Summary: Once bitten, twice shy. But will she see that love is patient, love is kind? Sasusaku.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Italics: Lyrics, narration and flashbacks.

Author's note: love the cliqueness!! xD

Above and Beyond

Chapter One

Hollow

It was pretty.

It was shiny.

It was lovely.

"Sakura, this was supposed to be yours."

There are no words I can say to you

"Supposed to be?"

To show you just how I feel

"Yeah."

I diverted my eyes from it. To his beautiful face. Yet, I couldn't see it. My vision was blurry,

"I don't understand."

His voice was tight and his next words were forced,

"It's not yours."

I love you so

It felt like someone just ripped my heart out and stabbed it a hundred times over,

"Who's i-is- is it then?"

He inhaled,

"It's Yuki's."

How much you'll never know

I gasped,

"Yuki?"

He closed the black box and the ring was out of my sight,

"My father arranged a marriage to a bigger company. He said Haruno Corp wasn't a good choice."

I narrowed my eyes, now angry,

"What are you talking about?!"

There's not a day I don't think of you

A finger wiped a tear away from under my eye,

"Your family's company isn't one of the top ten. I have no choice Sakura."

My voice strained,

"No choice?! The difference of the companies isn't that significant is it?"

An intake of breath,

"Merging with the Daidouji company will be much better for the Yamazaki name."

Why did it have to end this way?

"So that's it huh? Your status is what's important to you."

I was pulled into an embrace,

"Sakura, I love you. I'm so sorry."

I couldn't hold it any longer. My sobs came out loud and I hugged his form even tighter,

"I love you so much Sai-kun."

We stood there in each other's arms, through the New Year fireworks as I cried away my sorrow,

"I'm sorry."

I'm so hollow, so hollow

"Sakura! Sakura! What is going on!??"

My hands grabbed anything in sight and shoved them into my luggage.

Haruno Sakura. 17yrs old.

"Haruno Sakura!! Stop and tell me what is going on!!"

Again I ignored her voice. I didn't want to stay here any longer.

Lived in America for the last 12 years in this Japanese speaking town.

"Haruno Sakura!! I am your mother!! Explain to me what you are doing!!"

My mum grabbed my arms to hold me still. I let out an exasperated shriek and I broke down into tears for the second time that night. My mum sighed and held my face in her hands, speaking in a soft voice,

"Sakura, what happened?"

Just a few moments ago, my life fucked.

"Mu-hic-m! His going to get en-g-gaged-hic-!"

"What!!?" she was shocked.

"I-it's going t-to be–hic- an arr-hic-anged marriage –hic-."

It was like a menstrual mood swing. One second I thought I was living a fantasy, next, I was sent back to reality.

"Oh Sakura!"

She pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm leav-hic-ing m-mum. Tonight."

My mum instantly let go of me and put her hands on her hips.

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

Reality still hadn't sunk in yet.

"Yes. –Sniff- I need to get away from here. –sniff- start a new year. New people. New school. New home."

She exhaled,

"You're going alone?"

"My personal maid, Yoko, will be coming. She's already arranged a private plane for us to Japan. We'll be leaving for Japan in three hours."

My true love/first and last best friend chose his reputation over me.

"Have you enrolled to a high school?"

"Yes mum. Yoko's organized it"

"Konoha? Will you be staying in our old house?"

"Yep. You guessed right. I'll need the keys please."

I feel like I've been caught in a rip, being dragged away to sea.

Mum called in a servant to get the keys.

"You're sure about this Sakura?"

My eyes felt watery again.

"I'll come back when- when I let him go."

"He was your best friend, wasn't he?"

I couldn't say anything more and just nodded. My mum handed me the keys and we hugged one last time outside the limo.

"Stay safe."

"I will mum. Tell Dad and Toya-nii-san i'm sorry I couldn't say bye to them. Sayonara. Aishiteru!"

"Hahahha. Sai-kun, you're so silly. You're hideous now. Hahahaha."

"What did you say!?"

"No, no no no. AH!"

SPLASH!

We were both in the muddy water now.

"Sai-kuuun! Look at my dress!"

"That's what you deserve babe. Hehe."

"Hmmph-"

"UHHHH!" I groaned, shaking my head as if to rid the memories.

Feel so alone

"Sakura-san? Are you okay?" questioned a soft voice.

I turned my head to my personal maid sitting next to me. She was staring at me worried.

"Mm. Don't worry about me Yoko."

There's an emptiness inside as life goes on

"Are you sure?"

I inhaled and exhaled, "yes Yoko, I'm sure."

We were currently on the plane heading for Japan. I'd been crying for the last couple of hours, trying to sort out all my thoughts. I just couldn't stop thinking about him.

Wish I had more time

"Sakura-san. Would you like something to drink?"

I thought it over. "I'd like the strongest beer you've got."

Yoko shifted uncomfortably before she stood up to request one.

Yes, I have a drinking problem but I really need something to help me forget everything. I don't mind being drunk because Sai would always be there to...

"UGHH!"

One more chance to hold you tight and say goodbye

This was so aggravating. Trying to forget him.

"Here you go Sakura-san." Yoko handed me the beer.

"Arigato Yoko, except can you get a few more? You know I drink a lot."

I'm so hollow, so hollow

Yoko sighed and went to get some more. I took a big sip from the bottle and looked out the window. Obviously, there was nothing to see but darkness. My eyes became blurry once more, darkness, like the emptiness in my heart now. I sat up in my reclined chair, bringing my knees up and hugging a pillow tightly. For the billionth time that day, I cried into the pillow. I felt a hand rub my back.

"Yoko, it's okay. Go get some sleep. I wanna be alone."

She did as she was told and soon I was alone.

Hollow in my heart, hollow in my soul

I drank more of the beer and continued sobbing. I was still quite sober and I thought about why it hurt so much. The truth was because I was truly in love. We both were. He was my best friend ever since we were children. As we grew older, we fell in love.

Love was a stupid thing.

After a while, my first beer was empty. I was onto my second one. I wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol but my miserable tears soon turned into angry, frustrated ones.

Cause I'm so hollow with sorrow

This would have never happened if there was never a thing called love. We would have just stayed best friends and never be apart. Sai was my first boyfriend, my only boyfriend. Together, for three years. Then that jerk threw our relationship away for his stupid status. He was a stupid, overly-rich, company successor.

My sobbing must have gotten really bad because Yoko came over to see if I was okay. Too much beer took over and soon, I collapsed from exhaustion.

Hollow in my heart cause now you're gone

The first sign that told me I was still alive was the throbbing in my head. It was painful actually. Stupid hangover. I sat up holding my head. Yoko held out a bottle of water and medicine.

"Hangover?" she guessed it right. "We'll be in Japan in an hour and a half. You should eat something first though."

I nodded.

Japan, where I originated from. Once we get there, I'd have to buy school uniform and books. The beginning of year twelve. A stressful year. Groan.

"Here you are Sakura-san, your food."

"Arigato."

As I ate, I pondered about what I was going to do after year twelve. Go back to America? I decided not to think about.

The plane soon landed at the airport.

Welcome to Japan, Konoha and a new life.

So should I continue it or not?

The lyrics were from the songs 'Hollow' and 'Sukiyaki' by Trish Thuy Trang.

The quote 'I feel like I've been caught in a rip, being dragged away to sea' is from 'Corpse Bride.'

Please review, and thank you for reading!

--UchihaVamprincess--