The Nightmare

"Here's your order, miss."

That's when it all began. He left with a smile while keeping those meals I ordered for my lunch on the table. I took in everything. He had eyes which were dark and distant, displaying no emotion. His smile that was almost certainly forceful and of course, those plump lips of his burned with anxiety. His raven hair was tied up neatly while those long bangs framed the sides of his face. I couldn't help observing his form every once in a while. Though he might be the master of faking feelings and hiding away, he couldn't escape my eyes for some reason. Something was off, and I was sure of it.

His name was Sasuke Uchiha, and this restaurant (where I came often after the dispersal of my high school) belonged to his family. They were extremely good at their magical bakery. Sometimes, I hit that place without even ordering anything but just a glass of water and doing my homework, which was just an excuse for watching this one favorite lad of mine.

Sasuke Uchiha stole my heart unquestionably, and I held it in deep. I needed to see him, even if that was for a second and I was afraid, my regular presence might bother him.
But it didn't. He didn't care. Not until one day, I fell asleep on my regular table. I didn't wake up until it was almost 9 o'clock, the closing time of the restaurant. I could make some familiar shapes when my eyelids fluttered open, slowly, as if a new born baby is ready to see her first glance of this world. My cheeks flushed a light shade of crimson as his face peered closer to mine, gently shaking me to wake up. He didn't say a word until I could collect everything around me. In complete embarrassment, I stood up like a running train engine and was about to leave until he called out to me. "Miss, your purse."
I looked back to see the most important belonging of mine, resting on the table in isolation due to my forgetfulness. "I'm so sorry!" I apologized immediately, as I reached out the purse unkemptly, my wild cherry hair being in a mess. "Thank you so much, Uchiha-san." I screamed at myself in my head. "Hell, this is so embarrassing!"
He didn't say anything in return as I rushed out of the exit with quick steps. I sighed with breathless pants when I was quite a mile away from the restaurant. I checked my wristwatch to find that it was almost 9:30 pm. "Oh no! I missed my train!" My face was a disturbed expression now knowing that the next train would not start until an hour after. I collapsed on my knees, letting my back rest against a lamp post. I faced down, thinking about the uniform which was getting dirty for I was sitting on the foot paths. Not noticing a few unknown presences crowding around my pathetic state.

"Ey, girl, I am in the mood tonight." One of them said, as they drooled at my body, checking me too openly up and down. As if there gazes were undressing me mentally. Disgusting.

I ignored them and stood up to walk away until another grabbed me by the arm tightly, as if crushing my inner bones. I let out a sharp cry as the pain hit me. They were of three men. I tried pulling away, but my restraints were futile because they were stronger.

"Ahh, you look sexier while struggling. I wonder how bad you'll cry while we do our business with you." Said the person with the blue cap, who had a nasty grin plastered on his face.

My face grew paler than it ever was, and I tried my best to stay normal. Fear was their advantage to these rapists, so I had to stay strong. "Let go off me, you bastards! I'll call the police if you don't!" I managed to say, avoiding the shaky tone.

"What could a little girl like you even do!" One of them laughed out, while the rest joined in. They cornered me until I had no room to run off. I closed my eyes, and prayed to God. Something in me told that it was the end.

Indeed it was. The end of them, fortunately not for me. I heard a silent gunshot through a silencer. A man clad in long overcoat crept towards the scene with ominous steps, his raven bangs hiding his eyes. The winter outside made him look more sinister as I felt a shiver run down my spine. "Who is this?" I wondered bewildered. He grabbed one of those rapist by the collar and whispered in a deadly low voice. "Leave her alone, you understand. She's MY girlfriend."
I was stunned. Who did he mean by HIS GIRLFRIEND, not to mention, who was he exactly? I simply did not understand.

The rapist realized who was he dealing with, and that this mystery person was not a joke. "Yes, your highness, we are terribly sorry!" And off they floundered away in the midst of the murky atmosphere, not saying another word. Did I feel relieved? No, of course. It scared me more as I gazed up, looking at those familiar emotionless orbs. I whispered in horror,"U-uchiha –san?"
He was different now from the time in the restaurant. His face gleamed with a mysterious aura surrounding his form. He loomed closer, his shadow overpowering me. I brought my hands up in fear but I was greeted with a warm cloth thrown at my face.

"Are you stupid?" he said with anger in his tone.
I didn't say a word but felt myself breathing hard, my heart beating fast.
"Don't you know that it's unsafe to collapse near some lamp post at a time like this? What were you upto, huh?" he asked again when I didn't answer his first question. His sharp gaze pinned my soul. I felt tears streaming down my face, as I saw him keeping his gun to the inner pocket of his coat. Unknowingly, I embraced him and hid my face on his hard chest, crying and wetting his shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm scared; I don't want to walk alone. Please, don't leave me." He put his arms around me, patting me on the back to assure that I was safe. He took the warm coat from my arms and covered me under it. "It's okay. Let's go to my place, you'll catch a cold." He offered, while removing my face from his chest. He held my face gently and wiped away those tears. I nodded and followed after him.
"What's your name?" he asked out of the blue. It might've been awkward for the both of us, but oh well, it wasn't his fault. I never told him my name.

"Sakura," I whispered.

"I assume, you know my name already? I'm Sasuke Uchiha. You're free to call me by my first name, Sakura. "

"Thank you." I smiled. We walked in silence for the rest of the time until we reached his place. He unlocked the main entrance to his apartment, switched on the lights, and gestured for me to walk in. The place was quite clean for a man in his early twenties and it was spacious for a single person. He closed the door as he entered, keeping his snickers to a shelf. I did the same with my ones, and let him guide me to a room. Before I could say anything, he said, "You'll stay here for the night."

"I appreciate your kindness, but why are you doing this? I mean, I am a stranger too, after all and how do you trust me?" I said.

"You're too little of a high school girl to do me any harm. You should be worrying over the fact that you walked in to a stranger's house." He let out a light chuckle. "Don't worry though. Little girls don't interest me."

"Why are you calling me 'little'? I'm a 17 year old girl, and please, I'm not that 'little' as you're imagining me to be!" I said while rolling my eyes. He smirked at my comment, and cornered me to a wall as he pushed his palm against it. His breath fanned my face and I looked down in embarrassment, hiding the blush that crept on my cheeks. He stood there as if he could see right through me.

"You're still so little, oh God. Why are you telling me about your age? To catch my attention?" He emphasized those words to make me embarrassed more. What a jerk! Wait, he saved my life, so that gives me no right to call him one. I ignored his question and asked timidly," How old are you?"

He pulled away and turned around with his back facing me. "21." He walked towards the door, and closed it as he left me in heat and tension. I touched my warm cheeks. "How does he make feel this pathetic?" I questioned myself. I brought out my cell phone to call my mother. I had to inform her about my whereabouts or else she would be worrying. After several rings, she picked up.

"Hello?" she spoke.

"Mother, it's me, Sakura. I'll be staying over at a friend's place for the night."

"Oh, okay. Sleep well. Did you eat anything?"

"I will be. Thank you, goodnight." Thus, I hung up. I went out of the room to look for Sasuke. As my gaze wondered, I found him smoking in the veranda on his own. The wind blew his silky hair, as he stood there looking at the starry sky. He noticed my presence and saw that I was still in my school uniform.

"I have some spare clothes in your room. Get changed, and go to the dining room for dinner after that."

"Aren't you going to join me?" I said.

He blew his last puff of smoke. "Thanks, but I'm done with my dinner." I nodded and walked back to my room to get changed. After my dinner, I retired for a deep slumber taking over my senses.

A/N: So here goes the first chapter. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter.