Hello to everyone! And a happy early Halloween to all. I'm pretty excited for it this year in all honesty. Anyway thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter, I really do appreciate everyone's wonderful comments and also the feedback. Anyway time to get to the part you all clicked on the link for lol. Enjoy!
Fear…
That was all her expression was showing to him in this moment, everything seemed to have come to a halt as he continued to stare at her, his expression softening to a more stoic expression. When her hand touched his arm once again he instantly let go of Sai.
Her green eyes took note of this, seeing the other boy out of harms grip, started letting go of Sasuke herself…until he gently took hold of her wrist.
"Sakura…"
His eyes glinted ever so slightly at the feeling of her wincing when he touched her, panic evident in her eyes.
She cleared her throat, regaining her composure, "Let go of me Sasuke…" she said, he could hear her trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"If you let me expl-"
"I think I have seen enough…now let go of me."
Sasuke simply watched her for a moment, blank eyes taking note that her jade ones couldn't even look him in the face…had he really scared her that bad? It wasn't the intention he had had in mind, he didn't show it, but he was definitely taken off guard by the fact that she had stopped by when they were practicing today…
"Hn."
Slowly he let go of her wrist as requested, watching her draw her arm back against her chest, her eyes still downcast, staying silent. Then…she turned away, walking towards whence she came from, the doors shutting heavily behind her.
And he simply stood there, hands at his sides, fists clenching until his knuckles turned white, eyes wavering very slightly.
To anyone who knew Sasuke well, that expression could mean that he was practically crying.
Sakura walked out quickly shutting the door behind them.
His eyes…
She placed her hands over her temples, trying to wipe that fierce expression from her mind. Never had she seen such malice come across a person's face like when she had seen his. Sure she had seen him angry when he was acting before, but it was just acting, and even then she winced when he had gotten loud around her.
"Sakura?"
Her eyes opened, looking up to see the worried faces of her three best friends and Anko.
She simply sighed, regaining her composure, "I'm fine…" she cleared her throat, "Sorry…"
Anko simply grinned, "You look rather shaken kiddo."
"Yes well…if the normally stoic kid freaks out you would too sensei…"
Anko chuckled, patting her back, "I'm sure it was all just acting…both of them are mature enough to get through lunch practice on their own for a few minutes while I explained to you girls about our future rehearsals."
Sakura scoffed, "I doubt it…"
Sasuke looked ready to pound Sai into the ground.
Ino looked at her for a moment, what had happened in there?
"Now…" Anko cleared her throat, "As I was saying…your rehearsals will be in the auditorium from now on…"
So she continued her explanation of the practice arrangements for the upcoming weeks while Sakura drifted about in her thoughts…part of her paying attention, the other thinking about Sasuke, it was the first time he had ever directly looked at her with such rage…and she didn't like it at all, in all honesty…she was hurt more than she was afraid of him.
It would have been as Ino would have put it…her heart breaking, that is if she truly did have the feelings for Sasuke everyone believes she does.
Her eyes closed, the tingling sensation that she had experienced last night when he touched her hand, the small pain she felt when he looked at her with the intense anger moments ago, and the strange awkwardness that happened practically every time they had been alone together outside of school...with each moment that crossed her mind, it all became crystal clear.
Sakura groaned, rubbing her temples in a circular motion.
Ino was right…why did she always have to be right about these things?
She had fallen for him…fallen for Uchiha Sasuke.
"So what happened after that?"
School was over and done with…the two boys joined up at Naruto's apartment after school in order to complete the homework assigned to each designated student faster.
"Nothing…" Sasuke replied simply, his dark eyes looking out the window.
A blanket of stars covered the velvet sky above, very rare were there clear nights in Konoha to see such a sight.
"We simply sat in silence until Anko-sensei came back into the room."
The sound of Naruto slurping on ramen noodles seemed to echo across the apartment, to which he grunted. How that boy could live on ramen was beyond him.
"Kinda funny teme," Naruto spoke up, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth.
Sasuke sighed, "I fail to see the humor in it," he crossed his arms, turning to look at his friend, "And please don't talk with your mouth full."
Naruto grunted, swallowing the contents, putting his chopsticks on the table by the empty cup of instant ramen, "Well…" his blue eyes were serious, "It's just you haven't exploded on someone like that in years."
Last time was back in grade school when Naruto was being bullied by two middle school kids. Sasuke managed to take both of them on and not receive a scratch afterwards.
"Hn."
"What did he say to make you so bothered?"
The silent boy shrugged again, "He said his lines."
Naruto blinked, "Huh? From the script? Then…why did you…"
"Because…I felt like he was trying to get across an underlying meaning with the whole thing."
Naruto stayed silent for a moment…before bursting into laughter, completely falling off of his chair to the wooden floor.
Sasuke's expression was unreadable, mumbling something incoherent to his best friend, "Again dobe…I really fail to see the humor," he said, the annoyance showing in his voice more than his face.
Not only did he risk getting himself expelled, but there was also the fact that Sakura wouldn't acknowledge his presence when he tried to approach her after school to explain himself.
Naruto always had a weird sense of humor.
It took Naruto a few minutes to calm down, and then another few moments for him to get the strength to pull himself back into his chair…he was wiping his eyes due to the tears that had formed from laughing so hard.
"Sorry…Sorry," he said through stifled chuckling, "It's just that…" he looked up at him, "It's so funny to see you so jealous teme."
Sasuke's eyes looked to him, glinting very slightly…and then he scoffed, "I'm not jealous…I thought he was provoking me."
"By using a line that involved Sakura-chan…or her character at least?"
"That's merely coincidence dobe."
The blond sighed, "But you're bothered either way you look at it…because Sakura-chan is afraid of you."
Sasuke grunted, crossing his arms, his eyes moving back to the window.
"I don't care," he stated in his usual tone of voice, "She can be afraid if she chooses it."
Naruto had a grin on his face, "Sasuke…really? Just who are you trying to fool here? Because unlike other people…I have a talent in knowing when something is bothering you. And that something happens to be Sakura-chan."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
He pushed himself off the wall, grabbing his backpack from the edge of the chair, "I'm heading home, it's getting late."
Naruto watched him head for the door, "I was right!" he said, just as his friend's hand touched the knob, "When I'm right about something you always leave!"
"Hn. I'm leaving."
The door opened.
"I know of a way for you and Sakura-chan to make up…at least get her talking to you again."
Sasuke stood in the doorway for several moments, debating on whether or not he should stay a little longer, he grunted.
'Damn you dobe…'
He sighed, shutting the door in front of him, turning around to look at his best friend. His pride taking another hit as Naruto looked at him with an expression of triumph.
"Tell me."
"Okay…" Naruto clapped his hands together, "Here's how you do it…"
Ino groaned as she rested her head against her desk in her bedroom.
"Man…I despise chemistry…"
Being grounded was a terrible fate…especially considering she was denied all the luxuries that would keep her occupied normally.
No TV, no phone, no videogames, and no visitors.
Then again…she had gotten herself into this…she knew the consequences of failing midterms
She hit her head in a repeated motion against the desk, either trying to get her brain to function…or to kill the remaining brian cells she had…either way sounded good to her.
And worrying about her friend didn't help much earlier.
Sakura seemed different after leaving the Blackbox…then she found out the story.
"I'm sure it was all just a misunderstanding Sakura…Sasuke-kun has always been a good actor you know? They could have gotten caught up in the moment."
Sakura bit her lip, "No…" she shook her head, "You didn't see his eyes Ino. If I hadn't been there…I think he would have hurt Sai."
Ino sighed, "Sasuke-kun just doesn't get angry like that…there had to be a reason."
Green eyes wavered, "There's no reason good enough to want to hurt someone."
Ino sighed once again.
"Just when I was getting her to realize it too."
This time her fists punched the desk.
"Stupid stupid stupid! I shouldn't have suggested to go there today than they would be on speaking terms at least!"
She gritted her teeth, feeling partly responsible for Sasuke and Sakura's now awkward relationship.
"I'm so stupi-"
There was a knock on the door that instantly stopped her little tantrum. She sighed, picking up the pencil, pulling the calculator in front of her.
"Come in," she said, her voice returning to normal.
The door opened.
"First off I have to let you know that you can't be that stupid," a familiar lazy voice stated from the door way.
The blond turned around, blinking in confusion, "Shikamaru?"
She blinked a few times…sure enough the said pineapple haired boy was standing in her bedroom doorway, hands nonchalantly shoved in his pockets.
"Why are you here? I'm not allowed visitors you know?"
Shikamaru yawned, "Yeah well…your father practically begged me to come over to help with your studies…very troublesome indeed," he replied, scratching the back of his head.
They lived next door to each other…
Ino snorted, "Well if it was so troublesome than why bother?"
She huffed, waiting for him to shut the door and walk down the hall. Instead the footsteps approached her, standing behind her desk.
"That's wrong you know…here…this is how you do it."
Her powder blue eyes blinked as he took the pencil in his hand and started writing an example next to her problem, "But I thought you were annoyed…"
Shikamaru shrugged, "It gives me something to do," he smiled very slightly.
Ino smirked, "Well okay…be prepared though…we have a lot to cover."
"I can handle it."
A yawn escaped Sakura's lips the next morning as she approached the school.
Adjusting the headband a little tighter before opening the doors.
What a night…strangely she couldn't sleep very well…she was actually surprised she had let what happened yesterday get to her so bad but…she supposed she couldn't help it.
She waved at the people who greeted her every now and then…inwardly just wishing she had stayed in bed.
"Sakura."
She rubbed her eyes once more before turning around to face the voice that called to her.
A sigh escaped her lips as she recognized their face, 'Great…a bundle of joy is being presented to me.'
Karin stood there with her hands on her hips, her eyes watching the girl carefully.
"What is it?"
The redhead adjusted her glasses, her eyes never blinking.
"I would like to exchange a few words with you."
'Thanks…what a wonderful way to start this morning…'
And there you have it, and I know there was a lot of skipping around too, hopefully you guys were able to follow it okay. I have the next chapter practically finished so…I know nothing too eventful happened here, but…it had to be written. Plus I wanted to add a ShikaIno scene in at some point as well. Lol. So I hope it was okay other than that. So…Karin's back in the picture…what's going to happen? Until next time!