I shall be wrapping up this story in a matter of 2-3 chapters. If you'd like to see a sequel come out eventually with our favorite Naruto characters going to college, you just let me know. I think it would be fun since I'm currently in college and can add my personal experiences into the story. Thank you to those lovelies in my life that reviewed!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any other characters from the series.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

RECAP:

Groaning in annoyance, she moved her hand to her pocket and pulled out her phone, pressing the button to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sakura, its Shii."

"Oh, hey Shii," she greeted into the phone. "Long time no talk. What's up?"

"Omoi and I were wondering what you're plans were for this Saturday, because we're going to be in Konoha that day."

"This Saturday? I'm pretty sure I'm free," she told him as she unlocked her front door and stepped inside her house. "Just give me a call that day and we can figure out what you guys want to do while you're here."

"That sounds good, Sakura. We'll talk to you then."

"Alright, bye."

Sakura hung up and dropped her bag on the floor before making her way over to her living room couch and falling comfortably into the cushions.

"There's another thing to add to my list."

Ch.15 Let's be Honest

When that next Saturday came around, Sakura told Shii and Omoi to meet her at the Konoha mall at one of the restaurants. What she didn't know, was the fact that her friends would just happen to be in the mall at the same time and just happen to see her though the window of to this restaurant, next to two unfamiliar males.

After she departed from her Kumogakure friends, she was annoyed to no end by her bleach blonde friend, who constantly pestered about whom those 'mysterious hot men' were and why she was having lunch with them. Sakura, of course, kept her mouth shut and told Ino nothing.

-Flashback-

As Sakura sat in a booth with Omoi and Shii, partaking in good conversation as well as some good laughs, she noticed a familiar group of girls pass by who also noticed her and stared at her then the males in her booth.

"Shit," Sakura mumbled as she timidly waved at the four girls that stood on the opposite side of the glass.

Omoi smirked as he brushed a hand through his hair, "Friends of yours?"

"Unfortunately," the pinkette replied through her smile as she continued to wave at her friends.

Ino pulled out her phone and pointed to it, signaling for her to check her own phone, before the four girls walked away; most of them smiling as they pulled Ino along with them.

"Although this has been fun, I'm supposed to meet up with them after this to do some shopping," Sakura replied with a short sigh as she combed her fingers through her pink tresses.

Omoi let out a chuckle, "You don't seem to be one who likes to shop."

Sakura let out a short laugh of her own as she signaled to their waiter to bring over her check, "You've got that right."

"Don't worry about the bill, Sakura. We would be happy to take care of it for you," Shii told the pinkette with a small smile as he took the bill from the waiter when he brought it to their table.

"Oh, no. You really don't have to do that," Sakura interjected as she waved her hands by her face. "I don't want you guy to come all the way out here then have to pay for me as well."

"Really, Sakura, it's no big deal," Omoi reassured her as he placed a credit card into the bill holder and handed it to the waiter, who quickly took it away to be taken care of.

"Well, thanks," Sakura replied with a small smile as she placed her hands gently in her lap. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem at all, Sakura," Shii told her with a smile as the waiter came back and handed Omoi the bill before bidding them a nice rest of their day.

"I'm glad we could meet up like this," Sakura told the males as she slid her jacket onto her shoulders before sliding out of their booth and shooting them a smile. "We should do this again sometime."

"We'll let you know when we'll be in town again," Shii told her as he pulled the female into a friendly hug before she moved to hug Omoi.

"Of course."

Weeks of school passed in a blur and prom was rapidly approaching. The dance was less than a week away and Sakura still didn't have a dress, or a date for that matter. Sure, she had gotten asked by plenty of people. And although she would have loved to go with any one of her guy friends, she also didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings in the process by just choosing one. And to add to her list of prom problems, she also had to wear a freaking crown for the next five days of school.

Oh how Sakura Haruno hated her life in the current moment.

As she made her walk to school that Monday morning twiddling the sparkling silver prom court crown in her hands, she really wished she could have just faked sick and stayed in her nice warm bed.

'Maybe if I jump into the street I can get hit by a car and be hospitalized to save myself from all of this trouble,' she thought humorously to herself as she pushed open the front doors of the school and made her regular path over to her locker.

As she stood in front of the metal contraption, entering in her locker combination, she felt someone come up behind her as they placed a larger hand on her hip and moved their mouth to whisper in her ear. "You're not wearing your crown, hime."

"What an apparent observation," she mumbled under her breath as she slammed her locker shut. "Thank you for pointing out the blatantly obvious."

She felt the student council president chuckle into her neck as his hot breath left goose bumps across her pale skin. "I see someone has woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Sakura let out a sigh as she pulled away from the red head and began to walk towards her homeroom, knowing that he would follow her. "I wouldn't be so cranky right now if it weren't for this god forsaken crown that someone told me I have to wear all god damn week. I mean really, who does that?"

Pein chuckled once more before grasped Sakura's wrist, pulling her to a stop, and kissed the back of her palm. "Just remember you have to wear it from the beginning of the first bell, to the end of the last," his deep voice explained as he began to walk away from her. "Have a wonderful day, hime."

'Stupid arrogant ginger,' she thought to herself as she walked into her homeroom.

"Sakura-chan! Why aren't you wearing your princess crown?" Naruto asked as adjusted his own crown and stance, flaunting it as he enjoyed the attention he received as he did so.

"Because I don't need to be turning more heads as I walk down the hallway," she replied with a whiney tone as she moved to take a seat at her small desk. "My pink hair does enough of that already."

"But it makes you unique," Kiba told her from his nearby desk.

Sakura let out a groan as she buried her head in her arms that crossed her desk top, "I wish I was invisible sometimes."

By the time lunch rolled around, Sakura wanted nothing more than to rip her hair out and scream in pure frustration. Why did she want to do this, you ask? Because Pein failed to mention that she would also have to sit in a booth selling last minute prom tickets and pass out and collect ballets for prom king and queen.

Sakura had the very strong urge to find Pein and punch in his handsomely pierced face until she was satisfied. Thoroughly satisfied.

"C'mon Sakura-chan, it's not that bad," Naruto reassured from his seat to her right at the booth.

"It really is though, Naruto," she mumbled as she put her crown topped head onto Sasuke's shoulder next to her. "I hate my life."

"I have to agree," Sasuke grumbled.

"You guys are both no fun," Naruto pouted as he stood abruptly front his seat and slammed his hands down onto the booth table, successfully catching the cafeteria's attention. "Hey everybody! Vote Naruto Uzumaki for prom king this year! And don't forget to vote for the hottest woman on Earth for prom queen, Sakura Haruno!"

Sakura's face turned red as everyone's eyes turned to her. She yanked Naruto back down into his seat, "Naruto, you idiot! I don't need more attention! The crown gives me enough as it is!"

The blonde just laugh as he flung an arm around her shoulders, giving her a sheepish smile, "Don't sweat it, Sakura-chan! Everyone loves you. It's not like its attention you don't already get."

Sakura sighed at her blonde friend as he smiled, "It's not like I ask for it."

"You don't need too."

"Is that the smallest sliver of a complement I'm hearing from you, Sasuke?"

"Hn. Take it how you will."

"Oh, I will," she teased before she turned to her blonde friend who had zoned out of the conversation. "Hey Naruto, did you know Sasuke is in love with me?"

"What?!" the blonde exclaimed in disbelief as he reached out and pulled Sakura into his arms protectively. "I will fight you to the death for her love, teme! Back off!"

"Your love freaks me out," Sakura replied as she let out a laugh and removed herself from her friend's grasp and adjusted her crown. "I've gotta go. I'll see you guys in history!"

"Where are you going Sakura-chan?"

"I'm supposed to go meet with student council," she told them as she began to walk away, "something about decorations!"

"So you mean to tell me that along with wearing this hideous crown, I also have to help decorate the venue for the dance as well as go with a date who is also on the ballet for prom?"

"Precisely," Pein answered with his smirk blatantly playing across his pierced lips. Sakura stared at the men of student council with a blank look on her face. "This is bull shit."

"Such language," Sasori tisked.

"I'm so over this," Sakura replied as she took the crown off of her pink head and placed it on a near by table in the student council lounge and made her way towards the exit waving a hand in the air. "I quit."

"What do you mean you quit, yeah?" Deidara questioned with concern lacing in his voice.

"I'm done with this. All of this. All this prom shit has been putting you under the impression that you can force me into all this shit for your own selfish reasons," she expressed. "I don't want to wear a crown, I don't want go with a date, I don't have any desire to be prom queen, I don't even really want to go to the dance anymore. And on top of that, I can't even afford a dress, let alone one that would live up to the standards you've set for me."

"Sakura, wait," Pein called after her.

"No, I won't wait. I'm going home where I don't have to deal with this or you guys anymore, because frankly you're stressing me out to a point that I'm about to rip out my own hair," Sakura replied venomously as she stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Well that went well," Kisame spoke up, breaking the silence Sakura left in the room.

"Nice fucking going, Pein," Hidan cursed as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. "Being a selfish bastard is clearly fucking working out for you."

"Enough, Hidan," the pierced male retorted. "You're giving me a headache."

Sakura texted Kiba telling him she wouldn't be in either of her last classes for the day because she was going home. He asked her if she was alright of course, and she told him she was fine and just needed to go home. As she walked home, she couldn't help but just feel frustrated about everything going on in her life.

Her mom hadn't been home in a while, she was swamped with end of the year projects, and the prom situation was just driving her over the edge. She did feel a little bad about the way she talked to the guys, but she just couldn't take it anymore. She just cracked. Unlocking her front door, she walked inside her house and threw her backpack on the ground and kicked her shoes off. She passed quickly through the kitchen, grabbing an apple in the process, before moving into her living room and popping in a shooter game into her Xbox 360 and loosing herself to her frustration and shooting everything in sight, envisioning the student council.

About three hours later, as she switched from video games to mind numbing television, when she heard her phone start to ring. She absentmindedly grabbed it from the table next to her and hit the button to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Meet us at the mall in twenty minutes."

"If my outburst earlier wasn't obvious enough to tell you I don't want to see any of you, then please let me reiterate it for you in a more obvious fashion," she began as she stared down at her nails in boredom. "Please leave me alone, Sasori; you and the rest of your obnoxious group of idiots."

"Sakura, we're sorry. We didn't mean to upset you. Just please, come meet us at the mall. It's important."

"You forget yourself already," Sakura retorted with a sigh. "I don't want to see you, and I don't even have a way to get to the mall even if I wanted to see you. Which means that one of you assholes would have to come pick me up, and if you have already forgotten, which I think you have, I don't want to see you. Any of you."

"We'll be there in five minutes."

"No you will not!" but before she could finish she heard the line go dead. She cursed at the air and tossed her phone on the couch next to her. "Stupid bastards."

And like clock work, five minutes later there was a knock at her door. "Go away," Sakura called from her spot on her comfy piece of furniture. "I told Sasori that I didn't want to deal with any of you."

"Open the door, princess."

"Go drown yourself, prick."

Silence over took the males waiting outside. Sakura let out a small sigh of relief, "I honestly didn't think it was going to be that easy, but I'm sure as hell not going to complain."

But she spoke to soon as she heard the lock on her front door jiggle before it unlocked and swung open. The pinkette shot up from her couch and moved into the hallway to see the unwelcomed sight of Hidan and his over-confident smirk present across his lips. "Piece of fucking cake," he spoke as he and the rest of the student council members waltzed into her home.

Sakura let out a frustrated sigh before she moved over to Hidan and pushed against his stomach trying to move him back towards the door that he broke into, "Get out, you assholes. Sasori should have passed the message along that I didn't want you here!"

She continued to try and push him out the door, but he wouldn't budge. Instead he just let out a short chuckle and grasped both of her wrists before pulling them around his torso so that she was hugging him. "We're sorry, babe. We didn't mean to put so much pressure on you."

"Please come with us," Itachi began as he stepped forward. "You may reconsider your decision to quit."

"I really don't think there is anything you guys can do to make me want to reconsider quitting," she retorted as she tried removing herself from the Jashinist's grasp. "By quitting, I get my Saturday night free, I get to save some money on a dress I'm only going to wear once, and I don't have to wear the god awful crown through the rest of this hellish week!"

Finally pulling herself out of Hidan's grip, she looked up into their eyes and sighed, "Fine. But this better be worth the time I'm about to give up for you people."

"I thought we were going to the mall," Sakura inquired as she saw the building pass by through the car window as she looked up to the driver's seat at Deidara.

"Well we were going to kidnap you from there, but you actually made this much easier on us, so thanks, yeah," Deidara replied with a chuckle as he glanced back at her in the rearview mirror.

Sakura just rolled her eyes as a small tug pulled at the corner of her perfect lips before she turned to gaze back out the window. "Well where exactly are we going then? Should I have 911 ready on my phone to tell them I'm being taken to an undisclosed location?"

Sasori let out a short chuckle before turning to the back seat and shooting her a small smirk, "Just sit back and relax. We'll be there soon."

Sakura let out a sigh, but Sasori kept to his word and in another ten minutes they pulled up to a fancy looking boutique. Sakura opened her door and stepped out of the store, looking up at the store with confusion before turning back to the two artists stepping out of the car. "What are we doing here?" she questioned as she noticed Itachi's car pull into the spot next to them while Kisame's truck pulled up next to his, allowing the rest of the Akatsuki to step out and join them in front of the store.

"We're here to buy your fucking wedding dress for our wedding," Hidan spoke up. "We're fucking going to Vegas after this and eloping."

Sakura snorted at the violet eyed male's words before turning to Itachi, "Seriously. What are we doing here?"

She noticed Kakuzu walk up to her and place a hand on her shoulder while looking down at her through his dark bangs. "Go inside and pick out whatever you like."

"What?" Sakura asked in a small whisper as she looked up into Kakuzu's green eyes.

"You heard me, Sakura. Go inside and pick out any dress you want," the stitched male retorted with a ghost of a smile playing over his dark lips.

If she comprehended his words correctly, Sakura just heard Kakuzu, the cheapest man she'd ever met, tell her that she could go into probably the most expensive dress boutique in the city and pick out whatever she wanted, and he would buy it for her. Is this real life?

"But why?" she inquired as she looked at the rest of the guys there. "I don't get it."

"Look, Sakura, we were dicks earlier today and have been about this whole prom thing since it started, yeah," Deidara began as he gave her a small apologetic smile.

"We just wanted to make it up to you," Pein added. His piercings sparkled as his mouth tilted into a small smile. "Just let us do this for you, hime."

"I can't accept something like this," Sakura told them as she looked from guy to guy. "I really appreciate this, you guys, but I can't ask you to buy a prom dress for me from possibly the most expensive boutique in Konoha. It's just too much."

"But you're not asking, Sakura," Itachi reminded. "We're offering it to you as a gift. We would be honored if you accepted it as an apology and as a gift for being such an amazing person to us this year."

She felt tears start to form in the corners of her eyes as she smiled at her friends. They really had grown to be very important to her over the short time they had been together.

"Shit, babe! Are you fucking crying?!"

"Fuck off, Hidan! I am not fucking crying!"

After returning home from shopping with the Akatsuki members and successfully picking out a gorgeous dress, approved by all involved in the trip, Sakura hung her new dress in her closet in her bedroom as fell back onto her bed. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she pulled it out to find Naruto calling her.

"Hello?"

"Is it true that you're going to prom with those jack asses we met on our trip?!"

Sakura sighed, "Nice to hear from you too, Naruto. But no, that's not true."

"Are you sure? Cause Ino told Chouji, who told Shikamaru, who told Neji, who told Kiba, who told Sasuke, who told me that you were taking both of them!" the blonde on the other line exclaimed. "I thought you said you weren't going with anyone!"

"Naruto! I already told you," Sakura replied with a huff of annoyance. "I'm not going with anyone. And that include Shii and Omoi."

"Now they have names?!" Naruto questioned with shock. "Are they your secret lovers?! 'Cause if so, I'm so not okay with that!"

"Calm down, shut up, and go to bed, Naruto."

"Okay, Sakura-chan. Remember that I love you more than anyone else!"

"Of course, Naruto," Sakura replied with a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Saturday rolled around quicker than Sakura or any of her friends expected it too. While all of Sakura's girlfriends were still catching some beauty sleep, the pinkette was up bright and early to meet up with the prom decoration committee at the venue for the schools dance. It was 7:30 in the morning and Sakura waited for her ride to come pick her up as she sat out on her from porch. Her pink locks were tossed up into a messy bun and she adorned a pair of black yoga pants and a long zip up Konoha hoodie. She noticed Kisame's truck pulling into her driveway and she hopped into the passenger's seat.

"Morning, sunshine," Kisame greeted as he pulled out of her driveway and started heading towards the venue. "Excited for today?"

"Thrilled," she mumbled as she snuggled herself up to the window, pulling her hood over her head and closing her eyes. "Wake me up when we get there."

The blue man chuckled under his breath as he backed out of her driveway and headed towards the venue. After a 15 minute drive, the blue truck pulled into the large lot and Kisame stepped out of his vehicle and moved over to the passenger side where Sakura laid fast asleep. He opened to door slowly and held Sakura in place as her body drooped from the lack of support. Stealthily reaching around, he unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled the pinkette into his arms while shutting the door with his hip. She hardly stirred in his arms as he walked up the steps and pulled open the front door to the venue. Walking inside he made his way to the large ballroom in which he noticed the rest of his friends were already hard at work along with some of Sakura's friends.

"Why does Kisame have Sakura-chan in his arms?" Naruto questioned allowed as momentarily stopped tying off balloons. "Oh my god! Is she dead?!"

"I was until I heard your screeching," Sakura mumbled to herself as she looked up to Kisame signaling for him to put her down. Once he did, the pinkette stretched her muscles, listening to the satisfying pop of her joints as she did. "Ok, what do I need to get done?"

Pein began to approach her with his clipboard in hand. "There are lights that need to be hung, tables need to be put out, all of the table cloths and center pieces need to be arranged, and the buffet tables also need to be arranged. Once that's all done you may leave."

Sakura let out a brief sigh before she headed over towards some of the already positioned tables and started draping them with table cloths and putting together the center pieces. Neji soon joined her while Kiba began to set up more of the table near by.

"Are you excited about today?" Neji asked as he pulled one end of the table cloth across the surface while the pink haired female took the other.

"I am, but at the same time dressing up and dancing has never really been my thing," she replied as she smoothed over the fabric and began to assemble the center piece. "I'm excited to get to be with everyone though. I love when we all have the chance to hang out because I know it won't be that way forever."

"Why do you say that?" the chestnut haired male questioned.

Neji could tell that Sakura was slightly flustered with that question as she fumbled with some of the sticks that she was putting in the large vase. "Well I mean all of us still have another year together before we go away to our different colleges, because lets be honest, we all won't go to the same place. But if next year goes as fast as this year, I want to be able to enjoy all of our times together as friends to the fullest. Plus I know you guys aren't huge fans of them, but the Akatsuki are my friends too and they'll all be leaving soon so this is one of my last big events with them too. You guys are all important to me and I just want to make the most of these times we have."

Sakura suddenly felt arms around her shoulders from behind as a male body crushed itself against her back. "Awwwwwww, Sakura that's the sappiest thing I've ever heard you say!" Kiba announced as he held her tighter. "You're the cutest girl in the world!"

"God, Kiba! Get off me!" she yelled with a small smile adorning her features as he chuckled deeply behind her. Tonight was going to be a good night.

Wow. That took me forever and a year. Next chapter is prom! I've got the basic storyline of what I want to happen but if you've got anything you want to see, let me know! I've been progressively working on all my stories. I hope to have the next chapter of Haunting Desire out next followed by Innocent Seduction. Thank you all again for your support! Much love.

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