((Yeah, so I never thought I'd be writing one of these high school-setting fics, but- inevitably- it just popped into my head. Now the damned thing's crawling around in there and won't leave me alone. The usual content warning that comes with ALL of my stories applies here: mature language, lemon& lime, some violence. Other warnings may be added as needed per chapter. Characters may be portrayed a little- or even a lot- OoC (especially Sasuke- that bored, pissed at the world, Emo thing just doesn't work for this story), but bear with me- my readers know I've always got good stuff in store for ya.))

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with it.

CHAPTER ONE

It All Started Like This . . .

"Hey Sakura, wait up!"

Haruno Sakura turned in the direction of the familiar voice to be greeted by the sight of Uchiha Sasuke sauntering towards her with his usual bored sort of grace. The only thing unusual about his visage was that his black eyes smiled- even when he was happy, Sasuke was never much the smiling type. Every time she saw him it was almost a shock to her system how handsome he was. Just like his brother . . . Shaking her head, she shut that thought- and the strange combination of elation and sadness that went with it- away.

"What's up Sasuke? Please make this quick, I have to meet Ino in a few."

Stepping ahead of her, he leaned back against the door that led from the main floor corridor out onto the school's lush courtyard, pushing it open as he turned sorrowful eyes on her. "Is that anyway to speak to your best friend?"

Once out the door, Sakura spun on her heel to face him- they were good friends, certainly, but best friends? "Since when? Naruto's your-" suddenly the lost-puppy look made sense and she let out a groan, jade eyes rolling, "You want something, don't you?"

Before he could respond she had turned away once more, stomping off in the direction of the Middle Tier girls' dormitory. "This better not be another science paper." She blindly shook a finger in his face as he walked beside her, "The last time you asked that, you guys went off to that new laser arcade and you didn't even bring me anything back- not so much as a stupid stuffed monkey or something. Let that be the last time I get you an A!"

"No, it's nothing like that." He came to a halt, knowing full well that his next words would stop Sakura in her tracks. "See, I met this girl-"

Sure enough, she froze, her long, pony-tailed pink hair whipping around as she faced him, smirking. "Oh. Hmm . . . why does the class pretty-boy need my help?" She cringed, "This isn't one of your fangirls, is it? And you don't want the others finding out 'cause then they'll all think they've got a shot with you?"

He looked vaguely insulted. "Hey now, you used to be a fangirl too, remember?"

"Yeah," smiling, she turned and they were off toward the dorms again, "but then I got to know you."

Sasuke placed a hand over his heart. "Oh, ouch. And here I thought it was just 'cause my brother fit in better with this whole weird hang-up you have for guys with long hair."

"Can we not talk about me and Itachi, please?"

His expression instantly became serious. "I think we should talk about you and Itachi."

"What the hell for?"

"Because he's still in love with you."

Suddenly she was in front of Sasuke, scowling up at him as she poked him in the chest with one little finger. "He broke up with me, or did you forget that? Why the hell would he do that if he's in love with me, huh?"

"I don't know, exactly, but I do know my brother so trust me. That man does not shut up about you. The two of you need to-"

"We're getting off topic." She shook her head, hands waving dismissively as neared their destination. "About this girl you met . . . ?"

"Ah, yes! Well, to answer your question- no, she's not a fangirl. That's kind of what caught my attention about her in the first place."

"Huh?" She stepped aside, allowing him to pull open the dormitory hall door for her.

He shrugged simply, looking bored as he explained the statement. "Not to sound smug, but when you've got girls throwing themselves at you all day long, you're more likely to notice the girl sitting in the corner paying you no attention whatsoever."

"Ah and that's the problem? She hasn't noticed you? What? Is she blind?"

Giving a chuckle, he made certain the door was closed before following her up the stairs. "No, see, she's just really shy- avoids any kind of commotion."

"That would explain it."

"She got a little lost in the new wing, so she was all alone and scared and I brought her to the right room, but I was talking to her and she was just so sweet and not well," they'd reached her floor and could see Yamanaka Ino disappearing down the hall to her own room as Sakura silently withdrew her key, approaching her door, "like that one!" His voice had dropped to a whisper with those last three words and he gestured frantically for Sakura to hurry up.

Once inside, she locked the door behind them, peering out of the peephole to be certain Ino hadn't spotted him. "You can't avoid her forever, you know. We are all part of the same social circle."

Sasuke didn't reply immediately, he was too busy taking in his surroundings- this happened nearly every time he came to her room. Watching his expression reminded her that they were not, in fact, viewed as socially similar by the student body. The dorms were a reflection of the school's Tiered ranking system; Top Tier were children born of old money or descended from feudal nobility, Middle Tier- Sakura, Ino and Ino's adopted brother, Uzumaki Naruto, for example- came from independently wealthy families, both of these Tiers consisted in part of students whose parents where made famous by their fortunes.

The school's Bottom Tier were all students attending school on scholarships whose families would not otherwise be able to afford the tuition. Students like Sasuke. When the Uchiha boys' parents passed away eight years earlier, all funds went to the State- of which Itachi and Sasuke had both become wards. Sometimes Sakura positively hated the school because of the Tier system. Middle Tier dorms were small apartments; private bath, master and spare bedrooms for weekend visitors- of the same gender, of course- kitchen/dining area and a den. Bottom Tier dorm rooms were just that, rooms- private rooms, but still only rooms and Top . . . well, Sakura would be lying if she'd ever said she wasn't jealous of the Top Tier dormitories- like the lavishly furnished penthouse suite of some five star hotel. Of course, most Top and Middle students' families donated hefty sums to the school, but did that mean there wasn't anything left over to make that gap from first to last rank a little less glaring?

Sasuke threw himself down into a beanbag chair in the den as Sakura disappeared into her bedroom. "Not forever, no." He shouted across to her. "Just 'til tomorrow. She needs time to cool off- I just turned her down for the school carnival next week-"

"Oh, man! I'm surprised you're still walking!" Sakura called back, rooting around in her walk-in closet; black-on-black made it so hard to find things sometimes.

"Yeah, good thing I'm faster then she is."

"So what's the deal with this girl you-" THUD "OW!"

"What the hell . . . ?"

"I'm fine!" She answered in a huff. "It's just these stupid stockings- tripped over my own two feet just now. Like I'd said- what's the deal? She doesn't like you?"

"Oh, no." Sasuke grinned to himself, remembering his crush's shy little smile, as he tried not to sound vain. "It's not that at all."

"Then why are you pestering me with this?"

He paused for a long moment- which was punctuated with a few more crashes and bangs from the bedroom- before replying. "She's Top Tier."

Suddenly Sakura came storming out of her room in unlaced black combat boots, but it wasn't her shoes, her stylishly-torn up fishnet stockings or the pleated tartan mini-skirt that were causing Sasuke's eyes to go white all around. "Top Tier! That's what you need my help for?"

As a general rule, the first and last ranks didn't socialize at all- unless there was a Middle Tier student involved. Strangely, Top could associate with Middle without lowering their own standing and in some cases, having a friend in that unique middle ranking could elevate the social status of a Bottom Tier student. Just another reason Sakura hated the ranking system. To her, playing go-between for people who would- outside of this campus- be friends naturally was just plain stupid.

"Uh . . . well . . . yeah . . . I-"

"Sasuke, what's wrong with you?"

A very uncharacteristic blush colored his cheeks immediately, but he simply couldn't tear his eyes away. "You . . . really should finish getting dressed."

Looking down at herself she only just then realized that she'd rushed out of the room in her bra- albeit a very nice crimson lace bra Itachi had bought for her when they were still dating- that didn't do much for guarding her more delicate parts from view. Uttering a tiny, girlish squeak of embarrassment, she covered herself with her arms and dashed back into her room.

A moment later, she returned in a fitted black baby-doll tee. Rather well-fitted, in Sasuke's opinion now that he knew what was under it. It was no wonder Itachi couldn't shut up about her- the girl was gorgeous. A mirror in one hand and a small makeup bag in the other, she shot him a look that said if he didn't wipe the stupidly-happy grin from his face, he'd be leaving her room bruised.

"So," she dropped with an exhausted demeanor into a chair at the kitchen table as she fished some black eyeliner and glittery purple lipstick from the bag, "you want me to make friends with her so you two have a way to be around eachother, huh?"

He nodded with a slight scowl- it really sounded low when somebody else said it. "That's about it. If it's any consolation, it was all my idea and she wasn't much too happy with the sound of it, either. She said, I'd prefer to make friends with someone I would like as a person, not so that I can use them as an excuse, but since there's no other way for us to see one another, she agreed."

"Well, at least she's smarter then you are. Something for your kids to look forward to inheriting." Sakura couldn't help rolling her eyes at him as she applied a perfectly matched, thin ring of black around each green eye. "What is this wise young woman's name?"

"Hyuuga Hinata."

The kohl pencil dropped from her hand with a small clattering sound. "Hyuuga Neji's cousin?" When he could only nod silently in response, she angrily snatched up the lipstick, muttering as she did so. "Thanks a lot, Sasuke. I hate that guy!"

If there were a top to the Top Tier, the Hyuuga children were it. Hinata, eldest daughter of the wealthy and powerful Hyuuga Hiashi, was heiress to the clan's vast fortune as well as directly descended from the first Hyuuga Lord. Neji acted as her bodyguard. Word was that he'd been held back one year intentionally just to watch over her- supposedly a private tutor kept him up to date with his age-appropriate education level, so he didn't even need to pay attention- leaving Sakura to wonder why he felt obligated to constantly put his two cents in. He was intelligent, certainly, but the arrogant tone in which he seemed to say absolutely everything was enough to make her want to stab him in the eye with a sharpened pencil. More then once she had gotten into arguments with him that had started as simple, intellectual debates, but inevitably turned into screaming matches that their professors could only silence under threat of detention.

Sasuke chuckled as he watched her meticulously applying the darkly hued lipstick to her small mouth. "Yeah, I think the whole school knows that. I've seen you two go at it," he finished in a mischievous tone, "makes me wonder if you two should get into a brawl or get a room."

"Ewww." It was the only thing she could say as she fixed him with a venomous glare.

"But Sakura," his expression was one of poorly feigned indignation, "he- he's got long hair."

"You're an ass. I tell you, that boy's looks are his only good quality." It was likely the only time anyone would catch Haruno Sakura saying something remotely nice about Hyuuga Neji. "Okay, so I make nice-nice with Hinata and have to tolerate her utterly insufferable cousin for what?"

His eyes skittered about the room confused as he scratched the scalp beneath his wildly spiked black hair. "For what? . . . So I can spend time with-"

"No, I mean what's in it for me."

He smirked evilly. "Oh, didn't I mention that Itachi's coming to the campus for the weekend?"

"He is?" Sakura tried to keep her voice neutral- she didn't know whether to smile or pout- she wanted to see him, but at the same time never wanted to see him again.

"The entire weekend. He's going to stay in Naruto's guest room." Glancing at his watch he added, "Should be here in about two hours."

For a moment a frantic look came into her eyes, but she quickly got it under control. "Oh, that's plenty of time for me keep my shopping date with Ino. We're supposed to go clubbing tonight. I suppose you can tell your brother an invitation to tag along has been extended. When do I start my mission of mercy?"

There was a knock at the door, causing Sakura's eyebrows to furrow. "Ino doesn't usually knock, she always just yells through the door."

"That's because it's not Ino." Sasuke stated quietly, earning him a surprised stare from her.

"Sasuke . . . is that who I think it is?"

Rising smoothly from where he sat he could only nod as he made his way to the door. "That should be the Hyuuga, yes."

She still couldn't wipe the shock from her face. "Are you insane? I'm supposed to take her shopping with me? You're telling me that not only do I have to deal with that pain-in-the-ASS cousin of hers, but I have to somehow sell Ino on the fact that I'm making friends with your new girlfriend? How the hell am I supposed to pull that off?"

Casting almost loving eyes on her, Sasuke gripped the doorknob. "You've always been a sharp one. I know you'll think of something."

He opened the door and, sure enough, Sakura found two pairs of pale silver-lavender eyes staring back at her. The first from approximately her own height level and trying to hide behind long blue-black bangs; the second set a little over half a foot higher and staring directly at her with a disdain she knew to be reflected in her own gaze.

This is going to be a long day.

((New chapters of Leaf Masquerade and Dependence will be posted within the week. Check out my site profile for direct links to both my own- and some other peoples' very wonderful- fanart.))