A/N: Hello : )

DISCLAIMER: I never own Naruto because first of all, I'm not from Japan.

SUMMARY: Haruno Sakura was rich, beautiful, and a smart girl, but she has too many problems. These problems include her extreme shyness, having a few friends that are all girls, and her parents not being satisfied at anything she does, always comparing her to her perfect cousin, Karin. Time goes by, and Karin returned from another country, and met Sakura's friend and their childhood friend (and Sakura's crush) - Sasuke. Even though the red-head knew that Sasuke is her cousin's first love, she still did not think twice to become his girlfriend, and turned the few girls who became friends with Sakura against her. Now, everything she has was taken away by her cousin.

And things had gotten worst when she met a gang called Akatsuki and some weird guys that are feared by everyone but adored by fans. But in the way they care and being over protective to her, she can actually call them her knights in shining armor.

PAIRING: SakuraCentric

WARNING: Rated T for swearing. Kinda OOC. AU. High school fic. -C-R-A-C-K- story.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

'Inner'

(Author's note)

Chapter 1

It was a different day for her. She was in an unfamiliar place. Long hallways, children with the same dress as her, women and men holding books and boxes of chalk, lockers, doors, and many chairs inside the rooms. She had never been in that place, where was she? Where was her mom taking her? She looked at her cousin, she seemed unworried. Does that mean she knows this foreign place? Where were they going anyway? She looked at her mom, whose hand she holds tightly, and saw her face doesn't look worried either. She looked forward and smiled. If her cousin and mother were not worried, that meant that they know where they were going.

They stopped in the front of one door. She looked at her mom, still holding her hand. She then crouched down to her level. "Sakura, this is where you will be studying now." She said with a soft voice.

"M-mama, where are we?" Sakura asked shyly.

"It's a place called school, you know what is school right?" Her mom questioned quietly.

"Y-yes, my tutor taught me that. It is the place where many children study together."

"Good." Her mother held her shoulders and smiled slightly. "Starting today, you will be one of them. You will not study alone anymore. You will be with other children just like you and your cousin."

She glanced at her red-haired cousin. She was smiling sweetly at them.

"Karin will take care of you." Her mom said surely, and she smiled and nodded. Her cousin held her hand and looked at her mom. "I will leave you two here, enjoy your school day." Her mom stood up and waved to them. Karin bowed and smiled.

The two six year old girls then walked inside the room.

She was standing in front of many children. That was another unfamiliar thing to her. Never in her six years of life had anything happened to her like that. All of their eyes were staring at her, others were whispering to their seat mates then would go back to staring at her again. She looked at her smiling cousin. She was sitting, hands on the top of the desk, grinning and looking at her. She wanted to walk out and go back to her home but she doesn't know which way to go. She looked at the tall woman that was standing beside her, the woman smiled then looked at the children.

"Okay class, this is Haruno Sakura." She placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "She's your new classmate, so be nice to her." Sakura knew who she was finally. She was the teacher, just like her tutor who taught her at home.

Sakura bowed to everyone and said 'hi' very softly to her first classmates. The teacher smiled. One hand raised and the teacher called him.

"Sakura-san, why is your hair pink?" He asked curiously.

Another rule in school she knew. It's before asking or saying anything, they have to raise their hand first. But what kind of question was that? Did she heard right? Again, it's the first time that someone had asked about her hair. Well, the answer was, she doesn't know. Why was her hair pink anyway?

"Actually, her father has pink hair, so she got it from her dad's genes." Their teacher answered. Sakura looked at her, now she knew why her hair was pink. It's because of her dad. Then she realized school was fun just like the time when she was studying at their house, she could learn as many things as much as she wants.

They asked many questions to her, but their teacher was the one who was answering, since she didn't know what the answers were. After receiving lots of questions and lots of stares, her teacher assigned her to sit beside a boy that has raven hair the same color as his eyes.

She then sat and looked at her seat mate. He was looking at their teacher, listening to what she was discussing. She looked at their teacher too, rule number one, listen to what the teacher was saying while in the school. Her tutor taught her that. She listened and followed everything their teacher said.

The teacher said that she was bright, but very shy girl. Because when the teacher asked her to read the book in front of the class, she read very softly and only the teacher could hear. She told her to sit down in her place, she did, and then the teacher asked Karin to read.

Karin read as fluently as Sakura could, but her voice was louder than her pink haired cousin, she was also the top-notch in their class. Her hair was red, the same as her eyes but she was chubby and not very tall. Her father was Sakura's mom's cousin but he was working in a different country, so Karin had only her mom.

At lunch time, Karin introduced her to her friends. Most of them were very nice. While eating their lunch along with their friends, a bunch of older kids showed up. Sakura and Karin knew them, for they used to be their neighbors.

They introduced themselves to Sakura nicely and they said she was very cute and adorable. Sakura thought they were nice and friendly but when they looked at her red haired cousin they snatched her food and dropped it onto the ground. They said she was fat and ugly unlike Sakura. Karin cried. Sakura felt pity on her. She hugged Karin and glared at them, she yelled at them to 'get away or she will call their teacher'. They glared back at Sakura and said that she's not adorable or cute any more, she was just like her cousin and her forehead was huge. Then they stormed out angrily, leaving Sakura covering the accused body part with her hand. Was it really that big?

After lunch, Sakura and her other classmates were doing their activity- art. She had fun doing it, having many crayons on her desk, and she drew a big house with the sun, clouds, birds, a tree, flowers and a girl standing near at the door. When she was about to start to color her work, she glanced at the work of her seat mate, and her eyes grew in amaze, his work was very beautiful and he colored it very neatly.

The boy looked at her, "What are you looking at?" He asked.

"U-uhm, n-nothing, ah… hi my name is S-sakura." She said as she smiled meekly.

"Are you done doing your work?" He asked coldly, glaring at her.

"N-no..." The smile on her face wavered at his cold tone.

"Then finish it first before chatting to someone else."

Sakura looked at him sadly, did he hate her? She sighed as she turned and started coloring her work silently. After done coloring she held up her work to look at it, she smiled happily, her work turned out good. She passed it to their teacher and sat down, she looked backwards to her cousin, and she was done with her work too. She looked in front again then heard her cousin spoke.

"Sasuke, can I see your work?" She asked. Sakura looked back at her. "This is beautiful!" She said then gave it back to Sakura's nonchalant seat mate.

"Thanks, are you already done?" He asked.

"Yup, I already passed it to Teacher." The red haired girl replied cheerfully, as Sakura was still looking at them.

"Aw, I want to see it." He whined playfully.

"Sorry!" Karin giggled. Sakura looked sadly at the front again.

'He just said to me to stop talking if I'm not done yet.'

When everyone was done, their teacher announced that the best works were the works of Sasuke and Sakura. Sakura felt happy, she was four when she started draw, and she had fun drawing as it's her favorite hobby.

After school, Karin and Sakura walked back to their home. It was also the first time Sakura had walked only with her cousin to their home.

When she was home, she was greeted by their maids. She smiled brightly at them and asked where her mom and dad were. They replied that the adults were still at work, and her face saddened and walked up to her room.

Four years goes by quickly, and Sakura is ten years old, still studying at her first school with her cousin. She didn't get many friends unlike her red-haired cousin since she was shy and timid girl. They had some new classmates. Most of them disliked Sakura and would always say that her being a timid girl was very annoying. That is why Sakura was trying her best to be louder, flashier.

Karin, still the brightest girl in their class, unlike Sakura, was neither timid nor shy. She joined their dance club and sang alone at their school festival. She became very popular at their school and their neighbors that bullied her when she was six were now her good friends. Most of the teachers liked her since she was a very active and bubbly girl.

Sakura, however, was still trying to be like everybody else, but still, afraid of boys. She was friendly to girls but always shy with the opposite sex. She was always second best to Karin, that's why her parents were disappointed in her and would always complain about her grades. They were high, but for her parents it was still low, because Karin had always gets the best grades possible. They also seemed happier with Karin since she was a very talented person, unlike Sakura who was only good at drawing and her parents think that it was a useless skill.

Sakura was talking to her friends, along with Karin, and they were talking about love and crushes.

"Uhm… what is a crush?" Sakura asked obliviously. They all stared at her disbelievingly, and then laughed loudly at her. "W-why are you laughing?"

"Are you serious? You don't know what a crush is?" One of them asked while giggling.

Sakura nodded.

"A crush is like a love, if you admire someone and feel different with him. That means he is your crush!" One of them replied happily.

"Does it have to be a boy?" Sakura asked.

"Well, most of girls have crushes on boys, and boys have crushes on girls, but it's a bit different from love."

"Ah, okay." Sakura accepted quietly.

"So do you have a crush?" Karin asked eagerly.

"Uhm..." All of them leaned closer to Sakura. "What if he knows he's my crush?" She asked cautiously.

"It depends, if a boy doesn't like the one who has a crush on him, he ignores or hates her. But it's awesome if a girl and boy have crush on each other! Then after crush… love, then marriage..." The girl fantasized a man and a woman marrying.

"Well, I do adore someone, he's smart, good looking, and most of all-"

"Who is he, who is he, who is he?" demanded the very excited girls.

"I don't want him to know, he might hate me."

"Don't worry we won't tell him." assured the first girl.

"Promise?" Sakura asked unsure.

"Promise."

"Okay... his name is..." They leaned more closely to her. "Sa-su-ke" then they made an 'oh' mouth.

"Sasuke, Sakura has crush on you!" One of them shouted. Sakura's eyes widened. The addressed boy glared at her.

"You said you wouldn't tell him!" Sakura whispered angrily.

"Well, wouldn't it be better that he knew already?" Karin said.

"B-but what if-what if-"

"Hmf, I hate a girl like her." Sasuke said, confirming Sakura's fears.

"See… he doesn't like me." Sakura said sadly to them, turning away to walk home.

She walked in her room, laid down at her bed and stared at the ceiling.

She felt miserable when her crush, Sasuke, said he hated her. She liked him because he could draw better than her. He's smart and almost all of the girls in school like him, she wanted to be his friend but she knew he hates annoying girls, so she remained quiet around him. It would have been better for her if he didn't know that she liked him, so that he wouldn't stay far away from her.

Sakura, Sasuke and their other classmates were assigned to be a group for their short report.

Sakura was listening to them quietly, and Sasuke was writing their report at the poster paper. Every time Sakura would suggest something, Sasuke would just glare at her and wouldn't write her ideas, so she remained quiet for the whole time.

At lunch time, Karin saw a grasshopper inside her bag, she yelled, everybody looked at her including Sakura. Sasuke came near to Karin in an instant and looked at her bag, he then grabbed the insect and threw it, Karin cried and hugged Sasuke. Sasuke hugged back, and Sakura's eyes widened.

Their teacher had told them to copy and draw the circulatory system in their notes. Karin and Sasuke were sitting next to each other, and Sakura was not far away from them. Sakura heard Karin complaining that she's not a good artist, and then Sasuke said she was actually a good artist, she's just not serious, and so Karin smiled. When did they become so close to each other?

Sakura and Karin were having a discussion about songs and artists, and then Karin mentioned that Sasuke sings well. Sakura had never heard Sasuke sing, good or not.

After a few months, Karin and her mother had to go to Otogakure, the country where her father was working. They were going to live there and Karin would be gone for a long time. Sakura, with her parents, brought them to the airport. Sakura promised her that she will mail her when she had free time.

Sakura grew up with no friends, they said she was weird since she didn't speak a lot and was always alone. Everyone also disliked her because Sasuke disliked her, they always said Karin was much better than her and much friendlier than her, and most of the girls hated her because a lot of the guys thinks that Sakura's pretty.

As she graduated Elementary, her Junior High turned out better, she didn't have many friends but they were nicer than her previous friends. She was also one of the smartest girls in class. She was not shy or timid any more and she could talk a lot, but only to those who were close to her. Her family, however, was still not close to her, her dad was working at the Mist Country and her mom was always busy working at office.

She was still sending mails and pictures to her cousin. One time Karin sent a picture of herself, she was wearing an eyeglass and she wasn't very chubby anymore.

Sakura now was sixteen years old, Senior High and has a short hair wearing a red headband. She was studying at Konoha High, and was new there so she doesn't have any friends yet.

She was sitting at the bench alone, reading a book when a girl with red hair came up to her and asked if she could sit beside her, Sakura nodded. She was one of Sakura's classmates, and her name was Tayuya. She talked to Sakura and she found out that she was new at that school too, so she doesn't have many friends. After that, Sakura and Tayuya became friends. Tayuya joined the music club, Sakura heard her voice and she sings really well, she could also play the flute pretty well.

Sakura didn't want to join any clubs as she knew she would feel out of place anyway.

Tayuya introduced to Sakura another of her friend from a different section, she said they were friends since Junior High and her name was Matsuri. She was a very talkative person, she knew every person in school, and would always talk about someone. Tayuya would always listen to her while Sakura would pretend listening to her, since she was not interested with the lives of someone she doesn't know.

Tayuya and her seat mate Kasshoku became group mates once, and they spoke to each other and enjoyed each others company. Kasshoku was a gadget lover. She'd always have the very latest devices and many other things that everyone wants. She came from a rich family and always gets what she wants, no matter how expensive.

Tayuya, Matsuri, Sakura and Kasshoku became very close friends and would tell each other everything.

Kasshoku introduced to the three her best friend, Ami. She was eighteen years old and one of the most popular girl in school as she was the cheerleader. Another girl that's always on Ami's side is Hidenka, she was a member of cheering squad, and she was always following everything Ami's request or command.

Sakura and Taira, the topnotches in their class, became partners to lead the class for their project. They worked well and became close. Sakura introduced her to the five. Tayuya, Matsuri, Kasshoku, Ami, Hidenka, Taira and Sakura were always with each other. They became closer and closer to each other, they'd tell each others secrets, they had sleepovers and they would always eat lunch with each other. Sakura was becoming to enjoy their company, even though they were kind of mean. She could get along with them since she was quite rich.

When Sakura got home, she was greeted by none other their maids. She didn't ask where her mom and dad were any more since they were always at work. But the maids said that her mom was at the lounge room, waiting for her with someone, she lazily nodded and thought that it was someone she doesn't know.

She was surprised as she saw a girl with red hair and red eyes; Karin, her cousin. Karin come to her and hugged her, she didn't hugged back because of the shock, her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open.

Karin grinned at her and said that she missed her. She smiled sweetly and they sat at the couch. The maid gave them iced tea to drink.

"Sakura, Karin here was going to spend her Senior High here in Konoha, so she will study at Konoha High too." Sakura's mother said happily.

"Oh! That's great!" She said, smiling brightly.

'That isn't great! Sasuke-kun is studying there too!' Inner Sakura screamed angrily.

"Wow Sakura, I never thought I would be taller than you now." Karin said proudly.

"Oh, yeah! You're looking good too, and you wear glasses!" Sakura replied, continuing to keep the smile on her face.

'Incorrect.' said inner Sakura snidely.

"Thanks." Karin said and smiled.

Karin was going to sleep in one of their guest room, since there's a lot of extra room at their house.

Sakura sat at the chair at the balcony of her room. She stared at the bright stars and moon.

'I'm so happy I can see Karin!'

'Damn it! Karin's back!'

'I'm gonna introduced her to my friends! They'll love her.'

'I hope she won't see Sasuke-kun.'

'We will be always with each other again, yay!'

'We will be rivals at grades and friends again, damn!'

'Friends...'

Sakura introduced Karin to her friends. Karin was very outgoing and friendly so she already get along with them specially Kasshoku. Both of them love fashion. The teachers were amazed at Karin, she was really smart, that is why Taira and her always get along at class. Some of their classmates think that Karin was beautiful, and they actually made a Karin fans club. Then Ami invited her to join the cheering squad, and Karin didn't refuse. As they saw Karin danced they were really impressed, she was very good and she said that she could also be a gymnast. Karin and Tayuya sang along together. Since Karin has a great voice, Tayuya invited her to join the music club, she didn't refused that either. Karin now was a member of four clubs; the cheering squad, music club, modeling club, and dance club. Those four clubs accepted only a member that was really popular or really talented, so they were also the most known clubs in school.

Sakura's closest friends enjoyed Karin's company, so Sakura seemed always left behind and would get ignored. In short, out of place. But Sakura kept smiling and would pretend that she was happy for them. She was always with them, walking close behind them. Of course she felt sad, but they were still her friends.

After a few weeks, Karin saw someone that looked familiar to her.

"He looks familiar..." Karin said, trying to remember who it was.

"Who?" Tayuya asked curiously. Karin pointed a guy that has onyx eyes the same color as his hair, he was talking to someone. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Oh he is Sasuke-kun, he's cute, ne?" Ami said, switching into fan girl mode.

Inside, Sakura freaked out but remained quiet on the outside.

"Yeah, he is Sakura's first love and only love" Matsuri said smirking.

Karin looked happily at the miserable Sakura. "Sakura, is he the same as Sasuke we knew since we were elementary?" Karin asked, grinning.

"Yup." Sakura replied, faking a smile.

"Really? Wow, I thought I would never see him again!" Karin said, extremely happy.

"Yeah, I'm so happy for you." Sakura said with a sweet smile.

'Damn!'

"Sasuke-kuuun..." Karin called as she waved her hand to him, Sasuke glared at them.

"It's me, Karin..." Sasuke's eyes widened, he quickly finished his chat with the guy he was talking to, and then he walked over to them.

Did she just -kun him?

"Long time no see." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Yeah, I missed you!" Karin replied.

"You've changed." He commented, observing her new appearance.

"Aw, you too, you looked more handsome!" The cheeky grin stayed on Karin's perfectly formed face.

"Thanks, when did you come back?"

"Few weeks ago..."

"Ah, so you're the famous new comer Karin." An impressed tone laced his words.

Karin giggled. Sakura rolled her eyes at her. The others were smiling at them. Sasuke glared at Sakura coldly, and then smiled at Karin again, changing back into his slightly happy state.

"So, want to eat out after class?" Sasuke asked.

"Hmm… why not?" Karin replied rhetorically.

"Okay, then, I'll meet you today after class near at the gate."

"Okay, then." Karin confirmed.

"I have to go back though, before my team mates at basketball club murder me. See you later."

"Bye!"

When Sasuke was gone, the girls except Sakura leaned closer to Karin.

"It's a date." Ami squealed happily.

"Yeah, you guys looked good together!" Hidenka said, grinning all the while.

"Nice chemistry!" Taira commented.

"We want you to tell us tomorrow everything that will happen okay? Right, Sakura?" Matsuri asked excitedly.

"Uhm… Of course," Sakura replied hesitantly.

"There, there, don't get jealous!" Kasshoku said.

"Me, Jealous? No, I'm not jealous!" Sakura said then she smiled.

'I'm angry! Damn it! He ignored me!'

After class Karin, Tayuya, Ami, Taira, Matsuri, Kasshoku, Hidenka and Sakura were standing near the gate. Taira and Sakura were reading novels, Kasshoku, Ami and Hidenka were texting fast, Tayuya were listening music to her ipod and Karin and Matsuri were talking to each other. After a few minutes Sasuke came. Sasuke greeted everyone including Sakura, she blushed slightly but greeted back at him.

Karin and Sasuke walked out, they all saw that Karin hugged his arm, the girls squealed except for Sakura.

"So, Sakura, we have to go." Taira said.

"Where are you going?" She asked innocently.

"Well, we have to- ouch!" Hidenka was cut when Ami pinched her.

"We have to do something, so bye." Ami laughed sheepishly. Tayuya looked at them astonished. Kasshoku whispered something to her.

"Oh, Yeah! Yeah, okay bye." Tayuya said. Then all of them walked away, leaving Sakura alone again.

Sakura was walking alone, where was she going anyway? Her driver was waiting for her at the school. Why would her friends not invite her to come with them where ever they were going? Does that mean they don't like her any more? And why were Sasuke and Karin so friendly to each other? Is that really a date? So, Sasuke asked Karin to a date? And Karin didn't refuse?

As those questions kept repeating inside her head, tears dripped down through her porcelain face. She rubbed it with her hands. She was walking in the direction opposite from the way she lives, so she doesn't know where she was going.

And while walking looking at the ground. She bumped to someone...

A/N: Chapter one done. :P Well, what can you say? Any comments? Suggestions? Ideas about that someone she bumped in to? Tell it by review : ) But no flames please.

Ok, about the story, I've made three OC's, they were, Hidenka, Taira, and Kasshoku. Actually, as far as I can I don't want to make some OC's, but I really need a girl character to this story. Why would I didn't make it Ino, Hinata, Tenten, Konan, or Temari? Well, I have plans for them. :P

For those who don't know Ami, Tayuya and Matsuri. Ami is the one who bullied Sakura when they were young. Tayuya is Sound-nin, who plays flute and teamed up with Kimimaro and the others to bring Sasuke to Otogakure. And Matsuri is the brown haired girl from the Sand Village that is student of Gaara.

Yes, the place names are the same. :D

Thanks for those who reads, please review.

I would like to thank LixxyChan for patiently beta-reading this chapter. Woot woot. Haha.

PS. Hope you like it : )

This work has been checked by LixxyChan :D