12:15pm Tuesday, Lunchtime

Sakura chose an empty lunch table in a corner in the courtyard outside the cafeteria. She swung her bookbag onto the lunch table where it landed with a satisfying impact. She looked at it with a hand on her hip and wondered what to do next.

"Why are you looking at your bag like it did something wrong to you?" Ino quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Hi, Ino."

"And so cheerful too. What's eating you today?" Ino frowned. "Speaking of eating, where's your lunch?" She stepped forward with a tray loaded with cafeteria roast beef and fixin's. She set it on the table next to Sakura's bookbag and turned to face her. "If you're trying to diet again you should have told me. I'd totally be your diet buddy."

Sakura didn't really know what to say. She kind of didn't really even want to be around Ino at the moment. Finding a quiet corner in the library and having a private cry was about all Sakura could imagine doing. Except...she was also hungry.

"Sakura." Ino made a face. "You're acting weird."

"Sorry." With a sigh Sakura threw herself at the bench. Ino followed her. "It's just..." Sakura heaved another sigh and looked at her hands.

"Is it about those Root guys?"

Sakura nodded. She rested her head on one hand and watched Ino pick at her food.

Ino sighed and put down her plastic fork. "Ok, Forehead, I'm only going to say this once so listen up: Thanks. You didn't have to rescue my honor or whatever – I don't care what those idiots think! But I appreciate that you've got my back." Ino looked back to her food. "But I swear if you're going to diet while staring at my food like your puppy died I'm going to force feed you this pudding."

A small smile forced itself onto Sakura's face. She wanted to thank Ino but her belly rumbled instead. Mortified, she clapped her arms around herself.

"Oh my god, I was totally kidding! Do I really have to make you eat?"

"No..! It's... I'm not dieting!"

"Then what the hell is going on, Sakura? I agree the cafeteria food sucks but c'mon! You've been eating it for almost four years." Ino glanced into the cafeteria and a thought came to her. "Oh my god, I get it – Root! You don't want to go in there because of those assholes!"

Sakura frowned and swiveled on the bench to sit a the table properly. "Yeah."

"Oh. Oh shit, honey I didn't know. And they're in all your classes too, huh?" Ino tucked her feet under the table but turned to face Sakura. "Are they giving you a lot of crap for punching Taro?"

Sakura nodded, staring at the table. She could just imagine a child's drawing of a cloud floating over her head, raining misery on her.

"Aw, I'm so sorry, babe. Too bad Nomu is older and already finished school or you could leave defending my honor to him." Ino gave Sakura a lopsided grin. "But the hospital! Geez you're vicious! I don't think I've ever known a guy who could...uh...Sakura? Aw... don't be like that, it's kinda cool! And Taro totally had it coming, you know he did!"

Sakura had lost her smile at the thought of putting her classmate in the hospital. It had been quite a bit of blood, she had to admit, but the nose was spectacular like that. Anyone with a basic understanding of biology knew it. It would have made no difference to Taro's broken nose if he had been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance or if he had walked there himself. But the school nurse didn't dare take any chances with Soizu Imura's son and treated it as a life-or-death emergency. Sakura sighed yet again. All that noise and shouting because she had lost her temper.

"It's ok, Ino. Or it's...whatever. I don't know. I should have figured his friends would be like this, and I should have packed a lunch."

Ino made a face. "Do you even have food at your house? Usually you're like trying to make a salad out of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise."

"I have some stuff! Gah, you totally make it sound like I'm about to starve to death." Sakura's defense of her pantry was undermined when her belly rumbled again. "Ugh. I know! I know! I'll think of something."

"Sakura, you're still being kind of weird, you know. When have you cared what people say to you. It's only when people talk about your friends that you go all berserker on them!"

Sakura bit a lip and glanced back into the cafeteria. Too many jocks stood near the entrance to see very far, but where there were jocks at Konoha there would be Root. She looked back at her hands, laced together on the table. Idly, one thumb tested the raw skin on the other hand.

In her classes the Root members – and there was at least one that she knew of in each of her classes – had given her a wide berth, but stared at her openly. When she walked by Aimi Takahashi in Anatomy, who only last week had been partnered with her, she heard her hiss "little punk bitch!" They wouldn't try any physical punishment in class but at lunch there were no promises.

"They're not just talking." Sakura's voice was low.

"Huh?" Ino leaned in. "What do you mean?"

"They want pay back. I think Taro's friends want to..." Sakura couldn't finish the sentence. Her hands started shaking again.

Ino leaned back and goggled at her. "Are you saying they want to get revenge?! Sakura, that doesn't -"

"Kimichi Akashima and Shinichiro Ito found me training out on the track this morning!" Sakura kept her voice low but intense. "They were about to start something when Coach Guy showed up!"

Ino's mouth hung open. "Dude. Holy shi-" Ino's eyes shifted to the side and widened. "Holy...moly."

"Huh?"

"Hottie o'clock! Don't-! Don't turn too fast!" Ino hissed. "Two guys headed this way. One is blond and has some serious shoulders and the other is just all of my wet dreams of Robert Smith and Dave Navarro come true!"

It was Sakura's turn to let shock write itself plainly on her face. Oh, no...not here too! Wait, did Ino just let on that she thought Naruto was hot? Sakura snorted.

"What-uh, hey!"

Sakura stood up and ignored Ino's attempts to silence her. "Now what do you guys want?" She stared at Naruto and Sasuke, still some distance away, with fists set on her hips.

"Sakura-chan! Don't be like that!" Naruto began by trying to appease but Sasuke cut him off.

"Tch I told you she would be annoying about it."

A pang went through Sakura, twisting her empty stomach powerfully. Annoying. His favorite word.

"Waaaiit..." Ino stood up. "You guys already know each other?!" Ino smacked Sakura's upper arm. "Sakura, when did you start holding out on me that you know such cute guys!"

Naruto grinned and laced his fingers behind his head. Sasuke looked as dismissive as ever. Sakura rolled her eyes and as subtly as possible moved her injured hand behind her back. She stretched the fingers to ease the complaining joints and try to relieve the angry skin. She sat back down.

"Whatever, I just met them yesterday."

"Reeeeaally." Ino's look was feral. She sat back down with distinct grace. Under her breath she muttered, "this is your chance to stake a claim; which one do you want?"

"What," Sakura hissed. "You have a boyfriend!"

"Hmm... trying to keep them both for yourself, eh? Daring, but not really your style, Sakura." Ino fired a dazzling smile at the boys as they approached.

"I...!" Sakura knew better than to try calling Ino's bluff. From the curve of Ino's eyebrow it was clear that the girl was enjoying the game and Sakura could either play along or get left out. Before Ino could pick for her she blurted out, "Sasuke! Uh... the goth one!"

At this point the boys had arrived at the table and put their things down. Sasuke was looking at her with a quirk to his head. He had clearly heard her. Sakura felt a blush flood down from her ears and over her cheekbones. Curse words flooded her mind. Why did I say that?! She tried to pull a smile onto her face but knew the best she could pull off in such a hurry was a sickly rictus.

Sasuke shook his head, whatever he saw when he looked at her, it clearly wasn't worth his time. He opened his messenger bag and pulled out a squashed pair of sandwiches. Next to him Naruto produced a cup of instant ramen.

Sakura was caught mid-drool over their meager fare when Naruto spoke up, "Hey, Sakura-chan, why don't you have any food? Don't tell me you ate it already!"

"Uh, actually I still need to get it." Something else she didn't quite expect to come out of her mouth. Sakura's empty belly was beginning to talk for her. She felt if she went hungry for much longer she would pound her way through the wall of jocks and eat everything she found at the lunch counter, ladles, hair nets and all.

"Oh ok! I'll go with you! I have to get hot water for my lunch and get something for the bastard to drink." He looked at Sasuke, who had already sat down. Sasuke silently dug out a bill from his pants and handed it to Naruto. "The usual?"

"Aa."

"On it!" Naruto gave a mock salute.

"Uh...wait, Naruto." Sakura shot Ino an uncertain glance. Things could get ugly fast. "I haven't gone in yet... well, because..."

"Oh, it's ok, Sakura-chan! I understand. Those guys from this morning could be there, or their friends." Naruto gave a gleeful laugh. "But I'm not scared of them, and I won't let you go hungry because of them, believe it!" And he gave her such a delightful smile that Sakura couldn't help but smile back.

Beside her, Ino nudged her. Sakura wasn't sure whether it was because she was supposed to let Ino have her fun with Naruto or if it was because it was apparent to Ino that Sakura had a lot to tell her. Sakura forced herself to stand up and gather her courage.

Sakura pulled out her wallet with her meal card and left her bookbag on the table. She didn't dare look Ino or Sasuke in the face. She hated feeling so afraid. A funny thought occurred to her. What would Joan Jett do? Sakura made a face. Since quitting school and running off to play guitar would probably have a certain imposing woman doctor ready to take her head off, she was probably better off taking her chances with Root.

She took a deep breath and turned to the cafeteria. Naruto grinned at her and they walked in.

Naruto took lead by almost literally thrusting his chest out and driving forward into the breach.

Sakura could have stepped out in front but somehow couldn't find the determination. And every time she looked at the door she wanted to dive behind Naruto.

She just couldn't explain to herself why a hall full of violent punk rock fans who routinely expressed their pent-up frustrations with fists and steel-toed boots never fazed her but a bunch of high school jocks made her nervous to the core. Probably because the jocks will pound me for stepping out of line while a punker will just smile at a girl with pink hair.

Sakura was so lost in thought that it took Naruto a couple of tries to get her attention. "Sakura-chan, do you train every day?"

"Huh? Oh, no. Before track season I go to the track Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Sometimes I go for long jogs on Sundays."

"And when do you go work at the clinic?"

"Wednesday's, Friday's and Saturday's. Why?" Sakura's eyes narrowed.

Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "I just want to know what keeps Sakura-chan so busy!"

As they crossed the threshold into the cafeteria Sakura fought to keep her breathing even. She hissed to Naruto. "Why do you need to know everything about me so bad?"

They walked together to the lunch counter; a few guys in varsity jackets looked her way. Sakura edged a little closer to Naruto and kept her eyes trained on the food a few feet away.

"Well, I told you..." Naruto held his hands up like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't buy it! I think you and Sasuke are playing hero and trying to protect me." Sakura gripped the seams of her skirt. She felt so frustrated, so helpless. It was driving her mad. She didn't want to face high school by herself but she also didn't need people to appoint themselves her knight protectors! She wasn't a damned damsel of any kind!

Sakura looked up and realized a few people were staring at her. She sucked in a breath and marched to the lunch counter, head held high. She savagely pulled a tray to herself and pushed down the counter.

Beside her Naruto looked over his shoulder. "Jeez, Sakura-chan, haven't you ever played Capture the Flag? Don't draw attention to yourself in enemy territory."

"This isn't enemy territory! This is the cafeteria."

"True." Naruto looked around like he was taking it in. Then he grinned at one of the lunch ladies. "Anyway, is it so bad to have people to back you up?"

"I...but you just met me!"

"So?"

Confronted with logic like that Sakura could think of nothing to say. One of the lunch ladies filled her tray with hot food while another took Naruto's Styrofoam ramen bowl with an indulgent grin and filled it with boiling water. At the checkout Naruto bought a cold bottle of green tea, presumably for Sasuke. Sakura showed her meal card and was waved through.

Sakura nodded to the one way exit door past the check out. It was the long way around but it seemed wiser than testing the crowd again while laden with food. Naruto seemed to agree.

They stepped away from the counter and Sakura almost smiled. They were nearly home free. Then she froze when she noticed a girl talking to two of the jocks. Her name was Ayako Yamada and she was Root. She wasn't an athlete, but ever since Mr Hatake had recommended Sakura for the academic decathlon the year before, Ayako only had sneers for the teacher's pet.

Before Sakura could think about slipping out of the cafeteria Ayako look her way. The two girls stared at each other for a moment that felt impossibly long. Then Ayako frowned and Naruto was calling Sakura's name and the moment ended.

"Be right there," Sakura called to Naruto. When she looked back at Ayako, she was tugging on the varsity jacket sleeve of the boy next to her and pointing at Sakura.

Sakura felt ice cold and as more of the jocks turned to look at her she wanted to withdraw into herself and disappear.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto was at her side. He gestured to the side door.

Sakura gave a sharp nod and all but bolted through it.

As soon as she sat down at the lunch table Sakura released the breath she had been holding. Her hands were shaking so hard she dropped them into her skirt and pressed into her lap.

It wasn't until she looked up and saw the strange look Ino was giving her - from across the table - that she realized she had sat next to Sasuke without a thought. Her face grew hot and she immediately set to eating.

By the look of things, Sasuke had already finished his lunch. He accepted the bottled tea from Naruto with "hn." He gave Sakura a sidelong glance and then turned his attention to his drink.

Naruto had plopped down beside Ino and blew on his ramen with impatience.

Sakura shoveled corn into her mouth hardly daring to think about how strange her life had become. But she was becoming aware of an intense gaze from across the table. Ino looked like she was ready to explode.

"Mh!" Sakura flushed and swallowed her food hard. "Sorry! I got distracted." She gave her table-mates apologetic looks. "Sasuke-kun this is Ino Yamanaka. Ino, this is Sasuke-..." She had felt so rushed to introduce them the suffix flew out of her mouth before she knew it. And when she heard it she realized it gave away a lot about herself...including the fact that she couldn't recall Sasuke's last name. "...uhhh..."

"Uchiha." He finished. Sasuke's voice was grave and steady. His eyes were closed like nothing around him could touch him.

Ino gave an uncertain smile. "Nice to meet you." Her eyes flickered to Sakura and then Naruto and back with a twinkle.

Oh right. "Ino," continued Sakura, "this is-"

"Naruto Uzumaki! At your service!" Naruto had actually jumped up so he could plant a foot on the bench and hold out a hand for Ino to shake.

Ino's eyes went wide and Sakura giggled. Ino tentatively took Naruto's hand and was nearly thrown out of her seat as he grasped her hand and shook it like he was trying to get ketchup out of a particularly stubborn bottle. Sakura couldn't help but laugh harder when Ino caught Naruto's hand with her free one and pried herself loose.

"Yosh! Now we're all friends!" Triumphant, Naruto resumed his seat and dug into his ramen.

Ino was giving Sakura a magnificently dirty look. "What interesting friends you have, Sakura." Ino spoke through gritted teeth, as if she would rather bite her than speak.

"Ah..." Sakura giggled just a little more before she could settle down. "We just met yesterday. I don't know that we're really friends."

"Sure we are!" responded Naruto with a grin.

Sakura gave Naruto a look. Such a strange guy. "Well anyway they keep popping up everywhere ever since I went to detention yesterday."

"Just morning training, it's not like we're stalking you." If Sakura didn't know any better she could imagine Sasuke was pouting.

"Well, I didn't know you'd be there, and I didn't know you track me down at lunch, either!"

"Sakura-chan, we have to know that you're ok!"

Sakura felt the old irritation creep up her spine. "You don't have to do anything. Especially if it means interrupting what I was already doing."

"So you met at detention, huh?" Ino was looking at each of the three in turn. "I guess that's where the fun is."

"Well, I don't like to brag..." began Naruto.

"Yeah, right," jumped in Sakura. "And with Mr Hatake making sure everyone knows everyone else's business it's just a party." She gave Naruto a dirty look.

"Hey, I'm good with knowing other people's dirt!" Ino's eyes gleamed. "Maybe I should figure out how to get myself into detention." She grinned at Sakura and gave a tiny nod toward Sasuke.

"Yeah right...wouldn't your parents just love it if you showed up late to your shift at the flower shop because you were at detention." Sakura rolled her eyes.

Ino looked like she desperately wanted to stick her tongue out at Sakura but didn't dare with two hot guys looking at her. She sat back and gather herself then straightened up with a smirk. "So anyway, detention - that was when you decided you needed to team up to protect little Sakura? Aww... just like the Three Musketeers!"

"Huh?" Now Naruto was confused.

"Tch." Sasuke turned his head like the conversation was beneath him.

"Ino!" Sakura tried to shove a warning note into the name, letting her friend know not to press it. Anyway, this was nothing like the Three Musketeers. "You've never even read that book. And anyway," she turned her attention to the boys, "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah you did a great job of that this morning." Sasuke drawled.

Ino spoke before Sakura think of something cutting to say to Sasuke. "Wait, you guys were there? Sakura said some of Taro's friends came to her training looking for payback!"

"Yeah!" jumped in Naruto. "Those guys tried to trip her up and then when me and Sasuke got in the way they were gonna totally start a fight!"

"Oh my gosh, so you guys did save Sakura!" Ino leaned in, just dying to know all the details. It was Sakura's turn to pretend the conversation had nothing to do with her and dug into her cooling lunch.

Sakura felt her face burn as Naruto breathlessly recounted how Kimichi and Shinichiro had challenged her to a race. Then how they tripped her and Naruto made himself sound like a complete hero, making sure Sakura got out of the way before he faced down the two athletes in front of him.

Ino looked completely entranced. She only stopped Naruto once. "Wait, I don't get it. How could Sakura totally punch out Taro but Kimichi and Shinichiro were too much? Sakura, how DID you break Taro's nose? He's more than a foot taller than you!"

Sakura gave an uncomfortable shrug. Without looking up from her tray she said, "I hit him with the whole school."

At Ino's baffled look Naruto resumed the tale, noting that two versus one was far more challenging, especially the way they were on either side of Sakura.

It never occurred to Ino to ask just how Sakura got clear. Sakura had finished her food and looked down at her lap. Her arm was wrapped around her waist, just where... She looked to the side and found Sasuke looking at her at the same time. They both looked away.

Sakura finished off her juice and stood up. "I'm gonna go throw this away. Got any trash?" Barely paying any attention, Naruto and Ino pushed the remains of their lunch onto her tray. Sasuke stood up with the wrappers from his sandwiches and empty bottle.

When Sakura stepped away to carry everything to the trash bin, Sasuke walked along side her. She knew she was being completely irrational but she just couldn't stop the words coming out of her mouth as she muttered, "What, you don't think I can take out the trash on my own?"

At the bin Sakura waited with arms crossed as Sasuke tossed in his own items. He looked at her. "You can probably take a pounding, and you might deserve it, but you don't have to."

Sakura blinked at his sudden words. She wanted to quip that was more than she had heard him say in two days but she felt tongue tied. She managed to squeak out, "I can handle a fight!" She closed her mouth with a click. She didn't sound particularly convincing.

"Maybe. You sent one guy to the hospital. But what're you going to do when they gang up again?"

Sakura ground her teeth. She had been thinking the same thing for a while and she still didn't know what to do about it. "You guys don't even know me. You shouldn't get involved."

"I think it's too late for that."

Sakura grumbled. "Why do you let Naruto drag you into other people's problems, anyway?"

"I do not!" Sasuke forced himself back to calm. "They're not going to stop." He stared at her.

Sakura had to fight to keep from fidgeting. "I don't care. They aren't going to make me stop training or anything else." She hadn't been thinking that, but as soon as she said it she knew it was true. The whispers in class or the intimidation on the field wasn't going to keep her from her goals.

"Hn." Responded Sasuke. They turned to walk back to the table. "The worst thing about Naruto is that he never ever gives up." Sakura shot Sasuke a confused look. He gave her a smirk. "It's also the best thing about him."

Ah the relief of finishing a chapter, proofreading, uploading and double checking it. So nice to know it's done and going live. And the relief is all too quickly followed by panic that I have to write another one... At least I'm figuring out where this story is going. Sort of. Slowly.