Pain of Love
Note: XD me tired...stayed up late trying ta learn some Spanish...*sigh* wa in the name of hell made me wanna take that class? *moan..* me don't wanna fail...-__-;
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Sakura elegantly tilted her chin and stepped out of the carriage, while Ino and Hinata followed suit. (lets just say the village made a few *special* preparations for the ball) Tonight they was beautiful...the moon shone lustrously almost like a bright ornament you would place on a tree. However...Sakura couldn't help but feel a bit nervous...
Something was going to happen tonight...all her instincts screamed at her...telling her to leave...telling her that death was coming. Sakura hesitated for a moment before shaking it off. It was probably just the aftershock from discovering that Sasuke was a murderer...or maybe she was just a bit nervous about the dance...a bit too much for comfort.
Ino and Hinata were chatting brightly behind her, while she walked forward without a sound. She didn't hear anything they said...nothing. She was too lost in her emotions...her thoughts to bother.
There were too many damn shadows around here...too many places to hide. A skilled assassin could hide and kill anyone he pleased easily...there was nothing here that could stop him. Sakura smirked. Nothing except her...
Almost all the residents of Konoha knew nothing about her true profession...nothing about her true power.. The only ones that had any idea were the ANBU and her friends...and a selected few. Sakura looked down at her dress and smiled. Who would think of her as a threat? Who would be foolish enough to mess with her?
She stared blankly towards the flowerbed, trying to look interested. There were secrets within secrets...a deeper meaning to things. Tonight was too perfect...it was the kind of night when the evil ones walk the land. She knew deep down that things wouldn't last...that things...die...
Sakura felt tears come to her eyes. Things had been so perfect...yet so ethereal...when Sasuke had lived among them. He'd somehow warmed her heart...but also broke it. When she thought of him...it was always with mixed emotions. Sasuke was like a storm...so unpredictable yet dangerous...
Her eyes hardened into dark green stones. It mattered not what happened in the past...the only the present was important. Sakura bowed her head in pain. She had orders...that she wouldn't dare disobey...
...orders to kill and destroy
Sakura jumped when Hinata gently prodded her arm. "Sakura-chan?" she asked meekly, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright? You looked like as if you were going to cry..." she said slowly.
She forced a smile, and shook her head in disagreement. Sakura was afraid that if she spoke now...Hinata would notice the quiver in her voice. She couldn't afford displaying her weaknesses...even if it was only to Hinata.
After a few minutes of silence, she finally forced out the words. "I'm fine Hinata-kun," choked Sakura. "Really?" she persisted when she noticed the hesitant look in Hinata's eyes.
"Shika!" exclaimed Ino, completely unaware of Sakura and Hinata while she ran forward in joy. She threw herself into his arms and leaned fully against him. She gasped half in surprise and delight when Shikamaru presented her with a bouquet of white roses.
"For my favorite lady," he whispered softly, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
Ino turned towards them, with her eyes sparkling with joy. "Shikamaru and I are engaged," she said cheerfully, holding out her hand for Sakura's inspection.
"When...when did this happen?" she asked weakly. Sakura mentally scolded herself for being away for so long.
"A few months ago," replied Shikamaru stepping up next to them. "I proposed to Ino on her 21st birthday," he said proudly. Ino sighed with delight. "Yes...it was so romantic..."
Both of them stared deeply into each others eyes and kissed deeply. Sakura leaned towards Hinata and whispered, "I think the lovebirds need some privacy..." she hinted, while she motioned for them to enter the ball.
Hinata instantly agreed, and allowed Sakura to practically drag her towards the door. "Sakura-chan...I can walk ya noe..." she whined, rubbing her sore arm.
"Sorry..." muttered Sakura turning towards Hinata. "Is there anything you have to tell me? I've had enough surprises tonight..." she huffed with annoyance. "Anything?" she asked plaintively.
Hinata hesitated while her cheeks flamed. "Well...I was going to tell you..." she murmured half to herself. "But you were so upset about Sasuke...I couldn't bring myself to goad about my good luck..."
"...and that is..."
"Naruto asked me out..." she whispered, her eyes shining with love and joy. "He finally noticed me!"
Sasuke couldn't help but admit that was totally unsuspected. Through the years...she'd always known about Hinata's constant crush on Naruto...but she had dismissed it. After all...Naruto was a bit too thick-headed to decipher any hints...
It seemed like Naruto had grown up...had finally figured out how to access that bit of fluff that he called a "brain." "How long have you guys been dating?"
Hinata looked a bit uncomfortable. "That's kind of hard to say..." she said slowly. "Naruto began to show interest in me a few months ago...but he didn't have the guts to ask me out until a few weeks ago."
"I'm glad," replied Sakura sincerely. "You two make a cute couple!"
"Yea...I know..." Hinata had just spotted Naruto in the crowd, she shot him a wistful look before turning to Sakura. "Sakura-chan...I have to go now. Naruto's is here!" she exclaimed joyously. Her face turned serious. "If you need anything, just ask me or Ino..." she said before running towards Naruto.
Sakura sighed half with relief and sadness while she watched Hinata run away. Both Ino and Hinata had a guy...had a soul mate...someone who loves them. And yet...she didn't...
Was she destined to be alone? To spend the rest of her life wondering about? To never feel loved?
She had practically given up on love. After all...it was just an illusion wasn't it? Something that masked the truth...something that had no meaning whatsoever. Sakura had once loved a young man...but he...
Sakura felt herself stiffen. What was she doing? Why was she picking at her old scars? She had to hide from them...it was painful...so painfully. She had to burry them deep...so that no one...not even herself would be able to uncover them. Death seemed like a small price to pay compared to the truth...the truth of her past.
She daintily climbed off the finally ladder of stairs that led up to the Ball room. Sakura studied the door with a bit of fascination. It was old fashioned...with mysterious carvings on it. But those cuts...that ran from the top of the frame to the bottom, they looked like...blood.
Sakura gathered up her strength and pushed open the door...
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Note: well...thatz bout it...REVIEW! IF YA LIKE DA CHAPTER! XD