Love is a Mystery
2.
"Sakura don't worry," my dad tried to reassure me as I sat in his office, holding Sasuke's coat in my hands.
"Dad we're on the fourth floor," I said in disbelief. "And he jumped out of the window!"
I was trembling. It had been a long night and I was tired. Dad just shrugged before he returned to filing his paperwork. I sighed and stood up. There was no point in me staying; my dad would be working through the night.
"I'm gonna head home," I kissed my dad on the cheek and headed out of the hospital.
Well, I thought to myself as I stepped out into the chilly air, at least I have a coat to keep me warm. Slipping my arms into the oversized sleeves I pulled the fabric around me. I loitered on the pavement for a few moments, looking up at the window Sasuke had jumped out of and wondering if it was really possible.
Pushing the mysterious Sasuke out of my mind for a moment I continued on my way home. It was truly night now, the city lights cast a neon glow over the streets. I pulled the coat tighter against the cold, blushing as I noticed that it smelled good. I shook my head, puzzled by my reaction.
When I finally made it home my mom was waiting impatiently in the lounge. She pounced on me almost as soon as I got in the door. I didn't even have time to take off Sasuke's coat before she latched onto me. Holding me at arm's length she looked at me seriously for a few moments, I stared back in light amusement. Sometimes I really had no idea what was going through her mind.
"Sakura did you miss dinner to go on a date with a boy!?" She asked so suddenly that I burst out laughing. Shrugging out of Sasuke's coat I folded it over my arm and shook my head at her.
"I'm sure Dad will explain in the morning," I said cryptically. Really, I was feeling too tired to talk about what I had witnessed tonight. I needed some time to wrap my head around what the hell had actually happened.
"What do you mean!?" Mom yelled after me as I plodded up the stairs and to my room. No doubt she would be calling my dad to ask him straight away what had happened, but that was his problem not mine.
Closing my bedroom door, I threw the coat on to the bed and kicked off my shoes. I untied the ribbon around my neck, throwing it onto the back of my desk chair. Unbuttoning my dress, I sighed as the tight fabric was released. Grabbing hold of the hem I was about to yank it over my head when there was a knock at the door. I yelped, almost falling over. The knock hadn't come from my bedroom door, but from my balcony.
I turned around and was so shocked by the sight of Sasuke stood, smirking, on my balcony that I forgot that my dress was unbuttoned.
"Why are you here?" I hissed, opening the door just enough for us to talk through.
"Hn. I believe you stole my coat," he said with a slightly arrogant and sarcastic lilt to his usual monotone. "I need it back."
"You left in in my dad's office. How did you know it would be here?" I retorted, opening the door wider.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and shrugged trying to step around me to get in my room. I put my hand on the door to stop him, glaring up at him. His black eyes took on a mischievous glint as he stooped down to my level. My cheeks flushed, we were so close I could feel his breath on my skin.
"A-and you were watching me get undressed, you pervert!" I stammered, remembering my unbuttoned dress. I hastily fumbled with the buttons trying to cover myself.
"Sa-ku-ra let me in," he practically purred. I felt my cheeks flush and my eyes widen. His tone was so far from innocent that even my sexually oblivious mind could tell.
"No," I said quickly. Feeling uncomfortable I searched for a compromise. "You stay here and I will get you your coat if you want it so much."
Deeming this a good enough deal, Sasuke leaned back against the railing of my balcony and tipped his head back, looking up at the stars. I hurried back into my room, grabbing his coat only to turn around and find him right in beside me. I gasped tripping backwards onto the bed.
"I told you to wait outside!" I whispered quietly so my mom wouldn't hear. "My mom is downstairs!"
"But it's cold outside," Sasuke said nonchalantly. I shoved his coat into his chest and crossed my arms. He began rooting through the pockets for something. I watched him curiously as he pulled out a cell phone, it was a new-ish model, a bit beaten up, but still looking good. After checking it he put it back in his pocket and then pulled out two more items; a lighter and a cigarette.
"No, get out!" I said standing up and trying to push him towards the door. "You got what you came for, now go!"
Sasuke stood fast and, despite my hardest attempts to move him, he wouldn't budge. So instead I tried to reason with him.
"You know those things will kill you right? Do you know how much risk you're putting yourself at by smoking?"
He shrugged making no comment, but he put his cigarette and lighter back in his pocket. I sighed and crossed my arms, why was he still here. More importantly, how did he get here?
There was a long pause. Sasuke pulled his coat on in one swift motion. Giving me a small tilt of his head, he stepped back outside, swung himself over the balcony and off into the night.
I shivered as the cold wind blew in to my room. I shut the balcony door and then leaned against it, pressing my hand to my chest. My heart was beating fast. I began to wonder if this was all some strange dream. What happened the following day proved to me it wasn't...
...I slammed my hand down on my alarm to turn it off before staring up at the ceiling for a few moments, desperately wanting a few more hours of sleep. It was early, still dark outside, and I knew I have a while before I needed to be at school. The temptation was strong, but I didn't want to risk being late. Instead, I threw back the covers wincing at how cold it was. Tiptoeing my way to my en-suite I stripped off, turned on the water and got into the shower.
My morning routine passed normally and I was perfectly on time to school, sat in my form room just as the bell rang. I began to wonder if everything that had happened was just a dream. Frowning I reached down and touched my knee, it was beginning to scab over now. Maybe it had happened after all?
"Hey, are you even listening to me!?" My best friend yelled at me. I blinked, startled.
"Sorry Ino," I muttered. "I'm just a little tired, I had a late night."
"Ooh really? And what was miss goodie two shoes doing having 'a late night' hmm?" Ino asked, wiggling her perfectly arched eyebrows suggestively and winking. Ino had always been the queen of the double entendre. I laughed and shook my head, giving her a gentle push towards the wall, which she returned with more vigour. Ino had always been one to tease me, she was older (only by half a year) and much more mature.
Konoha Girls Private Learning Institute was an elite school for the more privileged girls of the city and I was one of the lucky few to have a place. Thanks to my dad's huge salary I had the privileged enough to be learning at the best school in the county. Ino was from a similarly wealthy background and though she may not have shown it, was grateful for the opportunity.
The day seemed to fly by and before I knew it I was walking out of the gates alone. It was late again - Ino normally left as early as she could so I walked alone. A few other students were walking too, but none of them I knew well enough to tag along.
As I walked home I resumed my thinking on the elusive Sasuke and if he had been some figment of my imagination. The thought had been playing on my mind all day. I looked up at the hospital as I passed. How on earth could someone survive that jump? I shook my head, maybe I had just imagined it all.
Speeding up I came to the side street. Peering into the gloom I took a cautious step forwards and then sighed.
Nothing.
Of course, there was nothing. Turning back to the open end of the street I stopped dead still. Blocking out the light were two figures.
"Hey kid, you shouldn't be down here!" one of them growled. Seeing nowhere else to go I took a few steps back into the street. "Hey don't I know you?"
"I-"
"Well how about that," the other replied laughing. "That's the nosey bitch who interrupted us yesterday."
My heart was pounding, so apparently it had not been a dream. I was rooted to the spot as they approached me. I willed my feel to move, but instead they trembled. The taller of the men pulled out a syringe filled with a strange sepia coloured liquid inside it. Was this what they used to drug Sasuke? Whatever it was would probably kill me, I reasoned. Sasuke was a mess and he had probably done some pretty bad drugs before.
"Fuck," I breathed out. My body still betraying me, would not budge an inch.
The taller man leered at me, grabbing my arm and holding it firmly by the elbow. I struggled pathetically in his grip as he jabbed the needle down into my arm. I didn't even feel it. The men let go and took a few steps back to watch my reaction. For a few seconds I felt completely fine and then the next I was stumbling my way towards the wall, not even trusting my own legs to keep me standing. It was a horrible feeling. My legs were numb and my head was swimming. I felt sick.
The two men grinned at each other and one of them pinned me up against the wall. I tried to scream, but it came out a whimper. I was completely helpless.
What was I thinking walking down some shady side street in the hopes of bumping into some tall mysterious bad boy? I felt the tears pooling in my eyes as the man leaned in to me, his hands wandering down my body. I couldn't feel anything past my hips and I was too horrified to look at what could have been happening.
Suddenly the man pulled away, there was a blinding flash of blue and red and I slumped down on to the floor. It took me a good half a minute to realise that the police were there. I heard the sirens rising in volume in my head. The two men looked at each other and bolted again, but this time they didn't get very far. I watched, vaguely aware, as they were arrested only thirty feet away from me. People had seemed to notice me now and were rushing over. The sound of the sirens felt like it was splitting my head open. The blur of voices overwhelmed me as people began to crowd, but there was one that seemed to stand out among the others.
"Hn, stupid," he muttered, sliding his hand around my waist and helping me to my feet. Sasuke.
I stumbled on my wobbly legs and practically knocked him over, much to the amusement of several police officers. Maybe he hadn't been lying about working for the police. Letting out an irritated sigh he stooped and picked me up, cradling me to his chest. I closed my eyes and tried to resist the urge to puke that was quickly taking hold. I heard Sasuke talking to some police officers and then we were moving.
"Hospital," I said weakly, distantly noticing that we were passing the hospital instead of going inside. "Sasuke, hospital."
"Just close your eyes. You'll be fine, you just need to sleep this off," Sasuke murmured, adjusting his grip on me. I closed my eyes as I was told, trying to fall asleep. It took less than thirty seconds for me to succumb to the darkness.
That's all for now people! Hope you're enjoying the read so far. I am aiming to update as quickly as possible since I have a lot of free time, but please still leave me some reviews to let me know you're enjoying the story!
R&R!