Sleeping Among Secrets (a naruto fanfic)

#8: The Test, Take Two

A/N: just a disclaimer, this will mostly focus on sakura. And not in a way that... um... that will focus on her necissarily... Uh, how do I explain this. It will focus on her focusing on naruto, and not in a romantic way. Like, how she will become less fangirl-ish because even though im a sakura hater myself. I truly believe that naruto, with his kind heart, can never hate someone. Especially his teammate. Even sasuke wasn't hated by him even though he betrayed the village; the one naruto would die for. So I think a better way to solve the sakura-banshee crisis is to have naruto change her to be more decent which is exactly what im doing in this story.

Experience is the hardest kind of teacher, it gives you the test first, and the lesson after...

• • • • •

Naruto squatted on a branch while he sensed where everyone was. Kakashi was behind him and speedily rushing towards his direction, sasuke was to his left while sakura was just below him.

He stared at the pink haired kunoichi with lazy yet calculating eyes trying to see what she would do in this situation without someone's advice

She pushed through the bushes with naruto following after silently. She had on a determined face.

Sakura POV

'not this time, I won't let sasuke-kun down... and maybe naruto' I thought as I pushed through the forest trying to find any of my teammates.

After we passed the test that kakashi-sensei gave us with the help of, well... all of us I guess, I have changed, I may not have noticed it right off the bat but some thinking made me realize some things.

I have always been the slow type and I need some time to sort out my thoughts, I haven't done that in a while because sasuke-kun has been occupying my mind for so long. He still does, I assure you but just that night, I was free. Something I haven't felt in so long.

The chains of having to be strong, to meet people's expectations, to look my best, to be the best, to be a great kunoichi and to not be anymore of a dissappointment. I may seem like it but im not stupid. I know when people get annoyed at me or when they get tired of my fangirling. Yet I ignore them, block the lump in my throat and pang in my heart by sasuke-kun.

But that one moment, I had no idea what came over me but something broke. Later I was able to feel something I havent felt since I was a child: freedom. And with that came realization.

Flashback

I slowly opened my eyes as I felt my body being shaken. I groaned, the last thing I saw before I passed out was-

"sasuke-kun!" I screamed loudly sitting up suddenly causing me to bump heads with someone.

"itai!" exclaimed the person while rubbing his head, me doing the same.

I looked at him and noticed it was just naruto-baka. I started to get angry and was about to yell at him but then noticed sasuke-kun beside him just standing there with folded arms. Hearts appeared in my eyes as I launched myself towards him.

"sasuke-kun! Im so glad your fine, I thought you were badly hurt and was so worried but of course someone as strong as you wouldn't get defeated that easily-"

sasuke flinched at that because he literally just got utterly humiliated by the deadlast.

"-I was so wrong to even think you would fail, I even bet you have the bells right now without the help of thay naruto-baka because he's weak and your much-" I started blabbering while clinging myself to him. He glared at nothing in particular.