Hello everyone! Late update, I know... And I'm sorry. I haven't really had much time, seeing as how school begun last week. I just can't seem to get used to it. Bleh. DX

Phew, I'm so tired... I can't even come up with something useless and uninteresting to tell you guys. DX

Oh, wait, I remember! I got my first really negative review some weeks ago. For some reason, it felt as if that person had kicked me in the stomach... I haven't been feeling like writing ever since that happened. Maybe that was the, you know, most important reason on why this chapter came so late.

I'm sorry, I'm holding you up! Go on, read! XD

~Lion3queen

Morning came way too early for Sakura.

That annoying alarm clock woke her up at 9 AM, leaving her to groan, hit the device with her fist and rub her throbbing head with her fingers.

She sat up, letting a grunt escape her lips. She felt as if she had been hit by a truck. Everything hurt.

What had happened last night?

The last thing she remembered was entering Konoha Headlights with Naruto and getting them some drinks.

Sakura froze just before standing up, noticing a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. When she finally realized what was happening, she had to press her hand to her mouth so she wouldn't mess up the floor. She jumped to her feet, sprinted out of the room and into the bathroom, kneeled down next to the toilet and threw up.

When the pinkette was done she stood up dizzily and stumbled over to the sink so she could brush her teeth. Her reflection in the mirror above it scared her. She looked very pale, and was still wearing the clothes she had been wearing the day before.

She bent down and brushed her teeth. When she was finished she put her toothbrush in the plastic cup that always stood on the cabinet next to the sink and washed her face and hair underneath the water tab. The girl grabbed a towel from the rack and tied it around her head. Then she exited the bathroom and walked back into her room.

Sakura put on some clothes that fit her mood -a grey sweater, boring jeans and a pair of sneakers- and walked downstairs. Sakura wanted to go to the kitchen, but stopped in the doorway when she caught sight of the phone that hung from the wall above a house plant.

She massaged her temples slightly as she walked towards the device and dialed a telephone number. After a few seconds, somebody answered.

''Wha- N-'' A yawn could be heard, ''-Naruto speaking... Whaddizit?''

''Naruto, this is Sakura.''

''Oh, hey.'' The reply came after a short moment, ''How're you feeling? Why're you waking me up?''

''I feel like a train wreck. What happened last night?''

There were a few seconds of silence before Naruto answered, ''Well, you were kinda drunk...''

''No I wasn't. I didn't drink any alcohol.''

''I'll explain it to you some other time. Now it'd be best if you drink as much water as you can. It'll help.''

''Ugh, stop yelling.'' Sakura muttered, irritated. She knew all too well he just wanted to continue sleeping. She wasn't going to let him. ''Seriously, how come I'm feeling like this?''

''I already told you you were drunk last night. You have a hangover right now.''

Sakura was silent for a few seconds. ''You were serious?''

''Yeah.''

''...''

''Hey, I'm sorry. Just go drink some water and take it easy today. It should be over by tonight or tomorrow morning.''

Sakura growled, ''I have to work today...'' She stomped her foot weakly, ''Ooooh...'' Naruto could just in time stop himself from laughing. He could almost see the girl throw a tantrum through the phone. ''Okay, fine,'' The girl decided then, ''I'll just report myself sick today.''

''Sure,'' Came Naruto's lame reply, ''bye.''

Too tired to answer him, Sakura just hung up and dialed her boss's number.

About one and a half an hour later Sakura was sulking behind cash desk number seven. She glared daggers at each customer that appeared to be planning on approaching her, succesfully scaring them away.

Her call hadn't gone that well, thanks to her lack of lying-skills. Sakura mentally cursed her father for being such an unbelievably bad liar. She had, sadly, gained that trait as well. Just like her father, her voice went high-pitched and shaky as soon as she said anything, she believed, wasn't true.

Two teenage boys took a step in the direction of cash desk number seven, but backed away when Sakura sent them a piercing glare. The pink haired girl rolled her eyes at them and pulled a book out of her bag.

Without the tender look Sakura normally wore when she looked at her books, she studied it's cover.

'Abélard and Héloïse' she read. The book was old and heavy because it was, like every book that belonged to her favourites, the first print. She remembered how long it had taken to finally find this copy, hours and hours of searching. Sakura leafed through the book, not really knowing what else to do.

She hadn't really done so for long, when she was disturbed by a shrill voice. ''Sakura?''

Reluctantly, Sakura heaved her throbbing head up only to look straight into the face of Shion. The blonde stood in front of the cash desk, an arrogant expression on her face, Gucci sunglasses placed on her head and a light blue handbag clutched in her hands.

''Oh, hello, Shion,'' Sakura greeted without much enthusiasm. She knew Shion from school. They had never really talked before, but Sakura knew the blonde was a friend of Naruto's. She also knew Shion always laughed at the pinkette with her friends every time she walked past them. Shion was known for being extremely arrogant, nosy and popular. Which was exactly why Sakura wondered why the girl now stood in front of her.

Then she remembered she was expected to be working.

''I wanna buy these,'' the girl remarked, her lips pulled up into a tight, insincere smile. It looked insincere because her blue eyes didn't laugh with her. Shion gestured at the groceries in her arms. They consisted of peach coloured lipgloss, a six pack of soft drinks, a bag of deep frozen ice pops and a magazine.

Shion's cellphone rang then, and the girl quickly put her groceries on the cash desk with her free hand. She picked up her phone.

''Oh my gosh! Hey, Tenten! I was just about to call you!'' Shion squealed then, loud enough to cause Sakura's eardrums to burst. Her face scrunched up in discomfort. Shion paused for a while, probably listening to what Tenten had to say. ''Not here,'' she said then, her eyes flicking over to Sakura, ''she can hear it.'' Then, as if it made a difference, the blonde continued talking, only slightly less loudly. It wasn't like it mattered, though. Still, every person in the shop was able to understand Shion's every word. Sakura rolled her eyes. ''I know right! Can you believe she went there with Naruto?'' For a second, she made a sound as if she was disgusted. ''Why'd he choose someone like her to go out with, anyway?'' She was silent for a while again. ''Oh, Temari told me.'' Inwardly, Sakura snorted. She was annoyed at how fast news traveled when it was spread by the right person. ''Okay, don't tell anyone I told you, but the rumor goes around that Ino asked a favour of Temari!''

This didn't sound that special to Sakura. People asked favours of others everyday. There must be a reason why Shion was particularly interested in this rumour. The pinkette nosiness won from the urge to do her job -it wasn't like this urge was very big, anyway- and so she went on with the groceries, only much more slowly than necessary.

''I really can't tell you. No, really, Tenten, I promised I wouldn't tell anyone...'' Then, when Shion seemed to think Tenten pleaded long enough, she continued, ''Okay, I can tell you, but you gotta promise you won't tell anyone.'' After another short pause, the girl ran a manicured hand through her blond hair, ''Okay, well, I heard Ino asked Temari to ring up her friend, who works at Konoha Headlights.''

None of this clicked inside Sakura's head, since, of course, she barely remembered anything from the previous night.

''Nobody knows what the favour was exactly, but I heard it had something to do with getting somebody drunk or something...'' Another moment of silence. ''Yeah I'm sure! Anyhow, also the rumour goes around that Temari didn't want to do what Ino asked of her, so Ino kind of forced her, if you know what I mean- Will you hurry up with those groceries?'' The girl snapped at Sakura then, catching the pinkette off guard.

'Who does that bitch think I am; her maid?' The girl thought, biting back a snarl. But she threw Shion's groceries into a plastic bag -with a bit more force than necessary- and then held it out to the blonde, who took them from her with an annoyed look on her delicate face. She then walked away without casting Sakura as much as a glance, loudly chattering away with her friend about the most superficial things possible.

The teenage girl behind the cash desk made a mental note to ask Naruto whether he knew what kind of 'favour' Shion had been talking about.

When she was finally done working, Sakura hurried home through the drizzle that had started falling down from the sky during the time the pinkette girl had spent working in the supermarket, made some dinner and walked upstairs. She opened the door to her bedroom, dressed in her pyjamas and let herself fall to her bed.

She made her head empty then, letting the drumming of the rain against the thin roof and the sighing of the wind lull her to sleep.

The next morning Sakura woke up with a decreased headache. She felt much better.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and the girl was greeted by a sunny room. The light that bled through the large windows made square-shaped prints of sunlight on the cotton blankets, warming Sakura up in the process.

She stretched, yawning.

The girl swung her legs out of the bed and stood up. She cut across the room and opened the windows, letting the fresh morning breeze carry the dusty air away. Sakura placed her hands on the window sill and leaned out of the window.

Was it just her, or did the birds' songs sound extra beautiful today?

The girl let a sigh escape through her plump lips and turned away from the window.

It really was a beautiful day. Sakura skipped out of her room and down the stairs. She made herself some tea and boiled an egg.

The girl yearned for a special Sunday-morning breakfast, like she used to have with her parents each week.

Sakura tapped the top of the egg with her spoon but when she wanted to take a bite, a shrill ringing caused her to look up, her spoon lingering in mid-air.

The pinkette looked over her shoulder. The ringing came from her cellphone which lay on the worktop, it's charger plugged into an elektric point.

Reluctantly, she stood up and answered it. ''Sakura's cell?'

''Hey, Sakura! It's Naruto.''

''Oh, hello Naruto! Why are you calling?''

''I'm bored. Wanna come over?''

''Sure. I'll come when I've finished breakfast.''

''Okay, see you later, then.''

Sakura lowered the device and put it back on the sink. Then she returned to her egg.

About two hours later, Sakura stepped out of the elevator on the floor where Naruto's apartment was seated. She walked the long hallway until she arrived at her friend's door, and rang the bell.

The girl tugged at the leg of her -uncomfortably short- denim dungarees, in a futile attempt to make them cover her legs up more. She looked up quickly when the door in front of her opened, revealing Naruto. His clothes were casual like always. The only thing that caught Sakura's attention was the cap he wore, covering a big amount of his blond, gravity-defying hair. It had 'Konoha High Wolves' on it; the school's football team, as you might know.

''Hey,'' He greeted her, flashing the girl a toothy grin. Sakura couldn't help but notice how his eyes seemed to flick over to her legs for a second. She knew she should have put on something else.

''Hello!''

''Want something to drink or something?'' He asked her as he led her inside. She nodded.

''What? Just a Coke?'' He walked over to the kitchen but stopped in the doorway, probably waiting for a reply.

''Er- sure!''

He disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Sakura alone in his living room.

She always liked his appartment. It might be small and stuffed, but that was what made it cozy.

Suddenly, she remembered something. Anxiously, she strode over to the kitchen. Naruto stood with his back turned to her. He reached for something in the refrigerator; probably cans of coke. ''Hey, Naruto?''

His fingers closed around the cans and he stood up, looking at her over his shoulder, ''Yeah?''

''Look, I'm sorry about...'' Sakura fidgeted with the necklace she wore. How was she going to tell him she was sorry about what happened Friday night? She didn't even know if she had done anything creepy! Well, she guessed she could at least appologise for being a burden to him. ''...You know, Friday.'' She finished finally.

He pulled the can he held open and brought it to his lips. When he brought it down again he said, ''It's okay. Nothing happened, right?''

Sakura gaped at him, ''How should I know?'' she questioned drily.

Naruto chuckled and then smiled at her. Not a smirk. Not a sneer. An actual smile. ''Yeah, good point.'' He said.

Sakura felt her cheeks grow warm. She smiled back up at him and grabbed the can he held out to her.

''What happened, anyway?''

Naruto ruffled his hair nervously. ''Well, we went to Konoha Headlights, and at a certain point you wanted to get some drinks-''

''I know that part. I mean after that.'' Sakura pursed her lips.

''Lemme talk, then! Anyhow, you went to get some drinks and you were gone for quite a while. But just when I wanted to go after you, you came back. You acted kind of strangely, but I didn't think much of it. Then, you wanted to get some more drinks and came back with like verymany. And you clugged them away one by one.''

Sakura could only gape at him.

''I grew suspicious, and when you wanted to get some more I followed you, to see you sitting on a bar stool. That sick bartender was mixing Vodka through your drink.'' Sakura's eyes widened. ''When I noticed that I took you away from there. I wanted to give the ass what he deserved, but you really weren't feeling well...'' Naruto scratched the back of his neck anxiously. ''You're lucky I went after you. Who knows what that sick-minded bastard would have done to you.''

''I'm sorry...'' Sakura said after a few seconds. ''Was I a pest? When I was drunk, I mean.''

The blond shrugged. ''You should see Sasuke when he's drunk.'' He smirked.

There were a few minutes of silence until Sakura opened her can of coke.

That was when she noticed the paper lying unfolded on the worktop behind the boy. ''Hey, what's that?'' She asked, nodding towards it.

Naruto followed her gaze until it rested on the paper. ''Oh, that.'' He walked over to it and held it out to her. ''It's a letter from Jiraiya's office.''

''Your guardian?'' She asked him, studying the sheet of paper.

''Yeah. Each year, they're holding this fancy 'ball' thing. Since it's that pervy old man's company, I get an invitation.''

''Is it fun?'' Sakura asked him. Her whole life, she could only have dreamed of going to a big party like the one Naruto was talking about.

Naruto shrugged, ''Dunno. I never go.''

''Why not?'' Sakura asked him, flabbergasted.

''Can't dance.'' Naruto explained with an anxious smile.

Sakura's jaw dropped, ''You can! You danced Friday ni-'' She stopped talking, remembering he hadn't been dancing at all. She had been the one dancing.

Naruto shrugged, taking another sip from his coke.

Sakura's surprised expression faded, and was replaced with a cheerful one. ''What if I teach you?''

Naruto almost choked in his drink. ''-W-What?'' He managed to gasp between coughs.

''If I teach you how to dance, can I go to the ball with you?'' She asked him, not seeming to notice his odd behaviour. ''I've always wanted to go to a ball like that one!''

''I think- well- er- sure.'' He stuttered, ''Why not.''

''Really? It's okay?'' Sakura asked him, beaming.

''Yeah I mean, I'm kinda curious for the whole ball thing.'' Naruto muttered. ''Only kinda.'' He added when Sakura chuckled.

The girl walked out of the kitchen. ''Let's go up to the roof!'' she insisted.

''Why're you so cheerful today?'' Naruto muttered, walking back to the fridge to get a sixpack of soft drinks.

''Why would I not be? The weather is gorgeous, my stupid hangover is over and it's Sunday.'' The girl exclaimed. She turned around, her bubblegum pink hair twisting around her face. She walked into the direction of the balcony, Naruto in tow. The blond pulled the glass sliding doors open and stepped into the fresh air.

''Need me to help you on top of the roof?'' Naruto asked Sakura, turning around so he could look at her in the face. He jabbed his thumb at the rain pipe behind him.

The pink haired girl huffed and grabbed the rain pipe with both hands. Then, she placed her feet on a ring of iron, probably there to secure the pipe against the building, and climbed all the way up to the roof, not noticing the way Naruto was trying not to stare up at her long legs, fists clenched so tightly his fingers begun to look white.

About five seconds later, the boy had climbed his way up the rainpipe -the sixpack in his right hand- and poked his head over the wall so he had a good view of the empty roof. Empty, aside from a girl that crouched beside a chimney, looming over a rectangular object.

It wasn't until Naruto had finally made it onto the roof and stretched his arms above his head, overlooking the city, that he realized what the object Sakura studied was.

'Shit!' he thought, before snapping his head around and stomping over to Sakura. The girl looked up and smiled at him innocently, giving him a small wave.

''Why helloooo, Naruto,'' she tittered, ''Sooo... Care to explain why there is a copy of Pride and Prejudice lying all alone on your roof?'' She held a book out to the blond so it barely touched his surprised face. It's cover and pages worn and yellow, as if it had been lying on a roof for weeks and weeks, the sun beating down on it and then rain crashing down on it after.

''Come on, give it to me!'' Naruto ordered lamely, trying to grasp the book. But Sakura held it out of his reach.

Her smile grew into a Chesire-cat like smirk and she took a step away from the boy, ''Not until you explain why there's a Jane Austen book on your roof, mr Popular.''

Naruto took one step in her direction and once again attempted to snatch the object away from her. Again, he failed.

''You're not going to get it!'' Sakura laughed.

'Oh really?' The blond thought, a smile spreading over his own features. This startled her.

Naruto reached for the girl with his arms and poked her in her sides, causing her to let out a weird sound that sounded somewhat like a snort.

''No no no!'' She gasped as he continued tickling her, ''Stop it!'' But the thought of hearing her laugh again was too tempting, and so Naruto didn't stop. Sakura laughed until her knees trembled and she dropped down on the floor. Even then, Naruto continued tickling. ''Stop, you jerk!'' She laughed, squirming around. He lowered himself to the ground as well.

Then, when Naruto finally stopped tickling her, she opened her eyes, to see the blond looming over her. He was close enough to her for her to be able to see the lighter specks in his unusually big, sapphire coloured eyes.

''What are you-?'' She whispered, still out of breath from laughing so hard.

He smiled at her, causing Sakura's cheeks to grow hotter. He really was too close to her.

Or maybe... Not close enough?

What was he doing, practically pressed up against her?

Her question didn't remain unanswered, for at that moment he showed her the book. ''Got it!''

Surprised, Sakura looked down at her fingers. She hadn't felt him taking it away from her.

The pinkette let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding in. ''Okay, you got it,'' She huffed. ''So what?''

''Didn't know you were ticklish.'' The blond said, smirking from ear to ear, ''Orthat you get red in the face when I get close to you.'' He threw in then, causing Sakura's eyebrows to knit together and her mouth to twitch into a frown.

''Well, I'm ticklish. Maybe. But I wasn't red!'' She defended herself. The girl walked over to the edge of the building and sat down carefully. Naruto plopped down beside her, obviously much more used to the height than Sakura.

''Oh really?'' he asked her, imitating the tone Sakura had been speaking with minutes before, when she had found the book.

''Yeah, really!'' She snapped back. ''Give me one of those.'' The girl pointed to the six-pack Naruto was fiddling with, trying to get a can out. When he finally succeeded he threw it over to Sakura, who caught it just before it fell down to the streets way below them. ''But seriously, what does that book do here?''

Naruto opened the can. It fizzled. Reluctantly, he started talking. ''Well, you said it was good and all. And I wanted to, you know... Get to know you better. So I went to the bookstore on the opposite side of the street and bought it.'' He took a sip from the fresh beverage. ''I guessed that, since you were all enthusiastic about it, it had to be good.''

Sakura cast him a glance. He looked down at his drink with a pout, his hands clenched around his drink. She let out a giggle, causing him to snap his head around, jaw hanging off it's hinges. Sakura only laughed harder at this picture.

''What is it?'' Naruto muttered, not able to hide the amused tone in his voice.

''That's so- so sweet!'' She exclaimed, for lack of a better word. The blond smirked.

''Yeah, don't get too used to it.''

The two teens grew silent once again, just gazing at the city below and around them, bursting with life. They were surrounded by car klaxons, laughter and chattering that drifted up from the crowd underneath them.

'They're like ants.'Sakura thought, leaning forward slightly.

''Hey, Naruto,'' Sakura started. There had been a question ghosting around in her head for a while now. She didn't know if it was a sensitive subject, and so she chose her words carefully. ''I've been wondering why you're living on your own.''

The blond's smile slipped away. Sakura winced. 'Okay, not carefull enough...' She thought, biting her lip.

After a while, Naruto cleared his throat, ''Well, when I was just a baby, my parents-'' He took a deep breath, ''My parents and me got in a car accident. My mom threw herself over me, so I only ended up with some scars on my face,'' He pointed at the whisker-like scars on both sides of his face, ''But, er- she died. My dad held out until he arrived in the hospital, but passed away later that night.''

Sakura fiddled with the straps of her dungarees nervously, ''I'm sorry...'' She whispered when nothing more intelligent came to mind.

''It's okay, it's not like you did anything. Plus, I was a baby. I can't remember much of them.''

''What do you remember?'' Sakura asked.

''I remember some stuff about my mom.'' Naruto replied.

''What was she like?'' The pinkette questioned.

''She was a bit like you.''

Sakura didn't know what to think of this. ''How do you mean?''

''Her mood-swings. She was kind of feisty, too. And nice. She was all in one, if you know what I mean.'' Naruto said. He pulled one of his legs up on the roof and propped it up, so he could rest his arm on it.

Sakura smiled at this. ''If you ever feel like talking about it some more... I promise I will listen, okay?''

Naruto looked back at her, smiling as well. ''That's okay.''

He kept looking at her, even when she had already looked away.

Sakura was so different from his other friends.

He snapped his head back to the street. Had he just called her his friend?

'She is, in a way...' He thought then, secretly shooting the girl a glance from behind his bangs. 'Am I still acting? Do I still plan on telling her I wasn't her friend- not really?'

The sick feeling that invaded his stomach answered his question.

His eyebrows knitted together. He didn't want to.

He didn't want to throw all of this away.

What was he going to do? He didn't want to lose his other friends, but he didn't want to lose Sakura either.

''Naruto?'' Sakura asked after a few minutes. The sudden stiff position and nervous neck-scratching from Naruto hadn't slipped her mind. ''Are you feeling well?''

Naruto nodded stiffly.

''Would you rather be alone for a moment?'' Sakura questioned then. She knew she always wanted to be alone when she felt bad. Naruto wasn't fooling anyone; something was bothering him.

The blond sighed and smiled at the girl next to him apologetically. ''Do you mind...?''

Sakura shook her head. ''I'll see you at school tomorrow. When do you wanna start the dancing lessons?''

''How about Thursday?''

''Okay. Bye!'' She gave him a wave before walking off to where the rain pipe was. She halted half way, though, and spun around again. ''One thing. I was working in the supermarket yesterday, and I heard Shion talk with a friend... She said that a few days ago, Ino asked Temari to call a friend of hers, that works in Konoha Headlights. Would you know what she meant?'' Naruto shook his head in response. ''That's okay. I was just wondering.'' She climbed down, disappearing out of his line of view.

Naruto turned his head towards the horizon. He thought about what Sakura had just said, and then about Friday night. 'It can't be that...' He thought.

He fished his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Ino's number.

His phone beeped into his ear repeatedly, before Ino's voice boomed into his ear. ''Helloooo, this is Ino's cell! I'm sorry, I can't really pick up right now. Leave a message!''

Naruto sighed and hung up. He'd talk to her about this some other time.

Now, the blond had to think. What'd he do? What could he do?

If he stayed friends with Sakura, he'd without a doubt lose all of his other friends. But he wasn't sure if he could hurt her.

With a groan, he let himself fall down on his back. He put his hands over his eyes.

What to do?

Was this chapter lame?

Please review! And, just to clear this up, if you post a negative review, give me an advice on how to make my fanfiction better! I'd appriciate that very much.

Until next time!

~Lion3queen