Chapter 6: Returning the Pain
A/N: Yes, Yes I know I'm late… again I'm sorry guys. But hey I'm officially back!!! I just had a BIG problem to take care of but its history. I'm gonna start updating my stories now so hang on to something… read and review guys… (I missed saying that…)
The dark curtains did not allow the sunshine to enter the gloomy room. On the messy bed was a girl with swollen eyes and pale face. Her hand on her forehead, her dull green eyes stared at her ceiling. I don't have luck with men… she muttered to herself as she forced a laugh.
The silence was broken by the sound of her cell phone. From her bedside table, it vibrated and rang several times. "Oh, for crying out loud!" Sakura finally gave up trying to ignore the call and answered it. "Sakura-san, good morning hmm," her eyes rolled up in frustration upon realizing who it was after hearing the voice on the other line. "Deidara… I already told you…" she was about to end the conversation when… "Are you free this afternoon?" there was a long pause. Probably because the person on the other line cannot believe what he heard… Sakura… the ice princess… is asking him out?! "Hello? Are you still there?" her patience was growing thin as she raised her eyebrow and tapped her foot. "Y-yeah," the conversation progressed then ended with Deidara being really excited about the coming afternoon.
I hope you'll forgive me one day, Deidara. It's just that… I want to know what it feels like to be the one who inflicts the pain instead of being the one who experiences it. I just wanted 'them'… especially him… to feel even only a portion of the pain he gave me.
"Gaara… why don't you just knock…" a half-awake Naruto suggested after stifling a yawn. He had been watching his red headed friend stare blankly at Sakura's bedroom door for about five minutes already through his half-lidded eyes. The red head snapped his head as if waking up to reality then proceeded downstairs without even looking at the sleepy blond.
"Don't worry about her guys. Maybe she has on of those 'PMS' thingy…" the man with spiky silver hair waved his hand to dismiss the topic about his younger sister not coming out of her room for a while. "What's 'PMS'?" the ever so innocent bowl-cut boy asked. "Well… you see Lee… the thing with woman is…" Kakashi was just about to explain when Sakura's door opened.
"Just in time… Sakura why don't you explain PMS to Lee," her brother greeted her with a smile. Gaara set his eyes on the person leaving the room. He felt both confused and relieved at the same time. Relief to see that her eyes weren't swollen indicating that she did not cry. Confusion because she seems fine but a part of him tells him that's its just a façade. "Hah? Why the hell am I going to explain that to him?" the pink haired girl asked as she held a basket ball in between her hip and arm.
"Ah… going to shoot some hoops? Let me come with... I need to break a sweat…" the whiskered blond tried to steal the ball but Sakura has better reflexes. "Sorry… but I'm playing with someone else today," she quickly made her way to the door, ignoring her housemates' inquiring gaze.
"Someone else?" the boy with spiked ponytail reiterated. "And that would be…?" the boy eating potato chips stopped eating for a moment then without another word the house was left unattended as the boys immediately ran to follow Sakura.
"Waiting long?" a female voice asked the blond boy who was warming up on the court side. "Nope… just got here, hmmm." He turned around to see a girl with her short hair in a ponytail, wearing basketball jersey plus a wristband and a basketball. "Sa-sakura-san?" he blinked rapidly as if she would disappear if he did. "Yeah?" not knowing if she'll be mad or laugh, she began to warm up as well.
"I… thought your brother was the one who was the one wanted to…" "Oh, he's not coming… I'll be the one to replace him… you don't mind do you?" she gave him her sweet smile that would make even Naruto forget about ramen. "O-Of course not,"' the boy with long blond hair stuttered and blushed.
"Let's make it interesting. Let's make a bet," Sakura started dribbling the ball slowly. "A bet?" Deidara stared at her bright eyes. "If I win… you'll leave me alone," "But if I win… you'll be mine…" he placed his fingers under her chin to make her face him. "Agreed," she sealed the deal with a confident smile.
While his strong jade eyes reflected his fingers on her skin, his fists clench at his side as he gritted his teeth. The others did not dare to say anything more to aggravate the red head. What are you up to Sakura? Knowing his sister too well, Kakashi knew that Sakura held no attraction to the blond. However, her reason for doing this was still unclear.
It was a tight game. Frankly, Deidara was surprised at first to see that a girl can match up to him in both speed and skill but soon he later held nothing back knowing what was at risk in that very game.
In the last minute, there was only a one point difference with Deidara leading. The pink haired girl hastily stole the ball and made her way back to score her point but her opponent blocked her shot. Regaining the ball, she fought her way to score.
Ten… nine… eight… she dribbled the ball did a crossover then charged… seven… six… she jumped…five… four… she released the ball… three… Deidara slaps the ball…two… one… the ball bounced on the cemented court. Zero… losing her balance, Sakura fell on her back.
"You alright?" she painfully opened her eyes to find his hovering face. "Yeah…" she reluctantly answered sitting up. "Here…" he offered her his hand while they looked at each other's eyes.
His forest green eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched Sakura holding his hand. Gripping the fence surrounding the court, Gaara's vision dimmed as Deidara closed the distance between his and Sakura's face. Just one hint of refusal would be enough for him to beat the bastard up until he can no longer be recognized.
She wanted to turn away… or maybe kicked Deidara away from her but she gave him her word… and she lost. Look at it this way… you lost but… you found your 'toy' to play with… her inner self voiced out. As his face closed in, Sakura instantly shut her eyes and stood stiff as a board while he pressed his lips against hers.
"AAAHHHH!!!" Deidara withdrew and Sakura opened her eyes as they heard a male voice explain. Looking at the courtside, they found her surprised brother, Shikamaru, Chouji, a tearful Lee, an angry Naruto and a glaring Gaara.
"You know them?" the long haired blond asked. "Y-yeah… why?" as Deidara retold their encounter but Sakura wasn't listening… or at least she pretended to be listening. Right now, the look on Gaara's eyes was both elating and depressing.
It felt good… to see him hurt… but I also feel like shit. I wonder why? Sakura smirked sarcastically after she drank her water.
The house was unusually silent that afternoon and till the night. Sakura doesn't like to talk while the others were either too afraid to ask or doesn't care at all. Early that night, the pink haired girl went to her room without even a 'goodnight' to anyone.
"This is awkward…" Naruto was the first to break the silence. "Well… she has her reasons…" Kakashi looked up from the book he was reading. "But…" the doorbell rang putting a halt to the blond's incoming complain.
"What are YOU doing here?!" Lee exclaimed as he rudely pointed at the man wearing a black suit and well folded bow tie with his long hair in a meat ponytail. "I came for her hmmm," he stepped inside without even an invitation.
As if in cue, Gaara walked out of the living room. Deidara's onyx eyes battled with Gaara's jade orbs immediately. "You're early," both looked away and looked at the top of the stairs.
Her long red dress hugged her luscious curves, it was a haltered v-neck that exposed her flawless back, also there's a slit on her left side exposing not only her leg but also her thigh. She wore a high-heeled lace-up sandals and arm-length crimson gloves. Her hair accessorized by a cherry blossom pin.
Gaara felt his heart in his throat as her eyes made contact with his. He can't blink… or even breathe. "You're breathtaking," Deidara was the first to recover from Sakura's cast spell.
"Sa-Sakura-chan?" Naruto stuttered for the first time. "Nii-san, I'm going out," the pink haired girl said casually as if she was going out to play basketball. Kakashi was still speechless when the two left.
The red head stood at the doorway as he watched them drive away. Sakura…
A/N: read and review Onegai…