Chapter 8: Disappearance
All I could see was the color red. A deep crimson, a bright scarlet, all different shades, but made up of the same substance. That very substance being my older brother's blood.
A two-faced bastard who abandoned his own family during their time of need. Who left his father and mother unstable with his only younger brother. Because of him, my father...my father...I wasn't comfortable with even thinking about it. All I knew was that the bastard had to die, he deserved it.
My eyes roamed the white ceiling above me, the faintest swirls of white paint visible. The painters my parents had hired years ago hadn't done a very good job, but then again, I wasn't one for interior design.
Stretching my arms high above my head, I relaxed my entire body, allowing it to sink into the soft padding of the mattress. It had only been a few hours ago when I'd last seen her, bandages and what-not. She looked the same as usual. White skin, soft hair, nervous and flustered expression, pink cheeks. The only difference however were the bruises that looked as though they'd been branded intentionally into her neck. A deep purple, swollen, with markings that screamed abuse. I let the thought sink in for a moment. Was that it? Was she being abused in her own home by her own parents?
Thinking about it though, it wasn't as if her entire body was covered in bruises or anything. I mean, I'd seen the girl half-naked before, sort of, not to mention the short bloomers girls were required to wear during gym class. She showed plenty of leg during that period, enough to make the guys ogle her that is.
With a sigh, I closed my eyes. Hinata didn't look like the type of daughter that would be abused, but then again, who did? What went on in a family's home, besides my own, was none of my business.
"It's...none of your business."
Her words continually echoed within my mind, poking at me, annoying me as if on purpose. The face she'd shown me was one I'd never seen before. Regret, anger, and sadness was all that could be read just from her expression alone. Her large and fawn-like eyes were filled with tears as she stared at me, her reaction responding from mine.
I reached up and touched the side of my face, wincing slightly at how swollen my cheek had gotten. She definitely hadn't been holding herself back when she'd decided to slap me earlier, despite her doll-like appearance.
As I recalled the memory of her tear-filled eyes, my heart began to pound unsteadily beneath my chest. There was something about her crying face that excited me. Her smiling face reminded me of someone I hated. Someone I'd trust entirely with my own being. Someone who'd betrayed me, leaving nothing behind but bad memories.
The two were alike in a way, yet also completely different. And since my brother wasn't here, I'd have to settle for the girl.
She was his scapegoat.
When I first met her, I thought to myself 'What an annoying girl.'
She became the center of attention the minute she set foot inside the classroom. She was envied by the girls, and like a bone, thrown into a pack of wolves, or horny boys. She was a petite, shy and quiet beauty that unintentionally emitted pheromones.
After helping her from a group of boys during gym class however, she unexpectedly clung to me, desperate for a life support.
I had no intention of getting involved with her any further, but she continually pursued me, quite pathetically I might add. That day in the infirmary, she'd made her feelings clear, her feelings towards me that is.
It was then that I decided to play a little game with her. A game in which I would be able to crush her.
The smiles she'd given me during our first meeting, and after, constantly reminded me of my brother. Seeing her innocent face made me want to watch her break. With the way things were going now though, the breaking part was something that I'd have to wait for.
But then again, it was worth it.
Naruto and I were paired up in gym that day to work together on stretches.
He held out his hand. I reluctantly grabbed it as he hoisted me up, squatting down with his back facing me.
I scoffed. "I wouldn't exactly count you as human, but the bathroom's over there," I pointed out.
"What'd you say, bastard?!" He pumped his fist in the air. As if that was enough to provoke me. I rolled my eyes.
Anko blew her whistle, jabbing a finger at us. "YOU TWO OVER THERE, DO YOUR STRETCHES PROPERLY!!"
Naruto huffed at me. "Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna climb on?"
I sighed, moving to position my back against his, and hook my arms with him as he lifted me up. We went at it a few more times, switching positions every five minutes until Anko blew her shrill whistle.
"Now I want ten laps around the field, so move it people!"
Japanese literature never failed to be as boring as usual that day. I'd taken my seat in the back and took this chance to pretend I was paying attention in class, when in reality, my eyes never left the empty seat of the girl who'd sat there only yesterday.
I bit down on the tip of my thumb-nail. Where could she have been? Was she skipping school today because of yesterday's incident, or was she actually out sick? Turning over my notebook, I tucked it away inside my bag, not at all in the mood to learn anything.
The bell rang. Chairs scraped the floor noisily as students stood up, packing away their belongings to move onto the next class. With a sigh, I picked up my bag as well and decided to head over to the infirmary. Skipping a class or two for the day shouldn't have hurt.
Sliding open the door, I stepped in, greeted by the cool and sweeping breeze of the air conditioning. The nurse, in her long white coat, twirled around to face me, her clipboard and pen in hand.
"Name?"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
She crossed her legs and looked up at me. "And what seems to be the problem, Uchiha-san?"
I unbuttoned my blazer, while loosening my tie in the process. "I'm not feeling too well," I replied. "Would it be alright for me to lie down?"
Standing up, she crossed the room to place a hand over my forehead, a smirk playing over her full red lips. "Oh my, you have quite the fever." Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around the back of my head, pulling me down, which left our faces inches apart. She removed her glasses, slipping them into the pocket of her coat with ease as she pressed her body against mine. "Lying down may be the best thing for you to do at the moment." She gently pressed her warm lips against the arch of my throat, nuzzling her face into my chest.
"For you to say one thing and do another, I'm not surprised."
She chuckled, sliding her hands down the front of my chest, her gaze entranced. "If it's for you, Uchiha-kun, I'd gladly do anything." She led me to the bed and shoved me down, straddling herself on top of me. "You're the only one."
I unbuttoned her blouse and watched as she did the rest herself.
"You're not a very good school nurse, are you?"
"Good evening, Uchiha-sama. Welcome home."
I stared at the new girl who stood before me. My mother must've fired the last one.
She bowed, allowing her silk-like hair to fall over her shoulders. Raising her head, her gray eyes locked with mine for about a second before she turned away, her cheeks flushed red.
"I...I apologize," she muttered, lowering her head once again.
"Hn." I walked right past her and up the stairs. I had to be seeing things. For a second there, she reminded me of... I shook my head. What the hell was I thinking?
It wasn't until I'd bumped shoulders with someone that I came back to reality. My mother walked past me, her eyes blank of any emotion. I watched as she went down the stairs, leaving for work. The women was rarely home. And when she was, she only stayed for about a day. I sighed and went into my room.
Closing the door behind me, I unbuttoned my shirt and headed for the bathroom. Removing the rest of my clothes before stepping into the shower.
I'm sick of this...
"Morning Sasuke-kuuuun!"
Sakura threw her arms around me from behind, her hands exploring my torso this time. I gently pushed her away. "If you have something to say, then just say it." Even though I don't really want to even hear it.
Her green eyes were sparkling with pride and excitement. "The most amazing thing happened!" she smiled, looking more like a child than ever.
I rolled my eyes, disinterested. "What?"
"I forgot to mention it before," she began, while tying her hair up with a hairband "but two or three days back, I saved this really pretty girl from a bunch of perverts."
"Hn, that so...?" I quickened my pace, hoping to catch her by the lockers, and praying, that Sakura would stop boring me with her meaningless stories.
"Ah! Sasuke-kun, wait up! I'm not even done telling my story yet!" she cried.
I ignored her and ran for the school building. To my annoyance, the locker bay was filled as usual with its everyday students. There was no sign of a girl with dark-blue hair and white skin.
I silently cursed in frustration. Damn it, where the hell is she?
Hinata's POV:
I laid upon the bed, my arm dangling off the edge, my body cold, limp, and sore. He traced a long finger down my chest, his hand resting upon my stomach, gradually sliding down towards the inside of my thighs.
I was so tired, so unbearably tired that for a second, I thought it would be best to just kill myself.
Hanabi slept peacefully in her room, thankfully unaware of what was actually going on inside this house. If she were to ever find out-I shuddered at the very thought. That alone was worse than death itself. I was not afraid to die, this is true, but for some reason, I felt compelled to stay alive, as if...I had to. They say suicide does nothing, but does it really? Isn't dying the best way to escape ones fear and pain?
The room was dark, illuminated only slightly by the moonlight that broke through the transparent silk curtains. I was cold from the wind that blew in through the window, and my mind was groggy with sleep. I shivered. I wanted to sleep so badly, if only for a few minutes, if only I could rest and forget about the world around me. And yet...
"We're not done yet," he whispered, his voice soft against my ear.
...I knew he would not let me.
