Super long apology chapter. Part two of my apology package. I'll let you read and I'll explain my absence at the end. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.
Chapter Twenty One
Here it was, Friday night. The night of the party.
The week leading up to tonight had been relatively uneventful, what with break and all and Ino and I had plenty of other things to keep us occupied. I spent most of the week playing a few of the games I picked up, which proved to be more satisfying than I expected. Ino kept busy with constructing her costume, keeping me company and homework.
Finally, we could actually get out of the apartment for a bit and socialize. An odd craving for me but it would do me some good.
I stood outside Ino's door, tossing a severely punctured tennis ball down the hall in an unenthusiastic game of fetch with Aris. He stood just a bit over my knee, basically full grown at this point. Over the course of the week, I opted for teaching him more commands that could prove useful. He caught on quick, making things that much easier for me and that much safer for Ino.
Speaking of whom, I was currently still waiting on. I thought to ask her if she was close to being done but I didn't want to incite anymore frustration on her end which would only result in her taking more time.
However, I did, in fact, hope she was okay. From the moment she woke up this morning, there was something off about her. She was more passive and anxious. Ever so often I would catch her glancing at me and when I would acknowledge her, she would simply smile and turn away as if nothing happened.
Maybe she was just having a bit of pre-party jitters about her costume or something. I'd brush it off for now, rising to my feet with a huff, kicking the ball away to leave Aris to his own devices. Instead, he gave a single quizzical sniff at the ball before sitting curtly outside Ino's door.
Raising my fist to tap at the door, I paused at the sound of the rattling door knob and was greeted with a surprised looking Ino just a second later.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to take so long," she softly apologized.
Waving it off, I took note of her cascading golden curls and her makeup that sat elegantly upon her face. I caught a brief whiff of her perfume that she bought after I mentioned how much I enjoyed it.
"You look good," I awkwardly commented.
She gave me that same soft smile that I'd been getting all day, and whispered a thanks, lightly pressing her lips to my cheek as she shut her door behind her. A bag thrown over her shoulders and long dark jacket covering her body, she gave me a reassuring nod and scratched at Aris' head before passing through the front door.
Temari assured me that I could bring him but I didn't want him getting into anything. He was trained well enough though and not overly aggressive aside from when we were practicing together.
Crouching down, I held his muzzle in my hand and stared into his curious brown eyes. "What do you say boy? Wanna go to a party?" Immediately, he darted past me and I could only shake my head in amusement. Grabbing a few of his things, I locked up behind us and proceeded to lug everything in the car before getting the door for Ino and Aris.
Ino was silent for the duration of the drive which was at least forty-five minutes. I made do with the radio, it providing just the right amount of background noise for the trip. After an otherwise seamless drive, we were here. I found a random spot in the grass that wasn't covered between a parked car and a tree, wanting to hurry inside before it got too cold.
Before I could move, Ino's fingers are curled around my wrist, keeping me in place. I eyed her warily, "What's wrong? She turned the dial on the radio down a bit, never releasing me. Finally, she spoke, her voice unusually soft.
"I want to talk to you about something but... I don't want you to get upset with me," she sighed, her head resting against the back of her seat with her eyes never leaving my own.
"Go ahead."
Her face twisted uncomfortably before she spoke. Whatever it was was bothering her tremendously and I too began to feel a little uneasy. What could it be that was so nerve wracking that she thought would upset me so much that she felt the need to warn me?
"It's about what happened at the mall the other day. When...you were crying…"
Oh. I'm sure my face reflected my awkwardness at her question initially before switching to a more somber expression. I had nearly forgotten about that but now it brought back a wave of uneasiness. I pulled my hand away, not intentionally but I could tell it had hurt Ino a bit all the same.
"What about it Ino?"
She shifted in her seat and occupied herself with her hands. A exasperated sigh slipped from her lips. "Did you want to talk about it?" I immediately shook my head, opening my door before prying hers open. I held out my hand but she just stared at it disapprovingly.
"Ino."
"It's just...I've never seen you cry before and I was worried. I tried to brush it off but I couldn't stop thinking about it," she voiced with considerable concern.
"You worry too much," I replied tiredly, looking past her at Aris who was pacing in the backseat anxiously.
The frown that crossed her lips was a clear indicator that she did not care for my answer. It was the wrong thing to say, I realized this well after saying it. I shouldn't shame her for actually caring about how I feel, no matter how foreign the concept still seemed to be.
I worried about her too and I would never let her just walk away without getting down to the source of whatever was troubling her. She was doing the same for me, not out of obligation but simply a genuine care regarding my wellbeing.
But honestly, it shouldn't have bothered her so much. I was fine and I'd always be fine. The miserable look she was giving me, however, was honestly making me feel like the shittiest person in the world. She had a right to know. We'd shared enough of our troubles on countless nights before. Why should this one be any different?
I dropped to my knees, slowly coaxing her fingers together with mine. "I had a flashback of the night my mom died," I answered quick and simple, hoping to soften the blow that came with reliving it again.
Her grip on me tightened providing me with neither comfort or stability. Even still, I didn't pull away. She needed this more than me.
"I was more confused than I was upset. I'd been on edge all day and I couldn't figure out why. Then, I realized that it was the anniversary of the day she died. I haven't thought about her much since I started working for your family," I sucked a breath through my teeth, "And maybe that was her way of reminding me that I'm the world's shittiest daughter."
Her fingers moved from my own to grasp at my cheeks, pulling me until my face was buried into the crook of her neck.
"No," she said in a shaky breath, "That's not true. She loves and misses you and maybe she just thought you could use a reminder."
"That she's dead," I unintentionally spat coldly.
She didn't release me and I immediately slipped my fingers against the small of her back and pulled her close, shutting my eyes tight. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just," I pulled away and couldn't fight the scowl from my face quick enough, "How often have you thought about your mom since she's been gone."
She flinched, looking sour and hurt by my words. Her eyes dropped to her hands again, looking for answers or some sort of reasoning, only to come up empty.
"I…"
"Hey now, that's not what I meant. It was an honest question that I was just using to follow up with my next one. Do you think she holds it against you when you don't think about her as much as you used to?"
She shook her head.
"Why?"
She took my hand and brought it to her cheek, nuzzling against it as I lightly dragged my thumb against her chilling skin. "Because...because now I have you to think about. I used to spend all my days moping around, hurt, confused, and angry at the world. After we met, I started to think about you. First about how much I hated you, then about how sorry I was, then about other things and then about how in love with you I was. I was happy and I'd like to believe that's all she ever wanted. That's all any good mother wants for their child is for them to be happy. Right?"
I was silent. Somewhere locked between shock and admiration. My stomach sunk even further and twisted in a sort of masochistic churn of pleasure and pain. I hadn't considered looking at it that way.
Ino had become my whole focus from the very moment I got here and I never considered that my mother was happy at the fact that I was, well, happy. Perhaps she was just reminding me not to forget about her too. Not that I could completely. Either way, her answer had more than breached my usually pessimistic soul and a newfound enthusiasm coursed through me.
I rose a bit so I was level with her, gripping the edge of her seat tightly as I leaned forward and caught a well returned kiss. "Yeah, I'd like to think so too," I said with an upwards curl of my lips.
Any traces of frustration washed away and she eagerly hopped from the car with a beaming smile.
"Better?"
"Much better," she grinned, opening the door for Aris who was entirely too relieved to be free from the backseat.
Finally, we made our way inside, pushing through the frat boys chugging beers on the front steps and the girls grinding about on the first level of the spacious lake house. Ino maneuvered upstairs and I followed suit doing my best to keep a rein on Aris who was quickly becoming famous.
A rather huge wooden set of double doors took up a large portion of the wall at the end of the hall. Tapping musically, Ino rocked cheerfully on her heels before shoving me inside the room first and shutting the door behind her.
There was smoke everywhere making it particularly challenging to see anyone or anything. A muted red light blanketed the room through most of its darkness and you could just make out the particles dancing around us. I dropped my bag as well as Ino's on a soft looking couch and descended further into the room.
It was bigger than it looked but I wasn't surprised. The further we pushed in, voices began to distinguish themselves and I realized that there were a few that I didn't quite recognize.
Ino made it through first and that obnoxious squealing that girls often did upon seeing their friends after extended periods of time gave me half a mind to turn around. Aris pushed in after and instantly regained his popularity. Surely going to grab a drink first wouldn't hurt, right?
"Where's Sakura?" An entirely too familiar and entirely too eager voice whined.
Damn.
Reluctantly, I made my way through the beaded curtains into what looked like a sort of tricked out fort. The source of light and fog were spotted immediately, as was a large cooler filled with ice and drinks. The light from two bathrooms shone from the left and right and two king sized beds sat in the center with random bean bag chairs littered around in front of a TV and other various places.
A body came barreling towards me before leaping into my arms and throwing its own around my neck. I barely caught her in time and it took way more effort to regain my footing.
"The love of my life, you've finally come for me," Ayame sighed longingly against my neck. I rolled my eyes and patted her back with an amused smile. She released her hold on my neck but locked onto my arm as I walked through to knock fists with Temari who was engaged in a heated conversation on her phone.
"I thought I was the love of your life. Wow, okay," Ino mockingly complained.
"I'd like to think of you more as a friends with benefits. Really great benefits might I add," she tossed with a mischievous wink.
Rolling her eyes, Ino entered one of the bathrooms and immediately erupted into an excited squeal. Ino stumbled back onto the bed with a laugh as another girl that I didn't recognize sat upon her waist with her arms tight around her neck.
"You're here! Thank God," the girl sighed, and grinned widely.
"Of course! As if I'd miss your birthday. I got you a gift too, it's over there," she pointed in my direction and the girl's eyes landed on me. Of course like all of Ino's friends, she was undeniably attractive. Her skin was warm colored like honey and her hair fell in neat and effortless looking curls. Her eyes were even greener than mine, if that was possible.
"Oh?" The girl said, eyes studying me carefully, "And does this stunning gift of yours have a name?"
I swallowed down my nerves, relaxing at the sound of Ino's laughter. "Her name is Sakura and she is not your gift. Had I known she was what you wanted, I would've put a bow on her first." Ino gave another laugh. "She's off the market but your gift is over in that bag," she finished, jutting her thumb to where I dropped our things.
The girl strode over to me and unsure of what to do, I clumsily held out my hand. Instead, I was greeted with an enthused hug and laugh, "No need to be so formal! I'm Naomi, better known as the birthday girl!"
I tried to relax but her state of attire was making me shifty. I reached up and lightly patted her mostly uncovered back before dropping my hands to my side and whispering Happy Birthday. Naomi, clearly amused broke out into laughter again, "Jeez Ino, that must be some powerful shit you've got between your legs. Poor Sakura here hardly wants to look at me let alone touch me."
Ino choked on whatever drink she had taken from the cooler and the back of my neck was burning hotter than I ever imagined possible.
"Wow...hella inappropriate," Ayame chortled.
"Please stop," Ino groaned, handing her drink to me, "She's fragile and I need her in good condition tonight so please be gentle."
Suggestive noises echoed around me and my desire to leave the room was stronger than before. "Lay off it you two," Temari lectured before nodding at Ino then turning to me, "You, go get dressed. You, go grab a stronger drink, you're gonna need it tonight. And Reag, you hurry up too."
The suggestion of a stronger drink didn't sound all that bad but my attention was suddenly drawn to a figure slipping out from the other bathroom. Her hair was an icy silver, short and shaved in some parts, long in others and her eyes a deep and calculating blue. She mumbled a silent 'fuck off' to Temari who just scoffed and returned to her phone.
The girl and I locked eyes for no longer than a few seconds, an odd feeling shifting about inside me followed before she looked away first and retreated to the bathroom.
I patted my thigh and Aris followed along as I passed through the beads and the large wooden door, coming to rest in the hallway. It wasn't hard to find my way back downstairs and the roaring of the party made me hesitant but I pushed on further into the crowd, ducking and dodging and doing my best to keep Aris in my line of sight.
I made it to the kitchen, grabbing a cup of some odd looking punch that was 'guaranteed to knock me on my ass'.
I took a sip and frowned, finding it entirely too sweet for my taste but deciding to stick with it for now. Finding the back door, I slipped out and was immediately grateful for the splash of fresh air.
The yard was huge and opened up to a midnight lake. Several fires glowed around the grounds with bodies huddled around them for warmth. A wide plain screen sat spread in front of the lake with a light projecting what appeared to be some sort of gruesome film onto its surface. There were more coolers and tables with different games set up with some music playing closer to the house. It looked like the entertainment was spread equally both inside and outside.
Bringing my cup to my lips again, I walked through with no particular destination in mind, Aris was weaving in and out of groups of people nose to the ground.
After a second, he held his nose to the air before taking off eagerly. That wasn't like him and with a narrowed eye, I followed his war path with my eyes. A smirk crept upon my lips upon seeing Rin who was currently entertaining some guy who didn't bother masking his intentions it would seem as he leaned into her ear.
Upon reaching her, Aris began a wild onslaught of aggressive barks and howls, protectively stancing between Rin and the unnamed boy.
Frantic, she carefully pulled at his collar, mumbling an apology only for the boy to take off back towards the house. Amusedly, I approached Rin and joked, "Your friend left in a hurry, I didn't even catch his name."
"Real cute, Haruno."
Holding up my hands defensively, I shrugged, "I didn't send him over. He saw you and took off on his own." She frowned and stood, reluctantly throwing her arms over my shoulder. I returned the embrace, allowing my arm to wind around her waist as I mumbled, "What did I tell you about calling me that?"
She smiled against my neck, pulling away just enough, "I don't remember. Maybe you should remind me."
My fingers twitched at her waist and she smiled and kissed my cheek, "Careful, Haruno. Last I checked, you were a taken woman. I'd hate to get in the way of that."
Stepping from my arms, she motioned me over to sit at one of the empty blankets in front of the projector. I rolled my eyes at her comment, returning cooly, "Could've fooled me." This didn't sit well with her, as expected but I had only meant it as a joke. A poor one clearly.
"Something you wanna say?"
I shook my head. "It was a joke. You're not a homewrecker, I know that," I quickly defended, leaning back on my elbows. She busied herself with Aris who was more than grateful to have her attention. She looked like she wanted to say something but whatever it was died in her throat.
"Who was the guy?" I found myself asking, not particularly interested but wanting to change the conversation to something other than me.
"Dylan. He was a nice kid," she mumbled, though the cause of her irritation seemed lost to me.
"From the way he was whispering in your ear, I'm sure he would've been real nice," I couldn't help but toss out. Another strike apparently because she said nothing further and rose to her feet. I followed her, much to her displeasure I'm sure, but she didn't protest me doing so.
Immediately, she made a beeline for the kitchen and grabbed one drink from the cooler, a beer from the looks of it. She slipped behind the makeshift bar, her lips teasing something in the ear of one of the boys who only smirked and slipped her a special mix of something dark.
She paid me no attention and slipped down the hall and again I followed her with Aris trotting behind me.
We came upon a room, a comfortable looking lounge of sorts with a television, soft couches and a warm fireplace. No one was in it which was quite surprising but remnants of people's belongings were strewn about.
"Nice place you've got here," I said, attempting yet another joke.
She sat slowly, her brow arching at my comment. She took a sip of her dark colored mystery drink, her head leaning against the head of the sofa. "Have a seat, put your feet up," she answered finally.
Great, so at least I hadn't fucked up with my comment earlier.
I took a seat beside her, propping my legs up on the table. I brought my own cup to my lips as I questioned her about her own. She held her cup out to me before giving me a bored look, "Take a sip."
Reluctantly, I took the cup from her hands and hovered it a bit under my nose before taking a sip. I winced and coughed, practically shoving the cup back into her awaiting fingers.
"Rule number one of drinking, Haruno. Never smell your drink before you drink it," she said casually, taking a long swig like it was nothing.
In between my coughs as I quickly chased with my own sweet drink, I mumbled, "Quit calling me that and it tastes like straight liquor."
She said nothing else, switching on the TV. I wasn't accustomed to her silent treatment, finding it just as unbearable as Ino's. Instantly, my mind returned to the boy and I asked, "You don't have to linger her with me if you'd rather go hunt down that guy again. I'm sure he'd still be down for your company."
"Among other things I'm sure. I'll keep you company until Ino's done first. After that I'll see if I can't find something to keep me occupied," she said, her eyes shutting once more and I suddenly felt more aware of how lonely the room seemed.
Perhaps it was just my imagination but I couldn't help but feel like she was trying to same something else. I wanted to speak on it but I couldn't seem to find the right words.
A text came through. It was Ino.
Come find me when you're done. I'll be waiting by the stairs 3
Rin downed the rest of her drink and sat her empty cup on the table. "That didn't take long, huh," she commented, taking up her beer next as she moved but I caught her wrist and tugged her back.
"What's gotten into you? How did I fuck up in such a short time," I questioned with a frown.
She tugged her hand but I refused to let her go. "Talk to me, seriously Rin. I can't take the subtle punches because I literally don't understand why I'm under fire. What did I do? Just say it."
Her eyes seemed a little unfocused but I couldn't tell if it was on purpose. "Let go," she warned half-heartedly.
I took her chin and she snatched away from me as if fire itself had touched her skin. "Don't," she whispered, "Stop doing things like that. You need to go. A girl doesn't like to be kept waiting."
"Not until we deal with this first," I countered firmly.
She looked at my hand that was locked around her wrist and I watched the way they glazed over slowly. She turned her head away and took in a deep breath. "Why do you keep torturing me like this? Do you get a kick out of watching me trip over you like and idiot?"
"I don't…"
"I know you love her, Sakura. I'm happy for you, I really am. You go out of your way to keep every guy away from me but you hang off of Ino's arm like a leech. Why are you concerned with who I spend my time with? Why does what I do and who I do it with matter to you," she breathed shakily, her fists clenching tightly.
"You hold me and look at me one way and it's killing me because I've already been made a fool of once. So I'll say this," she bit her lip and slowly pried my fingers from her wrist, "Either you let me fool around with whoever I want and stop intervening, or you make a move yourself. I told you I'm not out to sabotage what you and Ino have going on but you're wearing me thin Sakura."
I couldn't think of anything to say in time and she was long gone before I moved again. Aris eyed me curiously from the couch but it almost seemed as if he was judging me too.
I'd hate to admit it but Rin was right. Though often not my intentions, I did take a strong disliking to anyone that tried for her attention. It wasn't simply me being overprotective but in a deeper part of myself, I knew that it was mostly out of jealousy.
I liked teasing her and getting her riled up. I liked how she could go from shy one minute to playful the next.
Not once had the thought occurred as to what effects it was having on her. I'd already messed up once and it wasn't fair to subject her to that a second time.
Sunken, I called Aris along and followed the hall back to the main floor. Dancing was still very much in motion and having to push through sweaty bodies again wasn't my idea of a good time. I thought to text Ino but I felt soft hands covering my eyes as a familiar voice urged me back down the hall and into an empty bathroom.
A door shut behind us before Ino whispered for me to open my eyes. And immediately I forgot everything that had troubled me for the past few minutes when I laid my eyes upon her.
Her hair shaped her face in golden waves as a elegant crown of gold sat upon her head. A white cropped shirt hung from her shoulders, exposing her smooth skin. A sheer drape hung over her shoulder and a long white skirt covered her bottom, a slit cutting up the side revealing her entire right leg.
She sat on the sink, a devilish smile on her lips. "Take it all in," she purred, "What do you think?"
Her hands sat, palms up as she waited for me to take them. I did and she pulled me in close, resting my hands on her uncovered waist. Her skin was warm to the touch and felt perfect beneath my roaming fingers.
I was almost scared to touch her any further, fearing that I might disturb her radiating beauty.
Her smile was coaxing and warm as she brought one of my hands to her red stained lips. Wasting no time, she flicked her tongue against my thumb, nipping it here and there until it rested in her mouth.
I tugged it free, moving my entire hand to her throat. "This brings back memories, huh," she laughed, her breath hitching when I squeezed.
I dropped my hands to her waist again and moved between her legs which instinctively curled around my hips. My lips found her neck and her voice found my name as she rocked her hips against me. "How am I supposed to let you go out like that?" I sighed, pulling away before I got too carried away.
Flushed, her arms wrapped around my neck and she laughed again. "I'll need you to keep an extra careful eye on me then. There might be some competition for my affections tonight."
I helped her down, following her tugs for several hungry kisses before we returned to the general masses. Aris walked carefully at her side, doing his best to keep her corralled between myself and him. While I did want him to be on guard, I was suddenly finding this all a bit overwhelming for him.
Perhaps he could've kept Rin company but I doubt she wanted anything further to do with me for the rest of the night.
Suddenly, a blessing in disguise came to my aid. Naruto bounded over to me, greeting Ino with a bow before swinging his arm over my shoulder. He explained how he had been trying to pick up a girl of his own tonight and that Aris could be his wingman. He assured me that he'd keep an eye on him and I hesitantly agreed.
I could keep a good eye on Ino on my own for the time being. With Aris gone, Ino had my full attention and insisted that we danced first.
Of course, I was against it for multiple reasons. One being the fact that I couldn't dance if my life depended on it. The second being that I wasn't sure of being in the public eye with Ino would be such a good idea. She asked to get a drink and I accompanied her. We split the drink, her suggesting that I needed to loosen up some more.
The taste was almost similar to the drink I had shared with Rin, though definitely not as potent.
Her hands tugged me along to the floor and she assured me that it was far too dark and crowded for us to stand out. The music was fast and I wasn't quite sure as to what to do but of course Ino guided me the rest of the way.
She placed my hands on her hips, turning around to press back against me. She started slow yet still on beat as she swayed her hips against my front. Slowly I caught onto her movements and moved in sync with her hips.
The music picked up and she went fast, slowing and moving harder when the tempo lost volume. Her hand slipped up to pull on my neck and I latched onto her neck with no remorse. The subtle breaks in her breath egged me on until I heard that first eager moan escape her red lips.
My hands were itching to feel her. One of my hands dipped lower than intended when toying with the hem of her skirt and I thought to pull it back but Ino stopped me. Nose pressing against her neck, I watched as she bit her lip, staining her teeth with her lipstick.
I gently moved my hands further south until I found what I had been aiming for as she continued to move against me shamelessly.
My name fell from her lips like a prayer as she slowly began to fall off beat, her focus on something other than the music. I pulled my hand away, much to her distress but I turned her to face me and lowered my lips to her ear, "Not yet."
She understood but this didn't alleviate her desire any. She looked at me with those sinful blue eyes, full of all kinds of promises as she toyed with my belt, her eyes never once leaving mine. She was amusing to watch when she was like this and it only did wonders for my ego. A call of my name broke my attention from her for a short while.
She whined my name, and scratched lightly at my stomach, earning my attention until yet again I heard my name being called in the distance.
"Ino, I thought that was you," a voice that shone above all others and immediately put a sour taste in my mouth sounded from over my shoulder.
There stood Sasuke in all his arrogant and obnoxious glory. He was dressed in all black, the top few buttons of his sleek shirt were undone revealing his clearly toned chest. A distinctive gold chain hung round his neck and something sat holstered on his waist though I couldn't tell if it were real or not. He radiated old school mobster vibes but with a minimalistic charm that only Sasuke Uchiha could pull off.
"Haruno," he greeted with a nod but his eyes never left Ino, "I'll be borrowing my future wife for a bit if you don't mind. She'll be safe with me. I'm sure you'll find someone else to keep company tonight."
One warning look from Ino was enough to get me to bite my tongue. She gave Sasuke a weak smile before turning to me, "You should enjoy yourself. I'll be in the room when you're ready to go, okay?" Grinding my teeth together, I bowed slightly, "As you wish."
Watching Sasuke drag her off while she gave him false smiles and danced against him set my blood to a boil.
I knew she didn't want his company but it didn't make it any easier seeing them together. It hurt more than I cared to admit because despite her assurance that we could still have each other after the two of them got married, it didn't make her mine really. I'd have to share her with that prick and watch as she eventually had his kids and started a family together.
I heard my name called yet again and sharply turned around. Finally, I saw the owner of the voice. It was Ayame.
Before I could ask her what she wanted, her hand took hold of mine and she pulled me through the kitchen and out the back door. "I need your help," she finally said, her words slightly slurred.
"With what?"
"Rin," she breathed with a slight sway. I caught her smoothly around the waist and held her against me for support. "I can't find her and I need to give her something."
Of course my mind began reeling with possibilities as to where she could have gone. I'd look for her for sure to make sure she was alright. Ayame fished something from the bag crossing her body. Something wrapped in a paper towel and was warm to the touch, soon sat in my hand. "She was going to pay me for it but since you're here, I'll take her payment from you."
Her slurring words forced me to frown as I shifted around for my wallet, "How much is it?"
Ayame shook her head and pulled me in to place a quick kiss on my lips. I swallowed nervously as she erupted into laughter. Her body seemed to grow heavier with each second and before I could figure out what to do with her, Temari came around the corner looking none too amused.
"Give her here," she huffed in annoyance.
"Mmm. There you are Tem, I've missed youuu," she hummed sweetly. Temari only rolled her eyes and in one fluid motion, swung Ayame over her shoulder, earning her a whimsical laugh from the clearly intoxicated girl.
Assuring me she didn't need any help, Temari carried Ayame off and I was alone again with a new mission. I started of course with the lounge Rin had shown me earlier. She wasn't there, not that I had really expected her to be. However, it would've been nice to not have to go through every room in a foreign house looking for her.
I knocked on door after door, some locked, some not. I walked in on two rather intimate acts but otherwise turned up empty handed.
I hadn't been worried initially considering it was a big place but after searching for near twenty minutes, I was uneasy. Abruptly, I was met with the urge to slap myself for not thinking to text or call her. I called first but received no answer, choosing next to text her.
My eyes flickered back over to the kitchen. Several bodies crowded around the bar none of them being Rin. However, I did spot the boy who she had been with before looking particularly troubled. He leaned against the bar, eyes darting around nervously. Another boy tapped his shoulder and slid him a drink rather discreetly as the boy, whose name I recalled to be Dylan, slinked away.
The whole exchange was odd but I didn't dwell on it too much. I continued my search outside.
Something brushed against my leg and glancing down, I noticed an unaccompanied Aris looking at me eagerly. I scowled, looking around for Naruto who had no doubt found some girl to full around with and left Aris to roam wildly. I sighed, scratching at Aris' head as we searched through the backyard.
Nothing. She was literally nowhere to be found.
I glanced at my phone and upon seeing no reply, began to feel a deeper feeling of unrest. I pushed through the mass of dancers in the front and into the front yard where we had parked. And finally, before I decided to enlist the help of someone else, I saw her.
She sat on the trunk of an unfamiliar car, her back towards me. I thought to call her but spotted something else of importance. Dylan. He was with her and looking way more at ease. That cup he acquired earlier passed from his hand to hers a little too eagerly.
He encouraged her to drink, and as she brought the cup to her lips, I watched something in his eyes change. Something dark.
Almost immediately, my nervousness returned and I signaled for Aris to move in at the boy. Aris kept the boy at bay who had now scrambled to the hood of another car. Rin turned around quickly, looking both shocked and annoyed by my arrival. I stormed over to the two of them, earning a hostile glare from Rin.
"What the hell did I tell you earlier-"
I ignored her words and knocked the cup from her hands, its contents saturating the dry earth. Yet another curse fell from her lips and I ignored that one too. Turning my attention to the boy, I snatched him down from the car, ignoring his protests for me to call of Aris who was snarling and snapping at his heels.
"What the fuck was in that drink," I hissed and I could suddenly hear Rin's voice grow quiet in confusion.
Dylan whined and assured me that he didn't know what I was talking about. I tightened my grip as he struggled for breath and I asked again.
He relented and admitted that it was drugged but claims he didn't know what exactly was in it. My teeth were tight together now and my hand was shaking, wanting nothing more than to snap the kid in half. Rin's hand rested on my arm, pulling it away gently. She gave me a look once I released the boy and the next minute, she's driving her fist against his face. Thought it wasn't me doing it, it gave me tremendous satisfaction.
The boy lie sniveling in a lump on the cold ground and I gently took hold of Rin and guided her back to the lounge, shutting the two of us alone inside.
Her back was to me as she paced, clearly looking for something to say. Grabbing her shoulders, I coaxed her to face me and took her chin in my hand. "I'm sorry," she blurted out immediately but I shook my head and examined her further..
"How are you feeling?" I searched her eyes and felt her skin, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Thankfully, I didn't see anything off.
"Lucky," she breathed quietly. "If you hadn't shown up...he was gonna-"
I shook my head again, allowed her to embrace me tight as she took several deep breaths. "I wouldn't let anything like that happen. I was going to keep looking for you and let Aris scare of any guys I saw that were in my way," I attempted at a joke. Her chest rumbled with a soft laugh.
I pulled away first to dig in my jacket pocket, fishing out the small paper towel wrapped object and handing it to her. "From Ayame." She unwrapped it slowly and her lips turned into a half smile.
Eyeing it awkwardly, I was surprised to see a single brownie sitting in the paper towel. That was it? Rin seemed to notice my disappointment and offered me half with a grateful smile.
I took it and cautiously bit into it before finishing the rest. It was pretty good but I didn't see the reason as to why it was so important that she get it. I sat down on the couch, rubbing my eyes that were burning and heavy from my drink I had since finished.
"I'm sorry," Rin voiced again, claiming the empty space to my right.
She looked genuinely distraught, her eyes cast down to look at her twisting fingers and her brow furrowed in contemplation. A sigh. "No, I deserved it. You were right about what you said earlier. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. So...sorry."
"It's okay," she assured me.
I couldn't see her anymore. My eyes were too heavy to stay open and the muted tv along with our soft breaths were the only noises I heard. The silence must've been too much for her because she's shifting again. My eyes remain closed but I feel for her hand and pull her to rest her head on my shoulder.
This seems to calm her just enough but her words still needed to escape. "Can I tell you something?"
I nodded.
"It's...about the other weekend when we went out. To the arcade. We played that game before we left. The one with all the questions."
"Did you want to play that again," I asked tiredly.
She shook her head against me and was silent for a moment longer. "I wanted to answer that question. There was one I didn't answer. I know it seems like forever ago but it's only fair since you just saved me big time," she whispered and her voice tickled against my neck.
A different sensation was beginning to creep over me. Through my hooded eyes and slumped body, a fog began settling in me that I couldn't place. I didn't remember what the last question was and soon, it became challenging to think farther than a few minutes ago.
"What was it?"
A pause. "You asked me...if...I ever fantasized about a friend."
Pieces weren't connecting and I could only ask who, unknowingly dipping myself into my own trap. My eyes shot open at the feel of something pressing against my throat. With no warning, she began softly sucking at my neck, nipping gently at first and more roughly as it followed.
My voice sat in my throat and I couldn't seem to say anything other than her name.
"I think that I might have gotten a dose of whatever was in that drink," she breathed darkly. Her voice chilled me and when she pulled away, I felt even colder.
With no protest from me, she crawled into my lap, pressing our foreheads together. We sat like that for a while, neither of us moving. Whether we were looking for the willpower to pull away or simply trying to see who would make the first move, we didn't know.
Sense and reasoning had left my body and I couldn't bring myself to tear away from her. So I indulged her first. Brushing my lips against hers once, then twice and another. I found my voice again and ordered her to remove her shirt. There was nothing shy about it.
She shrugged off her jacket and gripped the bottom of her shirt, tugging it over her head. My fingers explored her skin, leaving nothing untouched.
She arched into my touch and her hips soon began to move of their own free will. I took control of her hips, moving them as fast or as slow as I wanted, loving the twisted look of unsatisfied desire burning in her eyes.
Our movements were fast but by no means sloppy. I wasn't quite sure when I ended up with her pinned beneath me or when my fingers made their initial assault but I remember that first moan of sheer pleasure that drove me to keep going. I remembered the way her fingers pried my own shirt over my head and her nails sunk into my back, undoubtedly leaving bruises.
God, I loved it. That fog was new to me but already I found it bringing me great satisfaction.
She pulled me in close, telling me all the unspeakable things she had ever dreamt about me. And I made it my very goal in that moment to make each and every one of those fantasies happen. By the time she was flinching away from my merciless fingers while she found her release, I could be certain that I was to be at the forefront of all her fantasies from now on.
It was a while before me moved and redressed. Her head rested on my chest as we wantonly settled in the midst of our medicated euphoria.
I found my phone after much struggle, looking at the screen, surprised to see so many missed messages. An hour and a half perhaps two had passed from the moment I left Ino to now.
Ino. I swallowed the tightness in my throat. Several of the messages were from her. At once, the disgusting feeling of guilt crushed the pleasant fog of my mind and I was suddenly very much aware of the mistake I had just made.
I called for Rin but she had fallen victim to sleep it would seem. Carefully, I disentangled myself from her hold, thankfully, without waking her. I ordered Aris to keep an eye on her as I rushed into the hall, attempting to get a call through to Ino.
No answer.
I call again and receive the same response of nothing.
I text her but as the minutes roll by, I get nothing again. Frantic, I rush down the hall, aggressively pushing through the crowd to look for that golden hair and goddess costume. Nothing again.
A text comes in. It's from Ino but I can't make our her illegible message. I call and immediately it goes to voicemail. I push outside because I need the air to clear the last of that stubborn fog and I call for her. No one pays me much attention and I weave through more bodies until I come to the woods.
This was a time where I could really use Aris but I needed him to keep watch over Rin until she recovered.
Finally, I heard voices just a little ways off into the woods arguing. I didn't recognize the guys voice but Ino's was instantly familiar. I rush towards the arguing, and spot Ino looking particularly disheveled and frightened with an arm wrapped around her neck.
Her eyes land on me and before I can rush to her aid, she's screaming for me to stop. Her tone and not the words themselves are what compelled me to stop. I had never heard her sound so terrified.
Holding her is a boy, long messy blond hair and blue eyes met my focus but not so much as the gun pointed directly at me while another one pointed at Ino.
Instinctively, I drew my own weapon, pointing it firmly at the boy. Myron. The one from the reports.
"Well well, look who decided to show up. I have to say, you aren't exactly the best bodyguard I've seen. I mean, leaving such a beautiful thing alone by herself. Something could happen to her," he joked, brushing his nose against her cheek.
My fingers tensed but I knew better than to take the shot. I order for him to let her go but he only laughed at me instead.
"No, I don't think so. I think I'll keep her a little while longer. There's a project that only she can help with," his voice dripped with lechery.
Ino whimpered and struggled against him but to no avail. Tears burning in the corners of her eyes only made me that much more angry. I wanted to put several bullets in him and watch him die slowly. I didn't have the luxury to think these things, instead needing to figure out how I was going to get Ino away from him.
I didn't have an opening and the gun near Ino's head shot my anxiety up with no mercy. This was going to end badly. Very badly in one way or another.
Ino pleaded for me and it dug at my heart in such a cruel way. He ordered me to lower my weapon, threatening very lewdly to blow her brains out. Ino pleaded me against it but I had few options. Lowering my gun to the ground, I held up my hands, reluctantly dropping to my knees. He walked over, kicking my gun away from me.
Pressing the gun to my temple, he forced Ino to watch, promising her that he'd slaughter me quickly.
In the midst of his laughter, I heard something crunch behind him. I looked subtly towards the dense woods where Rin and Aris sat in wait.
I nodded towards her and she tossed a rock opposite from her to gain his attention. With a sharp whistle, Aris came darting through the brush at full speed, latching onto Myron's leg.
I bolted forward next, and in the chaos of gunshots, screams, pain and pools of blood, I remembered nothing else of that moment.
Okay, so let me start off by saying this. I am so so sorry that I kept you all waiting! Like deeply sorry. I promised regular updates after chapter nineteen but so much has happened. I went on my trip to Los Angeles which was super fun and I can't wait to go back. I was doing summer school which kicked my you know what.
I was working max hours every week on top of that and got burnt out. I have had several passings in the family, dealing with my anxiety and changed my major in college for the third and last time. I switched to English because I realized that what I'm really passionate about is being a writer. Who knew? Pfft.
I've been working out and eating healthier with my keto diet. Thanks to whom, I've lost over 30 lbs. Whoop! I've also been trying to write my own stories and have one currently in progress on Wattpad. If you all want, let me know and I'll pass along some info for that if you want to check it out. There's tons more crazy and unfortunate circumstances that have taken place but I won't go into all the little details.
Overall, I have missed all of my amazing fans and I've missed working on this story. I had chapter twenty written for a while but I felt like you guys deserved better than that. After beating myself to give you something worthy of your continued support, I give you these two chapters in hopes of you accepting my sincerest apologies. I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for your help in inspiring me to write more and pursue this passion. I am hopefully back this time for good and still plan on finishing this story up for you all. Kat has missed you! Let's get back on this crazy journey together!
(Next chapter is already in the works. Lol I know how we feel about cliffies! I also apologize for any grammatical errors but I just had to get these chapterd out to my babies!)
