Deidara's POV

"He what!" I shout into the phone. Sasori sits on my couch a few feet away and looks at me questioningly. I wave my hand at him, silently telling him that I'll fill him in later.

"He proposed to me Deidara," Sakura repeats to me, "We're going to get married."

My heart feels like it was stabbed. Just minutes ago Sakura called me right when Sasori walked in the door. It was noon the next day and I hadn't expected to hear from Sakura for at least a week. So when My phone began to go off and the screen told me it was Sakura, I grabbed the phone thrilled that she was able to have some time to herself to call me so soon. I answered the phone to a stranger though. I hadn't heard Sakura so bubbly since I couldn't remember when. I asked her what she was so happy about but the moment I heard, I regretted answering the phone.

"It's that great news? Deidara?"

"Uhm…"

Sakura continued on talking, "He told me he loves me Deidara. Itachi told me he loves me so much. He promised to change and told me that things would be better. Deidara, it's all going to be okay. Last night was amazing…. I haven't felt so cherished in so long."

I clenched my fists and squeezed my eyes shut, grinding my teeth together. I told her I loved her yesterday. I want to cherish her. I've tried cherishing her and loving her and treating her like a goddess as much as she allowed me to. How could she do this to me? After I told her I loved her yesterday. I was there for her when he walked out on her after beating her again. I've been right by her side through all the problems she's been having with him. I've been supportive of her, trying my hardest to help her, trying to understand, being there for her, taking her out in secret. We've kissed on those dates. Did she just ignore that? What is she thinking!?

"That's….. great Sakura," I force myself to say, trying to be supportive once more.

"You don't sound too happy…." Sakura observes.

"No, no. It's not that. I'm just worried, that's all," I admit only a tiny bit of the truth to her.

"Worried? Why?"

I mentally smack myself. She is so far deep in denial. I thought after yesterday that she was going to realize things and admit to them. I was so sure by the look in her eyes. But I was wrong…

"Because…. I'm worried that you are jumping into this too quickly. Especially after yesterday," I remind her, trying to prompt her to recall how she felt yesterday.

"That's not going to happen again," Sakura tells me determinedly, "He promised to get better. He's going to change Deidara."

I want to throw my phone at the wall and yell, but I control myself. "Sakura, please…. Think this through…. You know that things between you two haven't been good in so long…. The way he's treated you? You just can't over look that, hm. He's beaten you so much, left bruises on your crystal skin. Please think about this."

"I HAVE thought about this!" Sakura yells at me. "Itachi loves me and I love him! I'm happy with him. And things are going to get better with time! I'm dating Itachi. I'm engaged to Itachi. I'm in love with Itachi. Not you Deidara."

I freeze. It feels as though someone has stabbed my heart, twisted the blade, pulled out, and then poured ghost-pepper hot sauce into the wound. "If you want to lie to me then go ahead Sakura. But don't lie to yourself," I yell at her and hang up. I look up at the ceiling and blink my eyes, refusing to cry, trying to send the tears back into my body. But I can't stop the drop of water that slides down cheek.

"Deidara," Sasori whispers from the couch.

"She's right Sasori," I tell him, "I'm not dating her. I'm not engaged to her. Itachi is…. And she loves him, not me."

Sasori is silent by my confession, another drop of water escapes my eye and slides down my face. I look over to him. Sasori doesn't usually show much emotion, but right now I can tell his eyes are filled with concern.

"Deidara…. I've never seen you like this…. All this? Over a girl?"

"She's more than a girl Sasori," I tell him, "She's the love of my life. There's no one else like her."

Sasori sighs and looks away from me. He doesn't understand. Sasori doesn't have close connections to anyone except for me. He barely even speaks to his grandmother and he lives with the old hag. Ever since his parents died in a street shooting when we were both little, he's closed himself off from everyone, even himself.

"Deidara…. You should let her go."

"Let her go?" the concept seems foreign, "I can't let her go Sasori. I'm in love with her. I have been so long. And I finally have a chance. She just needs to stop lying to herself."

"Look at yourself," Sasori snaps at me, his face completely calm but serious, "A girl has driven you to this. She's played you. She's broken you. You've been there for her all these years; you've helped her when things began going wrong between her and Itachi. You've taken her out on dates and treated her like she should be. You do all this for her and yet she stays with the man who beats her, refusing to leave. You've kissed her multiple times in the past few months! And yet she breaks you. She pushes you to states I've never seen you in Deidara. It's not healthy what she does to you."

"That's just one reason why I know she's the one for me… Sakura makes me feel so emotionally intense, like nothing I've ever felt before. It drives me insane because I love her so much and she's hurting…. She's being hurt Deidara. Sakura is being hurt. And hurt people hurt people…."

Sasori stares at me for a second then looks away. "Whatever man. It's your life."

"I know it is. And some day it will be me and her, our life."

Sasori coughs but doesn't say anything more.

"I got to get to work Sasori. Goji wants me to help him do some repairs on some sink in an apartment on the third floor."

"Alright. I'll wait for you. Then we can go out later and get some beers."

I nod and leave my apartment.


Ooooooohhhhhhhh... Is Sasori right? Should Deidara forget and move on from Sakura?