Here is Chapter 3!
xxxxxxxxxxx
Sakura wandered aimlessly down the busy streets of Konoha, her green eyes taking in the shops and familiar sights. It seemed as though nothing had changed in the 2 years she had been gone and the pink haired woman felt like going down memory lane. She decided to go to her old high school, Konoha Prepatory Academy, known to all as Konoha Prep, first. She studied the three story brick structure, remembering her first day there.
It seemed like it was forever ago and it was.
11 years ago, Sakura remembered standing in front of those wide double doors feeling anxious, excited, and scared. She had heard about the prestigious private school and its students. The snobby rich ones who looked down on scholarship students like her. She wasn't from a wealthy family like most of her friends were. Hinata and Neji's family owned several Law Firms, Kiba and Shino's parents were scientists who studied wild animals and bugs, Choji's were chefs on TV, Sai's brother was a famous artist, Ino's mom is the biggest name in the fashion industry, Naruto's dad was a government official, and Sasuke's owned the best Casinos around. Compared to them, Sakura was poor. Her parents owned a small store in downtown Konoha, but that was it.
Out of all her friends, only three were scholarship students like her and that was Tenten, Lee, and Shikamaru. The Hyuga Clan paid for Tenten's tuition due to her close relationship with Neji. Lee had an Athletic Scholarship and Shikamaru was just a genius, albeit a lazy one. Needless to say they were all there before Sakura was and placed under the protection of their wealthy friends, effectively saving them from being tortured by the rest of the student body.
Sakura wasn't so lucky.
Her pink hair attracted the most unwanted attention as did her slightly large forehead. She was there on a Medical Scholarship and exceled in that field, which didn't endear her to the resident mean girl, Karin Uzumaki, Naruto's cousin on his mother's side. She was used to being the smartest girl in that field and being the most unique in terms of looks with her maroon eyes and blood red hair. Karin hoped that all of that would make the hottest guy in school fall in love with her.
That guy was her cousin's best friend, Sasuke Uchiha.
When Sakura showed up with her pink hair, green eyes, and medical knowhow, Karin felt threatened and it was then that Sakura's life when down hill for a few months. Karin tripped, poked, pushed, and verbally abused the pink haired girl, trying to force her to drop out and leave, but if there was one thing Sakura prided herself on it was her stubborn attitude. The more she was pushed, the harder she pushed back. Soon, Sakura was engaging in verbal battles every day with the red haired girl.
One day, it got physical.
Karin grabbed Sakura by the hair after a particularly nasty name calling session and Sakura, tired of the other girl's crap, punched her in the face.
It was the first time she had ever hit someone. Sasuke and Naruto just happened to be walking down the hall and they saw everything. Naruto started yelling at his cousin, while Sasuke checked to see if she was okay. Karin ranted and tried to hit Sakura back but was blocked by Sasuke. He held Sakura at his side and from then on, that's where she stayed.
Sakura shook her head and continued on her walk past the school. Since that day, Karin has allied herself with Orochimaru and the Snakes, hoping to one day get revenge on them.
Not that any of them found it all that concerning.
Sakura made her way to the park in the middle of town and sat on the swings under the large oak tree by the pond.
She smiled at the memories this spot held.
It was where she went the first time she ran away from home at the age of 16 after her parents told her that she couldn't hang out with the gang anymore. They didn't like the fact that she was around the rich kids and hated those more wealthy that they were as a matter of principle. It was also the first time her and Sasuke had ever been alone together. He usually went to the park at night to clear his head before he went to bed. That night, however, he was surprised to find Sakura at his usual spot.
It was the spot where Sasuke had first kissed her at the end of their sophomore year.
The spot she went to when her parents kicked her out of the house at the beginning of her Junior year for refusing to leave her friends.
The spot where Sasuke held her as she cried about it.
No matter which way you looked at it, the swings by the pond was hers and Sasuke's special place. There was even a heart with their names carved into it on the tree next to it.
Now it was up to Sakura to protect those memories and the man in them.
She scanned the surrounding area, trying to spot anyone she recognized as being a part of Akatsuki or Snakes.
There, she thought as two men watched her with hungry eyes.
Diedara and Sasori of the Akatsuki.
The blonde was waving his hands excitedly about, gesturing to her every so often while the red head watched her closely. Sakura waited to see exactly what they would do and how they planned to pull their plan off, seeing as how she had no intention of going with them just yet. No, she planned to shake them down for information first. Only an idiot would go after Orochimaru and Madara without knowing how they like to operate.
Only those two idiots weren't coming near her. They were walking quickly away from her, with glares thrown over their shoulders at her.
Or, more accurately, at who was behind her.
Sakura turned to find Naruto's blue eyes fixed in a deadly glare at the men's backs. Great, just perfect. Sasuke's guard dog found her.
"Naruto-"
"What part of 'stay home and rest' did you not understand?" he hissed, for a moment the blue of his eyes turning red.
Sakura blinked, stunned. Naruto had never used his angry voice with her.
Ever.
He ran a hand through his blonde hair and paced in a circle around the swings.
"Great. Now that they know you're back things are going to get messy."
Naruto growled in frustration.
"Naruto-" Said man cut the pink haired woman off again.
"We have to post guards near you at all times now. There's no way they can get you then. Also, no more going out in the open like this, with or without guards. You're too exposed-"
"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled trying to get the blonde's attention.
"WHAT?!"
"You guys can't keep me locked up like a prisoner. I appreciate the thought, but I can't hide anymore."
Naruto looked at her as if she had suddenly announced that she hated Sasuke.
"What are you talking about Sakura? Of course, we can! All it takes is me telling Sasuke about this and bam! Instant house arrest."
Sakura glared in a 'Don't you even think about it' way in which Naruto glared back.
"He has to know, Sakura. Your life is in danger, do you realize what it would do to him if something happened to you?"
Do you realize what would happen to him if he got any more involved than he already is? Sakura wanted to snap back at him, but held her tongue. For now, she had to play the part of old defenseless Sakura, no matter how sick inside it made her.
Sakura looked away sheepishly with her green eyes downcast.
"Please, Naruto, don't tell Sasuke." She whispered hoping that her soft pleading tone would keep him from doing it.
If he found out about this, any chance of Sakura going after Madara and Orochimaru were slim to none.
"Sorry Saks. That's something I can't do."
Naruto took her by the arm and led her to the Mercedes he had parked at the curb. All the while Sakura damned him to the coldest parts of hell for being his usual loyal self.
Damn it, Sakura thought, If Sasuke got involved then this just got a whole lot harder.
The only question is,
How does one outwit one of the smartest, most dangerous men in the country?
The answer,
Very carefully.
xxxxxx
Please leave a review to let me know how you like it!