Summary: She was the new, shy and insecure girl. He was the hot, emotionless and reserved guy. He found out her hidden strength, she found out his hidden secret. Only he could break her barrier, only she could touch his heart. What happens next?

Main pairings: SasuSaku, NejiTen, NaruHina, ShikaIno

A/N: I know it has been ages since I updated but yeah after being sick and all and I have now just started uni and getting back into the routine of things is difficult and between my job, uni work and the very very small social life I have managed to retain I have not had any time to write and by the time I do usually I am so tired that I have no strength to write. I am lucky that I have a break today which I am writing this in and have for once completed all the work I can, for the moment anyway. I have like 2 assignments due next week but I needed a break from uni work.

That and well in all honestly I have been getting bored of my stories and of Naruto so I haven’t had that much motivation to write. I am very sorry and I hate doing this to you all though I promise I will still finish this and all my other stories it might just take awhile. I no it’s mean but I go through stages and the Naruto stage has kind of died for me, and it’s hard to write fir something your not that interested in anymore. I know many will probably want to kill me but I would prefer to be honest with you. I hope you can forgive me so yeah here is the next chapter for you all. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: So far all my attempts have failed therefore I do not own Naruto…yet!

Previously

But part of him was relieved that the bell had gone, relieved that he didn’t fully kiss her. He knew it was stupid and he knew that he cared for her more than he should. Hell he loved her and he knew that. But he was scared to admit that, he was scared to embrace these feelings and actually tell her. Afraid to get close to her, to start a relationship with her. He could remember what it was like, to love and loose that and he never wanted to be in that situation again. So that was why he had run, not because he didn’t want to but because he was scared to.

That was the reason he was here while she was probably still sitting in the music room. He had left because he was scared. Because the truth was he loved her, he was completely and hopelessly in love with her, and yet at the same time he didn’t want to love again.

He was too scared to love again.

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Chapter seventeen

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Sakura walked out on the grounds as soon as the bell went, fiddling with her hands and feeling just as nervous and scared as she did when she first started the school. How was she supposed to face Sasuke now, what was she going to say. More to the point how was she going to handle being around him and there other friends, She knew that Sasuke wouldn’t want anyone to know and deep down she didn’t either. But surely they would notice if both of them were acting strange. They weren’t stupid and she knew they would figure it out.

The best plan she could think of was just acting like nothing had happened. Casual, just like friends. To pretend it never happened and well just see what Sasuke does. Follow his lead and try and make it work that way. But then what? What about the walk home? She should bring it up? Should she wait to see if he does? Should she just ignore it and pretend it never happened? Should she act casual, like they usually do? Should she just keep quiet? She had absolutely no idea. And it wasn’t like she had anyone she could ask either.

In the end she decided to just see what Sasuke said. Give him the chance and if he did not bring it up then neither would she. She knew they had to talk about it, or else things will never be like they were. But she was too scared of what he would say. So she was going to take the coward’s way out. She was going to ignore it. Play it by ear and see what happened. It was the best she could do. It wasn’t like she had a Mum or sister she could ask advice from. It was times like this she really wished she still had her brother.

“Sakura” she heard Naruto shout as she forced a smile and joined her friends, noticing that Sasuke was already there yet refusing to look at her.

“Hi” she said as cheerfully as she could, trying to avoid Neji’s eyes who was staring at her like he could see the force and fakeness behind her act. He really was to smart for his own good that guy.

“Did you have a good day” Hinata asked as Sakura gulped and nodded.

“It was alright I guess”

“Why were you so late coming out?” Ino enquired.

“Yeah we were waiting ages for you” Naruto added.

“I…um…I had to get…um…some help” Sakura lied as most nodded but Tenten and Neji stared at her yet didn’t say a word.

“You’re lying” Shikamaru stated bluntly and Sakura inwardly cursed.

“I…we…ell I…um… kin…kind of”

“Your stuttering” Naruto pointed out with a grin. “You sound like Hinata”

“Thanks Naruto” Hinata said as Naruto smiled nervously.

“I didn’t mean it like that”

“It’s ok” Hinata told him with a laugh.

“So what’s going on” Ino demanded and Sakura tried to keep her face from turning red.

“Well…I...”

“Yes you what?” Ino asked, her voice showing her extreme impatience. Sakura stood there blankly. She had no idea what to say. Thinking under pressure was never her strong point.

“If she doesn’t want to tell us then just leave her be alright” Sasuke interrupted, turning his back on them all.

“Awwwww but” Naruto began but was silenced as Sasuke glared at him. Sasuke’s obvious bad mood at least distracted them all from interrogating Sakura, something she was extremely glad for.

“What’s up with you?” Shikamaru asked him.

“Hn”

“Maybe he just had a bad day” Tenten suggested, smiling as Sasuke’s glare went from Naruto to her. It didn’t really seem to faze Tenten at all.

“Anyway I have a manicure appointment to go to, come on Shika” Ino called brightly.

“Wait what?” Shikamaru asked.

“Your coming with me, I hate going alone” She replied.

“I am not, I don’t do girl stuff”

“Oh come on you can just sit there and sleep” Ino insisted, giving him a pleading look which he sighed at and allowed himself to be dragged away by Ino.

“Bye guys” Ino called out cheerfully as she left.

“And Naruto and me have a study session” Hinata added as Naruto sighed.

“Naww do we have to Hinata?”

“Ill get you ramen on the way back to my house” she told him as to which he grinned and grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go” he shouted, racing ahead and pulling Hinata behind him.

“If that dobe hurts her” Neji muttered.

“Oh cheer up” Tenten said brightly. “Anyway I thought we were meeting Lee and Kiba in the gym for a game of basketball??”

“Yeah” Neji answered a little distractedly.

“You two want to join us, it can be three against three instead of two against two” Tenten offered and for a minute Sakura was tempted to accept since it would give her an excuse to avoid the awkward walk home. But two things stopped her. One maybe on the walk she could clear things up with Sasuke, even though she knew it would never happen. And two she didn’t play basketball.

“I have to get home sorry” Sakura apologized as Tenten smiled.

“That’s fine, if you umm get bored tonight just give me a yell ok” Tenten told her and Sakura had the feeling that Tenten knew something was up. But she couldn’t say anything, not with Sasuke here, so instead she just nodded.

“Good then we should head off, bye guys” Tenten said as Sakura forced a smile as the two left. Now it was just her and Sasuke and never before had she felt so nervous and awkward. The silence that hung over them was tense that she felt the need to scream but restrained herself.

“Hn” was all Sasuke said before he turned and started walking, Sakura following but keeping a few steps behind. She was aware that Sasuke was looking everywhere but at her ad couldn’t help but feel like someone was stabbing her in the gut. Why did his rejection, and his ignoring of what just happened hurting her so much. She couldn’t understand. All she knew was that things could not continue for much longer like this. It would drive her insane!

The walk home was almost unbearable. Both knew how awkward things were, both longed to speak about what happened, but both were too afraid. So they kept there mouths shut, eyes on the ground so they didn’t have to meet the others eye and continued waking in silence. Sakura’s mind was going crazy. She didn’t want to loose her best friend; he was the first person and only person she had become close to since her brother’s death.

But she could not ignore the feelings she had, or how his rejection was still cutting through her. Even if they were to find a way for things to return to normal what then. The thought of almost kissing Sasuke was clouded by the fact that she had not only wanted to but still did. And she couldn’t just turn this desire off either. For the first time in her life she wished she could just move. She knew that would be running away but that’s the only way she could think off to escape. Then there was the other feeling. The one that knew this was the first place she had ever belonged to. Leaving it would be hard, almost unbearable. But would staying be worse?

“Hn” Sasuke said which brought Sakura back to reality. She found that they had already reached there houses and now stood on the line that separated there respective homes. Sakura couldn’t help but notice that he already stood beyond the line, in his territory while she still stood in hers. She found herself hesitant to cross it, no matter how much she wanted to.

“Umm actually I have umm housework to do so ummm I should probably go home”

“Hn” was Sasuke’s reply before he turned and walked away from her. Sakura was suddenly overcome with the desire to call out for him. Call out for him to come back, to feel that safety and security and comfort she felt whenever she was near him. But her voice would not work. So instead she stood watching until Sasuke was inside and the door had shut. Just like there relationship.

Sakura sat on the couch, a bowl of easy Mac pasta in one hand and the remote in the other as she flipped through the channels on her TV. She knew she would never find anything to watch, anything that would distract her from the boy in the house next door. But still she tried, going past channels and not even registering what it was. She knew she should do something, homework, a movie, anything. But she just couldn’t bring herself to attempt anything. She knew she was sulking but it wasn’t like she had anyone to go to. She had contemplated calling one of her friends. There was no way she would call Ino. As nice as the girl was she k new this was something Ino couldn’t keep to herself.

She thought about calling Hinata. Knowing that Hinata would never make a big deal out of it like Ino would. But it just didn’t seem right. Besides she was dating Naruto, Sasuke’s best friend. And as nice as Hinata was she was very easy to read. This of course left Tenten since there was no may she would call any of the males. She knew Tenten would never tell a soul. Especially since she knew something about Tenten that few others did. And Tenten had practically given her permission. So she did something she never thought she would do. She picked up the phone and dialed her girlfriend. Just that small action made her smile for the first time since the afternoon. She had never had a girlfriend before, never had one to just call and chat. She dialed the number and waited surprisingly anxiously for it to ring.

“Hello” Tenten’s voice came through the phone and suddenly Sakura was nervous. What the hell was she suppose to say?

“Ummmm hi”

“Sakura is that you?”

“Ummm yeah”

“Hey I am glad you called I was really bored. How are you?”

“I’m good” Sakura replied

“Really?” Tenten asked.

And Sakura found herself telling Tenten the whole story.

An hour later Sakura finally hung up, feeling just slightly better. She had no idea that telling someone everything that was on her chest would help so much, but it had. Like someone else was helping carry that weight just a little. And Tenten had been very supportive. She had listened quietly through the whole thing and had not laughed or sounded overly sympathetic either. In fact she had practically just told Sakura that she had to confront it. That was one of the reasons Sakura liked Tenten. She was straight to the point. She had explained that by doing nothing she was making things worse. And that running away would not solve it either.

So there was only on solution. Tomorrow she would go to Sasuke’s house and talk to him. She was nervous and had no idea what she was going to say but Tenten had told her to be strong and that’s what she had to do. She had helped all her friends be strong, helped them get over there feuds, brought them together. Now she had to finish it, and that meant making things write with Sasuke. Besides Tenten had finished by telling her that if she needed all she had to do was call her afterwards and she would be there straight away. She had even cancelled her outing with Neji, something which Sakura had argued against but lost, so she could be there if Sakura needed.

“After all” Tenten had said. “This is what friends are for and you’re my friend. So get use to it because I’m not letting you go anywhere. None of us are. You belong here, you belong with us ok”

That had almost taken Sakura over the edge. And even know when she remembered it she could feel tears beginning to form. Her brother had once said that, that she belonged with him once when Sakura had told him she wished she could be adopted out of there family. It had made her feel so safe, so needed that she had stayed. It was the best feeling se reckoned, knowing you were not alone, knowing people cared. She had not known that feeling since her brother’s death. She had even forgotten it so she hadn’t missed it. But now she realized that deep down she had, she had missed that feeling. But now it was back and it was the reason she couldn’t stop smiling.

If only it would last. But what happened next wiped the smile completely off her face. It made her blood run cold and shivers run down her spine. So not even the best phone call ever could raise her mood. The dark shadow came closer, smelling strongly of alcohol mixed with another weird smell that was probably the result of some illegal drug. She backed off but the fierce eyes made it impossible for her to break contact and run. They were deadly, full of hatred and despise, and pierced through her like razor sharp bullets.

Sakura opened her mouth, attempting to say something, or scream for help. But nothing came out as if her voice no longer worked. Her whole body felt limp and heavy, like it was no longer in her control and instead of the monster that was approaching her.

It laughed at her feeble attempt, one that echoed around the room and made her blood run even colder. Her grinned at her, a devilish smile that made her fears come true. H e was defiantly heavily intoxicated and high on whatever drug he had been taking. He came closer, s now she could completely see his face. His eyes were wide and his grin even more horrid. He could smell her fear and that only made him laugh even more.

“Hey sis” he said at last, saying the last word with as much despise as he could muster. “Long time no see huh.”

He laughed even louder as he broke her personal space, tearing down what little confidence she had managed to muster in her time with Sasuke. She knew she was alone and that just made it all worse. Because she was afraid.

And no one was coming to help her.

A/N: I know it is short but it is better than nothing right? I have lost all inspiration and motivation for this story so yeah I am sorry. Anyway I hope you still enjoyed it and please leave a review for me. It may give me back some of my motivation lol.