Introductions, who needs them, right? It's almost as if people beg, or plead, if you will, to spring in and hear what someone has to say. Well, I am only here to share past experiences of mine; things that have made me who I am. I do not expect your pity from my story, for it is not such a horrible one.

If you are still reading this, then that means I have successfully enticed you. My name is Sakura Haruno, and this is how everything began.

It was another one of those days, you know, when your parents leave the house for a couple of hours, and you're home alone to do as you please. We weren't rich, in fact, we were the complete opposite of that. Being on the brink of poverty was rough, now that was something I felt ashamed of admitting to you, but again, it wasn't anyone's fault…Except maybe my father's…

Now, I'm not sure how it all started; being poor, that is. I guess my dad was the cause. He had a gambling habit, and a mean drinking streak. He could finish off a handle in mere minutes, and following that, he liked to beat on anyone who dared to spring into his way. No one bothered to stop him, or tell him no, we only decided to seclude ourselves like hermit-crabs receding into their shells at the sign of danger.

My parents often would go out. They would be looking for jobs, opportunities or even commissions. My mother was an artist, like myself, though I am not engrossed in drawing or painting like she was, but the only problem, was being able to afford the supplies to do what she loved.

So back to my story. It was one of those days, yeah, and I hadn't heard a single word from my parents. I was supposed to go to work today, but something stopped me. I knew I needed the money but something didn't feel right. I threw myself from the couch and made my way to the kitchen, which was at least a foot away, I swear. I needed to get a glass of water. I needed to think and alleviate my stress filled life.

Today was one of those days, one of those days when you did not feel comfortable in your own skin, and the atmosphere was heavy, but at the same time, it was as light as a feather. I lived in a two bedroom apartment with my parents. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and we could hardly afford to breathe in there. We had little furniture and no entertainment, unless numbering off the holes in the walls counted as something.

Our apartment complex was complete shit. The owner of the entire block was an asshole, and was the filthiest man I had ever met. He reeked of cigarettes, sweat and alcohol. This man's name was Kaizo, and he had a nasty taste for younger women. Of course, I never let him near me without threatening to call the police with my cell phone.

Oh yeah, that brings me to another subject. I usually paid for myself. A cell phone was my most prized possession at the time. I paid for it with my first three month's pay. Yeah, three months, wow. I worked at a 7/11 across the way, and I certainly was not proud of that, but I could not complain.

Being snapped from my thoughts, my phone rang. There was a caller ID, but no name, no one in her phone that registered to the tone of that ring. I didn't pick up the phone. Solicitors were a pain in my ass anyway. I left my phone on the counter and walked to my room to change, and it kept buzzing, and buzzing, and buzzing, until finally I picked up the phone, agitated, and one could definitely identify the annoyance in my raspy tone.

"Hello..? Who is this?"

"Hi, yes," a petite voice over the phone hesitantly spoke, "is..Is this Sakura Haruno? There's been an accident."

And that's how my life spiraled out of control. My palms grew sweaty, and my body grew hot. I already knew.

I fell silent to the thought of my dead parents. I didn't say goodbye, and I didn't even come out of my bedroom last night. How selfish could I have been?! I hung up the phone and rushed out of the door, down to the street where I began my journey to the local ER. Tears were forming as I bolted across the street. Cars honked their horns at me, and some even called out to me, but I did not care. How could I? My parents' lives were in jeopardy.

"What happened?" I asked frantically, bursting through the door.

"There was a shooting."

"A..What?"

"Right this way, Miss Haruno."

I followed down through the halls. They seemed endless, kind of like a maze that had no escape. As I hurried along, the nurse placed a hand on my shoulder. I jumped.

"Relax, Miss Haruno, you didn't even allow me to finish on the phone. Your parents are alive."

I froze in my steps while doctors and gurneys passed us by. "What? They are?" I clutched my hand to my purse and locked eyes with this nurse.

"Yes, your parents are alive. There was a shooting, and your parents were the victims of a horrible mugging. Your father," She flipped through the papers on her clipboard and spoke, "Kizashi Haruno.. He was shot in the left shoulder and forearm. As for your mother, Mebuki Haruno, she was shot in her lower legs. I'm afraid she has been paralyzed from the waist down, and we don't know if she will need extensive surgery or physical therapy as of yet."

Great, just fucking great. My parents were alive.. But the costs with this would be the most troublesome. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am certainly relieved that my parents are alive. But why them? Why us? Why now?

My eyes welled with tears. We made it to the hospital room in a matter of moments, where I saw my mother and father in their assigned beds. The rest of the day was hard enough for me. I had to sign many papers of consent and release so they could go home. They gave me multiple bills and an estimate of how much my mother's recovery would cost. My hands shook as did my whole body. The total of everything would have been, "25,000 Dollars?!" I nearly shrieked at the receptionist. "I cannot pay this! My family cannot pay this!" My voice raised into an irritated growl, and I had noticed that I grasped the attention of nearly half of the waiting room.

"Ma'am, please keep your voice down. This is over a period of time, so don't you worry, although there is a date that all of this is due."

"And when is that?"

"Three months from now."
I could feel the warm, salty droplets slide down my cheeks, turning into pure cold stains as the air conditioner blew on me. "I…I have to go. I cannot talk about this now." And then I left. My parents had decided to stay in the hospital that night. Now it was clear… I had to get a second job, and maybe a third to pay off this horrific debt. Just great.