FATE IS CRUEL – CHAPTER ONE – CAUGHT IN THE RAIN
As I rushed down the bustling hallways of my 'school' or personal pit of torturous mental and physical pain, I recalled the night of the death of my family. The soundless wind brushed through the calm meadow grass, and I stood as silent as a grave. I watched the last happy moment between my parents and siblings, and I knew that this would be the first and last time I would let my concealed tears fall. I held the blade tightly in my hands, closing my eyes lightly, letting the silence around me be broken with the screams of death. I opened my eyes only to see four lifeless bodies in front of me. As I let my selfish tears fall to the ground, I lifted the wristwatch off of my mother's cold dead wrist, and strapped it across my bloodied hands. I took a bid of farewell to the broken hearted souls that would somehow have the heart to watch over me, and disappeared into the night, only leaving a breath of silence.
While being busy about recalling my past, I hadn't realized that I had bumped into someone. I lifted my gaze up only to see a crimson haired boy with a tattoo etched into his forehead. His pale turquoise eyes pierced right into the very cold soul hidden in my heart. His pale hands held my shoulders. I pushed myself away from him and muttered a small apology. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards him.
"What was that? I didn't quite hear you all too well." He asked with a small smile. I noticed the dark circles around his eyes. Insomnia? I flashed a glare at him and tore my wrist from his iron grip.
"Whatever. I'm not repeating myself." I stomped away holding the books for my next class tightly. Why did everyone seem to like my looks? The bell rang just after I sat down at my desk. I pulled out a notebook, and quickly wrote down notes that were scratched across the whiteboard. My teacher walked in half an hour late, with his light silver hair shimmering from the sun's light.
"Hello, class. Sorry I'm late. So, let's begin our math lesson for today." He said through his mask. A girl with hair as pink as strawberry ice cream raised her hand, her jade green eyes gleaming.
"Mr. Hatake, what about the announcement you were talking about yesterday?" She asked in a matter-of-fact tone. My teacher slapped his hand across his forehead lightly, as if he had forgotten about it.
"Oh, yes! How could I forget? A few months \ from now is the Winter Ball, and be sure to go. You'll be missing out on all the fun. Thank you for reminding me, Sakura." He gave a casual wink and a lopsided smile. "We're going to begin our lesson now, and no interruptions." Mr. Hatake erased the notes on the board, began to write an equation on the board, and just as quickly I copied it down. School was easy, but at the same time it was hard on my mind.
AT LUNCH
I sat down at an empty table alone. Isolation had never bothered me much. I took a sip from my canteen filled with blood. It was the only way to get around to feeding myself at school without actually ditching. I turned my gaze at the sound of a loud yell, and saw a boy with bright blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and whisker birthmarks scratched across his face. Apparently he was screaming at another boy with onyx eyes and gravity defying hair for dumping his lunch on top of his hair. Another boy with red tooth marks painted on his face was pointing and bursting with laughter at the two. Two girls at the table were chatting away. Sakura and a girl with two tight buns in her hair. I noticed a lazy boy with a high spiky ponytail dozing at the table, and a girl with her pale blonde hair in a long ponytail, trying to wake the lazy boy up.
"Oh, dear god! You didn't have to pour my own lunch on me, Sasuke! You messed my hair up!" The boy with a cup of ramen dumped on his head screamed at Sasuke, the onyx eyed one.
"Shut up, dobe. You were the one who was annoying me." Sasuke said in a perfect annoyed voice.
"I have a name you know! It's Naruto!" The screaming blonde yelled. Sasuke whacked Naruto across the head. I only turned my head away for a second, until I heard another loud smack. I started to twitch at the smell of blood. Naruto had a bloody nose from Sasuke 'accidentally' punching him in the face.
"N-Naruto-kun! Are you o-okay?" A shy girl with midnight hair asked stuttering. Naruto nodded and thanked the girl for asking, her name was Hinata. Naruto's nosebleed had gotten worse; the blood trickled onto the table. I couldn't stand the smell of fresh blood. I knew that whenever blood hit my senses, I could barely control myself, despite the years of training. I ran over to him in a flash, and everyone at the table looked at me surprised. Even the dozing sloth on the table looked up at me with his eyes glazed over.
"Here, let me take you to the office. I can barely stand you." I offered rudely to Naruto. I grabbed his wrist, yanked him out of the cafeteria, and into the nearly empty halls.
"Hey, who are you?" Naruto asked while still clutching his nose. I saw a drop of blood about to fall onto my hand, and I drew my hand away quickly hissing in the process. I stopped in my tracks, and turned around to face him, knowing the risks.
"I'm Charlotte. Charlotte Roans. Be thankful I'm not attacking you right now. Trust me, you wouldn't want that." He only eyed me oddly. I grabbed his wrist again, and yanking him to the office. Just as we were only a corner away from the office door, a small warm drop of blood had fallen onto my pale hand. I lost control of myself for only a second, licking up the blood on my wrist.
"What the-?" I didn't let him complete the sentence, and held a finger to his mouth.
"Don't tell anyone about this." I wiped the blood from my finger and onto his orange shirt. I commanded, and shoved him into the office, turning to leave. I shut the door, and rushed quickly back to the cafeteria. Once again, I collided with the strange crimson red haired boy from earlier.
"You really ought to learn where you're going." He said jokingly. I didn't respond. I only shoved him away, and continued walking back to the cafeteria. Lunch was only halfway over. All of Naruto's 'friends' beckoned me over to their table. I walked over calmly.
"Who are you?" Sasuke asked. I looked at each of them in turn, and then responded cautiously.
"Charlotte. Charlotte Roans." I said quickly. Sasuke seemed impressed with my attitude. Most likely, because I was acting a lot like him.
"So, where's N-Naruto-kun now?" Hinata asked shyly.
"Where do you think? Isn't obvious? Oh, and don't worry, he didn't cheat on you with me." I said reassuring the poor girl's fears.
"Well, about time we introduced ourselves." Sakura said. "I'm Sakura Haruno."
"I'm Ino Yamanaka. We should be friends." The pale blonde haired girl said, shaking my hand. I then noticed more people had joined the table.
"Hey, I'm Kiba Inuzuka, and this is my dog Akamaru." Kiba said while lifting a small white dog from his lap. The dog barked.
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." A girl behind him giggled.
"What a drag. I'm Shikamaru Nara. Will you let me go back to sleep now, Temari?" A girl with four blonde pigtails nodded.
"I'm Temari." The girl said nicely.
"I'm Shino Aburame." A boy with spiky black and sunglasses said.
"I'm Neji Hyuuga. This is my cousin, Hinata Hyuuga." He gestured to the shy girl next to him.
"I'm Rock Lee! Lee is just perfectly fine, though!" An over enthusiastic boy said with enormous eyebrows said.
"I'm Tenten." The girl with two tight buns on her head said.
"I'm Kankuro, Temari's sister." said a boy with purple makeup.
"I'm Gaara." The crimson headed boy I met earlier said. I saw an overweight boy with a bag of chips in his hand munching away.
"And I'm Chouji Akimichi!" He said while munching on more chips.
"So, now that you know all of us, do you want to be our friend?" I shook my head quickly.
"No, I'm sorry. It's best if I stayed away from humanity for now. Trust me, its better if you don't know everything about me." I said in a monotone voice. They all looked at me surprised. I took the chance to take a sip from my canteen.
"What are you drinking?" Gaara asked breaking the silence. I didn't respond. "Hey, I asked you a question."
"You don't want to know." I said vaguely. Gaara snatched the open bottle from me and smelled the contents. I didn't do anything to keep my big secret concealed.
"Blood?" He asked in a surprised voice.
"I-I'm anemic. I sort of need the blood." I said unprepared. I had never gotten into a situation like this.
"Still, if you were anemic, then you wouldn't have the energy to be here at school. So, what are you really?" He asked waving the bottle in front of my face. I snatched the bottle back and closed the lid.
"I cannot tell you." I said quietly. Gaara took a butter knife from the table and slit his wrist. The smell of his delicious blood reigned over my senses as it spread across his arm.
"I so knew you were emo!" A loud voice said. It was Naruto. The blood continued to flow. "Give me my twenty bucks, Kiba!" I just couldn't resist the smell and I was across the table in a flash biting down on his wrist, drinking his warm blood. Everyone at the table gasped. Gaara didn't seem to like the feeling that someone was thirstily lapping up his blood. After two and a half minutes I had my self control back and yanked my fangs away from him. Gaara's heart rate had sped up trying to give his body more blood. The wound on his wrist healed up quickly. I eyed him again, wanting more blood. I quickly shut down all thoughts of blood in my mind.
"So, y-you're a v-vampire?" Hinata asked. I hung my head down in shame and nodded slowly.
"And I'm an ex-special ops force officer. This is why I said that I should've stayed away from humanity. Now you see why." I stood up from the table and walked away. Before I could get out of school, Gaara grabbed my wrist once again.
"Truth be told, none of us even care what you are. We're all practically freaks in our own way." Gaara said into my ear sending vibrations up and down my spine. I was about to pull away from him for the third time that day, when he yanked me back into a romantic kiss. I pushed him off of me.
"Is it my looks, or my personality?" I asked while tapping him lightly on the nose.
"Actually, it's both." Gaara replied, and this time I pulled him into a kiss. I heard a whistle and saw Gaara's brother leaning onto the gate.
"Gaara, I didn't know you were such a sly fox. Man, you scored yourself a nice looking girl. Lucky you." Gaara only chuckled in response. "I'm so telling everyone in our group that you're hooked up with a hot sexy vampire." Kankuro started to speed off, and I ran in pursuit. Though, I caught him quickly.
"Nope, you are not telling them." I said teasingly. Kankuro put his hands up in surrender.
"Hey, I'm not the girl hooked up with my brother." He came closer to me, and shoved me to the ground. Before I could stand up, Kankuro already made his way to the cafeteria table.
"It's true? Oh my god, I totally should've bet on this one, guys!" Naruto said. He must've had a gambling habit.
"Naruto, don't let your precious Hinata there feel all lonely without romance from you." Kiba said. Naruto chuckled and pulled Hinata into a kiss. Hinata looked surprised.
"So is everybody a couple then?" I asked. Kiba nodded in response.
"Practically everyone. I'm with Ino." Kiba said.
"I'm with Sasuke." Sakura said proudly.
"I'm with Neji!" Tenten said.
"I'm with Shika-kun over here!" Temari said happily.
"Honestly. There aren't enough girls for everyone here." I muttered.
"I'm actually with that girl over there." Lee said beckoning a brunette with long curly hair over.
"Hi! I'm Sarima!" She said while putting her head on Lee's shoulder. Obviously she was very hyperactive.
"I'm hooked up with that chick over there." Kankuro said calling over a red haired girl.
"What's up? I'm Karin."
"I'm Kin, and my boyfriend is quiet little Shino here." She said teasingly while putting an arm around his neck.
"Chouji, babe! I'm coming over!" a loud voice said, and a girl with black hair and blue eyes landed on top of Chouji.
"Holy crap! Jeez, Periwinkle, you really didn't need to do that." Chouji said. Everyone was a happy couple. I suppose. I chuckled.
"Well, it was nice staying here with all of you. But sorry about this, nobody should know anything about me except my name." I sped out of the cafeteria leaving the empty feeling of shock. It was nice to have someone to talk to once in a few years. Maybe that was that last time I would talk to anyone. To me, I was always a lot better alone.
LUNCH BREAK THE NEXT DAY
Once again, I found myself sitting at a table alone sipping my blood. I knew it was a risk to come back to school after yesterday. I quietly hummed a tune I made up. I saw Gaara walk over to me for the umpteenth time.
"We're all going to Ichiraku's tonight. Do you want to come?" I shook my head. Gaara should've known the obvious from the mysteries. "It's a date." Gaara said nodding.
"What? I don't get your motives sometimes." I said casually not giving a glance at him.
"Well, I'm going to pick you up tonight. I know where you live." He waved a dismissed hand at me and went back to his table. I sat there completely shocked. How in the world did he follow me? I slammed my fists on the table. I guess I had to go whether I ignored them or not. I stood up from my chair and went outside. I needed some fresh air. I lay out on the grass looking up at the clouds. It was a nice sunny warm day with a few clouds here and there. I took out my iPod and started to listen to music. Gaara came and sat down right next to me.
"What do you want?" I asked bitterly. I didn't like the fact he was practically stalking me everywhere.
"I just wanted to be next to you. You're coming right?" I nodded regretfully. I stood up and yanked out my headphones, glaring at him with my piercing green eyes.
"Look, we're not together. I like you, but we can't be together. And that's final, so stop trying to be my boyfriend. You have no idea what I've done." I recalled all my past mistakes and shook my head. Gaara laughed.
"I understand we're not together, but I can't help but like you a little too much. I've done some bad things too." He said in a light voice. I stomped my foot on the ground.
"You haven't killed your own family by choice have you? You're not the one who was hired to kill a whole bunch of children in orphanages! I did those things, because I thought that being close to a special someone was more than the valuable lives of those people. I can't be close to anyone, which is why I stay isolated." Gaara looked at me blankly.
"Who was this special someone?" Gaara asked as if recalling something.
"No one you should ever meet." I responded. Gaara looked at me curiously.
"You need to tell me." I shook my head.
"His name was Kyuubi. A demon. He has been sealed inside of someone." I just happened to know that 'someone' unfortunately.
"Who has he been sealed into?" Gaara asked way too many questions to my liking.
"A person you know. And that's all I'm telling you. You aren't allowed to ask me any more questions. I'm leaving. See you tonight." I grinded my teeth as I said this, so it made it sound as if I was growling.
AT MY HOUSE
I went home that night wondering what to wear. I stood in front of my closet. I had to at least look good for myself. I looked through my closet until I found the perfect dress. It was a silk knee long v-neck purple spaghetti strapped dress with a black belt in the middle. I threw it on and combed my unruly hair. I normally painted my nails a dark red, so I was okay with the color. I put on some makeup and put on a black cardigan. I went downstairs and slipped on my strappy black high heels. I looked at myself in the mirror.
I heard a honk outside, and rushed out. In the middle of the street was a black sleek convertible. I opened the door and slid inside. Gaara whistled at me.
"What?" I asked.
"You look good." Gaara replied. I chuckled.
"Do you always have to drive in style?" I asked showing my fangs. He nodded. In half an hour we walked into the ramen restaurant. Unfortunately it was a karaoke night.
"Whoa, Charlotte. You look so hot!" Naruto said with a goofy grin. He nudged Gaara in the ribs, and said, "If you're not gonna take her, I will." Gaara laughed. Everyone ate their ramen while I sat quietly biting my own wrist occasionally.
"It's karaoke night, why don't you sing?" Gaara asked. Everyone nodded with approval.
"Yeah, I'd like to hear you sing." Kiba said. I shook my head.
"Coming here is enough for me, I hate human food. Much less singing." I hadn't sung at a karaoke concert since the week before I murdered my family. Gaara stood up from his seat and dragged me to the stage in the spotlight. The light glared into my eyes and I held a hand in front of my face.
"Okay, everyone, my girlfriend here, is going to sing a song for all of you!" Gaara said into the microphone. I looked at him shocked.
"W-what! No, Gaara this is a big mistake!" I said, Gaara only smiled. The owner of the restaurant came over to me.
"I've got a perfect song for ya! It's Our Song by Taylor Swift. Have fun!" He winked at me. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I knew the song. I watched as Gaara walked back to his seat as the music began.
I was riding shotgun with my hair undone I look around, turn the radio down
In the front seat of his car
He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel
The other on my heart
He says, "Baby is something wrong?"
I say, "Nothing I was just thinking. How we don't have a song."
And he says, Our song is the way you laugh I was walking up the front porch steps Got to the hallway, well, on my way Our song is the slamming screen door Our song is the way you laugh I've heard every album, listened to the radio 'Cause our song is the slamming screen door Our song is the way he laughs I was riding shotgun with my hair undone
Our song is the slamming screen door
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow
'Cause it's late and your mama don't know
The first date man, I didn't kiss her and I should have
And when I got home, 'fore I said amen
Asking God if He could play it again
After everything that day
Had gone all wrong or been trampled on
And lost and thrown away
To my lovin' bed
I almost didn't notice all the roses
And the note that said
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow
'Cause it's late and your mama don't know
The first date man, I didn't kiss her and I should have
And when I got home, 'fore I said amen
Asking God if He could play it again
Waited for something to come along
That was as good as our song
Sneakin' out late, tapping on his window
When we're on the phone and he talks real slow
'Cause it's late and his mama don't know
The first date man, I didn't kiss him and I should have
And when I got home, 'fore I said amen
Asking God if He could play it again
Play it again, oh, yeah, oh, oh, yeah
In the front seat of his car
I grabbed a pen and an old napkin
And I wrote down our song
I finished the song with an applaud from the audience. I faked a smile. Gaara walked up to me.
"That was great. Who knew you sang so well?" I breathed onto his shoulder, and punched him in the gut lightly.
"You're a huge jerk, you know that?" I whispered. He laughed and pulled me into a kiss. I pushed myself away. "Don't be trying that on me again." The manager walked up to me again.
"Hey, do you want a job here?" I nodded slowly. "Well, how about being the singer for every karaoke night? Why don't you sing two songs every time you're working?" I sighed and agreed. "Alright, starting now. You're going to sing Mine by Taylor Swift." He shoved me back on stage. At least I had a job. I had been looking for one for a while. I shoved Gaara off the stage, and once again the music started up.
Oh, oh, oh You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables I say, "Can you believe it?" Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water? Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together But we got bills to pay This is what I thought about: Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water? You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter Do you remember all the city lights on the water? Oh, oh, oh, oh And I remember that fight, two-thirty AM Braced myself for the goodbye, cause that's all I've ever known You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water. You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter Do you believe it? I can see it now
Oh, oh, oh
Left a small town and never looked back
I was a flight risk, afraid of fallin'
Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts
As we're lyin' on the couch
The moment, I can see it
Yes, yes, I can see it now
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes
We got nothin' figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes
You put your arm around me for the first time
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
You said everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street
Then, you took me by surprise
You said, "I'll never leave you alone."
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing that's ever been mine."
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it
I breathed out a breath I didn't know I was holding. And for the first time in years, I felt happy. I forgot all about the horrible things I did. I walked downstage to Gaara's embracing arms. I suddenly sensed danger nearby and it ruined the most perfect moment in my life.
"Gaara, thank you. But I doubt that you'll ever see me again." I whispered in his ear, and the ceiling broke. Three assassins came down on ropes and tied me up, carrying me away. I heard Gaara scream my name, and I let my last tears fall onto his face. I whispered a farewell, because I knew for sure that I had been caught. I knew for a fact that I wasn't going to survive this, but hopefully Gaara's wits would hit him and he'd find a note that I slipped into his car.
GAARA'S POV
"Charlotte!" I screamed. Who the hell did those people think they are? I felt drops land on my face. At first I thought it was raining, but it was her tears. I saw her get injected with something, and she went limp. The kidnappers vanished, and the whole restaurant was silent.
"What. The. Hell. Was. That?" Naruto asked stretching out every word.
"That was the Akatsuki Corporation." Ino said.
"The what? Man, I totally should've bet that she was a criminal!"
"Save your gambling habits for later, dobe. There's a different matter at hand here." Sasuke said. Slapping the back of Naruto's think head.
"Ino, can you tell us just what the hell happened?" Shikamaru asked for once being awake.
"Hai. The Akatsuki Corp. is a group of trained assassins that are hired to catch 'special' people."
"Special? You mean-" Ino cut off my sentence.
"Because she's what she is, they want her. They capture monsters and extract their power, which unfortunately kills them." Everyone in our group was silent. I rubbed my hair furiously. This was not good.
"Well, can we even save her?" Kiba asked breaking the silence. Ino shook her head sadly.
"No one has ever escaped them alive. So, she's a goner." Shikamaru said. I threw my hands in the air and left the restaurant. It started raining for real this time, and I sat in my car. I noticed a white paper hanging out of my glove compartment. I pulled out the note and read it. It was addressed to me from Charlotte. So, she knew it was happening.
Gaara,
For whatever reason when you find this, read it carefully. Do not save me from them. I'm being punished for my crimes. Thank you, for everything you've done for me. If you love me dearly, then try to figure out this puzzle.
Sherlock Holmes's address, three numbers of death, yin and yang, and lastly, the quote, why is a raven like a writing desk?
If you figure this out, (which I doubt you will without any help from a genius) then you will find me. But I warn you the last clue is something deadly. Like I said do not save me. You may watch me die. I'm sorry for ever meeting you.
I noticed that one word was written darker. The key to this clue was the darkened word? Genius, probably meant Shikamaru. I went back inside the restaurant.
"Shikamaru, can I have a word with you?" My hair was soaking wet. Shikamaru stood up grumbling.
"What a drag. What do you people want with me now?" I held out the paper to him. Shikamaru studied it for a moment. "Sherlock Holmes's address? It's 221 Baker Street. The three numbers of death are three six's in a row. Maybe that part means replace the first three numbers with the triple six. Yin and yang, the Botanical Asian Gardens? A raven like a writing desk. Must mean something. I can't figure it out. Sasuke once said something about his brother and ravens. I'll go ask him." Shikamaru threw the note back at me, and dragged Sasuke over to where I was standing. "Sasuke, what was that thing you said to me a while ago about your brother, Itachi?" Sasuke sighed.
"My bother once told me raven's are like writing desks because they quote what you say. As in, ravens copy, and you write on a writing desk leaving a faint mark of your words." Shikamaru snapped his fingers. At that moment I officially decided that all he needed right then was a smoking pipe.
"Your brother, didn't you say he joined a group? The Akatsuki, right? Then, Itachi is the last clue. She's probably warning us about Itachi being there."
"But why?" I asked. Sasuke had a look on his face as if to say something dawned on him.
"My brother is the one who's going to be one of the guards for the place for the 'ritual'. The thing that's dangerous is that his weapons of defense are ravens. They will literally eat you alive." I shuddered. No wonder she said to not rescue her.
"Whoa, Gaara. Are you actually scared?" Shikamaru asked, looking more awake than he ever had been.
"No, but we have to tell Naruto and the others. They may want to help."
"You're joking right? This is suicide!" Sasuke said.
"If that's all it takes to save her, then I will." Sasuke grunted.
CHARLOTTE'S POV
I woke up in a dark room. Ironically, I was hung on a cross. It prevented me from trying to break loose. I looked around, everything was dark. All the lights turned on, and I was faced with Sasuke's older brother.
"Are you thirsty, you poor thing?" He taunted. At the moment, I suddenly felt bloodlust.
"What did you do?" I asked struggling against the chains. He laughed.
"Nothing, we just simply starved you." I shook my head. I had never felt this much of an urge for blood.
"Please, give me something." I begged panting in between words. Itachi laughed cruelly.
"Well, you're going to die anyway, so why bother?" Itachi came closer to me. He was just in reach, but right as I tried to have a bite of his wrist, he back off. "Oh, shame, you pitiful animal." He laughed again and shut the door to my cell. The white walls blinded me. For some blood, I bit my own tongue. I felt so weak. I hoped that Gaara would come, even though I knew it was selfish. It was only instinct after all.
GAARA'S POV
"So, are we going to save her or not?" I asked. I got an immediate response from Naruto, Kiba, and Lee.
"Of course we will! She's our friend, and friends help friends!" Naruto said.
"Then we leave two days from now." Sasuke said.
"Why two days?" I asked glancing at him.
"Because we have about four days to save her. They'll starve her, and then kill her." Sasuke replied. I nodded.
TWO DAYS LATER
We rushed through the streets, it was late and the sun had gone down already. The guards to the main building were so weak; we broke through with only guns. Sasuke lead us down into the basement, and we searched for Charlotte's cell. I heard a cry of pain. We ran toward that direction.
"Did I somehow forget to mention, that when a vampire starves, they start to have headaches?" Sasuke asked. We all sighed. Naruto picked the lock in a record breaking twelve seconds. Inside we saw Charlotte screaming in pain.
"Charlotte!" I said and was about to run over to her when Sasuke held my hand back.
"This isn't normal. They've already injected her with it."
"It? What the hell is that?" Naruto asked.
"It's a chemical that puts them in severe pain. It can only be stopped if she's set loose. The catch is, if you let her loose she might just attack us all, because it temporarily controls her until you give her whatever she needs. Which in this case is blood." I walked over to Charlotte and broke the chains are her feet, she started kicking the air.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kiba asked.
"Get out, so she doesn't attack you." I said, unwillingly they walked out. I broke the chains that held her wrist, and she charged at me. I let out a shocked yell when she latched onto my neck. Everyone came in.
"Okay, she should be good. I think." Naruto said. She kept drinking my blood. "Gaara isn't that uncomfortable at all?" I nodded.
"Do you want us to pull her off of you?" Sakura asked. I nodded. They all yanked her off. Unfortunately, she was still thirsty, and she lunged onto Naruto. She was on top of his stomach holding his wrist so she could drink.
"Holy crap! This is weird as fuck! Get her off!" Charlotte seemed to have a liking to Naruto, and couldn't get pulled off. Within a few minutes she was back to normal. Her once green eyes were a dark red color.
"Huh? What am I doing?" she asked and then saw that she was on top of Naruto. "Holy jashin! Fuck! Sorry, Naruto! Did I take too much blood?" Naruto sweat dropped.
"Maybe just a little bit." Naruto said. She got off of Naruto and looked around.
"Why are you all here? Get out of here! They'll kill you!" She said going from curious to demanding. I shook my head.
"We're not leaving. Because friends are friends. They help one another." I replied. She shook her head furiously.
"Get out, I'm meant to be isolated ever since that day. Leave this place, before I make you." We all shook our heads. She then gave into her killer instinct for a few moments, scaring off most of us. I stayed back with Sasuke and Naruto. "Leave me, Gaara. Or watch me die." I chuckled.
"We're getting you out of here. Whether you like it or not." Naruto said dragging her back the wrist. That wasn't a good idea, because she was eying Naruto's neck closely.
"Ano…could I just get another taste of your blood?" Naruto looked back at her shocked.
"No way! Sorry, but somehow only Gaara can handle it."
"Oh, so you didn't like it?" Her red eyes gleamed.
"W-well, not to say I didn't, but it still is kind of weird!" She pointed and laughed.
"Of course you like it! They say that a vampire's bite feels good." Sasuke nodded. So, it was the odd truth. With Naruto distracted she was running, until Itachi came, and she accidentally bumped into him. Crap.
"Oh, so you managed to escape, pet? That's amazing. I never thought that you could act so well." Itachi patted her hair and she smiled, leaning onto him.
"Crap! I didn't know Itachi had controlled her! We were lead right into a trap." Sasuke said. I sighed. This was not good either. She kissed Itachi on the nose.
"You'll always be mine, Itachi-kun." She said in a dazed voice, with her eyes glazed over. Itachi laughed.
"So, you will. Now, take care of these kids, and I'll reward you." She hugged Itachi's waist furiously, and kissed him full on the lips. I was boiling in anger. "Jealous?" Itachi asked. I didn't reply.
"It's as you command, Itachi-kun." She lunged at us with her fangs bared. She managed to break Naruto's arms, leaving him defenseless. She then proceeded to kick Naruto into a solid brick wall.
"Naruto!" Sasuke called. Charlotte punched Sasuke in the chin, sending him upwards. She jumped up, broke Sasuke's right leg, and kicked Sasuke onto the concrete floor. Sasuke was out cold. She was about to attack me, but froze. I didn't understand.
"What are you doing? Attack him!" She took one step closer, but couldn't bring herself to attack me. Charlotte shook her head and cleared her thoughts, breaking away from Itachi's command for a few moments.
"Gaara-kun! I'm sorry for everything I did. This time, for real, leave. You can't break me out of here." She ran over to me and gave me a last kiss. Itachi resumed his command over her, and she just broke my wrist and knocked me out.
CHARLOTTE'S POV
I felt like crying, I had hurt my friends. I wanted to kill Itachi, but I couldn't control my own body. Itachi made me make out with him, because he knew how much I hated him. That, or maybe he couldn't get a date.
"Itachi-kun? When will I die for you?" I asked. Itachi laughed.
"Right now, your friends should be awake to watch you get torn apart." I squealed.
"And then, I'll be yours forever right, Itachi-kun?" He nodded. He put everyone into a cell with their bodies dangling from the ceiling. I shuddered mentally. Itachi made me give him a kiss. "It's so wonderful! Watching their blood filled bodies become numb!" I squealed while clapping like an idiot. He lead me to a waterfall, shaped like yin and yang. I then noticed a camera hidden in the trees. It was going to record my death. Itachi strapped me down to a flat rock. I giggled.
"This is so much fun! Itachi-kun, can you give me one last kiss?" Itachi gave me a fake kiss, and left me there. A few minutes later after the ritual had started, I started to scream. Itachi broke his control over me. My soul felt like it was being ripped from my body. I could almost see Gaara turning his head away. I blacked out. Not knowing that part of my soul had floated to the cell with everyone inside.
GAARA'S POV
I shuddered and turned my head away. I heard an odd sound, and looked in front of me. Standing there was a transparent Charlotte. Everyone gasped.
"G-Gaara-kun?" I nodded.
"Yes?" The ghost smiled.
"Gaara-kun, I want all of you to forget about me. When I pass into the next world, I don't know if my murdered family will let me be reincarnated into my original form. So, please. Forget about me, and when I come back to you, hopefully will you still be mine?" I nodded. I saw tears well up in her eyes. "Gaara, you know, you were my first true love. Don't ever forget that. I'm really sorry we ever met." She started fading away; her spirit gave me a kiss goodbye. I nearly felt like crying myself. She was gone forever.
"Dude, are you gonna be okay?" Naruto asked sniffling. He was such a crybaby. Lee was full out crying. I nodded, feeling a heavy ache in my heart. Charlotte, you were my true love too. There was a silence in the room. I heard the piercing scream through the monitor, and I knew for sure that she was gone forever.
EPILOGUE
Here I was at school a few months later. Everything went from pure hell, to a total happiness. Almost. It was almost time for the Winter Ball. I sighed as I rejected another girl's offer. Temari came over to me.
"Gaara! That girl was pretty cute! Why didn't you accept her offer?" I shook my head. "You do know that she's not coming back, right?" I nodded.
"I know, but I can't help but hope." I replied staring out into the empty space. Temari put a hand on my shoulder.
"Hey, everything's going to be fine. I'm pretty sure something good will turn up." After school, I was walking home alone, when I spotted her. It was Charlotte. I stood there gaping.
"What do you want?" she asked. I closed my mouth.
"Just your name." I replied casually. The girl in front of me laughed.
"I'm Charlotte Roans. And you are?"
"Gaara." The girl's eyes widened for a moment.
"G-Gaara? I know you! You were my boyfriend! I remember it all!" She slapped a hand to her mouth. "I died! And oh my god! Gaara how has everyone been holding up.
"Fine, I've been a wreck though." I said smiling. She gave me a hug.
"I'm sorry! I'm still a vampire unfortunately. So, you'll keep your promise right? To be my boyfriend?" I nodded. She gave a huge smile, showing her fangs. "Thank you. I'm going to the Winter Ball with you."
THE WINTER BALL
I stood in front of the school gates, waiting for Charlotte to show up. Everything had righted itself. I was happy, and everyone else was. I saw Charlotte arrive wearing a pale long green dress with white gloves and her long brown hair tied in a complicated bun.
"Why are you always late?" I asked. She laughed.
"Because I am." I took her hand and pulled her into a kiss. She smiled. "You know, if you're going to be mine forever, then you'll have to be a vampire." I looked at her.
"Maybe, only time will tell." For once after the tragedy, fate wasn't cruel. She smiled, and we walked into the gym together. We had our happily ever after. Plus, the whole gang became vampires. Which was cool. Even everyone's eternal partners. Fate can be cruel, but when you wait, all good things will come.
THE END