Sakura Haruno High School - It's HIGH SCHOOL!

Chapter 1 - Good Luck

Here's the honest truth.

Growing up, adults in your life will tell you that some of their best memories of their lives came from when they were in high school. Some say they met their soulmates or lifelong best friends while confined in the cement walls of a worn down educational building.

That's nice. Good for them.

Some will tell tales of athletic scholarships received that allowed them to a full ride to a college of their choice, while others found the ability to pursue music from their inspirational music director after their four measly years in high school.

Whoopdy-freakin-doo.

For these grade a cases of high school bliss, they forget to tell you about the blatant struggles that every teen goes through while their forced into the educational atmosphere. The bullying, the stress, the disgusting cafeteria meals. All of it. But when they tell you their perfect little stories of being captain of the football team, student council president, valedictorian, head cheerleader, first chair oboe player, or high school heartthrob, they forget to mention something of high importance.

These titles are easily achieved if you set your goals, work hard, or simply bang every girl on the dance team. These titles are easy for those who have grown into their school with every chance they're given. For those who are thrown into the mix halfway through high school, you don't stand a chance. A lesson learned the hard way for most, but harshly so if you're a teenage girl with no roots to the community. To be someone, you have to have connections and know someone else who has those connections.

So let's turn to Exhibit A: Sakura Haruno.

New resident to Konoha and its ever popular high school. Straight A student all through the rest of her school years, social butterfly in her own right, and goddess amongst mortals, or so her mother liked to tell her. She has been uprooted from her whole life to begin at a new school. A new high school. For a girl Sakura's age, that's not always easy. Some simple rules one should follow in Sakura's situation are as follows.

Rule #1: Don't stand out too much. There's no need to cause commotion when you're new to the high school scene.

Rule #2: Try not to make enemies on your first day. It truly makes life all the more difficult.

Rule #3: Be respectful to everyone around you. It's easier to branch out when people find you approachable, least of all likeable.

Following these rules should be simple! But let us add that Sakura is not one for following the rules quite as often as she should. Breaking rule number one was quite simple as she was born with hair the color of pink rose petals. A natural hair color to her family, not so much to the rest of the world. The constant conversation of natural hair color was ever present.

As she made her way out of her front door and started her trek towards her new school, dark colored backpack slung over her right shoulder, she felt the morning breeze filter through her bright tresses. She knew looks always came her way for the unique color that was like none most had ever seen unless they had purchased the electric pink box of pink hair dye from Hot Topic, it which case the color would be close, but not quite the same.

We'll cross off following Rule #1 for now.

Tucking her house key into the front pocket of her dark washed skinny jeans, she used her free hand to brush the vibrant locks from her face. The walk to school was a short one, just about a mile, which was convenient for not having a car to drive to school. Her grey slip on shoes scuffed across the sidewalk as she made her way across it. She knew she had to make her way to the office to pick up her class schedule and a map to find her way around. It wasn't her first time gracing a new school. It was something that couldn't be helped with her mother's ever constant traveling for her job. She hoped that the current job would be more permanent or that she could at least finish out high school at this last school instead of three different ones.