First review! In response to your comment, Guest: I'm not sure if your statements are related, but I assume you read/saw the other one? My previous take on this story idea didn't have NaruSaku, so I'm not sure why you would say that. I was planning on having a little of it, and this chapter was written before I saw your comment, so that's unfortunate to hear!

Chapter 2

"Hey Sakura!" A loud and boisterous young blonde skipped through a play yard, running towards a pink haired child. "We should play together! Let's play ninja!"

"No Naruto, you play too rough! Besides, I'm playing with Sasuke." She said, pouting her lip at him, motioning to the smiling raven haired boy who was drawing on the ground with dark blue chalk.

"Well, can I play then?" Little Naruto said, cheeks blushing jealously.

"No Naruto! I only want to play with Sasuke right now!" Sakura was getting upset that her private time with her crush was being interrupted.

"Hey, Sasuke is my friend too, I can play with him if I want!" Naruto yelled.

"Yea, but I like him!" She yelled back.

"So what?! I like him too!" He was blushed, both from anger, and the embarrassing confession. Both Sakura and Sasuke were looking at him now with surprised expressions. Sakura hadn't even considered that a boy could like another boy.

Many years later, Naruto made a similar confession to Sakura. Sasuke had begun to separate himself from everyone, including Naruto. There was heavy tension between everyone who knew him, and Naruto thought this would be his chance to win her over and make things better. His timing though was poor, and she rejected him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto...Can we just be friends?" She said, with a guilty look on her face. The emotional awareness of the young 11 year old was still very under developed, and she had enough trouble understanding the loss of her life-long friendship with Sasuke.

"Sakura, of course. Friends forever, right?" Naruto said, giving her a sad smile, holding up his pinky. He was well aware that his words were a promise she'd already seen being broken once before.

Sakura! Let's be friends forever, okay?

12:01 pm

'Naruto, we need to talk. I'll be by my locker, 7610.' Sakura texted at the start of the lunch period. She was a horrible mixture of livid and confused. For three years she had no idea where Sasuke had been, no idea why he suddenly shut all of his friends out of his life. Now, all of a sudden, he just shows up, and Naruto seemed to talk to him like they'd been friends this whole time. It wasn't fair, but she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Naruto was wonderful guy, and had been a great friend to her.

It wasn't that long until he found her, and thankfully Sasuke was not with him. He had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to discuss.

"Sakura..." He said softly, she wasn't even able to say anything before she started to tear up. Naruto knew she was always troubled by Sasuke's disappearance, but seeing him must have really opened up fresh wounds for her.

"Naruto, I-I don't even know where to start?! I-I..." she took a few deep breaths between tears. "When did you find out he was coming back?"

"Just this summer. Well...it was up in the air I guess, up until just last week."

"What?! That doesn't make sense. What happened to him? Where has he been?! How long have you two been in touch?!"

"Sakura, calm down. I'd like to explain everything, but-"

"But what?! He was my friend too, Naruto! It's not fair that you were the only one who got answers!" She said, stopping herself when she realized how aggressive she was getting. She and Naruto never fought like this, and she didn't want to start now. "I-I'm sorry, it's just...It was such a surprise. And..." She couldn't hold back the tears now. "I just missed him so much."

"I'm so sorry, Sakura. I know how you feel." Naruto embraced her. He really did understand. Sasuke was his first friend, his first crush, and his first heartbreak. The same was true for Sakura, and his own feelings for her were a close second to those he had for Sasuke. He felt guilty for knowing what was happening to him, and not telling Sakura, but he did have his reasons. Well, to be fair, they were Sasuke's reasons.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She said, gaining her composure once more.

"Sakura...It wasn't for me to share. I...guess I should have told you I was still in contact with him, but...I'm sorry, it's complicated." Naruto started, "Maybe you should ask Sasuke?"

"Naruto...You know I can't speak to him now. I...was barely able to focus being in the same room with him."

"NARUTO UZUMAKI, REPORT TO THE AUDITORIUM. THANK YOU." A loud voice spoke over the intercom.

"Oh shit, I completely forgot. Sorry Sakura, I gotta run! Just think about it, everything will be okay, believe it!" He said, throwing her a goofy grin and a thumbs up, making her giggle. His last words were yet another throw back to middle school, back when he wasn't the handsome blue eyed gentleman that he was now. Before lunch had ended, she found herself back in class, waiting for class to start again.

"Sakura." She heard, spinning her head around in surprise, her heart skipping a few beats. "How's it going?" Said a raspy, aluring voice.

"Oh, Gaara. I'm fine, h-how are you?"

"You don't seem fine, but okay." He said, taking a seat in front of her, leaning his back against the window so he could still see her. "I'm okay, but listen, I've got an idea." He said, leaning in a little bit. He was incredibly handsome, with an exotic look, and smooth moves that could make any girl fall for him. "I hear Hidan is throwing a senior reunion party, and everyone's invited."

"Hidan? He's in that club, right? Akatsuki?" Sakura said, his teal eyes on her emerald orbs felt intense, and she couldn't help but blush at the attention.

"Yea," He gave her a subtle smile. "A friend of mine, Sasori, is one of them too. So, would you go with me?" He said, his hand playfully grazed over hers.

Sakura seemed surprised, but she thought back to their time in the last year of middle school. She caught him looking at her a lot, and he'd even touched her hands a few times, just like he was doing now. For some reason though, his actions didn't seem sincere. She'd seen him flirt with other girls, and it wasn't exactly hard to do with looks like his. Still though...

"Y-yea, I'd like that." She said sheepishly, wondering if she'd regret it.

"Great, it's this weekend. I can pick you up?" The classroom door opened. Gaara at this point was awfully close to Sakura's face, touching her hands, and the last person she would ever want to her like had just walked in.

Sasuke locked eyes with her, and for a split second, he looked over the scene before him with surprise before looking away and walking calmly to his seat. Sakura pulled away from Gaara, who noticed her face twist nervously at the site of Sasuke. He leaned in again, and whispered. "Boyfriend?"

She looked up with shocked eyes, trying to laugh off the statement. "No."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

"No, never." She said, with disappointment in her voice.

"I see." Gaara said, she was almost too easy for him to read. "Well, his loss." he said, and it wasn't exactly quiet. Sakura looked down at her desk, softly pulling her hands away and putting them on her lap. What she didn't see was Sasuke glaring at Gaara from behind her, while Gaara gave him a wicked, triumphant smirk.

After a few minutes, lunch officially ended, the students poured in, and class had begun. It didn't last long, as an interc announcement called all of the students for an assembly in the auditorium.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Ino asked, while they walked through the mass of students in the hall.

"Yea, I'm fine. Why?"

"You've been spacing out all day. I know seeing Sasuke must be tough-"

"It's fine. I'm over it anyway."

Ino gave her a shocked stare. "R-really?"

"Yea, I've got a date this weekend anyway, so...I should forget about him."

"You have a date? Oh no, Sakura, is it with Gaara?"

"Yea! Why is that a bad thing, you told me to move on!"

"Sakura! Sasuke is back now! You don't have to move on anymore!" Ino said, and the words hit Sakura hard. It wasn't that easy though, since Sasuke's personality seemed the same as when he left. She'd waited so long, it wasn't fair that she should have to keep waiting. Still, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like now. The current Sasuke, a handsome and strong young man, smiling that innocent smile he so often showed her as a child...But that wasn't him anymore. She didn't know who he was now.

Sakura just shook her head, brushing her friend off as she so often did these days. "Let's just find a seat, I want to go home and be done with this day."

"Welcome everyone! We're here to celebrate the start of the new school here at Konoha High School!" The principle of the school was standing off to the side on a large stage half covered with curtains. "Let me introduce to you your new Student Council!" The students clapped, showing some interest but not yet worked up.

"First, we'll start with your sophomore class president, Naruto Uzumaki!" This started to peak interest, as many people respected and liked Naruto. He walked out from behind the curtain in a classy bright blue suit, looking very sharp and handsome.

"Thank you Konoha! I'm going to work hard to be the voice of all students, so please feel free to come to me for help with anything!"

"Next, your junior class president, Rock Lee!" The Juniors went wild. Lee wasn't very popular in middle school and elementary, but since his first year in high school, he had really made a name for himself. He came out wearing his martial arts uniform, through which he'd gained notability for.

"Thank you! I will be working to preserve the youth and livelihood for our students both on and off our campus!" Lee had immense school spirit, and had been a close friend of Sakura throughout their school life. He confessed to her in his last year of middle school, but she just didn't have feelings for him.

"Finally, the senior class representative, and student council president for Konoha Highschool, Yahiko Amegakura!" The senior and junior classes erupted with applause, startling Sakura. Most of the sophomores didn't realize who Yahiko was, but he had the last two years to make an impression on the students, and won the election for student council president in a landslide. He was also sharply dressed in a black and red suit, but there was something very relaxed in his appearance. He had exotic piercings on his face, something probably not allowed on most school dress codes, but the soft face underneath and the intelligent charisma that emanated from him completed his look very nicely.

"Thank you students of Konoha. I am so grateful to those who supported me throughout my campaign last year. I hope I can be the council president you all deserve, even if I wasn't your first choice. Please do not hesitate to ask me anything this year, as I will be working towards my dream of seeing this year, my final year at Konoha High School, the absolute best year this school has ever seen!" The auditorium echoed with applause, students standing up in their seats. "Thank you so much! Let me take a moment to introduce the rest of the council!" Yahiko had cheerfully taken over for Principle Tsunade.

"Our historian, Konan!" A stunningly beautiful blue haired girl came out, in a classy and professionally styled dress with colors matching Yahiko's outfit.
"Our public relations director, Hidan!" A loud yell could be heard before Hidan was seen, and he ran out onto the stage with unrivaled energy.
"Our secretary of student affairs, Itachi!" There was a great applause for Itachi, but it wasn't well known who he was. Just like Sasuke, he'd been missing for three years. And just like Sasuke, he a mysteriously beautiful aura, with similar darkened eyes and long black hair. Sakura was fairly surprised to find out he was attending their highschool, it had been a long time since she'd seen or spoken with him. She wondered if he changed the way Sasuke did.
"And finally, our treasury team, Sasori and Deidara." The pair walked out with nearly opposite appearances, one grinning widely, the other giving a calm and dull eyed grin, but they were rather attractive young men.

"Thank you once again, I urge you all to get as involved as possible! Please remember to take a look at the club activities board, and sign up for an afterschool group this week! Let's all have an amazing school year!" Yahiko raised his arms, and the crowd followed in suit. He really was a natural.

School was now over, and the students piled out of the auditorium, heading their lockers, while some just left immediately. Sasuke waited patiently outside of the school for Naruto to give him a ride home. Unable to shake the things he had seen today, he closed his eyes, trying not to think about Sakura in the classroom being touched by some stranger. He probably wasn't a stranger, which just made things worse. A beautiful girl like her probably had a few boyfriends in the time he had been absent. It was best to forget about her, he had so coldly rejected her already, there was no forgiving what had happened between them. He couldn't deny the pain he felt deep in his heart, remembering the fondness of their youthful friendship, but that was a different time. Things had changed, and they weren't those people anymore... Suddenly, Sasuke felt a presence close behind him, and assumed it was Naruto.

"'Bout time, can we get going, I'm sick of being here."

"Already? The year just started little brother." Sasuke spun around, that is not Naruto.

"Itachi." Sasuke said bitterly. "Get the hell way from me."

"Calm down Sasuke, I'm just reminding you that we have a session today. I came offer a ride, since you shouldn't be burdening Naruto with such things. It's bad enough that you're living with him."

"I don't want to go anywhere with you, leave me alone."

"Okay Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'll see you later then." Itachi said in a solemn tone, stepping away from him and disappearing into the parking lot.

"Sasuke!" Naruto said, calling to him, seeing the apparent rage and annoyance on Sasuke's face. "You okay?! What happened?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Sasuke said, he knew his brother was right in a way. He was burdening Naruto, though he probably didn't acknowledge it. "I'm...going to need a ride somewhere, sorry." He said, with slight guilt. He and Itachi had group therapy sessions, every Monday. At least it's better than the daily therapy at the youth shelter.

Naruto had already been told, and he knew Itachi was a better brother than Sasuke could understand.