*****
Sasuke was sitting at the foot of large willow tree. His dark bangs falling
into the eyes that could be either loved or hated. He looked at the ground,
his hands feeling the wind stream through the blades of grass, the cold air
rushing through his fingers. He liked the silence, the peacefulness of the
area, no one really understood that he just wanted to be alone, or maybe he
was just forcing himself to be alone, he wasn't quite sure anymore. He
heard rushing footsteps from behind him. He grumbled sourly as he could
hear them stop and the sound was quickly replaced with panting,
"Sa...su...ke-kun." Sakura was leaning over, her hands on her knees. She
was breathing heavily, sweat dripping form her face. Sasuke ran so fast
after he saw her coming from behind him that she could barely keep up with.
"What do you want?" He asked her coldly, he knew that at this moment he wanted some time to think to himself. "Sasuke. stop running away." Sakura then smirked at looked slightly to the side, "I know Ino-pig's over-controlling and always in your space-" "No Sakura, you don't seem to understand." Sasuke interrupted with a hiss, "I don't like people. They're a nuisance, and even more than Ino, I'm irritated by you." He glared at her and then looked back down at the ground. Sakura choked slightly, looking at Sasuke slightly with wide eyes. She then let her eyes weaken as she looked fiercely at the ground as well. "Sasuke. this time I'm going to tell you my true opinion.let me insult you for once." She snapped softly. "I've waited all these years, paining for you, endless longing. do you really hate me so much?"
This made Sasuke look up at her with a slight shock shown upon his usually emotionless face. She then tensed as she continued,
"All the other girls only liked you for your looks, didn't you realize that everything about you I'm in love with you!? I'm sick and tired of waiting for you to turn around Sasuke! How much more do I have to take?" Tears streamed from Sakura's now clenched eyes, "I wanted to be strong for you, but in your eye's I'm only a weakling, well just know this Sasuke-kun! Just know this!-" She was fuming with such inexpressible, anger, despite, sorrow, that she felt everything getting hotter, surrounding her, she jolted her head and turned around strutting away with such misery in her eyes, "You're annoying." She added in a faint, harsh whisper, quickening her pace as she clasped her hands to her face never daring to look back until she was too far away to tell.
Sasuke sat there, contemplating her sudden outburst. It was not exactly what she said that shocked him, but the fact that he actually felt there was something.
********
Deep in the middle of the woods Naruto stood gasping. There was a whole entire strip of land in front of him that was all barren, the trees ripped up from their roots. His light blue eyes studied the land slowly. His Rasagen was getting stronger each time he practiced, and he had even more stamina. He grinned, his eyes narrowed. He had been practicing all his techniques that if he did anything else he'd probably kill himself, but Naruto continued to persist.
"Ha. I can...do it." He slowly gasped as he held out his hands. It was hard for him to move his legs; standing was already too much pressure. He stepped forward breathlessly and then collapsed onto the musty ground, as he finished his step.
********
Sakura sat on an auburn park bench, holding her knees tightly against her chest, crying silently to herself. The nice cold breezed rustled the tree leaves, but she could feel a presence coming closer to her. She said nothing, did nothing to show that she was aware of it though, she didn't care to be noticed.
"Hey what's wrong with you? Sasuke finally told you he chose me?" Ino snickered from above Sakura. When Sakura made no reaction to Ino's comment, Ino decided that it was not the time to crack jokes. Ino sat down next to Sakura with a kinder look than usual, "Hey Sakura. we may still be pure rivals, but that doesn't mean I won't help you."
"You can have him. I hate him." Sakura finally managed a hiss to form into words. She allowed her head to peak out form behind her knees, her eyes were red, tears still evident on her cheeks.
"Who are you talking about?" Ino asked slowly facing her best friend/rival.
"Sasuke...he's not even worth your time. If you really want him though, then have him." Sakura sourly spat, tracing the patterns the leaves and rocks made on the ground with her eyes.
"Sakura." Ino was stunned by Sakura's answer, flabbergasted by such an answer, "What happened?" She put her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "You can tell me, this time I'm not your rival, this time I'm your friend." Sakura just stared Ino in the eye with such spite and hate that it sent shivers down Ino's spine.
"I don't need to talk, just leave me alone!" Sakura got up from the bench, now she understood why Sasuke always wanted to be alone; it was no fun sharing such heartache.
********
Kiba was racing through the trees wildly, Akamaru persistent by his side. He grinned widely, his fangs showing, "Hah! Nothing beats a race in the fresh cool air of the night!" Shino simply shook his head, standing silently, observing the dancing fireflies. They glowed beautifully on the nice summer night, the air was fresh and cool and the moon hung perfectly in the sky. Hinata was sitting nearby Shino, smiling softly as she watched Kiba and Akamaru. Her feet were dangling in the cool, refreshing river water, running through the woods in a slinky design. She found herself standing not a moment's past and started to walk down the river with her bare feet.
"Where ya going Hinata?" Kiba yelled as he noticed her walk away from her teammates.
"I'm going to take a walk alone." Hinata softly replied, not sure if Kiba really heard her or not. 'Something's wrong." Hinata didn't want to get her other teammates involved. She wanted to protect herself for once, and she didn't want to have to rely on them. She waded in the water, shivering slightly from icy running water. She saw trees were split in half and the ground was torn apart. Something was wrong. She got out of the river and put her sandals back on which she was conveniently carrying. As she walked down that path, she recognized a presence, and the very unusually colored, orange jacket and pants.
"Naruto-kun!" She softly cried as she picked up her speed. She saw Naruto on the ground; scratches and bruises were all over him. He must've been in the forest for hours by now, and using up too much Charka. She lowered to his side, her white eyes frantically searched around for someway to help him. She worryingly looked down at Naruto, her eyes were weak, "Naruto-kun. Please don't die." Hinata instantly pulled out some bandages she carried in a sac she had been carrying around and she wrapped it around his wounds, cleansing them with the nearby river water.
"Ugh." a faint groan came from Naruto's mouth, he moved slightly. Hinata gasped with joy, as she still continued to work on his wounds, but a tentative smile appeared on her face.
Naruto opened his eyes weakly, "Hinata?"
She nodded, not looking him in the eyes though.
"What happened?"
"You almost died... you over worked yourself." Hinata slowly added. She leaned back, putting away all the rest of the left over bandages.
"I did?... thanks Hinata." Naruto slowly grinned, trying to sit up.
"Naruto.please." Hinata shook her head quickly, "You'll hurt yourself more."
"It's okay Hinata." He put a reassuring hand on her arm, a blush came to her pale cheeks, she looked down and closed her hands inside her legs,
" I'm so jealous of your confidence."
"Hinata. I set goals for myself. Maybe you should too. I get strength from believe in my dreams." Naruto sat up to face her, quick enough before she could prevent him from doing so, "but everything doesn't work out as well as you wish." he laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Hinata nodded in agreement and then added slowly, "Naruto-kun. I just want you to know that. You may have felt like you were being unnoticed by everyone.. But. I acknowledged you." "Huh?" Naruto stated cluelessly, blinking his eyes, 'Oh yeah! She was always watching you...' Naruto remembered Sakura saying that, but he still couldn't understand why Hinata's face was turning pinkish, "are you okay Hinata? Your cheeks are turning red." Hinata's eyes shot open as she brought her hands up o cover her cheeks and shook her head rapidly. Naruto laughed, not understand her reactions, "Hinata your kinda weird at times. but you're pretty cool too." Naruto remarked as he got up. Hinata hesitated, but seeing that he was much better, she reassured herself that as long as he wasn't walking alone he would be all right. She walked contently back to where the village would be, oblivious to the fact that she forgot all about Kiba and Shino, as she listened intently to Naruto talk the whole entire way.
****** Chapter 2 End To be continued..
"What do you want?" He asked her coldly, he knew that at this moment he wanted some time to think to himself. "Sasuke. stop running away." Sakura then smirked at looked slightly to the side, "I know Ino-pig's over-controlling and always in your space-" "No Sakura, you don't seem to understand." Sasuke interrupted with a hiss, "I don't like people. They're a nuisance, and even more than Ino, I'm irritated by you." He glared at her and then looked back down at the ground. Sakura choked slightly, looking at Sasuke slightly with wide eyes. She then let her eyes weaken as she looked fiercely at the ground as well. "Sasuke. this time I'm going to tell you my true opinion.let me insult you for once." She snapped softly. "I've waited all these years, paining for you, endless longing. do you really hate me so much?"
This made Sasuke look up at her with a slight shock shown upon his usually emotionless face. She then tensed as she continued,
"All the other girls only liked you for your looks, didn't you realize that everything about you I'm in love with you!? I'm sick and tired of waiting for you to turn around Sasuke! How much more do I have to take?" Tears streamed from Sakura's now clenched eyes, "I wanted to be strong for you, but in your eye's I'm only a weakling, well just know this Sasuke-kun! Just know this!-" She was fuming with such inexpressible, anger, despite, sorrow, that she felt everything getting hotter, surrounding her, she jolted her head and turned around strutting away with such misery in her eyes, "You're annoying." She added in a faint, harsh whisper, quickening her pace as she clasped her hands to her face never daring to look back until she was too far away to tell.
Sasuke sat there, contemplating her sudden outburst. It was not exactly what she said that shocked him, but the fact that he actually felt there was something.
********
Deep in the middle of the woods Naruto stood gasping. There was a whole entire strip of land in front of him that was all barren, the trees ripped up from their roots. His light blue eyes studied the land slowly. His Rasagen was getting stronger each time he practiced, and he had even more stamina. He grinned, his eyes narrowed. He had been practicing all his techniques that if he did anything else he'd probably kill himself, but Naruto continued to persist.
"Ha. I can...do it." He slowly gasped as he held out his hands. It was hard for him to move his legs; standing was already too much pressure. He stepped forward breathlessly and then collapsed onto the musty ground, as he finished his step.
********
Sakura sat on an auburn park bench, holding her knees tightly against her chest, crying silently to herself. The nice cold breezed rustled the tree leaves, but she could feel a presence coming closer to her. She said nothing, did nothing to show that she was aware of it though, she didn't care to be noticed.
"Hey what's wrong with you? Sasuke finally told you he chose me?" Ino snickered from above Sakura. When Sakura made no reaction to Ino's comment, Ino decided that it was not the time to crack jokes. Ino sat down next to Sakura with a kinder look than usual, "Hey Sakura. we may still be pure rivals, but that doesn't mean I won't help you."
"You can have him. I hate him." Sakura finally managed a hiss to form into words. She allowed her head to peak out form behind her knees, her eyes were red, tears still evident on her cheeks.
"Who are you talking about?" Ino asked slowly facing her best friend/rival.
"Sasuke...he's not even worth your time. If you really want him though, then have him." Sakura sourly spat, tracing the patterns the leaves and rocks made on the ground with her eyes.
"Sakura." Ino was stunned by Sakura's answer, flabbergasted by such an answer, "What happened?" She put her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "You can tell me, this time I'm not your rival, this time I'm your friend." Sakura just stared Ino in the eye with such spite and hate that it sent shivers down Ino's spine.
"I don't need to talk, just leave me alone!" Sakura got up from the bench, now she understood why Sasuke always wanted to be alone; it was no fun sharing such heartache.
********
Kiba was racing through the trees wildly, Akamaru persistent by his side. He grinned widely, his fangs showing, "Hah! Nothing beats a race in the fresh cool air of the night!" Shino simply shook his head, standing silently, observing the dancing fireflies. They glowed beautifully on the nice summer night, the air was fresh and cool and the moon hung perfectly in the sky. Hinata was sitting nearby Shino, smiling softly as she watched Kiba and Akamaru. Her feet were dangling in the cool, refreshing river water, running through the woods in a slinky design. She found herself standing not a moment's past and started to walk down the river with her bare feet.
"Where ya going Hinata?" Kiba yelled as he noticed her walk away from her teammates.
"I'm going to take a walk alone." Hinata softly replied, not sure if Kiba really heard her or not. 'Something's wrong." Hinata didn't want to get her other teammates involved. She wanted to protect herself for once, and she didn't want to have to rely on them. She waded in the water, shivering slightly from icy running water. She saw trees were split in half and the ground was torn apart. Something was wrong. She got out of the river and put her sandals back on which she was conveniently carrying. As she walked down that path, she recognized a presence, and the very unusually colored, orange jacket and pants.
"Naruto-kun!" She softly cried as she picked up her speed. She saw Naruto on the ground; scratches and bruises were all over him. He must've been in the forest for hours by now, and using up too much Charka. She lowered to his side, her white eyes frantically searched around for someway to help him. She worryingly looked down at Naruto, her eyes were weak, "Naruto-kun. Please don't die." Hinata instantly pulled out some bandages she carried in a sac she had been carrying around and she wrapped it around his wounds, cleansing them with the nearby river water.
"Ugh." a faint groan came from Naruto's mouth, he moved slightly. Hinata gasped with joy, as she still continued to work on his wounds, but a tentative smile appeared on her face.
Naruto opened his eyes weakly, "Hinata?"
She nodded, not looking him in the eyes though.
"What happened?"
"You almost died... you over worked yourself." Hinata slowly added. She leaned back, putting away all the rest of the left over bandages.
"I did?... thanks Hinata." Naruto slowly grinned, trying to sit up.
"Naruto.please." Hinata shook her head quickly, "You'll hurt yourself more."
"It's okay Hinata." He put a reassuring hand on her arm, a blush came to her pale cheeks, she looked down and closed her hands inside her legs,
" I'm so jealous of your confidence."
"Hinata. I set goals for myself. Maybe you should too. I get strength from believe in my dreams." Naruto sat up to face her, quick enough before she could prevent him from doing so, "but everything doesn't work out as well as you wish." he laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Hinata nodded in agreement and then added slowly, "Naruto-kun. I just want you to know that. You may have felt like you were being unnoticed by everyone.. But. I acknowledged you." "Huh?" Naruto stated cluelessly, blinking his eyes, 'Oh yeah! She was always watching you...' Naruto remembered Sakura saying that, but he still couldn't understand why Hinata's face was turning pinkish, "are you okay Hinata? Your cheeks are turning red." Hinata's eyes shot open as she brought her hands up o cover her cheeks and shook her head rapidly. Naruto laughed, not understand her reactions, "Hinata your kinda weird at times. but you're pretty cool too." Naruto remarked as he got up. Hinata hesitated, but seeing that he was much better, she reassured herself that as long as he wasn't walking alone he would be all right. She walked contently back to where the village would be, oblivious to the fact that she forgot all about Kiba and Shino, as she listened intently to Naruto talk the whole entire way.
****** Chapter 2 End To be continued..
