Please don't get mad at me for such short chapters. I'm not the best writer around here…though I will try my best to write well. And once again apologies for the short chapters.

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Chapter 3: She Finally Broke Down

Once inside the privacy of the bathroom stall, Sakura leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor, hands covering her mouth. The warm tears that she had held back for so long now spilled at long last. Her walls had finally shattered. After a long time of holding it back, she finally broke down.

'Why does he have to come back? Why?! Please, I beg of you! Gaara, please go back to where you came from.'

Clutching her stomach, Sakura bent down and let her tears fall freely and rapidly on the floor. All the painful and regretful memories started to flood back.

FLASHBACK

"Sakura… I have a confession to make," Gaara blushed and looked down at the rug.

"Yeah?" Sakura smiled curiously.

"I-I LOVE YOU!" Gaara burst out, red in the face.

Sakura froze. Her whole world was spinning. Did she love him back? What should she say? How did this happen?

"G-Gaara… I-I don't know what to say. I'm really, really sorry but… I don't love you that way…" Sakura whispered.

"Oh, then I'm sorry I wasted your time," the cold, unemotional mask was put on again.

"I'm sorry…"

END FLASHBACK

Now Sakura understood her mistake. She missed the opportunity. It was all gone now. Sakura finally knew how it felt to be rejected.

'I'm so stupid! I let the chance slip. Now he has a girlfriend who loves him with all her heart. Se's beautiful, probably smarter than me, and probably more skilled. I don't stand a chance. She's everything Gaara would want.'

Her tear-stained face described all the hidden pain in her heart. Sakura could no longer hide it.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened. Sakura could hear footsteps. Then somebody knocked on the stall door.

"Sakura… You've been in there for quite a long time. Are you okay? I mean, I understand your pain and all but, shouldn't you come out? We can talk."

It was Tenten. Sakura, who was desperate to ease the pain, burst out of the stall. Her hair was a mess and her face was wet with tears.

"Sakura… Look, why don't you wash up and let's get back to class. The welcome party's gonna start soon and you don't want to be late. You know how Tsunade-sama is," Tenten soothingly rubbed Sakura's back.

Sakura merely nodded and did as she was told.