Chapter Eight

A/n:Yup, I'm back after two weeks...but hey you can't blame me! Last week I was like mega booked; OMEA Solo & Ensemble Contest, three day show choir audition -which I'm pretty sure I didn't get in considering I came there late because of contest and a car accident on the highway and didn't know the moves-, a bridal shower meeting, a 100 points Spanish project, and three exams this week. Yea...I was a little busy, nothing much you know. (Hint the sarcasm)

Moving away from my busy life though and onto the fanfic, so I asked you guys, the readers, and some of you said that it was a bit rushed. And yes I'm quite aware that it's rushed and I'm sorry about it but trust me it'll finally blend together eventually. I have the whole story planned out so keep reviewing and there will be updates :)

Sakura stood in front of the prestigious Konoha High with a gym bag in hand, she couldn't believe that she was actually going to except the invitation. Sighing, Sakura gathered what was left of her sane self and trudged up the stairs. The double doors gently swung open effortlessly and a cold spring breeze blew in, Sakura quietly shut it and began walking down the semi dark hallway.

Suddenly, a chair fell out of nowhere, crushing the eerie silence. It wobbled on its legs before it crashed on its back. One of the feet unloosened and rolled down the floor like a lost penny, it hit the leather of Sakura's gym shoe and was put to a stop. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as a chill ran down her spine, she shivered.

'It's probably just the wind, a window must be open.' Sakura reassured herself, there was no such thing as ghosts, right?

Side-stepping the mysterious fallen chair, she began heading down the dimly lilt hallway, gripping the strap of her bag slightly. Turning the corner, she came to an abrupt stop, a red substance covered the area from floor to ceiling. The heavy scent of iron knocked her off her feet, it was strong beyond normal. Pinching her nose, attempting to block the uninvited scent into her nostrils, she swiftly turned around and left.

'This... isn't normal.' Sakura's paced increased as terrifying memories surged back; unwanted tears came cascading down her rosy cheeks.

Timid whimpers escaped her soft pink lips, thunder rolled through the unforgettable night, it shook the black van going at 100 mph. The gnarled ropes cut against her small wrists as the cotton bag over her head suffocated her. Afraid...shock...scared...all of the negative feelings in the world enveloped her small figure. All she remembered was she was walking home when a black van pulled up and she was shoved into the back-not without a fight of course- and after that...nothing else registers her mind. Suddenly she felt a hard kick to the gut as a slap followed right after.

"That's for the kick and clawing earlier brat." A snobby guy sneered.

"W-where are you taking m-me...," Sakura's voice slowly faded into a hiccup as a strong blow came for her gut again, her abdomen exploded in pain. Biting down on her lips, she managed to suppress the scream wanting to escape. There was no way she was going to show her weak side in front a bunch of snobby low life asshole.

Every hit she took, she felt her consciousness slipping away through her hands. But the final hit, she couldn't suppress it any longer as the pocket knife dug into her back, just between the shoulder blades. Her piercing scream echoed back into her own ear, blood seeped through her white blouse staining, a stain that will never wash off from the blouse or her mind. She couldn't believe her life would end in such a scarred way, her heavy eyelids droop shut as she lay in her own puddle of blood.

A warm, husky voice whispered in her ear in a soothing manner. "Hn, it's alright. It's just a prank Naruto and the rest played on some of the teachers."

Sakura couldn't care less about who it was but she buried her head into their chest. It didn't even matter; it didn't even matter if it was Yamanaka.

A pair of strong arms surrounded her, blocking any terrifying thoughts from coming into her. The haunting thoughts and nightmares of the night she was kidnapped stopped ever since she turned thirteen and realized that she couldn't be weak. She had to be strong in order to survive this cruel world. Memories flashed before her eyes, she squeezed them tightly shut, as if she could make them disappear. But the horrifying images didn't disappear instead they did the opposite, more and more images flashed through her eyes. Her drowning...her crying for help but her cries faded in with the thunder, booming so violently over the vast ocean. Her pink head bobbling at the surface...her arms flailing, trying to keep her head above the water...her eyes glossed with tears, stinging painfully as sea water splashed into them.

Sakura let out tiny whimpers as the images filled her mind, haunting her soul. The strong arms tighten around her, "Hn, its okay. Open your eyes Sakura."

Sakura shook her head, afraid that opening her eyes would make those images into reality.

"Sakura, open your eyes." The voice held a tone of command and sternness, leaving no room for argument.

Being the stubborn girl she was Sakura shook her head furiously.

"Sakura." The once gentle tone was gone.

Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open, a blob of black appeared in her line of vision. Blinking a few times, she realized that the blob was Sasuke.

"Hn, good you not dead." Sarcasm and mockery laced around his words.

Sakura frowned, thinking that he was being sincere. But she was easily mistaken. "Hn, you're still a jerk."

Sasuke lips tilted upward into a smirk, the rosette surely knew how to come back with a witty reply.

"Hn, you're still annoying."

"Hn, you're still an asshole." Sakura bit back as the event last week replayed itself in her head.

Sakura wobbly stood up, dusting herself. Taking a step forward, she unexpectedly lost her footing and tripped. She groped for the wall, steadying herself. The hand on her forearm want unnoticed as Sakura gathered her things and unstably walked down the hallway.

Sasuke sighed and got up too and followed the rosette.

She looked so fragile with her shoulders hunched over and tears blurring her emerald eyes. Her footsteps were clumsy, unlike her usual strong strides that took her to her destination in mind. Here, they seemed to be lost, uncertainty led the way.

Her steps slowed down as her head hung low. As if sensing the rosette's tiredness, Sasuke came up behind her and just in time too. Sakura crumpled to the ground but not before Sasuke caught her by the arm.

Sakura's head rolled onto his shoulder, her warm breath fanned against his neck, causing a shiver to run down his spine. He draped her slender arm around his neck and carried her bridal style to the sleepover. His silhouette slowly disappeared around the corner.

Little did he know that his friends planned the whole thing, a certain blond high five his friends and squeezed a blushing heiress into bear hug.

The morning sunlight unmercifully beamed into Sakura's eyes. Letting out a groan of displeasure, Sakura pulled the collar of the jacket over her head, an attempt in blocking the sun's unpleasant rays.

She caught a whiff of a sweet, woody and fresh scent among the fabric. It was alluring, Sakura sighed and held it close to her button nose, and it was addictive. Taking in another whiff, she felt herself lost in la la land. Cuddling closer to the heater, she felt it move.

Move?

Sakura snapped her eyes wide open and pulled the jacket off her head. Groggily, Sakura propped herself up and checked her surroundings. She appeared to be in some type of lounge, a fancy one too. The room was white and had a red carpeted floor. Around the room, there were red and silver decorations. The Konoha High Logo was painted on the center wall with jerseys of Konoha High's top athlete hung in gold frames around it. In front of her was a glass coffee table, to her left was a white leather armchair and to the right was another one. It appeared to be that she was sitting on an L-shaped leather section.

Turning her head, she was shocked to find herself leaning ever so casually against a certain Uchiha, whom she hated. She hastily removed herself from him, but found herself tangled in a blanket. Sakura let out a squeak as she fell onto the floor, grabbing Sasuke down with her in the process.

The duo fell to the floor with an audible thump. Sasuke eyes widen in surprise, he was surely not expecting waking up to the sight of a pair of bright emerald eyes.

Realizing what just happen the two scattered apart. An awkward silence fell over.

"Uh...," Sakura began but her stomach growled hungrily causing blood to rise up to her face in embarrassment.

Sasuke smirked; he got up and grabbed his belongings. "Hn, come on."

Sakura just stared at him weirdly but hesitantly got up and followed him. "...what happen last night?"

Sasuke froze in mid stride; he opened his mouth to say something but was stop short by the loud growling of a certain rosette's stomach. Sakura blushed beet red, covering her stomach as if it her hands could block the loud growling from being heard.

Sakura frowned at the sight of the smirk on the Uchiha's face. Surely he was enjoying the embarrassing moment.

"Hn, we'll talk after breakfast."

Walking to the passenger's door, he opened it and gestured his hand. Sakura got into the expensive black car not so happy that she was sitting in the same car as the Uchiha. She didn't like it. Not one bit.

The car's engine purred to life as Sasuke effortlessly shifted out of the school's parking lot and drove onto the main road. After a while the suburbs' scenery of trees changed into the urban life of tall skyscrapers, they were in downtown Konoha.

A group of kids around the age of six to ten played hop scotch at the bottom of a closely spaced apartment. They laughed and smiled, each taking their turn at the chalked drawn hop scotch. Sakura smiled. On the other side of the road was a newspaper stand, a young man tapped his cap as they passed by in which Sasuke nodded in return.

Sasuke parked the car in front of what seemed to be a familiar looking café. He turned the engine off and stepped out of the car, reaching in his pocket and fumbling around for a few minutes, he pulled out some quarters and deposited them into a parking meter.

Turning around he looked at Sakura across the hood, "Hn, let's go."

Sakura walked into the cafe and felt that it was strangely familiar but she couldn't put a finger on it. 'Why does this place feel so familiar?'

"Sakura."

Sasuke's voice snapped her out of her pondering; he was standing at the cash register.

"What do you want?"

"Huh?" Sakura stared at him blankly. "...oh! It doesn't matter."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, annoyance clearly shown in them. Turning back to the silvery blue haired girl, "She'll have a caramel macchiato and Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream."

"Extra sugar?"

Sasuke looked at the spaced out rosette, "Aa."

The girl let out a small laugh, "Alright it's the Sakura Special then."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. Upon hearing the fairly familiar order, Sakura whipped her head towards the direction of the voice. Her eyes widen, it was Sayuki.

"Sayuki?"

The silvery blue haired girl looked up at the mentioning of her name and spotted her pink haired friend. "Sakura? Sakura!"

Sakura smiled brightly, "I knew that this place looked familiar!"

Sayuki came around the counter and hugged the rosette. "Seriously, you don't even recognize your own work place for the past what? 4, 5 years?" Sayuki shook her head mockingly, "Shame on you Sakura?"

"Oh whatever," Sakura playfully punched her in the arm. "Don't you have some orders to fulfill?"

Sticking her tongue out, Sayuki retreated back to her work space- behind the counter- and began getting their breakfast. She rang up their order, Sasuke pulled out a black credit card but a petite hand stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"Paying." Sasuke replied if it wasn't the obvious thing in the world.

Sakura sighed, turning her attention to Sayuki, she spoke. "Can you split the bill, thanks."

Knowing Sakura, Sayuki nodded and did what was asked.

"Hn, it's alright." Sasuke shrugged as he handed Sayuki his card.

"Just split the bill." Sakura replied as she dug around her gym bag for her wallet.

Sasuke rolled his eyes for the second time within ten minutes. He handed his card to Sayuki and motions her to move on.

"She's going to kill me for this," Sayuki incoherently muttered under her breath as she moved forward with the order.

"Found it." Sakura held her wallet in the air, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, smiling. Seeing that Sasuke was holding their breakfast and walking towards an empty table, Sakura frowned. "And I went through my bag to find my wallet for nothing."

Sayuki laughed her friend's child-like actions as she huffed over to the table and sat down.

Sakura sat down on the high stool moodily, but at the sight of her meal, it vanished. Taking her cup of coffee, she blew it and took a sip. Her taste buds danced with excitement as the coffee goodness entered and traveled down her throat, leaving a warm sensational feeling. A rare, bright smile spread across her pink lips. "Best coffee ever."

Setting her coffee down, she began eating her Belgian waffles pulled high with strawberries and whipped cream. She stuffed her mouth till it was full, not a single room left. Her table manners just flew out of the window. She swallowed it down with a big gulp of coffee, not caring that it was scalding hot. "Ichiraku Cafe is...awesome."

Sasuke smirked, then he noticed a smudge if whipped cream on her face, traveling from top of her pink lips to her stuffed chipmunk cheek. He inwardly laughed at the sight, finding that it was quite amusing. Looking down at his plate smirking, "Hn, you got some whipped cream on your face."

"Huh? Where?"

"On your lips."

Sakura took her napkin and wiped her lips, indeed there were some whipped cream on her face. "Good?"

Sasuke looked at her face, she got part of it. "Hn, there's still some left."

Wiping her face again, "Good?"

She was still missing the bit other her flushed cheeks. Reaching over the table, Sasuke took his thumb and wiped it off.

Sakura eyes widen slightly at the sudden contact. A warm feeling started to blossom in her chest as she felt herself blushing. 'Quit blushing like an idiot Sakura! Snap out of it, you're not like that!'

Sasuke too felt like an idiot. 'What the hell was that for?'

He couldn't put his mind around what he did. Actually he didn't even know why he did it, he just did it. Without a second thought either, which bothered him, he always thought of the consequences before doing anything. God, this girl is changing him, fast.

She took a deep breath in and averted her eyes elsewhere; the morning sunrise had stolen her full attention.

A small warm, rosy glow pierced the darkness. The glowing sphere rose slowly into the dull morning, casting sunbeams in every direction while it illuminated the city. It shone through the glass panes, lighting up the cafe bit by bit.

Sakura sat there drinking in the sunshine that slowly began to warm up her cool skin.

The mixture of yellow and orange melted away the dark morning as the radiant sun climbed higher into the sky. Moments later, the golden sun stood in its rightful place among the soft blue sky.

Suddenly, Sakura felt someone tapping her shoulder. Opening her eyes, a young boy around her age stood smiling brightly with a white dog sitting obediently at his feet. He had short, spiky brown hair. Under his eyes were what seemed like red triangles? "Hey, the name's Kiba."

Sakura was confused at why they were talking; she didn't even know the guy. "Okay...Sakura."

"I've made a bet with the girl at the register," he pointed at Sayuki, who seemed to watch the scene with amusement gleaming in her eyes. "She said that it was impossible to get more than two words out of you. So I want to prove that statement wrong."

Sakura looked over at the beaming Sayuki, who already knew the answer. Smirking she replied, "You lose."

Sasuke looked down and smirked behind his hands that were propped beneath his chin. The rosette surely knew how to throw comebacks.

Kiba stood there, his jaw dropped to the floor. He couldn't believe that he just got owned by a pink haired girl.

"You're drooling." Sakura pointed at her mouth.

"Huh?" Kiba touched his mouth and felt a slimy substance. He let out an embarrass chuckle as he wiped his face clean, "Oh...uh...nice meeting you Sakura."

"You too." Sakura nodded before turning her attention back to her wonderful cup of coffee, sighing blissfully as she drank it.

"Hn, you're weird."

Sakura glared at the young Uchiha, "Shut it."

"Why aren't you just a pocketful of sunshine?"

Sakura nearly choked. Was it just her or did the ice cube Uchiha just cracked a joked. Coughing uncontrollably, Sakura placed a napkin over her mouth just in case if the coffee was going to go everywhere.

"What?" Sasuke just looked at the girl as if she was going crazy.

"You...just cracked a joke?" Sakura sputtered once she recovered from her coughing.

"Hn," Sasuke shrugged like it was nothing. "You ready?"

"Y-yea, I guess." Sakura replied uncertainly, still shock from the joke.

Dumping her trash away, Sayuki motioned her over. "What's up?"

Sayuki smiled mischievously, "Are you two dating? Cause it's about time you found somebody!"

"W-what? We're just friends." Sakura stuttered, her blood stated to rise to her face once again.

"Oh really?" Sayuki crossed her arms across her chest. "Then explain your jacket."

Sakura was completely confused, "What do you mean? It's just a jacket."

Sayuki sighed, "Just a jacket? Why does it have the word 'Uchiha' on the back?"

'And this is the smart girl that got into Konoha High.'

'What is she talking about?'

Turning her head around, she looked at the mirror hanging on the wall. In the reflection she saw the letters of Uchiha etched across her shoulders. "Oh."

"Yea oh."

"But he's not my boyfriend."

"Oh whatever." Sayuki huffed. "Fine, he's your soul mate."

This earned her a punch on the arm, "Shut it."

Sayuki let out a laugh and shoved Sakura towards the exit, "Well Sakura my dear, you better get going. Your boyfriend is waiting for you."

Sakura looked outside to find Sasuke was causally leaning against his slick, black vehicle with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Aww...you better not keep your prince charming waiting."

"I hate you."

"I love you too Sakura."

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow at the rosette, who stomped outside, before he opened the passenger's door for her.

Looking up, Sakura found Sayuki mouthing some words. "Have fun Mrs. Uchiha."

Sakura glared at the silvery blue haired girl as they maneuver out of the parking space. Once they got onto the road, she leaned back against the leather seat and closed her eyes. 'We're just friends...right?'

A/n: Sorry if the ending isn't the best, it got erased somehow. But I hope you like it because I spent a ton of hours after school and staying up at night to create it, so review! Started writing this Monday and got finished with it Thursday night, so yea :) And a heads up this fanfic will be a long one, about 70 ish chapters or more, it depends. But anyways...REVIEW! :D