AN: One hour early (my time zone, anyway) because I'm 98% certain I'll forget to post tomorrow. ;)

Enjoy!


30 minutes and $40 later, I emerged from the store, holding the bag with Chouji's shirt in one hand, two of the latest Doctor Who Classic comics tucked under my other arm. *That should have been enough time to shop for clothes,* I think to myself.

I walk back up the street, looking past the mannequins in the window this time, and spotting the now-familiar pink bob, currently bobbing up and down in excitement next to a silvery-blonde head. I stop involuntarily and look directly at the store, dropping my bags.

*No…*

Standing in front of Ino, my Ino, is Sai. He holds Ino's right hand up to his lips, pressing them gently against her pale knuckles before smiling that stupid, shitty grin at her.

I ball my fists together tightly, willing myself to stay calm despite the murderous rage threatening to turn my vision red. *Calm down, Shika… It could mean anything. Sai's weird like that…*

But the look on Ino's face says everything I'm telling myself is wrong. The hand not being molested rests over her open mouth, her eyes watering and shining brightly, even across the street.

I will myself to look away. But my body refuses to listen; I remain hostage, forced to watch as the girl I loved for 10 years nod fiercely at the snake-faced bastard in front of her. My stomach twists sickeningly as she hugs him tightly. He hesitates, then returns the hug. Not soon enough, Ino lets go, smiling and wiping away a tear, before turning to the now-still Sakura.

"Aw, they got together already? I missed it!"

I jolt out of my trance, turning to see TenTen standing nearby, clutching her own bag of comic store paraphernalia and offering me a skewed smile. "Although, I always kind of thought it would be you two to get together. I guess you guys are just too good as friends, eh?"

Before I have a chance to respond, she turns back to the store, raises the arm not held down and waves. I turn numbly back to the shop. Sai stares back for a moment before smiling eerily and waving. I suppress an involuntary shudder and turn away from TenTen, walking towards the closest alley.

"Don't tell Ino I was here."

"Uh... Okay then, I guess…" she calls as I walk away. "I'll see you later?"

...

I walk aimlessly for a while, not really paying much attention to anything and trying hard not to think. I didn't want to think about what had just happened, what might be happening just now, what might continue to happen…

A snap! beneath my foot brings me back to consciousness. I pick up my foot and look at the broken twig I had stepped on. Unthinkingly, I had walked all the way to the edge of town and beyond, into the woods that surrounded it.

*Not surprising… I've always felt at peace here.*

I find a tree with a good view and sit down, leaning against its trunk as I watch the clouds pass. I stay there for a while, watching the sky change from pale blue to navy. The sky had reached a burnt orange by the time I figure I should turn my phone on.

I reach in my pocket, looking tiredly at the screen. I wonder vaguely how many messages I would have from my mom by now. The phone chimes as it turns on, revealing that I have 27 new voicemails and twice as many texts. I scroll through the texts.

Most of them were from Naruto:

[HEY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU]

[DUDE, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?]

[WE MET UP WITH THE GIRLS. K GOT HIS ASS KICKED BY H.]

[TURN YOUR PHONE ON]

One of them was from TenTen:

[Hey, I've got your bags. Weird shirt, but awesome choice in comics! I'll give you the bags at school. We should talk "Who!"]

Neji:

[Don't text my girl. I'll give your bags to Chouji.]

*Possessive bastard.*

I skim over the rest of the texts; mostly from people I don't remember ever giving my number to. I was skimming over a text from Lee, something about running laps around the school on his hands - *Why is he even by the school?* - when my phone rings. A picture of Naruto's face appears on the screen, a cheesy photo of him in his trademark superhero pose. I hit the speaker button.

"Yo."

"SHIKAMARU!" Naruto's garbled voice comes over through the speaker. *Another one who thinks you have to shout into the phone.* "WHERE'D YOU GO?! WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU ALL DAY!"

"Chouji knows where to find me."

"CHOUJI, EH?!" I hear muffled sounds as Naruto moves the phone away from his mouth. "Hey, Chouji! Shikamaru says you know where he is! You fat bastard!…What? No, no, I said 'rat,' not 'fat…' Chouji, my man, remember all the good times! NO, PLEASE—" Click!

*Huh.*

By now, the sky had turned [purple?], but no stars are out yet. I sigh inwardly, figuring Chouji would come get me eventually. *Might as well make it back to the road.*

I stand up and look around in the twilight, trying to figure which direction the road is in. I had grown up in the woods, so I knew all the tricks to finding my way to where I needed to go.

Suddenly, my cell rings. A picture of me, Ino, and Chouji flashes on the screen.

Last year, when I had gotten my phone, Ino had taken it and added pictures to all the contacts, making hers and Chouji's the same before changing both names to "Best Friend." Right now, I really wish I hadn't been too lazy to change it back. My heart pounds as I hit "answer."

"Hello?" I answer, slightly, breathless.

"We need to talk."


[OMAKE]

Strange: Now seems like a good time for a cliffhanger! So who will be on the other side of the phone? Chouji? Ino? Some random third person you don't know about?

Shikamaru: My money's on—

Strange: YOU DON'T GET TO GUESS!

Sai: The real question is when do I get to see Ino naked?

Strange: …

Shikamaru: …

Sai: What?

***SEE YOU NEXT WEEK***