Chapter 11: Quell Your Imperfections

"If I said I knew what was better
You would start a fire
Just to say you did.

Your body language is so clever.
Call it whatever you like
I call it what it is."

-The Heirs

Naruto was stirred from his sleep that morning by the sounds of rustling books and huffed breathing. He looked over at the source of the commotion with bleary, weakened eyes.

His roommate was piling textbooks into his backpack. "Sorry to wake you," Sasuke said when he saw Naruto staring at him.

"It's fine," Naruto stated gruffly as he rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing, though? I thought you don't start classes until later?"

Sasuke didn't meet his gaze. "I'm going to go study with Sakura. Finals are just around the corner, after all."

Naruto felt his stomach drop at hearing Sakura's name. It was like he was going behind his friend's back whenever the girl was brought up in conversation. She was always present in the blond's thoughts too, and that pushed the shame deeper into his heart. He was the only one doing anything wrong, and that fact still didn't stop him from relishing his immoral fantasies.

Sasuke put on his backpack, and Naruto called out to him. "How are you two doing, anyways?"

"Fine, I guess." There was a line of hesitation in his voice as he said that.

Naruto picked up on his friend's pause. "You sure?"

"It's just—" The man wasn't good at expressing his thoughts, even to Naruto, so the inner battle in his jet-black eyes always seemed to wage on. "I think my leave to Japan will affect us."

And just like that, Naruto felt something he immediately regretted – hope. Perfidious ideas invaded his mind at blurring speeds. His roommate had mentioned a few days earlier during his announcement of departure to the blond that Sakura would remain here on campus during the summer. Naruto didn't realize all the opportunities that could be presented to him with Sasuke's absence until just now. But then he really would be scum if he took advantage of that. He would be a traitor, and to more than one person too.

Despite his insidious revelation, Naruto simply said: "Yeah."

"She's really great, Naruto. I think she's too good for me." Sasuke wasn't looking at him. He was gazing off at nowhere, to where she was.

She was too good for all of them, Naruto thought. They didn't deserve her. "She is pretty great. Well, have fun studying."

"Thanks. We're going to keep studying after classes too, so I probably won't be back until later tonight."

"OK," Naruto replied as he watched Sasuke reach for the door.

Before Sasuke opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, he looked at his roommate. The look he gave him was complex. It appeared to be flat, but it was actually layered. And at the very bottom of all those layers, Naruto sensed his friend's fears and knowledge.

And then he left.

Naruto got out of bed and took a shower shortly after his friend was gone. As he got ready for the day, Naruto felt like Sasuke knew more than he gave him credit for.

The earthy, herbal scent of coffee drifted around the quaint café. Ino had become accustomed to the smell long ago. She didn't even notice it anymore. Despite her familiarity, she could still be caught staring at the lobby with glimmering eyes whenever the circumstances were just right.

On a quiet night before the doors were closed and the employees went home, the shop would occasionally yield the best side of itself. There were only a few customers that ever came in during these hours, so the ambience was usually kept still and dimly lit. If she wasn't running around the store to get her tasks done, then Ino would sometimes be able to stop by the main counter and appreciate the little lobby. These were her favorite times.

That night, the black world bounced out from the large windows and welcomed Ino's imagination to a sense of comfort and appeal. The light pollution of the city didn't reveal any stars, but because of the serene textures of the night, it was easy for Ino to imagine them. She could practically feel their burning heat pop out from the velvet sky and welcome her musings.

Even her misgivings on her relationship with Naruto couldn't sully her mood now. She loved that man, but the distance between them was increasing every day, little by little. After her talk with Dr. Nara, Ino knew she had to make things right with her boyfriend, but the conversation wasn't as easy to start as it seemed then. Every time she tried to confront the blond, the mood just didn't seem right. His demeanor had been lackluster as of late. She figured it had to do mostly with his mother's health, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else going on, something hidden away from curious eyes. She didn't expect Naruto of being disloyal or anything, but something along those lines didn't seem too far-fetched to her – not with the current lull between them.

But Ino didn't want her mind to dig too deeply into those details, so she distracted herself with the peaceful, homey call of the night. Through the front windows of the shop, the hushed street lined parallel to the parking lot next to it. The black top faded into the dark, but even that seemed beautiful to her tranquil senses. Ino almost allowed herself to slip into a gray sleep, pulled by the dreamy allures of the evening.

But like every dream, there was a nightmare lurking behind it.

Ino barely noticed the old Ford Bronco enter the parking lot. It wasn't really until she heard the truck's door slam that she was jostled from her somewhat-comatose state.

Tenten walked into the front from the backroom then. Ino had gotten her the job there at the shop about a month ago. She had come into the blonde's room one morning with desperation dripping from her face, pleading about needing a job because her family had cut off her funding. Ino was in rather good standing with her manager, so getting her friend the position had been painless. Tenten was a hard worker to boot and made Ino's part in the scenario that much easier.

After the incident that occurred that very night; however, Ino regretted ever getting Tenten the job.

Tenten noticed the Bronco in the lot with a bored expression. "Maybe they'll go to the sub shop?" she asked with no semblance of hope.

Ino didn't feel the usual pull of apathy at that moment. Because when a lone man exited the truck and stood in the empty lot, she could sense the dread. It didn't creep up like a shadow like it usually did for the commoners who anticipated the future – the ones who driveled on about their dramatic lives in grimy dive bars. No. Ino felt this malevolent intent immediately, like a cold dark slap to the face. Maybe it was the eerie yellow glow of the streetlights. Or maybe it was the black hoodie the man was wearing that elicited the stereotypical fear of what was normally considered perverse. Maybe she just didn't like the guy's face. Whatever it was, Ino didn't trust it.

The man crossed to the front door of the shop with a slow, almost careless gait. It took Ino multiple seconds of frozen observation to notice he was wearing black combat boots. Suddenly, she wished she had never watched a second of TV news, that she had never sacrificed her precious time for the exaggerated reports of mutilated victims and lost children, because every ounce of fear-mongering babble newscasters were known for coated her nerves then and made her shiver in icy terror.

Despite the temptation to remain rooted to her spot like a petrified mammal, Ino's feet dragged her to the far end of the counter. At this side of the store, there was a small alcove used for storing coffee beans. If a person pressed themselves into the little far corner of this opening, they would be hidden from the greater view of the lobby. Tenten didn't even notice as Ino sank into this hiding place. Later, after the whole ordeal blew past in a heated haze, Ino would wish she had warned Tenten or said something to put the girl on edge. But after thinking about it for many months afterward, she realized that her friend probably wouldn't have listened to her anyway. It was a little too eccentric of a notion in the smaller cities that were drunk with complacency. Who would go looking for trouble in places like this? Surely, people were smarter than that. No one expected such scary events to happen in their home. That was always the neighbor's grief and never their own. But Ino knew. She knew because her emotions were too high and aware lately. She knew trouble when it came because she was always in trouble. Her whole life was trouble, and so was this man.

Tenten yawned and moved over to the cash register, unaware of her friend cowering in the corner. She summoned a small polite smile when the man stepped into the lobby.

The man's face was bare – no sunglasses on his face and Ino was thankful for the relief of that cliché – to reveal his square jaw and brown eyes. In better lighting, with the right touch of clothing and mood, he might have been considered handsome. But to Ino, shaking and glued to her little hole in the wall, he could have been the devil himself.

The hooded man said nothing as he approached the counter. Tenten kept that smile plastered on her mug. In that hideous moment of horror, Ino hated that smile. She could make it out clearly that night, and she never forgot it. Whenever she remembered the incidents of that night, she remembered that stupid smile. It was as fake as the look Naruto gave her when he said he cared for her. No one cared for her. To care meant that you would give your all for something, but Naruto would only give his time to her. He would dream of giving away his thoughts to someone else. Yes, she was sure of it in that perfect moment of dismay. Did anyone ever think of her? Could anyone spare her an authentic second glance? No, everything was as plastic and useless as that fucking smile.

"Hi," Tenten said cheerfully to the man, "what can I get started for you?"

There was fear in the man's eyes when he raised the pistol from his coat pocket. Ino wasn't even that surprised to see it. But Tenten was. The poor girl looked like some kind of bug with her eyes wide and shiny like dinner plates. Shit, girl, Ino thought, at least have some dignity. She almost laughed out loud at the irony laced within that thought. She was the one acting like a bug, trembling in the corner as if she were a worm.

There was a looseness in the hooded man's voice as he said: "You scream and I pull the trigger. Open the register."

Tenten nodded fervently. Her head might have fallen off if she kept nodding, but she obeyed before that happened and opened the register.

Ino watched on with a fixed fascination. Her eyes were especially locked onto the gun, its sleek black metal barrel pointing at her friend's head. In one second, that weapon could end a life. It could take away an existence in a fiery bang, and there would be nothing but memories left. The man had that kind of power in that moment. And she was drawn to that power, unable to fully release her attention from it. But Ino had some control left too. Her hands were not mesmerized by the pistol; they were moving into her pocket and pulling out her cell.

Ino should have simply pressed the three numbers that would bring forces with even more power to subjugate the evil in the coffee shop. But there was still a feeling of yearning in her. There was still a scared little girl that couldn't cope with the fact that she wasn't loved. Her thoughts were too fixated on him. She couldn't help it. She pressed the speed dial button, and the contact name flashed on her phone screen.

She was calling Naruto, and she couldn't explain why.

Meanwhile, on the college campus, Naruto was walking to his car. He had just finished his night class, but his mind was not centered on the material he had learned that night. He was in that muddled state of mind that few men could really describe but most were well-acquainted with. He couldn't really determine what this drifting feeling was about, and that specific fleeting conception was just close enough to pinpoint the mood, so very close. And when the moonlit grass field between him and the parking lot opened to him, he could really only know the hollowness in his heart.

In that field, there was release. It wasn't clear or concise. It was long and addled with intricacies he didn't care to analyze. He just wanted to rest, to really let his mind take a breather for once. He was tired of thinking about her and what she was doing to his poor head. Because not knowing what to feel was a terrible thing. It was like asking a man to perform a task he knew he couldn't do, but he wasn't able to refuse. It was sadistic, and it was one of the truths he was certain of.

Truth was a hard reality to come by anymore. Dr. Nara talked about it a lot in his classes, but it felt so far away from Naruto that it might as well have been on the moon. He didn't know why he couldn't forget Sakura. He didn't know why traces of pink hairs kept flickering across his vision. He didn't know why there was a sweet, harrowing tug in his chest whenever he saw her. The uncertainty was the hardest part. It was just too cruel because it never satisfied anything. It could only remind the heart that it was unruly and corrupted with indecisiveness. That constant reminder was merciless; as if he was an exhausted prisoner being awakened as soon as he was about to dream, and Sakura was always the one waking him with her fresh minty eyes twinkling before him. She wouldn't let him sleep. He couldn't reach any conclusions with her tormenting his thoughts. Damn it, there was only one true thing he knew about her, one bright verifiable truth he couldn't deny – he wanted to be with her.

That realization heartened him a little, as if he could feel his steps float a little more as they traversed through the field. He liked being around her. Yes, that was a truth he could really work with. It was just malleable enough for him to dream about. Her presence was a soothing balm to his inner burns. He knew he could sleep with that nice notion, just trimming around him like a warm blanket. If he could just enjoy that, then maybe he could handle the painful parts. Maybe unrequited love wasn't so bad. Sure, it made him sweat sometimes, and there were moments of cold recollection where he felt like he was being swallowed whole by his emotions, but there were worse things. His mother had cancer, and that was by far the more problematic issue in his life. Years from now, he would probably wish he had focused more on his mom's health than his complicated relationship with Sakura.

But that didn't make it easier, did it?

No.

It still hurt because that was how feelings worked. They didn't care what the soul went through in the past. They just reminded a person where their presence was, and that made them helpful. Well, maybe they were trying to be helpful, but Naruto sure didn't get that vibe lately. He just needed some clarification. The night on the beach with Sakura had gotten his heart to flare up. Ino had tried so hard to calm him down too. She kept pulling him back to the ground where things were stable. But the allurement of the clouds and that airy smile – the same one where he could soar above all the worries and ordeals – were just too strong. He had to join them.

He had to escape.

And when the Corolla came rolling by the curb in front of him, Naruto could see the clouds break away, and he was ready to fly between them.

Sakura rolled down the car window and popped her head out, smiling like she had just caught him thinking about her. "Don't I know you?" she asked as her smile expanded.

Naruto managed to fight against his surprise at seeing her so suddenly. He was somehow able to easily slide his next words out, his own grin matching hers. "Maybe. You're that girl who keeps asking everyone for money, right?"

Sakura giggled at that, and he couldn't perceive of a better sound; it made him feel like he could do it. He could do it. He could really handle the pain if it meant he could hear that sound every now and again.

"Where you headed to?" Sakura asked.

Naruto blinked. He wasn't actually certain of his destination. He hadn't even thought about it until she mentioned it. Sure, he was headed to his car, but what then? Had he been planning to go see Ino at the store? Go to his parent's place? Go to the beach for another one of his moments of self-reflection? And this was where the problem was, he surmised. He was aimless – lost in his world of introspective angst.

Thus, he was stuck with this question and when a man is stuck with a question, there is only one thing he can do: tell the truth. "I don't know," he admitted after a deliberate pause.

Sakura looked at him for a moment then glanced at the empty passenger seat next to her. "You want to hop in then?"

"To where?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere."

With that, Naruto supposed that maybe being aimless wasn't as bad as he initially thought – not if you could feel it together. As he walked around to the passenger side of the car, his phone started to vibrate. He opened the car door and looked at Sakura apologetically. His screen said Ino was calling him. The picture of her profile in his contacts flashed brightly at him. It was a photo he had taken of her a month ago on the beach. She was grinning brilliantly at the camera with the sea behind her. That smile seemed to claw at him and pull him towards a hole of guilt.

He quickly climbed out of that hole and turned his phone off.

Sakura gave him a quizzical smile as he got in the vehicle and closed the door. "Something wrong?"

"Nope," he answered with a listless smile, "nothing at all."

Sakura pushed the Corolla into drive, exited the parking lot, and turned onto the highway that led to the ocean. There was a stretch of silence between the two of them for a mile or so. As the lull increased in time, so did Naruto's anxiety. A webbed tension tugged in his stomach, and his seat felt stiff like a board. It had been so much easier back on the beach with her, he thought. His mood had been sharper then, and the words had flowed smoothly. But now his thoughts were far stronger, and they wouldn't let his mouth take over.

He wanted to say something, to enjoy the pull and allure of speaking to the source of his desires. But every time he found a topic to bring up, a dark tree or night figure distracted him.

If Naruto was being honest, he wanted to be distracted right now. He didn't want to focus on something so radiant in his world because it blocked out everything else. He didn't deserve to be so close to her. She was impossibly beautiful, and he couldn't compare to her. He was too addicted to her; and no sense of guilt, no matter how great or small, could stop him from coming back to her. He was a slave to the agony of waking up to her constant shaking. He liked not dreaming because reality was sweeter than dreams. Sure, it hurt him and the ones around him. But it felt amazing when she smiled with those glimmering emerald eyes seeing him for what felt like the first time. She really saw him too; she granted permission for him to view her, and she acknowledged him. He was so unworthy of her attention too, so brutally pathetic.

When the black surge of the waves erupted above the dashboard and the Corolla turned north to run parallel to the shoreline, Sakura allowed for something even better than acknowledgement to reach Naruto. That honeyed voice came dripping into his ears, and he was instantly captivated by it, as if nothing else could ever satiate his needs. "So, how's everything going with you?"

It was a casual question, but it accelerated his pulse nevertheless. He clamped his lips together to keep from stammering off impulse and took a moment to collect himself. He almost took too long because Sakura was looking at him awkwardly by the time he answered her. "It's all right, I guess." He suddenly noticed a certain detail that had come up earlier that morning. It stuck out in his mind like an old book spine did on a crowded bookshelf. "Where's Sasuke, by the way? I thought you two would still be studying."

Naruto liked to consider himself an observant man, but his current affections for the girl sitting next to him dulled – not an uncommon occurrence for most men in his shoes – his senses considerably. If he had been paying more attention and maybe if the lighting in the little car had been better, then he might have noticed the disdainful frown Sakura displayed at hearing her boyfriend's name. Perhaps, it didn't matter if he noted it or not because the frown was gone before she responded. She even replaced her disdain with a carefree smile – that he did notice. "We just got done studying actually. That's why I wanted to take a little drive, so I could get a break in."

"Is that a regular thing you do when you're stressed?" he asked. "Drive around?" Naruto hoped he wasn't being nosy with that question, but he supposed they were long past the depth this conversation was in.

Sakura shrugged. "Sometimes. I only do it when I really need to think about something. A time to really meditate on the more complicated things. I think everybody should have a little habit like that, you know?"

The blond could feel the tension in his stomach dwindle away. The conversation was starting to get exciting. "Yeah, I agree with that. I do something like that too when I need to think."

There was almost a layer of politeness in his Sakura's voice when she said: "Is that so? I'm glad." It took Naruto a second to realize that she was actually showing him something he didn't expect to hear at that moment: authenticity.

Naruto felt warmed by that. His seat was no longer stiff, and his back simply melded into it. Words were easy to exchange now, more natural. "But it's good you guys are studying. I keep telling myself to, but I probably won't start until the weekend right before Finals like I always do."

Sakura blessed him with that melodious giggle once again. There weren't any clouds now in his way. He knew he could soar freely with that harmonious music lifting the very air around him. "Yeah, we all tell ourselves that, don't we?"

Naruto smiled at her with a real vibrancy. He was gaining something from her; it was something he couldn't get from the woman who called earlier. Its taste was delicious and forbidden.

"But everything else is good?" she asked, concern prevalent in her face.

And here it was, Naruto realized with cold perception. He would have to talk about his mother now. She was obviously talking about that, and he just didn't want to right now. They talked about it earlier on the beach, but that didn't seem to stem from any obligation. It wasn't that he minded the topic itself, but the forced comprehension of everyone who heard his feelings about his mother was too much to handle. Nobody understood it, and that was fine in and of itself. He just didn't really expect anyone to get it. Besides, what truly bothered him was when others pretended they got it, as if they thought empathy was simply feeling the same pain as the person next to you. He didn't want to see Sakura act like that; it didn't suit her style. It tainted the version of her in his mind.

"You can always talk to me, you know."

Her words from the beach seemed louder to him now, like he couldn't actually hear real sound until that moment. He didn't doubt her ability to handle and understand his feelings, but he was too scared to get deep with her. She hadn't completely presented her heart to him, so how could he do the same? That was what couples did, and that wasn't going to happen. He wasn't a cheater and neither was Sakura. But then why did he turn his phone off, knowing his girlfriend was trying to reach him? He was worse than a cheater now. He was something so bad that he couldn't even come up with a label for it.

If he couldn't be honest about his feelings involving his mother, then maybe it was all right to give Sakura a little bit of his heart. Just a little, he decided. Nothing too deep. Nothing too strong. He knew if he showed her too much underneath the surface, then he wouldn't be able to climb back out.

"No, I don't think it is," he finally stated slowly after considering it for a while.

To Naruto's surprise, she didn't ask him to expound on that. She simply nodded and said: "I see. Sorry if I'm prying, but I'm glad you know that."

Naruto blinked and looked straight at the advancing road through the windshield. Was she not going to say anymore? Wasn't she curious? "You're…glad?" he inquired.

She smirked a little, like she had been expecting that reaction. "Yeah. Most people who go through a rough patch in life either say they're fine when asked or actually believe they really are. The second is far worse than the first and usually is a result of the lie being told over and over again." She beamed at him. It was dazzling. "So, I'm glad to see you're not lying to yourself, Naruto."

Naruto's eyes were wide and clear at hearing that. He knew she wouldn't pester him about it any further than that. She was patient and would wait for him to be ready to talk. The time would come when he would need to let it all out, and she would be willing to listen. It would be far more proper for that privilege to go to his girlfriend, but he wasn't going to think about that right now. Ino was in another world now with her calls actually being answered. He didn't deserve a girl like that either. He didn't deserve happiness, but he yearned for it so deeply. And it was sitting right next to him.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

Sakura didn't respond. She had made her point and gave him the time to think about her words. The grade of the road increased then, and the Corolla clambered up it with ease, its little four-cylinder engine humming pleasantly. When they reached the apex of the jutting cliff, Sakura parked the car on the side of the curb. It was the same place where Sasuke had taken her on their first date, but she kept that to herself.

Naruto looked curiously at her as she stepped out of the car. This spot was familiar, but it wasn't special to him. Somehow, he knew it was to her and not only to her. That thought gave him caution. If this was a special place for her and Sasuke, then he was in dangerous territory. Then again, maybe he had always been. Ever since he and Sasuke had met this amazing woman, trouble may have already crept in.

Sakura approached the thin rail overlooking the drop. Naruto joined her. The lights of the city blinked at the end of the bay, and he could hear the busy waves drown out any noise civilization may have made. The dark sky was cloudless, and the night was easy to enjoy. The ghosts of space showered their affection down on the two onlookers so much that even the moon couldn't cease their torrent.

Standing next to her, Naruto felt almost complete. If being in her vicinity was all it took to make him feel whole, then maybe he should be taking a risk. On second thought, he was taking enough of those just by being with her. There was a point where an upright man should turn back. Too bad he wasn't that kind of guy, not anymore.

"It's so beautiful," Sakura commented, drawing Naruto out of his gloom.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. But he was no longer looking at the view.

Her eyes – so lush and full – were alive. He knew just by seeing them that she was admiring the beauty around her, drinking its form so effortlessly. She was enraptured by something, and that acceptance seemed to heighten her own magnificence.

She glowed in the dark, and only he could see her.

Sakura turned to meet his gaze, and she didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that he was staring at her. "I'm glad you're here, Naruto."

Naruto couldn't feel his feet; they were suddenly numb. His heart was thumping so much that he couldn't imagine the dullness in his lower body had anything to do with a lack of blood flow. She sounded so sincere when she said that though, he thought. She sounded like she really meant it.

"Why?" he asked calmly. It was a query born from impulse, and he needed the answer. It was long overdue.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she coughed slightly. "W-what?" She coughed again and then laughed. "Sorry, that caught me off-guard. I was hoping you'd just repeat it back or something."

When she realized her nonchalance wasn't being returned – as evidenced by his silent, piercing look that matched the ocean she loved so dearly – Sakura's expression became more somber. "Because you're important to me, Naruto. I like being around you."

Was it OK to feel such happiness? Such blissful feelings were not meant for his miserable soul. She actually enjoyed being around her? Naruto couldn't believe it. Every rational part of his brain was shouting at him not to get carried away. Surely, she meant it platonically. She obviously enjoyed Sasuke's presence more than his. Why else would she be with him?

Amidst the rational facets of his mind, there was a recollection of something Dr. Nara had said to him on one of his first days in class. The professor had mentioned something about people spending their time where they wish to. Unless it's against their will, everybody is where they are because they want to be there. Even when his classmates were groaning during lecture, they were there because they wished to be. There was some reason they could justify if they had to for being there in that present moment. People typically took for granted how much control they had over their lives. Dr. Nara had said all this with an air of wisdom that Naruto found to be as enlightening as it was elementary.

With that in mind, Naruto realized that Sakura was here with him because she wanted to be, and that meant something. She wasn't with Sasuke, and that also meant something. But his rationality wouldn't let him accept the truth. If it did, then the repercussions would be too intense. His heart wasn't ready for that kind of inevitable turmoil. He was pretty sure hers wasn't either.

He was about to question it. He was about to ask Sakura about her feelings for him and Sasuke. Which of them was really more important to her? Before his thoughts could manifest into words; however, Sakura's phone rang.

Her smile was humble as she pulled her cell from her pocket. "Sorry. Hold on." Her thumb slid across her screen.

Naruto saw a quick flash of light and stared at the name on her phone with immediate horror. It was Ino calling.

For the past few months, I've been having a lot of trouble with writing. It was starting to get so ridiculous that I was only able to write a sentence or two for days at a time. I couldn't figure out what was going on with my brain. I then read a really good book by one of my favorite writers, and it was exactly what I needed. I was getting rusty, I suppose, because I wasn't pinpointing that creative drive accurately. My motivation wasn't centered, so to speak. After reading, I realized I needed to make a schedule of reading and writing collectively from now on. It was far easier to write out my thoughts once I started doing that. I've started looking at this story and my other in-progress work with a little more...urgency. So, I should be able to crank out updates more consistently now (let's hope so, anyways).

Also, I do want to mention again how incredibly personal this work is to me. Most of the experiences and thoughts of the characters are ones that I have felt myself. It was a little less melodramatic in my case, though. Perhaps, that was already obvious, but I wanted to be straightforward about it. That's also probably part of the reason why it takes me so long to write out an update for it. I've felt more distant from my other stories in the past, and this one just directly derives from my experience.

Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter. Let me know your thoughts on it, if you can. I hope you're all doing well.

-CM