Thank you so much for sticking with this story! I read every comment and take them to heart!

I know there is a lot of confusion about pairings, but please just trust me! Pairings are supposed to feel cluttered and confusing, love and relationships are never black and white and I really wanted to capture the agonizing torture that is young love lol

SAKURA'S POV

"What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck," I frantically mutter under my breath as I storm away from Sasuke. I can feel my whole being convulse with uncontrollable anger, my legs are jello—like they could buckle beneath me at any moment. My face is burning white hot from the sheer embarrassment of it all— shouldn't have lost my cool like that, I think as I become increasingly aware of all the stares our little outburst had garnered. By lunch time, half the school will have probably heard about this.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sasuke's words play on a toxic loop inside my mind. Who the hell did he think he was? What right did he have? He broke my heart. He broke his promises. He doesn't get to be angry.

I do.

With every furious step I take, the distance between Sasuke and I grow. And with that distance, I feel the familiar tight squeeze in my chest—so tight that I feel as if I could burst into tears at any moment.

Even if our interaction had been enraging, uncalled for, and absolutely mortifying... I'd loved every second of it.

It was the first time he had acknowledged me since the breakup.

I haven't made any progress at all.

I had deluded myself into believing that I could do this, that I could move past all of this, that I would be just fine without him—Naruto had given me that hope.

But all it took was one look from Sasuke to completely shake me to my core. Make me question everything all over again.

I thought the initial devastation from the breakup would've worn off by now. I thought that I had moved past that hurt. I thought all that remained was healing.

But I was wrong. Dead fucking wrong.

With one look, he had shred every ounce of self-confidence I had.

Goddammit.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I willed myself to believe differently—I would forever be that stupid, lovesick little girl.

I'm uncharacteristically late to first period, I can feel everyone's stares as I try to quietly slip through the door.

Mr. Asuma glances up from his roll sheet, "Ahh, Miss Haruno! Glad you could make it!"

I mumble a hurried apology, eyes darting frantically around the room—there's an open seat next to Karin, who perks up at the sight of me—I've sat next to her every day since the semester had started.

Sorry, Karin.

"Anyone sitting here?" I motion to the seat next to Naruto. He looks up at me with bewilderment.

"All yours." He replies, scooting his own chair to make room for me. I toss my books and things onto the desk, hastily pretending to busy myself with my notes—avoiding the stunned gawks my new seating arrangement may have amassed.

After finishing roll call, Asuma jumps straight into the lecture. Finally, I can feel the swarm of eyes divert their attention from me to the lesson.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Naruto mutters under his breath.

"Yeah... ghost of ex-boyfriend past..."

I feel Naruto go stiff beside me, "...Shit." He murmurs "how'd that go?"

I sighed anxiously, not sure if I was quite ready to relive the drama.

"...That bad, huh?"

"...It... was awful. We immediately got into it... in front of everyone... he saw us walking into school together... must've triggered something—but man, he was pissed." I paused. "Like he even has the right to be mad, like he has some sort of ownership over you."

"He wasn't pissed, Sakura, he was jealous."

My head snapped to stare at his profile. Sasuke? Jealous? "I'm lost."

Naruto chortled, "You think he likes the idea of his best friend hanging out with his ex? The guy is psycho possessive—I imagine him seeing you with any guy would set him off... but me... well, me especially."

"Why you especially?" I am thoroughly confused at this juncture—why Sasuke would be jealous of Naruto?

Naruto shrugged, "Maybe he feels threatened."

I roll my eyes at him, stifling a giggle. Naruto chuckles back, turning his attention back to the lesson. We stayed silent for the remainder of the lecture.

When the bell rang, we collected our belongings wordlessly and made our way out to the crowded hallway. At once, I could feel the penetrating stares of our schoolmates. I felt myself grow small beneath their judgmental gazes; how must we look to them?

Me, the accused social-climbing wannabe who'd been ruthlessly dumped by the most sought-after boy in our grade.

Naruto, whose savage and publicly humiliating breakup had adorned him the new title of 'East High's biggest prick'.

Walking together, casually through the halls. No one knew of our history. Only of our reputations.

How must we look? To everyone else, Naruto and I were practically strangers, connected only to each other through Sasuke and our social circle.

Sasuke's ex and Sasuke's best friend. That had to look bad, right?

I glanced over at Naruto, wondering if he too was thinking these very thoughts. He looked over to me and chuckled, slinging an arm lazily over my shoulder.

"Don't pay them any mind," He assured, "let them talk."

"What do you think they are saying?" I muttered self-consciously, aware that the arm around me would do nothing but add fuel to the student body fire—Naruto looked down at me with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"They're probably saying that I'm a back stabbing, two-timing player going after his best friend's girl." He grinned. I smiled, relaxing a bit underneath his grasp.

"And I'm a shameless, homie-hopping whore desperate for male attention." I quipped, reveling in Naruto's ability to make light out of any situation. Naruto belted out a belly laugh.

"A homie-hopping whore, huh? Well, you better start putting out then." He cackled as I sharply jabbed him in the abdomen, "Let's see... after your run through me, who's next? Sasuke's circle of 'homies' isn't very big."

Naruto tapped his chin, in mock-contemplation, "There's Shikamaru."

"Hah," I snorted, going along with his rouse, "He's practically an old man—doubt he even has a sex drive."

"You're right, he's the only seventeen-year old boy that needs Viagra." Naruto mused, "What about Chouji?"

"I do like a well-fed man." I was having too much fun with this, despite the complete absurdity of our conversation, it was fun to riff with Naruto like this. I probed further, "Shino?"

Naruto feigned gagging, "Are you kidding me? You would be into the whole serial-killer type. Dude would probably skin you and stuff you like a doll."

"That's kind of hot," I hummed.

"Nasty!" Naruto chortled as we made our way to his locker, "Oh! I got it! Kiba—for sure. You know that guy is into some weird shit."

"Ugh, he'd probably make his dogs watch."

Naruto's eyes went big before he burst into a fit of giggles, grabbing at the sides of his head, "I'll never get that image out of my head,"

Pleased with his reaction I sighed theatrically looking upwards to the light fixtures, "Maybe I'll give girls a try."

A voice from behind me coolly spoke up, "Now that's a thought."

I immediately froze.

The blood in my body felt like it had been replaced with ice as I found myself unable to move. Goosebumps took my body by storm as my eyes quickly darted to Naruto's face, which had gone completely white before he sheepishly grinned, "Shut up, Sasuke."

Confirming my fears, I realized with mortifying agony that Sasuke truly was standing behind me, so close I could practically feel his body heat—or was that rage—radiating off him.

I hadn't expected to see him so soon after our row. I cautiously turned to look up at him. He stared down at me with apathetic countenance—stoic and eerily reserved. A violent shiver ran through my spine.

"You cooled down since this morning?" Sasuke asked me smoothly, making my stomach do back flips. I shyly nodded in reply, to which he acknowledged and then turned to address Naruto, "Looks like you two are getting along pretty well."

Sasuke's voice was murderously calm and leveled, he stood tall with arms folded over his chest, glaring intently at Naruto.

Naruto's face hardened as he slammed his locker shut, squaring off his shoulders and matching Sasuke's glare.

The light-hearted mood had quickly dissolved into thick tension and I had an overwhelming sense that neither of the boys were aware of my presence, despite being wedged between them.

The bell sounded, and I became acutely aware of the desolate hallway. Torn between wanting to stay and not wanting to be late for second hour, I nervously peeked at the two friends.

"Go ahead, Sakura," Naruto gruffed, eyes glued on Sasuke. "Save me a seat."

I nodded, turning on my heels I darted, thankful for my out.

"Sakura," Sasuke called out after I had made just a few paces.

Embarrassingly, my head snapped back to him like some obedient dog. "...Yes?"

"I'm having people over tonight... will you be there?"

I gawked at the back of Sasuke's head.

In the three years we had dated, Sasuke had never invited anyone over—aside from Naruto and I. But even then, those occasions had been few and far between.

Countless times, I had ushered him to throw parties at his apartment. It felt like the perfect place—no adult supervision, minimal neighbors—fuck, his complex even had a pool. But no matter the argument, he would always vehemently shoot down my suggestions.

I had chalked up his aversion to having people over to him being a private person—his apartment in a sense was an extension of that.

And while I had pouted and challenged him over the issue, a part of my had greedily enjoyed the luxury of his exclusivity. It had made me feel special.

So, what the fuck was this? Not even a week after we break up and he's throwing house parties?

Perplexed by his invitation, I struggled to form words.

"We'll be there." Naruto said curtly, answering for me.

Sasuke's head swiveled on his shoulders to lazily look back at me, "Good." He grinned.

Stunned by his sentiment, I felt myself go scarlet as my stomach performed wild acrobats. I nodded a bit too enthusiastically before dashing away again.

Just what the hell was going on? Why would he invite me to his party?

And why did he look so pleased?

My cheeks burned like they'd been set ablaze as I panickily hurried my pace, willing my legs to carry me faster.

"What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck!"

NARUTO'S POV

I studied the way Sasuke's eyes followed Sakura as she disappeared down another hallway, he paused a moment longer before his attention snapped back at me.

Ah, Shit, I thought, here we go.

I know Sasuke—better than he knows himself. He may be perplexing and impossible for the world to read.

But not to me.

Call it intuition, bonds, whatever. He can't keep a thing from me.

Everything he does, is done with thought out intention. He is calculated—methodical.

And I see right through him.

I swear, sometimes I know what he is going to do before even he does.

Which is why I don't resist when Sasuke violently shoves me into the lockers, balling up my shirt in his fist as the length of his forearm pins my chest painfully.

He scowls at me wordlessly, holding me there for a moment too long. I huff in annoyance, "What're you gonna do? Kiss me?" I taunt, throwing him off me. Still scowling, he takes a step back and watches me keenly.

"Seriously, man? This was a new shirt, now the collar is all stretched out." I whine, adjusting the shirt and smoothing out the newly formed wrinkles. As expected, he remains silent. I roll my eyes, and groan loudly.

"Alright, I get it! You're pissed!" I concede begrudgingly, bending down to snatch up my backpack, "I should've told you—but I knew you'd do this kind of shit before actually listening to me."

Silence.

God this guy is aggravating.

"It's not what you think, alright? She came into my restaurant with her old man the other night, we started talking again. Nothing's going on."

Sasuke shifted awkwardly on his feet.

"Hm."

"Finally, he speaks!" I roar, sarcastically throwing my hands into the air, glancing wildly around the empty hallway, "Did anyone see that? He spoke! The boy can fucking speak!"

I look back at him, smiling, proud of my little charade, his face has softened but I can tell he's still pissed.

"Why now?" Sasuke asks.

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes, frustratedly, "I mean, why now? You two have avoided each other like the plague for the last three years." He pauses, eyes shifting to the spot where Sakura had stood, "This timing just doesn't sit right with me."

Guilt takes me by charge, Sasuke is usually never this vulnerable with me. "...I don't know, man... after what happened with you two... and my breakup... just felt like we had common ground for the first time in a awhile."

Sasuke's eyes snap back to me, hurt evident. "You two talk about me?"

I immediately back-peddle, "No! No! We... we don't... we talk about pretty much everything but you..."

Sasuke looks down but nods understandingly, but soon falls quiet again.

"Look, I know... I know it's weird for you—and I'm not trying to make it that way... but... I need her in my life, man." Sasuke's eyes snap back to me, I can tell he is confused by my words, so I hurriedly try and finish before he can make another lunge at me, "But I also need you. You two... are the only genuine people in my life. Everyone else is just so fucking fake. I can't stand it. You guys are the only ones who actually give a shit about me."

I've never been eloquent a day in my life, words simply just evade me. I suck at conveying myself, but for once I desperately hope my meaning reaches him.

"Hinata gave a shit about you."

Sasuke is a calculated man. Everything he does, he does with purpose. I know, to him, everything I have done and just said, feels like a betrayal to him.

He knows how to hurt people—especially those who he feels have hurt him.

But Sasuke doesn't need weapons to hurt. He has his words.

My gut twists painfully and I think to myself, 'I deserved that'.

"Yeah, man... I know." Now it is my turn to fall silent. We stand there for a moment, I briefly wonder how much time has lapsed and how much class we have missed.

"Look, I don't want to argue with you... Just believe me when I say... nothing is going on with Sakura and I. We're just friends."

A pregnant pause envelops us before he silently turns and saunters away from me. Gut still wrenching, I release a drawn-out sigh. I knew he'd be pissed—but not this pissed.

So many things I could've done differently. I should've known better—to protect his feelings. But I hadn't lied.

I'd been honest when I said that we were just friends.

But I'd also been honest when I said that I needed her.

"So, you're coming tonight, then?"

Sasuke's voice snaps me back to reality. He doesn't turn to look at me when he speaks.

I snort, this guy. "Duh, idiot."

He's made it to the end of the hallway when he idly raises a hand in goodbye, still refusing to look at me.

"Make sure she comes." Is all he says. I smile.

"You got it."

I wait until he's gone before releasing a soft chuckle—maybe I didn't know Sasuke as well as I had originally thought.

Even he was capable of surprises.

Now it is my turn to make my exit, wondering what kind of punishment I will receive for being so tardy. I launch my backpack over my shoulder and turn to leave when I stop dead in my tracks.

My chest pounds with a dull, mind-splintering ache. My breath catches and I feel as if I've become fully submerged under water.

"...Hinata" My voice cracks.

She's standing a few meters from me, school books clutched tightly to her chest. She mirrors my same look of horror, timidly she takes a step back.

My body moves on its own accord, as if magnetically drawn to her, with an outstretched hand I take a frenzied step towards her.

"Hinata," I barely manage, voice mangled.

But her face darkens and she frowns horribly at me. A face almost unrecognizable, full of disgust and contempt. It does not suit her. Not one bit.

My heart thrums in unbearable pain.

Please, I want to beg, please don't look at me like that.

I take another step towards her, desperately wanting to close the distance.

There are so many things I need to say, so many things I want to explain. But words fail me.

For days I've been fanaticizing—fixating about all the things that I would say to her, I practically had a fucking script. No more lines, no more excuses, no more repressing stupid bullshit— I just wanted to be honest.

But the moment was finally here—my last shot of redemption, I faltered.

An undeserving coward.

Face hardened in absolute resolution, Hinata coldly brushes past me.

"Uh... I... Wait..." I blather frantically, grasping at her forearm, "Please!"

She furiously jerks away from my touch as if I had burned her and throws a menacing scowl over her shoulder.

"Leave me alone." Hinata snarls venomously.

I immediately back off, mortified by her reaction. Defeatedly, I watch her retreat, tongue burning from all the things left unsaid.

It really is over...

The crushing weight of the realization almost causes my knees to buckle as Sasuke's words come flooding back to me.

"Hinata gave a shit about you."

Just what the fuck had I actually done.

Let me know what you think of this chapter;) also I love y'alls interpretations! Where do you guys want to see this story go?