-We Will Never Part-
Disclaimer: I own none of the recognizable content.
-Chapter Twenty-
-Retail Therapy-
The annoying slurping sound that signalled the end of a drink echoed in her head. Still upset and in her depressive mood, the sound raked on her nerves and angered her. She shot a look at her blonde friend, the source of the sound, warning her to cease and desist. Ino either did not notice or chose to ignore her. She kept on slurping, attempting to get every last drop of liquid out of her iced coffee cup.
"Could you not!" Sakura finally snapped.
"Wow!" Ino spoke, drawing out each sound in a way that only further annoyed Sakura. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"
"It's just an annoying sound, okay. There's nothing left in your cup. Give up on it already!" Ino put down her drink and her expression suddenly became serious.
"Okay, seriously. What has been going on with you? You dropped off the face of the earth a week ago. You haven't left your room since then. You've ignored your grandmother and your parents. More seriously, you've ignored your friends. Your sisters! What's up? And don't try to tell me you've been busy, but are fine!" Ino reached across the table and grabbed Sakura's sketchpad. She flipped through several of the rosette's more recent works, those that Sakura had yet to take out and hang around her room.
"This is not 'fine,' Sakura! You've never drawn something this depressing. It's not new! It's not normal! It's not fine! Now, what's up?" Her rant done, Ino gave Sakura a look that said she was not about to let the topic go. Sakura, however, still did not want to open up about anything.
"I'm just in a mood, Ino. Art and styles can change. Sometimes people who are perfectly fine are inspired to create darker works. Art is not always a personal representation or a window into the artist's soul!" Frustrated, Sakura stood from the table, grabbed her things, and stormed out of the coffee shop and then the airport.
Ino quickly caught up to her obviously upset friend at the taxi stand. She was still not done with her investigation into Sakura's strange behaviour, but Ino could read the room. She knew that pushing the other girl at that particular moment would get her nowhere. Sakura had already shut down and, no matter how much she pushed, Ino would get nothing but pushback.
So, she decided to simply wait her friend out. Eventually, Sakura would feel like talking and Ino would be able to pry out all the information she needed.
In relative silence, the pair got in a cab and sped away. Though, Ino resolved as she looked at her still fuming friend, she would do all she could to speed up the moment Sakura would open up.
From: Fashionable piggy (littlemisspiggy)
To: Bear-chan (10.10i-score-every-time10.10); Hyuuga Hinata (lil_miss_sunshine)
Sent: Saturday, July 7; 1:48 pm
Subject: The Piggy has landed!
Hello, my lovely ladies!
I don't know if I told you this, but I flew to Kirigakure to try to figure out what happened to our dear Cherry, and, more importantly pull her out of the funk that she's in. If I hadn't, now I have!
Anywhoseit, I thought I'd let you know that I have arrived safe and sound and begun to unravel the mystery of Cherry's past week. She's a little testy ATM, but I'm working on it!
I'll let you know how things are going!
You know you love me,
Ino
Sakura sat on the couch in her grandmother's theatre room, a favourite rom-com playing on the large screen. However, she was paying it very little attention. For one, she was not in the mood for the cheery frivolity that was occurring on the screen. For another, Ino was acting very strangely and Sakura was focusing more on her friend than on the film.
While Ino had picked the movie in an attempt to cheer Sakura up, that was as much as the blonde had done. She hadn't continually pointed out how happy the characters were, hadn't described with flowery language the joys of the love-filled plot line. She also hadn't asked Sakura about her week of non-communication since the airport. In fact, since that moment, Ino hadn't said a word besides suggesting they watch a movie and asking Sakura if she wanted popcorn.
Sakura was now on edge, waiting for whatever Ino was planning. She was acting far too out of character for her not to be up to something. Ino was never quiet. Ever. Unless she was too busy thinking of a plan to focus on talking. Sakura decided to broach the subject, maybe pull Ino out of her planning before anything serious could be achieved.
"What's up with you, Ino?" Sakura asked hesitantly. It appeared, at first, as if Ino didn't hear Sakura. However, after about thirty seconds, Ino slowly lifted her head to look at her friend. The blonde's expression was blank, it gave no impression of how she was feeling or what she was thinking about. Sakura grew even more apprehensive.
"Just watching the movie, Saki," Ino responded. She smiled warmly at her friend, but Sakura noticed something in Ino's eyes. She was hiding something.
"You've been awfully quiet, In. Makes me think there's something going on in your brain," Sakura lightly poked her friend on the forehead. It was a gesture Ino usually used on Sakura and the familiarity of the action seemed to cue Ino onto something. A knowing, victorious smile flashed across the blonde's face for a split second before she was able to control it.
"You've been off, Saki. Deny it all you want but I probably know you best in the world and I've seen it. I wasn't sure what would set you off so I've just been quiet."
'Waiting for you to open up to me,' Sakura added in her head, picking up on the unsaid sentence at the end of Ino's words. That was Ino's plan, why she'd been so quiet. She'd wanted to draw Sakura out and have her speak first. That way, Ino wouldn't have to step as carefully throughout the conversation. Obviously, Sakura's familiar action had told Ino she was close to her goal and could drop her guard.
Sakura took a moment to mull things over in her mind. Ino's presence alone had lessened some of the mood Sakura had been in. She did not feel the desire for solitude as strongly as she had. She was more willing to open up to Ino. However, despite her changes, she wasn't completely back to her old self and wasn't up for dealing with a victorious Ino.
"I have changed, In. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing," Sakura responded, shutting down Ino once again. She still wasn't up for telling her tale. Not yet, at least.
From: Bear-chan (10.10i-score-every-time10.10)
To; Fashionable piggy (littlemisspiggy)
Cc: Hyuuga Hinata (lil_miss_sunshine)
Sent: Saturday, July 7; 4:19 pm
Subject: Re: The Piggy has landed
What have you done, you crazy lady?!
I know Sakura's been MIA and we've all been worried about her, but we didn't think of dropping everything and checking on her. What are you doing about classes and your classwork? Did you even think about that? I bet you didn't, Ino. You are far too rash for your own good, girl!
That being said, I hope you are successful and can fix our lovely Cherry!
Your good and loyal bear-chan,
Tenten
Sakura lay awake in her bed that night, staring off into the darkness. Thoughts were rolling around in her head, keeping sleep at bay. She was thinking about her situation, about the events of the past few days, and Ino and her surprise arrival. She was trying to decide if, and when, she would tell Ino everything. If she was being honest, she would tell herself that she would eventually open up. Ino was her best friend, her sister. If they had secrets, they didn't keep them from each other. At least, not for long.
Because of this inevitability, Sakura wondered if it would be better to just open up and not wait. Ino had always been exceptional at making things better, at repairing any damage. She would be able to help Sakura. And, once again, if Sakura was being honest with herself, her problem wasn't all that bad and now she was just holding on to her hurt and depressive feelings because she'd already taken it this far. She didn't want to reveal her hand and be embarrassed by the whole thing.
A boy she'd met less than a week before had rejected her. A boy she had initially dislikes at that. A boy whom she had not yet been out with. A boy, basically, who was relatively insignificant in her life up to that point. And the reason the boy didn't like her was entirely her fault. She'd blown him off in favour of someone else, then asked him to pick her up. She'd basically rubbed her nose in her blowing him off. Of course he wouldn't like her.
Sakura's mood and withdrawal, as she looked at it with a much clearer head, seemed like a huge overreaction. She'd basically thrown a fit like a toddler, like Ino's baby sister who hadn't gotten a cookie or something. Completely and utterly stupid.
"Hey, Ino?" Sakura called out into the dark. Ino had been quiet for a few hours so Sakura wasn't sure if the other girl was even still awake.
"Hmmm?" Ino responded. She sounded tired and Sakura momentarily hesitated. She pushed on though; she'd had enough of this silly for-no-good-reason mood.
"I have been acting differently. I've been upset about something. Something stupid," Sakura paused. She'd just admitted to Ino that the blonde had been correct. Normally, Ino would be up, doing a victory dance. Nothing happened. Ino remained laying down beside Sakura. Her breathing, slow but slightly irregular, told Sakura that her friend was still awake. Ignoring the out-of-character behaviour, Sakura forged on.
"I met this guy," she began. Ino sat up a little. "He worked at one of my grandmother's pharmacies. At first, we both kind of hated each other. Then he came over, when I lost my sketchbook, and helped me take care of this truly terrible toddler. He started to seem like a decent guy and I thought maybe there was something there. Then I went and royally screwed up. I blew him off for a party then asked him to come pick me up. Now he hates me and I got really depressed."
Feeling the embarrassment wash over her, Sakura smashed a pillow on her face in an attempt to hide. From what, she wasn't exactly sure. After a few seconds, the pillow was removed and Ino's face entered her field of view.
"You. Me. Shopping. Tomorrow." Ino stated simply. She then re-deposited the pillow on Sakura's face and rolled over to fall asleep.
From: Fashionable piggy (littlemisspiggy)
To: Bear-chan (10.10i-score-every-time10.10); Hyuuga Hinata (lil_miss_sunshine)
Sent: Sunday, July 8; 8:12 am
Subject: Update Black Cherry
I would just like to pause for a minute to look at my amazing subject line. Isn't it just perfect? I love it! Eeeeeek!
Okay, now onto business!
I've done it ladies! I got Sakura to open up! She was sad and upset and everything because of a boy. That's right, girlies! Our lovely, innocent Cherry is heart broken!
I'm taking her shopping today. I'll let you know how it all goes.
You know you love me,
Ino
Sakura collapsed onto a bench in the middle of the mall. The bags that had been weighing down her arms slipped out around her. She was absolutely exhausted; her feet were sore and her arms ached from the heavy bags she'd lugged around the mall at least three or four times.
When Ino was out shopping, she never moved in a linear, sensical fashion. She'd had a list of stores in her mind that she wanted to visit and she would go through them in that order, no matter their location. This way of approaching the mall would often leave whoever was with Ino –more often than not that was Sakura- exhausted and feeling like they'd just done some sort of fairly intense workout. Ino, for her part, never seemed to tire. It was like she drew energy from the mall itself that kept her going.
"No more!" Sakura squeaked out before hanging her head down between her legs. Ino, standing completely upright and wearing a happy expression on her face, chuckled at the rosette's antics. Ino also deposited her bags around Sakura's and joined her friend on the bench.
"I'll let you go if you tell me you're feeling better. That's why we're here, after all. Retail therapy! More effective, and better for your waist, than chocolate! So, how are you?" Ino looked over at her friend, her expression serious. Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's zany antics. She playfully shoved her friend, then turned to look out at the crowd.
Almost unconsciously, her vision drifted to a dark haired male carefully picking his way through the crowd. He carried no bags and looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else. He was probably running an errand for someone else, Sakura figured. Suddenly, he turned to look in her direction as if someone had called him.
Sakura froze.
They boy she'd been starring at was Sasuke, the boy who's completely understandable rejection of her had caused her downward mood spiral.
Ino must have sensed her tensing because she put her hand on Sakura's knee in a comforting manner and began looking for the cause of her friend's distress. She was unsuccessful.
"What's up, Saki? You okay? We can leave the mall if you want?" concern filled Ino's voice. She was truly worried for her friend. Eventually, Sakura was able to pull her eyes from him and turn to Ino. The joy that had been in her eyes only a minute before was gone, replaced with the same sadness she'd had when Ino first arrived.
"It's him," she managed to get out before standing and leaving. Ino remained on the bench with both her and Sakura's bags, her expression worried.
Sakura, for her part, had headed to the nearest bathroom and locked herself in a stall. Once again, she didn't want to be around anyone.
-To be continued-