[high school AU]

Liquid Courage 🌸

Pink strands floated so elegantly in the wind filled laughter on Konoha High's campus. The obnoxious laugh and that beautiful pastel pink hair belonged to the only girl that Sasuke would ever admire, Sakura Haruno.

She was head of the senior event committee, Student Body President, captain of the softball team and a player on the volleyball team. She wasn't the typical stuck up popular girl, she was nice. She spoke when spoken to and she carried herself with such respect you couldn't help but find something attractive about her.

Sasuke on the other hand, ran track. Konoha High's track team is the best in their region. His older brother ran track and went on to be in the olympics. Sasuke wanted
to do the same.

Sasuke was so caught up in staring at the girl just steps away from him at another lunch table. She stood in front of Ino Yamanaka & Hinata Hyuga in a small circle. Kiba Inuzunka, the school's Meatball Head had an arm drapped over Sakura's shoulders as he laughed along with them. Sasuke slightly frowned at the sight.

Feeling eyes on them, Kiba looked and smirked before leaning in and whispering something to the pinkette. She looked locking eyes with Sasuke making him quickly look down at his food.

"Stop looking so hard then." Comes a voice from his left. It belonged to his outgoing bright eyed-bushy tailed best friend, Naruto Uzumaki. "You look pathetic."

"You're pathetic you moron."

"Yo mama." Naruto stuck his tongue out catching a glare from the raven.

"You're a child." Sasuke scoffed before tending to his food.

"Says the one oggling over Sakura." Naruto snorts. "Okay. Dude just tell her you like her—you coward."

"Shut up!" Sasuke snapped ready to punch his best friend.

"I'm just saying." Naruto shrugged. He placed his chin in his hand. "You stare at her so much now it's almost like you don't notice untill someone else is staring at you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued eating.

"She's definitely out of your league buddy." Kiba flops down at their table and smiles between the blonde and the raven. Naruto's bored gaze landed on the brunette.

"What are you talking about, Kiba?" Naruto asked slowly raising his eyebrow.

"I was talking to Uchiha, Nard." The brunette smirks. His eyes lingering on Sasuke.

"Naruto." The blonde corrects. "Only friends call me 'Nard'."

"I'm hurt that you don't identify me as a friend." Kiba placed his hand on his chest. The sparkle in his eyes feigning sadness although there was a small smile on his face. Naruto's face on the other hand, never changed from his bored and uninterested look.

"What do you want, Kiba?" Sasuke asked before their bickering could continue. "Are you here to gloat about you catching me looking at Sakura?" Sasuke's stoic gaze lands on Kiba, who sat there in all his smugness.

"I'm just trying to stop you before you get too ahead of yourself." He replies. "She's way out of your league."

"Don't you think I know that?" Sasuke frowned. "Which is why I admire from a distance; unlike you who's always leeching onto her."

Naruto snorted back a laugh before turning his head away from the table. Kiba frowned.

"I'm alot closer to her than you would ever be to her." The brunette shoots. "And let's be clear, I called dibs on her first."

"Hn." The raven cuts his eyes as his lips purse into a thin line.

Kiba gets up from his seat. "Sakura's my girl, got it?"

"Whatever you say Kiba." Sasuke breathes out, hoping the boy would just leave already.

"I'm warning you Uchiha."

"Hn." Sasuke nodded slightly and continued eating.

Naruto watched the brunette walk away. He shook his head.

"Meatball head." He says.

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black."

"Shut up." Naruto frowns. "Anyway, I say screw him and let her know how you feel. Even if you get rejected, she'll let you down easy." 

Sasuke frowned kind of appalled that Naruto assumed he'd be let down. I mean, yeah Sasuke knew he'd be rejected, but he didn't think his own best friend would agree with him.

The bell had then rung indicating that lunch was officially over and that they needed to head to class. Sasuke and Naruto gathered their things and headed to class.

"Hey Guys." A slender blonde popped in between the raven and his friend, looping her arms into theirs. She smiled at the both of them.

"What do you want Ino?" Sasuke groans already annoyed by the girl. Ino was a cheerleader and co-captian of the volleyball ball team. She and Sakura have been best friends since preschool and met young Sasuke when they were only ten years old. She and Sakura separated in middleschool, causing Ino to cling to Sasuke and Naruto. The both of them reminded her so much of her friendship with Sakura she had to. Once entering Highschool she reconnected with her best friend and been toggling between the them since.

"I just wanted to let you know that Kiba pointed out you were staring at Sakura again." Ino chuckles as she looks up at Sasuke. "Honestly Sasuke, why won't you just come clean?"

"Why don't you just mind your business?" Sasuke shot back.

"I would love too, but considering that she is my best friend, it's only right that I make it my business." Ino smiled smugly. "Plus I could know of things that would help your situation."

"Things like what?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow and looked down at the blonde girl. People often mistaken Ino for his sister for their blonde hair and blue eyes. And After two years of declining the accusations, they decided mutually to go along with it.

"Well, It's scouts honor." Ino says. "I can't really say right now, but I will say that Sasuke has a better chance than Kiba."

Naruto's smile brightens as Sasuke's face never changed.

"Sasuke do you know what this means?!" Naruto smiled. "You can finally have a girlfriend!"

"God Nard, you make him sound like loser." Ino snorted.

"He is a loser." Naruto smirks.

"Your mom." Sasuke finally says.

"Ugh Sasuke, do you have to annunciate everything?" Ino cringes. "It's 'yo mama' not 'your mom' jesus."

Naruto snorts yet again.

"I'm sorry that I'd rather have people think I'm intelligent than assume I have the IQ of an anteater because I say 'aint' instead of 'I'm not'."

"How did this become an English lecture ?" Naruto groaned. "We have that class after this one so can we save it for then please?"

"Anyway, I just think you should at least talk to her Sasuke." Ino says. "Ya'know say hi? Acknowledge her from time to time—"

"—Compliment her attire or her hair." Naruto adds.

"I get it morons." Sasuke groans.

"Says the moron with a staring problem." Ino says.

Naruto snorts. "Good one." The two share a high five.

Heaving a sigh, Sasuke walked into his Political Science class.

"See you after school buddy!" Naruto slaps his friend on the back. Sasuke coughed from he impact and looked back to scowl at the boy who was now down the hall walking with Ino.

Sasuke proceeded to enter the class room and found a seat in the middle row as he always did. He grabbed his notebook and both his black and blue pen before setting them on the desk. He huffs as he sinks back into to the hard woodened chair. He spaced out, staring into the blackboard thinking about nothing in particular. Absentmindedly though, he chewed on the right corner of his bottom lip.

A familiar scent hit his nose. It smelled like Vanilla Sugar. It was nice. Sasuke only knew two people who wore that scent. His mother and Sakura. Seeing as his mother wasn't an eighteen year old highschool student, he knew it had to be—

"Is this seat taken?" She smiled softly at him, her layered pink hair brushing against her cheek as she flossed her perfectly whitened teeth at him.

Sasuke went to open his mouth but nothing came out, so he blinked and tried again.

"N-No, you're fine." He says. "Hi."

She gives a small laugh. "Hi." She replies. "Did you hear about the party Lee is throwing?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "No, I haven't." He says. "I don't think I'm invited."

"You should." Sakura glances at him with a half smile as she flicked through the pages of her notebook for a clean sheet. "You're an athlete and it's for the athletes."

"Nobody cares about track and feild." Sasuke mumbles.

"That's not true." Sakura frowned slightly as she turned her body towards him. Sasuke slowly sat up in his seat and looked at her. "I attend the track meets."

"That's because you're student body President. You have to."

"Technically I don't." Sakura winked at him. "I actually go because I like the sport."

Sasuke felt his face get hot. He quickly turned away from the girl. His chest heaved.

"So," Sakura dragged the word out  and tapped her pen on the desk. "Are you gonna go?"

"I uh, I dunno." Sasuke answers.

"It'd be good to see you there." Sakura smirks before turning her gaze away from the raven. She took in a deep breath.

Such an idiot. She thought. You call that convincing?!

Earlier.....

"Don't turn your head, but Uchiha is staring at you again." Kiba whispers in Sakura's ear as she giggles.

"What? Really?" Sakura turned and caught the gaze of the raven she's had a secret crush on since freshman year, Sasuke.

He quickly turned away and began being occupied in his food. She watched as both he and his friend mumbles something to one another.

"He likes her." Ino says with a small shrug. "Everyone who knows Sasuke knows that."

"I'm gonna go say something." Kiba slithers his way from Sakura.

"Huh, What?" Sakura turned her head following the brunette. "Kiba, no."

"I'll be back." The brunette smiles. Sakura immediately looked at Ino for help. The blonde girl shrugged.

"Kiba always sticks his nose where it doesn't belong." Hinata pinched the bridge of her nose. "Thats why I always leave him in the dark about things."

Sakura rubbed her temples. "He's such a meatball head."

"Well, look on the bright side, everyone thinks Kiba's a meatball head." Ino shrugs.

"Whatever." Sakura rolls her eyes. She then looks and see Sasuke and Kiba exchange words, Kiba's smug little smirk as he gets up from the table and make his way back.

"So what'd you say?" Ino asks.

"I told him the truth." Kiba smirks throwing an arm around Sakura's shoulders once more. "I told him Sakura is out of his league and that she's mine."

"Wait wait wait." Hinata shook her head and waved her hand in the air as she spoke. "So what makes you think she's not out of your league?"

"Well, I am Running Back for the football team it only makes sense right?" Kiba smirks as Sakura shrugged his arm off her shoulders.

"No, it does not." Sakura frowned at him. "Kiba we both know there's no way the two of us will be together."

"Can't blame a guy for trying." Kiba shrugs.

"Actually we can." Hinata shook her head as the bell rung. Ino slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"I'll see you guys after school." She says as she heads to her class. Sakura on the other hand stayed behind a bit, mentally preparing herself to find the courage to sit next to the raven and talk to him herself. They've had little hi and byes every now and then but to hold an actual conversation with him was the part that freaked her out the most. She only ever seen him talk to Naruto—and on occasion, Ino. How would he respond to her? She didn't know anything about him other than him running track and his best friend is Naruto of all people.

She turned into her classroom to see then raven in his typical spot in the middle row.

Okay Sakura, you can do this. Deep breaths....and walk over and sit down.

Her feet began to move. She maneuvered her way through desks and students before she made her way to her desired table. She placed her bag on the desk, scooted the chair back and ploppled down. Within seconds she felt eyes on her. She looked catching the gaze of the confused raven next to her.

"Is this seat taken?"

Now.....

Sakura smiled watching Sasuke. She blushed slightly watching the oblivious raven use his hand to rake through his hair, giving full view to all his facial features. His strong jawline, those deep dark eyes. His forehead was even big too, just like hers. Sasuke's lips were thin, but she could tell by looking at him they would be soft. She quickly looked away.

Sasuke blinks before looking over at Sakura from his peripheral.

She looks nervous about something.

Her lip is quivering. Her eyes are trained on her paper although her mind seems to be lost somewhere. She's not mentally there.

"D-Do you really want me to go?" Sasuke broke their silence with a low whisper.

Sasuke watched the girl come back from wherever her mind once was before she looked at him.

"Yeah." She smiled softly, a trace of pink decorating her cheeks. "It would be fun."

"Fine." The raven smirks softly. "I'll go."

The girl's smile widened. "Great."

A week later.....

Sasuke stepped into the home of Rock Lee. Smoke illuminates the strobe lighting living room as bodies sway to the loud music of their generation. Bodies were entirely too close for comfort—make out sessions in almost every corner. A few games like Jenga and video games were also being played. In the kitchen were a few teens hanging around a bowl of punch, sipping out of a red cup. Watching his surroundings made Sasuke realize that he was completely out of place.

His eyes scanned around for anyone that he knew, which was technically everyone. But he knew exactly who he was looking for, so he pressed forward. He found Ino on the otherhand, in the kitchen pouring herself some punch. She smiled seeing him and skipped over.

"Hey!" She says. "I didn't think you'd come. Here—drink this." She extended the cup towards him to drink. Skeptical, he took the cup into his hands and looked into it. Ice dancing around in an ocean of red greeted him. He bought the cup to his nose to smell it, but Ino brought his hand down.

"It'd be better if you don't smell it." She smiled.

"Ino what is this?" Sasuke frowned.

"For once just trust me you nerd." Ino giggles.

"Hey dude!!!!!" Sasuke was jerked forward by none other than his best friend, Naruto. His words were slurred and there was a red tint on his face.

"Naruto, are you drunk?!" Sasuke asked surprised.

"Hm, I dunno." Naruto used his free hand to place on his chin. "I don't think I am."

Sasuke quickly took a sip of the punch handed to him by Ino, only for his taste buds to be greeted by fruit punch with a spike of Alcohol.

"You're drunk!" He shoots at his friend who laughed hysterically.

"Leave him." Ino waves Naruto off. "He's having fun."

"I'm gonna dive off the diving board!" Naruto threw his hands in the air.

"Naruto, you can't swim." Sasuke frowned at his intoxicated best friend before sippin from the cup once more. He handed it back to Ino who quickly shoved it back to him in a way to tell him to keep it.

"If I dive in the shallow end I won't have to worry about drowning." Naruto tapped two fingers on his temple indicating that the two before him should actually think about it and how much his statement made sense before he walked away.

"He's gonna kill himself." Sasuke says as he gets ready to follow him. Ino cackles and follows suit. They watched Naruto waddle his way to the pool in Lee's backyard. Once he got close to the diving board, he fell backwards on his butt before laying out completely. Ino bursted out in laughter.

"He's so trashed!" She giggled. Sasuke shook his head and took yet another sip before walking off.

"You're gonna leave him there?!" Ino says following Sasuke.

"He'll be fine." Sasuke's eyes scanned the outside and so far he had no luck.

"She's in there probably playing beer pong." Ino crossed her arms. "You could've just asked where she was. She's been looking for you too."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sakura?" Ino says in a duh manner. "You forgot that quick that I know you like her?"

Sasuke deadpanned. "No, I didnt forget but I was hoping you would."

"I can't when she's my best friend."

"And what am I?"

"You're like the brother I've never had and want."

"A pleasure that is."

"Definately."

"Sasuke you made it!" Sakura smiled seeing the tall boy standing next to her best friend. Sakura was aware of the relationship between Sasuke and Ino and thought it was rather cute how close they were. She wanted to be that close too. At least for right now.

"Yeah." He smirks looking down at her attire. She wore simple jeans with a halter top. Her hair was in a half up half down state. It was different from their school uniform and he could actually see how curvy her body truly was without the uniform. He couldn't stop himself from ogling.

"You look nice." He tells her. A small blush forming on both of their faces. Ino smiled at the sight and slipped away.

"Thank you." Sakura turns away. "So do you."

Sasuke looked down at his attire. Denim jeans a black shirt and a jean jacket. His hair pushed back and slightly sticking up in the back. Something he reverted back to from middle school. He was often teased and called "duck butt" which forced him to completely grow his hair out and never touch that style again. But something about it made him want to do it today.

"I like your hair, it's different." Sakura commented.

"Thank you." Sasuke replied.

The two of them the. spent their time together. Playing games, eating snacks, and enjoying eachother's company. Sasuke hadn't realized how much of himself he was being untill he had two red cups down and working on the third. He admitted he was drunk, but he was still more aware than Naruto was, who finally woke up from being outside, ran to the bathroom to throw up, then passed out on the bathroom floor. Shikamaru putting a do not disturb tab on the doorknob.

"I'm glad you came tonight." Sakura says as she and Sasuke walk down the street away from the party. It was getting hot, and the both of them needed air and quiet. Mostly so they wouldn't have to strain anymore to talk or hear.

"I'm glad I did too." He replies. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Maybe I should start inviting you to other places." She looks up at him briefly, before turning her head again to look in front of her. Her hands clasped behind her back as his were tucked deep into his pockets. He wanted to touch her. Everything in his body told him to, but he couldn't. He didn't know what to do— let alone how to touch her or where to touch her.

"Maybe you should." Sasuke answers back with a small smile.

Somehow though, both of their occupied hands; Sakura's left and Sasuke's right, found their way to one another. Entangling their fingers together. Sasuke absentmindedly running his thumb across her skin. The both of them blushing but neither of them having the courage to address the other. So they stayed like that. Afraid to let go and enjoying the heat radiating off of the other's hand.

"Is it safe to say that I can start inviting you places?" Sakura breaks the silence.

"It's safe indeed." Sasuke answers.

"I have another question."

"Okay." Sasuke nods slowly. Bracing himself for the question that was to come.

"Do you really look at me as much as Kiba and Ino says?"

Sasuke's face turned red. "Depends," He says. "How many times a day do they say I'm staring at you?"

"About six times." Sakura answers.

"Psh, of course not." Sasuke found himself snorting, realizing his liquor was catching up with him.

"Oh, okay." Sakura nodded slowly slightly sad that her friends over exaggerated like they did.

"It's around at least ten to fifteen." Sasuke says again. Sakura's head shot his way.

"What?"  She says.

Sasuke shrugged casually. Slightly regretting his new found courage. "You're beautiful, why not admire you? When they catch me that's only because I'm deep in my thoughts while I'm looking at you."

Sakura looked away from the raven feeling her face get hot.

"Ino says that you like me—is that true?"

"Depends," Sasuke says simply. "Are you asking to reject me or are you asking because the feelings are mutual?"

The two stopped walking to look at one another. Once Sakura let go of his hand, he stuck it in his pocket.

Sakura was pretty taken back by Sasuke's courage, but remembered that he had been drinking; and a drunk soul always speaks a sober mind. 

"You're drunk, I can't be having this conversation with you." Sakura turns to head back to the party but Sasuke grabbed her by the wrist.

"Hang on a second." He says quickly. "Let me have this. There's no way in hell I'd do this sober."

Sakura blinked, knowing that what he was saying was right. She knew that fact from Ino.

"Sasuke.." she uttered his name, looking into the depths of his eyes. So determined. Something she'd never seen before. He'd Always been so distant. But this time she felt it. She felt his energy. She knew this was his only chance to get it off his chest. And this would probably but the only chance she has to accept him.

"O-okay." She takes in a breath. "I'm asking because the feelings are mutual."

Sasuke let out a breath that he had been holding forever as he smiled. "Yeah?"

Sakura chuckled and nodded. Sasuke reached for her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. His eyes scanning over her big forehead and beautiful emerald eyes. Her small pouty lips and pointy nose.

"You're so beautiful..you're a Gem."

The girl blushed, biting her lip to hide her smile.

Three days later..

An obnoxious laugh filled the air making a familiar raven smirk. He continued eating his food, proping his arm on the table and using his left hand to pick at his food.

He half listened to Naruto telling him about whatever it was he was supposed to be listening to. Instinctively though, he turned his head to the right, where the laugh came from. His eyes immediately landed on her. Her pink hair pulled into a neat ponytail as her plaid skirt and cardigan vest clung to her small frame.

As if already knowing, she turned and caught his gaze, the both of them smiling at one another—knowing they'll see eachother later, because of Liquid Courage.

By: hoekahgay 🎋