Sakura's Boarding School Cliché: An Akatsuki x Sakura Fanfiction AU
[Chapter 1]

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING other than the plot!

Halfway through dinner, I was enjoying a lovely forkful that consisted of lasagna, extra cheesy. We also had salad with vinaigrette, and garlic bread. Yummy.

Right as I went to swallow, Tsunade decided that it was a marvelous opportunity to tell me that she's, for real, transferring me to a boarding school. And not just any old boarding school which, by the way, is bad enough. It's a boys only boarding school.

I then commenced going into a coughing fit due to my food becoming lodged right into my windpipe.

'Inner, HELP. What the hell are we going to do!?'

'Dude, don't even know. Do you think she hit the sake a little too hard before dinner?'

"What? Why? Also, why a boy's boarding school? In case you haven't taken the time to notice or care, I'm a girl!" I was at a loss for reason, words, and appetite.

"Yes, and that's exactly why I've decided that you're going to that school. Okay, also it's because it was the cheapest option; girls are expensive around here."

She chuckled at her last statement a little but was appearing as if trying not to go into hysterics. This was probably because of the look I had on my face which was a mixture of confusion, fear, bewilderment, and dumbfounded. As you can imagine, that must have looked ridiculous.

"That makes absolutely no sense!"

"Well, as you know we're not exactly rich, and-"

Okay, this was getting utterly ridiculous, so I opted to cut her off.

"Aunt Tsunade, that isn't what I meant. Exactly what I can't wrap my mind around was: how do I, being as I'm a girl, start going to a boy's boarding school in the middle of the school year, make sense? Are girls even allowed to register?"

She gave me an understanding(?) look with a hint of smugness, or that's what I made it out to be at least.

"Sakura, to answer your questions, no, girls are not allowed to attend. You're going to have to make it work."

"I'm not following. At all. What-so-ever. That's a negative, Ghost Rider. " I muttered in a deadpan.

She sighed and put on her 'Let's-Get-Down-To-Business' face.

'This should be some damn good explanation.' I thought dryly.

'You're telling me, man.'

"Well, I know how much you like breaking the rules, so I'm making you do just that. You are going to be under a new identity as a guy and if you get caught, you must face the consequences. This is going to be difficult no matter what, and it'll take quite an effort to uphold that identity.

"You won't be able to cause any scenes or draw attention to yourself. If you do make it through your last year of high school with flying colors, and your identity has not been found out by the school or by the law, you just might realize for yourself, that maybe being a rule breaker isn't as appealing as you had originally thought.

"There is no backing out of this, and I know you may very well be upset and feel blindsided by me, but this is tough love Sakura. You are going to learn your lesson one way or another!

"I love you so much. I hate to see you going down this road because you are such a brilliant and talented young lady. So if this is how to get you on the right track, then so be it.

"I'll be damned if I see you destroy your life before you start it. I know that you are capable enough to pull this off."

She started her spiel with an air of strong, no-nonsense authority, but by the end of it she lowered her tone and ended with an attitude of concerned mother who hopes she doesn't regret this. For a split second, I thought that I may have even seen a hint of regret come over her.

Aunt Tsunade didn't like this either, but as disgruntled, and as sick at heart as I was, I knew why she was making me do this. I love her too, and we were each other's only family.

It hurt. Like absolute fucking hell. However, I understood. Shell shocked, I couldn't even think straight, and Inner was silent too. I could tell that Tsunade knew that her words had hit home. My face was completely void of emotion, and the shock made it hard to even breathe for a minute.

"M-May I be excused?" Damn, I stuttered, but at least I kept my voice level. I really need to grasp this situation. She was dead serious because Tsunade was never one to bluff or beat around the bush.

As soon as she gave me the go ahead that I so desperately needed, I quickly got out of my chair and briskly walked out of the room and up the stairs to my room.

I flomped onto my bed and just stared up into the ceiling for about an eternity, replaying her words in my head. I just was having a hard time processing this and mulling over what challenges I'll be up against. I guess it's a good thing that I'm a bonafide tomboy.

'Inner, you've been awfully quiet.'

'Yeah, I'm just thinking.'

'You actually think?'

'Now whose being the sarcastic bitch?'

'Ah, touché.'

'Outer, you haven't said anything whatsoever about this whole thing.'

'I don't even know what to think, well, other than we should accept it and do our damnest to make sure that we don't disappoint Tsunade anymore than we already have. We have totally deserved this after all.'

'Outer, I think you've finally grown your own spine. Hell yeah! We're going to rise to this challenge, and we're going to prove that we can change for the better!'

'Now who sounds lame?'

'Touché.'

'I think we should tell her that we'll accept this for what it is.'

Inner's silent solidarity was enough for me to tread back up the stairs and try to find Aunt Tsunade to tell her that we're not too sore about this whole situation. I am willing to do this to prove that I'm capable to grow and make improvements on my outlook.

'Well, here we go.'

'Let's just get this over with, man.'

'Agreed.'

Tsunade was in the kitchen putting dinner away. I didn't think she had noticed me yet, and I silently brought the used dishes into the sink from the dining room. Looking up at me, I could see she was surprised by how I was handling things. I decided to break the silence.

"Hey, Aunt Tsunade?"

She looked at me hesitantly like I was going to start yelling at her or some shit.

"Yes, Sakura?"

I gave her a look to let her know that I didn't hate her guts and that I wasn't going to go berserk or throw the dirty dishes at her head.

"I'm sorry. I know that I'm not getting out of this, and that 'I'm sorries' won't change that. So, I will accept this and I'll make you proud by adjusting my behavior. I love you too, and I won't let you down again."

She looked at me like I had grown a second head. She then let out the breath that she'd been holding in and visibly relaxed. I was immediately embraced by my aunt and I was shocked about it myself, frankly.

"Sakura, you never cease to amaze me. You are an incredible niece, and you have handled all of this better than I thought would be humanly possible. I know that you won't let me down, and I don't even think you could. You're stronger than any other person I've ever met, and you are going to start school on Monday."

She rushed the second sentence. I gaped at her openly like a fish, pointed at her incredulously, and sputtered like an idiot.

'I can't even believe this! Monday is in two days!' Inner and I screeched simultaneously.

Tsunade was backing away nervously rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish smile.

"Well, I think I'm going to retire for the evening. Goodnight Sakura! Love you!"

She all but ran to her room.

I was inwardly seething. 'What in the hell was that? Aaaaaargh! I'm going to kill her!'

'Cha! How about we get her when she falls asleep?'

'Not a bad plan, Inner. Not bad at all.'

"She won't know what hit her, shannaro!'

We mentally nodded in unison. Okay, understanding niece routine over. She was going to pay for this one way or another. It was just a matter of when. I stomped down to my room and was about to text Deidara when Tsunade yelled something at the top of her lungs from her room.

"Oh yeah, Sakura. I forgot to confiscate your phone because you are grounded from it until you move into the school! Bring me your phone this instant! Thank you!" She yelled from across the house in an amused tone.

I nearly fell out of my chair.

'Is she shitting us?'

'I don't think so, dude.'

'Damnit to hell in a handbasket!'

"I'll be right there!" I grit through my teeth. When I finally got to her room, I all but chucked it at her head.

"Here's my stupid phone."

"Sakura, do not speak to me in that tone. If you think your phone that I pay for is stupid, then you don't have to have a phone at all." She asserted.

"Yes ma'am."

I trudged out of her room and into mine, where I picked up where I had left off before dinner, back to working on my charcoal sketch. Once I finished the shading, I brushed my teeth and went to sleep, but not before staring at my ceiling in agitation for the oncoming events.

~~~~~~~~~~TiMe~SkIp~~~~~~~~~~

It was 7:15 AM Monday morning in my beautiful 1969 black Chevy Camaro. I, Sakura Haruno, was on my way with all of my belongings, and moving to a boy's only boarding school. I shoved my pink hair into a baseball cap, and threw on some grungy clothes to do my best dude impression. As I hauled my entire life up to the thirteenth floor of the building, I had gotten a paper with my schedule and the name of my roommate.

'We have a fucking roommate? That's the last thing we need to make this any fucking harder on us. What's the guy's motherfucking name?'

'Deidara Iwa.'

'Oh Shit.'

Fuck. My. Life.