Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, only my own variation on the plot. I do not make any money off my ideas.

(AN)Hey! I finally got around to starting a Naruto fanfic, and this idea has been stuck in my mind for a while.I haven't written any fanfics before, so this'll be my first. I realized that there weren't that many NarutoXSakura pairings, so I couldn't resist making one, however I don't like to make things go really fast, and I want to focus on the main theme of this story first. I hope you all like it, and understand that I am NOT a Sasuke or Kakashi hater, it just works out for this story, as will other characters for other stories I may choose to do. Thanks and read on!

It was a cool summer morning, as Sakura Haruno headed for the meeting spot for Team 7, the red bridge. She was fairly early, considering Kakashi-sensei probably wouldn't be showing up for another, ten, say, 45 minutes?

Her short pink hair blew in the summer breeze, her jade eyes shining brightly at the prospect of a new day, a new chance to get her Uchiha to see her. A small frown graced her face as she slowed her pace to a gentle walk, taking the time to think over her circumstances.

'Sasuke-kun's been ignoring us' Inner-Sakura stated blandly.

'How is that any different from usual?'

'It's different! He's been ignoring us with contempt, not just aggravation!'

'He…has?'

A troubled thought crossed the pink-haired kunoichi's mind as her sandaled feet stepped onto the hard wood of the bridge.

'He has been…different. Kya! I'll just ask him what's wrong!'As simple as that, Sakura had made up her mind. She leaned against the side of the bridge, closing her eyes to listen to the soft trickle of water as it passed beneath the arch. It was a soothing noise that calmed her nerves. Sasuke-kun wasn't the only reason she found herself jittery. Kakashi-sensei had said that he'd teach her some new genjutsu, after he finished with Naruto and Sasuke.

'Ne, why does sensei always leave us till the end?' Inner-Sakura questioned.

Sakura didn't get the chance to answer. Sasuke was advancing towards the bridge with that expression on his face, completely void of all emotion. The pink-haired pre-teen tried to establish eye contact with his onyx orbs, but they would not glance her way.

'Figures.'

Sakura took in a deep breath, before bouncing over to the Uchiha's side.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!"

"Hn."

Silence, aside from the soft pitter-patter of the water that hit the bottom of the overpass was all that was heard after the morning greeting went sour. Still, Sakura was not ready to give up; this was all just an invitation to get to the point.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, can I ask you a question?" She began tentatively.

"No." Was his empty response. Sakura never took no for an answer, so she continued.

"Are you mad at me? What's wrong? You've been acting different lately…" Sasuke didn't respond, so Sakura kept prodding.

"Was it something I said? Did? Did I ask you out too many times? Mou, Sasuke-kun, I've been doing really well on all our missions—"

"No." Sasuke coldly interrupted Sakura's nonstop inquiry.

"What?" Sakura didn't understand, she thought she'd been doing so well…

Sasuke turned to face Sakura for the first time in a while, actually seeming like he was making an effort to make sure he had her full attention. Then again, he always did have it.

"Your fighting is sloppy," He started, and with each word, he burned a whole straight through the emerald-eyed Kunoichi's heart, "You're never paying attention. You're weak, Sakura. Not strong enough. You're holding our team back. The Dobe and I have to keep saving you from your stupidity. Kakashi-sensei doesn't train you, because you're not worth his time. Isn't it obvious? I'll point it out for you. You're not shinobi material. Go home. Sew something, if you can even handle a needle." And with that, he turned and leaned against the bridge pole, calmly waiting for Kakashi-sensei to show up… as if he said things like that every day.

Sakura was frozen in place, her eyes wide with hurt, staring off at something that she couldn't even place. Just staring, trying to comprehend everything that happened.

'That was the most Sasuke-kun has ever said to me…and it was all about my faults. Ne, Sasuke-kun, do I really have that many? Am I really that bad? That weak? That…useless?'

Tears started forming in Sakura's eyes, pooling at her eyelids. She bowed her head and tried desperately to hold them back, but yet they still fell, burning her cheeks, a physical reminder of how weak she was, unable to hold back her own emotions.

"Quit crying."

Sakura shot her head up in the direction the voice had come from. Sasuke-kun. He'd seen her crying. He'd seen her stamp into his memory just how pathetic she was. She could take no more. The kunoichi spun around on her heels and sprinted as fast as her feet could take her, further and further away from the meeting bridge, from Sasuke-kun, from her love.

"Sakura-Chaaa!-aaan?" Naruto called out from his haphazard balance on a pile of rocks she was coming into sight of. His gleeful call and turned into that of confusion as he saw her facial expression, her tear stained face.

'Naruto…you're always training. Always getting better, and here I am getting worse. I'm sorry.'

Sakura couldn't bring herself to look at him; she'd already embarrassed herself enough. Why hadn't Naruto told her how much she was bringing them all down, holding them back? Surely, surely if she had known before, she could've become better, improved herself. She could've captured Sasuke's respect…No.It all seemed impossible now.

She sped past Naruto, pushing herself even harder, yet knowing, if Naruto wanted to catch up, he could in a heartbeat. She was too slow. Her excellent chakra control was nothing in comparison to the Uchiha Sharingan, and the immense amount of chakra Naruto possessed. To her luck, Naruto didn't follow her.

'Ne, maybe he knows when to leave a girl alone...No. He probably just doesn't want to lose his balance before he breaks Sasuke-kun's record.'

Sakura ran ceaselessly until she found herself at the door to her house. She shoved it open, dashing up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. She threw herself onto her bed, before curling up into a ball, letting the tears fall freely, relentlessly.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she seemed to finally run out of tears to cry. Sakura sat up on the edge of her bed, lifting the back of her hand up to wipe away the residue her salty tears had left behind. She glared at herself in the mirror, her short hair, traditional pink outfit with green pants for modesty's sake, and red puffy eyes. She couldn't even cry beautifully.

'Ne, what will I do now?' Sakura wondered to herself. Sasuke-kun had said she wasn't good enough to be a shinobi, but that's the only talent she thought she had…

'We shouldn't let him bother us.' Inner-Sakura stated, her voice only wavering a little in Sakura's mind.

'How can I not? It hurts, it hurts right here.' She lifted her hand to cover her heart, attempting to heal the aching pain.

Silence.

Silence.

Heal.

'Sakura! We don't care what he thinks!'

'What? But…but I love him…'

'How can you love someone who doesn't believe in you? Stand by you? We're strong, we can overcome this!'

'But Sasuke-kun said we were weak...I'm…I'm confused? How, how…?'Sakura choked out. Her inner had such determination in her voice. Sakura was confused, but inside, she felt the need to have some of that determination.

'Screw what Sasuke-kun said! We have a talent! We have chakra control! We'll find the Godaime! Demand she makes us her apprentice! We'll….We'll be something!'

Realization began to filter into the sad kunoichi's eyes. Be something.Suddenly, the feelings of hurt and despair disappeared from her eyes, making way for an entirely new emotion.

Anger.

"How dare he!" Sakura shouted, standing up and stomping over to her dresser, grabbing the first thing she saw. Her picture of Sasuke. She gripped the frame with malice, watching has the perfectly kept glass covering begun to inherit a crack, a crack that kept growing.

"This is my heart, Sasuke-kun." The kunoichi said to herself, her jade eyes glowing. "This is what you've done to me." The crack kept getting bigger, small shards of glass popping out from the edges. "I've been trying so hard for you to notice me, but you only notice my faults. Can you not see the good in people? Are you so self consumed? Do you have no kindness? No tolerance? No, I don't think you do. But I'm worth something, Sasuke-kun. I'll make you see that. I don't need you or Naruto-kun to come and save me. I can save myself!" The tempered glass finally shattered, falling to the floor in a noisy, shiny, disastrous pile.

"I'll become strong!" The kunoichi yelled as she flung the wooden picture frame at her door, watching as the thin wood snapped into several pieces, before accompanying the glass on the floor.

The picture slowly floated down from where it had escaped the frame in mid-air, landing in the hands of Sakura Haruno. It was of Sasuke brooding at his desk in the academy, a picture she had slyly snapped during a, 'who can get the best profile shot' competition with her best friend, Ino Yamanaka. She had been so proud of it, but now, now she felt nothing.

"I'll be useful to somebody, Sasuke-kun. I'll become something. This'll be my last outburst. You'll see." And with that, Sakura gripped the corners of the photo, and began to tear it in two.

She stopped.

"I won't sink to this level." She folded the tattered picture in two, then walked over to the bottom drawer of her dresser, dropping the photo into a pile of other miscellaneous papers that she'd probably never ever look at again.

Sakura knew what she had to do. She left her home, knowing training with Team 7 had probably just begun, but she didn't care. Sakura was on a mission. And that mission led her to the office of the Godaime Tsunade.

As she lifted her hand to knock on the large doors, she whispered a final sentiment to herself, for herself… forSasuke.

"This is what makes us different."

(AN)What did you think? I want to continue it, but please review and tell me if you liked it, I'm addicted. This is just the prologue to get things started, so my other full chapters will definitely be longer. Thanks!