"Hey Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah Naruto?"

"I just want you to know, if you and Sasuke don't work out...I got some strippers for you."

"First off, no. Second, wait, what kind of strippers? How do you know strippers?!"

"I have people."

"You don't got shit."

"Believe it!"

…

..

.

brighter than the sun
visionary wonder

…

..

.

The years I spent growing up, my mother had been a control freak. Our relationship has always been strained. More so now after I graduated high-school and moved out to start college. My father had never been in our family. He left when I was two and I have no memories of him. There are two pictures of us together—one the day I was born with him holding me and the other on my second birthday—which my mother kept in box under her bed. I never heard from him and my mother never talked about him. When I did ask questions, she would get defensive and upset. She would tell me the same story she did every time I asked a question about him—"He packed up his bags and never looked back. He never wrote, never called, never cared, okay, Sakura?!"

My mother had been a Calculus professor long before I could remember. She was so intelligent sometimes it intimated me, but then she would be a bitch, and I would forget she even had a brain. She was so anal and OCD to the point she would wake me up in the middle of the night to yell at me for a cereal box left out on the counter. I can remember coming home from elementary school and my shoes, backpack, clothes all had to go in certain spot. Everything was color coded, everything in order, everything perfect. Nothing was ever allowed to be a mess or gather clutter. Our beds were made every morning, shower curtain always closed and shampoo and soap bottles in the same spot. The dishes were washed after every single use. I understand being clean and not wanting a dirty house, but I was never allowed to even have one shirt on my floor or she would go crazy.

So, when I graduated and Sasuke left, I was more than happy to go in half with Naruto for an apartment. It was hard at first, but I was so heartbroken over Sasuke and so over my mother's house, I was determined to do anything. I had some money saved up in a bank account over the years from my birthdays and babysitting money. I found a server job with weekly pay and tips. Naruto's parents also helped us because we both received scholarships to Konoha University.

Speaking to my mom on the phone right now, reminded me why I moved out in the first place.

"Sakura, I checked your grades last semester. Honestly? You can do better."

I was furious.

(How the fuck

did she get access

to that?!)

"Mom, I'm excelling! Why can't you ever be satisfied with anything I do?!" I exclaimed as Naruto walked by the living room with a bowl of ramen for breakfast.

"I am, Sakura. You and I both know there's always room for improvement."

I hung up on her.

I was so over this shit. So over life, school, my mother, and Sasuke. I had worked my ass off this first year of college. I was working at least thirty hours a week at my job, still finding time to study and volunteer at the local nursing home. I was on summer vacation now and I shouldn't have to worry about school again until the fall. I had only been out for a couple of weeks and my mother was already calling me again about how much more I could do. She was never happy with anything I did.

"Aw, don't let her get to you," Naruto said with a mouthful of ramen.

I rolled my eyes, tossing my phone across the couch. "I'm not. She's just a bitch. Why even call my phone if you're just going to bitch about my life?"

Naruto shrugged, "Moms."

Yeah, except my mom takes everything to the extreme.

"What are you doing today?" I asked, curious, considering it was only nine on a Saturday morning.

"Work!" Naruto exclaimed, looking down at his watch, "Which I'm late for and oh by the way—" He grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter, opening the front door, "Sasuke is coming over to use my game console so loveyaseeyoulater!"

And he was gone.

I sighed. Today was already feeling like a long day. The sad part is, I worked all week to have the weekend off and none of my friends were off work. I usually would have slept in on my off day, but my mother had been my alarm clock this morning. I couldn't even remember what she called for. After she starts fussing and nagging, I forget everything. If there was anyone who could anger me more than Sasuke, it was my mother.

Now, I have to deal with him today also. I haven't seen him since last weekend when I told him to fuck off. I didn't exactly want to deal with him this weekend. I was so emotionally exhausted it was driving me insane.

I pulled my pink hair up into a messy bun. I was still in my leggings and t-shirt from last night, checking my phone even though I knew everyone was at work or asleep. Looking around, the apartment needed to be tidied up. There were a few dishes in the sink and Naruto's ramen still left out on the counter. I had no energy to do anything. I was so tired of fighting and feeling negative. I had just finished my first year of college. I was young, healthy, and I wanted to have fun! I wanted to live my life without all the negative energy and bad vibes.

Knock. Knock.

There was my negative energy. Bright and early.

(Who the fuck

gets up this early

to play a game?)

I groaned, got off the couch, and opened the door with a swing.

Sasuke stood there in all black and a white t-shirt. His hair messy and all over the place. His eyes piercing, holding games in his hand.

"Hey," He said coolly, walking past me. "Good morning."

(Like we're on good

terms or something?)

"Mornin'," I said, narrowing my eyes, shutting the door as Sasuke set up the game in the living room.

It was too early for all the emotions I felt right now. There were so many things I wanted to say to Sasuke. So many things I wanted to ask—needed to ask. I couldn't even look at him.

Not like this.

There's something about being in love with a person. Even if you two end things, you're never going to be able to accept them as your friend—not all of the way. Every time you see them, you're going to be reminded of memories and the past and moments the two of you shared. You're going to be reminded of your love and laughter and his smile and the way he kissed you in the morning.

Looking at Sasuke reminded me of us. Every second, every minute, every moment. All of the good and bad and excitement and arguing and making up. Except that time when we didn't make up. That one time things didn't end with an apology. The memory of Sasuke leaving me. Leaving us.

"Do you want to play?" Sasuke asked, holding out an extra controller, his eyes enchanting me.

(How is he not

gong crazy inside

like I am?)

"Okay," I shrugged, my heart beating fast, trying to seem calm on the outside. Each time we've seen each other, it's been hurtful and awkward. The last time we spoke to each other, I was telling him to fuck off and slamming his car door. Now, he's in my living offering to play video games with me. I didn't realize how much I missed us—even the fighting.

Because now, we're making up, I couldn't help but think as I grabbed the controller. I took a seat beside him, our knees barely touching. I felt like such a little girl. Half of me wanted to scream at him and the other half was freaking out about how close we were to touching each other.

We stayed like that for a few hours. We ended up playing a racing game, then a shooting game, and before I knew it, it was around two o'clock.

"Ugh!" I threw the controller softly on the couch. "I give up!" I exclaimed after Sasuke had beat me yet again.

"Hn," Sasuke smirked, turning the game off, and putting the controllers up. "I can't help you suck, Sakura."

(Don't say my

name like that, Sasuke)

"I'm hungry," I said, ignoring him, reaching for my phone. "Do you want pizza? I don't care—we're getting pizza." I hit speed dialed and quickly ordered a large pepperoni pizza.

"You're paying," I said, hanging up the phone, walking into the kitchen. I was so thirsty and of course there was nothing in the fridge but alcohol.

"Beer it is." I opened up a beer bottle with my shirt, chugging half the bottle. "Do you want one?" I asked Sasuke, wiping my mouth.

"Might as well," He said, helping himself to one.

"Cheers." He clanked his beer with mine and there we were—standing in my kitchen, drinking on a Saturday afternoon like we didn't have history and heartache between us. It felt so different now. This time, we felt older. Of course, the last time I was with Sasuke I was under my mother's house. It's not like we got to spend the real time a couple should together. At least, not with all her rules she had for my life.

Sasuke finished his beer fast, which wasn't unusual. Sasuke didn't do a lot of things, but he's vice has always been alcohol. I can remember being sixteen and raiding his parents alcohol bar too many times to count. We used to sneak whiskey and vodka up to his room all the time. Sometimes, we would climb on top of the roof and look at the stars, drinking and hiding away from the world. One time, we even had sex up there. I would never forget that night. That night was magical. It was only us and the stars and the fear of getting caught. It was the night we first made love.

I was so lost in thought, I didn't even notice the doorbell or Sasuke answering the door for the pizza.

"Here," He said, handing me a slice and another beer, taking the empty one out of my hand and throwing it away.

I just couldn't take this anymore. There's no one way I could be across from the person I love and act like they didn't rip my fucking heart out. Like we could just eat pizza and drink beers without wanting each other?!

"Sasuke!" I exclaimed, setting everything down on the counter. "Stop acting like everything is fucking okay between us because it's not!"

All good vibes gone.

"No shit, Sakura," Sasuke said sarcastically, rolling his eyes, finishing off his beer.

"Why didn't you call? Why didn't you write me? Why didn't you do anything?!" At this point, I've lost my mind. My anger from the entire year boiling towards the surface. I've missed him so much and he fucking left me.

"Because you made it very fucking clear you no longer wanted me in your life, Sakura."

There he goes again, saying my name like that, looking at me with those smoldering eyes.

"We fought all the time, Sasuke! We each say shit we don't really mean!" I threw my hands up, glaring.

"Yeah, well," He flipped his dark hair out his eyes, "This argument was serious."

"Really Sasuke?! You left two days after graduation and never talked to me again!"

"Because you told me to leave. You told me to get the fuck out of your life and never talk to you again."

"Sasuke, that's because you dropped a fucking bombshell on me! How else was I supposed to act? The love of my life decides to tell me the day after graduation he wants to move hours away from me for the next four years?!" I was screaming now, pulling at my hair. This man literally drove me crazy.

"I'm not doing this today," Sasuke said, grabbing his keys and wallet, walking out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, just fucking leave, Sasuke! You're good at doing that!"

This time the door slammed in my face.

notes: okay, so I just wanna say, I'm not out to make Sasuke the bad guy or Sakura the bitch..they're both assholes and they both have flaws. They're not perfect. This this story is Sasuke/Sakura and they will end up together. I just want to show the ups and downs to a relationship and how sometimes, it takes hard work and time. They both have issues they need to work out—with themselves and each other. And second, yes, I deleted the previous chapter three. I did not like it at all. I will be rewriting it for a future chapter. Also, I haven't been on fanfiction for years so I guess it's changed… but I edit my stories a lot for grammar errors or anything I might of missed in the chapters and I guess it sends a notification that I've updated. If it's not a new chapter, feel free to ignore.

Anyway, I hope you guys are liking everything so far and please review and let me know you thoughts! I see you guys lurking … (; Let me know what you think!