Chapter 1: Love

I've never felt so happy ever since I stepped into high school. Everything was almost new. It was a good opportunity to meet new teachers, classmates and friends. My world almost collapsed when I caught sight of a certain blonde boy with blue eyes, tan skin and with whisker-like marks on his cheeks. I sighed. Uzumaki Naruto.

He had been my classmate since I was in elementary school. God! He was really annoying! He's been telling me that he likes me, but I just don't feel the same for him. For some reason, he's always been around where I was. For once I thought that when I step into high school, I'll never ever see him again. Was that my inevitable destiny? It's such a small world, right? Oh, it is Sakura, it is.

I sighed.

"Sakura?"

"H-Huh..?" I replied. I looked back at Ino and focused my attention to her. "What was that again?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "It's Uchiha Sasuke! I heard that he'll be studying here this school year! It's such a good news! I know he'll surely like me!"

Uchiha Sasuke-- that famous teen actor. No doubt a lot of girls fancy him mainly because he's really attractive and an award-winning artist. His family was one of the richest here in Japan. He wasn't one of those hot shots who were just "a pretty face"; he was really smart, alright.

I admired Uchiha Sasuke even when I was a little girl. I really, really liked him. And so did my best friend, Ino. She's been my rival ever since he started his career which was about seven years ago. I'm sure she wasn't my only rival; there were other prettier (ouch!) girls who were out to steal his heart. Being the competitive girl I was, I knew I must not give up. My eyes were set on him and him alone.

"Sakura?" I heard someone say. It was a very familiar voice that I wished not to hear again. I turned to look at the blonde boy who was standing behind me with his sheepish smile.

"Oh hi, Naruto! I'm really surprised to see you here," I said, masking my sarcastic remark with a big smile.

"Aren't you happy, Sakura? We're even in the same class! Sakura and I…" He replied, his deep blue eyes shimmering. "It's going to be a fun year, right?"

Naruto has always been… Naruto. I wondered if he'd be pissed if I tell him that Sasuke was going to this school.

"I agree with that, Naruto. It's because Uchiha Sasuke will be studying here. I can hardly wait to see him!" I said with an exaggerated excitement.

A combination of jealousy and anger was present on his face. I knew it would work. Naruto hated Sasuke so much. He thought that the Uchiha guy was a show off just because almost all girls like him. He's Mr. Popular-show-off, Mr. I-am-so-perfect-and-good-you-can't-beat-me, he told me. He also despised him for another dumb reason—I liked the Uchiha boy. He declared himself as his rival in everything.

"What? That can't be true! There are a lot of good schools out there so why here?" I heard Naruto say. That question also rose in my mind but I really didn't care as long as he was near to me.

"Are you jealous, Naruto?" I asked him. Surely, that was the reason.

"Why should I be jealous? That isn't true, anyway," Naruto answered back.

"You are so mistaken," Ino said. She was staring at someone that seemingly shocked her out of her wits. Naruto and I turned our attention to the object of Ino's astonishment.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There stood Uchiha Sasuke who just disembarked from his limousine, surrounded by a lot of students and teachers.

Ino and I went closer to him. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants. He sure loved black (I knew that way before, by the way). Sasuke was even more handsome in person than in the big screen. I stared at him with a dreamy smile plastered on my lips.

I woke out of my daydreaming when Ino nudged me. He pointed at the Uchiha star with a horrified look on her face. Everyone was staring at me including him.

My heart started to beat faster as he approached me. All of the sudden, silence enveloped the whole place. Only the sweet humming of the birds and the gentle breeze were the only sounds I could hear.

My heart pounded faster and faster as if it would escape my body anytime. The world suddenly slowed down its movement… Closer and closer… His gaze made me feel that we were the onlu people in this entire world… Closer and closer… Until he was standing in front of me. Time stopped.

Uchiha Sasuke.