New Match
“Good shot Naruto!”
Sakura watched as Naruto scored another point for his team in the practice match against his friends, high fiving members of his team, he had scored the most points of the match. She sat on a bench watching them with Akamaru - Kiba, one of the players had on her lap, stroking through his soft white fur.
It had been a few months since she and her friends joined the basketball club in Konoha High and they have had massive improvements compared to the other and previous players, but she wasn’t surprised, she had known these people since she was young - but that didn’t stop her from praising them for excelling.
She then watched Sasuke, on the opposing team score, unlike Naruto he didn’t give high-fives - only nods.
Watching the match she wrote everything occurring on the clipboard she held in her hands, every match they did she would write everything that happened down, her photographic memory helped and with her high intelligence, she founds ways to work out for improvements.
As she continued to watch she could see their anger getting built up, to not have everything turn ugly she blew the whistle.
“Break!”
The members nodded and went to the sides for water bottles and towels to help cool them down, Akamaru immediately jumped of Sakura and went to Kiba’s side. Slowly their anger was fading away and soon they were messing around with each other - laughs and smiles everywhere.
That’s better she thought although it never got serious when they got angry at each other (in fact it would be rather funny) Sakura didn’t want any detentions anywhere, and she certainly didn’t want their coach to get angry.
“Hello everyone!”
Speak of the devil Sakura turned to see Kakashi Hatake, their coach, walking in with a book in his hand, a smile behind his mask.
“Your late” Sakura told him with an annoyed glare.
“Yes sorry about that, I got lost-”
“Liar” the whole team said as they continued to be on their break, it was a well known fact that Kakashi was always late, even if he said he was going to be early or if he set up an event with a time people had to be there by - he would not turn up on time.
“Ok ok you got me” he signed, putting his book in his pocket "Let me tell you the real reason why I’m late”
“You actually have a real reason?” Sasuke asked.
“Your lying again are you Kakashi-sensei”
“Don’t be foolish Lee, he will lie”
“I ain’t buying it Kakashi-sensei!”
“Why didn’t you give us the real reason instead of a lie”
“The real reason why I’m late” Kakashi spoke, ignoring the previous angry comments “Is because I got us a practice match with another school”
That got their attention.
“Another one?” Sasuke asked, people who don’t know him would think that he didn’t want to play in matches against other schools, when in reality he does - it’s just the way he speaks.
“Yep” Kakashi said, “I phoned them up this afternoon and they got back to me a few minutes ago”
“Alright!” Kiba and Naruto high-fived each other, with Akamaru barking happily besides them. “Another match to kick some ass”
“Do not be so confident Kiba, remember that we may not win every match we take part in”
“We ‘may’ not?” Shikamaru smirked “Just admit it Neiji, you know that you want to win every match as much as we do”
“I do not” Neiji huffed and turned away from the grinning boys.
“I think your lying Neiji” Chouji chuckled as he munched on his bag of chips, Neiji paid no attention to him and instead began to stroke Akamaru.
“Who are we playing against?” Shino asked, straight-faced. Unlike many of his other teammates he was not jumping up and down with joy.
“Tōō Academy”
Unknown to many of the people in the room, that name makes Sakura freeze.
After the practise match the long four hour training was at an end, everyone was happy to get dressed and go home, many of them looking forward to their next match while others wanting to go home and get some sleep.
They all went their separate ways, Kiba with Shink, Shikamaru with Choji, Neiji with Lee and Sakura with Naruto and Sasuke.
Halfway on their way home Naruto turned to Sakura.
“Sakura-chan, are you ok?”
She turned to him and smiled “Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Stop lying Sakura” Sasuke told her “We saw how you reacted when Kakashi said who we’re playing against”
Sakura signed, she knew one way or another they would find about her lying, curse them being such good friends.
“It’s just...Tōō Academy...they have someone there who I know”
“....Is it your cousin?”
Damn you Naruto “Yes”
“Ah” now they both understood, they knew of the relationship Sakura and her cousin had - it was complicated.
“She’s their manager”
“Don’t worry Sakura-chan! Your a much more better manager then her!”
“You don’t even know much about her-”
“Doesn’t matter” Sasuke cut in “Your strong Sakura”
Sakura smiled at her childhood friends, they always knew what to say or do to cheer her up “Thank you Sasuke, Naruto. But I’m not gonna let her win, I’ll show her that we’re the stronger ones”
“Damn Straight!”
“Your not even straight Naruto”
“I know, but it’s a cool saying”
Sakura shook her head and laughed as the boys continued their usual banter.
Later that night Sakura had a shower and got into her pyjamas, sitting on her bed she held her phone and went onto her contacts, finding the one she needed she tapped on the message icon.
“Looking forward to our match cous, hope your ready”
Tapping the send button, Sakura put her phone on charge and cuddled underneath the sheets, looking forward for the days to come.
Startled by the ping on her phone, Momoi signed and put her pen down and picked up her phone - seeing she got a message, she unlocked her phone and opened the message, surprised by the sender.
“Looking forward to our match cous, hope your ready”
“Oh, so it’s Saku-chan’s team we’re playing against” a smirk formed on her lips as she sent a reply.
“We’ll be more then ready Saku-chan, looking forward to seeing you!”
Putting her phone down she stretched her arms and looked at her clock “Ah it’s that late already, I better go to bed”
Turning the lamp off, Momoi got under her covers and drifted off to sleep, feeling excitement she hadn’t felt in a while.