Author's Note: Hey guys! I think this might be a record for my updating time. :) Thanks so much for the reviews! Like I said, I'm trying to update as much as possible before I start school again, and even then I'll try to keep updating regularly. If there are any huge inconsistency/grammar errors in this chapter, feel free to tell me. And please tell me what you think, possibly in the form of a review? Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I lost myself in my artwork. Once I got my supplies I was painting harsh streaks of red on the canvas in front of me. As I worked, I tried not to think about what I had just seen. He doesn't know you anymore, I thought, Sasuke wouldn't date Karin if he still did. You know that. That trail of thought only made me feel like hiding in the bathroom and crying again, so instead I formed a mental image of Karin and painted out what I was feeling.

Sometimes, when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown (which didn't happen much my high school career - I was usually pretty composed) I would focus on what I was going to do that week. I would plan it down to every detail, to what I would wear, when I would go running - trivial things to keep my mind off of what was really bothering me. I never cried in front of anyone. I hate crying.

I hate feeling weak.

"That's, er, a nice painting Sakura." Hinata said before we left. "It's really bright."

I looked at my artwork for a second - admittedly, I hadn't been paying much attention to what I was painting. The red streaks were still there, mixed with bursts of orange and black. It wasn't very attractive.

I shrugged, imagining that I looked unfazed. "Yeah, it's still a work in progress. What are you painting, Hinata?"

Hinata quickly hid her painting. "It's a surprise," she grinned, "you can't look yet."

Deidara hadn't given us much of an assignment today. "Just... experiment with the paint and don't break anything." He had said, pinching the bridge of his nose. There had been a rumor that Deidara got these intense migraines because he was such a genius - was that what was happening now?

Realizing that I didn't really care, I said, "Show me when you're done then." Hinata probably painted a flower or something - she was a nice girl, but she really was predictable.

It was hard trying to talk to Sasuke in Calculus, but I did it. I had thought a lot while I was painting - I shouldn't be mad at Sasuke for not remembering me. It had been because of me that he couldn't remember, so I couldn't just blame him for it. Although I could target my rage at Karin...

It started when I noticed he was having a hard time writing. Of course! Sasuke was right-handed and he had broken his right arm! I had to force him to let me take notes for him last year because he was so stubborn.

Before class ended, I said. "Do you want me to make you copies of my notes?" I tried not to sound too hopeful, just in case.

Sasuke looked up from where he had been writing slowly (something that he had confessed was very irritating, I might add), and said, "No thanks, I have my own way of taking notes - anything else would be too confusing." That, or he was just really anal about how he organizes his stuff.

I was one step ahead of him. "Like this?" I held up my notes to show him. Last year, for this very reason, I had adapted Sasuke's note-taking and made it my own. Doing it now was only a lucky habit.

Sasuke smirked a little. "Yeah," he said. "That's good. Thank you."

I promised to make him copies after school so he could use them the next day.

When I got home, I cried. I couldn't help myself. After being repressed, thoughts about Sasuke choosing Karin instead of me overwhelmed me and before I knew it I was sobbing openly in my room.

Thankfully, my parents had decided to go out to dinner, so it was just me. As far as I could tell, they had forgotten that I had been friends with Sasuke, too. The only one who remembered was me, and maybe not even for very long. I would die soon, I realized, if I didn't get him to love me.

And would it be better for him? I thought, miserably, if he was stuck with me? I had acted like a total bitch the last time I had spoken to him at that party. Maybe he would be better off if he didn't remember me, and got to live the rest of his life with girls that would treat him well. Love him at the same time, even.

Of course, I didn't mean Karin, but...

I sat on my bed, feeling horrible. What was it that Sasuke saw in me that made him like me before? It wasn't like I had really changed, had I? What had made him love me, when all he did was look right through me now? I honestly couldn't think about it.

After I had cried myself out, I felt hollow - the shell of someone who had once been happy, but not anymore. I sat on my bed, silently, gazing at the pink walls of my room. God, I felt shallow. Had I always acted this way?

It was then that I made a decision: I was done pretending. Done with trying to make people like me - how had that worked out for me lately? Not very well. At least, not with the people that I had been trying to impress. I would work on being a better person - nicer. If this was going to be the last year of my life then, dammit, I wouldn't be the jerk who broke my best friend's heart.

I wouldn't stop trying to be Sasuke's friend. I had to make it up to him somehow - the guilt I felt about that night. But now that I wasn't trying to save my life, I could stop focusing on how I looked (even though it was still important to some extent) and if I was being flirty enough.

I would be his friend. Somehow. I could give him that, and if this was the last months that I would live, I think I deserved that much. I could afford some selfishness, at least.

As much as I hated seeing Sasuke with Karin, at least he was happy.

The next day, I looked different. I didn't wake up early to fix my make-up and hair. I didn't plan my outfit the night before, and I didn't try to come up with new ways to talk to Sasuke when I was supposed to be doing something else (like listening to what Tenten was saying).

"Sakura," Tenten said when she saw me, "you look... different."

"Yeah." I shrugged. "I just got tired of making an effort, you know? Senioritus, I guess."

Tenten gave me a funny expression, and then continued with what she was going to say. "Look, I'm sorry about this, but can you take the homecoming pictures at the dance this weekend? The freshmen I assigned to manage it flaked out at the last minute. Please?"

If she had asked the person I was last year, I would have said no. I would have said it so rudely that she would have wished that she hadn't said anything. I didn't even want to do it this year - the homecoming dance, although I had enjoyed it in the past few years, held no appeal to me anymore now that I didn't have the same group of friends. In fact, I was just planning on staying home and watching some sappy movies instead.

Instead, I said. "Yeah, okay."

Tenten's face lit up, and I realized that she was really pretty. Why hadn't I noticed that before? "Thank you so much, Sakura! I owe you for this!" She disappeared in the hallway after that, leaving me to go to my first period alone.

"What does your dress look like for the homecoming dance, Ino?" Ami asked my former best friend (even though she didn't know it) in Biology.

Ino described what I remembered was her dress from last year - a pretty, short dark blue dress. That had been the night that she had started dating Shikamaru. I would miss that this year, too. "I just hope Kiba doesn't forget to get a corsage." Ino sighed.

"Oh yeah, you're going with him, right?" Ami looked suddenly interested. She was always a gossiper.

"Yeah." Ino replied. "He asked me last week. Anyway, what does your dress look like?"

Kiba? Ino was supposed to go with Shikamaru! That was how they got together! And Kiba was a jerk, anyway. I should know, I dated him for half the year.

Shikamaru, who was sitting on Ino's other side, looked uncaring. I wonder who he was going with - or if he was even going to go, since Ino had ended up dragging him along. This was also strange, I had thought that all of the things that had happened last year (like Sasuke breaking his arm) would occur the second time around too.

"Are you going to the dance, Shikamaru?" Ami asked my other former friend.

Shikamaru looked at her like she was crazy. "And spend time in a room full of idiots? Nah."

I scoffed - typical Shikamaru. It was weird, last year he was crazy about Ino and now he seemed uncaring. Jealousy, maybe? I had been the only person who knew Shikamaru liked Ino for years, and that was just because I had to pester it out of him. Ino hadn't even known - she had just taken Shikamaru to the homecoming dance last year because she couldn't find anyone else that she wanted to go with.

"That's it!" I hissed, startling Hinata, who was working intensely on a worksheet beside me.

"What?" Hinata said.

"Hinata," I replied, "I have a brilliant plan that I need your help with." If I could pull this off, I would be one step closer to befriending Ino and Shikamaru. And closer to Sasuke. Plus, if everything worked out, I could get Hinata and Naruto together. This was perfect!

"What does it entail?" She asked dubiously. We had gotten to know each other better the past couple of weeks, and I had realized that Hinata wasn't weird and quiet - just shy. She opened up to me after spending more time together, and now I wondered why I hadn't realized how awesome she was before.

"Help me with homecoming photos," I begged, "and I promise that you won't regret it. Come on Hinata, please?"

"I guess I can," Hinata said, "it's not like I have anything better planned."

I filled her in on my plan for the rest of the class period. I could tell Hinata was a little confused at what I was insisting on doing, but willing to help nonetheless. It was nice to have someone who trusted you so much. She reminded me of Ino so much.

After school, I found Shikamaru where he normally was - at his locker, waiting for Ino. He used to wait for me, but I pushed that painful memory to the side hastily. Now wasn't the time for me to be getting emotional.

"Hey." I said.

Shikamaru turned around lazily, his eyes widening a little when he saw me. "Hey," he said, a little unsure, "you're in my biology class, right?" I didn't bother to remind him that we were in Calculus together too.

"Yep!" I said. "We argued about mitosis the other day."

He looked uncomfortable, which wasn't surprising. Shikamaru had a close circle of friends that he didn't like disturbed; I would have to get my point across quickly if I wanted him to focus. "I heard you aren't going to the homecoming dance," I began, "would you like to go together?"

He looked a little wary. I couldn't blame him, it wasn't like we talked that much anymore, but he had to say yes. "Er," he said, "I think I might have something-"

"Liar." I interrupted him. "Look, I know you like Ino and don't want to see her going to homecoming with that jerk, Kiba." He couldn't argue with that. "Don't you think she needs a friend to make sure she's okay? I heard he tries to feel up girls on the first date." It was the second really (I should know, and no I did not let him), but it had my desired effects. Shikamaru looked like he was actually thinking about it.

"Just come with me." I said, trying not to sound like I was pleading. "I'll be taking pictures for most of the time anyway."

"Okay." Shikamaru sounded exasperated. "I don't... I mean, I don't usually go to dances. But, I'll do it."

Yes! "Cool." I said, hoping I seemed nonchalant. "You don't even have to pick me up or anything - I'll be there really early setting up. Just save me a dance, okay?" If my plan went well, he would be too busy dancing with Ino.

"Fine." He sighed.

I began to walk away, but then turned back around. "I'm wearing red. Try to coordinate your outfit with mine!"

He gave me another wary look, but I didn't care. For once, I was taking control of this hellhole - and it was working.

That Friday, I didn't have to document the game - Tenten had one of the newer members, a girl named Matsuri, do it. Instead, I was decorating the gym with about ten other people who were part of the Dance Committee.

Thankfully, I had Hinata with me to help set up my camera equipment near the entrance. It was fun, surprisingly. Once we had finished deciphering the various cords and installed everything successfully, Hinata and I started to help the others, who were grateful for our assistance.

The dance was decorated in our school colors - silver and black - with streamers and food-laden (well, junk food) tables with black table cloths.

"Everything is going according to plan." I said, as I stapled a particularly stubborn silver streamer to the wall. "Now I just need to make sure Shikamaru and I match..."

"Good luck with that, Sakura." Hinata shook her head, handing me a decorative star to slap on over the streamer.

"How much more of these are there?" I demanded, brandishing another paper star.

Hinata surveyed her stack of the glittery decorations. "Maybe twenty?"

I sighed. "I never realized how much work was put into these things. I never help out with this."

"Me either." Hinata confided. "I usually just stay at home."

"It'll be fun." I promised.

She smiled. "Thanks, Sakura."

We continued to staple those blasted stars one by one on the walls, until Hinata's stack disappeared. It didn't look bad - in fact, I'd say we did a pretty good job.

"Ooh, Sakura!" One of the freshmen on the Dance Committee said. "That looks really good!"

"Thanks." I winked.

It was almost time for the dance to start, so I dragged Hinata into the bathroom where we changed into our dresses. Mine was a strapless red dress that reached my knees, and I left my hair down. Hinata's was off-the-shoulder and black (I had talked her into that one), which made her look elegant in ways that I knew I couldn't pull off.

"Does it look okay?" She sounded nervous.

"Hinata, you look great." I assured her. "Now come here, I need to do your hair."

I fixed Hinata's hair into an updo - something simple to compliment her dress. After that I did her make up, making her unusual eyes stand out. Hinata looked beautiful - why hadn't I seen it before?

After adjusting my own make-up, I declared us ready to go. We ditched our old clothes back at my car, and then made our way back into the gymnasium, where the Dance Committee was running around in a panic, making last-minute adjustments to decorations, lighting, etc. Hinata and I took our places at our station, preparing for people to arrive.

At first, they just trickled in awkwardly, like a tiny stream of water. Then, after a few minutes, they started arriving in hoards. It was hard to imagine that I was one of those people last year - fitting in, with a large number of friends. In a way, I missed it. I missed Sasuke, and I missed Ino and Shikamaru. But I was glad I had Hinata, and Tenten (even if we didn't get along all the time).

I didn't realize how busy I would be, taking everyone's picture. There were a lot of couples, but some people just wanted pictures with their friends. "Smile!" I said, for what felt like the seventieth time - even though Hinata assured me that it had only been twenty minutes - and snapped a picture of a group of girls.

"So," Shikamaru showed up suddenly behind me, "is this what you're going to be doing all night?"

"Hopefully not!" I grinned. I had been wondering if he was actually going to come. "You're late, by the way." I noticed that Shikamaru didn't quite match with me - he was wearing a sort of burgundy tie - but it was close. I appreciated the effort.

"Sorry." Shikamaru didn't sound apologetic. "I sort of... forgot."

Of course. "Well, at least you're here now." I said.

"Have we met before?" Shikamaru said, suddenly.

"We've had classes together since middle school." I said, adjusting the focus on my camera. "Why?"

"I dunno." Shikamaru said. "I can't describe it."

Did he remember me from before? I never got to think of a tactful way to ask, because Ino and Kiba approached us, wanting a picture. Ino, to my delight, didn't look like she was enjoying herself. Perfect, now all I had to do was get Kiba to go away...

"Just take the picture." Ino said tiredly, standing next to Kiba. He put his arm around her shoulders, but awkwardly.

After I took the picture, she realized that Shikamaru was standing next to me. "Shikamaru!" Ino brightened. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"I wasn't." Shikamaru said. "Sakura sort of forced me."

I glared at him. "We're going as friends." I told her. Don't mind me, I thought.

Ino eyed me. It was strange - like she had just realized I was there. Sort of the same way Shikamaru had looked at me earlier that week. I pretended to be looking at pictures I had already taken while Ino whispered something to Shikamaru. "Save me," she said, "please. Kiba's getting on my last nerve."

I didn't even bother to pretend that I wasn't eavesdropping. "You know, Shikamaru." I said, feeling smug. "I'm probably going to be this busy all night. You should go dance with Ino."

"Well, if you're sure you'll be okay." Shikamaru looked more interested in the prospect of doing anything with Ino than anything else. I was glad I talked him into coming.

Ino sort of ditched Kiba after that. Not that he seemed to care, really. My ex-boyfriend (could I still call him that when, technically, we hadn't actually gone out yet?) ended up hitting on a freshman girl who seemed enthralled by him.

"Stage one of the plan complete." I whispered to Hinata as I watched Ino and Shikamaru slow-dancing. Soon, they would be a couple thanks to me. Hopefully, I could befriend them soon.

I turned back to my camera, feeling proud of myself. I loved being a matchmaker, and doing it for my friends when they didn't even know it was thrilling, in a way. Although, I sort of wished they still knew who I was.

"Hurry up!" Someone gripped at me. I looked up, to see Karin and Sasuke (who looked bored, I noticed) standing in front of me.

Damn. In my haste to put Ino and Shikamaru together, I had forgotten about this - Sasuke would be here. "Smile." I said, halfheartedly, and took their picture. Karin smiled a little too cutely, and Sasuke just smirked.

I watched Karin drag Sasuke off to the dance floor after the picture, and I felt my heart sink as I watched them slow dance. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to my camera. I had managed to get closer to befriending Shikamaru, and maybe Ino. I would just have to work harder.