AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Hello my dear readers! Here I am updating yet again. This chapter was one of my favorites to write. I just loved setting up this new concept. There's a bit of romance hinted here and there. Can you spot it?

As always I don't own anything but the concept.

I now present you all with chapter seventeen.

Chapter Seventeen: The Cherry Blossom Festival Part One

It had been a few weeks since the fights among the groups of friends. Karin, Ami, Saya, Kimi, and Mai were all very pleased with their handiwork. According to them, Sasuke had been rightfully returned to them because he now had stopped hanging out with Sakura and her ex-friends. Sakura was grateful to still have Alice around. Things were becoming worse for Sakura each day, that if she didn't have the support that Alice gave her, she knew that she would most likely collapse. Loneliness was something that Sakura didn't handle well. It was too dark of a place for her to be trapped in.

In homeroom on Wednesday, Kakashi-sensei told his class about the annual Cherry Blossom Festival that was taking place that Friday night. It was a formal event, which meant the students had to wear kimonos. It also meant students needed dates.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, what if I didn't show up? What would happen?" asked a random student.

"Well, let's just say that you would have Tsunade to answer to. Since the festival is being held at the school this year, she is making sure we teachers have one hundred percent attendance from all our students, or we must dock points from your grade."

A few students groaned, one of them being Sakura. Getting a date for this thing was something she was not looking forward to at all. She already knew how the guys saw her at school. They found her attractive because of her looks, but they all were afraid to ask her out because of her attitude. But she didn't care. She decided that she would become too sick to go. She didn't give a shit to what it would do to her grades, for she was starting to hate the school anyways.

After class was over, Sakura met up with Alice at her locker. Alice had this really goofy grin on her face, as she skipped down the hall towards her.

"What's up with you?" asked Sakura.

"The Cherry Blossom Festival is this Friday!" exclaimed Alice.

"Yeah, I heard."

"Isn't that great or what? That is where I met Gaara-kun!"

"Cool."

"Okay, I know that I'm acting a little bit more girly than usual, but I can't help it when it's about my love life! I'm done now."

"Good."

"So Sakura, who are you going to the festival with?"

"No one. I'm not going."

"What? But you have to."

"I don't have to do anything. Festivals like this are a waste of time. I mean, why the hell would the school force us to go to something most of us don't want anything to do with?"

"Uh, Sakura..."

"I mean, c'mon! That's pretty selfish of them, you know?"

"Sakura..."

"It's not like Tsunade's going to know if we show up or not, right?"

"Actually Miss Haruno, I'm going to make sure that you go by driving you there myself. Oh, and I'll make sure that we have you as our Cherry Blossom Princess this year as well. Thank you for volunteering."

"Tsunade-sama! I uh..do I have to?"

"You want detention for the next two weeks?"

"No."

"Then yes, you have to. Help her find a nice kimono Miss Uchiha."

"Yes ma'am." Then Tsunade walked away from the two girls. The bell rang and Alice and Sakura headed off to their next class. At the end of the school day, Sakura and Alice drove downtown to a small shop that sold kimonos and other traditional Japanese things.

"Ugh, this really sucks Alice!"

"It's your own fault for getting caught. I tried to warn you, but you just ignored me."

"Whatever. Why are we here anyways?"

"Because Tsunade said to get you a nice kimono. This place makes and sells one of a kind kimonos, so which ever one we get for you, no one else will have it."

"Fine. But why must I be Cherry Blossom Princess? Don't you all have pageants for that?"

"No, girls just are nominated by adults. It used to be that Ami and her friends would take turns every year being the princess, since Ami's father is mayor, but you broke that cycle."

"Serves those bitches right."

"You said it."

The owner of the shop was a small, elderly lady that had this sweet grandmotherly aura.

"Kana-san," said Alice.

"Ah, young Alice-chan; it's very nice to see you again. I've missed your company since our tea last week," she replied.

"And I yours."

"So what brings you here today?"

"My friend, Haruno Sakura. You see, she is to be this years' Cherry Blossom Princess at the festival."

"Say no more. I have just the stuff she needs. We will have her princess-worthy by the time the festival starts."

"I hope so. She needs A LOT of work."

As Friday rolled around, Sakura found herself as Kiba's date to the festival. It was better than nothing in her opinion. He was a good guy, not too clingy and not too annoying, so she figured she would be able to stand his company. But with Sasuke, the date situation was a bit of a struggle. You see, if Sakura hadn't been so upset with him, he would have asked her. But only as friends and to help ward off his crazy fangirls. But since that option was out of the question, he found himself in a bit of a predicament. The so called Uchiha Sasuke Fanclub Founders kept on making obvious hints that it should be one of them. But there was no way in hell that he was even going to ask them. There was also the idea of hiring someone to be his date, but the chance of her being a fangirl or becoming one was too high to risk that. Finally, he came up with the perfect solution.

Ino, Tenten, and Hinata ended up getting three random guys as their dates. It wasn't like they wanted to go with them or anything, it just worked out that way for them. They had vowed to each other that they would make three idiots jealous. Three idiots that they had started to fall for and now didn't have.

Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto got their own dates was well. Not wanting to get into any trouble with Tsunade, or Baa-chan as Naruto liked to call her, they just gritted their teeth and asked the first three girls that they came across. They hated being in this mess with Ino, Tenten, and Hinata, but it dawned on them that until they could figure out a way to fix it all, they would be stuck in this situation.

That night at the Uchiha Mansion, Kana-san was over helping Sakura get ready to become the Cherry Blossom Princess. Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha and Mrs. Haruno were all very excited when they found out that Sakura was to be the princess.

"When she was younger, Sakura would play dress up with her friends and they all would become flower princesses. It was only fitting that Sakura was the Cherry Blossom Princess and now she is again!"

"Mom, you would you quit embarrassing me?"

"Oh posh Sakura! You used to love it when I told these stories."

"Yeah, used to."

It was obvious to Kana-san that she had her work cut out for her. After Sakura bathed and put a robe on, she lazily walked over to Kana-san to let her do her magic. Kana-san looked at Sakura's hair, face, and the rest of her appearance.

"You're taking out those silly piercings now."

"WHAT? No way! They define my style."

"You will do as I say, or you won't be the princess tonight."

"But I have to be, or Tsunade-sama's going to kill me!"

"Then I suggest that you listen to me. Oh, and don't forget to take out that silly nose ring as well."

"Ugh, fine then." Sakura took out all her piercings as well as her black nail polish since she could see Kana-san eyeing it. When she was finished, Kana-san had Sakura follow her to the bathroom.

"What are you planning to do with me now?"

"I'm washing out those black streaks in your hair. The Cherry Blossom Princess doesn't have all these colors in her hair. She simply lets her natural beauty show."

"But I did those streaks myself!"

"Oh, quit whining and lean back into the sink."

After removing the streaks and blow-drying Sakura's hair, Kana-san curled it into nice loose curls that looked very nice on Sakura. She then led her back into the bedroom and sat her in front of the dresser. After scrubbing Sakura's face really hard and getting off the last of the black makeup, her face was now completely bare. It was like Kana-san was getting a new clean slate to work with. She then put this frosted white, glittery eye shadow on the lids of Sakura's eyes and then applied black mascara on the lashes. On the corners of each eye, she placed star gems. Kana-san then added a light pink blush onto Sakura's cheeks and finally a clear gloss.

"What do you think Sakura?"

"I...I..wow. I can't believe that I'm going to say this, but I look great!"

"You really do. Now it's time for you to put on the kimono and slippers. Here you go; try not to mess them up. This one took a great deal of time to make and for you to ruin it, is not an option."

"Yes Kana-san."

A few minutes later, Sakura came out dressed in a kimono made up of this flowing, white material that went all the way down to the ground and had long sleeves that covered Sakura's arms (which she was very happy about). The designs on the kimono were these pink cherry blossoms that were placed randomly. Her shoes were simple pink traditional Japanese slippers.

After retying the back of Sakura s kimono and making sure that there weren't any wrinkles on it, Kana-san took a few steps back and admired her own handiwork.

"You, my dear Princess, are ready."

Meanwhile downstairs, everyone was sitting around waiting for Sakura's grand entrance. Alice was with Gaara, both looking adorable as ever, while Sasuke was with his date, who turned out to be Temari, Gaara's older sister. Yeah, it was a shocker to everyone.

"Her boyfriend's out of town and is letting me borrow her for the night to ward off the fangirls," was Sasuke's only explanation.

The parents and Itachi all had their cameras out, taking pictures for memories and blackmail, on Itachi s part.

"I wonder what's taking Sakura so long," said Alice.

"I don't know. But I can't wait to see my baby all dressed up. I might as well be the happiest mother ever!"

"Ahem, I hate to interrupt your conversation, but I have done the unthinkable. Everyone, I give you this years Cherry Blossom Princess, Haruno Sakura," said Kana-san. Sakura then came around the corner and descended down the stairs. Everyone did a double take. Was this really the Sakura that they all knew?

"Any sly comments and I'll beat the crap out of you."

Yup, it was her.

"Sakura, sweetie, you look so beautiful! It's been a long time since I saw you without all that black."

"Yeah, well this is a one time thing Mom, so take as many pictures as you can now." Everyone started to chime in with their own comments about how Sakura looked. Sasuke just sat there and looked in awe. Sakura was beautiful. This was a side of her that he had never seen before. It was so natural, so pure. He felt drawn to it.

"Sakura, I..."

"Well I have to go. Tsunade-sama said she'd meet me at the front door about now."

"Have a great time! We'll see you later," said Mrs. Haruno.

"Alright, oh and Mom? When you see me with my date Kiba, please don't make a big scene."

"I wouldn't do anything of the sort."

"Sure you won't." And with that, Sakura was out the door.

Well that's the first part. The next chapter will have part two, the actual festival! What do you guys think will happen? Review and tell me your thoughts! Thanks for reading! Please continue to do so!

-Mariegurl ^.^