Chapter 1: How it all started and ended

Sakura Haruno grew up with a family full of athletes. So it was only natural that she became one. When Sakura turned seven, she was given a soccer ball. When she entered Elementary school, she joined the soccer team. She was perfect for her age, so good in fact that she had to be taken off the team. After all, kids that age only played for fun.

When she went to middle school, she decided to go a different route. Instead of soccer, she signed up for the girl's basketball team. She was a natural. Soon enough, she was named captain and went on to earn trophies alongside her teammates and friends.

Sakura's parents were very proud of their daughter. It seemed that she was a born natural at any sport and for that they were happy.

Her mother was a pro tennis player and her dad a pro football player. Though their jobs took away from family bonding, Sakura loved her parents dearly. They were her inspiration.

Sakura considered her life perfect. Until that dreadful night. It was the night of her championship game. Her mother had brought her to the school early so she could practice with the team before the game. Her father promised to be there when the game started. But he never showed. Sakura was hurt and angry.

The entire game Sakura couldn't concentrate. In the end, her team still won by two points. Sakura called her father's phone at least a hundred times, leaving message after message of her expressing her disappointment and anger. But he never answered back.

The next morning Sakura awoke to the sound of her mother crying and the sight of her clutching the phone.

"Mom, what's wrong?" She asked nervously. Her mother wasn't one to cry easily, so something terrible must have happened. At the sound of Sakura's voice, her mother collapsed on the carpet crying loudly. Sakura immediartely bolted out of bed and ran to her mother.

"Mom, what happened?" Sakura asked more urgently. After a moment of loud sobbing, her mother looked up into her eyes.

"Oh Sakura, there was a reason why your father hasn't been answering your calls." Her mother said as she grabbed Sakura by her elbows. Sakura suddenly felt her sick to her stomach.

"W-what reason?" Sakura asked, her voice cracking. Her mother shook her head and tried to swallow her tears.

"Last n-night, on his w-way to your game someone ran a red light, a-and - oh god- her ran into your father!"

Sakura couldn't breathe. She was frozen in shock. She could feel her face heating up and the tears escaping her eyes as the news sunk into her.

"I-is he okay?" She asked hoping her mother would smile and say yes. But she didn't. Instead, she only shook her head and started sobbing even harder as she held onto Sakura.

Sakura cried harder as she realized her father had passed away. They sat there on Sakura's white carpet crying for hours.

Aweek later they had a massive funeral. Her father being a Pro football player made him quite famous. He was after all a very known Running Back.

Twoo weeks after the funeral, her mother decided they should move. There were too many memories in their house. Of course Sakura didn't want to leave her friends and her team, but she had no choice.

So here she was in her new room. It was a nice sized room with a flat screen TV and sleek furniture. The rest of the house was beautiful as well, but Sakura didn't care much for it all. She felt like there was a hole in her chest, a big gaping hole where all her loneliness and sorrow lived. The only thing that seemed to help keep Sakura going was her music.

Her mother on the other hand didn't believe that was enough.

So they moved to Konoha near her mother's side of the family. It was just in time for her freshman year in high school. Sakura was excited to go to high school. After all, there were bound to be really talented athletes.

Sakura wasn't sure what sport she was going to try next. Maybe tennis like her mother. I wonder what dad would have wanted me to play next.

Sakura thought as she made her way to her new school. Since her new home was only a five minute walk from her new school, She decided it would be better for her mom if she walked there. As the school came into view, She grew nervous. Looking down at herself, Sakura became self-conscious.

She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and one of her favorite Paramore shirts. On her feet were a pair of plain black and white Converses. Her blue backpack was thumping against her back. Sakura's pink hair was tied up in a high pony tail with her bangs hiding her left eye.

Sakura walked up the front steps and past crowds of upper classmates. She could instantly tell which were the freshman trying to appear older and the actual upperclassmen. They were all in crowds holding schedules and acting as if they had no care in the world.

Sakura sighed as she was stopped by a group of cheerleaders who were blocking the entrance. After waiting about five minutes, Sakura lost her patience.

"Hey. Could you please excuse me? I need to get by." She said politely as she smiled up at them. Their reaction wasn't all that surprising to her.

Each turned and looked down at her. Since Sakura was on a lower step then them, they probably felt superior.

"Hey, look at this Karin, a freak just told us to move." A girl with long blond hair sneered. Her cheerleading outfit was way to revealing for Sakura's taste. It was red and black, the school colors, two pieced and the skirt was way to short. You could practically see her bright underwear.

A red head, Karin, turned to Sakura and sneered as well. "I swear the freaks are getting bolder and bolder every year, Ino." Her outfit was even more revealing then the blonds if that was possible. By now all four of the girls were looking down at her with the same holier-than-thou look.

Sakura sighed at their words. "I merely asked for you to move so i could get by, I didn't tell you too." She calmly replied. She tried desperately not to lose her cool. God she hated cheerleaders.

Karin scoffed and placed her hands on her hips. "No one asked you to talk freak."

"Last I heard, people didn't need permission from sluts to talk."

A voice said from behind Sakura. Turning around, Sakura saw a girl with dirty blond hair pulled up into four pigtails and blue eyes. She was smirking up at Karin and Ino as she stood beside Sakura. She mentally whistled in amazement at the girls height. This girl has to at least be six feet.

"Mind your own business Subaku" Ino screeched in a high pitched voice. Sakura cringed at the noise.

"Shut up blond bitch." Subaku snapped with a glare.

"Now i believe this young lady would like to get through. So move it." Subaku demanded as she grabbed Sakura's hand and pushed her way through the group of cheerleaders forcefully.

After they entered the school, Sakura thanked her.

"Don't sweat it. I remember my time as a freshman." Subaku replied as she led Sakura to the office for their schedules.

"Anyway, name's Temari Subaku." Temari stuck her hand out.

"Oh. Sakura Haruno. It's nice to meet you. I honestly thought your name was Subaku." Sakura giggled as she shook Temari's hand in return.

After getting schedules, the new friends compared their classes and were happy to find three classes together. Homeroom, Math, and Gym. Temari led the way into their homeroom and into some seats in the middle of the classroom. It was when they sat down that something occurred to Sakura.

"So how did Karin know you? It sounded like you two knew each other."

Temari smiled as she looked up at the ceiling as if she was reminiscing.

"Well my younger brother used to date her a couple years back so she would be over at our house a lot. Me and my youngest brother would pull pranks on her all the time. Now she hates me for it."

"Really?" Sakura whispered in disbelief. Who would want to date her? Sakura pondered.

"Yep. This one time, she was in our bathroom and i let the seat up before she went in. Fell right in it. Plus, to top it all off, my youngest brother put that blue cleaning chemical and she was wearing a white skirt! It was hilarious."

Sakura giggled as Temari proceeded to tell her more stories.

Ten minutes later, the teacher came in. A blond boy at the back of the room began to yell at the teacher for being late.

"Well you see, there was a cow crossing and I couldn't run them over so I waited until they crossed." He said lamely.

"What kind of excuse was that?" Sakura whispered to Temari. Temari nodded her head in agreement.

"There's cows in Konoha?" The same boy exclaimed at the teachers statement.

The whole class sweat dropped at his stupidity.

Sakura giggled at the confused look on the kids face.

Maybe this school won't be so bad after all.

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