Hey everyone, I bring fic! Thanks for all your amazing reviews, I'm so glad you guys seem to enjoy this so far. I know some people don't like NaruSaku but there will be some moments in this fic so just bare it!

I had no idea what to call Sakura's mom in this fic so for the moment she has no name...

I hope you all enjoy the chapter. It is dedicated to SasuSakuLover4Eva my 20th reviewer! So awesome!

So on with the long chapter... 4,400 words this time...

Chapter 5

..~**~..

"Sakura-hime, you look even prettier than last time I saw you," Jiraiya cried out, sweeping her up in a big hug, before making the exact same compliment to her mother.

Sakura rolled her eyes at him, before turning to her aunt. "Hello, oba-san."

Tsunade was her only blood-related aunt and Sakura had always been quite close to the woman and her husband, Jiraiya. Sakura's mother and Tsunade had remained close throughout the years even after they had both graduated from med school and Sakura's mother found a job in Suna. They spent most holidays together and visited each other at weekends whenever they could, which was how Sakura became such close frineds with Naruto. They two had often been paired together when Sakura's family visited Konoha.

"Look at my favourite niece," Tusnade exclaimed, cupping her face in her hands. "Already a junior in high school. I hope you'll be working hard this year – I won't stop being on your ass until you become a doctor like your mother and myself, you know."

"Yes, Tsunade," Sakura laughed, grabbing her coat from her. "I promise to work hard."

After showing them around the penthouse and discussing work at the hospital, they all sat around the dinner table as Sakura's mother busied herself serving them the chinese food she had ordered.

"So Sakura," Tsunade spoke up, her honey-coloured eyes looking her way. "How was your first day? Do you like your new school?"

"It's alright," she told them, shrugging her shoulders. "There's no gym team, but I guess the teachers are alright. Except my English teacher – he's an outright perv. He reads Jiraiya's books whilst we're in class."

"Kakashi," Jiraiya muttered, shaking his head and Tsunade gave him a sharp look.

Sakura frowned. "How do you know —"

"And how about the kids?" Tsunade cut her off, sipping her wine. "Were they alright?"

Sakura knew what she was getting at and sighed. "Yes, they're fine. Don't worry, it was nothing like Suna, although I didn't exactly get a warm welcome from the Uchiha kid. Why Naruto is friends with him in the first place, I'll never know."

Jiraiya laughed at her comment. "He's a good kid. And Naruto's known him for a long time. They share a strong bond," he informed her before looking down at his glass of wine lost in his thoughts.

Sakura felt her interest piqued. "How did they meet?"

"When they were little, maybe six or seven, I forget, Sasuke almost drowned in the lake. He had gone out swimming by himself and Naruto found him drowning and saved him. I had gone to buy the kid some ice-cream for a few minutes and when I returned I found them lying on the beach, both drenched and Sasuke looking slightly blue. I took them to the hospital immediately of course and somehow overnight they bonded. The Uchihas were grateful of course and since then Naruto has always been welcome in the clan."

Sakura was completely baffled. Naruto had saved Sasuke's life? "Why have I never heard about this before?" she asked them, looking incredulously at all three adults before her.

Tsunade gave an irritated look at Jiraiya before answering. "The Uchihas wanted to keep the whole thing a secret so not many people know."

"Still… Naruto never told me anything," Sakura added, trying not to sound too dejected.

"So excluding Uchiha Sasuke," her mother continued, refilling Sakura's glass with water, "Did you make any new friends at school, sweetheart?"

"Yeah I guess," she answered thinking about Ino, Tenten and Hinata. "I kinda just stuck with Naruto and his friends. They seemed nice."

"Did they ask you how you knew Naruto?" Tsunade asked nonchalantly and Sakura immediately sensed something in her tone was a little off.

She also noticed her mother abruptly freeze at Tsunade's question and the sudden tension around the table. They were hiding something again.

Sakura dropped her fork. "Alright, cut the crap," she blurted out, her eyes flicking back and forth between her mother and aunt. "What the hell is going on?"

"Language," her mother warned her.

Sakura's green eyes rested on her aunt's honey-coloured ones. "What aren't you telling me, Tsunade-sama?" she repeated, putting an emphasis on the honorific she heard Ino use for her aunt.

The three adults looked at each other, guilty written all over their faces.

"It's your job to tell her, not mine," Sakura's mother finally spoke up, returning to her dish as Jiraiya nodded in agreement.

"Well she was bound to find out soon anyway," Tsunade muttered in return, gulping down the rest of the wine.

"Tell me what?" Sakura demanded, a hint of irritation in her voice. What else have they been keeping from me?

Tsunade took a deep breath. "Look don't get angry with us just yet, listen to what I have to say first," she told Sakura, staring her down. "There are certain things that we couldn't tell you before not because we didn't want to but because we were trying to keep you safe."

"Safe?" Sakura repeated incredulously, wondering what she was getting at.

Tsuande nodded. "I think you already know about the history of Konoha and of the clans that protected it before. The clans are now more or less what keep the country alive economically since they have turned to various businesses or created their own over the years. Of course, some have been more successful than others - Hyuuga and Uchiha corporations, for example, are well known all over the Five Great Nations whereas the five-star Akimichi restaurants are only known within Fire country. In any case, in order for these clans and thus Konoha to thrive, certain rivalries and petty wars had to be ended and the clan elders decided to put together a council where various clan heads would come together to discuss business and settle arguments for the good of Konoha. These clan heads would ultimately elect a leader who would have the final word on all matters concerning all clan businesses."

"A Kage," Sakura finally spoke up, understanding what her aunt was saying. "The real leader of the village, who stays in the shadows as opposed to the mayor, who is just for show."

The three adults stared at her in surprise.

"You already know about the Kages?" Tsunade questioned her.

"Kankuro is the Kazekage's son and I dated him for almost a year," Sakura answered with a shrug. "I didn't know there were others, but he told me briefly about his dad being the Kazekage and what it meant exactly."

Her mother exchanged a worried glance with her sister.

"It's also one of the reasons why he broke up shortly after," Sakura added as an afterthought.

"His father was probably angry that a high school student was told one of Suna's best guarded secrets," Tsunade retorted, crossing her arms underneath her hefty chest. "Now, what you don't know is that Konoha's current kage – the Hokage – is me."

Sakura blinked, disbelief written all over her face until she noticed the serious faces staring back at her and suddenly felt dumbstruck.

WHAT?

Her aunt – Hokage!

It couldn't be true. The Hokage was the most respected and feared person of the village. They took all the major decisions concerning the village and the clans. It just couldn't be Tsunade.

"But – but you're just a doctor!" Sakura exclaimed confused as to why a bunch of arrogant and elitist clan elders would elect her aunt.

Tsunade slammed her hand down on the kitchen table in anger, causing all the plates and cutlery to jump.

"Just a doctor?" she snarled, her eyes staring Sakura down. Jiraiya seated next to her, winced. "I'm not just a doctor, Sakura, I am a surgeon. And I also happen to be the best goddamn surgeon in the country, hell maybe even among the five nations. I have lived in Konoha nearly all my life and have been head of the hospital for almost fifteen years. Fifteen years! And during those fifteen years I have treated more clan members than I care to count and know more clan secrets than all of the village combined. Is that good enough for you?"

But Sakura was barely listening. Instead she was thinking of all the implications this meant for her – or could have meant for her. Especially her last month at Suna High… If she had known then that her aunt was Hokage, if the other kids had known or maybe if only Kankuro had known - how different things would have been then? Would she still be with him in Suna?

She looked up to face her mother, rage boiling within her. How could they keep this from her?

"Tell her," her mother spoke up softly to Tsunade, anxiously glancing at her daughter.

Tsunade also noticed the look of rage on her niece's face. "Don't look at me like that," she admonished the girl. "It's no use being angry, even if we'd told you last year that I was Hokage, you wouldn't have been able to tell anyone. My identity has to remain a secret, no one must know except for those who sit on the council."

"Then how come everyone at my school knows?" Sakura lashed out in anger.

"They don't," Jiraiya cut in, his composure calm as usual. "Only the clan heirs know about your aunt. No one else knows and now that we've told you, you have to keep it a secret as well."

"This is utter bullshit!" Sakura yelled, getting up to her feet. "Don't you know how horrible things were for me at school – what I had to go through? I didn't even tell you guys half of it because I didn't want you to worry. But now – now, you're telling me you're the fucking Hokage and yet there was still nothing you could have done? Are you serious? What's the point of being the Kage if you can't even help your own fucking family?"

Sakura abruptly left the table, intent of getting as far away from them as possible.

She knew they were right of course. She knew the point of a Kage was that the person's identity was a secret and her aunt couldn't in any way have interfered to help her. But at that point, she didn't care. She was angry and she just wanted to lash out at everybody because in the end - it was all so unfair.

"Sakura," her mother's voice stopped her as she was about to leave the kitchen. "You cannot tell anyone. The Hokage is a dangerous title and as long as Tsunade holds that position we have to be careful."

Sakura looked over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

She noticed the sad expressions on her aunt and uncle's faces and felt her gut clench.

"Sixteen years ago, Naruto's dad was Hokage," Tsunade spoke up, her voice almost a whisper. "His parents didn't die in an accident, Sakura. They were murdered."

..~**~..

Sakura stared down at the phone in her hands. Tsunade and Jiraiya had left after dinner but Sakura had remained inside her room, wanting to be alone. Not able to think straight and still mad about everything her family had kept from her, she fished out her phone from her bag, ready to call Naruto.

However, the recent revelation about his parents' murder stopped her. How could she call her friend to complain about anything when his parents had been murdered?

Sighing in frustration, Sakura threw her phone on her bed, scaring the black and grey, tabby cat, sleeping on her duvet. It merely shifted from its seat and went to sit beside her. Sakura began to scratch the poor thing behind its ears, wondering why her mother had insisted on rescuing it from the shelter when Sakura was always the one to look after it. Pulling out her homework, she looked at her English sheet hoping Pride and Prejudice could maybe help her get her mind off things.

It just made her think of Sasuke instead. Summarising the first chapter for her homework, she realised Mrs Bennet acted exactly as Sasuke had accused Sakura of doing. She was intent on marrying one of her daughters with Mr Bingley because she was after his money.

Groaning, Sakura grabbed hold of the book and continued to read another three chapters.

..~**~..

The next day, Sakura arrived at school wearing her favourite pair of black army boots with a black mini-skirt and tank top along with a tight-fitted cropped army jacket. If she didn't make it on the cheerleader squad, then she'd at least look her damned best.

Or I'll look even more of a fool, she thought cynically.

She found the girls at their usual spot on the bench outside the school entrance and watched as Ino flipped her long, blonde hair while chatting away with a couple of seniors. Tenten sat back on the bench, smiling up at a tall, dark-haired junior Sakura had seen in her biology class whilst Hinata looked on shyly.

"My, my, Sakura," Ino greeted in a sing-song voice. "Don't we look hot today?"

Sakura laughed, stopping in front of Ino between the surrounding guys, who let her through. "You look awesome too, Ino," she commented before greeting Tenten and Hinata.

She decided to sit down beside Hinata and keep her company as the other two girls continued to flirt.

"So, is the list up yet?" Sakura asked her nervously.

Hinata shook her head. "Not yet, although it'll probably be up sometime this morning."

Suddenly, Tenten leaned sideways towards them. "Oi, Sakura, heads up!" she whispered urgently.

Sakura looked up just in time to see the swim team walk by. Among them was Ryo.

"Morning, ladies," Suigetsu greeted followed by most of the team. Ino and Tenten responded with a smile as Hinata tried not to blush.

Sakura felt Suigetsu's purple eyes stop on her for a while, but she hardly noticed as Ryo turned his head towards her and winked. Instantly, she felt her insides turn to mush and smiled faintly in return.

Simply must – must – have him! Inner Sakura squealed, as Sakura's eyes lingered on Ryo's well defined arms.

"Oh you've got it baaad," Tenten teased her and Sakura stuck out her tongue causing the other girls to laugh.

Hinata's laugh died instantly as she looked up ahead. "Oh dear," she muttered under her breath.

Following her line of sight, Sakura noticed Neji, Kiba and Shikamaru arriving from the school car park, looking their way. They obviously didn't seem too happy with the fanboys standing around.

And yet they're constantly followed around by girls. Why do they look so pissed?

"I get that Neji's protective of you, but what's up with the other two?" Sakura whispered to Hinata, watching them approach.

"Kiba's an Inuzuka and they're just naturally really protective of their friends - especially girls," Hinata explained to her. "For Shikamaru… it's complicated."

Sakura raised a brow but couldn't ask Hinata about it as Neji suddenly stood before them. Kiba and Shikamaru continued to walk on, staring down the other guys, who vanished within seconds.

Sakura, however, didn't fail to notice Shikamaru give a last glance back at her blonde friend. Ino's gaze flicked to him once his back was turned.

Shikamaru and Ino, huh? Is that's what so complicated? Sakura didn't have time to think more on it as Neji cast them an icy glance.

"Get to class," he ordered them and Hinata immediately complied, standing up to her feet and heading for the school entrace. Sakura grabbed her bag as well.

"Hinata, wait up!" she called out to the purple-haired girl, not wanting to witness the oncoming argument between Ino and Neji.

She felt bad for leaving Tenten behind with Neji and Ino but had a feeling the girl could handle herself. Looking back over her shoulder she saw her sitting with her arms crossed, in a defiant stance, although her eyes were looking everywhere but at Neji.

"Is there something going on between your cousin and Tenten?" Sakura asked innocently watching her friend's reaction closely.

Hinata's face reddened slightly before she tried to deny it.

Bingo!

Sakura shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry, the secret's safe with me," she added, just as the bell rang.

..~**~..

Sasuke watched the whole scene from the school car park as he waited for Naruto to arrive. He'd always preferred arriving just in time for school so he could avoid his annoying fangirls and because the dobe was always late anyways.

This morning, however, he'd arrived a few minutes earlier and waited by another school bench, away from the flow of students.

He watched as Ino, Tenten and Hinata sat at their usual spot, surrounded by guys from all years trying to get their attention. Neji and Shika were going to be pissed again.

However, his eyes caught sight of pink and followed Sakura as she approached the group and sat down on the bench. He smirked as he caught sight of her clothes – she looked hot.

Woah - what the hell? Did he just think she was hot? Sasuke shook his head. No, this was Sakura! Naruto's annoying pink-haired friend. He couldn't think of her that way, besides Naruto would kill him.

Neji, Kiba and Shikamaru suddenly appeared beside him.

"Morning," Shikamaru greeted him, taking a final drag on his cigarette. Sasuke nodded at them in return.

"Looks like the girls are at it again," Kiba grumbled, looking pointedly at the school bench were the girls sat. They then spotted the swim team approaching. "And those assholes are planning on making the most of it."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru added, crushing his cigarette butt on the ground.

The other boys gave him a look.

"What?"

"It's your fault those fuckers are so pissed at us in the first place since you got caught with Toura's girlfriend," Kiba exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Let's go," Neji told them, his eyes fixed on the swim team.

Sasuke finally spoke up. "Keep an eye on the new girl," he told them, keeping his tone neutral.

The three boys stared at him.

"You mean… Sakura?" Kiba asked, a sly grin on his face.

Sasuke nodded. "Ami's already targeted her and if there's a fight, Tsunade-sama won't be happy."

They all winced at the thought of Tsunade's wrath and the three guys took off as Sasuke continued to wait for Naruto.

..~**~..

Sakura made a small detour by her locker before heading to her homeroom class. Naruto was nowhere to be seen and she guessed he was probably late again.

As she headed inside the classroom, she noticed Kakashi-sensei was already present, although he seemed completely absorbed in his orange book. Sakura guessed he was waiting for the bell to ring. Tenten was sitting beside Neji and angrily whispering to him. Ino sat by the window looking pissed while Hinata, beside her, gave Sakura a small smile.

Sakura headed for the next available seat by the window behind Kiba and Shikamaru.

"Hey guys," she greeted them, hoping they weren't still pissed off.

"Hey Sakura," Kiba greeted her, turning around in his seat. "What's up? You find out about the squad yet?"

How is it that everyone knows I tried out for cheerleading?

"Not yet," she told him, watching the other students file in, but still saw no sign of her blond friend. "I'm kinda dreading the result. Do you have Physics next?"

"Nope, Art," he answered. "But this lazy genius will be in class with you. Oi, Shika!"

He nudged Shikamaru, who seemed to be asleep, causing him to jolt. "What the hell, Kiba?"

"Sakura's got Physics with you next. Can you walk with her to class?"

Sakura noticed the way Kiba emphasised the question but thought nothing of it. Shikamaru shrugged. "Yeah, whatever," and then closed his eyes again.

Sakura thanked him and then noticed the class had filled up except for Naruto and Sasuke. The last two available seats were beside her and another girl, who sat on the other side of the room and wore an incredibly low-cut top. Sakura recognised her as one of Sasuke's annoying fangirls, who had been at the cafeteria the previous day.

Just as the bell rang, Naruto strolled inside, looking over his shoulder at Sasuke as the two seemed to be arguing again. As they both noticed the only two empty seats left, Naruto instantly barreled towards Sakura.

"Hi, Sakura-chan," he greeted quietly, sitting down beside her at record speed whilst dumping his bag on his desk.

"Hey, Naruto," she giggled and watched along with the rest of the group as Sasuke, glaring in Naruto's direction, slowly made his way over to the only desk left.

"He's so gonna kick your ass after class, man," Kiba whispered over his shoulder, trying to contain his laughter. Even Shikamaru, awake again, was amused.

"What can I say," Naruto added, his blue eyes sparkling with malice. "It's not right for me to come in between true love."

At that point, Sasuke had reached the other desk as his fangirl looked up at him with heart-filled eyes.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun," she greeted him, giving him a plunging view of her cleavage.

Sakura and the boys could barely contain their laughter, but the annoyed look on Sasuke's face as he sat down caused Sakura to snort. Instantly Naruto buried his head in his bag on the desk, trying not to laugh outloud, whilst the others snickered in their hands.

Kakashi-sensei gave them all a stern look before taking attendance.

..~**~..

Sakura followed Shikamaru to class and noticed Ino and Tenten ahead whispering among themselves. Tenten actually looked upset.

As they arrived in Physics, the two girls sat together by the window so Sakura decided to sit in the back, beside Shikamaru. She noticed his eyes were closed again.

"Do you sleep through all your classes?" she asked him, wondering how he didn't fail school.

"Depends," he answered, keeping his eyes shut.

"On what?" she asked curiously as she took out her notebook.

His eyes snapped open. "On who's sitting beside me and whether or not I want to get in their pants."

Sakura looked away, trying not to blush underneath his stare. Knowing he was only trying to get a rise out of her, she scowled and called him a pervert.

He chuckled in return. "I'm a sixteen-year old high school student and heir to my clan," he drawled lazily, crossing his arms behind his head. "If girls want to throw themselves at me, I'm not about to stop them."

Oh my, poor Ino…

"So these fangirls who want to throw themselves at you," Sakura elaborated in a teasing tone. "Where are they now?"

Shikamaru merely raised a brow. "They're a lot more subtle than Sasuke's."

Riiight, because fangirls would know the definition of being subtle….

She shook her head, amused. "Thank God, Naruto isn't like you."

Shikamaru's eyes instantly gleamed. "Trust me, he's just as bad."

She sighed loudly, shaking her head again and then looked up wondering why the teacher hadn't arrived yet. Instead, she noticed the dark-haired girl, who had threatened her the previous day glaring at her from the front row.

Sakura held her gaze.

Little bitch! I can't believe I have classes with her. God, I hope she doesn't make it on the squad!

"I see you've made a new friend," Shikamaru stated sarcastically, noticing the stare contest.

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Yeah, seems like she already hates me but I don't even know what I did to her! Do you know her?"

"Ami Matsuda," he told her, just as the teacher entered class. "Troublesome. Dated her for a week. Worst head ever."

Sakura tried not to sputter in front of the whole class as she registered Shikamaru's words.

He smirked in return, glad to get such a reaction from her before shutting his eyes again as class began.

Physics was Sakura's least favourite subject and the teacher wasn't making it interesting at all, so instead of taking notes, she let her mind wander. She looked ahead at Ino and Tenten who seemed to be scribbling notes to each other instead of following class. Sakura wondered why Tenten seemed so upset after her encounter with Neji, but knew better than to pry. Perhaps something had happened between the two previously or they both had the hots for each other but didn't know how to express it. She knew first hand how stupid people in love could be sometimes. Kankuro and her had been at each other throats during her freshman year before either of them realised their feelings for one another.

Besides when dealing with filthy rich, arrogant clan heirs, things always got more complicated before they got better.

The hour slowly droned on and Sakura suddenly wished Naruto was in her class. She still wanted to talk to him about everything she'd learnt the previous night, but knew she'd have to wait until after school.

Finally just as the bell rang and Sakura stashed away her things in her shoulder bag, she noticed Ino immediately reaching for her phone to read a text message.

Within seconds, she was by Sakura's side along with Tenten, dragging her away from her desk.

"Sakura, come on," Ino exclaimed, making her way out of the class and through the crowded hallway. "The list is up!"

Sakura felt her stomach drop. She meant the list for the cheerleading squad.

As they reached the bulletin board, several girls Sakura recognised from the try outs were hovering around hoping to catch a glimpse of the list. Ino barely had to push through as the girls automatically moved aside till the blonde stood right in front of the board.

Sakura came to stand beside her. "Oh God, did I make it?"

She looked hesitantly at the white paper and written in bold letters among a list of fifteen girls, was her name.

Haruno, Sakura.

"Yes, awesome, we all made it!" Ino squealed in delight, hugging Sakura tightly, before turning back to tell Tenten and Hinata.

Sakura kept staring at the list in disbelief, a smile slowly tugging at her lips.

No shit, I'm now officially a cheerleader!

..~**~..

SasuSaku moments in the next chapter, I promise. Hope you liked it and please review - they make my day! :)