A/N: This is it. This is the last chapter. Sorry it took forever; I hope you like it. I was sad the entire time I was writing it. I mean, it's the end! I started this story a little over a year ago, and now it's over! I enjoyed writing it, so much. Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, alerts, and encouragement. You're all so amazing.

Read and review, pretty please? It is the last chapter.

Today was my big day.

Every eye would be on me, every thought attuned to my pink hair, my green eyes, and my beautiful gown. Ino, Hinata, Naruto, Kiba, Sai, Chouji… Everyone would be there to see me.

Actually, that was a lie. They were all coming to see Shikamaru, the man of the hour, stand in front of the large crowd and speak the words he had been practicing for the longest time. After all, he had to get them right, didn't he? If he messed up, every eye would turn critical, especially his parents.

If he messed up his valedictorian (what did you think I was talking about, hmm?) speech, they would MURDER him, in his sleep or not.

I sighed, staring at myself in the mirror. Today was graduation, the biggest achievement so far in my life. I had suffered through years of school and worked my butt off to get to this point. I was nervous, I was excited, and I was relieved.

My phone buzzed on my bed, and I spun around quickly to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, forehead, you ready? I'm about to be over at your house, and I don't want to wait for you. You better look hot, too! I swear, if I have to make you change, I will kill you!"

I grinned at Ino's loud voice. "Yeah, yeah, I look fine, alright? I'll wait downstairs for you."

"Are you wearing the black dress that I picked out?"

"Yes, I am." I checked myself over in the mirror, looking at the outfit Ino had pieced together. It was a sleeveless black dress with a V-neck that showed a little more cleavage than I would have preferred. The dress tied behind my neck, and it ended below my knees. There was a slit up the right side, and the end had a tiny bit of lace on it.

Ino had coordinated our dresses so we all (Hinata, Ino, and myself) matched. Well, matched in the sense we were all wearing little black dresses.

"And you're wearing the cute shoes? Because I don't want you wearing the same shoes as I am!"

I had on simple heels, but knowing Ino, she was wearing her stilettos.

"Yes, Ino, I'm wearing my cute shoes. Now hurry up and get your pig-ass over here, because I for one am tired of waiting and want to get to graduation."

"I'm here already." I heard a honk from outside of my house.

"Oh." I closed the phone, slipped it into the handbag I on my bed, and grabbed my graduation gown.

I checked myself in the mirror once more, and got a weird sense of déjà vu about freaking out about my dress. I remembered doing this exact same thing at prom, checking and rechecking my deep green gown before Shikamaru came to pick me up.

He had looked gorgeous, of course. I remember the simple black tux perfectly. After we had taken pictures, he had declared the matching green tie and tucked in shirt too 'troublesome' and loosened each.

I remember thinking that he looked like a model in a magazine, shirt tails hanging out, blazer completely unbuttoned, tie loosened, and collar slightly open at the top.

A loud, repeating honk reminded me that I had somewhere to be that did not involve me drooling over my boyfriend and his I-am-completely-chill-and-I-just-threw-this-on good looks.

I rushed down the stairs, almost falling flat on my face toward the end, and hugged my parents goodbye. "See you after the ceremony!" I said, waving as I ran out the door.

"We're proud of you, Sakura!"

"Yeah, yeah!" I charged toward Ino's car, and jumped in the front seat.

The blonde gave me one look over, and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to have to do your makeup when we get to Hinata's," she said sourly.

Oh, yeah… I had completely forgotten about makeup in my nervousness about graduation. "It's not important, Ino. It's not like any teacher will be staring at me going 'That girl is not wearing any makeup, she can't graduate,' or something."

"They might," Ino muttered. "Anyway, I'm going to do it anyway. You know the first thing you will do once we all move our tassels over is go find that Nara boy, and we can't have you looking like an old hag."

"He's not… I mean, well… If you… don't… he won't…" I stammered, turning slightly red.

Ino grinned. "That's what I thought."

The rest of our quick drive to Hinata's house was in silence. Mostly.

"So I hear that Neji will be back in town for Hinata's graduation. That is one sexy piece of man," she said, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

I sighed. "For one thing, you have Naruto. And secondly, Tenten kind of has that market cornered."

"Yeah, but Naruto's been so unromantic lately. It's like we're married already and he doesn't need to woo me anymore," she said dejectedly.

"You are quite possibly the most temperamental , romance centered human being on the planet, pig."

"Is it my fault that I want to be swept off my feet? Your boyfriend lifted you off the ground while it was raining and stayed by your bedside until you woke up! How romantic is that?! God, I wish Shikamaru did that kind of stuff for me, I would fall for him on the spot!" The romantic sigh as she imagined a strong, non-Shikamaru-esque boy kissing her to wake her up from a coma or something sounded incredibly funny to me, and I couldn't help but snort.

"What?!"

"Nothing, Ino… It's just that Naruto did do that stuff for you. Who drove over to your house in the middle of the night to comfort you when your fish died? I mean, both Hinata and I hung up on you, but he rushed over and held you when you cried. I don't get how that could be unromantic."

Ino stopped as a stoplight, scanning the street before turning right. "But he doesn't do it anymore! I just want to be loved!"

We pulled into Hinata's driveway and maneuvered out of the car. I say maneuvered because, well, it was a lot harder to get out of the car in a dress that went halfway up my thigh than it was to get in.

"He does love you."

"I know."

Ino knocked on the door, and patiently we waited.

"Coming!" a deep voice said with a slight growl. Kiba opened the door, looking out at the two of us.

"Oh God," Ino said, frowning. "You aren't supposed to be her, Kiba!"

"It's here, run for the hills! Get away from the beast!" I said with a grin.

Kiba scowled. "Shut up, both of you. It's not my fault I'm here… Hinata asked me to come over and tell her which outfit she should wear and I can't decide which one looks better and I can't do it, so thank you for coming I need your help."

Ino and I burst out laughing at Kiba's confession. "She already has an outfit picked out, genius," Ino said, pushing past the brunette.

"Yeah, Hinata's just messing with you! Now, get out of here, it is girls hour. See you at the ceremony, Kiba!" I said, shutting the door as he walked outside.

I slipped through the halls of the Hyuuga house, heading toward Hinata's room.

"You were just a little hard on him, Hina, it's okay. Messing with your boyfriend every once in a while is a good thing," Ino assured her.

"Are you positive?"

"Yeah," I said, joining in on the conversation. "It's always good fun to see Kiba all flustered and confused."

Hinata smiled, and then picked up the black dress Ino has picked out from her bed. "I'm going to go change. Ino, the make-up is behind you. You said you needed to 'fix' Sakura?"

She slipped into her huge closet, and Ino grinned like an imp as she dragged me to the table.

"This is her graduation, and she forgets makeup! How dare her!" she mumbled under her breath as she applied the eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow. "There, all fixed up!"

"You only put stuff on my eyes, Ino."

"This is graduation, not prom, silly! You don't need that much makeup! And anyway, your type of beauty is more natural. We just need your eyes to stand out, and you look gorgeous."

I readied my sarcastic, evil, vicious, witty, amazing, and perfect retort, but I was cut off by the sudden entrance of Hinata. Her eyes were wide; she looked frantic.

"Ino, Sakura, we need to get to graduation! We're going to be late. The advisor said to be there at 6 to make sure we all have our seats and robes and tassels and-"

"Geeze, chill out Hinata. We'll get there in time," Ino responded with a wave of her hand.

"We're LEAVING NOW," Hinata said, forcefully. Ino and I both turned to her, a strange mix of fear and surprise taking over our faces.

Ino gathered her things, and I picked up my bag. "Okay, sheesh, Hinata. We're going!"

The car ride to the stadium where graduation was to be held was quiet. We let the radio play as our nervousness began to build. It's strange to get nervous before graduation, isn't it? I mean, I'm going to graduate. I know I am. I'm going to attend a good college and try hard to be a doctor, just like my mother. I was ending one chapter of my life for sure, and there was no going back?

So why was I so nervous?!

I felt like slamming my head against Ino's dashboard when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I followed the arm until it connected to the body of Hinata, and I looked up at her face.

"Nervous?" she asked quietly.

"Extremely. And I don't know why. I mean, I know I'm gonna graduate and I don't fall easily, it's just-"

"I am, too," Hinata cut me off, smiling. "It's a big day."

"It's natural to be nervous, right?" Ino asked, sliding her blue eyes off the road for just a second as they met my green ones.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"And it's not like you're going to have a hard time at college, Sakura. I mean, you and Hinata are going to be roommates! How unfair is that?" Ino pouted.

"Well, you're going to the same college as Kiba," Hinata said, a smile playing on her lips. "You better not try to take him away from me, Ino," she added.

Ino grinned. "Nah, I couldn't do that to you. But maybe if Shikamaru was going to school with me, I'd definitely steal his romantic self away with my good looks and seductive powers."

"Well, at least I'd have Sai to fall back on and love. If I can't have Shikamaru, Sai's just as good, right?"

"But we still aren't sure whether he's gay or not, Sakura. You'd have to be the crazy cat lady, forehead. There's no other man left for you."

"Not even Naruto?" I asked, watching the blonde turn to face me, tongue sticking out.

"Like he'd ever be interested in a billboard brow like you!"

"Ino-pig!"

"Forehead-girl!"

Hinata just sat in the back seat, laughing her head off, watching the two of us fight. I couldn't help but smile, breaking the mock fight to pieces. As we pulled up to the parking lot, we were all in fits of giggles. Ino had tears streaming down her cheeks, and I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Hinata waved us goodbye as she, still laughing, went to meet Kiba. Ino and I got out of the car slowly, still chuckling.

"Ow, my jaw hurts," Ino complained. "Too much laughter is not good for my mouth."

I laughed at her, my jaw hurting slightly, as well.

The laughter died down slowly as we turned to look at the looming stadium before us. I clutched my robe, memories of my high school years flooding into my brain.

"God, Shikamaru, look at this place! I'm going to get lost on my first day…"

He surveyed the area quickly. "Doesn't look that hard to get. Only an idiot would get lost."

"… Smartass," I answered, glaring at him.

As it turns out, I did end up getting lost; the herd of other freshman I was following to my class were actually going to a completely different section of the school. And to make it even worse, Shikamaru was in my class, smirking as I walked in.

My mind drifted to the first day of junior year, after I had mysteriously gone missing for a few months.

I remember staring at the school, feeling it look back at me and say, "Remember what happened here? Remember him? Sasuke? Yeah, he's here."

I grabbed Shikamaru's hand. "Let's go," I whispered.

"You sure?" He asked, watching me.

"Yeah, I'm positive." We walked into the brick building together, some eyes following our movements. Ino walked up to me, and grinned.

"Come on, this way," she said, pulling me away from Shikamaru quickly. He groaned, muttered something close to 'Troublesome' and followed. Ino pulled me through the crowd, and brought me to a group of people I knew. Well, my friends.

Chouji waved, Hinata gave me a hug, and Kiba stood there awkwardly and nodded at me in a greeting. I was about to ask Ino what in the world was going on when I felt someone attach themselves to my back.

"Sakura, my loooooooooove~" Naruto announced loudly. I smiled, not turning to face him. He was so strangely dramatic and hyperactive. "I don't think Sasuke-bastard will be bothering you anymore, okay? If he does… Well, just tell me," he whispered into my ear.

Naruto was suddenly missing, and Shikamaru stood protectively by my side. "No need for that," he said. "I can take care of her."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much," I said indignantly, winking at Naruto. He caught on instantly.

"Oh, you tell 'em, girl," he said, snapping in a circle. Hinata stifled a giggle.

"There is nothing you can do to protect me that I cannot do by myself!" I said, walking away from Shikamaru and the rest of the group. I was just kidding, of course. I mean, it's what Naruto and I usually did. Shikamaru was even laughing at me, now. It felt just like old times.

I walked up the stairs, still pretending to be all-that, a smile evident on my face. Yeah, just like old times here at-

"Oh, really?" a voice said. I froze. It sounded kind, but I knew it well.

"Sasuke."

"Sakura."

I had stumbled across a gathering of people I rather would have never seen in my life, but I had found them. Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Temari, Neji, Tenten, and a few other people. I suddenly wished that I hadn't left Shikamaru and Naruto behind, but there was no way to go and get them now.

"What do you want?"

"You sound angry. I don't want you to be bitter, Sakura," Sasuke said. He was smiling, and I knew that he was just up to his old tricks. "You really were a good friend, and I'm sorry I ruined it. I still…" he trailed off, looking at the ground.

The compassionate, naïve side of me almost fell for it.

"Just leave her alone, Sasuke," a feminine voice said. I looked up, startled. Was that Karin…?

No, Tenten. She looked at the Uchiha straight in the eyes as he turned to look at her. "You don't have to try and get Sakura back because your girlfriend left you. Just because people know Sakura's not a whore doesn't mean you have to ruin her again." She walked over and stood next to me, crossing her arms over her chest.

I watched as a sneer formed on Sasuke's face. "This doesn't concern you, Tenten, so please lay off?"

"I already have a boyfriend, anyway," I said. Sasuke turned to face me.

"Really? Hmmm, well, that doesn't mean we can't be frie-"

"Frankly, Uchiha, this girl is a friend of Hinata's, and I will not tolerate you bothering her anymore," Neji said, walking over to me. "And don't you ever talk to Tenten like that again or I will personally murder you."

Neji grabbed Tenten and I by the arm, and pulled us away from the group of teens. "Um, thanks, Neji, Tenten," I said slowly.

"No problem, Sakura!" Tenten said, smiling. "I just couldn't stand to see Sasuke be a bitch to anyone again. Geeze, what is his problem, you know? That whole group just tries too hard."

"I don't mean to pry, but if you don't like them, why do you hang out with them…?"

Neji smirked. "Well, Hinata had a feeling you'd somehow manage to land in the midst of Sasuke without Shikamaru there, and she asked me to watch out for you. She said it was just something you did by accident, walk into problems and try to act tough."

I giggled nervously.

"This is going to be the start of a wonderful year, right, Sakura?" Tenten asked. "My first day of senior year and I've already made an old acquaintance a new friend again."

She was right. Over the course of the year, Tenten would become an integral part of the Ino-Sakura-Hinata group. Neji and Lee slowly joined our group of friends.

"No, Ten, you can't graduate! What are we going to do without you?" Ino said as the end of the year grew near.

"I think you'll survive, Ino," Tenten said, grinning. "I mean, I will come back to visit. I just can't leave you guys!"

Ino shook her head. "Every time you come back to Konoha, you'll be too busy with Neji to come and see us!"

"Yeah," I added in. "Since you guys aren't going to the same college-"

"Who said that?" Tenten said mischievously.

"The last we heard, you two were going to different schools!"

"Well, let's just say that was a lie. So when I come back to visit, I'll be so tired of all the 'Hn's' that I will need to see you to regain sanity!"

We all started laughing our heads off, feeling that maybe her leaving wouldn't be as terrible as we'd thought.

"We're going to different colleges, forehead," Ino said quietly, dragging me back to reality.

"Yeah," I said. "But it doesn't mean we'll never see each other, pig," I said, smiling.

Dramatic Ino was about to make a big appearance, I could feel it in my bones. "You and Hinata are going to be roommates, though! I don't want to lose my best friend," she sniffed.

"Ino, hun, I don't think I would ever be able to replace you as my best friend. I mean, it would be physically impossible. The second I did it, the world would implode, or Shikamaru would cheat on me or something. It would be against the laws of everything for that to happen."

Ino laughed, small tears in her eyes. We stood there, silently, watching the world go by us. We quickly threw on our robes and hats, making sure the tassels were in the right positions.

"Shall we go in?" I asked.

"Yes. Let's go," she said. We made our way through the hoards of seniors, who were all getting checked in and seated. "See you later, Sakura," Ino called, waving as she was lead to her seat. I waved back at her, following my marshal to my fold-out seat.

Hinata sat a few seats down from me. I waved, and she smiled. More people began to fill in the seats between us until the fold out chairs were completely filled, and the stadium began to fill as well. I could tell by the darkening of the sky and the arrival of the parents that the ceremony was getting close to the kickoff. I kept my eyes glued to the stage, where I saw a very familiar boy sitting with his eyes closed.

I couldn't help but emit a small chuckle as the ceremony began. I mean, come on, our Valedictorian was sleeping, on stage, on our graduation day. While the rest of us were nervous, he was relaxed.

It was just so like him to pull something like this.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen… to your graduation!"

Cheers boomed from the mouth of every senior. I saw Shikamaru crack an eye lazily. He yawned as he slowly woke up.

"You've worked hard for this day!"

The principal kept talking, going on about how great we were, and how proud we should be. But I wasn't concentrating on her. I busy watching Shikamaru as he searched the crowd and finally came upon a bright pink mop of hair, hidden by a cap, and barely visible from where he was, I bet.

He smiled, and waved quickly.

"And now, your Valedictorian, Shikamaru Nara!" Tsuande backed away from the podium. A cheer erupted, with tons of clapping. Shikamaru stood up, and walked over to the podium. I could see the speech he had written (and not allowed me to read, might I add) in his hand.

The claps died down, and every eye focused on him.

"Hi."

He paused again.

"I would recite some lovely stuff about how we've worked hard, and we all deserve to relish this day. But you know that. I know that. Your parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and friends know that. We have pushed through these grueling 4 years. Some people have had to deal with more things than others, but we all had a tough time. And it's over.

"But that doesn't mean we get to relax, does it? For some of you, you'll be going to work. Work isn't relaxing. Work is hard. But you should be proud of it, because you are working, and from that work comes something to support yourself with. For those of you going to college, it's still a lot of work to get that degree. I mean, we are going to have to work our butts off, but it will pay off. If it doesn't I promise you I will be the first to take up arms and help you burn down the school." Laughter and cheers ensued.

"And I think this is what high school is meant to teach us. Not crap about how some people are better. Not that we can give up, and things will work out in the end. High school teaches us to endure. High school teaches us that everything we've worked hard for will pay off in the end. Whether that end is having the most fulfilling job, having a family, or retiring and watching the clouds every day until you die, I have no idea. High school gives us a taste of hard work, and today is the day we get to feel the sweet success of the 'pay off at the end.' So welcome, everyone, to the reward of high school!"

Everyone clapped. Shikamaru grinned, flashing his white teeth to everyone in the audience.

"But don't get too full of yourself, now. Enjoy the reward while it lasts, but this is just a taste of what the hard work of our lives will produce. Remember that, and every bad thing will eventually turn around."

He took the speech off the podium, and turned away. Everyone in the stadium was clapping; the seniors stood up as he shook the hand of the principal.

I felt tears sting at my eyes as pride filled my veins. Yeah, that was my boyfriend up there, making amazing speeches. That was my boyfriend up there, being awesome. He was the one with the full ride to the college of his choice, and I couldn't be happier for him.

The smile that adorned my face continued as the names were called. The graduates were to be handed their diploma, shake the hand of the principal, and then shake the hand of Shikamaru.

I watched as countless numbers of people I knew went on the stage.

"Aburame, Shino," Shizune, Tsunade's assistant, called. Shino went to the stage, took his diploma, and shook the hand of Shikamaru, all without messing up. Not that I thought he would, but I was hoping someone I knew would mess up a little so I wouldn't feel so strange when I fell.

Because everyone knows I'm going to. It's just my luck.

"Akimichi, Choji." Chouji walked on stage, and I saw Shikamaru give him a strong handshake-turned-into-man-hug. The two of them laughed, and Chouji slipped off stage.

The people trickled upward, and I got more and more anxious as my name got closer and closer. Damn it, why did Ino have me wear these heels! I was going to trip and fall and look like an idiot, and I'd never be able to forget it! It felt as though the whole world began to heat up as she called the F's, and I could barely stand when the marshal called my row.

I followed the boy in front of me, concentrating on my feet so I wouldn't fall on my robe. I sensed suddenly that it was too long and that was going to be the reason I would trip. Oh God, I should have gotten a shorter robe!

"Hanizuka, Mitsukuni." The blonde ahead of me gracefully walked onstage, taking the diploma, shaking Tsunade's hand, and then taking Shikamaru's hand into his own. He practically danced off stage, eluding little flowers and specs of cuteness as he walked.

"Haruno, Sakura." I took a huge gulp. There it was. My name. Oh God. I was going to fall-

Wait. This was graduation. That was my diploma. I was so not going to fall. I walked onstage, steady, smiling, happy. I took the diploma, and shook Tsunade's hand. She had begun to call me her little protégée after I left for Jiraiya's house. As she put it, if Jiraiya can claim her relative as his mentee, than she can take his niece and do the same.

"Congratulations, Sakura. You've done well."

"Thank you, Madame Tsunade."

She smiled wider, and let go of my hand. I took my eyes off her and found them drawn immediately to Shikamaru. I walked over to him quickly.

"Congratulations, Sakura," he said, grinning.

"Congratulations yourself, Valedictorian," I said. I stuck out my hand, but he ignored it, opting to swoop in for a kiss instead.

"You better hurry back to your seat; I think the next guy is getting anxious," he finished as he pulled away. I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as the next in line was called to the stage to accept his diploma.

The rest of the ceremony flew by. I had a feeling, as I looked at the piece of paper in my hand and the warmness of Shikamaru's kiss, that I was in a daze, but it didn't matter. It was over. Finally. Over. There was nothing left to do where I could embarrass myself. I had made it. I was graduating.

"And now, graduating class of Konoha High School, move your tassels from the left side to the right. You are now done with high school!"

I felt my heart race and excitement take hold as I moved the tassel into its "Look at me, I'm a graduated kid!" position. Everyone around me stood up, and began moving to their friends. Because at Konoha High, we don't march out; we just dissipate into smaller groups.

And exactly as Ino predicted, I went searching for a certain spiky haired Nara boy that I really, really wanted to see. More than anyone else in the whole world at the moment, I wanted to see Shikamaru.

"Hey, kiddo. What are you doing, keeping a lookout for someone special?" I turned around to face Shikamaru, who was not wearing a graduation cap.

"Nah, just you," I said, grinning. "So, Shikamaru," I said, pretending to be a reporter. "You've done it. You've graduated top of your class-"

"Yeah. And you just graduated," he interrupted jokingly.

I ignored him. "You got accepted into one of the best colleges in the country, and you have the best girlfriend ever. Where do you go from here?"

I saw a look of mock shock pass over his face. "I have the best girlfriend ever? Can I meet her, right now? Because I'd love to see her and compare the two of you."

"Oh, ha ha," I said. "But seriously… congratulations on everything. It's going to be weird, not seeing you in the fall."

He eyes melted into a warm chocolate brown. "Even if we're going separate places, Sakura, we'll still see each other. I'm not far, at all. And you know I love you."

"I know. I love you, too."

He pulled me into a tight embrace, letting his lips press down on mine.

My hand slipped up the back of his neck as his held its place on my lower back.

As soon as we pulled away, he smiled.

"I'd say we've done pretty well for ourselves, wouldn't you, Sakura?"

I looked out across the field as Ino, Naruto, Sai, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Choji, my parents, his parents, and what seemed to be millions of other people made their way toward us.

I looked back at him, and then leaned into his chest. He wrapped an arm around me, and placed his chin on top of my head.

"Yeah, I'd say we have done pretty well."

A/N: OHMYGOD THIS IS MY LAST AUTHOR'S NOTE FOR I, Sakura. As always, I apologize for any grammatical errors. It's 12:50 am and my wrist hurts like a madman. Thank you all for everything you've done for me. I would have given up forever ago if I didn't have the support from all my readers. I love you guys! As an FYI: I'll be taking a hiatus for a bit while I work on all my new stories (YAY!) and finish up with my junior year! I only have 6 days left plus exams, so I should be putting some new things up soon. And with that comes a new ShikaSaku story, so if you liked this one, please, add me to Author Alerts!

It's crazy that I'm sad this story is ending! I wish it could go on but then the updates would take even longer and you guys would kill me. GAHHHH. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You guys have pushed me to write a story that over 3 times as long as Plan Sasuke Ino Breakup. I know there isn't as much fluff as would be liked, but there is some, and everyone loves fluff. In fact, I'll be adding the fluff chapter up right after this one, but technically, this is the last chapter.

THANK YOU

~Rai Lockhart.