created on: January 1, 2010
completed on: January 3, 2010
last revised on: January 22, 2010
Cookies
Smile. "Would you like some cookies-" Stare. "- Sasuke-kun?"
Contrary to what many people think, Haruno Sakura was not a good cook.
Period.
No buts. No exceptions. Just that she really isn't and never has been. And of course, she knew that herself.
But, on a blistery morning- another one of those typical ones- for some strange reason, she just felt the urge to bake some cookies- just liked she had done years ago.
-.x.-
She remembered that particular day- the day she went to a park, so very early in the morning- when she was just child-
- a young child wanting to play with other children. A young child wanting...
...needing-
-acceptance.
And again, the place that met her was the same-
- except for that of a little boy, about the same age as her, in the swings. She went near him.
"Hello!"
Smile.
"Hey."
Smile.
She took it as an invitation to sit with him. And sit did she, on the swing next to him.
All was quiet.
They stayed like that until-
"Would you like some cookies?" she blurted out, just to break the unbearable silence between her and the pretty boy.
(He was about to politely reject her offer-)
He stared-
(but then-)
- he saw her big, almost-pleading eyes.
He hesitantly took one from her.
Silence-
Crunch!
- then…
"This cookie-" he started, looking at the one he had intently, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
(She was watching him, anxiously waiting for a response-)
"- it really tastes good! " he continued, sincerity evident in his voice.
"Really?"
(- and her bright emerald eyes shone.)
The boy could only nod his head, as if he already knew that she was about to ask the question. And as if to emphasize his point, he took another one of the said cookies.
"My mom helped me bake them. She said I must put on some more milk, though."
Eyes downcast.
"No, these are alright."
Crunch!
"They're good, really!" as he again took another one.
And that was the start of their friendship.
And for the following days that passed by, she returned to the park, for she had this tiny flicker of hope- hope that he will come to see her. No, it's for the cookies, she insists. Just for the cookies.
And sure enough, he was there.
And it was like that, every single day.
Until that time when-
"Emotions make you weak, Sasuke."
- his clan was massacred.
And to think that after all those years that have passed-
- years when they began to drift further apart…
…apart.
Apart-
- from each other-
- it was only then that she realized that, as sincere as he looked back then, he was lying.
Those cookies weren't good.
But all the same, he took them.
Just for her.
-.x.-
What pressed her to come here, she didn't know, but one thing she knew- she just needed to come.
And, just like the old times, she sat on the same swings-
Everything looks the same, just like they used to, she mused.
(waiting-)
- and took out the cookies she baked earlier.
She got one and nibbled on it.
Silence.
Then-
- the leaves rustled.
Smile.
"Would you like some cookies-"
Stare.
"- Sasuke-kun?"