DAY 2: EVENING 9:27
After a nice hot bath, I dress myself in a short but comfortable black pant and a light pink v-neck shirt. Ino says she already got her dress for the dance but she won't spill anything about what it looks like. I actually got two dresses I'm still in a dilemma with. One of them is a long, red dress decorated with tiny jewels around the waist that I just bought on the way home. The other one is a light pink dress, knee length short and simple, with tiny red and white flowers run circular along the skirt like a tornado. Behind the waist is a bow I tie on myself, and since the piece of cloth I uses is a bit too long, the two end of the bow usually drag on the ground when I wear the dress, I always forgot to cut it because I'm easily distract by thoughts.
If I'm going to go to the dance with Itachi, I'll go with the red dress; it gives me the feeling of being an elegant and adorned queen. The other dress I bought from last year gives out more of a cute and childish princess kind of aura. Sasuke said I look great with the pink dress but if I want Itachi to notice me as a woman, wearing the red dress is the only way. Still, I hang both dresses with the hangers on the dresser handles, I don't want to admit it but it's just in case something happens.
I slide open the window and climb up the roof using the arms of the apple tree just outside my house. Since the last time talking with Itachi at Sasuke's house, I've found myself a new comforting place. I especially like it when it's dark, with the cool winds to dry my tears, the silent that embraces me, and the bright stars above to sooth my mind. Only one person knows I'm up here at this time, and he's my neighbor as well as my best friend. I eyes turn to his rooftop when I hear the sound of the window sliding. Sasuke takes a hold of the roof edge with his two hands and with a leap; he pulls himself onto the roof and gracefully lands on his knee. After deciding a place to settle, he lean back to sit with his hands support behind him, his legs casually stretch out in front of him. He's wearing a long black pants and a simple, blue T-shirt. I tie my arms around my legs and hug it toward my chest as I greet him a soft "hey," Sasuke waves back but we didn't start talking until another five minutes of silent, and I'm the one who start.
"Hey Sasuke?"
"Hn?"
"What. . .do you think about me and. . .Itachi?"
"A tomboy and a brother." I blush from both anger and embarrassment. But how do I approach the sensitive question with this blockhead? I breathe in a long breath and try again.
"I mean like us being more than friend."
"You mean he and I are now your best friends?"
So. Very. Dense.
"More than that Sasuke, more than best friends." Seeing Sasuke not saying another word, I know my message got through to him. "How would you feel if we . . .like each other?"
I thought I see Sasuke's nasty face, the one he make when he hit me when we're young, but when I blink once, it had been replace with a emotionless one. "Nothing."
"So you don't mind?" Sasuke hesitates but finally nods. "So, um, can I have his number? You know, later 'cause I can't write it down right now." Sasuke nods again.
The air fell still after that. A wind run by, my body feels naked against the cold air under the thin shirt so I hug my legs closer. It feels cold all of the sudden.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you," I say, punctuate the silent between us. "Who did you invite to the dance again?"
Sasuke didn't make a sound as silent takes over once again. "No one."
For some reason, I feel like those two words just stab straight through my heart. Those words are as cold as how Sasuke had said it, and it's spreading through my body.
With those words said, Sasuke gets up and walks toward the roof window, hangs himself with his hand on the edge of the roof edge, swings through the open window, and slides it close. All that done with him not muttering a word, not even a goodbye, is he mad at me?
I also climb down after a while. With my head lost in thought, I misstep and nearly fall flat on my face, my fast heartbeats remind me of the first time I meet him. He's cold towards every girl, not just me. There is nothing but silent between us, except for my fast and uneven heartbeats every time I see him. I must be really scared of him when I was young, that explain why I'm always so nervous around him.
I reach the window unharmed and decided to go to sleep immediately with the heavy feeling of guilt and responsibility for all the homework I promise I'll get done since the start of the week. Maybe it's my fault, maybe I say something I shouldn't have. But how should I know which one is it? It would be much easier if they have "forbid to talk about this to Sasuke" labels on them. Even though I had decided to say sorry to Sasuke tomorrow, I just couldn't fall asleep. The room feels too cold even with my thickest blanket covering me. Go to sleep now Sakura, apologize him tomorrow, I told myself.
My phone suddenly vibrates with the ringtone I set for receiving messages. I reach for it from the table, expecting some text from Ino but on the screen is a phone number next to the name Itachi, a message sends by Sasuke.
DAY 3: MORNING 12: 48
I've been walking behind him for a while now, still unable of how to ask him about yesterday. I didn't get any chance in class at all. We didn't have any classes together today. It's so frustrating being helpless, now can't I at least say my apology when his back is facing me?
"What do you want?" I stop following him when I hear the sentence but I quickly catch up to him again.
"I just want to say sorry about yesterday," I keep walking behind Sasuke as he seems to increase his speed. "I know it's something I said, you don't have to say which one if you don't want to." I mutter.
Sasuke suddenly stops and turn around to face me. His face shows a sad expression as he wipes some liquid from my cheeks with his thumb. Was I crying?
"It's ok, I wanted to say sorry too." Sasuke say. "I didn't mean to leave so sudden like that."
"So we're even now right?" I sniff. "I really hope you're not mad about me liking your brother."
Sasuke seems a bit angry and hurt, but those emotions flash by his face quickly as he answers with a shake of his head. Maybe it's just me seeing things.
"Well, I have to go find Ino now." I say as I walk away waving. Sasuke nods and walk the other direction towards the lockers.
I thought Ino would be somewhere behind the school texting while waiting for me but I finally found her eating a bag of chip while ignoring the poor Chouji's plead for some. I grab a hand full of yellow slice of crispy potatoes and put them into Choui's open palms, then drag Ino up to the lockers. Just before I go, Chouji stops me again and share half of his share to me saying, "Happy Birthday!"
He reminds me of the special day I almost forgot.
All the way upstairs, I bump into some fiends with hands outstretch with presents on their hands and mouths chanting the special day. Naruto, Neji, Tenten, Kiba, Akamaru and Hinata are the first one I met after Chouji.
Name: Hyuuga Hinata
Object: a pink bunny
Relationship: classmate, brother's future girlfriend
Birthday: 27th December
On Neji's hands is a big, round cake. There's a white circle as the outline for the cake, inside it are Sakura flowers from big to small, all in pink, arranges together on the blueberry cake surface. In the middle are words in white:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAKURA-CHAN!
To the right, just next to the three exclamation marks, is a chibi drawing of me, grinning while giving a thumb up. This is definitely a group effort.
Akamaru barks loudly as Naruto sprinkles some crumble instant ramen pieces on the cake and everyone all sings the old but simple happy birthday song. Then, Tenten give me a knife with a ribbon on it, a real one, not the one that uses to cut cakes. I didn't use it to cut the cake though, in fear of the new shiny knife gets dirty. So, we all eat by wiping the cake with our finger. The ramen pieces give the cake crunchiness and a weird taste but it's still good nonetheless. Lee joins in as he pass by later on, looking for me to give his present. At first, I'm still wondering how to act in front of him since he's now already have another girl he likes, I feel a little awkward but he gives me a bouquet of different flowers and my mood lighten with his smile. Lee can be very sweet sometimes.
Then we bump into Shikamaru and Shino who's also looking for me. I receive a book with some holes shape of Sakura flower in them. But the holes only go so deep as one page and when I read it, the story somehow actually makes sense. As expect from the genius of the school. When ask, Shikamaru says he have some help from Jessica and James the dust mites. That makes me laughs but also shudder in between. Those two are like science; it's fascinating but also gross as well, at some part.
"Forehead."
"Yeah?"
"Why are we sitting here again?" Ino ask with annoying in her voice. "Can't we just tell them to fold a paper plane instead of spying?"
I shake my head, "No, what if one of them really is the paper plane guy?"
Ino raises an eyebrow, "so?"
"Then they'll know that I'm trying to know who's giving me paper plane," I exclaim. "It's embarrassing!"
"You got a point," Ino twirls a strand of hair from her ponytail around her finger as she think over the plan again then looks over to me and our snacks bag. "Can I have the popcorn?"
I laugh at her then reach over for the popcorn. I think she expect to watch another movie today.
Itachi approach the locker after I finish my bag of chips. He's carrying a bag so since Sasuke's locker is next to mine, I can't really tell if he's here for my or Sasuke's locker. Or is he pretending to access Sasuke's locker as a distraction to slip his invitation object in mine? It's a possibility. This makes it clear that Itachi is really the paper plane guy. I knew it from the start but I never know he's bad at origami though, he's always seems to be that perfect guy who can do anything perfectly. But do I care? No. Having him inviting me to the dance is already too good to be true. I could have swear my body feel a bit lighter and that I thought I can actually float right out the school window and shout the happy news to everyone in the campus. But somewhere deep down me, there's seems to be a small rock the size of an orange, small but really heavy. The rock weights me down to the floor with a weird feeling of . . . disappointed? At what?
"Hello, Earth to forehead." I hear Ino's voice beside me as she knock on my head with her knuckles. Words come out between the sounds of popcorn being chew in her mouth. And once again, Ino slaps me right on the cheek when I didn't response. "You're welcome, just glad I can help."
Ino is so dead. I will have to call home to mom today that I'll be home late because I'll be busy burying Ino's body in the park.
"What are you waiting for forehead? Itachi is gone," Ino gets up and walks towards my locker. "You want to go to the dance with him tonight right? Then go and open your locker!"
Maybe killing Ino can wait.
I get up slowly and walk with steady steps. I swallow and keep my eyes on the locker as I reach for the handle and creak it open. The badly made paper plane immediately stands out in front of the neatly stack textbooks like lights are emitting from it. Someone could kill me now and I'll die happy, that person could even be Ino. Then I'll go around killing everyone including Itachi so that everyone will see me as Itachi's partner, especially that red hair girl I met when I'm giving Itachi my invitation object, I'll would love to see her face when that happens.
"If you want to hug another wall, forehead, you better be quick 'cause we have exactly two minutes." Ino sighs.
Ino just have to help the rock pulls me back down from heaven with a smug face.
"Fine, let's go."
I spot Itachi out in the field from the window just now, doing soccer practice. And he actually wave back at me when I yell out his name. The best of all, he sends a paper plane flying to the second floor window where I'm standing. I nearly fall off but still got the paper. I unfold it and read the words inside.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAKURA :)
Ok, so it's a smiley face instead of a heart not how I expected but I can't believe this is happening, me, going to the dance with Itachi and now he's giving me a paper plane! I hug the books in my arms even closer to restrain myself hugging another wall. Not that anyone will see me hugging it anyway, it's already 3:45. The only one at school right now is Itachi and the soccer team, Sasuke who's waiting for his brother and me, who just done with forty-five minutes of detention. Ino escapes the detention because she comes in just before the bell rings and I'm still on the other side of the door. But it doesn't bother me one bit now that I have an excuse to walk home with Itachi. But this mood doesn't last long, not after I open my locker and found another paper plane. This one is completely different, it's white, and neatly folds. The big "I CHANGE MY MIND" paints in red slaps in my face and bring cold dripping down my throat and in my chest. Wait, but what does this means? You only need to give three objects in a row. What does it means if the fourth objects appear? A completely different one at that; does this means Itachi finally changes his mind? Had he found another girl and he don't want to go with me anymore? Did I do something? But the gentle Itachi would never do something like changing his mind right before the dance right? Not the Itachi I know.
But no matter how I deny it, the white paper plane is still there, sitting in my locker, hiding all the blue paper plane behind it, staring at me with its big red eyes, mocking me.
"Hahahaha, ok, it's not funny anymore, come out." I laugh, but my mouth barely moves. My eyes scan the area, ready to glare who ever in the zone to dead. "I said come out! There is just no way Itachi would do this to me! This must be a prank!" I sniff, unable to find my voice. "This must be a prank."
Or going with Itachi is just a dream from the start and this paper plane flies me back to reality.
I must be so pitiful in Itachi's eyes that he didn't have the courage to deny my invitation. I should have realized it sooner. I sniff back the salty water forming in my eyes.
"Sakura?" A familiar voice rings behind me. "What are you doing here?"
I turn to Sasuke and act normal but I sound like my cat just die. "I just have detention, I'll be going home now."
"Are you sure you're ok? Can you still make it to the dance? You've been looking forward to it for weeks." Sasuke turns to my still open locker and he fell silent, picking up the white paper plane. "Sakura, what is this?"
"Isn't it obvious Sasuke?" I turn away and answer in shaky voice. "I've been rejected, I'm not going." I take the plane from Sasuke. "So you can go have fun with the girl you asked."
Somehow the last sentence tastes sour in my mouth. In fact I want to say the opposite, I don't want Sasuke to go to the dance with any other girl, I want him to comfort me. But there's nothing wrong with your best friend going to the dance with the girl he likes so why am I having this feeling? The heavy feeling the rock always weight on me. I bite my lips, afraid that the next sentence comes out of my mouth might be worse.
"What do you mean Sakura, you're the girl I a—"
"Sasuke! Sakura! You're still in school?" A deep voice cuts Sasuke off.
I wanted to run the second my eyes meets his face but my legs feel like heavy robot legs, and no matter how much I wanted to scream at him, my mouth won't move like it had been glues shut. The paper plane flies down from my shaky hands and slides it way to Itachi's feet. Itachi bends to pick it up and reads it.
"What is this?" Itachi looks up to me, asking for an answer. "Who writes this?"
"You." The word is barely audible over my heavy breathing.
"Me?" Itachi sounds surprise. "You mean I write this?"
"It's your invitation object to me!" Losing control of my emotion, I shout at him. "Of course you're the one who write this!"
"Sakura, I'm sorry to say this but I didn't invite anyone to the dance."
That sentence echoes in my head. Itachi didn't invite me to the dance? But I was so sure. Then the paper plane, who are they from if they aren't from Itachi? A wave of realization hits me. I turn to Sasuke.
"Was it. . . you?" I say in disbelief. I never thought Sasuke would do such a thing to me. He can be mad at me for liking his brother but doing this low trick is unbelievable. "Sasuke, why can't you be happy for me? Why did you do this just because I like your brother?"
"What are you talking about Sakura?! Who do you think you are? Why the hell should I do anything like this?!"
"Because you're-!"
"No Sakura, you're wrong." Sasuke stomps down the hall and didn't look back, once again, he leaves me without a goodbye. I want to run after him and apologies and promise each other to never speak of this event ever again but the first step I take brings me down to the ground. Tears form rivers down my cheeks. I'm alone with Itachi and I cry like I'll be turns into an emotionless robot tomorrow. I turn to him and try to smile but smiling seems impossible now.
Itachi picks me up with no effort and carries me to the gate. I hug his neck and cry on his chest. This feels like old time. I fall asleep weeping and by the time I wake up, I'm staring at the familiar light pink ceiling. I don't like pink, but everyone think I'm a pink obsessive because of my unnatural color hair. Stupid people, I never say I like my hair. Can't they see that I purposely cut it short to shoulder length? I don't like short hair either. I always think someday, I'll dye my hair to some other color, maybe blond like Ino, or brown like Tenten, then I'll grow it out. To me, everyone look beautiful with long hair.
I keep this short hair style from when I'm only four. I get tease a lot because of the color of my hair and they actually drive me to think about cutting them. I did, with the scissors in my mom's drawer. But because the scissors is too heavy for my short hand, I only cut it to just pass my shoulder a little bit. And that's when Sasuke comes in. I though he's there to tease me like every other kid so I immediately retreat to the defense pose with the scissors in both hands in front of me. But instead, he picks up my strand of hair on the ground and says, "such a waste." I was confused at that time but he tells me about his brother and his low ponytail. He tells me how cool Itachi is and Sasuke absolutely love everything about his brother, and he though having long hair is cool too. That's when we start being friends and that's also when I wanted long hair. But with this unnatural color, I wanted to dyes it first before grow it out, but mom never approve to dyeing. So I keep my short hairstyle until now, but I don't hate it like I used to because I look up to being like Itachi but mostly because I found my best friend who actually likes my hair.
I crawl out of bed on my knee and found a post-it on my desk next to the small blue paper plane.
I'll pick you up at six for the dance, dress up and try to smile ok?
-Itachi
So this is Itachi hand writing. I should have check before thinking nonsense, but now I know Itachi didn't give me the paper plane. Nor did Sasuke. It's probably someone's prank. I feel so stupid yelling at Sasuke now, how could the thought of him betraying me ever cross my mind. He probably hates me now, Itachi should also be after I shout at his younger brother who's suppose to be my friend. I'm despicable.
I got up to my feet and drags myself toward the dresses, instead of reaching for the red dress like I thought I would wear it ten hours ago, I take off my white shirt and slide out of my blue skirt and put on the pink dress. Pulling it down to place, I reach backward and tie the bow. The ends of the bow are as long as ever and there're still dragging on the ground. This means I haven't grown at all since last year, this is just perfect, now I have to feel pity for myself for a topic I bring up by my own.
I stuff my phone in a small, white shoulder purse which is fills with origami papers. I store those in there just in case I need some cooling down; the only problem is that I always forgot to bring the purse with me every time any violent event happens. I bring the chains like strap over my head and rest it on my right shoulder; the shoulder purse hit against my left thigh as I walk. A knock bring me to the door, where Itachi and his ride will takes me to the dance. This should be what I want from the start but I've been too busy making fake smiles in front of Itachi that I had almost completely feel nothing.
Sorry for taking too long on this chap, i'll try to update the next as fast as i can :)
