A:N/ Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's Day. I know I did! Can you believe it's already '08 I can't. I also can't believe that it's almost the end of the year! That's means there's only one-and-a-half years till I'm in highschool! Yikes! Okay, well anyways, I hope you like this chapter because I've sort of got I smidgin of writer's block. Yeah, I know, not good. Well, let's hope this chapter gets me back on track a little bit. Enjoy!

Crushes Between Friends

Chapter 15 - The Things we do for Friends

Probably the worst day of Sakura's life was Thursday. Two days after the lunchroom incident. The car ride to school was awkwardly silent with Sasuke today, and yet she still didn't know why, she knew she'd be finding out soon. Right when they arrived at school Sasuke just up and disappeared. No good-byes. In first period he remained disconnected from the rest of the group.

"Sakura, do you know what's going on with Sasuke?" asked Tenten after second period had ended.

"Not a clue." sakura replied.

Hinata then joined them in walking to third period.

"Have you guys noticed anything different going on around the school?" Hinata asked immediately.

Sakura and Tenten both looked around the school, but nothing seemed different.

"No. It looks as boring as ever." Tenten said.

Hinata looked at them both as if they were two roosters mooing.

"The signs." Hinata said, almost making a 'duh' face.

Sakura and Tenten took another look around the school, now looking for the posters thata Ino had been plastering everywhere. But, like being invisible, they weren't in sight anywhere.

"What the hell." Sakura said, more to herself than to them.

Hinata, Tenten, and unfortunately Ino, were all in her classes for the rest of the day. What was really weird was that Ino was actually being nice to Sakura. It actually scared her.

Lunch was the scariest, Ino sat at their table. Ino sat next to Sasuke. Sakura was on his other side. It was almost like they were all supposed to be friends again. Ino even acted like they were friends agian. People at the table tried to avoid conversation with Ino, which she didn't really notice since she was too busy talking with Sasuke. It infuriated Sakura a lot. He'd have some explaining to do on the way home.

The rest of the day didn't go well and neither did the ride home. Actually, there was no ride home. Sasuke had taken Ino home, but never waited for sakura in the parking lot. Instead Sakura had to grab a ride from Tenten's mom. She thanked Tenten's mom and Tenten.

Tenten walked Sakura to the door like a good friend would. Plus she wanted to talk to Sakura without listening ears.

"Why didn't Sasuke wait up?" she asked Sakura.

Sakura shrugged. "I saw Ino climb into his car, and then he drove off."

Sakura was extremely pissed off.

He'd better hope that if he showed his face to her there better not be a heavy metal object nearby.

"Well, if you need a ride to school tomorrow just call, okay?" Tenten said putting a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura nodded then gave her friend a hug.

Before walking in Sakura checked to see if Sasuke was home yet. He wasn't. When Sakura entered the house her mom asked how school was, and Sakura replied "crappy." She went straight up to her room and started on homework. Around about 5:30 she got a phone call. It was Sasuke. She took it into her room.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Uchiha. Are you finally going to tell me that you aren't taking me home after school today?" Sakura said, upon closing ehr door.

"Look, I'm sorry about the whole school thing."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I just hitched a ride with a friend"

"Sakura just hear me out."

"Why? You obviously think Ino is a better friend than me. Why do you have to explain?"

"Sakura,"

"No, no, don't waste your breathe. It's perfectly alright."

"Sakura! I don't think of Ino as a friend!" Sasuke yelled at her.

"Oh, I see, you've got a crush on her. Well, don't let me get in the way."

"Sakura wait, that's not what I-"

"Good-bye Sasuke, I'll see you first period tomorrow."

--click–

"Sakura?" Sasuke said into the phone, "Sakura?" Still no reply.

Sasuke threw the phone then fell back on his bed.

Sakura sat slowly down on her bed. Her fingers became weak and she dropped the phone onto her carpet. She place her elbows on her knees. Her hands held her face, and when she began to cry, they held her tears too. She never went down for dinner. Her mother began to worry about her, so went upstairs to her room.

She enter silently and found Sakura lying down. Her two legs dangling off the bed touching the floor, and the rest of her body in an awkward angle. Her head laid on her pillow. Her mother sighed and walked over to her. She lifted up her daughter's legs onto the bed and covered her up. She noticed that Sakura's eyes were slightly swollen.

"When will you two finally catch on?" she asked her daughter, not expecting a response.

She laid a kiss upon her daughter's cheek and exited her room.

The first thing Sakura did the next morning was call Tenten to let her know that she'd be needing a ride to school. Sakura being too lazy to spend much time on clothing just threw on a pair of washed out blue jeans with a maroon sweat shirt and pine green flat tenna shoes. She threw her hair up into a high pony tail, grabbed her books and school bag, then left her room. Waiting for her on the kitchen table was a box of Cheerios and some 1 milk. She poured herself a small bowl, and managed to finish before Tenten came. Sakura sat and watched the news, which she hated, while she waited for Tenten.

When she did arrive, Sakura quickly got up and walked to the front door. While they were walking to Tenten's car, Sakura noticed that Sasuke was also leaving then too.

Tenten and Sakura didn't talk much on their way to school. They wanted to wait until they met up with Hinata to talk. They found her sitting on the edge of the fountain with Naruto. It seemed that they were in deep conversation, so Sakura and Tenten decided to leave them alone.

HINATA & NARUTO-

"H-he's what?' Hinata asked.

"He's only going out with ehr to help Sakura."

"Oh, wow."

"Yeah."

"Is someone going to tell her?"

"That's just it, I'm afraid, me being his best friend and all, that she might not believe me. So, I was thinking maybe you could tell her."

Hinata nodded immediately.

TENTEN & SAKURA-

Tenten and Sakura were making their way to first period when they heard their friend Hinata coming up from behind them. They turned around and saw her running up to them.

"Sakura! Sakura!"

When Hinata reached them she was panting heavily.

"What's up Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura, you know how Sasuke ditched you yesterday?"

"Um, yeah."

"Well, it's because he's going out with Ino."

Sakura's face seemed to darken a bit.

"I know." she answered.

Sakura pivoted around and started walking away.

"Sakura wait!"

Hinata and Tenten caught up to her. She kept walking.

"The only reason he did it was to help you."

Sakura stopped in her tracks and Hinata stopped in front of her. Sakura looked as though she was about to cry. She gulped back a sob before answering.

"That still doesn't explain his avoiding me." she said.

"That's because she made him promise that he'd stay away from you as far as possible."

Sakura's mouth dropped open.

"Where did you hear this from?" Sakura asked, gulping back another sob.

"Naruto told me."

Sakura then knew that it had to be true because Naruto would never lie to Hinata.

Tenten and Hinata waited for Sakura to reply, but she didn't.

"Sakura, this is somewhat good news... right?" Tenten asked.

"I don't know, is it?" Sakura asked, almost letting a sob escape her.

She went around Tenten and Hinata to get to first period.

Sakura would rather have gone around the school being called a 'slut' than to have her best friend taken away from her.

But apparently in Sasuke's eyes, he'd rather see Sakura not go around the school as a 'slut.' So much that he'd go out with the one who started it all. Ino, Yamanka.

A:N/ So, you like it? Um, well I hope that you did. Has anyone read "Sam's Letters to Jennifer"? It's by James Patterson, and it's so romantic and extremely sad! I'm not finished with it yet, but I'm about 3/4 of the way done. Don't tell my teachers, but I've been reading that book instead of my AR book at night. Shh. Anyway, I'll try to update soon. As long as I get good reviews. Nah, if there are some bad ones I'll still update it.