Alright! A new chapter the next night! I'm on a roll for once.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


Chapter Title

The Bathtub Pity


My fingers spread around my stomach; a boulder-like hardness and the image of an over-stuffed turkey replaces my flat belly.

I feel full.

I feel like I just ate my entire world and for dessert, a triple chocolate fudge brownie engorged with 'I can't believe this. Why did this happen to me? I'm such a damn screw up' filling. My fingers press onto the stretched skin, as if I believe that if I press hard enough, I'll feel movement under my fingertips. Like there would be someone on the inside knocking on the door of my uterus, wanting to come into this world.

I'm not ready.

As I stand in the middle of a bathroom, holding my stomach like a rubber, toy ball I'm willing to throw away, I realize…

I'm not ready.

"For Kami's sake, what's the hold up in there— Oh…" Her eyes lower instantly, as if she walked into something sacred and I look away. "Sorry," Is all I can mutter.

She shakes her head and crosses her arms, raising a thin eyebrow. "Jeez, girl. What am I going to do with you?"

"Kill me, I hope."

"No way, death is too good for you at this point. You'll just have to suffer through childbirth as punishment." This is why Ino is my best friend. I need that familiarity or else I would have let myself go to insanity the moment I knew.

I drop my hands to my sides and turn on the water for a bath, using the wall to come out of my sweatpants. Ino leaves door open as she goes to grab extra clothes for me. I am nearly out of my sports bra when she comes back with a simple maternity dress.

I'm more than surprised

Ino? Gossip girl of Konoha and self-proclaimed queen of diets and keeping up with the latest fashion has maternity clothes? She notices when my eyebrows raise and purses her lips unattractively. "They're not mine, forehead!" Oh, Ino and her quick temper…

"My mom never threw away her old clothes, because she treasures her memories like some old person with Alzheimer's." Ino rolls her eyes with a smack of her lips.

I'm grateful, anyway. The water is warm enough and it is almost paradise when it caresses my skin. It's like the water is washing away my ache and silencing the doubts, for now. Yet, I can still hear the constant inner mumblings of self-pity humming in the back of my mind.

I'm still not ready.

I can hear Ino plop down on the toilet seat lid with a deep sigh. "Sooo…" Her voice dragged out as if she's bored, but I know her. She's just dying to know the details of this new mind-blowing story. I settle my numbing body against the curved back of the tub and sink low enough for my chin to disappear. The water rose immensely from my weight.

She deserves to know, no matter how much I want to forget any and all details. I am the one who showed up on her front door in a disguise; only to drop my massive overcoat to reveal my even larger pregnant belly when the door was closed. The only response I could give her after her "What the fuck?" moment was, "Could I use your shower?".

"I don't know, Ino. I just don't know."

She didn't like that answer.

"What do you mean you don't know? Who the hell got you knocked up, Sakura?" Straight to the point, as always.

"I don't know." I sink even deeper into the tub.

"Saku—"

"Ino! Look, I… I just can't remember."

"Sweety, you're three months pregnant. How long were you planning on hiding this from me? From the entire village? Hell, from Lady Tsunade? That was stupid of you. I know you can break freaking buildings with a single finger, but you're not strong enough to deal with shit like this on your own."

"Thanks," I blow bubbles with my lips in the water. It's just more salt to the wound…

And it burns.

xxxxxxxx

I remember rain on the day I became eighteen.

It was a downpour that could have made the Hidden Rain look like a barren wasteland. I had a party at one of the bars in Tanzaku Town. It was Ino's idea and all I could do was go along with everything she said.

I remember…

I walked home. The strap of my slim-fit, scarlet dress would slip off my shoulder every few minutes. A hand… a hand that wasn't my own pulled it back to its rightful place with a gentleness I never knew of. Fingertips lingered longer than necessary as they glided down my arm and touched my elbow.

And… I laughed; let loose airy giggles and wobbled on heels I borrowed from Ino. That wasn't a good idea. I think the soles of my feet are bruised.

The person held an umbrella over us and a feeling of security was beautiful.

I stepped onto my porch and leaned against the door lazily, pushing hair out of my face and then…

A confession.

Lips on mine.

Door unlocked. Clothes roughed up.

I was so gone…


R&R. 8D