Notes: Hi again! :D OMG happy new year! I wish the best of luck to all of you in this year. May 2011 be the best year of our lives! (Somehow, that last sentence reminded me of Narnia...)

Chapter twenty

Life takes unexpected turns

Sakura opened her eyes. A girl who looked exactly like her was standing in front of her, smirking. She looked down at her own body; she looked perfectly normal. However, she knew that she was invisible now, that she was a ghost, a soul out of its body. Only she could see herself.

Well, only she and her clone, who was actually Kim, a fairy, inside her body.

"Okay, I'll be leaving now," her clone, Kim, said, grabbing Sakura's backpack. She started heading to the door, but Sakura's shout of, "Wait!" stopped her and made her turn around with a raised eyebrow.

Sakura hesitated for a moment. She had something to tell the fairy, a request to make. She never thought she'd need to ask Kim a favor, but, apparently, life took unexpected turns. Also, she was still unsure about what she was going to ask Kim, which annoyed her. She had been thinking about it a lot, and she had supposedly finally taken the decision of doing it. Why did she still doubt?

Because you're going to hurt him a lot. Do you really want to hurt him? Why can't you just try and give him a chance?

Sakura gritted her teeth. That voice just loved to make her feel guilty, didn't it? Shut up! I am going to do this, even if you like it or not.

Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you, the voice replied, making her roll her eyes.

Finally, Sakura looked at Kim and said, "Would you… would you do me a favor?" She smiled hopefully at the fairy.

Kim stared at her for a long moment. Sakura found it extremely weird to be stared at by someone who had the exact same green eyes as her. "What?" Kim asked, clearly suspecting of her.

"Uh, well…" Sakura cleared her throat. "You'll see, there's this guy I met, and he's really sweet and I kind of like him, but I think I can't date him anymore."

Kim snickered. "You want me to break up with him for you?" she asked, clearly amused.

Sakura sighed and nodded. "Yes, please. I know we're not good friends… actually, we're closer to be enemies than to be friends, but I'd really, really appreciate it if you'd do this for me. You'll see, I'm a coward; I wouldn't dare to break his heart... at least not personally. But you are unscrupulous – no offense – so you're perfect for doing it…" She giggled nervously. "So, what do you say? Would you do this for me?"

"And what do I get from doing it?" Kim asked, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at Sakura.

"Uh, the pleasure of hurting someone?" Sakura tried.

Kim snickered again and rolled her eyes. "You know? I am unscrupulous, but that doesn't mean hurting people gives me pleasure. Maybe it's kind of fun, but it's not my favorite hobby, Sakura. You'll need to offer something better if you really want me to do it."

"Alright," Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. "What do you want? I'll give you anything… except my or someone else's life, of course."

Kim looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment. Sakura watched her patiently, desperately hoping Kim wouldn't ask for something weird or hard to do or get. Finally, the fairy looked down at her and grinned. Sakura didn't like that grin – at all.

"Okay, I'll do it," she said. "But you'll have to do this…"

Sakura listened attentively at Kim, and the more the fairy explained, the more horrified Sakura got. At the end of the explanation, Sakura really wanted to tell her, "Never mind, I'll do it myself," but then she realized that she'd rather do what Kim wanted her to do than telling Sasori she couldn't date him anymore because she still loved her ex.

So she took a deep breath, looked at Kim with determination, and said, "Alright, I'll do it."

Kim grinned. "Yay! Okay, then. What excuse do I give this guy? That you're lesbian? That you can't stand his bad breath anymore? That you're a psychopath that kills her boyfriends and you really don't want to kill him because he seems nice so he should really get away from you?"

Sakura frowned. "No, no and absolutely no. Tell him that I'm still in love with my ex and that I really like him, but I need some time to get over my ex."

"Wow, that excuse is so much better," Kim said sarcastically, but Sakura ignored the comment and continued.

"Please be kind and show that you care. Also, tell him that we can date again when I finally move on, okay?"

"You really think he'll wait for you?" Kim asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sakura sighed sadly. "I hope so. But anyways, he'll pick me – I mean, he'll pick you up after school, and then you'll go on a date with him. He'll take you to the amusement park. Don't be rude, but act as if there's something bothering you to let him know something's wrong. Still, try to have fun."

"Oh, believe me, that won't be hard." Kim giggled. "But, how do I know who he is? I have never met him, remember?"

"Oh, right! Well, he has red hair, brown eyes, ivory skin and is really good-looking."

Kim smirked. "And you want to break up with him? Hah! You know? If you don't want him, I can keep him. Fairies and humans are not allowed to mate, but the rules say nothing about not being allowed to have some fun as long as the human doesn't find out about our existence."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want. Just don't do it in my body... and don't kill anyone."

"Okay!" Kim exclaimed happily. "Anyways, when do I break up with him?"

"Until he takes you home. Not before. When he parks his car in front of my house, explain to him that you're still not over your ex and that you need some time and everything I told you before. Act as if you're really sorry and then hug him, kiss him on the cheek and get into the house."

"Wow, you seem to have it all planned," Kim commented, raising her eyebrows. "Why don't you do it? It seems pretty easy."

Sakura shook her head. "You don't understand. I wouldn't bear to see him all sad and disappointed. It'd make me want to take what I said back, and I really don't want to do that."

Kim sighed. "Alright, whatever you say. Can I leave now?"

"Yes, but please, Kim, be gentle to him, alright?"

"Yeah, whatever." Kim turned around and walked towards the door.

"Kim!" Sakura shouted, frowning, making the fairy stop with her hand on the knob. "I mean it. Promise me you'll be gentle to him."

The fairy stared apathetically at her. "I promise," she said without much enthusiasm.

Sakura glared at her. "Don't make me use a Keeping Promise Spell. Swear that you'll be gentle to him."

"Sakura, fairies don't swear," Kim told her exasperatedly. "Unless it's for our leader, we can't swear we'll do something for someone, especially not for a human. But I promise I will be gentle and explain everything you told me to him, and this time I'm not lying, because if I don't keep my promise, then you won't have to do what I want you to do, remember? We have a deal, sweetie."

"Oh, right," Sakura said, raising her eyebrows. "I almost forgot about that..."

"Duh!" Kim rolled her eyes and turned to the door. "Bye, bye, Sakura, I'll see you later."

"Bye," Sakura said softly.

When Kim closed the door behind her, Sakura slumped on her bed. She stared at the white ceiling worriedly, wondering how Sasori would take it. She only hoped he weren't suicidal.

School had finally ended, and TenTen was feeling very sad. Ever since she and Neji discussed the sex thing, it hadn't been the same between them. Now everything was more awkward and every time he got closer she couldn't help but blush and imagine dirty things. She really wished they'd have touched that subject later, when they were ready for it.

Sighing for the millionth time in the day, she exited the school gates. She raised her head (she had been staring worriedly at the ground) and spotted two blonde girls talking to each other. Instantly, she smiled. Maybe being with her friends would cheer her up a bit.

"Hi, guys," TenTen greeted as she approached Ino and Temari.

"Hey," they said in unison, smiling, but their smiles faded as soon as they took a good look at their brunette friend. "What's wrong?" they asked, again in unison, and then they exchanged a surprised look, probably wondering why they were suddenly saying the same things at the same time.

"Nothing's wrong," TenTen lied, trying to smile. When her friends did nothing but stare at her with skepticism, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, alright, you got me. There is something wrong."

"Is it about Neji?" Temari asked worriedly.

"Obviously," TenTen murmured.

"You're still feeling uneasy about the sex thing?" Ino questioned.

TenTen nodded. "Not only do I feel extremely unsure and confused, but things have also gotten very awkward lately. It's not the same between us anymore. It's as if… as if every time we look at each other, we get dirty thoughts or something."

"You haven't given him an answer yet?" Ino asked.

TenTen shook her head. "No," she sighed. "I'm telling you, I've never been so confused in my life. I can't take a decision – not yet. I need more time to think, I guess."

"Okay, just let me ask you one thing," Temari said. "Do you want to, you know, screw him?"

TenTen made a face. "God, Temari you're so vulgar!" She sighed and blushed. "But, yeah, I guess I do." A sheepish smile appeared on her face. "I mean, who wouldn't?"

"Then what is so damn confusing? If you want to do it, then do it!"

"Yeah, it's simple like that," Ino supported. "You guys love each other; you are crazy for him, and Neji is crazy for you, too, so crazy he wants to have you-know-what with you. If I were you, TenTen, I would be humping the life out of him right now."

TenTen giggled. "Really, you guys are disgusting," she said. "But you also make a lot of sense. Seen from that point of view, I'm just being a drama queen and making it difficult. Still, I… I don't know." She blushed. "No one has ever seen me naked before and I've never seen a naked guy in my life, either. I feel so… insecure. What if he doesn't like me anymore after we do it?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "You know, Tennie? You should really talk to your man about this and tell him how you really feel."

"But what if he thinks I'm stupid?"

"Believe me, he won't," Ino assured, smiling. "Just talk to him, alright? That will clear your doubts and make you feel better."

"Ino is right," Temari said. "Talking to him is the best you can do."

"I guess I'll try it," TenTen said, smiling slightly. Her friends had really cheered her up; she now felt less confused and knew what to do. Everything is going to be fine, she told herself just as she caught glimpse of a pink head over Ino's shoulder. "Hey," she said as her smile faded. "What is Kim doing?"

Temari and Ino turned around and the three girls watched as Kim, inside Sakura's body, talked to a red haired guy. The guy was good-looking, and Ino, being the only single there, instantly smirked and said, "Huh, who's that hottie?"

"I think that's the guy Sakura has been dating with," Temari said. "She told us he has red hair, didn't she?"

Ino seemed to remember Sakura did describe him as red-haired, and her smirk faded. "Oh, right. He's taken, then... Damn, I was about to go hit on him."

"Ino, really," Temari said exasperatedly. "No offense, you know I love you, but you're such a slut."

"Hey, I am so not a slut," Ino said, frowning at her blonde friend. "I'm still a virgin. A slut is someone who sleeps with any guy. I'm just… flirty."

"But weren't you dating Sasuke's older brother?" TenTen asked confusedly.

"Oh, that was just what we were talking about before you arrived. I kind of broke up with him last night. I told him we couldn't see each other anymore because I wasn't comfortable with the age difference."

TenTen raised her eyebrows at her. "Wow. And what did he say?"

Ino smiled, kind of sadly, and shrugged. "He gave a damn, of course. And I give a damn about that, too."

"Oh, shit," Temari suddenly hissed. Her two friends turned to her and followed her gaze; she was watching Kim getting into a black car that seemed to be the red-haired guy's car. "Is she doing what I think she's doing?"

"Yeah, I think she is," Ino said, glaring at the fairy inside her best friend's body. "I wonder if Sakura knows about this."

"That's what cell phones are for, darlings," TenTen said as she rummaged through her bag. She took her cell phone out and dialed Sakura's number as her friends watched the black car go.

"Hello?"

"Sakura? Is that you?"

"Yeah, what's wrong, TenTen?"

"I want to inform you that Kim has left with the guy you've been dating with," TenTen said, glancing at the car, which was already gone. "Well, we are not sure if it's really the guy you've been dating with, but he is hot and red-haired, just as you described him. Anyways, even if he's not that guy, he is a guy, and Kim has left with him, taking your body with her. Do you want us to follow them or something?"

"He already picked her up from school?"

TenTen frowned. "What do you mean with that?"

"Well, you'll see, I told Kim to do that. Yeah, he is the guy I've been dating with, and I told him to pick me up from school today, when I was going to lend Kim my body, because I want her to break up with him for me, 'cause I'm too coward to do it myself, I guess."

TenTen's frown deepened. Ino and Temari looked at her with confusion. "Are you serious? You really are making her break up with him for you?"

"Uh, yeah. Well, actually, I am not making her to do it. We made a deal. If she makes me this favor, I'll make her a favor."

"What favor are you going to do her?" TenTen asked. She suddenly looked up and saw Hinata walking towards them, waving happily, but when she took a good look at their expressions, her smile disappeared.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh. "You will never believe it."

"She's going to wear a chicken suit for school tomorrow?"

TenTen nodded. "And she's not going to take it off till school ends."

Hinata's eyes were wide and surprise-filled. Suddenly, she burst out laughing. TenTen burst out laughing, too. She had to admit it: it was hilarious. She really couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Beside Hinata, Ino was clutching her stomach for laughing so hard, and Temari was saying, "That fairy is a freaking genius!"

A few moments later, Hinata stopped laughing, wiped the tears of laughter in her eyes and, still smiling, asked TenTen, "But how is that a favor for Kim?"

"Well, Sakura is going to make her the favor of amusing her, I guess," TenTen replied, shrugging.

Hinata giggled. "Well, make sure to bring cameras tomorrow, okay? We must never forget that day."

Ino giggled, too. "Yeah, I'm going to keep a picture of her in that chicken suit and look at it every time I need something to cheer me up."

"That's a great idea," Hinata laughed. "Anyways, I gotta go, girls. I'm going to Naruto's house."

"Uhhhh, what are you guys going to do? His parents are not home?" Ino teased.

Hinata rolled her eyes. "His parents are home, and we're just going to study for tomorrow's exam."

Temari gasped. "Crap, I almost forgot! I have to go to Shika's house today to study, too!"

"You're so lucky, Temari," Ino said, pouting. "You have a genius boyfriend to help you study."

"Oh, believe me. I don't think they actually study," TenTen teased, receiving a mocking glare from Temari.

Hinata giggled. "Okay, well, I'll see you later, guys," she said.

"Bye!" the other girls said and then they watched her jog towards the blond boy waiting for her a few meters away. He smiled when he saw her, and then they walked away holding hands.

"They're so sweet," Temari murmured when Hinata and Naruto were out of sight.

"Yeah," Ino sighed sadly, "wish I had a boyfriend to look sweet with, too."

"Aw, come on, Ino," TenTen said, half-hugging her friend. "Your prince charming will come someday."

"Well, I hope he hurries up... and that he's really smart so he can help me study, like Temari's man," she added teasingly, and she glanced at Temari to see her reaction, expecting her to be smiling or giving her a mocking glare. However, the older girl was not even looking at her, or at TenTen; she was staring at something behind Ino, and, because of the way her eyes had widened and her lips had parted, she was shocked. And speechless, too, because when Ino said, "Temari, you okay?" she didn't reply; she just stayed there, immobile.

Ino turned to TenTen, perplexed, and she was surprised to see the brunette with the exact same expression as Temari's and staring at something behind her, too. Ino wondered briefly if some kind of supernatural force was starting to turn everyone like this, and then she finally decided to follow her friends' gazes and turn around.

Her heart sank as soon as she recognized the person standing under the nearest tree. He was wearing a black t-shirt and brown pants, his hands were stuffed in his pockets and, maybe she was imaging it, but his eyes seemed to be fixed on her.

It was Sai.

Ino hadn't seen him in months, which had felt like an eternity, but she was glad to see he hadn't changed – at least not physically. His hair was still short and as black as a raven's wings, and his skin was still as pale as the snow. He looked so handsome...

"Ino," a voice said from beside her. Ino turned and saw TenTen there, looking worried. "Are you okay?"

Of course she wasn't okay. How could a girl who suddenly saw the guy she loved and hated so much at the same time be okay? She was horrified, angry and confused... and she was also so happy she thought she was going to explode into thousands of butterflies.

Still, she nodded. She really didn't want to explain all of this to her friends. Also, she thought that, if she spoke, her voice would start shaking and she would soon burst out crying, and she didn't want him to see her cry – not again.

"I can't believe it," Temari said from her other side. "Is it really him?"

"I don't know," TenTen said. "But he's real, isn't he? We're not having an hallucination... or seeing ghosts, right?"

"I don't think we're hallucinating," Temari replied. "And we're definitely not seeing ghosts. First of all, I don't believe they exist, and even if they do, why would he be one? He's not dead... is he?"

Ino didn't know. She just knew that it was really funny how a part of her wished he was, and the other part wished he wasn't. It confused and amused her.

"You should... go to him," Temari told her softly. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you ever since we saw him. I think that means he wants to talk to you, Ino."

"Why is he here?" Ino said, finally speaking. Her voice sounded calm, which surprised her. "Why?"

"Ask him," TenTen said gently.

Ino looked at her friends. They nodded, encouraging her. Finally, she took a deep breath and, with a knot in her stomach, she started walking towards the ex boyfriend she thought she was never going to get over of.

Notes: OMFG, this story is getting exciting! And long! D: Anyways, review and give me my birthday present! :3