"You ran away just like that? They're going to end up bullying you because you act like such a wimp..." The sound of her friend's voice soothed her racing heart. Sayuki sat cross legged on her bed, the pink comforter barely on her bare legs. Her head hung lowly, as she doodled on a piece of paper, balancing the phone between her shoulder and ear. She stopped drawing leaving the flower short of a few petals. She blinked, and clenched the pencil in her fist. Her nails dug into her skin and stung her but she didn't acknowledge the small pain by letting go.

"I wish you were here to protect me again..." Sayuki whimpered, bringing her legs closer as she realised her grip of the pencil and dropped it to the bed. She wrapped her arms around her legs and pulled them even closer. "Nobody here will help me if it comes to that. I'm just a nobody to all of them after all. That boy too, I left him, he wouldn't dare help me. He probably won't even be here anymore after a week or so." Sayuki's thoughts were filled of Gaara once again and his cold stare. He hated her, just like he hated everybody else. He scared her just about as much as Karin and her friends scared her.

``Just don`t go near them for a while, but don`t go in hiding either. Nothing`s going to come of it. Just worry about making some new friends instead." Sayuki nodded even though she couldn't be seen, dropping the phone as she did so. She quickly reached out to grab it as it fell to the ground. She successfully caught it. Unfortunately that was the end for the phone call as her finger pressed the end button. Sayuki immediately dialled back, but only found that the line was busy. She sighed, and placed the phone to her left.

Sayuki stood up and walked to her closet door. On the pink door hung a full length mirror. Sayuki studied herself, down to the smallest details of herself. She ran her fingers through her thin, blond hair, tearing them through at the end from the touch of her stiff feeling hair. She frowned with her small pink lips that looked rather odd against her sickly pale face. She touched her face with her small hand, slowly moving it down her cheek. She was such an ugly girl. She hated everything about her appearance. Her eyes were complete dull blue from the lack of excitement to make them shine. She was short and a flat board shape.

"You make yourself look like an easy picking. Dress up more." The words her distant friend had said earlier rang through her head once again. She had only sent her a few pictures of herself, but every time she had commented on her drab looking appearance. She picked on her gray faded shirts to her baggy jeans that she particularly liked to wear. Sayuki sighed, pulling on her pants to stretch the wrinkles from them as she stared back at her mirror image. She frowned, and it frowned back. If she smiled, would others smile back at her? Was it worth a try?

"Sayuki... please come to dinner..." Her mother's voice spoke through the crack of the door. Her voice was cracked itself, filled with her years of pain and stress. Sayuki glanced back at the door and replied with a short 'coming' to her mother. She looked back to herself. Tomorrow, tomorrow was the day she would change. She would change her appearance, from the inside out. Maybe it was all that easy and she could just move onto a better life with it. With a rare confidence, she smiled slightly and pressed her palm against the clone's face. "I want you to disappear..."

Sayuki could feel the curious stares from everyone. She had always worn the same old worn out clothing, but today she had done what was normal for every girl, but felt silly on her. She had chosen to wear a black camisole underneath a cute pink bunny hug that was only zipped a quarter if the way. Her legs were bare, and folded across each other out of discomfort. Her little pink skirt made her feel as though she wore nothing at all, reaching above her knees. She had never worn any of her skirts that were this short and flowy before. It didn't feel right. Her sister had even helped her by putting on a small touch of makeup by curling her blond hair. She felt so ridiculous. She was sure they were all laughing at her attempt to look cute.

"Smile Sayuki, just smile." Sayuki repeated to herself. Her breathing quickened, having the opposite effect. She placed her hand against her heart, and took a deep breath before she slowly let it out. She glanced back to see a pink haired girl looking at her. She spotted Sayuki looking at her and smiled. She turned back to her friends quickly and whispered something to them. They all just nodded, and turned away from Sayuki and began storming up a conversation that sounded like a loud buzzing noise. The girl hopped from her desk, leaving her friends as she walked towards Sayuki who stared back at her shocked.

"Hey, are you new?" Sakura. That was her name. Sakura never really stuck out, but she did in a way. Sayuki thought she was one of the prettiest girls she knew. She had short, beautiful pink hair that brought out her big jade eyes. She looked so pure and innocent. She was strong and friendly. She was often seen in the middle of a fight and hated by a lot of people. But Sayuki always noticed she was fighting for someone else. She was protecting someone unlike Sayuki who had run. It was obvious to even herself that she completely envied her. She was everything Sayuki wished to be, but never could or would be.

"I've been here from the beginning..." Sayuki said softly, her eyes darting to the ground. Another person who hadn't noticed her. It wasn't too great a surprise, but it kind of hurt. "I get looked passed a lot though I guess."

"Really? But you're so cute. Don't all the boys flock just to get a look at you?" Sakura asked her, moving to take a seat on her desk. Sayuki shook her head rapidly, shocked by even the idea of it. She looked down at Sayuki and smiled brightly once she had stopped. She laughed lightly. "That's okay; boys are a pain in the ass anyways. They just want to feel us up. It's best to ignore them until they mature a little more. Although I can't say I believe that too much... Oh! By the way, I'm Haruno, Sakura. Just call me Sakura though."

Sayuki stared up at her, not speaking a word for a few moments. Was she making a new friend so easily? Had her clothes really made that much of a difference or was she finally getting a little luck? She would never know why. Still, she couldn't help but be happy either way. She smiled for the first time in a while in the school. "I'm Shiriyuki, Sayuki."

"I'll just call you Sayuki then too." Sakura said, nodding at the thought. She kicked her legs in front of her. She hummed to herself for a few moments, and Sayuki sat there listening to her soft voice. She stopped after a moment and looked down at Sayuki as though she had just remembered she was there. "So, Sayuki, what kind of music do you like?"

"I'm not too pi-"

"Hello, are you new here cutie?" Sayuki looked to the side of Sakura to see Sakon, a twin to another boy Ukon. She felt a chill run down her back at the sound of his voice. Her hands began to fidget beneath the desk nervously as she glanced down to the desk. Had they already forgotten about yesterday?

Sakura noticed Sayuki's discomfort quickly as she glanced down at her. She quickly hopped off the desk to the side of Sakon. "Leave her alone, she's not into guys like you. She's in a totally different league than you. Try another girl." Sayuki looked up, surprised by her saviour. Sakon didn't seem too affected by it, and just raised an eyebrow. Sayuki glanced nervously from him to Sakura. Did she know what she was doing?

"How about you then? You're not too bad either." Sakon looked from her head to toe, smiling in approval. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You can wish, but that's as far as it's ever gonna go." Sakura replied coolly. She stared him down for a few moments, and he mimicked her. He shook his head though, realizing how pointless it was, and instead turned back to Sayuki. He smiled down at her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. She had to act cool, like Sakura, and maybe they would leave her alone.

"You don't really think that, right cutie? Why don't we hook up later?" Sayuki flinched at the idea of ever being alone with him. The thought of it disgusted her, and churned her stomach. She bit her lip nervously. She had to contain herself from shrieking a no as he reached out to grab her hands from beneath the desk. Fortunately Sakura grabbed his hand in time, and pulled it away.

"Don't even try." Sakura threatened, her eyes narrowing. He snatched his arm from her grip and chuckled. Sayuki squeezed her hands into tight fists as she waited for him to do something horrible. Instead he took a step back.

"Another time I guess. Atleast give me your name though before I leave." Sakon smirked, and glanced at Sakura. "I won't leave without it."

"Sayuki..." Sayuki looked at him, speaking softly. She couldn't control the volume of her voice, but he seemed satisfied with the answer. He nodded, and turned to leave.

"Don't forget it so when your friend ask, you know who to tell them when they ask who rejected your arrogant ass." Sakura replied, crossing her arms under her chest. He turned back, his eyes shining with excitement. He raised his fist to show it, his sleeve dropping down his arm.

"I won't ever hit a girl. I'm not that kind of guy, even if the girl is a total bitch." Sakon stated nonchalantly. He dropped his arm, and his eyes narrowed. Sayuki shrunk in fear, afraid for what he would do. His tone was light as he continued to speak, but Sayuki could sense the threat in it. It wasn't hard to catch. "But there are others who are okay with it. Especially the girls. Better watch out for that tongue of yours before you end of getting into trouble."

With that being said, Sakon left, with his brother and friend who had stayed by his side silently, watching in amusement. Sayuki shrunk further down in her desk, as she tried to hide herself. She looked at Sakura who now looked slightly worried. She spotted Sayuki looking at her though, her blue eyes wide with her emotions. Sakura smiled to ease her nervousness, the worry gone from her face now. She sat in the desk across from her, and sat facing Sayuki.

"Don't worry about it. He won't do anything like he said, and I'll protect you when he comes around to harass you again." Sakura promised, holding out her pinkie for Sayuki. Sayuki slowly brought her hand up and locked pinkies with Sakura. They shook their hands quickly, before letting go. "I promise. But, like he said, be careful around the girls. Especially Karin, she's not exactly pleasant if you know what I mean. Don't stress yourself out about it too much though. Nothing will happen."