Disclaimer: Naruto don't belong to me

A/N: A gloomy day, for some gloomy writing but it is not all gloomy! Enjoy!

…..

Time passes by quickly, some are too busy to notice and some are too painfully aware of it as they sit and watch it go by.

Sakura was stuck in the middle, she was always busy during the week, her weekends she felt too alone and aware. She watched as Naruto asked Hinata out, she watched as he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife. She watched them get married and now they were planning to have their first child.

She watched her friends move out of their apartments to live with their lover, she watched as they got that promotion, she saw it all fly by. Yet she was stuck in the same place for the past few years. The feeling was beginning to suffocate her.

Once again she listened to Ino turn her down to a night of fun that she needed, this time Sai was sick and she had to be with him. Tenten turned her down yesterday saying she had a project due and her boss was on her back to get it done. Hinata had agreed to meet two days ago but had to run out on her because her sister needed someone to pick her up at college since her car had broken down. Something always came up and she saw less and less of her friends. She wasn't mad at them though.

She knew it wasn't their fault, she knew they still cared, but it still hurt, being left alone, having to lie about not being alone. In their group chat, she'd feel so out of place at times. When Ino complained about how Sai was being clingy and Tenten talked about her little dates with Neji. She didn't have anyone, she was always busy back then to have a relationship, but now she sort of craved it. Well she wasn't completely sure if it was that, or what it was, she just knew something was missing, she was hurting.

Alone.

My Sassy Ladies

Ino pig: Guys I got an article written on my Salon!

Hina: OMG Congratulations girl!

Ten10: Not freaking surprised tho haha u the best I know

Ino pig: oh stop :^) teehee

Sakura: OMG babe congrats you deserve it!

Ino pig: THANKS GUYS, so Sai is insisting we celebrate. Backyard bbq this weekend with just friends!

Hina: Will be there for sure

Ten10: Sai is speaking my kinda language

Sakura: IKR I'd bring a cake!

Ino pig: I am so excited been a while since we did this

Ten10: IKR ahhh let's get lit

Hina: Oh no someone stop her

Sakura: lol

Sakura placed her phone on the towel on the wide rim space of the tub and took up her glass of wine up and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of soft piano playing in the background ignoring the sound of her phone going off. She was happy for Ino of course; she was looking forward to the party too. But she felt alone that very moment.

Alone again.

_000_

With the homemade cake in her hands, Sakura entered the backyard with a smile on her face as she greeted her friends, some of who she hadn't seen in a while. "Oh her sweetie, put the cake there and come over, the girls are there." Ino smiled at her brightly tilting her chin here and there to direct Sakura since her hands were filled with glasses of Champaign. "Oh and grab a glass, hurry over to before you miss some juicy tea." She winked playfully and continued walking over to the table filled with ladies, the guys were near the grills drinking beer and tending to the barbeque.

"Hi, guys." Sakura greeted the guys as she placed the cake down on the table near all the other foods that she could smell, reminding her that she was already hungry. She should've had more than some toast for breakfast.

"Oh, Sakura." Naruto dropped a hand over her shoulder pulling her towards the other guys. "How have you been Sakura?" Sai gave her a genuine smile, she smiled back robbing her arms, would it be ok to say not that great, of course not. She had to pretend like it was all ok, putting on a smile that wasn't all fake she looked at them. "You know, busy as a bee." She laughed a bit listening to them talk for a while. Her eyes caught with dark ones looking directly at her, but he looked away when she caught him.

She quickly excused herself before going over to the table of ladies. "I was about to come to save you." Tenten grin at Sakura as she plopped down next to her drink in hand and laughed.

After listening to all the gossip and getting updates on what her friends have been up to lately Sakura wondered off to the front porch to catch her breath. Her friends kept asking about her having a boyfriend and wanting to hook her up. It made her annoyed for starters, this is what she didn't want, the questions.

"Hm, I thought I'd have this little getaway for myself." The guy with dark eyes came up next to her, leaning on the wall behind them. Sakura blushed slightly at the handsome man from before, she had noticed him as one of Naruto and Sai's friends from work.

"Ah well, we can share I guess." Sakura smiled looking up at the clouds. "I just needed a break from the loud music." She lied, she didn't have to tell this stranger the truth, if she didn't even tell her best friend Ino or Naruto about it.

"Sure it wasn't the questions?" He looked at her a sly look on his face, Sakura looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and shame. He had realized, was he paying attention to her all that time too? Did he follow her here? "I am sorry, I just was there when they kept asking and I saw you sneaked your way over here." He confessed and looked away from her as he scratched the back of his head, she was the one ashamed now.

Sakura blocked out the laughter and noise coming from the backyard, her face a bit red now. She didn't like how he had noticed something she was hiding for a while now, she didn't like how he was calling her out for it too.

"I…you are quite nosy huh." She stuttered out softly, getting shy now she kicked at the ground not sure what else to say. Why was he making her act and feel this way, one minute she was annoyed and angry but here she was acting shy. What was wrong with her?

"I like to think that I am observant than nosy, by the way, I am Sasuke." He extended his hand to her, offering a small smile with it. Taking his lager hand into hers she shook it firmly before letting go, she wasn't sure what was happening but even with the little of annoyance she had in her she kind of like him being there. "Sakura, I am sure you already observed that." She purposely stressed on the word observe and laughed teasingly, she was glad when he chuckled and shook his head at her. It was better than being lonely.

That day didn't turn out so bad, she had spent about half the time talking to Sasuke about a lot of things. They even exchanged numbers and kept in contact after the party, things started feeling differently. Her moods were always better especially after having long conversations after work with her new friend. Bath time was more relaxing with his voice over the phone telling her a funny story about what Naruto did at work or an old memory from school.

She even opened up to him about a lot of stuff that had been eating her up inside and he always somehow reassured her, he knew the right things to do or say. Sasuke who was a stranger she had a friend in common with was creeping his way up to the top of the best friends list and they hadn't known each other that long.

It was about 4 months later they found out Hinata was pregnant and invited them over to celebrate, of course, this time it was more of an indoors dinner at the Uzamaki's. Sakura was thrilled for the couple and couldn't wait to see them reach another milestone in their lives. She had gotten all dressed up for the even with a little present of baby shoes for the two.

She also couldn't wait to see Sasuke too, they had met up a lot after Ino's party but for the past week, they had both been too busy to have even coffee together. She blushed when she had gotten ready wondering if he'd notice the difference in her look. The nice dress that brought out her shape and complemented her hair, she didn't know why but she couldn't stop thinking about him.

Sasuke and Sakura had escaped after dinner and a toast to the soon to be parents, this time in the backyard porch they talked like they always did when they met up. This time was different though, it felt different, the way they sat as close as possible, and looked at each other. She knew there was something different about him from day one when they talked about things so naturally yet he made her feel so confused.

She felt natural with him, she didn't have to hide or fake anything and if she even tried to he'd realize and call her out on it. Tonight she knew why she couldn't stop thinking of him, she liked him, a lot and she knew he likes her too as he whispered her name and leaned in to capture her lips. She had always denied it before but no longer will she do that for obvious reasons. He made things better.

It felt real, the way he came closer to her, hands on her cheeks bringing her in, the connection between them was real and it was that something she was looking for. She no longer felt lonely or out of place.

…..

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