked like.

She noticed several pairings slow down in their attack and gradually turn to face her where others with weights would drop them and slowly approach, hands on hips, huffing slightly.

Thankfully she noticed the red head in the corner, fastening bandages around his fists securely, wearing long shorts which resembled that of a basketball star's, and a plain black t-shirt. 'Wow…' Sakura searched her mind to realise Inner Sakura had long since fainted.

She shook her head of the onslaught of lustful thoughts and made her way over to the corner Gaara resided. She weaved through the sweaty males and the curious females, all of whom seemed to glare at her knowing where she was headed. Only she didn't make it there in time. Four familiar guys crossed her path, making her gasp and then grin.

"Hey Sakura!" Kiba almost shouted in glee.

"Hn" Followed Shino, who seemed to bond well with the guys, despite his silent demeanour.

"Hey… Sakura!" Choji said in between mouthfuls of his favourite crunchy meal.

"Hello Sakura-san! My beautiful blossom of youth! Such beauty should not be seen in the confines of this-!"

"Hey! Lee… Choji, Kiba, Shino…" She interrupted not wanting to give him a head start.

Sakura let a small, unnoticeable frown appear on her lips as she looked back to the area Gaara has been. It was now empty and her plans to speak to him were thwarted by her over-excited friends. She sighed then let a smile play on her lips as she looked back to her friends for guidance.

"So-…"

"Lee! My perfect student! Report!" A familiar voice, which sent a chill up Sakura's spine, boomed over the top of the others. She turned and, sure enough, there stood Gai Maito in all his glory.

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!"

"What do you think they get out of this?" Kiba slyly asked Sakura making her giggle.

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Erm… Choji?" Sakura diverted looking towards her plump friend.

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!"

He looked between the two before shrugging. "Beats me"

Kiba and Sakura sighed until the show began to die down.

"Gai-Sensei! The beauteous Sakura-san has arrived!"

"Thank you my faithful student!" Gai proudly complimented with a pat on Lee's neatly aligned hair. He walked towards Sakura who was inwardly cringing. "Sakura! Come let us begin! I shall appoint Lee to you… teach her well Lee!"

"Gai-Sensei! Thank you!" Lee cried making Sakura worry for another round.

"Lee!"

"Gai-!"

"What am I supposed to change into?" Sakura almost shouted earning the attention of the dim-witted pair.

"Change into the kit you use when training with Tsunade-san!" Gai shouted. Truthfully? Sakura knew what to change into, but didn't want another round from the two.

"Yes sir!" She said enthusiastically earning the good guy pose from Lee and Gai.

After changing, Sakura looked around to find the gang congregating around a bench, while the others seemed to continue sparring. She walked over earning startled looks from her four friends. They looked her up and down unsurely.

"Sakura? Shouldn't you wear something more… suitable?" Kiba asked staring intently at her legs.

Sakura looked down to the black, tight shorts she wore confused. They were practical and wouldn't get in the way… why were they complaining?

"Yeah… err…" She next looked at the embarrassed Choji who was staring at her torso sceptically.

She looked down once more to the half cut sweater she wore. The sleeves made in halfway to her elbow and were slightly baggy. Whereas the torso was tight to her chest, not allowing any movement and stopped short of her stomach, leaving it open to prying eyes. She also didn't see the problem: hip hop dancers wore them all the time and they didn't make anything harder.

In fact the only thing they weren't complaining about was the blue, open toed ninja shoes. Picky bastards…

She had tied her hair back, allowing only a few loose strands to frame her face, and removed all the jewellery which showed her character.

"I don't see the problem… they are very practical…" She finally said noticing how the others went silent.

"I think what they are trying to insinuate, is that you are a distraction" Shino finally added, struggling not to look from behind the glasses.

"Eh?" Came her intelligent response.

"To put it bluntly, the male of the group will be distracted from so much uncovered flesh…" He said making her blush and look around to notice that indeed, most of the male had noticed her clothes… or lack of.

Her embarrassment turned into a stern smug look. "Well, that is your problem. Not mine. You should stay focused on the task at hand. Think of it as a different kind of training." She said winking, astonishing the males who overheard and the ones in question.

The end of the day came pretty quickly, and Sakura found herself observing other fights in progress, taking in their moves and combos with her photographic memory. Tsunade had came in for an hour, gave her some useful tips and some sly ones involving her strength technique which she had yet to make public. She was told specifically, not to destroy the dojo.

Lee had been over excessively complimenting her and every now any then tried to kiss her hand asking for a date. She had barely seen Gaara for she was constantly focused on the moves and learning the basics to look for him. She had successfully taken in some basic moves and even tried putting them into a combo with the help from the Taijutsu master Lee, making her feel more confident to be viewed by public, or at the least; the rest of the class.

The noisy Naruto had entered five minutes after her change, complimented her and walked off to find 'the moody bastard' as he described Gaara. She chuckled at his antics but was, again, disappointed with his disappearance; leaving her with bushy brows.

As another fight ended, Sakura found herself watching Tsunade re-entering and having a word with Gai and, a very late, Kakashi who had merged the class with his own Bloodline class. But seeing as though it was after school now, only a select few of each class remained and on a whole, she knew most of the people there including one Sasuke Uchiha. She sighed loudly until Tsunade walked over.

"Sakura!" She bellowed making the pinkette open her sleepy eyes, which had been drooping, and stand up in a comic salute. "Get your ass in gear! You're up next…"

"W-What?! I'm not good enough to go up against-!"

Tsunade began to laugh until she shook Sakura off and continued, "I was joking… I'd give it a couple more weeks until you go up against someone all out…"

"Only two weeks?" She asked feeling as though Tsunade was over estimating her.

"Oh Lee will make sure you are at a decent level by then… he can work wonders… that combined with your strength…" Tsunade winked at Sakura making her grin. "…you could be unstoppable…" She finished.

Sakura nodded happily, getting prepared to go home since her instructor, Lee, had to go home tonight. That was until Tsunade, once again stopped her.

"You up for some one on one?" She asked with a gleam in her eyes.

Sakura, obviously assuming she meant Tsunade, agreed whole-heartedly.

"Good… SABAKU!" She yelled making Sakura clutch her ears and furrow. Why him of all people? He walked over to Tsunade with a fresh layer of sweat built up on him from a work-out session with the Kyuubi container.

"Yes" He asked sarcastically, but Tsunade seemed to ignore his rudeness.

"Fight Haruno" She said walking away.

He looked down to a sheepish Sakura who seemed a little pink in the face. She was clutching her hands unsure looking up at him with a scared, yet hopeful look. It seemed like bliss to get to spar with him, but he didn't have a reputation for nothing. Oh well, it could have been worse… she could have ended up with Sasuke.

She stood up, still feeling inferior to his extra height above her, and smelt a delicious smell from the man before her, making her blush. Oh, he knew how to build up a sweat.

"Don't be scared" He said nonchalantly making her raise a thin, delicate eyebrow. He had to fight to keep his eyes on the direction of a free sparring mat away from the other fighters, who would normally be watching like beforehand but Sakura was only a beginner.

"I-I'm not scared…" She said unconvincingly.

He scoffed at her and turned on the mat to face her with a small smirk. "Sure. Ready?"

She sighed before replying. "Just… go easy on me…"

"Hn"

They hadn't been meaning to attract a crowd like the other fights which had occurred, but seeing Gaara in action against someone was rare, seeing as thought others usually disagreed to a spar with him due to his brutal behaviour. Some began to gather around him expecting a brutal blood bath and one pulverized girl, while another half of the room wondered if he would go easy on her because she was a girl, or because it was Sakura. The one he seemed most infatuated with.

One particular pair of eyes speculated on the pair with a little jealousy, and a small hint of anger; black, deep orbs gradually evolving into a deep red hue.

"Ready? Fight!"

To Be Continued…

Anonymous Reviews Accepted!

This chapter was quick huh?

Guess what!? I'm planning on writing a Neji x Sakura story after this one. It's gonna be called Emphiteal.

All will be explained in the story summary I will post in the next chapter as a teaser.

So, if you like NEJI X SAKURA; read my story Emphiteal, after this story's completion.

Next Chapter: Who will win this little one-on-one? Will she invite him too?