"So, you guys are really- when's the big event? Are we invited? We better be, I mean come on-"
"Ino, we barely just decided." Sakura sighed heavily into her cellphone the moment she plopped down on her bed after the very embarrassing and exhausting day at school. Everyone had given her looks, dirty or admiring. She and Sasuke took longer routes to their classes where they could avoid others as much as possible. Numerous students, even ones she did not even know, and even teachers, all delayed them from getting to their classes to ask her more about the 'engagement.' Ino had made it her top priority to find out everything and called her the moment the last bell rang. "Where are you anyway?"
"Umm, let's just say it's a secret for now. But Sakura, how could you not have told us! How could you not have told me firsthand, I am really hurt, mind you—" Ino's voice drawled on from the other side of the call. Sakura closed her eyes, trying to listen to her friend's complaints, but the events from the day before were still hard to believe.
"Ino…I really need some rest. Please."
"Sakura…..okay. Rest. But I demand answers the moment you wake up, okay?"
Sakura sighed along with an incoherent mumble, and ended the call. She hid the cellphone under her pillow, and curled up into fetal position. What if something goes wrong, and she did have to marry Sasuke? What would her mother say? Does her mother even know –
At the thought of her mother, Sakura's heart leaped. She will know sooner or later, Sasuke's company is very famous, and the announcement would be on its way to prints and news reports by now. I have to call her, she thought. At the speed of lightning, she pulled her cellphone from under the pillow and dialed her mother's phone number. One ring, two rings, three rings. Mom please pick up.
On the fourth ring, a too familiar 'hello' muffled from the other end of the line. "Mom? Mom, did I wake you? I'm sorry, I-"
"Sakura, it's okay. It's my day off today, so I was just trying to catch some sleep. What's up, hon? Are you okay? What made you call?" Her mother's voice – Sakura could feel her throat burning, her eyes watering and stinging.
"Mom….mom, I really miss you." Sakura's voice shook. "Mom, I wish you were here, you could tell me what to do, what to say…Mom, I miss you," Trying hard to not cry, Sakura looked up at the fluorescent light on the ceiling.
"Darling, what's wrong?" Mrs. Haruno answered. "What's wrong, Sakura, I'm always here, I'm only a call away, honey, what's wrong?" Her voice was clear and loving.
"Mom…I've just been pulled into a really tough situation, and I need you to understand, okay, please," Sakura started. "I couldn't say no, ma, I just couldn't, I tried to but I couldn't…" her voice getting shakier, Sakura stood up and paced around the room. "Ma, I'm engaged." Silence that seemed like an eternity embraced the room, the building, the country, the world. "But ma, I need you to know, that it's not real."
A few more seconds of silence and her mother answered in a firm voice. "Sakura. What are you talking about?"
Sakura gave a big heavy sigh before starting. "Mom, the nephew of the guy who owns Uchiwa Motor Company – you know, the automaker – well, his brother isn't able to succeed their uncle for the company. So he turned to his brother, who happens to be my classma…friend - a nasty one at that I should add –and, well…it is required in his family to find a suitable wife for the future by the time he's eighteen. He chose me. I guess it's because I'm the only person who's nice to him or something," Sakura mentally snorted. "Mom, I tried to say no, but he's..he's scary, NO mom, he was not threatening me with weapons," Sakura said, upon her mother's worried gasp. "He's just..he's really kind of scary mom, and he seemed so…I don't know." Sakura paused for a few moments and sat down. "But he says we won't get married, ma! He assures that won't happen, he'll have everything sorted out by then, he says." She paused and tapped on the wall. "Mom, please do not tell anybody."
"Sakura…." Mrs. Haruno sighed. "I'd like..no, I will meet this boy, AND it is decided I will be going there this weekend," she added firmly as Sakura had begun to go against her mother's decision. "Oh, Sakura…What am I gonna do with you?" She added a chuckle.
"Mom, it wasn't my fault! And I'll have you know, that I will get him back for this. He owes me. He owes us both, mom, and I'll make sure that is carved in his head," Sakura angrily told her mother. She breathed deeply and listened to her mother's giggles from the other end. "Ma…..I really do miss you."
"Sweet pea, I miss you too. I'll see you this weekend, all right?" Mrs. Haruno answered. Sakura nodded, as if her mother was in the room with her, and finally shed one tear, which she wiped away quickly.
"Okay, mom. I love you."
The next morning at school wasn't any better. Lots of people still gave her looks, and an increasing group of girls would be at nearly every corner, glaring at her with daggers. Sakura, having already had other incidents at her previous schools, was a professional at acting like nothing really happened. This act unfortunately did not undo everything that happened. She walked into her first class to a huddle of girls around her and Sasuke's table. They all stopped to look at Sakura, and from within the circle of girls, was a clearly annoyed Uchiha, his hands twitching. He looked up at Sakura, and for a moment Sakura saw a look of relief and gratitude from seeing her face. He stood up and walked towards the girl.
"Hey," he greeted coolly. He stared at his fake fiancé, and forced a little smile which lasted half a second. "Do you want..do you want to walk around the halls with me for a bit?" He leaned down to add, "Bring your stuff with you.."
"Sure, I guess," Sakura replied in exasperation. "I need to talk to you anyway." She rolled her eyes at Sasuke's raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, dude, I'm not 'breaking up' with you."
The two walked out of the classroom, immediately getting glances from nearly every person present in the corridors. Naruto, from a water fountain ten rooms away, gave an incomprehensible but seemingly encouraging shout, and then a whistle. Sasuke and Sakura quickened their pace, ignoring the looks.
"So," Sakura began a little nervously. "I told my mom this whole thing is just pretend." Sasuke gave a look of disbelief, to which Sakura quickly added, "Sasuke's, she's my mother. And I promise you, she will not tell anyone."
"Well, you can't always trust family, you know." Sasuke put his hand on the small of Sakura's back, to which she winced. "People are staring, we have to do this. You know that."
"Sasuke, who the hell is she gonna tell?" Sakura retorted angrily but quickly composed herself. "But whatever. She wants to meet you. She's coming this weekend."
"That's four days from now! Three if she's coming Friday..Why didn't you tell me earlier?" The Uchiha demanded an explanation. While he still looked like the happy boyfriend he was supposed to be, Sakura could see the glint of anger and annoyance in his eye.
"Don't be complaining, you ass!" Sakura whispered. "What are you fussed up about anyway?"
Sasuke looked slightly taken aback. "It's…it's nothing. We should get back to class."
Four days of classwork, homework, lectures, glances, and whispers swept by. It was Saturday, and the red car Sakura's mother owned parked in front of Itachi's restaurant. Sakura practically leapt to the parking spot, and eagerly waited for her mother to open the car door, and once she did, Sakura gave her the fullest hug any daughter could give.
"Mom, oh my gosh, it's so good to hug you again…I didn't know if I could have survived until winter break." Sakura laughed, although it was quivering. Mrs. Haruno returned the hug, and the pair remained hugging for almost a full minute, using that time to catch up on each other's well being and the like.
"Ma, you'll like this place, Sasuke's brother owns it and don't worry, Sasuke said he'll pay for everything and speaking of Sasuke, he's being a little bi...jerk and he said he'll meet us here." Sakura didn't stop for a breath while taking her mother inside the restaurant and settling her into the private booth Itachi and his friends had given them. "I'll call him right now, mom, just wait here,"
Sakura stepped out of the booth and with a jumble of 'beeps', she waited for Sasuke to answer his phone. The boy picked up with a "huh,"
"Where are you!" Sakura exclaimed frantically but quietly into the phone. "My mother's here, I don't want her to be kept waiting, will you just tell me where you are and hurry up?" She pleaded.
"Calm down, I'm outside the restaurant. Meet me out front, it's only proper for you to be with me the moment I meet your mother," Sasuke replied coolly and hung up.
"Ugh," Sakura groaned, and quickly walked to the front of the restaurant, and out there waiting for her was Sasuke Uchiha.
But nicer looking. If that was even possible.
Sasuke's hair was slicked back, his usual spikes in the back of his hair down. He was in a perfectly ironed black and white suit, and his skin was even clearer than usual. He looked like the handsome main male characters shown in 1950s movies. Sakura looked away, her face red, after realizing she had been staring at him for quite a while. She looked back, this time, mischief in her eyes. "Did you put on make-up?" She questioned with a laugh. The Uchiha lowered his eyes, and sent the girl in front of him knives from his eyes. Sakura put her hand on her mouth to cover the smile on her face. "Why didn't you tell me you would be all prim and proper, I would have made more effort to fix myself up," she mumbled.
"Yeah, you should have." Sasuke said smugly, and held out his arm. His cheeks slightly blushed. "You look fine. Y..you should put your arm around mine. Like in the movies. It'll look nicer when meeting your mom." He said, looking down at the cement. Sakura gave a face of amusement and slight uncomfort, but obeyed anyway. The two walked into the restaurant, received a few smirks from Itachi's friends, and paused before their booth. Sasuke looked at Sakura a little worriedly (which he tried to conceal). The latter rolled her eyes at him, and opened the door.
"Hi, mom!" Sakura happily exclaimed. Her mother widened her eyes at the sight of her daughter and the more than handsome young man with her. "This is Sasuke Uchiha." She stared fixedly at the boy, and gave him a welcoming and loving smile. Seeing her mother's reaction, Sakura knew Sasuke had won. He had already been given the permission to officially be Sakura's fake fiancé with just the look on her mother's eye, and along with the bright gleam in her eyes, she knew her mother would have been totally fine with her being his real fiancé as well.
"Hi, Mrs. Haruno," Sasuke said coolly, glancing at Sakura then giving the older Haruno the most charming smile she had ever seen – the both of them had ever seen. "You look lovely today." Sasuke complimented.
xx hi guys! hope you enjoyed that chapter, i learned a lot from my composition class this semester, so i hope that chapter was a bit nicer to read. and again (this will keep happening okay) i'm really sorry for the delay, but school ;_; thank you all for the lovely reviews, you guys are really nice, i hope you guys find twenty dollars on the ground okay. i love you all~
R&R would be nice, heheh.
