CHAPTER 2
She Has More Marks
My mind registered to steady beating and fuzzy mumbling. A crack of light hit between my fluttering lashes as I awaken. I shifted around to see where that noise is coming from. I glanced at the screen to see its pitched black. Outside my room, no nurse or doctor presented. I rolled to the other side to see my mother humming a tune with a peaceful aura around her.
"Finally awake. My little boy." She stopped twirling her knitting sticks around the single string and came over to me. A soft plush of her lips pressed on my forehead tickled. I tried not to laugh when she casually wraps me up like a bug in a spiders grasp. In her arms, I just want to fall asleep again. She was just so comfortable.
I melted in her arms when she stroked my short spikes on the back of my head. Her gentle hand can put anything at its peace. That's why I love my mom the most. She should win the yearly mother awards.
"How are you feeling?" My eardrums felt her vibrant voice through her own chest. No holes in her chest. Never was. I sank my hand upon her bosom to hear her own life drumming. So nice. I can just dream again. And wake up to see her gone. I clenched to her blouse tighter. I don't want her to ever leave me. Leave me here. There's nothing in here.
"Tell me that I'm going to go home soon." Pursing my lips, she kissed my forehead.
"You're going to go home soon, Sasuke. Just be patient." My face tightens up. A burning sensation pinches its way up my cheeks to my lower eyes. I couldn't hold in my outburst. I cried in my mother's hold. I hate to crack her mirror. Sometimes I do this on purpose for more attention from my mom. She is the only one I will accept to see me break down and feel my misery.
Still, her hand rubbed my head and back up and down. Call me a big baby. Call me mama's boy. I don't care about all the name calls and teasing. Alone in this room isn't meant for kids like me. I want to go home. When will I go home? I miss waking up smelling coffee. Soon as I go down stairs, eggs, salmon, rice, and tea hits my face. I miss mother's breakfast. I miss how delicious it is to me.
My tummy started talking.
"Good morning, here's your boy's meal." An aged woman walks in with her very own mask. She strolled the cart of food towards my bed. My mother stood up, removing herself away from me. I pouted. I quickly rubbed my face.
As mother helped the old woman placing the food on my table, someone else walked in. And another.
Her.
"Hi there! I'm Hyuga Yuna. You must be Sasuke's parent." The lady shook my mother's hand. The breakfastlady retreated from the room and this younger lady took over. She replaced the fluid again and checked the monitors. My mother strolled the table in front of me.
"I am. I'm Uchiha Mikoto." Mom sat back down next to me. I lifted the lid to see today's special. Oatmeal, small bottle of apple juice, banana, small carton of milk, and a biscuit. Swell. I had that yesterday.
"Eat up, Sascakes!" Those weird eyes again. She did the same tippy toes stance again. Her arms folded under her chin and her glowing face stayed in place like a still image. Her mother laughed.
"Honey. His name is Sasuke. Sa-Su-Ke." She even broke down my name for her. The girl nodded her head.
"Sa-Suke. Sasu-Ke. Sasuke! Sasuke! I did it mama!" She cheered. She held up her hand and her mother gave her one high-five, praising her. Was my name that hard?
"What an adorable little girl? Is she yours?" Oh no. My mom doing the eye thing. She loves cute things. Like me. But this little girl screams... Wait. She's not cuter than me.
"Yes! This is my daughter, Hinata. Don't be rude, say hi, dear." Hinata lowered herself. Paddled around the bed and greeted my mom with a curtsy. My mom clapped. The cuteness radar activated.
"She's so precious! Is she your friend, Sasuke?" No. Hinata came back to her original spot.
"We're best friends!" She exclaimed. Best friends? Woah. Woah. Woah. This...Us... Making friends is a process. I just met her yesterday. What is she talking about? I can't be friends with a girl. Wait. I worded it wrong. My first friend can't be a girl. I know Itachi's friends are mostly guys. Girls are just too weird. She's weird.
"Oh really! Sasuke, eat it. You need it." I did what my mom said. The food cooled down just how I want it. I started with the oatmeal and banana. Hinata's mother left her here again. Hinata held up her coloring book from yesterday.
"I want to color with you today! Yesterday you fell asleep on me! So mean!" She pouted her lips. My mom giggled.
"You silly boy. I'm running off to the bathroom. Need anything else?" She paced herself towards the door. I shook my head. She smiled. In a second, I saw a stoic look in her dark eyes. I knew for a fact that she wasn't looking at me. She was staring right at Hinata's back. I wonder what she sees.
"Let's color." She grabbed on to the sheets. I sighed. Is this going a habit? By the time she made it up, I saw what's behind her hospital gown. Her pink ruffled undies did caught me off guard for a second. Not till her slashed back flashed me. Multiple lines all over her back. However, they were now her skin then opened wound. Some long ones stitched through her skin. Must have been deep.
Her back threw me off. I couldn't help it. I almost hurled. I lost my appetite. She settled herself next to me. Her pearly whites gleams at me.
How can she smile like that? Don't your back hurt? Because...I can feel the pain. I regret being noisy. Now I know how my mother felt. She's probably vomiting since she has a weak stomach.
"I'm back! Sasuke, you're not hungry?" Mother came in, sitting on the chair. I nodded my head. She then noticed Hinata right next to me. She opened her book and pulled out the crayons. I don't want to color. I don't want to color on a girly book. I'm a boy.
"This is one of my favorite show. Do you watch Sailor Moon too?" She asked me. I looked at my mom. She gestured me to say something to her. As I opened my mouth, Hinata brushed her fingers on my cheeks.
"Were you...sad?" She frowned. The tips of her fingers were glistened with something that was wet on my face. I thought I wiped my face. I wiped it again. Why am I crying again? Hinata took my hands and bowed her head so the her bangs brushed on my fingers.
"Tears, tears. Go away. Tears, tears. Wash away. Please don't make Sasuke sad on this very day." She whispered. When she finished she raised her head. Showing off her sunny aura. Something about that song made me lighter. Or was it just her icicle hands. Why is she cold? She doesn't act as if she was cold.
"So precious." Oh c'mon mom! She's winning the cute contes- It's not even a contest. I'm always be the cute one.
"Hey, want me to teach you that song?" I shook my head. That song was too girly. Just then, a hand brushed against the back of my head. I turned my head to face my mom. She smiled weakly. I know what's coming so I said it before her.
"Bye mom." Rather too quick that it surprised her. She giggled and hugged me.
"Sasuke, have some fun. And be patient. You'll be home." She gave me one last kiss on the cheek and left before waving to Hinata. Hinata eagerly waved back.
"You do talk!" She gleamed at me her white teeth. I rolled my eyes. I guess I open my mouth this time.
"Of course. I'm human." I said.
"Yeah, but some kids here can't talk, hear, or...move." She whispered. Her happy sunshine rays clouded. I didn't want to make her cry. Girls are weak.
"Why are you here today? Why can't you play with other kids?" I asked. My words may stung her deep but she ignored my harsh tone. She's like a switch. She just click. A grin placed on her face. Like a huge wave smacked her face but her carefree spirit jumped back up and laughed about it like an idiot.
"We're stitch buddies."
"What if I don't want to become your buddy? Don't just come in here creating your own world. Go bother someone else." The Uchiha blood is raising in the surface. Naturally, Uchiha men are born to speak like this. Strong. Rude. Direct. Automatically, I turned my back to her. She was a stranger to me. I don't want to friends with her. It's too...sudden. To early! I don't want hospital friends! I want school friends! Neighbor friends! Sports buddies! I don't want to become friends with sick people.
And she couldn't be friends with me. I'm sick for myself.
"Oh...Okay. Sorry for bothering you, Sasuke." She slid down the bed along with her crayons and book. Her small paddles build up this weight in my chest. The distance between us was far. The closer she got to the door, the more weights stacked upon my small shoulders. Her steps, her scars on her back. Slashes over slashes. Then I saw bandages on one leg and the other ankle. Kami. She stopped. Looking back at me.
"I'll still be her-here if you...ever change your m-mind." And she left. Ugh. My chest. I dived my head on the pillow. Sinking my head in it. Shut my eyes to catch some Zs. I turned the other way. I opened my eyes.
Her.
"You could had told me that you was just sleepy." She rubbed my head and ran away trailing giggles outside my room.
"Stitch buddies..." My eyes avoided to look down at my stitch. If I do. I might vomit. Did she ever puke when she saw herself? All the work of the devil written all over her body. Some force stopped his work. His sinful hands didn't dare touch her round face. The only saint thing about her. Especially the angel like smile. I give her credit. She's tough.
Absently, my hand touched where her hand was at on my hair. I shut my eyes again. And let my mind go on and dreamed. Out of the blue, her song played in my head. It didn't bother me.
MDKat:
Okay. What do you guys think so far? Is it not sad enough? I'm not too good at making sad stories. LOL. Was Sasuke too mean to her? Was it right for her to brush it off? What do you think about the characters?
Self Note:
Itachi 5 years older than Sasuke.
Sasuke 8 years old. Itachi 13 years old.
Please no threat. Please no flames. Just simple suggestions and comments. Reviews and Favorite it!
Thanks for reading.
