Chapter 3: Enter Sakura Haruno, Perfect Student
“Sakura, how’s it coming?” Sakura’s father, Dozu popped his head into his daughter’s neat and organized room after he got home from work that night.
“Great,” Sakura smiled. “Mom is downstairs watching TV. She got home not long before you.” She placed her pencil on top of her notebook and swiveled her chair to face her father. “So, how did the parent teacher conference go?”
“Fine, thanks. Nothing overly interesting. I think the parents will be able to work through everything. Have you eaten?” Dozu replied as he walked into the room and took a seat opposite his daughter on her bed.
Sakura nodded. “I had leftovers from last night.”
“So, how was your tutoring session this afternoon with Sasuke? I saw you went into the gardens.”
“Yes, I think it went well. He’s a little rough around the edges, but I think I can really help him. I think getting him angry, and getting him to vent at me really helped today, and I think he’s really listening. It feels great,” Sakura replied happily.
“That’s great honey. I knew you’d be the one who would be able to help him.” Dozu smiled at his perfect child, one who, after so much pain in her life, was still able to laugh, smile, and function. He marveled at her. It took him twice as long to get through the same trials as she that overcame their lives eight years ago.
Sakura beamed, oblivious to her father‘s thoughts. “Thanks, father.”
Gozu stood and headed down into the basement to be with his second wife, Sakura’s step mother, who- for a step parent- was pretty cool. Sakura called her Mom because Diane had told her she knew she’d never be Sakura’s real mom, but she wanted to try. And Sakura thought she was doing a great job. Sakura considered Diane a mom more so then the real deal.
Sakura swiveled the chair to face her notebook and text books. She sighed as she started copying down the important facts; she was planning on giving them to Sasuke to look over. The subject came naturally to her, as did all her classes. She inherited her father’s studious brain instead of her mom’s low IQ.
Sasuke. Sakura sighed. Could she really help him? It was too early to tell. Though she had only worked with a day, she felt it would be good for him no matter what. He’d learn the value of friendship, true friendship, responsibility, and honor. He’d finally know what it felt to help people. Maybe she could get him to join her with all her volunteer activities. She mentally made a note to tell her father about her idea.
Sakura went back to her notes, hoping against hope Sasuke would wear down.
.~.
That morning, the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Sakura went to open the door and found Gaara on the opposite side of the threshold. “Gaara!” Sakura squealed as she threw the door open and gave him a small hug, knowing he wasn’t big into public shows of affection, but she hadn’t seen him in two weeks; she had missed him.
Sakura beckoned him inside, motioning for him to follow her into the kitchen where Diane and Dozu sat at the table. “Hey, Mom, Dad, guess who decided to surprise me this morning!” Sakura beamed at Gaara.
Gaara didn’t crack from his monotone facial expression of indifference. Dozu and Diane smiled. “Yes, I asked him to come down this week. He has a whole month off from school. In Suna, they do all year round, and this month is their break. I asked Gaara to come down so we could get some hunting done. Today is the last day of school before our school’s week vacation. He just came down a day early,” Dozu explained.
Sakura glanced at Gaara. Gaara do something spontaneous? Wow! Gaara’s gaze landed o Sakura. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Ah, that’s so not like you Gaara,” Sakura smiled.
“I bet he got wind of you tutoring a guy, and I bet he was jealous,” Diane teased, though there might have been some truth to the matter because Gaara didn’t deny anything. He just kept his gaze fixed on something Sakura wasn’t quite sure.
“Well, I have to get to school. I don’t want to be late,” Dozu announced, getting up. He grabbed his briefcase and headed to his car. “I’ll see you after school, Sakura. And, I’ll think about the volunteer activities for Sasuke. Either way, though, I won’t say anything until after the break. No sense in starting now.”
Sakura nodded. “Thanks, Dad. That’s great. Maybe I’ll mention something.”
“Okay. Bye!”
Sakura turned to Gaara. “Have you eaten? Would you like something to eat?”
Gaara shook his head no, but he took a seat opposite Diane at the table. Diane took the hint and left. Sakura shrugged as she grabbed a banana and sat at the table to finish it. The two sat in silence, though Sakura was used to this. She sighed, wishing Gaara was more lively.
After Sakura had finished her breakfast, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door. Gaara followed close at her heels. “You don’t have to walk me, you know,” Sakura pointed out. When Gaara didn’t say anything, she continued, “You don’t have to worry about Sasuke. He’s just some kid I’m trying to help. Nothing will ever happen between us.”
“I’m not worried,” Gaara answered keeping his gazed fixed on something straight ahead. Together, they got on the bus to Konoha High.
Sakura sighed, a part of her disappointed that Gaara wasn’t jealous that some other guy might like her, thought he idea was utterly absurd that that guy would be Sasuke. She just wanted Gaara to show some kind of emotion when he was with her.
They arrived at the school where Sasuke saw the two of them step down from the bus together. He watched as Sakura talked to him, a smile bright on her face. He could she was happy with him; heck, a blind guy could see it, but Sasuke felt something underlining her happiness, but he couldn’t tell what.
Sakura turned and saw Sasuke on the stairs of the school staring at her and Gaara. Sakura said good bye to Gaara and hurried to meet Sasuke and they walked into the school together.
.~.
After school, Sakura handed Sasuke the notes she had spent all night making, and she went over them with him. “Well, that’s it for the lesson. We don’t have any homework for that class over vacation, so we won’t have to meet up again until next Monday,” Sakura told him as she got to her feet and motioned for him to follow her. “You want to go get a Smoothie? I don’t have to be anywhere for another hour, and it’s not worth going home. I live clear on the other side of town.”
“Whatever,” Sasuke answered. He didn’t have any particular reason to get back to the dorm rooms. He didn’t really care one way or the other what to do.
“My treat!” Sakura promised as she lead him into a local café. After they ordered, they took a seat. The waitress brought their smoothies in minutes. Sakura took a sip and smiled. “Delicious, as always!”
Sasuke just drank his without a word.
Sakura toyed with the straw wrapper, not sure how to say something. Finally, she just decided to plunge in. “You know, Sasuke, I know we only just met about a week ago, but you can talk to me. I’m a good listener, and if you are going through a rough time, I think I can help you.”
Sasuke froze, setting the cup back on the table. “Don’t,” he warned.
“I was just trying-”
“No. You were prying. You’re just like the rest of them who want to know all about my past so you can go gossip with your girlfriends. Pretty soon, rumors will start, and I’ll look like some sort of poor, helpless kid who needs everyone’s pity,” Sasuke retorted angrily. Why did she have to start prying? Everything was going fine.
“Is that what happened at your old school?” Sasuke didn’t answer, so she went on, “Is that why you acted out? For some attention so you wouldn’t seem like that poor, pitiful kid?”
“Shut up!” Sasuke exclaimed, louder than he meant to. A few people looked in their direction. He lowered his voice, but the disdain dripped from his voice like poison. “You don’t know anything!”
“You’re wrong, Sasuke. I know more than you think,” Sakura was getting tired of having to stick up for herself. She had thought he was playing on his feelings a little too much, but maybe it was real, maybe he really did feel he was the only one who suffers. Well, she was going to have to explain to him that he isn’t the only one who has lost someone.
“Please. You’re just some girl with two parents who love her. You have everything you’ve ever wanted. You don’t know a dang thing. You are just some spoiled, clueless brat.”
Sakura reached across the table and slapped him. Everyone in the café was staring now. Sakura stood, grabbing her purse and threw the strap around her shoulder. “You’re a jerk, Sasuke. The world didn’t stop when your parents died. There are others out there that have suffered too. There are families everywhere who’s parents, husbands, sisters have died in the military, car accidents, shootings, massacres, stupid games like Russian roulette. How do you think those families cope?”
With that, Sakura stormed out of the café leaving Sasuke alone and dazed. As he got up to leave, everyone’s eyes followed him. He didn’t do or say anything, but continued out the door. A part of him deep inside wondered if maybe she was right.
.~.
Sasuke entered his dorm room with Naruto texting away on his cellphone. “Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto greeted when he saw Sasuke at the doorway.
Sasuke fell on his bed and stared at the wall.
“I heard about your little spat with Sakura today,” Naruto said.
“How’d you find out? That just happened thirty minutes ago?” Sasuke didn’t turn to face him. Word travels fast.
“Sakura probably called Ino and told her, who then complained to Tenten, who may have mentioned something to her boyfriend Neji, who said something to Kiba, who just told me.”
Sasuke wanted to shoot himself from Naruto’s constant, pointless babble. “She’s really touchy about that subject. Why?” Sasuke asked.
Naruto sat up, wondering how much he should say. “Did you know she volunteers to help young teens who have gone through a traumatic experience, like rape or suffering a loss. So, it was no wonder she’s really tried to help you. But, she’s most experienced with the loss of a family member.”
Sasuke turned to stare at the ceiling; he couldn’t bring himself to look at Naruto. It sounded like this story wasn’t going to be a happy one.
“I don’t know the details myself because she won’t talk to anyone about it. But, Sakura’s mom is actually her step mom. Her dad remarried when she was thirteen, five years after Sakura’s real mom left them. Then, Sakura was involved in a shooting when she was fifteen. She was shot twice in the back and left for dead.”
Sasuke couldn’t believe all the things that had spilt from his mouth. How had she not corrected him?
“Like I said, I don’t know all the details, but I know she’s suffered a lot more than you might think. But, she’s moved on. She can even smile and laugh, which is great, beings it was only two years ago she was shot almost to death. I have to give her major kudos, because I couldn’t have dealt with it all. Her dad almost didn’t. It almost killed him when he heard about the shooting. Sakura almost didn’t survive.”
Sasuke shut his eyes, wishing Naruto hadn’t told him all that he had, but glad, at the same time, that he had.
“So, maybe now you understand why she’s so defensive.”
Oh, Sasuke understood alright, but that didn’t mean it changed anything. He wasn’t going to go over to Sakura’s house and apologize. Not on his life. It was Friday. He was going to enjoy his weekend by partying.
Changing into a nicer shirt, he grabbed her helmet and headed downstairs to his motorcycle. He’d take out all his frustrations out on some girl who would be all too willing to relieve him of his stress.
