"But in front of love, I'm weak and hopeless. Because I'm a coward."
"I can't believe you're married!" Various girly voices giggled as they surrounded the blushing bride.
"I can't believe I'm getting older!" Akira exclaimed and embraced all of her friends. "Will I have time to see you guys anymore?"
Temari punches her lightly on the arm. "Of course! You act like you're moving to another state or something!"
Laughter danced in the air and the sun was starting to set, illuminating nature beautifully.
"That's my man!" Naruto held Kiba in a headlock. "And here I was, thinking you would be alone, forever!"
"Oh shut up!" Now, Kiba held Naruto in a headlock.
"Mercy, mercy!" The boys continued to fool around and snickered.
"Well, looks like it's getting late!" Kiba walked over to Akira and wrapped his arm around her waist. "You ready to go babe?"
After the wedding, they planned to go out to dinner to celebrate. Everybody started to get into their cars and drive towards the fancy restaurant.
"Yeah, I'll meet you guys there, I want to stop by somewhere." Akira looked up to her husband who nodded. He handed her the car keys and pecked her on the lips.
"Be careful." With that, he stepped into Naruto's car and winked at her before they drove away. When Akira saw all of the cars leave, she sighed.
It felt like just yesterday when everybody was in high school, living without a care in the world.
Now, she was married and moving on to the next stage of her life.
"Akira?" The smooth deep voice rang through her ear. A little startled, she whipped her head back to see her best friend.
"Sasuke! You scared me!" He chuckled at her reaction. "I thought everybody left!"
"Yeah, but I saw you staying behind so I thought I would stay with you." Sasuke walked towards the lake and felt a rush of memories flood into his brain.
"Makes you think of the old days, huh?" The bride said as she walked over to Sasuke. "I can almost hear you and Naruto arguing."
Sasuke scoffed, remembering how much he and Naruto used to fight when everybody played around the lake. It usually ended with both of them falling into the lake and yelling at each other afterward, blaming each other for their own clumsiness.
The lake was where everybody went when they hung out. Most of their summer days consisted of jumping into the lake whenever it got too hot and fooling around. When it started to get late, they would all lie in the grass and watch the sun disappear.
"I'm glad I met you Sasuke." Akira whispered, slightly embarrassed.
Kiba's best man looked over to his best friend in confusion. "Getting married must have made you crazy."
Akira's eyebrows furrowed and she pouted when she heard Sasuke call her crazy. "Hey, don't be mean! Is that any way to treat your best friend after she got married?"
Sasuke laughed at how marriage didn't change how immature she was. The two of them gazed at the magnificent scenery in comfortable silence.
All of the sudden, a light giggle escaped Akira's lips. As it rung in his ear, Sasuke looked down to see her holding back laughter. "Is…Something funny?"
"Nah, I just remembered something."
"What is it?" She stopped laughing and looked up to Sasuke who was a good three inches taller than her.
"Remember Sophomore year?" Automatically, Sasuke groaned at the mention of Sophomore year. A touch of pink highlighted both of their faces as they looked away from each other.
"That was six years ago, can we just forget about it?" Sasuke ran his fingers through his rough and gelled hair.
"Why? Little Sasuke doesn't have a crush on me anymore?" Akira teased as Sasuke squinted in annoyance. "…You really meant it, right?"
The bright mood died down and they both became a little stiff. "Of course I meant it." Sasuke quietly said after a long pause.
"Don't worry Akira, I don't like you anymore. Those are just stupid rumors."
That was exactly what Sasuke said to Akira during Sophomore year after Kiba had confessed to her. Before that, word got out that Sasuke liked Akira, which wasn't necessarily false. When Sasuke saw how upset Akira was when she had to choose between her best friend and the boy she liked, he told her he didn't like her, that it was just a rumor. She assumed Sasuke was telling the truth and started to date Kiba.
And now look at how they ended up. The two of them were now happily married, excited to start a life together.
But it always bothered Akira when she thought about how Sasuke might still like her.
"Stop thinking about it." Sasuke's firm voice snapped Akira out of her thoughts.
"Well you better not be lying to me Sasuke!" Akira squinted and pointed to him.
"What does Kiba see in you anyway?" Sasuke quickly dodged as Akira threw a punch at him. "It's not very lady like to punch someone in a wedding dress."
"Yeah, yeah." Akira brushed his comment off and held up her car keys. "Come on, we'll be late!"
"You go ahead first." Sasuke's lips curved up into a small smile.
"Alright, but if you're not there in the next hour, I'm coming back!" Akira yelled and walked away from the lake.
"Come back…" Sasuke mouthed and bit his lip. He had to be strong, Akira's happiness was on the line.
At one step, his eyes overflowed with tears.
She took two steps, and he let them fall.
Drip…Drop…
Tears fell down his face quickly, and there was no end to them.
His world came crashing down at three.
She was married now, there was no hope for him now.
"Akira!" It almost felt as if Akira tugged on his heart as she walked further and further away. "It was a lie! I was lying!"
His heart thumped viciously in his chest as he gasped for air, sobbing.
"I loved you since our first year in high school!" In frustration, Sasuke kicked at the ground, hard. "Why are you so fucking clueless?"
He expected her to walk back. But she couldn't hear him, he was shouting through his heart. He couldn't say those things out loud.
The only thing he could do was admire her from afar, and he did just that. Secretly, he adored her unconditionally. The way she laughed, the way she pouted when she was mad, everything about her drove him crazy.
But he couldn't possibly tell her anything about it. He just couldn't.
He was a coward.
'When the night's over, I'll forget all about this foolish love for you.' Sasuke watched the black Audi drive away.
'And I thought one lie couldn't hurt…'