At exactly 8 that night, Ino arrives at my house. I see her pull up through the second floor bathroom window and speed down the stairs, interrupting what has to be the 20th time I've checked on my hair and 40th that I have switched clothes.

Should you wonder why I care so much: in the five hours between school and the actual party, I've actually grown pretty damn excited.

I mean, how bad can it be, right? If all my peers share this love of partying, there's bound to be something about it.

And if I'm completely honest, it won't hurt to do some socializing outside of my small group of friends either.

"Come in!'' I squeal as I tug open the door. The bright yellow light of the setting sun momentarily blinds me.

When I've gotten used to the light, I notice that in stark contrast to my giddiness, Ino has a deep frown on her face, casting shadows on layers of sparkly eye-make up. Her eyes go from the tips of my slippers to the top of my head. When they bounce back to my own eyes, she arches an eyebrow.

I frown. "What?"

"Flip-flops? A skirt? A blouse?" she asks me like I'm dumb.

"Yes, that is what I'm wearing," I answer like she's even dumber. And what does everybody in my life have against blouses, anyway?

She casts her eyes up at the amber sky and pushes me to the side. ''If you didn't have me,'' she muses as she speeds up the stairs, tugging me along by the arm.

When we arrive in my room she enters my large walk-in closet and starts randomly taking stuff out of drawers and off hangers and throwing them onto piles.

This might seem rude or weird, but she's been in my house so much over the years that, to me, it's hers as much as it's mine.

''Okay, so seeing as how you're dressed for a dinner party – which this is not - I'll have to completely re-dress you. Take that off.''

So I do.

I've been standing there shivering in my underwear for about ten minutes when she tosses me a forest green sweater with the words 'Lakeview Senior High School' printed on the back and some black yoga pants.

I must have stood there staring at them for too long, because Ino puts her hands on her hips and says, ''you're not planning on going to the party in your underwear, are you? Put that on!''

''Aw, but I wanted to show off my bod,'' I moan sarcastically.

But Ino ignores me and turns toward my closet again. ''I thought you said you'd quit the red obsession,'' She says, whistling at the rows of crimson clothes.

''No, I didn't.'' I wheeze distractedly, a bit preoccupied with squeezing myself into those tiny pants.

Ino tugs on the sleeve of a red knit sweater that she must find especially hideous. ''Yes, you did! I can still hear it in my mind, you said, 'you're right, red looks wacky and clashes terribly with my hair'.''

''Okay, first of all I'm pretty sure I didn't say 'wacky','' I start. But I never continue, because then I finally succeed in pulling the tight monstrosity over my butt. ''Oh my God, they're on!'' I gasp, relieved.

''What's up with that walk, S? '' Ino remarks as I waggle over to the mirror.

It's quite obvious that the pants are currently shutting off the blood circulation to my legs, so I don't bother to explain.

I can't even recall buying yoga pants. Maybe Gloria, our maid, mixed mine and Karin's clothes up again.

And as I study myself I notice that, like I feared, my, ahem, 'curves' are forced over the edge of the waistline of the pants, making me resemble an overcooked sausage. ''Ugh, terrible,'' I twirl around in front of the mirror, trying to get a good view. ''And they make my butt look gigantic.''

''That's the point.'' Ino nods in approval.

''But look at my fat rolls!''

''That's not fat! The pants are just a little bit tight, that's all… You'll get used to it. And if you put on that hoodie, it won't be noticeable.''

''I look so – not like me. I mean, yoga pants?'' I sigh, ''why can't I just wear something like you're wearing?''

Ino is currently sporting a sparkly tank-top with a jacket and jeans. Perfectly proper, perfectly casual. I look at her, not bothering to mask my jealousy.

''Because that way we'd both look like valley girls. You're balancing me out.'' She explains, smiling cheekily.

''Fine, fine! '' I huff. ''Let's leave.''

The entire ride I spend with Ino squealing about parties and 'bestie-time'.

That isn't that bad, though – what truly throws me off is the banshee scream she insists on letting out every ten minutes as she sticks her hands out of the window in the roof, waving them around like a madwoman.

Had this been some cheesy chick flick, I would have done the same and we would have blasted loud 90's music while checking out guys and probably picking up some friends, all in the span of a minute.

But seeing as how, sadly, this is not a movie, I'm stuck clinging for dear life to the handlebars in the car, my shrieks of terror barely audible over some overrated Lil' Wayne song Ino insists will help us get into a 'party mood'.

Like she needs that.

As opposed to my best friend, I feel my good vibes fading away with every passing minute in this car.

Luckily I'm not given a lot of time to dread what is coming, seeing as how Haven Lake is close to town and Ino knows the location well. In barely 30 minutes we pull up in a large clearing, trying to find a parking spot among the other cars.

Their quantity surprises me: there have to be more than 50 vehicles, standing in irregular lines along the edge of the forest. The party has barely even started yet. I'm anxious for how many people are going to be here.

The sky is by now almost completely black and I have to strain my eyes to form recognizable images out of the vague silhouettes I see moving up and down the sandy shore of the lake. I can see people using their cellphones as flashlights as they try to ignite the fire.

Ino and I are still sitting in the car, savoring the warmth from the heater for as long as we can. Ino is fixing her make-up in the mirror, simultaneously commenting on cars that wobble through the sand and try to find a spot to park.

"Look at that,'' she whistles as a particularly nice car rolls by. "Looks like this party isn't just a Lakeview thing.''

Other schools are going to be here?

Other schools like…

"Saint George?'' I peep, as images of me losing Ino in a crowd of pickpockets and molesters flood my mind.

"No, they're from Bolton.'' She says, and I relax a little. Bolton is a school a few miles outside of town. Most of the country kids go there. I never really hear anything about it, which is a good sign. "Oh! There!''

I'm immediately tense again. I whip my head around and can now see a bunch of smaller, beat-up cars enter the clearing. The last one breaks free from the rest and pulls up in the empty parking space next to us, a cloud of dust rising up behind it. I can barely look into the driver's compartment – the window is clogged with muck and dirt – but I can see the outline of the driver's face. When she and the person in the passenger's seat get out, I can see her clearly.

It's a girl. With piercings.

And not like two or three, but six – no, seven! And that's only the side of her face that I can see!

I gasp and duck a tiny bit, scared she'll get mad if she sees me looking.

''Well, there's George.'' Ino says needlessly. When she snaps the mirror shut and casts a look to the side, she purses her lips at the picture of me curled up in my seat, my eyes wide with fear. "S?"

I look back at her and she gives me an encouraging smile.

"They won't do anything. I promise.''

''They're Naruto's friends!'' I squeak. ''He's told them all about how he doesn't like me, without a doubt. They'll probably throw me into the water or something!''

"No they won't.'' Ino says. "No one touches the water. Somebody went swimming drunk a few years ago and almost died. It's off-limits now.''

Almost died.

''Come on, let's go have some fun. Looks like they have the fire going.'' She says, opening the car door. When I don't budge, she grunts, annoyed. ''Stop judging people, Sakura! This is the perfect chance for you to get to know them, and see they're not that bad.''

I sigh and look out of my window once more. The George people are long gone.

I open the car door and close it behind me quickly, scared I'll change my mind.

Ino and I have barely taken two steps out of the parking space when a group of three people runs up to Ino and hugs her. ''Oh my God! '' The only girl squeaks in a high-pitched voice! ''I'm so happy you could make it, babe!''

I can't make out who they are, but Ino seems to know them well. ''I haven't seen you guys in so long,'' she gushes. ''Here, meet my best friend.''

I force myself to smile. ''I'm Sakura.''

''Hey! '' The girl is once again the only one to talk. ''Sorry for what I'm about to do-''

And before I know what's happened I feel like I'm blinded by a light brighter than that of a hundred suns. ''Argh! '' I grunt unattractively.

''Oh, I think I've seen you before!'' The unknown girl squeals. I realize she used her phone to see who I was. She now aims the light at herself, and I see she has a friendly face that seems, indeed, strangely familiar. ''My name is Ten Ten, and these guys are Lee and Neji.''

Ah, Neji. Hinata's cousin. I see him sometimes when we hang out, but he mostly ignores us.

''Yeah, I'm Lee. A gigantic pleasure to meet you! '' The guy named Lee snatches Ten Ten's phone away from her unsuspecting hands and aims the screen at his own face now. He's without a doubt got the bushiest eyebrows I have ever seen, and this is sadly all I register before Ten Ten takes the device from him again and grabs Ino by the arm, pulling her closer to the bonfire at the edge of the water.

I follow them, vaguely aware of the Lee guy jogging to walk next to me.

I ignore this, not knowing what to do.

I swear I'm not arrogant. I'm just very, very awkward.

''So you said your name was Sakura?'' He says.

I look at him, but our surroundings are too dark now for me to even have a clear view of his profile. He appears to be slightly taller than me. ''Uh, well, yeah.'' I answer intelligently.

He's quiet for about half a minute, I presume he's waiting for me to say more. I don't.

"And you're Ino's best friend. '' he urges on.

I nod, and then remember that he won't be able to see it, "yep.''

''I like Ino,'' he says, quickly putting a hand on my shoulder to steer me away from a thick branch on the ground. After that, he keeps his hand in place. I can just keep myself from shaking him off – he barely knows me, for God's sake! What is he doing? ''She's such a likable person. She's nice to everyone.''

"I guess,'' I mumble.

We finally arrive at the bonfire. I see we aren't at the edge of the actual lake like I'd thought at first. There is water, but it's more like a large puddle at the side of the actual lake. This doesn't come as a complete surprise – part of the fun of high school parties is, of course, to keep the entire thing a secret from the police, and we're now successfully shielded from the view of cars driving on the busy highroad that leads past Haven Lake.

Although they must be able to see the large plume of smoke leading from the fire up to the starry sky, I note as my eyes trace the entire thing.

Lee clears his throat awkwardly, "I'll get us something to drink.''

I'd totally forgotten about him. I turn around and finally get my first good view of him. He's not especially attractive but seems nice enough.

I manage a smile, ''Great, thanks.''

He leaves, and I'm left alone. I feel incredibly uncomfortable with all of these people I don't know laughing with their friends. They're sitting on piles of wooden pallets, drinks in their hands.

I don't recognize what it is that they're all drinking. I hope for soda, but know better.

''S!'' Ino squeaks as she practically skips toward me, arm in arm with Ten Ten. ''What'd that Lee guy say? He looks like he's got a thing for you.''

''What? No he doesn't!'' I splutter.

Ino snorts. ''Uh, yes, he does.''

''Uh, no, he doesn't.'' I argue in the exact same tone.

Ino taps Ten Ten on her upper arm. ''Ten, please talk some sense into this girl.''

''He thinks you're hot.'' Ten ten says with a shrug.

''Okay, first of all, guys don't find me 'hot'.'' I say, making quotation marks with my fingers. ''And second, you'd think I would notice if a guy was interested in me.''

''Where is he, anyway?'' Ten Ten says. She purses her lips in exasperation. ''Now I've lost him and Neji.''

''He's getting me a drink,'' I respond innocently.

Ino and Ten Ten give each other a look. ''He wants you.''

''How does Lee getting me a simple drink have anything to do with him being attracted to me?''

''You know, for a smart person, you're kind of dumb.'' Ino pinches my cheek lovingly, and I bite her fingers in annoyance. ''Ow! Geez.'' She says, wiping her hand on her jeans. I roll my eyes. I'd barely touched her.

Then they smirk at something over my shoulder simultaneously and leave without another word.

''Here,'' Lee says. He hands me a can like the other people are holding.

''Thank- you,'' I accept it with another forced smile, now about 20 times more awkward. I see I was right before. It's a mixed drink.

Lee looks at me expectantly.

I realize he doesn't want to drink before I do.

How… polite.

Let's think rationally here, though. That doesn't mean he likes me. He might just be a polite person.

Just that I've spent today forced to be near a shamelessly selfish and rude pest doesn't mean that every male is like that.

Speaking of Naruto… didn't he mention he would go to this party too?

No! Sakura, snap out of it!

You're here to have fun. And let loose.

And all those other good things.

I open my can. It hisses.

''Cheers,'' Lee says. We raise our drinks up and both take a sip, although I make sure to take a tiny one.

Mmm.

I'm surprised.

Other than the bitter-sour after taste that people always mention, it's fruity and sweet and kind of good.

''You like it?'' Lee asks me with a grin. I nod, and feel the corners of my own mouth turn up as well. Well, there we go. A real smile. ''Wanna go sit down?''

He leads me to an unoccupied stack of pallets and we sit down, staring at the crackling fire.

The little beach is beginning to get really busy. I can only see the people standing in the fire glow, but judging from the many, many, many voices – not to mention the headlights of newly arriving cars - I'm guessing there should be close to 400 people now.

One person pokes at the fire. Guys are giving each other piggyback rides. A boy and a girl run past us, throwing handfuls of mud at each other, cackling.

I briefly wonder whether all of these people have thought of assigning a designated driver.

''What are you thinking about?'' Lee asks, thankfully interrupting my thoughts.

''Oh, you know, party stuff,'' I offer lamely. ''I'm having so much fun.''

He buys it. ''I'm having fun too.''

He is?

I mean, I'm not the most exciting company here.

Why doesn't he just go to his friends? Neji should still be around somewhere, and I would underst-

I feel another set of fingers touch mine.

Looking down, I see that Lee has nonchalantly put his hand over mine. I jerk it away and take a big swig of my drink, seeing my vision blur the tiniest bit as it stings my tongue.

Must have been an accident.

I mean, duh. Somebody just grabbing my hand doesn't happen.

We sit quietly again.

''You know what,'' Lee says, and I'm sure he's going to tell me he's going to leave. What he does next surprises me. He puts his drink away and makes room between us, ''I would think I'm being rejected, but I get the idea that you genuinely don't know what's happening.''

I give him a puzzled look.

He sighs, his round eyes staring into mine. ''Say I was – I don't know – coming onto you.''

My mouth falls open.

So he is!

I feel myself grow pale. He must think I'm an idiot.

''Oh,'' I peep.

''Oh?'' Lee repeats, questioning. ''What do you think?''

I'm nervous. And kind of flattered. And scared. I don't know what to answer.

''I think… Oh.'' I whisper again.

I look at where I'm sure the lake is, hidden in the blackness. Maybe if I run fast enough I can reach the water before the rest does and swim to the other side. I could hitchhike back to town-

-WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

Lee takes my panicked silence for an answer and stands up.

''No, wait!'' I blurt. ''I didn't mean that kind of oh. I'm just - surprised.''

''Surprised? I don't believe you.'' He says, but sits back down anyway.

''Well, I don't have people 'coming on to me' often.'' Or at all.

''Liar.'' He grins.

''No, seriously,'' I cough, ''But, uh, thank you, I guess.''

He shakes his head with a smile. ''So you go to Lakeview?'' Lee asks now, pointing at my sweater. I nod.

''What school do you go to?''

In the next few minutes – or is it hours? - I learn a lot about him. He also goes to Lakeview high school, but has the first lunch shift, which is probably why don't recall seeing him before. His father owns a successful furniture shop. He is so clumsy that he once fell into a fountain in the middle of the shopping square. He has the habit of saying 'probably' like 'prolly' (this annoys me to no end). He likes poetry and martial arts. He doesn't like coffee.

Altogether it seems like we're done talking about me.

''Martial arts takes up most of my time, really. Did you know they refer to me as Rock Lee?'' Lee continues, taking a big gulp of his can. He's at his fifth, while I'm still at my first. He is turning quite red around the nose.

''I didn't.'' I say, boredom written all over my face.

''I guess you know where that comes from.'' He winks.

I flinch.

Please tell me that wasn't an innuendo.

But then he lifts up his shirt and practically pushes his abs in my face.

Well, that's a little better than what I expected, but still.

''Come on, feel!'' He encourages me, clearly not thrown off by the frantic way I'm scooting away from him.

I give his belly a quick poke and manage too croak, ''Well, wow!''

''Right?'' He says, leaning back with a proud look on his face. He takes another sip of his drink. It must be done, because he throws it off the pallet.

I have to contain myself not to pick that one and all the trash littered all over the beach up and put them in a trash bag.

God, I'm so lame.

Lee gets up, wobbling slightly, and soon returns with a sixth drink.

I'm content with the silence for a second. Looks like Ino is on the other side of the fire, chatting up some guy. I can't exactly see his face, but from a distance he looks quite attractive.

I nervously look at the guy next to me, mentally comparing the two. Ugh.

Lee turns to look at me as soon as he feels my gaze on him, and completely misinterprets my expression. He grabs my hand again.

''I'm so happy I'm here with you tonight, Sakura.'' He whispers, his round, wide eyes boring into mine.

''Uh, thanks, me too,'' I stutter, my eyes flicking back and forth between our hands and his face. What is he doing?

Then I notice that he starts leaning in towards me.

He is – is he trying to – to kiss me?

He is trying to kiss me! Oh god!

I don't want this, at all. Is that normal? Is a first kiss supposed to go like this? Are you supposed to feel panicked and scared and unhappy? Are you supposed to meet the guy at a party, where he gets drunk? Are you supposed to not be attracted to him at all?

But then he licks his lips, and I shudder in revulsion.

''I have to go to the bathroom,'' I lie quickly, and duck away with speed I didn't know I possessed, leaving Lee staring at me in confusion.

I jog away from him as soon as I can without attracting attention to myself, and don't look back.

Of course I don't actually go to the 'bathroom'. I'm too scared I'll run into something unwanted, like a bear. Or naked people.

Instead I go to the cool box, on the tail gate of a white truck. Frankly, I don't know where else to go; Ino is off-limits. I mean, Lee will be able to see me. That, and the fact that Ino will kill me if I interfere with her flirting.

I reach into the kangaroo pocket of my sweater. My phone reads 10:07 pm. Sighing, I put it back. Ino is not going to want to leave until at least 2 in the morning.

I look at the sweating, smiling faces of anonymous party guests, pretty visible now that my eyes are used to the dark. They're dancing to pop songs coming from somebody's car speakers. My attention is then pulled toward the bright orange cool box.

I stand there leaning against the truck awkwardly for about two more minutes until I turn around and reach for the lid.

Oh, what the heck.

Barely a second after I've downed my first drink, I down the second.

A shiver runs down my spine as the prickling liquid sloshes to my stomach.

I stand there gripping the back of the truck with my eyes squeezed shut for a while longer, forcing the alcohol to stay down.

''Well then, looks like Mrs. Perfect is not so perfect after all.'' Somebody says. Although I'm beginning to feel a slight hum in my head, I remember this voice. It evokes a familiar irritation in me.

I don't look up. I need all of my concentration.

Laughter. Very, very close. Whoever approached me finds this situation humorous.

Then I feel the drink bubble back up and I know it's too late. I duck behind the car and prepare myself for one of those movie-retches. The painful, nasty ones that somehow keep going.

All that comes out is a hiccup.

And another one.

And another one.

Relieved, I sit there for a second longer, letting out the weird, soundless hiccups that always cause my friends and classmates to crack up laughing. Then somebody grabs me by the shoulder.

''Uh, Sakura? Are you crying?''

My eyes snap open.

Naruto. Of course.

He attempts to pull me up by the arms, grunting loudly when I won't budge. Sighing, I do the work myself and turn to face him.

He looks just like he looked the first time I saw him, piercings and all. His blue eyes look strangely pale in the moonlight, and the tight shirt he's wearing does nothing to hide the lean muscles he has going on. Please blame the alcohol, but I feel a blush spreading on my face.

''Did you throw up?'' He smirks.

Always the charmer.

''No,'' I say snippily, hiccupping loudly.

''You sure? It looked like you were throwing up.''

''Do I smell like I threw up?'' Hiccup.

''Not more than usually,'' he admits, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. ''But people don't normally crouch behind a car at a party except-.''

''-Well, I did!'' I snap, ''When did you get here?''

''About five minutes ago. I was going to find someone hot to have some fun with-''

''-Classy,'' I remark under my breath.

He pretends not to hear me. ''-But when I saw you, doing something'' he gasps exaggeratedly, ''against the rules – I couldn't miss that.''

''Please continue educating me on myself, seeing as how you've got me all figured out.'' Hiccup.

Not that he is too far off, but excuse me for trying not to come off like a prissy goodie two-shoes.

But he sees right through me. '''Beer? Are you even legal?''' He mimics me. I did say that, what seems like ages ago.

My cheeks burn. ''Fine, so maybe I don't usually drink alcohol-''

''Usually?'' Naruto crosses his arms and takes a closer look at my face. Something about it must give it away, because he pulls away and bursts out laughing. ''You're drunk? Princess is drunk?''

''I really wish you'd stop with the princess thing.'' I mutter.

He ignores me, still chortling hysterically. It sounds like he's choking. I silently hope he is.

Again, I start, ''It really isn't that funny-'' But Naruto cuts me off by slapping his hand onto my shoulder to support himself, his other one clutching at his stomach. I shove him off. ''Stop laughing!''

''B-but- it's hilarious!'' He wipes some tears from his eyes.

''I'm hardly that drunk. I only had three drinks.''

''Seems to have been quite enough, your nose would stop cars.'' He seems to finally be done laughing. Still smiling, he reaches over to the cool-box and grabs himself a drink as well. ''So why'd you decide to lower yourself to us peasants' level, anyway?''

I really must be slightly drunk, because I answer. ''Some guy tried to kiss me, so I-''

I'm interrupted by Naruto choking on his drink. Really, this time. He wheezes, gurgles and starts coughing. I make no motion to help him.

After close to two minutes, he's finally regained the strength to roll his eyes at me. ''Uh-huh.''

I shrug, ''what?''

Naruto wipes his hand on his sleeve. ''This story sounds ridiculous already. You're implying that somebody voluntarily wanted to make out with you?''

He doesn't believe me.

He actually thinks I'm making this up.

''That's exactly what I'm implying.'' I answer through clenched teeth. ''And what's so weird about that, anyway?''

He snorts and raises his drink to his lips. ''Uh, look at you, for instance.''

Did he just fucking call me ugly?

''What is that supposed to mean?''

Don't get me wrong, I'm not obsessed with my looks. Honestly, they've never really mattered to me. I make sure that my clothes are stainless and that my hair isn't too messy, but that's where it stops. Appearance has always seemed somewhat irrelevant in comparison to my school grades.

However… I know I'm not drop-dead gorgeous, but nobody has ever called me ugly.

''Uh, that you look like naked mole rat.'' he narrows his eyes as if he's studying me. ''Are you one?''

I suck in a breath. ''How the hell do I look like a hairless rodent?''

He laughs soundlessly, as if it's ridiculous that I even need to ask. I clench my fists, but I know that all he wants is to get a rise out of me. I decide to be the bigger person.

And then change my mind.

I lift up my foot and stomp on his toes.

''Shit! '' Naruto hisses as he hops around on his other foot. ''You belong in a mental institution!''

''You belong in a cave!'' I yell back, before spinning on my toes and taking exactly three steps away from him. Then I walk back and snatch another drink out of the cooler, making sure to glare at Naruto all the way. He's too busy nursing his foot to look back at me.

I don't reflect on what I just did until I'm about half way in-between my nemesis and the fire.

Naruto annoyed me, so I stomped on his foot.

I physically hurt him. Because I was annoyed.

The absurdity hits me over and over and over.

Sakura Haruno, good girl extraordinaire, with the perfect grades and perfect clothes and perfect manners and perfect perfection has just lost control for the very first time.

And it feels exhilarating.

As I make my way over to the bonfire I notice the alcohol has weaved its way into my steps – I sway to the right slightly, and have to make an effort not to fall over.

Nevertheless I take another big swig from my drink.

I manage to just avoid a guy stumbling my way, but end up spilling some of my drink on him. He screams and falls flat on his butt.

We give each other one of those dazed, confused stares. Then I walk on.

''Dude!'' he calls after me, and I truly, genuinely wish I cared enough to help him up.

''Yo,'' I declare when I spot Ino, now sitting by the fire by herself. She sees me approach. Her eyes flick from my without a doubt glazed-over eyes to my drink.

''Sakura!'' she exclaims, sounding surprised. ''Are you drunk?''

Great, that again.

I plop down too far to the ridge of the pallet and almost tumble off. When I've retained my balance I say, ''No, I'm tipsy. Although I guess I've got all the symptoms.''

Ino clasps her hands and cheers. ''I'm so happy I'm here with you! Your first time! '' She leaps forward and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug, ''Oh my God!''

''Keep it in your pants, Ino.'' My voice is muffled by the shoulder of her jacket.

She releases me. ''Where's Lee?''

When I look at where I'd left him – the stack of pallets is just a blurry rectangle to me now – I realize he's not there.

''Probably throwing up in the bushes somewhere.'' I shrug. ''He tried to kiss me, so I dashed.''

Like I expected, Ino's reaction is the opposite of Naruto's. She gives me this half-smile and says, ''Guess we should have seen that coming.''

''You would have cracked up if you'd seen me. I freaked out.''

''So where'd you go after that?''

''To get a drink.'' I lift up my can. ''I ran into Naruto. He pissed me off, so I stomped on his toes.''

Ino's jaw drops. Not breaking eye contact, she reaches out and swats my drink out of my hand.

My eyes drift down to see liquid spread out over the sand like a veil. It sizzles slightly. Then I realize what happened. ''Hey, I needed that!''

''You've had more than enough.'' Her tone lowers. ''Stepping on someone's toes, Sakura? Seriously?''

''You should have heard him!'' I whine. Ino has the tendency to do this annoying mother-routine that always leaves me feeling like a child. Although I suppose I did act like one. ''He called me ugly!''

''Ugh, come on now. You can't honestly believe that he meant that.'' Ino says, still in that mom voice. ''And even if he did, that wouldn't justify harming him.''

My mind is too hazy for me to read into the 'you can't honestly believe that he meant that'-part.

I cover my face with my hands. ''Ugh, you're right! I can't believe I did that.''

Ino only shakes her head. ''You're going to regret this in the morning.''

But luckily, the morning seems far away.

I attempt to take a sip from my drink, but then remember my hand is empty.

The Kim Possible jingle sounds muffled out of Ino's pocket. She pulls her phone out and peers at the screen. ''Oh, lookie,'' she holds up her phone in my face, but all I see is a messy jumble of shapes my mind can't seem to put together.

I look down at my booted feet, slightly embarrassed. ''I can't read it. ''

''It's Hinata. Apparently she, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino are just pulling up.'' I can't find the words, so Ino just pulls me up and hooks her arm through mine to keep me from tripping. ''Let's go meet up with them.''

In my blurry mind it seems like only seconds before we enter the clearing. I just stand there, clenching Ino's arm, until four shadows free themselves from the inky black background.

''Hi guys! '' Ino says, waving at them with the hand that isn't supporting me.

The tallest figure I recognize to be Shikamaru – the gravity-defying ponytail standing up from his head is a big giveaway. ''Yo,'' he drawls.

Hinata skips up to hug us, but jumps back when I almost topple over.

She must have looked at Ino questioningly, because my best friend snorts, ''Alcohol.''

We've almost made it back to the campfire – I'm now being supported by both Ino and Hinata on either side of me – when we run into Naruto again. Of course, everyone is just psyched to see him.

''Hey, dude!'' Shikamaru greets, giving him one of those weird handshakes that every guy somehow knows. The other guys smile as well – yeah, that's right, even Kiba, who was previously on my side.

Naruto takes a step toward Ino, and she hugs him warmly. I can't help but notice he's limping slightly – did I stomp that hard, or is he acting?

But then I see he pauses awkwardly, leaning on his good foot.

He's trying to hide it.

Guilt floods my mind.

Naruto catches me looking and gives me a quick glare, before Ino steps back and thankfully blocks him from my view. ''How's the party?'' I wait for her to mention me hurting him, but she doesn't. Phew.

We start to walk toward the beach, and I stumble slightly.

''What's wrong with Sakura?'' Somebody asks.

''She's drunk.'' Says Ino.

''Technically, I'm tipsy right now.'' I clarify.

''Technically you're shitfaced.''

We come to a halt next to truck with the cool box and everyone grabs a drink, except for Ino and Hinata, who have to drive, and me – they pull me back when I try.

When we arrive at the bonfire we pick a pallet – it's the one Lee and I occupied earlier – and just talk and laugh. Or everyone else does, at least. I mostly zone out. At one point I must have fallen asleep because I find myself being shaken by the rest. They're talking about not letting me doze off, and somewhere I know that this has something to do with falling into a coma.

So I sit up straighter and, when I find myself getting sleepy once more, I simply stand up and walk off. Walking around seems like the best way to stay awake.

My friends must not have noticed, because nobody walks after me or asks me where I'm going.

As I stumble around without really having a destination, I pick up bits and pieces of drunken conversation.

''Whoa dude, look at that tree – it's all, like, cool and stuff.''

''W- watch me. Bro, seriously. You're gonna – you're gonna miss it.''

''You know, you're different than the other girls. You're, like, the prettiest girl.''

And then something that doesn't sound drunk at all.

''Shit, Shion says the cops know about the party.''

I halt in my step.

The police?

As in, people that arrest people?

I gasp – I'm not my sister. I'm the good girl in the family. The reason my parents don't go crazy when my sister gets in trouble for doing something stupid.

I nervously try to find the source of that voice.

It is Temari.

I walk up to her and pipe up, ''what?''

It doesn't come to mind that normally we don't talk, ever.

Temari's friends, crowded around her, stop their shocked sentences and look at me.

Some of them arch an eyebrow. Others snort. Others ignore me altogether.

Temari is the only one that reacts normally. ''Sakura Haruno, right? The class president?'' I nod. ''Apparently the cops know. If I were you I'd get my friends and get out of here.''

''Alright,'' I say, ''Thanks!'' And I dash back to where my friends are – I hear Temari's friends asking her why the hell I was talking to them. As far as I can hear, she doesn't answer them – and on my way, stop more than a few times to tell people about the police.

And then I'm back at the spot where I last saw my friends.

I'm shocked to find that they're not there.

And as the party erupts into chaos around me – the news must have spread quicker than I thought -, I remain standing there, frantically scanning the crowd for a familiar face.

In a matter of minutes the beach is practically deserted, aside from a few people that are either too drunk to care or lying passed out on various spots on the beach. And me, still standing frozen.

The fire is dying out. The many headlights of moving cars in the blackness now serve as the only light source. Well, that, and the dim light from the moon.

I don't know what to do, and the world is so fuzzy – everything is fuzzy.

Time feels abstract.

I observe that just now, there were many, many cars, honking and trying to get out of the clearing, and that at the moment the number has died down to a tiny, orderly line. I don't know how many cars are still parked – it's too dark to see. And I couldn't tell you what car I arrived in to save my life.

I know it had a window in the roof-

-90's movie-

And that Ino – Ino, my bestie – drove it.

She should be here still.

She could have left –

-No, not Ino.

Why did everyone leave again?

Right, the police.

The police.

They can't find me –

-Karin-

I turn to the rim of the forest and prepare to make a dash for it – the police – but then I hear a gasp.

''Sakura! Oh, thank you!'' heavy footsteps. I'm being hugged. ''She's here, guys! She was at the pallet all along!''

More footsteps. The voice belonged to Hinata, I realize.

''Sakura!'' A masculine voice.

''I told you one of us should have stayed here.'' Another masculine voice.

''Fuck!'' Somebody else breathes.

Rapid approaching footsteps. Could be two persons. Could be more. Somebody else embraces me tightly. I catch a whiff of the perfume in their ponytail and immediately know.

''Ino,'' I say. ''I was so scared; I thought you guys had left me-''

''We wouldn't do that.'' She says, and I can hear tears in her voice. I feel terrible for making her worry. ''You can't just walk off like that, Sakura! Something bad could have happened-''

''-Uh, you guys, the cops, remember? '' somebody reminds us. And everything once more turns into a frantic blur.

Before I know it where on Roosevelt Road again, not a sign of the police. Time flows naturally again – I might be sobering up.

Ino doesn't speak to me for the entire ride.

She doesn't play music.

When she finally halts outside my house, we just remain sitting there, in the dark.

I don't make motion to get out. She doesn't unlock my door.

I look up at the dark silhouette of my house. Everybody seems to be asleep. Then the driveway lights are flicked on.

I tense for a second – and then I remember that there are sensors built into our house, and that they obviously picked up the movement of Ino's car.

I breathe and my heartbeat steadily returns to normal. I look at the clock.

1:42 am.

Ino sighs. ''Well, that wasn't perfect.''

I shrug.

''Make sure to drink two glasses of water before you go to bed. That'll help prevent a hangover.'' Ino advises.

''Alright.''

''And drink a banana milkshake in the morning. They say it helps. Although I'm not sure about that.'' she adds.

''Alright.''

''I made out with Naruto.''

''Alright,'' a second of silence. ''What? ''

Gasp, Author, where are you going with this? Isn't this a NaruSaku fanfiction?

Yes, yes it is.

Just wait and see, my children.

And should you be interested, Naruto and Sakura don't have secret feelings for each other at the moment. They actually find each other pests.

Peace.