AU: Hello everyone! For anyone who's been following my stories, I haven't really been consistent with my uploads and I am really sorry for that. However, I managed to write another chapter for this story and I really hope you guys enjoy it! Please review, and enjoy!
Chapter 2: Players
Waking up did not feel like a blessing at all. The loud music from the previous night was still screaming in my ears and now I was amazed at my performance of actually sleeping. I threw away the earphones and turned around, trying to get a better position so I could sleep. It goes without saying that, once again, my brother managed the performance of making me feel sleepless. I was exhausted, yet the memories of the past night made me so angry that I sat up in a rush and walked straight into the bathroom.
As expected, the long shower did not help either, and by the next hour I was starting to wonder if beating Itachi to death was the only solution to my anger. My hypothesis was confirmed once I went downstairs and into my kitchen. A note on the table announced me and him that Obito would be gone for a while, but that he'll be back as soon as he can. He did not forget to leave a P.S. note for Itachi in particular, telling him that his girlfriend was lovely and that he'd be more than happy to have her over anytime again. I took the note and threw it into the trash can.
It's amazing how today's standards for "lovely" are so wrong, but then again, it's not like Itachi could ever have such high standards on this section. He was not the nicest man either.
It took me a few minutes to realize that Itachi was not at home, and if he was he was doing a damn good job at hiding, but since I knew my brother stopped being a fan of hide and seek when I was 8, I concluded he was probably out with his weird friends or his "lovely" girlfriend. Having the house to myself all day, I decided to do what any other normal person in my situation would: nothing. I wasted a few hours watching movies that I had already seen or simply listening to music without being bothered by any single soul. By the evening however, Obito got home and finally answered our phone. Unlike my mobile, that one could not be silenced, but it could just as well be ignored. On the other line was Naruto, trying to drag me to a party that took place at some guy that was apparently our classmate. I decided I would absolutely refuse the invitation but in the end I just realized that going out might be the key to a perfect day, if I got lucky and I returned home so late that I wouldn't have to face Itachi at all. I quickly got dressed and told Obito I was leaving before he could protest.
In front of my house Naruto and his friends were waiting for me in a car. The driver was a blonde girl and I recognized her since she always stuck around to our classroom to be with her younger brother. She was wearing a long black and sleeveless dress, a gray jacket and her usual smirk. She looked pretty, even though she, as the rest of her family, had her dose of weirdness.
I entered the car and the entire road to … uhm, what was his name again? … that guy's party I had to listen to Naruto's endless rambling. A phrase however caught my attention.
"…am dying to see what that guy has and I don't! I bet Sakura's going to like me if I embarrass him…"
At that point, jumping out of a high speed car on the national road seemed like an unbelievably inspired idea; however, I doubted anyone would allow me to put my amazing plan at work. As we got there I was still trying to figure out a way to steal the car and drive back home, yet Naruto's hand remained on my shoulder all the time, as if he had guessed my intentions.
The house was not big at all, and as a result everyone was cramped inside. There was barely enough space to walk, let alone dance or get to the bar and get something to drink. I stood there, in the crowd for something that seemed like an eternity, unable to spot neither Sakura nor Itachi.
Half an hour later the host, whose name was apparently Kiba, came and greeted us and the most important thing, he opened a door that led to the garden. The people rushed outside and soom the entire crowd was dissipated. Coming from one of Naruto's friends I refrained from asking why in the world he did not open the door, let's say, half an hour ago. There was now place to sit down, so we all got around to playing cards. To my amazement, it was actually quite fun, until at the door appeared Itachi and Sakura, both looking elegant and out of the place at this party. I vaguely remembered Sakura in the past, wearing her short skirts and boots, or the tight pants. Now she was wearing a short, cherry colored dress and her hair was tied up in an exquisite hair do. Besides being scared by the fact that I could actually name the shade of her dress, I was a bit shocked that she would show up at such a party dressed like that. There's no need to tell that Itachi was wearing a suit and whatever, he looked like a business man going to a select party.
I could feel Naruto's jaw drop near me and then I could almost hear the gears in his head clicking as he realized who the man was. To my utter displeasure, they came straight to us.
"Hello." Sakura said, radiating happiness. "I want you to all meet Itachi. He's such a great guy, but really shy, so please try to get him out of his shell a bit." She said and then winked at us.
The girls around started giggling when Itachi smiled a bit and uttered a greeting. It was obvious they were all drooling over Itachi, and Sakura was now at risk of being killed in a dark alley. It didn't sound that bad. Among the guys however, the laid back atmosphere was now gone and even I was stiff from head to toes, but I had my reasons. Being in the same room with my parent's murdered, murder that happened to traumatize me and all the afferent consequences was not good for my mental health.
"Playing cards I see." Itachi smiled. "Not to brag or anything, but when I was in prison no one could beat me at it." he said smiling devilish.
Everyone around besides me and Naruto started laughing. It was ironic how everyone took that as a joke.
"We'd love to let you join, but there are already enough players… maybe someone will step down…"
"I'm out." I said, with a smile of course, so nothing would seem too suspicious.
"You sure?" asked a girl in the corner.
Was I sure? Hell yes I was, but I only smiled and said that my back hurt and I needed a drink. I would definitely not waste my chance of being away from Itachi, however I heard him saying.
"I heard from Sakura that you are a really good player." Again that cunning smile. "I would absolutely love to play against you."
"I hate you. You hear me? I. Hate. You." I screamed in my head… one day he would pay and I wanted to strangle him right there, but I just smiled back.
"If I feel like it later, I'd love to kick your ass at cards."
With that I left the table and headed to the bar, Naruto following me. For the first time in ages, I was going to get drunk.
