(o)(n)(e)
One step at a time.
There's no need to rush.
It's like learning to fly,
Or falling in love.
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STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED.
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"I am a goose. I know it's unbelievable, what with my puke colored green eyes, the mop of obnoxious, eye-blinding pink hair and the wingless godzilla-like features. But it's true, I am a goose."
All the youth surrounding her on the table gaped. Blank eyes blinked slowly, trying to digest what the pink-haired beauty had just announced.
"Is…is that some sort pickup line for girls?" The boy sitting beside her asked, an arm draped over her seat. "Because that's funny. Haha…" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"I never really knew my dad." She rambled on coolly.
"One time he paid me a dollar to kiss him on the cheek. I said, "Daddy. Am I a prostitute?" his reply, "How insensitive of me, Sakura. Here's a 20." We stopped talking ever since." She smiled nostalgically.
"And then there's my mother who grew up as a hippie and sold dope to the Sesame Street gang, got a tattoo of Donald Duck and lived happily ever after!"
The pretty face sitting beside her wearing long, blonde locks and clear, glimmering azure eyes smacked herself on the forehead.
"And then there's my long, lost brother who got separated from birth. He came back and screamed, "I AM SAILOR MOON! I STAND FOR LOVE AND I ALSO STAND FOR JUSTICE. AND IN THE NAME OF THE MOON, I WILL PUNISH YOU!" then disappeared again."
The group of boys and girls gave each other nervous glances before forced laughters emitted from their lips. The sound ceased when the goose abruptly stood up.
"I'm serious." She deadpanned before grabbing her Gucci bag and made her way out the cafe.
"Sakura! Wait!" The blonde called after.
"I have work." The strutting girl in heels lied nonchalantly without looking back. She was out the door before anyone could stop her.
Click.
Click.
Clack.
Click.
Sakura always adored the sound high heels made when they're walking down the runway—or marble floor, close enough.
She made her way through the mall, passing stores and the feverish atmosphere that always basks the place into its rich and classy flare.
She passed by the fabulous and glamorous, all wearing pricey clothing brands and over the top makeup, expensive suits, shiny jewelry and pretty accessories she'll never afford in her lifetime and the next.
This was the life of Konoha City, where money is the root to all happiness.
x
x
She window-shopped for a while, glancing at the different store displays before annoyance filled her, annoyance with her so-called "best friend".
(You make me so hot. Make me wanna drop. It's so ridiculous—)
And she bets anything that that said annoyance was calling her right this moment.
She fidgeted a little, trying to balance herself on her boots with 4-inch stiletto heels. (She never really liked heels in the first place but they looked so tempting, they were practically calling to her, "Wear me! Wear me!" They yelled. It's not her fault they were so spiffy.)
(I can barely stop. You make me wanna scream—)
She dug through her bag, pushing pass mascara, blush, eyeliners, compact mirrors, lip-gloss, nail filers…she exclaimed happily when she finally found what she was looking for.
(You're so good to be me baby, ba—)
She didn't even need to pay heed to the caller id and immediately clicked and held the Blackberry Pearl 8100 to her ear.
"Yes Ino? My good ol' buddy ol' pal who told me to meet her at The Leaf Cafe because she saw her "ex" who she "detests like last season's Prada bag" (but she's really in denial and still has the hots for) hanging out with a certain Temari and needed comforting, hmm? But she was actually setting up her friend on a group blind date even though her best friend told her hundreds—thousands of times she's not interested?"
She felt the other girl on the line winced and secretly smiled, satisfied that she's done her guilt job.
"Technically, that story was true. I did saw him with that bitch and she was practically getting all stripper-ish on him! And I am so over him so quit it! But more importantly…at least I'm not the girl with the big forehead!"
Twitch.
Sakura squeezed her cell tightly and heard a distinct crack.
Ino must've heard it too as she hastily apologized. "Ahaha. Sorry! Sorry! I was just—I…Sakura," She murmured. "You know I didn't mean it…"
Sakura sighed. "I know...but seriously, no more blind dates please. I'll appreciate it."
She heard an overly exaggerated sigh across the line. "Fine! But I'm still going to give you a lecture. I mean, seriously Sakura. You've never even dated a guy. It's not like you're getting any younger. You're 21 alre—"
"Exactly. I am 21. Still young and pretty, topped with thriving hormones but I like to take a rain check on that, thanks."
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Sakura-darling."
"That would be you, Ino-darling."
"Right. You're practically the only girl that still kept her virginity all the way through high school. Hello! Wake up call! It's the 21st century!"
"Oh? And you losing your virginity in a broom closet with Chouji and ended up smelling like potato chips made you Konoha's IT girl?"
"I was drunk!"
"Uh huh, after having one sip of spiked ginger ale and then spitting it back out because it didn't taste like fruit salad is oh-so-not-sober. You're lightweight."
"Only weighing 110 pounds at the age of 21 takes skills my dear!"
"That's not what I meant—ugh, forget it. You're impossible Ino."
"The feelings mutual."
"I'm surprised you know what mutual means."
"How rude and that's coming from the lonely girl living on the singles boulevard lane."
"That was lame and we live together."
"…W—Well, I found that apartment!" Ino retorted hotly.
"And I pay for the rent ninety percent of the time." Sakura stated dully.
"Working at the mall is not a walk in the park you know!"
"I know, Ino. We work in the same store."
"Huh…funny developments we have here don't we?"
"…"
"But that's not point! The point is, people our age should live a little!"
"I see nothing wrong with focusing on my career. Lots of women did that and they turned out just fine."
"Yeah and lonely."
"Nuh uh." Sakura protested.
"Uh huh." Ino reciprocated stubbornly.
"That is so stereotypical of you. Besides, why don't you admit to Shikamaru that you're still in love with him? You're such a hypocrite! "
"Am not."
"Yes you are."
"Am not! ghngfmh—"
"Did you just stick your tongue out at me through your cell phone?"
"…No."
"Real mature Ino-pig."
"Says the Billboard Brow. But this isn't exactly one of the most intellectual conversations we've ever had, is it?"
Sakura rubbed her forehead painfully, trying to stop an oncoming migraine.
"But honestly…" Ino scolded. "You didn't have to introduce yourself as a goose born from a Disney-obsessed, pot-smoking mother and a sex-deprived, AIDS patient of a father. Plus, YOU DON'T HAVE A BROTHER!"
"I got caught up in the moment." Sakura shrugged.
"Right and now everyone thinks I'm a nut job too because I was the one that brought you along."
"Maybe you shouldn't have brought me along then."
"Ugh! You don't get it do you—wait, oh my god is this about Sasuke?!"
"What?! No!"
"I'm so sure."
"I haven't seen him in years Ino. He has nothing to do with this!"
"Suuuuure…"
"Look." Sakura breathed, changing the subject.
"I really appreciate what you're doing for me Ino, and I thank you for that." Sakura's voice softens as she went on.
"I know you're concerned for my well-being and I can't ask for anything more. You're the greatest friend a girl can have but right now…I just—I just want to stay single. There are greater things in life than romance, Ino."
The aforementioned snorted.
"So, please, please. I beg you. No more blind dates, setting me up on dating shows, impersonating my identity on LavaLife are all I ask. Because seriously, the last one had a 60-year old holding posies ringing on our doorbell and luckily Naruto was there to accidentally push him down the stairs." She mused at the memory.
"But I promise…" Her voice lowered. "I'll find my prince charming someday but just…not right now, okay?" She ended gently.
A muffled sigh and a quiet "Fine."
Sakura cracked a smile at this. "Thanks Ino."
"Hmph. For now." And the line went dead.
A vein throbbed painfully at the top of Sakura's forehead.
She removed the cell phone from her ear and glared at it before rubbing her forehead again.
"I need coffee."
x
x
Luckily the coffee shop was only a floor up so she arrived in no time, landing herself in a dazzling mood because coffee was only a few meters away.
Ah. The Metropolis, the largest mall in all of Japan owned by the Uchiha Corporation with over 700 stores and services along with more than 100,000 shoppers a day. It's still as beautiful as ever.
Her workplace, heaven, second home.
Oh how she loved the mall.
She made a mental note to take herself shopping next week.
The young lady flowed with the customer traffic, swirling up, right, left and turn.
Sakura grinned when she saw the coffeehouse she was looking for, just mere inches away from the entrance of the one out of three food courts.
She sparkled when she pushed open the glass doors of Starbucks and entered, a giant wave of coffee beans and scones aroma filled her cute little button nostrils.
And there was no line up! So she skipped merrily to the man behind the counter.
"Hey Lee!"
A man about her age appeared out of thin air. A bowl-shaped haircut, shiny teeth that'll make Mr. Clean proud and the bushiest eyebrows Sakura has ever seen came with the package.
"Ah! Sakura-san! My beautiful lotus flower blooming in this serene evening of 6 o'clock! How may I serve you, my youthful young maiden?" And he bowed.
Either Sakura didn't notice Lee's over the top proclamations or she was just too use to it to care, or maybe she was too excited to get her coffee. Perhaps a little bit of each.
"The usual please."
"Yes! One Green Tea Frappuccino coming right up, my love!" And the man in green spandex and matching coloured Starbucks uniform rushed off with fire burning in his big, big orbs to get the order.
She waited patiently, taking out her Blackberry to text Naruto, who should be finishing his shift at Ichiraku in the food court right about—
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T LOVE ME?!"
A banshee with bright, crimson hair clashing with her red cocktail dress and 6-inch heels screeched, shattering glasses everywhere. It was ironic since she was wearing a pair of thick-framed glasses too but they were still intact.
"You—YOU!" She was throwing points at the man in front of her.
"I—I thought you loved me. If you didn't…why did you date me in the first place?!" She spat vehemently.
Everybody in the shop gawked.
Sakura unconsciously dropped her cell back into her bag.
After a long moment of silent glaring and staring,
"We never dated Karin." A monotone voice drawled.
Sakura didn't wear her nightly contacts last night so she couldn't see the man clearly. Squinting was useless. But she concluded the banshee needed a psychiatrist while the man needed some Pepto Bismol to get that diarrhea out of his ass.
"WHAT?!" Everybody winced at the volume. Oh their poor, poor ears.
"W-We've been through so much together! Are you saying all the things we did never happened? Those dates! Us holding hands, appearing together and those sexual innuendos…WHAT WERE THOSE ABOUT?!"
The audience perked up their ears, waiting, just waiting…
"That was all you, not me."
…for his answer.
"B-But, I…" She sniffed, choking back a sob.
"I love you…" She whispered brokenly, watching the man's face remain its aloof self.
"It was all for you. I love you so much." The red-haired banshee was bawling now, black mascara and smudged makeup streamed down her visage.
"I love you so much that it hurts…" She repeated, her face vulnerable and aching unlike a few seconds ago.
Sakura watched on mutely as did everyone else in the coffeehouse.
This is like a bad soap opera, that's for sure. Sakura thought amusingly.
The man looked away, "Annoying."
That one word hit the woman like a ton of bricks. Sakura saw the woman backed up a step as if she had been slapped in the face, hard. More teardrops descended.
Sakura didn't even bother to watch the rest. She paid for her coffee as soon as Lee handed the cup to her with the latter wondering what was going on with his dumbstruck customers.
Sakura was prepared to waltz out of there when an "WELL I'M NOT GIVING UP ON YOU WITHOUT A FIGHT!" resounded by the seating area and a red blur stormed by and crashed into Sakura's arm…
Spilling the coffee everywhere, on Sakura's white boots, on Sakura's green leggings, on Sakura's favourite white skirt, on Sakura's thin short-sleeved hoodie, and on her prettiful Gucci bag she took months to save up for but she didn't care because on the floor was... her coffee!
"Watch where you're going!" The redhead stomped.
Sakura blinked at her empty cup.
"Look what you did to my dress!
Sakura was in total shock. She…
"You're going to pay for this!"
She spilled…
"Do you know how much this dress is worth?! You'll never be able to afford it in your life time!"
She spilled my cappuccino!
"Ugh! This sucks!"
I've never even gotten the chance to smell it…
"You're not getting away with this!"
It was so young…
She stifled a sob before her feelings went into rampage mode.
"You—" Sakura was ready to throw some colourful words at the crazy red-haired psycho bitch except the said "crazy red-haired psycho bitch" was…
Gone.
Sakura threw her eyes back down at her dying, dying cappuccino, dripping along on the floor.
Sakura had never wanted to cry so badly until this moment.
x
x
"Err…um, Sakura-san! Here! Have another frappuccino, it's on the house!" Lee mended but blind rage filled her entire being, she was pissed. Pissed. Her coffee had nothing to do with this at all! So why…? Why did it have to end this way?
"It's not fair." She complained childishly.
She huffed, arms crossed, ignoring the stickiness the caffeine created on her outfit.
After the fight was over, everybody in the coffeehouse reverted back to what they were doing before.
Nobody even cared about her frappuccino who lost its life in battle!
Through her peripheral vision, she saw the man the banshee was arguing with walked by her swiftly.
"Hey you!"
The man halted, not even taking the decency to turn around.
"You…" She pointed a well-manicured finger back and forth at the mess even though she knew he couldn't see it. "…should do something about this! A perfectly good coffee died here today because of you and your girlfriend."
"Hn." He continued his graceful strides toward the door.
That ticked her off.
It was only then that she took a good look at him—well, his retreating back anyway.
It was odd.
His hand was on the glass door, revealing the mall's skylight.
It felt weird because something…familiar—there was something familiar about him but she couldn't pinpoint on it.
Orange, pink, purple, blue colours dabbed the sleeping sky like a blending mural, reflecting against the shop's glass.
She racked through her brain for something…
The light bounced off the marble floors creating glittering reflections.
…Anything.
It danced off his spiky raven hair, creating a tinge of blue and black all the while making his supposed light skin paler.
An image.
Who...?
A blurry image.
is...?
Her head hurt.
A lot.
he...?
And a lot.
"Annoying."A hallow echo.
"Hn..."
That was when recognition dawned on her features.
He…
Her throat felt clogged up.
He's…
She remembered now.
Bustling pedestrians were swarming by, back and forth across the glass door and windows. Soon, he'll become one of them. It felt like watching a store display getting torn down because of the transitioning season when she window-shopped.
She was a deer caught in front of a car's headlights, her mouth like a fish out of water,
"Sa—"
Her stomach tingled with butterflies.
She cleared her throat.
Her lips twitched into a weak smile.
And eventually, one word fell from her lips.
"Sasuke."
x
x
Author's Note:
I first started this chapter during Spring Break but then I got lazy and never really finished it…until now. It's funny because I almost forgot how to write in third person.
So it's going to be about THE MALL! If it wasn't obvious enough…
The beginning was inspired by The Year of Secret Assignments.
Pairings are as follows:
There'll be no story if there was no SasuSaku, my dears.
Definitely some ShikaInoTem brawl because that triangle makes me laugh.
& Review. (:
! Kat.