Oh my god. Oh my god. OH MY FREAKING DAMN GOD.
The rate at which my heart was beating would have sent anybody above the age of 50 into cardiac arrest immediately. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't 50. If there's a God up there, please, just strike me down with lightning now. Or at least drop the ceiling lamp on my head, since lightning can't reach indoors. Whatever!
Even if God doesn't kill me now, Deidara would.
It was as if time had stopped, with me completely petrified in my seat behind the Koto, and him standing stock still at the door. His long bangs were covering his face, so I couldn't really make out his expression (I don't really have any intention to, actually). Then slowly, deliberately, his head tilted downwards, surveying the crack in the side of the bowl, prompting me to stand up abruptly, jerking the Koto with my knee.
Oh God, what am I supposed to do?
Apologize. Duh, obviously. But for some reason, my vocal chords mysteriously vanished at that moment, along with all the control I had over the muscles in my body.
Maybe I could pretend to faint! No, scratch that. That's like leaving my whole body defenseless to him. What if he stabs me with the chipped piece or something? Or maybe I could run away or hide! I mean, it doesn't seem like he's seen me yet with all that hair obstructing his view... No, wait, who am I kidding?
I watched with trepidation as he bent down to pick the broken (,darned, stupid, bloody) bridge from the floor, turned to me and said, "I believe this is yours, un?"
I could only nod and stare dumbly at him.
And he stared back too, with another unreadable expression on his face. OH GOD, WHY CAN'T I JUST SAY SOMETHING?
"I was going to sell this bowl at 80,000yen," His unnervingly calm voice broke the unbearable silence in the room, but did nothing to alleviate the tension. "Seems that I can't now, hn."
"I-I'm so sorry! I swear I'll pay you back, really! I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I'm so, so sorry!" I finally found my voice again and the words tumbled out, before even reallising what I just said; there's no way I can find 80,000yen.
I am going to die. He's gonna dispatch assassins or hire hitmen from his connections to shoot me when I walk home. Or maybe he'll just kill me right now and bribe the police to cover up for him. Oh God, I don't want to die at 19! I've yet to have my first kiss!
Okay, so maybe he won't go that far. But I'm sure he'll find ways to make life hell in school for me. Oh Lord, I've only been in this school for less than a month and I'll be forced to quite already!
He smirked, then slowly walked towards me. I quickly averted my eyes to the floor, not daring to make anymore eye contact.
"Is... Is there anything that can be done about it? Can't, can't you glue it back or something? I mean, its just a small chip..." My voice grew softer as he got nearer, eventually stopping at about a foot in front of me.
Okay, I really feel like fainting right now.
He made some noise that sounded like a scoff. "Just a small chip? Do you have any idea, that even the most minute of cracks in any art piece would make it imperfect, un?" I flinched. "Are you trying to say that I would allow my art to be presented flawed?"
Alright, I just made the situation worse. Why did I say that? Why, why, had I played the instrument so roughly and get myself into this mess?
He then set the broken bridge on the Koto, looked at it for awhile, and continued. "This lousy piece of wood you were making noise from, insulted my art by marring it."
Increduously, I felt a sudden rush of indignance. "Music is a form of art too!" I blurted out without thinking, raising my black eyes to meet his beautiful blue ones. Or one.
"So you're trying to imply that your form of art is better than mine, un?"
I blinked, "T-that's not it! I didn't mean it that way!" and then all the humility I was feeling before returned.
Deidara smirked, then walked to the corner of the room to look at a Biwa. I released the breath that I've been holding.
"I saw you in class today." He touched the neck of the Japanese lute. "Saw how you let yourself get bullied, how you couldn't stand up for yourself."
A nasty feeling gripped my already strained heart. I cast my eyes down to the floor again and clenched my fists. I could feel his eyes turning to me again, could sense that smirk on his face. I bit my lip. Can I get anymore pathetic than I am now?
"Honestly, I thought commoners are tough. You-"
"Deidara. Its time to go. You know I hate to keep people waiting. Especially the leader." A new voice suddenly came in. I didn't dare to look up to find out who it was.
"Hai, hai. Sasori-no-danna. Un."
I could feel two of their stares on me, then heard Deidara's footsteps lead him to the door to join his Senpai.
"Hn." I could feel him give me one last look before the footsteps continued down the corridor.
After about 3 minutes, my legs finally gave way and I fell in a heap on the floor.
"Konan! I'm never going back to ShinoGaku again!"
I had ran all the way home, wanting to get as far away from the school as fast as possible. The first thing I did after shutting my room door was of course, call my best friend. Surprisingly, I didn't cry at all!
"What happened?"
I related the whole incident to her, also explaining Deidara's status and the Akatsuki, getting increasingly flustered with each word. I felt shamed, degraded, and fear at what will happen the next day. I can't help but feel that Deidara won't let it go with only what happened. Well, I don't know him, but seeing his friend nearly beat someone up for bumping into him tells me something about his character. I mean, birds of a feather flock together, right? And I don't think I'm in any place to retaliate if he does anything, even if I somehow managed to gather the balls to.
"Calm down." Konan's smooth voice over the phone managed to soothe me a little.
"What am I gonna do now? I mean, I obviously can't quit school over something like that, but I don't want to go back tomorrow!" I know that I'm whining and all, but come on, give me a break.
"Don't worry. Just go back. He won't do anything to you, trust me."
I don't even have the will to tell her that she's wrong and that she hasn't seen or met him yet. Though I totally doubt her words, I can't help but feel a little more assured. That's why I love her.
"I'm sorry, Shiori. I have to hang up now. I have to attend to something. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I mean, I guess I was just over-reacting. Life goes on right?" I gave a shaky laugh. "Sorry I disturbed you, and thank you for listening to me." Then I hung up.
I slumped against my bedframe. Well, now when I've calmed down more, life does go on right? I'll just find a way to deal with anything that comes at me tomorrow. Or the days ahead. I mean, I can't let something as trivial as this ruin my future! I have to complete University no matter what. Heh. University. And I'm still so immature.
Right.
Oh God, no I can't do it!
I'm standing, or rather, hiding behind the gate of the school now. All the will I had from yesterday evening vanished the moment I saw the school campus' beautiful architecture. There's no way that I will be able to handle anything. I can't imagine what I'm going to do, or what he's going to do, when I see Deidara.
You would be expecting me to hate him now, and give him a hell of a life, but no, I don't. I'm just really, really afraid of him now. Yeah, I'm a wimp.
I checked my handphone, its 8.25. 5 more minutes and I'll be considered late.
I breathed in a few deep breaths. Okay. I can do this. I'll just avoid him if I see him at all. Stay out of his way. Take a detour when I see him. Hide in the bushes. Hide in the toilets. Don't go for recess. Whatever!
I untied my usual side ponytail, then hastily pulled all my chest-length hair behind and wrapped it in a messy bun. Maybe changing my hairstyle would make it more difficult to recognise me. Or at least, from the back. And plus I've seen a few other students with blue hair.
Who am I kidding? He knows my face.
Feeling somewhat more assured with my new "disguise", I willed my legs to bring me past the gates and into the compound.
Oh thank God and all that is holy. Its already lunchtime and not even a glimpse of Deidara, or any of the Akatsuki for that matter. Usually I would have been disappointed for that, cos' it means that I won't be able to see Itachi, but the situation's different now.
"Shiori, are you okay? You seem really jittery." Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"W-What? Of course I'm okay!" I gave a dismissive flick of my hand and stuffed rice in my mouth. I tried to avoid lunch to hide in the toilets (Oh God, how much more of a loser can I be?), but gave in to hunger, considering that I skipped breakfast due to the lack of appetite.
"Well, if you say so." Sakura shrugged. I haven't told any of the four girls about my encounter. I didn't feel that they need to know. Yet. And unexpectedly, word hasn't got out that I was the Stupid Girl Who Offended Deidara.
"And is that a new hairstyle? You look pretty cute. Trying to attract someone?" Ino gave a sly smirk. I blushed a little and gave another dismissive wave of hand and stuffed more food down. If only she knew...
"Its the Akatsuki! Sasori-sama looks really handsome today!" Some girl sitting a few seats away said to her friend. I froze.
"Baka! He looks really handsome all the time!" Her friend giggled.
I glanced to the entrance of the cafetaria, only spotting a blonde and a redhead, who were now making their way to the table at the side of the cafetaria. Why, why can't it be Itachi instead? I knew my luck couldn't be so good. And oh God- Deidara'a looking over here!
I hastily and frantically looked down to my platter and stuffed the rest of the food in my face.
"Oh, dis' foo' soo goooo." I regarded the other four girl's curious stares. "Aye fink aye godda gow nao."
"Don't you have a free period later...?" Tenten asked skeptically.
I swallowed my food. "Yeah, but I uh, want to ask consult a teacher. And say, Hinata-chan, can you lend me that book you're holding? It looks interesting."
Hinata blinked. "T-This is a geography textbook."
"Um, yeah, I wanna, uh, recap on my high school syllabus. My teacher's testing us on it again." Soooo convincing.
Thankfully, she didn't question me any further and passed it to me.
"Thanks! You don't have geography for the rest of the day right? I'll return it to you later. Uh, s-see you guys soon!" And then I quickly brisked walked, nearly running out of the cafetaria, pretending to read the textbook and hiding my face behind it.
Usually I'd spend my free periods in the music room, but I can't go back there now after what happened yesterday. So instead, I went up to the school's rooftop garden. Yes, they have a rooftop garden, a really beautiful one at that, complete with a koi pond and mini waterfall.
I sat at a bench in front of the pond and surveyed the empty place. Its so quiet and tranquil and pretty, why is it that nobody comes up here often? Its because the stairs were a bitch to climb, that's why. And I think they rather mingle around and talk instead of being a loner up here. I sighed and closed my eyes.
"I think you dropped this."
"Huh?" I dazedly looked up to the source of the voice, and my eyes met with another pair of black ones.
Uchiha Itachi was standing infront of me, holding out Hinata's geography textbook. Crap, I must have left it on the ground when I came up here to walk around the garden. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT NOW.
"U-uh, yeah. Thanks." I took the book from his hand. He didn't say anything, and just sat down next to me.
OhGod,OhGod,OhGod. He's sitting beside me! I stared down at my black shoes.
I suddenly felt very self-conscious. What do I do now? Do I make conversation? I don't want to bore him! But what if I say the wrong thing and sound like an idiot? I'm prone to that when I'm nervous!
A few minutes of silence passed and I turned a little to my side to see him just looking straight at the pond, not doing anything. I took in his sharp eyes and straight, regal nose, and the way his black hair gently swayed in the breeze. How can someone be so beautiful? He looked nothing like someone from an organization as dark as Akatsuki. Then I noticed his Sato badge; is that a scratch across the Konoha symbol?
I exhaled dejectedly and stared back at my shoes. Someone like me can't possibly be with someone like him. I shouldn't have allowed myself to be attracted in the first place (not that I can help it anyway). I can't even talk to him, and no doubt he won't even bother to talk to me. I don't even know why he would want to sit with me. Maybe this was his usual spot and now I'm intruding? And Deidara probably already told him how much of a loser I was.
I was about to stand up and leave when he suddenly spoke, "Your cafe sells nice food."
"What?" I dumbly look at him.
"I went back there again the other day." He simply said and looked back at me.
I smiled lightly. "Thanks. I'll tell Gen-san that." He remembers me! He must have went back there on a weekday when I'm not working. Maybe I should request to work everyday now.
He then turned back and continued staring at the pond. "Not many people come up here."
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I'll leave now if you want!" I got ready to stand up.
"No, Its okay."
Oh. And I settled myself back into the seat.
A few more minutes passed. I didn't mind the silence at all, and he didn't seem to either. I found myself wishing that time would stop and that neither of us would need to get to class after this period ends (actually I think he wouldn't care even if he did have to go).
But alas, the stupid bell rang.
"I have to go now. Its been nice spending time here. Bye! " I tore myself up from the bench and bowed politely at him.
He didn't say anything and just gave me a blank look, so I walked quickly to the exit, clutching Hinata's book in my chest.
I exhaled when I reached the floor of my class.
That was unnerving in a way, but pleasant. Definitely pleasant.
"Thanks Hinata-chan! I certainly remember more now!" I lied through my teeth.
"No problem. Glad I could help in a way." She smiled prettily. How can someone be so sweet? I feel guilty for lying now.
I smiled and then walked away. My encounter with Itachi at the rooftop somehow lightened my mood and pushed the Deidara incident to the back of my mind. I felt considerably less wary for the rest of the day and didn't hide in the toilets every period break! Hell yeah, I feel like I could take him on now!
"Ouch, you stepped on my foot and dirtied my shoes you little tart!"
I turned and saw a Kumo student, probably high schooler, looking very miffed in front of a Hinata who was looking like she was about to faint.
"I-I'm so sorry!"
"This is a new design from Emporio Armani!" He nearly screamed. Sheesh, what's with the students here? Just small bumps are enough to enrage them. Have they got issues or what?
"Look, she apologised already! Its just a little dirt, you can wipe them off. Why bitch like a girl?" I scowled at him. Poor Hinata looked at me gratefully.
The Kumo boy glared at me, then suddenly, something like fear flashed across his eyes and he turned and walked away. Have I scared him off? Cool! Maybe my status as a senior garnered me a little respect or something. I gave Hinata a triumphant grin and said "Its okay now! See you tomorrow I guess!" while walking backwards. Strange, she looked even more frightened than before. Why-
Then I felt my back hit something. Or someone.
"Sorry! I didn't se-" I hastily turned, and all my muscles froze up.
"So you can stand up for others, but not yourself, un?"
Deidara had an amused smirk on his face (and I can't help but notice how good-ooking he is. I know this isn't the time but...!). No wonder the Kumo guy fled! Usually people don't regard me when I try to be threatening or something. Keyword: try.
"I-I-I..." My mouth was stupidly opening and closing like a fish out of water.
Deidara closed his eyes pushed past me.
"I'm really sorry about your bowl! I didn't mean to chip it on purpose to prove my art was better or anything! I will pay you back, I don't know how, but I will!" I nearly cried out. "So please don't kill me or send hitmen to my house or something."
Wha- Did I just say that?
Deidara turned and looked at me, his expression growing more amused by the second.
"Why would I do that, un? And I don't really care about the money, if you must know. 80,000yen isn't anything. I doubt you can afford it anyway, un." Then he promptly turned back and continued walking.
I stared after him with disbelief. Is he really letting me off just like that?
Author's Note:
Hey! I had fun with this chapter. Yeah, sorry for making Shiori so spineless. But almost every OC I read about has some kind of strong personality, so I thought I'd try something different! Don't worry, she'll grow up as the story progresses. And did I make Itachi and Deidara OOC or something? Can't help but fear that I did that... ._.
And btw, I just realised that in the first chapter I said that the only time that the satos get together were mealtimes and assembly, and in the second and third chapter I wrote that Deidara was in the same class as Shiori, who's in Konoha. Deidara's in Iwa, so please disregard that small fluke I made in the first chapter! The different satos share classes too. ^^'
And thanks for the reviews once again! :)