Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: High School AU. Sasuke is a model student and Sakura is a rebel. Sasuke tries to figure out the meaning of love.

Rating: K+

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School, Love and a Motorbike

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What is love?

Sasuke was sitting on the bench in the park near the school and staring up into the pastel blue sky above him blankly. The light wind played with unruly strands of his black hair that always refused to be combed flat and stuck out in the back of his head. Sasuke's school uniform was buttoned up properly, despite the warm weather on this May afternoon, but he didn't notice the minute discomfort, too busy with his inner thoughts to pay mind to such an insignificant detail.

What did he really know about love?

He knew about familial love – it was in his mother's warm smiles and his father's proud looks directed at him, it was in Itachi's teasing pokes on the forehead. He knew about friendship – it was in shared lunches and playing football with Naruto in their free time, it was in all the lighthearted, childish arguments and scuffles and later acting as if nothing really happened. He knew also about school crushes – the girls were trailing after him constantly ever since puberty hit, sending him love letters, fighting each other incessantly and drowning him in loud proclamations of their feelings, but never trying to learn about the true him.

None of these were the love he meant; the love he constantly saw in television, read about in novels for the literature class – the romantic love. And even though he was sure his parents loved each other that way, they kept it for the private moments just between them, letting their sons glimpse only small signs of affection from time to time.

Sasuke realized he didn't really know anything about love. And even if he saw it a thousand times, he still wouldn't know anything unless he experienced it for himself.

He sighed and put an arm over his eyes, shading them from the sun's bright glare. Now he was surrounded by cosy, welcoming dark and the lulling rustle of tree leaves on the wind. A few birds chirped in the distance.

The image of a girl sprang to life in his mind – short pink hair, wide green eyes and a charming smile. She was dressed just like he had seen her that one day a month ago, when she had stormed into the classroom later than even their perpetually tardy teacher Kakashi. Clad in a messy school uniform, with the eschew ribbon, a very short skirt, from under which peeked out the tight black shorts, high combat boots instead of compulsory slippers and a leather jacket, she had been far from the image of an ordinary schoolgirl. She'd had no homework or words of apology but a load of bad attitude, so Kakashi had ordered her to sit down next to Sasuke, who was a model student.

Sasuke remembered well how she had made a face at being assigned a new seat when she had already had a perfect one in the back of the classroom next to that mousy Hyuuga, however surprisingly she'd complied without a word, sauntering straight up to him and planting herself on the free space on his right. The Uchiha inhaled, trying to bring back the scent of her perfume which had enveloped him in that moment.

Her name was Sakura.

He had known her before as she had attended the same schools with him since the elementary grade, but they had never had a proper conversation. They had a few mutual friends, like Naruto or Ino, however until a month ago they had just stayed in their own circles, like separate planets in the same star system.

Until their orbits collided.

Sakura had bad grades which he found an exasperating and endearing thing, as she was able to answer just about any question asked in the class, ranging from human immunological system to classic poetry, however not long after seating them together Kakashi had had a brilliant idea to make Sasuke her tutor. Sasuke had right away recognized that with her superior intellect, the lack of knowledge wasn't a real problem, but her unwillingness to do well on written tests.

Trying to teach her was unnecessary, therefore logically the time he was supposed to spend tutoring Sakura, they used just to hang out together. She was incredibly easy to talk to and the reserved Uchiha had found himself opening up to her more than to anyone else in his life. In return, he had learned a lot about her – her family, her likes and dislikes, her goals for the future. And their bond grew stronger and stronger by each day, until he felt like he knew her for years.

Others were quick to notice the new closeness between the top student Uchiha and that rebel girl Haruno. Some of them, like their friends, were astonished but accepting, others – like Sasuke's fangirls – opposed it with heartbroken tears and empty threats. Sasuke was thankful the rumours still hadn't reached his parents as he honestly had no idea how they would react.

He didn't even know how to define this relationship. Just this morning, before class had started, Naruto had asked him seriously if Sakura was his girlfriend. Sasuke didn't know what to say in return, so he quickly changed the topic without giving a response. But the question had stayed on his mind all day, never letting him rest.

What is love? Did he love Sakura? Did she love him?

She is just using him. She only wants to show off the rich, popular guy on her arm. He's nothing but an accessory to her. She doesn't care about him. She's going to get bored with him soon and dump him.

Sasuke frowned as he recalled the words overheard in the school corridors. However, seeing as they were spoken by jealous girls who didn't know Sakura at all, he felt fairly certain they were all lies. What he heard about himself wasn't any better.

He's just going through a phase. She doesn't mean anything to him. He's hanging out with her out of pity. The teacher ordered him to and he does it all for his perfect grade. He doesn't even want to be around her, he's forced to.

All of these made up falsities angered him. He was not going through a phase and he wasn't spending time with her because of Kakashi or out of pity. He wanted to see her, everyday, and he enjoyed being with her. He cared for Sakura, that was something he was more than sure of.

But was he in love with her?

The subtle sounds of the park were drown out by the rumbling of some vehicle's engine. A loud honk got Sasuke's attention and he looked to the street in irritation, which quickly morphed into happy excitement.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun! Over here!" Sakura waved to him. She was half-sitting on the aggressively red motorbike, with one leg touching the ground firmly. It was gleaming in the sun, as if she had just driven out of a carwash. Sasuke stood up from the bench and strode to her, hands in pockets and the school bag slung over his shoulder.

"Sakura. What's up?" he asked easily.

She shook her hair out of her eyes and smiled. "I was just passing through and I saw you there all alone. Everything alright?"

"Yeah." Sasuke didn't feel like bringing the subject of his musings at this moment. Maybe in the future, when he'd come to some conclusions...

"So, want to go on a ride with me?" Sakura offered nonchalantly, but the anxious look she gave him hinted that his answer was more important to her than she dared to admit.

"Sure," he just agreed.

Sakura gave him a brilliant smile that made something in his stomach squirm and fly around giddily. Sasuke kept up his cool and hopped on the motorbike behind her.

Sakura revved the engine. "Hold on tight!" she said and he slipped his arms around her trim waist.

Without preamble, they took off, quickly accelerating up to the speed limit. Sakura drove expertly, knowing the streets of their hometown like the back of her hand. Even though this was the first time she took him on a ride, Sasuke found himself inexplicably trusting her. Her short pink hair flew around wildly, obscuring his vision, so he just closed his eyes and lost himself in this world of speed, wind and Sakura.

Pressed snugly against her leather-clad back, his head buried against her shoulder and his arms clamped around her fit middle, Sasuke basked in this new, wonderful feeling that filled him with joy. He finally found his answer.

Hn.

So this must be love.

AN: Inspiration for this chapter – Ryuko's red motorbike – that's why it had to be High School AU. Music: Elvis Presley "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You".

My exams are starting, so most probably next update will be in July.

Hope you enjoyed this little story :)