standard disclaimer applied.
note: please understand that this story does not stray away from its original plot line. & let me know in a review or PM if you enjoyed this one (:
Chapter Two
Meetings
Sakura was annoyed. Truly and deeply annoyed. This Inuzuka kid was a handful. He was too outspoken, upbeat and he reminded her too much of Naruto. Except the only difference between the two was that Kiba had a sense of privilege and curious eyes. He wanted to know more and didn't know where his place was. I need to drop him off with his friends or I'll be late, she thinks watching the boy at the bar.
He's speaking to the bartender on duty and has no filter. His nonstop questions and ability to down his drinks would make anyone think he was nothing but a rich drunken fool. However, Sakura knew better. This kid just grew up differently than the rest of the people she's meet in this part of town.
Taking a sip from her glass Sakura prepares herself mentally to cut into the conversation. "Look, Kiba." The boy turns his gaze to the girl beside him and the bartender took this opportunity to move to another side of the bar. "Aren't your friends are looking for you or something? You should go home, it's late."
"Leaving so soon, Sakura?"
"I'm not leaving," She says rolling her eyes. "You are. People like you shouldn't be out at night in a part of town that you know nothing about." Sakura gets up from out of her chair and looking Kiba straight in the eye. "I've humored you long enough. You can listen to me and I can help you find your friends or don't listen and I'm out."
Kiba examines the girl before her. He knew from the moment he witnessed her defend herself and till now that she was everything he expected. To Kiba, Sakura played the part of a self-assured, independent girl from the rough side of town. With that in mind, he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the girl before him. "Come on, Sakura. I thought we were friends. Don't friends hang out?"
This guy was so strange, Sakura thought. "I have enough friends." She was tired of being at the bar and listening to the music playing. More importantly, she was tired of being with this stranger. "See ya," she tells him and disappears into the crowd.
"Sakura Haruno, huh…" Kiba mumbles take a sip of his drink before pulling out his phone. She was right; it was time Kiba went looking for his friends.
.
.
"Where the hell is she, Naruto?" Tenten held said boy by the collar. Her eyes filled with fire and her voice stern. "You and Shikamaru said you were coming with her an hour ago. And yet, here we are. No Shikamaru or Sakura in sight. All I get is you. Care to explain."
As the two bickered and Naruto attempted to escape the brunette's grasp, Gaara leaned against his bike looking up the sky. All these nights their group met was the same. Someone was yelling at Naruto and Naruto would be yelling back. Shikamaru would be nowhere insight until he arrived at the last second. And whoever wasn't in an argument with Naruto would be speaking to Gaara. However, tonight his companion was nowhere insight.
Before him, Tenten had already let go of the blonde and he was fixing his coat. "I told you, she got in one of her moods again and then poof! No Sakura."
Naruto dusted offed his jeans and Tenten rolled her eyes. "And you didn't go looking for her? You thought, it was smarter to just come back here without either Sakura or Shikamaru? Seriously, Naruto, seriously?"
"Don't be all 'Seriously, Naruto, seriously?' with me," Naruto pointed his finger at the taller girl before him. "We all know, Sakura would come here if anything were to happen because—"
"You wouldn't leave without me?" The pair whirled around. Sakura was standing in the alleyway with Shikamaru beside her. As the two approached the trio, Gaara's gaze was locked on the pink haired girl.
"Took you two long enough," Gaara mumbled. The red head pushed himself off of his bike and met with Shikamaru. "These two fools have been having a screaming match the whole night."
"Hey!"
"Where have you two been," Tenten questioned.
Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "We had business to attend to. It wasn't like you were going anywhere without us."
Before anyone could say anything further, Sakura nodded to the modified car. "We're late. Who's driving?"
"Me," Naruto stated.
"I don't know why," Tenten handed the blonde the keys. "Temari said not to reck it. We all know we'll die with Naruto driving."
"You and Shikamaru will survive," Gaara hands Sakura a helmet. The pink haired girl thanks the boy and gets on the back of the bike. She tightens her hold on her friend as soon as he starts the bike.
"Race you, Naruto," Sakura says as the pair exits.
"What the hell!" The blonde yells after the bike. "Get in the fucking car, Shikamaru. These two are cheats!"
"Troublesome," Shikamaru mutters, approaching the car slowly.
"Goddamnit, Shikamaru. You just like to mess with me don't you?"
"To be fair, Naruto, it's so easy to mess with you," Tenten tells the boy as Shikamaru closes the door next to him.
"You guys suck, I swear."
.
.
"Jesus, Kiba. What took you so long? Hinata was going to have a panic attack waiting for you." Ino Yamanaka was outspoken and was not afraid to show it. One could say it was her upbringing that made her the way she was. She liked to make an entrance just as much as an exit. Many would say she was that one privileged girl who wore her wealth on her sleeve.
"Come on, cut me some slack," the boy retorted as he drove the two girls out of the west side of Konoha. "You should be more forgiving like Hinata. I did bring you two across The Divide, you know."
Hinata Hyuga had stayed silent throughout the whole ride. Her two friends were outspoken to say the least – always wanting the last word in and always wanting to be right. In all honesty, she hadn't wanted to leave the east side of Konoha. It was because of Ino's persistence and Kiba's winning that urged her to leave her estate and cross The Divide.
As Ino puffed in the passenger seat and Kiba explained what he had done, whom he had met while, Hinata stared out the window. She noted that the streets in this part of town weren't as grand as what she was used to. Unlike the east side of Konoha where only certain parts of town were lively at this hour, the west side was restless throughout.
The sight of some children walking into an alley made her think of her childhood and how much more restricted she was at their age. Growing up, her father had gone to great lengths to protect her. He would tell her to stay inside their estate unless accompanied by another adult and that to never cross The Divide. The children of the east side, he told her, were the precious youth of Konoha and meant for something greater. Hiashi Hyuga believed associating with those from the west side would only hinder her destiny.
Throughout her life, her friends were always fascinated with taboo that was the west side. Always speaking of the underground life, how free the youth was for they were able to do anything they pleased. No restricts. No rules. No regulations. Ino had once told Hinata that those from the west side could be dancers, artists or racers and no one could stop them. And while it all sounded amazing from Ino's words, Hinata knew better.
Her older cousin, Neji Hyuga, had told her the dangers. That girls like her didn't belong there, that they are the reason for The Divide. Drugs. Fights. Crime. Gangs. It seemed to outweigh the concept of freedom. So frightening. So dangerous. Yet, so exciting. So, when she was asked by Kiba if she wanted to come along with Ino and him to the opposite side of town she instantly declined. Her father and cousin's words rang in her ear at the thought of the west side of Konoha.
"I don't understand. Why would you hang around some girl with pink hair for so long," Ino whinned. "We should've left an hour ago. Our parents think we're at Sasuke's and he said he'd only cover for us for two hours. And you know what time it is?"
"I believe, it is twelve in the morning."
"Exactly! We've been gone for far too long," Ino yelled at the boy driving. "Hinata, you texted Sasuke right?"
Hinata nodded, "He said we're lucky. No one called to check on us." Ino sighed in relief and Kiba rolled his eyes. Trust. Their parents trusted them and to Hinata she felt wicked for betraying it. We'll be home soon, she thought. Her eyes drift away from the pair in front and back to the outside. She wonders what life would've been like for her if she were raised here. She thinks she would've been at the Gala longer with some friends'. The people there seemed so free, as if nothing else mattered but the night.
And yet, she wonders if any of them wanted to cross The Divide permanently and enter the west side of Konoha or perhaps, escape to a city like Suna. Shaking her head. She thinks it doesn't matter for she's from the east and her life wasn't suppose to mingle with this world. And yet, something is screaming in the back of her mind telling her, it should.
Hinata is lost in thought until she hears an engine roar in the distance. She turns her head the back of the car window. Approaching is a motorcycle with two figures. A boy and girl Hinata decides, as they get closer to the car. The boy wears no helmet and the girl's locks move with the wind underneath in what Hinata thinks is his helmet. The boy moves quickly and the engine roars louder as he passed the car Hinata is in.
I wonder, she thinks as she watches the pair disappear into the night.
.
.
Sakura and Gaara arrived at their destination quickly with no accidents. The pair steps off the bike and onto the sidewalk. As Sakura fixes her hair, she examines her surroundings. They're in a quiet neighborhood and not the destination Shikamaru told everyone two days ago. "Where are we," she asks. "This wasn't the plan, Gaara. Where the hell are we? We're going to get so much heat from Tenten for being here. So, you better tell me why the hell we're here."
"I'm making a house visit," he finally says. "Just stay here and don't move." It won't take long, he thought. Sakura's annoyed facial expression made him smile. "I'll be in and out."
Sakura catches his arm before he leaves to enter the house. "You don't have to keep doing this, you know. Temari makes enough for Kankuro and—"
"She can't maintain the Gala, pay for Kankuro's and my tuition and maintain the house funds all on her own," Gaara replies quickly. "Just stay here," he pauses and she let's go of her hold on him. She tries to look away from him but he knows it's her nature. "I'll be in and out real quick."
She nods. "Whatever." With one last look at the girl before him, Gaara leaves into the house. Being a supplier in their part of the city was good money for a high school kid. It had it's perks for being a steady income but a downfall for being dangerous. To be caught with drugs or selling them was a legal offense. And while Gaara was infamous for not getting caught, Sakura didn't like that he still held the job. In fact, she thought that once the Gala gained popularity Temari would've forced her little brother to stop. Of course, he didn't listen and Temari couldn't fight his reasons.
Sakura watched the front door and began to count down from twenty. She began to check off another list in her mind. Nineteen. Naruto's habits for stealing and escaping his bullies made him what he was today. Eighteen. Shikamaru had always been lazy but he was a genius. Seventeen. Temari raised her brothers while her father was busy with whatever he claimed his job to be. Sixteen. Tenten was pretty private about her past. Except for the fact that her father was the reason for fascination with weapons, cars and motorcycles. Fifteen. Fourteen. Sakura lost her father at twelve and her mother was rarely home. Thirteen. The five of them were meant to cross past. Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Nine. They were meant for something greater. Eight. The concept of kids from the west side not amounting to anything was a lie. Seven. A lie. Six. A lie. Five. Lies. Lies. Lies. Four. Three. Two. She would make sure of it. One.
"Let's go," Gaara says as he gets on his bike. His words had a sense of urgency to them. "Ready?" Sakura nods and sits behind him and wraps her arms around him.
"In and out," she mumbles as he revs the engine.
"In and out."
.
.
To the duo's surprise, Tenten had said nothing of their late arrival. Instead, it was Shikamaru who spoke up. "You're lucky that time isn't of the essence at the moment," he tells them as they approach him, his eyes never leaving the computer screen in his lab. "Do we need to go over the plan?" The lack of reply caused him to stop typing. "Gaara stays with me as watch. The three of you head inside. Tenten you have to deactivate the first set of alarms and stay at point A. Naruto you do the second set and follow Sakura to point D. You'll keep watch of her and Sakura, you have one minute and fourteen seconds to get the stuff and get out of there. I'll be directing you all through the headsets throughout. If anything happens—"
"Think on your feet," the rest of the group finishes Shikamaru's sentence in unison. To which he simply replies.
"Right, any questions."
"Nope."
"Can we go already, we still have to deliver it, guys."
"This better be worth it."
"Are you kidding me? One cut of the profit alone is worth a month of Ichiraku ramen!"
Everyone laughs at Naruto's words. It looses the tension in the group. Every time they did a job together, there was always a set of nerves that came over them. Sakura was the first to cease her laughter.
"Let's go," she says. Everyone nods and goes to their designated areas. "A minute and fourteen, Shikamaru."
"Yeah."
In and out, she thinks to herself.
.
.
"Took you long enough." Sasuke Uchiha is sitting in his family library. The fire is going and a book is in his hand as he sits on a lounge chair. Across from said boy is a longhaired brunette boy drinking hot chocolate. They both hold the same bored expression.
"Nice to see you too, Sasuke," Ino Yamanaka replies as she sits beside Neji Hyuga and grabs his hot chocolate out of his hand. "Thank you."
Neji rolls his eyes at the blonde beside him and gets up from his spot on the couch. "It's late, Hinata."
The raven-haired girl bows her head in shame. "I'm sorry," she tells her cousin.
"We'll come with you next time," he simple replies. "I'll get you and Kiba a hot chocolate. You've been out in the cold for too long."
As Neji exits, Sasuke speaks once again. "Was it everything you hoped for?"
.
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[published. 2016 May 07]