A:N/ Hello!!! Uh, it seems it's been so long since I updated this!! Well during my non-writing weeks, I managed to win 24$. So that's good. And, well we had homecoming week. That's always fun. And so yeah. Nothing much. So, you just read this chapter, then push your favorite button. The one that says REVIEW at the end of this chap.

OH, yeah, since November 10 is my birthday, I'm updating all of my stories. Just a little gift from me to you.

ENJOY!!!

Crushes Between Friends

Chapter 13 - Homecoming

Homecoming week:

Monday: Twin day

Sakura and Tenten were twins. They wore two different pairs of knee socks, both wearing one of each pair. They did the same thing with earrings. They wore cacky blue jean shorts. They also wore each others shoes. Both wore a bright blood-shot red t-shirt.

Hinata and Ino were twins. They went with something simple. A bright sun shine yellow shirt, same pair of shoes, and jeans. Both wore their hair up in a messy bun.

Tuesday: Crazy day

Sakura wore a hot pink mini-skirt with sky blue knee toe socks that also had lime green stripes all over them. She had a tie die t-shirt with the colors blue, purple and pink.

Wednesday: Hat day

Sakura wore a joker's hat that had red, yellow, and green stripes. Each point coming off the hat had a bell on it.

Tenten wore a clown wig. It only had the colors red, blue, purple, and yellow though.

Ino wore this hat that was in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. She had been to France a couple years back.

Hinata wore a plain cap that had the words "John Deere" on it.

Thursday: Pajama Day!!! (That would be sweeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattt!!!!)

Friday: Blue and Gold day (that's their school colors)

All of Sakura's friends basically wore the same thing.

Glitter spread all over their body. Gold hair spray in their hair. Each wore a "Konoha Cougar" jersey

(I couldn't think of any other team names, so if your home town is a Cougar or what ever, it was by complete accident that I chose that.)

They wore golden sweats also.

Sakura would so be going to the game, Sai was the captain.

Konoha would be playing their biggest competitors Australian Aussies.

(It's all that my brain would let me enter into my dang head!!!)

It was a really close game. For the first two periods they were behind by 10 points. 15 to 5. Then after that little break thingy they picked up the pace. The total was 25 to 22. The Cougars had won by 3 points.

Everyone was hyped up. And the next day would be the homecoming dance.

(there's 4 periods in football right?? O wow, I hope so. I'm no good at football, so I'm sorry if the scoring is like impossible to get or whatever.)

Sakura had heard from her admirer during the week. Only once though. She hadn't been getting much from him, which made her extremely sad. The song he left behind was:

TIM McGRAW

"I Need You"

[Verse 1

I wanna drink that shot of whiskey

I wanna smoke that cigarette

I wanna smell that sweet addiction on my breath

I wanna ride cross west Virginia on the backseat of a Cadillac

You know some cowboys like me go out like that so I need you

[Chorus

Like a needle needs a vein

Like Uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs a rain

I need you like a lighthouse on the coast

Like the father and the son needs the holy ghost

I need you

[Verse 2

I wanna get lost in some corner booth

A canteena in Mexico

I wanna dance to the static of an a.m. radio

I wanna wrap the moon around us and lay beside you skin on skin

Make love til' the sun comes up and the sun goes down again cause i need you

[Chorus

Like a needle needs a vein

Like Uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs a rain

I need you

Like a lighthouse on the coast

Like the father and the son needs the holy ghost

I need you

I wanna drink that shot of whiskey

I wanna smoke that cigarette

You know some cowboys like me go like that I need you

Saturday: Homecoming Dance wahoo!!!

Tenten, Hinata, Ino, and Sakura spent all week figuring out outfits for Friday. Homecoming!!

Nobody got too dressed up for homecoming, nope they saved that for prom.

Ino decided on a dark purple dress with an even darker lacy type thing at the bottom rim of it. The dress ends at her knees. It covers about an inch of her shoulders. She wore a pair of black heels with it. Her hair was in the typical pony tail.

Hinata had on a sky blue dress that was shorter on her right and then got longer as it went left. At the end of the dress it did sort of riffle out thing. The dress has spaghetti straps. She wore a pair of silver shoes and her hair was down.

Tenten wore a strong red dress. It has a V neck and also went down to about her knees. On the left side was a piece of string hanging down, and the bottom part of the dress also had this riffle effect. She had on red low-heels and had her hair the also usual two buns.

Sakura wore a pailish orange dress. It was a halter dress with a V neck also. The dress reached down past her knees by like 2". Like some of the other dresses it had the riffle look. She wore a pair of white heels with it. Her hair was in a very complex bun, and she had a few strands hanging down on her left side. On her left wrist she wore a silver charm bracelet her dad had given to her on her 13th birthday.

All the guys were wearing tux's but they just had on different ties.

Naruto wore an orange bow tie with red polka-dots, Sasuke had on a deep blue (dark) tie. Neji wore a white tie. Then Sai was wearing an indigo looking tie.

When Sai and Sakura arrived at the dance Naruto, Hinata, Neji, and Tenten were already there. Neither Sasuke or Ino were anywhere in sight. The girls stood around talking about each other's outfits. Sakura was just in the middle of talking about where she got her dress when she heard an extremely high pitched "SAKURA!" She turned around and the smile got smacked off of her face.

Ino was dragging Sasuke through the crowd. She had the biggest smile on her face. She quickly put on a fake smile and welcomed Ino into their conversation.

"So, um, Ino. You came with Sasuke?"

'Why did he have to be here? He'll ruin everything.'

That's what Sakura wished she was mad about. Fat chance there.

"Yeah! He just called me up yesterday asking me if I'd go with him! I said yes of course!"

'Yeah, like that would happen. Sasuke despises her!'

"Yeah. Of course." Sakura replied.

A slow song hit the speakers and all the couples walked out on the dance floor (A.K.A. school gym).

The only people sitting were the nerds and the guys too shy to ask their crush, while the crush is out having a horrible time because the person they also liked didn't ask them, so they went with some random guy.

'I have this feeling inside me envy of Ino maybe? Why not? Sasuke is amazing! He's handsome, funny, he's–where the hell did that come from?'

"Sakura?" she looked up at her date, confusion written all over her face.

"Y-yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Your face is all flushed. You're not catching a fever are you?"

It was then that Sakura realized that she had started blushing from her thoughts of Sasuke.

"No. I'm fine! It's just kind of stuffy in here. I think I"ll just go sit down for a while."

Sakura left Sai on the dance floor. She sat down next to a girl with four pigtails coming out from her head. Sakura put her elbows on her knees and hunched over.

"Sakura? Is that really you?"

Sakura barely recognized the voice. She sat up and was instantly over joyed.

"Temari!"

"Sakura!"

The two shared a huge hug.

"OMG! I can't believe you're here! I thought you moved to Sand in 2nd grade!"

"I did but then my father got a job back here so we moved back!"

The two couldn't believe it. They've been friends since kindergarten. Her, Sasuke and Sakura had had a pretty tight bond. Not as tight as the Sakura Sasuke bond of course.

"So, how's Sasuke?"

"Ok." Sakura's face kind of dropped at that mention.

"Why the look? You're still friends, right?!"

"Well, we got into a fight a few weeks back. We haven't been talking much."

"Really? But you guys are so close. What could have possibly ruined that?"

Sakura looked around the dance floor for Sai. She found him talking to one of his buddies.

"See that brown-haired guy with the indigo tie? He's talking to some guy with orange hair."

Temari looked in the direction Sakura was pointing in.

"Yeah. What about him?"

"That's my boyfriend."

"Hm. Not all too bad on the eyes. Of course I always thought you'd-" Sakura looked over at her. "Um. Never mind. Go on.""

"Sasuke got all over me about how he thinks that he's using me. Or something along those lines."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

Sakura's face looked down at the floor.

"So, besides that, what's been going on?"

"Well... I've got a secret admirer." Sakura said looking up blushing.

"Are you serious?"

She nodded. Temari didn't even know what to say. Her face was awe struck.

"Excuse me. May I interrupt?"

Both girls looked up.

"Hey Sai!" Sakura said smiling.

"Sorry to interrupt, but may I intrude?"

"Yeah." Sakura stood up, but then a sharp pain hit her ankle. She looked down at Temari and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sai, this is my long lost friend Temari."

Sai noticed the girl that Sakura had been with and leant out his hand.

"Nice to meet you."

Temari shook his hand, and stood up.

"Likewise. It was nice seeing you again Sakura!"

The two hugged again before Temari walked off. Sai looked back over towards Sakura and smiled.

"C'mon, we need to go somewhere private."

Sai took hold of her hand and Sakura followed him willingly. He took her outside, in the back of the building.

'What is he doing?'

Sai stopped and turned around to face Sakura.

"Sai? What did you want to talk about?"

Sasuke

'This dance is so boring.'

Sasuke was currently being clung onto by Ino, having her talk about how her life sucks, how pretty she is, you know, that type of Ino crap.

"Sasuke, I'm parched."

"Yeah, so?'

Don't you want to get some punch for me?"

"Hn."

Ino walked over to a chair and sat down. Sasuke walked over to the punch bowl.

"Dude, can you believe he's actually going to do it?"

Sasuke started stalling.

"I know. That Haruno girl is REALLY hot, but I don't think she'll go for it. No matter how much she likes him."

Sasuke's anger was slowly increasing.

"Or, maybe she would."

Sasuke set down the cup he was holding and walked over to the two guys that were talking.

"What are you guys talking about."

Standing on the left was the boy that Sai had been talking to earlier, the one with orange hair. Standing next to him was another boy. But this kid had green hair. Not tree green, I mean lime green, highlighter green! Kind of strange don't ya think. The one with green hair replied.

"Oh, Sai just stepped outside two talk two this Sakura girl."

The kid with orange hair hit him on the head.

"Freak! We weren't supposed to tell anybody!"

"Where would I find them?"

Sasuke asked.

"Heh. Like we'd tell you." The guy with orange hair said, covering his friends mouth.

Sasuke smirked, not one of his famous ones, this one was evil. A flash of red went through his eyes. To the two boys they saw blood. Their blood.

"Like hell you will orangey." Sasuke said through gritted teethe so only they could hear him.

Both were wide eyed and mortified.

"They're in the back building!" They said simotaniously, then running off before more could be said. Sasuke smirked and walked off to find Sakura.

Sakura

"What did you want to talk about?" Sakura asked.

"This." He said leaning in, his hands slithering around her waist to bring her close to him.

He made contact with their lips, and pushed her up against the wall. Sakura responded by kissing him back, both fight for dominance. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

That's when things started getting too far.

Sai's hands slowly made their way up to Sakura's neck and untied the knot her mom had tied for her. Sakura instantly pulled away, slamming her back against the wall.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He moved closer to her, putting his arms around her making it impossible for her to escape.

"What do you think I'm doing?" He said.

He attacked her lips again with more force. She tried to push away, but he was too strong for her. Then, he started messing with her hair, and started kissing her down her neck.

Sakura was starting to get worn out of her struggling, and her face was wet with tears.

"Stop! Get off! Stop it!" She screamed.

Sai smirked.

'He smirked. He thinks this is funny! Sasuke was right. He was just using me.'

Sakura started crying for a whole other reason now. Not of what Sai was doing to her, but of how she hadn't believed her best friend. The friend that was always there for her. The one that had never let he get hurt, the one that's kept her safe for all these years. She didn't believe him. Why? She didn't know, and now she regretted it more than ever.

Sai was about to strip off her dress when–

"Get. Off. Her."

Sai turned around. Only to be met by the powerful force of Sasuke's fist meeting his face. Sai stumbled away from Sakura, gripping his face. His nose and mouth bleeding. Sakura had pulled up her dress where Sai had untied it. Sakura slid down the wall, head tucked between her knees. Now not only was her face wet, but her knees as well. In the mean time Sasuke was beating up Sai.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to her!?"

"I think I was trying to knock her up!"

"Bitch." Sasuke said before punching Sai again, knocking him unconscious.

Sasuke walked over to Sakura.

"Hey." She didn't answer. Just cried.

"Are you okay?"

This time she responded by throwing her arms around him and crying into the crook of his neck. Sasuke happily wrapped his arms around her squeezing her tighter, like saying 'I'll never let you go'.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, between her crying and muffling of his tux it was difficult for him to hear, but Sasuke did.

"Don't be." He said bring her closer to him.

"But, if I would've listened to you this never would have happened!" she said, tightening her grip on his shirt. He took the two pieces of cloth that was supposed to keep her dress up and tied them back together.

"It's okay." He said, making her look up at him.

She gave him a small smile and laid her head on his shoulder. He put his head on top of her head. Both were happy to have the other back in their lives. Smelling their incense, feeling their touch, and hearing each other's voices ringing through their ears once again.

"You ready to go back inside?" Sasuke asked after 15 minutes of silence.

"Yeah."

They stood up, Sasuke helping Sakura. Sakura laid her head on his shoulder again and Sasuke had his arm draped over her shoulder. When Sasuke and Sakura entered the gym Tenten, Hinata, and Temari ran up to them.

"Sakura! What happened?!" Tenten asked.

"Um. I'd rather not talk about it right now." Tenten backed off.

"So, does this mean you guys are friends now?" Temari asked.

Sasuke hadn't really noticed her until now.

"Temari?"

"Let's see, blond hair, 4 pig tails, yep it's me!" she said people laughing at her.

They came into a hug and Temari slapped his back, just like old times.

"It's good to see you Uchiha." Temari said pulling away.

"Yeah. You too." he said.

"Sasuke?" Came a voice behind him and Sakura. They turned around.

"Hey Ino-pig." Sakura said.

"Hello." she said, almost confused.

"Sakura, I thought you were mad at Sasuke." said Ino.

"I was. But then Sai, he, well you know. Anyways, Sasuke was right about him."

"Oh."

Then there was a sort of awkward silence..

"Wait a minute! Who's she?!" Ino shouted pointing a finger at Temari.

"Oh! That's rigt. Ino-pig doesn't know you yet Temari."

"Temari?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" She said, plastering a huge grin over her face.

"Uh,hu." Ino said.

"Yeah. Ino, meet Temari, Temari, meet Ino." Sakura said.

"So, Sakura-chan how do you know Temari?" asked Hinata.

"Oh. Right. Well in kindergarten me, Sasuke, and her were best friends. Then in 2nd grade she had to move to the Sand. We haven't seen her since. Well, until now that is."

"Correcto!" Temari said.

"So Temari, if you're new here, how come you knew about the dance?" Naruto asked.

Everyone's eyes immediately stared intently at Temari.

"Hey, wait a minute," Sakura said, noticing Temari's and Shikamaru's unusually close proximity. "Shika, you don't happen to know Temari by any chance, do you?"

Both immediately started blushing. Then everybody started to take notice of their closeness, well except Naruto. It would take a miracle for him to grasp the concept.

"Why do you ask?"he said, both inching away from each other.

"Oh. Just because you guys make such an adorable couple! Plus you're awfully close to each other."

"Sakura, you're just being superstitious." Temari told her.

"OMG! Shikamaru and Temari came to the dance together!" Shouted Naruto.

Temari and Shika became suddenly tense, and unusually red.

"That would explain you two dancing together earlier tonight." Tenten stated.

Shika and Temari dropped their heads in defeat.

"I surrender." Temari said throwing her arms up in the air.

"So, tell me how you know each other." Sakura said.

"Well, you know that one week last year where I missed school?" Shika said.

"Yeah." They all said, not all at the same time though.

"Well, I had gone on a business trip for my father because he was ill at the time. While I was ther, I had to do some business work with Temari. I mentioned how I knew Sasuke and Sakura. Then, she said that she might be moving back to Konoha, but she didn't want me to mention anything."

Temari nodded in agreement with Shika's answer.

"So, I know how you guys met now, but why did you come to the dance together?" Sakura continued questioning.

"Actually, Temari stared, "that was by accident." Shika finished for her.

"See, I didn't know exactly when I would be returning. So when I did and heard about the dance from my mom, don't ask me how she knew, I figured you'd all be here partying it off." Temari said.

"Yeah. Then I saw her and we just started hanging out again, dance a couple of times, etc." Shika said.

"So, are you two like going out now?" Tenten asked.

"Well, no. We're just friends. Besides, we don't even know each other that much." Temari said.

"Okay. But maybe you guys should think about it." Tenten pressed on.

Temari and Shika both gave her glares.

"Or, maybe not. You know that's cool too." She said, taking a few steps back.

"Uchiha." A voice sounded from behind the group. Sasuke turned around, fist meeting face.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.

Apparently Sai had woken up, and wasn't too happy. When he had punched Sasuke, he had banged his back against the wall the group was standing by. Sakura ran over to Sasuke and helped him stand up. She kept her arm intertwined with his. He tried lunging out at Sai but Sakura held him back.

"Sasuke. Don't. Let's just go." She said, pulling Sasuke away from Sai and his friends.

Sasuke followed.

"Oh, come on Sakura, it was just a joke! We're still cool right?" Sai shouted.

Sakura stopped walking and so did Sasuke. He turned to look at her. She started walking back towards Sai.

"No. Said, od you want to know what the joke is?" Sakura asked him. "It's you." Sakura raised her right hand and slapped him across the face.

She spun around, and walked out of the dance with Sasuke.

"Huh. That felt good." She said.

Sasuke started laughing at her. The hopped into Sasuke's car.

"I missed this car." Sakura said.

"The car missed you." Sasuke said, revving the engine then driving off.

"So, should I just take you home?" Sasuke asked.

"Nah. It's homecoming. Besides, do you know how long it has been since I last talked to you?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't counting." He said.

"Oh wow." Sakura said looking at Sasuke.

"What?" he asked, taking a quick glance at her before returning his eyes to the road.

"Your nose. It's bleeding." she said.

"Oh. Well that's not so 'wow'. I figured as much. He really packed a punch."

"Yeah but still."

Sasuke pulled into his drive way and they both got out. When they entered Sasuke's house, Sakura went straight to their bathroom and grabbed some supplies to fix Sasuke's nose.

"Ok. Go sit down on the couch." Sakura said. Sasuke obeyed.

"Tip your head back." She said. He tipped it.

Sakura placed a wad of tissues on his nose.

"Now, hold on to that and pinch your nose on the bridge." Sasuke did as he was tole.

"Now stay like that for awhile."

"Are you kidding me? This feels weird."

Sakura couldn't help but laugh because Sasuke's voice sound really weird with his nose pinched.

"Great. Now I'm the laughing stalk." Sakura clutched her stomach and fell all the way back into the couch.

Mikoto had been upstairs, and had heard them come in. When she heard laughter downstairs she decided to go see what was going on. She stayed hidden in the shadows. Upon arriving in the living room she saw Sasuke and Sakura laughing together.

"Just like old times." She whispered to herself.

A smile creeped its way onto her face, and she returned upstairs.

A:N/ Up in my first AN I mentioned it was my birthday and that's why I was writing this chapter and updating other chapters. As a gift to my reviewers.

Now I've got another reason.

On Saturday November 3, 7:11 am. My grandmother died. I'd rather not get into to much detail. She had been really sick for the past 6-7 months. She refused to eat and little by little her weight dropped. This is the only chapter I was able to get typed up and posted as my gift.

My birthday is on Saturday Nov. 10. But I dedicate this chapter to my grandma. She was really cool. I always joined her during her morning coffee. I never drank any, but we sat and chatted. Then when it was chore time on the farm I'd go out and help her.

I dedicate this chapter to my grandma and other people's grandmas that have passed away. Also, to any other relatives that I've or anybody else has lost.

I'm devastated yes, and I'm sure other's have been also. In fact if you've ever lost a relative, you don't have to mention who go ahead and at the end of your review put a ":("

On better notes, please review my story. I hoped you liked it!!!