Finding You:

AU. If you give a girl a chance to run after the one she loves the road isn't easy. The chance is taken and what ensues? Heartbreak. Laughter. Friendships. Love. The road to love starts now. SasuSaku.

Dear Future Sakura,

Hey.

I bet you're wondering why I'm writing to you. Well, there's a reason for it.

You see, you were an idiot and fell in love with this douche bag. Ha. Funny story, right?

No. Not really.

You've been down in the dumps for ages - and it's been pathetic seeing you like that. I mean, looking in that mirror every morning to see your swollen red eyes is not something that is attractive. Hell no. I mean, seriously. Get yourself together, you pathetic piece of s- sorry. I'm getting off topic.

You see, the reason I'm writing to you is because you know that feeling when you think "that" guy is the one? Yeah. I felt that too. Well, he isn't. When you think a guy whom you have only been dating for a few months is the one, well you are forrealseriouslyc'mon an idiot. That's not even possible. You were sixteen when you met the guy. I wouldn't call that a freaking match made in heaven. And him? Oh, hell, let's not let me get started on him. This letter would take forever.

Anyway,

This is the story of how one year before I let my whole life slip away from me, I went on a mission. A mission to track down that guy whom I had thought was the "one".

Why did I do that, again?

True love is supposed to find you, isn't it?

Oh yeah.

I'm an idiot.

Sincerely,

The past Sakura. The Idiot.

'

'

'

I have lived on this earth for twenty three years, and all my life I have been trying to find "that" guy. You know the one don't you? He's the guy that you can't get out of your head. He's the guy that when you think of his name your day just magically gets better and you cannot stop smiling. He's the guy whom you can envision spending the rest of your life with, and he's just that guy that you're foolishly in love with. Well. This story isn't about how I met this guy and everything turned out fine and dandy, peaches and creams, tomatoes and apples. This story is about that chase to know he was the one. It's about the risks I took, the stupid actions that unfolded when I stepped out of my comfort zone and chased after him. The complications that arose when I followed my heart and didn't listen to what anyone else was trying to tell me. I made a decision that I hoped would make me happy...and well, you'll see how it turned out.

I live in the upstairs apartment over the bar Akatsuki with my childhood friend that I have known forever, Ino Yamanaka. We are both currently trying to pay off our student loans from college. I am still working towards my medical degree, and aiming to be a well renown doctor. Ino is working towards her degree in fashion and is working her butt off trying to work with a modeling agency, but I think her sights are somewhat set on something else. What that is - well, I'll get to that later. She has this beautiful bleach blonde hair that everyone would die for, and these bright freaking blue eyes that just seem to sparkle whenever anyone looks at her. She's the epitome of everything that is beautiful.

We seem to spend every single night in the bar when we aren't working our jobs, me with an internship at the hospital that my aunt and adoptive mother works for, and Ino with her job at both a famous clothes store and with a modeling agency downtown that just seems to worship her. We spend those nights drinking whatever we fancy with our ragtag team of freaks:

Me.

Ino.

Karin. Oh, and isn't she a freak. She loves to dance, she has on and off auditions for dancing. She aims to be the best in whatever career of dancing she choose, mainly all that she can obtain. She spends her days dancing in a studio, her crimson hair whipping against her cheeks. Her crimson eyes, always with this devilish glint just flicker across the hard-wooded floors behind her black glasses that seem always to slide down her nose. She hates losing and loves competition, and danger, and french fries. And there isn't a Karin without her on and off boyfriend who we all know will propose to her, Suigetsu Hozuki. They are crazy for each other but are too stupid to actually confirm they are dating. They practically even live together, but seem to have this annoying as crap love-hate relationship that doesn't make any freaking sense. The only issue I have with Suigetsu is that he's this disgusting playboy and doesn't seem to know when to back down. He and Karin are really perfect for each other but we are having such trouble having them stay together. Karin doesn't want kids, she hates them and marriage. So does Sui. See how perfect they are together? That is another mission I embark on during this story.

Tenten Mitarashi. She is the biggest freak Ino and I have had the fortune of meeting. Tenten lives with her aunt, Anko and her fiance-soon-to-be-husband Kakashi, whom was my highschool Chemistry teacher. Freaky, eh? Tenten works with a company the creates weapons and she always is off to make the things she loves, all sorts of weapons that make her cackle with glee. Her hair is always up in these traditional brown buns, because she doesn't like people to see her wavy hair. Her brown, sort of caramel eyes are so pretty but she keeps her beauty hidden with her sinister giggles and lethal moments of liking to wreak havoc and doom on everyone that she doesn't like. Tenten is in a steady relationship with Neji Hyuuga - the cousin to my next beautiful little freak of a friend. He is good for her, he tries and well sometimes unsuccessfully keeps her in line. He has long brown hair and these very pretty white-palepale lavender eyes. He likes to duel with Tenten and when he gets drunk, well let's just say it's freaking hilarious.

Then of course, there is that couple that have been together since FOREVER and you just now they are going to totally get married soon and have tons of little babies that look like them because they won't ever be apart from each other. Yes. That couple that I speak of is Hinata Hyuuga and her high school boyfriend since the age of sixteen, Naruto Uzumaki. They are their first everything, and they haven't been apart since. Really. They hardly ever are and they are the cutest couple ever. Hinata with her long and beautiful silky dark blue-black ink hair and pretty white-dark blue-lavender ish eyes. She's so pretty, she rivals Ino, working with children as a kindergarten teacher. Naruto, her silly boyfriend is frankly this idiot, but he's so adorable with his tanned skin and bright as the sun smile and blonde hair. His eyes are this pretty blue that when looked at closely are very different shades and his laugh just cheers you up. He's the definition of the sun and he's hard not to love, trying to support Hinata with her chosen career as well as his chosen career as a mentor for children who have low self-esteems. Hinata and him are perfect for each other and I just know Naruto is going to propose to her. Definitely.

Now to the other two occupants that seem to tag along in my group of friends. Let's get to the first one - Kiba Inuzuka. I know he has the hots for Ino, that or he just likes to stare at her beauty. I definitely believe it has to be the former though. Seriously. Everytime we get beers or something, he just sits across from her (although I try to make it so that he can sit next to her, since our booth at the bar only unusually contains five of us at one time, if not we get a huge ass table) and stares. Ino claims she hasn't realized it, though when I mentioned it to her she now goes out of her way to make eye contact with him. That is another task that I take into account and try to make happen. Ino and Kiba are huge flirts, I don't see how they haven't banged right away yet. Kiba is highly attractive too, with his disheveled brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that make a girl swoon. He works with an automobile shop, because he loves cars. Can't get away from them, and just looking at him you can tell he has these gorgeous muscles you want his arms to wrap around. Yum.

Then...there is the last member of our so called group of freaks. I don't think just a tiny description will do it, so I shall let my story begin and you shall find out yourself if this is the guy that I chase after. Who knows?

To: Saku H.

From: Ino Y.

Hey. Idiot. Get downstairs, I want a beer, and I have some legit serious happy freaking news, okay? OKAY? GET DOWN HERE!

Sent at 3:45 p.m.

To: Ino Y.

From: Saku H.

Read at 3:46 p.m.

You're the idiot. You left the damn oven on. How many times do I have to tell you - just jiggle the freaking knob and it turns off. LISTEN ONCE IN AWHILE, YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT, PIG.

So? Order a stupid beer, I'm not your slave. You have a mouth, use it, you do it pretty much any other time.

...Order me a strawberry daiquiri, please. I want a fruity drink.

I have some happy news too! I'm coming down now, KEEP YOUR PANTS ON.

Sent at 3:50 p.m.

To: Saku H.

From: Ino Y.

Read at 3:55 p.m.

HOW DARE YOU CALL MOI THAT? I AM NO SUCH THING, STUPID FOREHEAD. How the hell can I remember that every time? Just get a new oven! God, accept the one I keep trying to buy you already!

Okay. Okay. I don't want to, okay? The creepy bartender who always hits on me and who isn't attractive is serving drinks. Nowayokayokayokay. You are my slave, betch. I use my mouth for many things. Wink. Wink. Sparkle.

Psh...Fine.

I doubt it's happier then MY news!

You know I'm not the type to keep my pants on (;

Sent at 4:00 p.m.

Sea foam eyes glanced at the beeping white iphone that was clasped between her chipped lime green polished fingernails. An exasperated but amused sigh escaped past her rosy pink lips. Sakura Haruno tucked loose strands of her bubblegum pink hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing over the pierced ear, the dangling silver moon moving slightly in the process. Her white scarf was snug against her neck and she adjusted it slightly as she pushed her phone decked with a pink and white case, shining with the text from her best friend and roommate, Ino, into the pocket of her dark blue jeans that hugged her hips in just the right, comfortable way. Her simple white ruffled tank top was covered with a light gray sweater, complimented with tiny light gray boots with a slight wedge. Ino was so silly sometimes, she swore. They had lived in that apartment upstairs for years, well ever since they graduated from high school and wanted to move in together since their respective colleges were only an hour away. Their apartment although spacious with one bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, a room for laundry, and two bedrooms was somewhat run down in a way. Their appliances often had short life spans but Sakura made it work, what with her experience with broken things and just fixing them to the point where they could work again.

Yes. It was definitely highly useful, indeed. Yet Ino had a problem with things like this, she liked things to shine and sparkle, and sheen. She wanted luxury and of course two young women in their twenties with college debts to pay off couldn't exactly afford things like a new oven, and new furnishings that the landlord hadn't told them needed to be purchased in their contract. Ino made it work though and was steadily paying off her debts and keeping some extra money tucked away so they could either fix up their apartment or find a lavish house to live in together. It was an exciting thing to dream about when they were going through some tough times, so was the freezer filled with different kinds of icecream.

Her fingers pushed open the door to the bar below their apartment, Akatsuki. It was a hopping tiny place that Ino and she inhabited always often, perhaps every night to have a drink or to eat something that they had been craving. They loved Akatsuki, it was their release from the hectic world of professionalism, a place where they could be themselves without any worries and restrictions. As she stepped in the warmth, the cold air from the outside billowing past her into the small bar, her eyes landed on the bartender Ino had been talking about. Ah. She was talking about Lee. That guy loved to wear green jumpsuits all the time, and sprouted sopholific paragraphs about the beauty of life that didn't often make that much sense and he loved to compliment girls in a very weird way that girls weren't sure how to take it, especially Ino. His hair was always carefully arranged in this black bowl-cut and his large black eyes are round with prominent lower eyelashes. She gave a small wave to Lee - "Oh! Sakura, my sweet cherry blossom, how goes your search for destiny today? Have you found the one you have been searching for?" - before she made her way over to her regular booth in the middle of the room, sliding across from Ino.

She sighed off Lee's words and let the waitress, who suddenly walked over, take her order for a strawberry daiquiri since Ino hadn't bothered to get her one in the fifteen minutes it had taken her to ride the subway from uptown Konoha down to the bar. Ino was currently immersed in her own iphone, covered with a glittered light blue and purple case. Her fingers were rapidly typing away at the touch screen, no noise emitting as she chewed silently on her bottom lip and glared at the cursed piece of technology. Her blonde hair was pulled back neatly into an almost perfect messy bun, her bangs framing the right side of her face, almost covering her light blue eye. She was clad in a dress made of her favorite color, purple, with a tulle bottom that was accompanied with black stilettos. Ino loved shoes, shoes and lots and lots of color. Especially purple.

Ino slammed her phone down on the countertop of the booth they were sitting at and her blue eyes blazed with this familiar fire they burned with when Ino got these evil ideas or thoughts into her mind. She grinned at Sakura, and gestured towards the basket of chicken tenders and hot wings on the table. "I bought you some food cuz' I figured you'd be hungry...and I was hungry...and I invited some people."

"Great. Who'd you invite exactly? Thank you though. I ordered our drinks." Sakura replied, resting her arms on the table and propping up her elbows, resting her chin on her palms. Her gaze flickered for a moment on the door, expecting the whole gang of crazy people they called friends to burst through the door and crowd around in their booth.

"Yay, drinks! Well. Tennie can't come because Neji is an ass and stole her for some stupid date. Hinata and Naru-tard are on their way. Karin and Sui' are coming after Karin gets off dance practice, uhmmm. I dunno about Kiba, maybe. I think he mentioned he wanted to bring a friend, which totally means a hottie for you, Forehead." Ino snickered and slammed her palms down on the table, startling Sakura who was kindofsort of dozing off, tuning in slightly to her friends' words. She had lost interest once she mentioned Kiba. Ino often went on these long ass rants about Kiba, not entirely admitting she had the hots for him, but insinuating that she did. It got so irritating sometimes to Sakura, who just wanted them to get it over with already. Everything was there, they flirted nonstop over the phone and in person with those sultry winks and blushes. Sakura sighed and just nodded in response, ignoring Ino's mocking eye-roll. Her fingers reached towards the chicken tenders to which she munched on one, dipping it in the honey mustard sauce that was beside the tenders.

Ino hummed happily, picking back up her phone and immersing herself on the screen once more. Sakura sometimes wondered if her life ever existed away from her phone. Oh, yes. Of course it did. She was Ino. Ino loved people, she lived for people.

To: Studmuffin

From: InoBabycakes

Hello, hotshot.

You coming for drinks?

We have chicken tenders and hot wings. Wink, wink. Smile.

And a very pretty girl.

Sent: 4:20 p.m.

To: InoBabycakes

From: Studmuffin

Read at 4:21 p.m.

Hey, gorgeous.

In a few. Have to pick up the bastard.

Nicee. Sounds like my kind of party, kiddo. Grin, grin.

That sounds even better. Who may I ask, is this pretty girl I may get to see?

Sent: 4:24 p.m.

To: Studmuffin

From: InoBabycakes

Read at 4:24 p.m.

Hey, babe.

See you then, make sure the bastard brings his brave face! Saku is vicious!

It's always a party when I'm around, stud.

The pretty girl is of course moi. It's very lucky that you get to see, you know.

Sent: 4:26 p.m.

"Piglette, who the hell are you texting with that creepy smile on your face? Is it that guy that works down the hall as an assistant? I told you, just because he smiles at you doesn't mean he wants to get into your pants. Naruto smiles at you, and he's practically whipped into a ring around Hinata's tiny finger." Sakura's voice pulled Ino away from her world of happy bliss. Okay, so yeah, she wasn't exactly dating Kiba, this super hott guy, but that didn't mean she didn't take the time to flirt with him and make it known that she did indeed think he was super attractive.

Ino scoffed and tossed her head back slightly, making her bun swish slightly with the rapid movement. A waitress appeared with their drinks, setting the daiquiri in front of a very ecstatic Sakura and the beer glass in front of Ino. Sakura happily sipped her drink, whilst Ino made a movement to order a couple more beers for the added additions to their booth. The waitress nodded and moved away again.

"None of your business, Forehead. No! I don't even think that, idiot. Those two should just get married right now! They are sooooo cute together and they just belong together, and, and, and yeah. They're pretty. Pretty, pretty couple." Sakura laughed softly, and Ino had to admit that is what she found so nice about her best friend. Sakura had this laugh that sounded cliche enough life wind chimes that were very soft and pleasing on the ears, and her smile was so white and just pretty. Yeah. Pretty. Of course, Ino knew Sakura believed that she couldn't compare to herself, but Ino didn't want to bother arguing with her on that. Ino just once again rolled her eyes at Sakura who was looking like she was having an orgasm from her drink, and she began to unlock her phone once more, replying to the messages that were blowing up her iphone screen.

To: InoBabycakes

From: Studmuffin

Read at 4:30 p.m.

Hey, beautiful.

I will see you then, kiddo. Trust me, that bastard has no emotions on his face. Ever. It's like when he was born he cried and was screamed at to shut up so much that his facial expressions permanently melted off. I'm sure he can handle Sakura. Maybe.

...I hope.

Can't argue with that, kiddo.

I was hoping it was you. Oh, believe me, I know.

Sent: 4:33 p.m.

To: InoBabycakes

From: Studmuffin

We're here, I think.

What is the bar called again? I think the first time I actually came I was drunk and I never really bothered to ask for the name, I just came with someone else who knew where to go.

Sent: 4:40 p.m.

To:InoBabycakes

From: Studmuffin

Nevermind.

I can see you.

Sent: 4:45 p.m.

Ino glanced up from her phone, about to have replied to the first message, her fingers about to of pressed that send button when her phone was vibrating with the other two messages he sent. She blinked and her light blue eyes met with Kiba's and a huge grin spread across her lips. Kiba grinned in return and made his way over towards her, a guy trailing right behind him, his hands shoved into the pockets of his gray skin jeans. Kiba's chest muscles were on display with a tight white tee-shirt covered with a black leather jacket, his disheveled hair made Ino want to just run her fingers through it. She inhaled sharply, ignoring the snickering from Sakura who had finished her drink and was asking for another. She always got this queasy, tight feeling in the pit of her stomach when she saw Kiba, as though stones were lining the bottom and trying to kill all of her air supply.

It was a nice feeling when it wasn't suffocating.

Kiba sat beside Ino, making the guy who was behind him slide in beside Sakura. When Ino finally peeled her eyes off of Kiba to glance at the newcomer, her jaw almost hit the table. She peeked at Sakura, and could see she wasn't doing so hot in controlling her emotions either. The stupid idiot seriously had a tiny bit of drool peeking from the corner of her mouth.

All Sakura could think was:

Hellooooooooo, future husband to my babies. You are so pretty I think I just peed my pants. No, seriously...I think I did pee myself a little.

The guy who had come into the bar behind Kiba - that stupid whipped, lovesick idiot who wouldn't admit to his feelings - was just...was just...simply gorgeous. Her train of thought just seemed to dissipate into thin air and she couldn't grasp what her body was doing. She couldn't stop staring at this pretty specimen of a man. He had this pale skin that oddly seemed to just sparkle under the light but not in that creepy way. He had dark, oh so dark hair that was tinted a dark blue when it hit the light, and that seemed to stick out at weird angles in the back, but it just worked for him. He was way to hot for this earth.

His features worked really well with the deep eyes as black as Lee's hair. He had this oozing grace that seemed to come with years of practice, and way beyond his age. He seemed only to be a few years older then her, and he was just tall, very, very tall. She had noticed it when he had walked in. Kiba was tall too, but this guy was just a tad bit taller. His black jeans rode low on his hips, his dark blue hoodie unzipped slightly to reveal a black shirt. His black vans pressed against the floor almost gracefully and when he sat beside her, he glanced at her and grunted, lifting his hood to smash his bangs into his eyes and resting his head back against the back of the booth seat.

Sakura just couldn't breathe. The guy had taken all the oxygen from her lungs, and hello, she wanted it back, thank you. She glanced forward and saw Ino gesturing towards her mouth. Sakura flushed a dark red and wiped the unnoticed drool that had been about to slide down her chin. She sighed in gratefulness and flashed Ino a weary smile. Ino smiled back and flailed suddenly for the waitress to come over with their drinks. Sakura sneaked a peek back at the guy - whom Kiba whispered that it was Sasuke, but that would come later - and who she noticed had one eye opened and who was glancing at her. Before she could utter a word, the guy smirked this smirk she would begin to hate, and his deep voice, smooth but oh so sexy, spoke.

"Are you a clown?"

Her ears grew hot and her eyes darkened with fury. Her fists clenched, her nails digging crescent shaped indents into the palms of her now sweaty skin and her chest began to heave with this unbridled anger. Oh, the nerve of this guy! To intrude his stupid skinny little ass that had no shape into her bar! Into her booth, the nerve of him to sit beside her! As her lips parted to retort to his stupid insult with a sly quip of her own, Naruto burst into the bar, dragging a blushing Hinata behind him. Naruto beamed brightly and stopped before the booth, slamming his hands down upon the wooden table. Hinata stumbled along beside him and stood alert, her head bowed downwards, her cheeks the darkest shade of red. Why was Hinata so nervous? Naruto's loud voice boomed through the bar.

"GUESS WHAT GUYS? WE'RE GETTING MARRIED."

A/N:

Hmm. Needed a new project!

I hope you enjoyed, this is fun to write.

I don't own Naruto.