someone's perspective

anyone talking to themself

sasuske's inner in sakura's mind

sasuke talking in sakura's mind

Back to...

Sakura was walking, no wait, more like rampaging through the village and to say that she was upset was a severe understatement.

They think I actually have FEELINGS for him? After all this time, after all he's done? Ridiculous, like no one even knows me anymore. I mean, he's arrogant, self centered, and completely in every utter meaning of the word, a bastard. If there was ONE person in the world I could chose to never see again, it would be him. I mean, the fact alone that he left is enough but knocking me out? Leaving me on a BENCH? A bench, out of all the possible places in a world his brilliant mind could come up with nothing better than that. What the hell was gong through his head.

(Sakura's imitation of what went through Sasuke's head on that particular night.)

"Gee Sasuke, look what you did now, you missed her jugular and ended up just hitting her hard enough to render her unconscious." "That's alright outer Sasuke who is the king of everything awesome, we'll just put her on that stiff, ROCK hard (literally) bench so conveniently placed. We could bring her back to her house but after leaving her that cryptic "Thank You," why let a random yet totally justified act of kindness confuse her even more?" "You're right inner Sasuke who is, almost but not as much outer Sasuke, cool and awesome."

Right, because Sasuke is definitely conceited and talks to himself all the time. Get a grip girl. Why am I even thinking about him. This is so STUPID! I can't, I don't, feel that way about him anymore. He doesn't even deserve my thoughts. Not that he would care anyway... STOP IT. I. Am. Over. Him. I've just decided. No, wait, I decided that a long time ago, right? Yeah, a long time ago. A long, long, long, long time ago. Actually, it was so long ago that it never even existed. I don't feel anything. End of story, close the book and start a new one. Here's to the new but not really because I've been like this a long Sakura.

"...Sakura?"

Crap, What do you want Ino-pig?

The fact that Ino hadn't said anything in return prompted Sakura to believe she was still debating inside her head and should probably say something out loud before Ino told half of Konoha Sakura had gone raving mad crazy and was foaming at the mouth to to shock from what's his face's return.

"Sakura are you feeling okay?"

Sakura turned around to face Ino and noting (and then immediately discarding) the worried look in the pig's eyes, Sakura flashed one of her breath taking smiles. To bad this one wasn't real.

"I'm fine Ino-pig. What makes you even suggest that?"

(Ino's perspective)

I was on my way to the Yamanaka Flower Shop when I noticed a certain best friend of mine walking around in circles, muttering under her breath, and repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists.

"Forehead?"

No response. I said it three more times but she just kept walking in circles over and over again. Then... she just stopped. So I was either certain of two things, one, Sakura was performing some kind of self inflicted exorcism, or she was going marginally crazy due to the return of some man. The latter was more likely, though. Who knows. Maybe she is performing an exorcism, I mean she's talking to hers...

Did she just punch that completely innocent wall? Oh god, she's punching it again. I'm ruling for the exorcism theory now. Maybe the demons taking control of her. She just laughed a rreeeallllllyyyy creepy and scary laugh and then proceeded to hit herself on the head and say "stupid." OKayyyyy, so let's go with this whole Sasuke's driving her crazy one. I can work with that. The other might involve some kind of higher power or something.

Assuming it was safe to speak up, Ino asked, "...Sakura?"

(Back to where we left off, shall we?)

"Well, there's the fact that you've been pacing around in a circular motion, keep muttering barely understandable phrases under your breath, oh yeah, and your hand arm is elbow deep in a 7' deep high security regulation wall aannddddd a certain raven haired man is back in the village." Ino darted her eyes back and forth, barely getting that last part in over a hushed whisper.

"What was that Ino?" Sakura started pulling her arm out of the wall and just looked dumbfound at her, supposed, best friend.

"Sakura, your hand's bleeding," Ino just looked straight at the girl in front of her, the girl who was breaking all on her own because she wouldn't let anyone in.

"It's just a scratch or two, Pig-chan." Green light emitted from Sakura's un mangled hand as she lifted the injured one under it's light. Almost instantly the tissue and skin starting stitching back together as if reversing time instead of healing. "Now that that's all taken care of, what did you say?"

"Oh, nothing really just pointing out the obvious. Any other bystander would have noticed your pacing and fist-in-really-thick-wall if they were watching you long enough. Sooo, how have you been? Anything exciting happ..."

"Ino. What. Did. You. Say. About. HIM." Sakura was looking Ino in the eyes now with her jaw clenched. Her false smile long gone.

Ino had no response but to look at her, apparently, extremely fascinating sneakers. Was she wearing to different colored socks? Fascinating, she should really go home and fix that right away before Sakura did something they would both regret. Brilliant Ino, way to say exactly the WRONG thing. This sounds like a problem for me to think about later. WAY later. As in safely away from Sakura and under the safety of ANBU protection.

"Ino."

OH god. She's serious. Speak now or forever dig your grave girl. This is your BEST FRIEND. Not some crazy psycho killer... yet. Anyway. Just talk to her, you have a right to be concerned DAMN IT!

"Sakura, it's just I heard that Sasuke was back and I didn't know how you would take it since the last conversation you had with him was a proclamation of love and being your best friend I wanted to check on you and see first hand that you were okay and..."

Sakura rolled her eyes and let her shoulders sag under the weight of emotional stress that was today.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you people that I'm OVER him. As in him returning means nothing more to me than an old acquaintance coming home after a long time away. Not that he means anything more to me than that because I do NOT love him and I never have..."

At that last remark Ino forgot all her previous hesitance and said what was really on her mind. Sakura not loving Sasuke, yeah right. I'll believe that bull when Naruto admits ramen is the worst food group ever and not even deserving to be eaten.

"Sakura, stop it. This is crazy. You love Sasuke. L-O-V-E him ever since you met him. I'm tired of you being some old shell of a girl I used to know. Why are you and him the only ones who can't see the fact that you're meant for each other?"

Sakura was getting seriously fed up now.

"The only thing Sasuke and I are meant for is not getting along. He's ice and I'm fire."

"Yeah, but fire melts ice, Sakura. Even subconsciously you know that you're the only one who can penetrate his "I have no emotions shell"."

"You're forgetting one thing, Ino. Ice is made of water and water drenches fire. Sasuke-san extinguished any hope I had a long time ago."

With that Sakura started walking away, her back turned to the blond kunochi.

Ino mustered up the courage to deliver the ending message, the one that would stick with the other kunochi for the rest of her life.

"You just go do that, Sakura. Go live the rest of your life never knowing and moping around in the dark. I don't care how many smiles you fake or how many times you change that mask you wear. Go watch Sasuke marry someone else and start a family with another woman. I hope that will teach you that you could've had him if you would get over your damn pride, the both of you, and admit what everyone else already sees, thinks, and knows. So just go walk away, Sakura, go be just like Sasuke. Walk away from everything you could have had all because some things didn't go the way you wanted. Isolate yourself, be alone for however long you want, and go fall to pieces in the darkened corners of your mind. But don't, don't, say that I didn't tell you it would end like that. Because if it does, you're the only one at blame. Not even Sasuke. We all know he's an emotional wreck, but that's why he chose you to be his better half. Like it or not, you're the one that has to step up. So take action or back down, hang your head in shame, and go be miserable the rest of your life. Nice knowing you."

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alrighty! I hope you guys like it and don't worry, Sasuke's coming in the next chapter. please review to let me know what you think so far! peace out,

musicXinXtheXdark