note.

Middle school, high school, followed by university - is the system in Japan in case it's confusing.

Part-time Lover is going to be told in short chapters. This first chapter is more of a prologue, so please read until the second chapter before giving up on this =]

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or its characters.

track 1.

Another day. Another girl.

"I like you. I've liked you since we were both thirteen. Please go out with me!"

"Thank-you." He took a step closer. "But, I'm sorry. I'm not interested." Bypassing the girl to join Naruto and the others, Sasuke took his seat by the window as Sakura stared on behind him.

She should really be ashamed of herself.

A nameless girl had poured out her heart, bravely in front of their classroom's sliding door; perhaps having assumed that Sasuke wouldn't reject her so openly. Only to be shot down straight away.

But here she was, hiding behind the safety of her desk. Barricaded behinds books, armed with her erasable pens, and armoured by her pencil case; brazenly thanking the gods that Sasuke didn't accept the confession.

They had known each other as kids before she moved away. And she was pretty sure that she confessed to him as a young child. But coming back and entering middle school, Sakura fell for the boy she left behind. Craved the way Sasuke carried himself with pride and dignity, and the self assuredness he had about him.

She fell in love with how he could care less about the unwritten expectations people labeled him with.

So few saw past his immaculate appearance and famous family. Uchiha Sasuke, one of the heirs to the Uchiha police force legacy was all they saw. But while every teenager was trying their best to fit in. Sasuke didn't pretend to be someone he wasn't, conforming to the standards of their stuffy classroom. He simply stood out amongst everyone.

Sasuke was acting as if nothing had happened, that it was just an everyday occurrence (though, she supposed, it may as well be), as he responded to Naruto's antics; and she eyed Naruto's spot, envious. Sakura is greedy, and she's well aware of her greed. The mere thought of being close enough to see him everyday but not be with him was frustrating.

They had used to be so close.

And he was everywhere. In hallways, in classrooms, - places that she could have easily find him. Yet even though he was reachable, he was never attainable. And she missed him.

She would meet him after school, by the street that no one passed - the one that started directly from the Uchiha house with the old stone bench. And Sakura would make him remember her.

Sakura would force him to accept her back into his life one way or another.