-We Will Never Part-
Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable content
-Chapter Fifty-One-
-Surprise! Surprise!-
Sakura stared down at the stack of paper that her mother had just gifted her, though gifted wasn't really the right word. It was the first time the rosette had been home in a week, since she'd gotten home for Kirigakure. The four girls had essentially set up camp in the Yamanaka's large and well-equipped basement. However, the four were quickly running out of clean clothes and Tenten had wanted to reconnect with her father.
So, a little reluctantly, the three girls returned to their homes. As soon as Sakura had walked through the door, her mother hefted a large stack of mail into her arms.
"There's something from the Kirigakure courts in there. You should probably open it; it's most likely very important," her mother spoke coolly as the older woman receded back into the house. Once the immediate crisis of Sakura being in jail in a far away city had subsided, Sakura's parents had finally begun to express their anger at their daughter. It was part of the reason she's basically moved in with Ino; when her parents were angry, it was best to just get out of their way.
"Thanks, mom. I'm really sorry about what I did. I was angry at grandma and acted incredibly stupidly." Sakura tried to apologize to her mother but, as the older woman continued to walk away from her daughter, Sakura wasn't sure how much she heard. With a resigned sigh, Sakura took her mail and headed up to her room.
In the week since she'd be bailed out of jail, Sakura hadn't given her legal troubles too much thought. Now, however, as she leafed through the junk mail, magazines, and magazine subscription notices, the full weight of everything but her. In a panic, Sakura picked up her phone and dialled a number she knew by heart.
"Hello, Cherry! Miss me already?" Ino's sunny voice sounded through the phone. Normally, the sound of the blonde's voice was enough to calm the rosette down, but not this time.
"Ino! I was arrested! For breaking and entering! Is that a felony? Will I be sent to jail? I can't go to jail! I need to get a lawyer, a really good one! Do your parents know any goof criminal lawyers? And I was finger printed! I'm going to be in the system! Will this be on my permanent record? Will it affect my job chances? Will it affect my university chances? Will I be able to vote?"
In Sakura's panic, she spoke so quickly and with so few breaths that the words began to blur together. The pitch of her voice rose by several octaves and her head began swimming slightly. She sat down shakily on her bed and tried to calm her breathing. All the while, Ino was silent, most likely trying to process all that Sakura had said.
"My parents know someone. I contacted her when you first said me you were arrested. I meant to give you her information when we got to Kirigakure, but you being out and arguing with your grandmother sort of drove it from my mind. I'll let you contact her and she'll be able to answer any and all of your questions," Ino's tone was soft and soothing, acting as a calming balm for Sakura's frayed nerves.
"Plus," Ino spoke, her voice suddenly returning to the bubbly tone it had when she answered the phone, "you'll have to go to Kirigakure to sort all of this out which will give you an opportunity to see Sasuke again." Sakura couldn't see Ino, but the rosette was almost positive that the blonde was moving her eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner.
"Okay, I'll give your lawyer a call and hopefully she'll help me figure things out so I can, sort of, enjoy my limited time in Kirigakure with Sasuke. Thanks again for everything you've done, Inie. I really mean it."
"Don't mention it. Now, that information for the lawyer that I owe you…"
From: Cherry Blossom (xxvery_cherryxx)
To: Mom (Haruno-misaki1213)
Sent: Monday, August 20; 2:19 pm
Subject: An update and an apology
Mom,
I hope this will get to you and you will read it. I know you and dad are upset with me. And you have every right. But I just wanted to say how sorry I am for my actions, ill conceived as they were, and how they do and will reflect upon you and dad. I will gladly take any and all consequences and try to minimize them for you and dad.
I also wanted to let you know that Ino put me in touch with a lawyer. I have a meeting with her on Wednesday to see what we need to do. You and dad should come too.
Xox,
Sakura
Sakura was laying on her bed, feeling a little better for having talked to a lawyer and had her questions answered, when her mother suddenly appeared in her doorway. She still looked upset, with her red mouth drawn tight and her eyes squinted together.
"Mom!" Sakura spoke, jumping into action. "I'm so sorry! I was stupid, and immature, and not thinking clearly. And I'm ready and willing to face any and all consequences that come my way." Sakura schooled her features to look as remorseful and sorry as she possibly could.
Her mother sighed, the slowly plodded across the rosette's bedroom. She sat on the bed beside Sakura, looked down at her lap for a second then turned to face her daughter.
"Your father and I are upset, yes. But mostly because you so callously and easily threw away your future. Depending on what happens in court, you could be facing jail time. At the least, it will put you behind in your studies and you won't het to start university until you're thirty! Worse, you won't be accepted to a university or a medical program.
"We've worked so hard Sakura, for your future, for your career! And you basically thumbed your nose at that, and it hurt. But, that isn't what I want to talk about. You have a friend at the door." Having said what she came to, Sakura's mother left her room without a further word.
Sakura sat for several seconds, slightly confused. A friend? Why had her mother been so vague? If it were one of the girls, surely she would have said so. Extremely curious, Sakura stood and nearly flew down the stairs. Then, at the bottom, she force.
'No way!' she thought, taking in the sight of the dark figure in the door. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you. I've got, well, I've got some news for you." Sasuke spoke, taking a hesitant step into the Haruno household.
From: Neji (soccerstar)
To: Hyuuga Hinata (lil_miss_sunshine)
Sent: Monday, August 20; 11:12 am
Subject: Re: A favour
Hinata,
It has been a while since we've seen each other. Hopefully we can do something to rectify that soon. In regards to Tenten, I'm not entirely sure what happened. I know one of her drunken cabinmates kissed me –I didn't kiss back- and I think Tenten saw, but I couldn't explain or even talk to her before she left camp. So, in regards to your favour, I'm in!
Neji
"You have news? You're here in Konoha and you have news? What- what sort of news? Good news or- or bad? And how, how are you here?" Sakura could tell she was babbling, but she couldn't help herself. Her brain wasn't processing things properly and was only spouting out small, sporadic thoughts.
Sasuke comfortingly put a hand on Sakura's arm and gently steered her towards the living room and the comfortable chairs located within. Slowly, she sat down in the chair and put her head in her hands and tried to calm her breathing.
"I'm here, and I've got news. Good news," Sasuke spoke from the arm of Sakura's chair. The rosette peaked out from between her fingers and looked up at Sasuke expectantly. "About a day after you left, I got my college acceptance letters. I applied anywhere there was a good law program, so I got quite a few letters. And one place where I applied and got accepted was here in Konoha."
Sakura perked up, guessing where Sasuke's news might be going, but still wanting to hear it from the dark haired male's mouth.
"I weighed all the schools and the merits of their legal programs and I narrowed it down to two. One here in Konoha and one back in Kirigakure. Both programs are extremely comparable, but Konoha has more going for it. There's you, there's the lack of Itachi, and there's the possibility of a fresh start.
"So, my news, and the reason why I'm here, is that I've decided to go to university here, spend at least the nest four, possibly even seven years, in Konoha." Sakura wasn't sure if Sasuke kept talking after he informed her of his move, she stopped listening at that point. Instead, she sprung up from her chair and launched herself at Sasuke, leaping into his arms and excitedly kissing the slightly surprised boy.
This was so absolutely fantastic!
From: Hyuuga Hinata (lil_miss_sunshine)
To: Neji (soccerstar)
Sent: Tuesday, August 21; 10:12 am
Subject: Re: A favour
Neji,
I've attached a ticket, a train ticket. You don't need to pay me back. Your mom taking me in this summer was enough to cover a train ticket. (Plus it's only one way since I'm not sure how long it will take). I'll pick you up at the train station when you get here and you can take my dad's car up to Tennie's cabin this weekend. We're all going up there, so pack accordingly! We always do this to end off the summer, but we're also hoping it'll help Tenten feel better.
Thank you for everything!
Hope you are well,
Hina
As the girls drove up the forested streets, the road stretching long and straight into the distance, Sakura found she could barely contain her excitement. Sasuke was in Konoha. To stay! She felt like she was on cloud nine. All she needed to do was drag Tenten out of her emotional limbo and get through her and Sasuke's up-coming trial, and then she could go back to school and begin what was most certainly going to be the best year yet.
And they were currently well on their way through the first obstacles to Sakura's eternal (or something fairly close to eternal) happiness. They were on their way to Tenten's secluded cabin on a calm and pristine lake. It was where they ended every summer, one last weekend completely alone together before they were pushed back into their hectic school routines.
And Hinata swore she had a plan to get Tenten back to her regular self. So Sakura was beyond excited. She could taste the rapidly approaching end of this crazy, emotional, rollercoaster ride of a summer, and it would taste so sweet.
"You're almost vibrating, Cherry," Ino whispered, not taking her eyes off the road in front of her. The blonde was dicing her three friends up to the cabin, the first time she'd been old enough to do so, and was taking the responsibility extremely seriously.
"Just excited," Sakura responded, trying to keep her voice level. With the Tenten issue looming overhead, Sakura had decided to keep her exciting news to herself. It would feel like she was rubbing her happiness in Tenten, and even possibly Hinata's face. Also, Sakura thought her news might distract, Ino especially, from their task at hand. So, she kept her news to herself and, making a mental note, would have to control her emotions.
"Yeah," Tenten spoke from the back seat of Ino's borrowed Mercedes-Benz SUV, "It feels like it's been forever since we've been up to the cabin. I can't wait to get there." Her tone was wistful and had a happy, airy edge to it. Sakura had noticed that, the closer they got to the cabin, the more Tenten seemed to return to her old, not shut-off self. She took that as a good sign.
In an attempt to draw Tenten out further and further, Sakura, Hinata, and Ino chatted about their plans for the weekend and what they were looking forward to the most.
"Shikamaru's made me promise to do some studying. I just think it's totally unfair that our class is the one that has their final on Monday. Everyone else is already done! So, Cherry, you'll have to keep me to me word." As Ino spoke, she turned off the main road onto a gravel side road. This was the signal that they were less than five minutes from the cabin.
"Of course, Inie. I'm not going to let you fail when you've come this far! I'm sure we can all pitch in and help you pass this test!" Sakura turned around to eye Hinata and Tenten in the back seat, and both girls readily agreed.
With that, the girls finally pulled up to the rustic and cozy cabin nestled amongst the trees. However, as Ino pulled up, an odd sight caught the girls' eyes. Sitting on the driveway, right next to the cabin, was a car that looked suspiciously like Hinata's father's sleek Italian luxury car. But why would it be here?
"Who is here?" Ino asked, looking in the rear-view mirror at Hinata and then at Tenten. Both girls shrugged, indicating that Tenten hadn't been expecting anyone and Hinata didn't know why her father's car was out at the Ryuu's cabin. Sakura too caught Hinata's eye and caught a glint that the raven-haired girl was desperately trying to repress.
Ino slowly pulled up behind the other car. Just as she was shifting into park, the door of the other car opened. A young man with long, dark brown hair and toned muscles showing through his shorts and simple white t-shirt stepped out. Tenten went pale and then rounded on Hinata.
"What in the hell is Neji doing here?"
-End Chapter 51-
-To be continued-
