A/N - Yes I totally realize I've been absolutely everywhere, BUT I've got so many damn thoughts in my head I'm just trying to get it out.
So here are some shorts, a series of one shots. You should possibly stay tuned. I feel rapid updates coming on.
DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto
Song used for this chapter - Bronze Whale Feat Khai - Weird Dark Things
I stared at her from across the room, the first thoughts coming to mind was who gorgeous she was. Blonde hair, blue eyes; something straight from the fairy tale books. And the way she chugged her last bit of beer was something to swoon over. Whatever I had been just talking about flew out of the window, and the whole party around me seemed to turn into a dull thumping murmur of base and people dancing.
Taking my first step towards her, I already planned out what I wanted to say. Introduce myself with another drink in my hand, smile, and ask for dance. Thoughts about getting turned down was out of the question, for some reason I just knew I would have her in my arms tonight.
Weaving through the crowd, I approached her with a half-smile, beer in my hand, and beanie perfectly fitted on my head. Cargo pants on, I slowed in front of her and pulled out a can from my lowest pocket.
A curl pulled her lips, and I just knew I was in.
"I was wondering…"
"Sure," she replied with a flirting bite of her lip, another smile pulling teasingly because she purposely caught me off guard.
I wonder if she saw me coming.
It didn't matter, a smile slipped my lips as well as I handed her the beer; nothing could have pulled my eyes away from her lifting fingers that lingered just a second longer than necessary as she grabbed my offered drink.
"What's your name?" I asked as she cracked open the can.
"Ino."
Another smile from her may or may not have tossed my stomach.
And I found myself closing my eyes to settle my nerves.
xXx
My eyes opened as I sluggishly came back to life. Despite my recent trip of tuning the world out, my heart still thudded with such solid, steady, repeating rhythm, I doubted I was able to escape fully. Wandering memories answered my question; it was getting harder and harder to run away from this stupid place in my mind. Pushing away all the history that seemed branded into my brain, a voice came slithering back to my ear. The slurring murmur, stupid and void of all meaning, began to form words. And these words began to string into sentences that had even less meaning than when they were pointless whispers.
"Then he texted me that he wanted to go to the mall, so I tagged along, and omg Tayuya you wouldn't believe who was there."
My eyes slipped left as I attempted to become fully functional, but it was hard when I was still struggling to shove away from the annoying chattering voice. As harsh as it was to say, I wished she would just shut up; but I wanted her silence for all the wrong reasons, and knowing that always sparked an argument within me.
"Mother effing Kin..."
She sounded angry, as she always was when she was forced to say the name.
"Are you even listening?"
"Yes," I muttered through my rubbing eyes, sighing as if attempting to breathe all the irritation out of me.
"No you're not," she accused with dripping frustration.
"I am," I assured tiredly, but kept my hands over my eyes and didn't bother with much else reassurance.
"Tayuya…"
Dragging my hands away, I gave her a bored expression. I was returned with a very angry ocean blue glare, one that warned me that I better behave or she would start yelling. A small smile pulled at my lips, I couldn't help it- I could never take her serious when she was upset. Sighing again, I sat up from the bed and admitted, "You know I've told you this thing before where I explained that you could only talk about your dumbass boyfriend oh so many times before everyone around you- including me- starts getting pissed the fuck off."
"This isn't about him!" She argued.
I gave her a roll of my eyes and plopped back into bed, "Whatever you say, Ino."
"It isn't!" she pressed angrily while throwing a stuffed animal at me, "This is about that freaking best friend of yours and how she seems to be everywhere and refuses to go the fuck away."
I stared at the wall and muttered, "You're my best friend."
"Oh shut up," she snapped and I could almost hear her eyes rolling exaggeratedly, "She's your best friend and she's Kiba's best friend, and it pisses me off."
"She doesn't do anything wrong," I replied, half of me involved in part of the conversation and the other half of me starting to float away again.
"Expect the fact that she fucked my last boyfriend, yeah she's perfectly fucking innocent," Ino snapped.
Closing my eyes, I tried to force the feeling deep in the pit of my stomach to go away as I muttered, "She fucked him before you guys even met. Hardly her fault."
"But because she couldn't stay away, he ended up dumping me for her!" Ino argued before huffing and continuing, "Fuck it, you obviously don't understand what the problem is here."
"Then explain it to me," I suggested, struggling to be the friend she needed me to be.
"I'm just upset," she went on, and I could hear her footsteps pacing.
"About what," I asked with my eyes still closed.
"I'm worried," she explained as she plopped onto her desk chair.
"About what, Ino," I tugged along while attempting not to lose patience; I knew this is what she needed me to do in order for her to understand what was really bugging her. She always had the hardest time speaking about what she truly felt, which was why I was trying to be understanding. But I was angry, annoyed for reasons I didn't want to confront.
"If she's around all the time, what if she takes away Kiba too," she said softly, hardly above a whisper.
My eyes slowly opened as I stared at the wall. I was still angry, I could feel it right beneath the surface of my skin as if it was a living breathing thing trying to escape from me. But this anger was calm, as it always was, as if building up for a moment greater than this, worthier than this. There was no point speaking out now, not yet, not when I could still take a bit more bruises from the punches that were continuously thrown.
Sitting up from the bed, I watched as Ino sat there fidgeting with her fingers, head down and eyes low. Sighing, I swung my legs over the bed and grabbed my beanie, tugging it on in silence. Then, slowly, everything began to fade away. Every emotion, every feeling, every thought that had been so chaotically screaming within me just seconds before silenced, and there was nothing that existed except for me and her.
"If you are honestly worried that Kiba will be like that other dirt bag you were with and end up leaving you, why are you with him?" I muttered while watching her.
She shifted, but didn't answer.
Looking away, I continued, "Kiba is a really good guy, I like him, and he's scores better than that other douche. Like I said, we're best friends too, and it's practically my fucking job to pick up bad vibes about the guys you date. I had a bad vibe about Sasuke, but Kiba… as far as I can tell he's perfect."
I could feel her peaking up at me, but I refused to look her way. The last sentence left too much of sour taste in my mouth to bother offering her the smile I knew she was searching for. Instead I hopped out of bed, grabbed my bag and board, and headed towards the door, "So stop coming up with crack pot theories on all the ways this guy could possibly cheat on you. Instead, figure out if he's even worth the fucking trouble because god knows how much life likes to shit on us both."
With that I walked out and shut the door behind me. But instead of going down the hallway to exit the dorms to get to class, I stood there for a second. Just like that, my head slowly began to become crowded again. Frown pulling at my lips and fingers curling into a light fist, I pushed everything away and forced myself to keep walking.
What made everything worse was that an hour into my class Ino had texted me a thank you.
Proving she still believed me to be the great friend I've been pretending to be.
(1) - I listened to a much more mellow song than this to write the chapter, but I think the song fits completely with what the fuck is going on with the whole story in general so. Tada.
Don't even ask. Like. Man I don't even know. I'm just itching to write a story, but I want to have meaning. Want it to hit home. So pay attention kids, lean in close.
I'm going to tell you a story.
Shy loves you. out.