Chapter 10: The Visit
It's been about two months since our camping trip. I never thought that I'd be so happy again. I'm back to my 'normal' self.. The normal Sakura who is cheerful, noisy, smart and doesn't need to pretend..
For me, it was like a new life.. A new life with Gaara. Together we slowly learned what that 'love' was.. What its essence was.. We still haven't found the right answers but I know that someday, we will.. Together.
I'm happy with him. He never made me sad. Well, he did made me cry but those tears were tears of joy.
About Sasuke.. Hmm.. At first I found it really hard to forget about him.. My love for him and the pain it put me through. But as the days passed by, I forgot all about the pain. We remained as friends. I remained as his number one fan. We still talked to each other-- I asked him about his upcoming movies, how hard showbusiness was, how happy he was without me in his life, bugging him for a date or something..
He told me before that he was happy for me, right? I sure hope that he'll find the 'one' for him.. So that he can also be happy.
For the past few days I noticed some changes about him. Although he acts just the way he was before-- silent, I-don't-give-a-damn attitude, smart-- I could sense that there was something different about him.. Whenever I talk to him about Gaara, he'll just walk away like he was avoiding me. Or sometimes he says comments rather sarcastically. He wasn't like that before.. Not even after the camp. Just now.. What's wrong with him?
I care about him because he's my friend.. Friends care about each other, right? I.. I was just concerned about him.. Nothing more!
Gaara and I sat on the usual swings at the same playground while I listened to his story. I felt contented by just looking at him.. Hearing him speak.. Being with him. I felt so happy and secured.
Maybe he noticed that I was staring at him.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked.
"N-No.." I smiled at him.
He sighed.
"Well anyway this was what he did--" He continued.
"Uhm.. Gaara.. I just want you.. Erm.. to know that I'm happy with you.." I cut him.
His face remained expressionless but I knew deep inside that he's smiling. He stood up and put his arms around me.
"You always say that.." He chuckled a little.
"I know, I know.. But I just want you to know that.. I'm very happy each day that I am with you.." I said in a soft tone.
"You'll never know how much you're making me happy.." He answered. "You'll never know how much Haruno Sakura means to me.."
Oh, I remember that line clearly. I told him before that I was hoping that the girl will recognize his feelings for her while I wished that Sasuke will love me in return.
I hope he'll realize just how much Sasuke means to Sakura..
Yup, that was my wish before. But now, I'm satisfied with my life. I'm happy.. and I found that happiness with Gaara. Could he be the answer to the question that has been in my heart for a long time? I don't know.. For I don't even know what that question was. But sooner or later I know I will.
I hugged him back. I could smell his spicy scent. We were like that for a while.. Hugging, just hugging, in silence..
Like before, it started to rain..
"Sakura, do you notice that everytime we're together in this place it rains?" Gaara asked me.
"Well, I don't remember that it rained the day I felt so dizzy and you brought me to your house.." I told him.
"It did.." He said. "I wonder why.."
"Yeah.. Uhm Gaara, let's go home now.. I wouldn't want to catch cold and I don't want you to get sick." I said with a nice grin.
Together, we went to my apartment..
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Gaara had some things to do in his house so he was quite busy. Today, I'm not with him. Ino was with Shikamaru, Naruto, Hinata and Lee. I'm alone..
As I was walking back to my apartment, I passed the Uchiha residence. Oh, that marvelous mansion! I wanted to drop by for a visit for Sasuke but Itachi.. That bastard! He'll be in there then seduce me again! Should I go? But I'm worried about Sasuke.. He seemed so different these days..
Sasuke didn't attend classes for three days. I asked Kakashi-sensei for his reason but he just told me that Sasuke filed a leave of absence about six days ago. The reason was private, Kakashi-sensei said. I'm really worried about him..
Nah.. Forget about the bastard. After all, he's not the intention of my visit but his younger brother. But I knew I got to be more careful.
"Oh.. Hello.. Uhm.. Guard.." I said. "Is Sasuke home?"
"How are you related to Young Master Sasuke?" The raven-haired guard asked.
"I'm his friend." I answered.
"Are you scheduled to have a meeting with the Young Master today?" He asked again. Why does he ask a lot of questions? It's so irritating!
"N-No.. I just thought of.. visiting him." I replied.
"What is your name?" The guard asked me.. again. I felt so irritated that I answered him--
"Hi! I'm Haruno Sakura. I'm fourteen years old and my birthday is on the 28th of March. I'm currently living alone in a small apartment near the Uchiha mansion. I love strawberries and I hate Orochimaru-sensei for giving us hard assignments. Last school year, I received an award as the most outstanding student." I sighed. "Anything else you'd like to know, Mr. Guard?"
"That's quite an introduction." He said with a small grin. "I was only asking for your name. Anyway, you said you are Haruno Sakura. Wait.."
I watched him as he scanned something on a notebook.
"Oh, Miss Haruno! Please come in!" He politely said with a big smile. What's with the sudden change?
The guard called a female servant and she escorted me to the mansion.
-----
We stopped in front of a big, white door. I couldn't tell the differences of the rooms for they all have the same color and size of doors. Surely it wasn't the living room but I think I've seen that place before..
"Be careful, Miss.." The maid whispered to me. That sounded like a warning. She gave me a little bow before quickly walking away. It looked to me that she was afraid but why?
I sighed before opening the huge door. My eyes widened upon seeing that same dark room.. That same black couch and the fireplace. Itachi's room. Why did the maid brought me here? I was looking for Sasuke, not Itachi! Oh, unless..
"I've been expecting you, Sakura." I heared that familiar voice. Itachi's voice.. That bastard! Although I couldn't see him clearly because of the darkness, I knew he had a smirk on his face. "Please have a seat."
.. Unless he was expecting me and ordered the servants to bring me in there.
"Why am I here?! I'm looking for Sasuke, not you!" I snarled at him. I didn't leave my spot even if he told me to sit down. I wouldn't want to be seduced by that maniac again.
"Sasuke isn't here right now." He said. "He is in another country, shooting for his upcoming movie."
"Oh.. Then I guess I'll have to leave now." I angrily said.
In a split second he was right behind me. He moved so fast I didn't notice him! How the hell did he do that?
Like before, he put one of his arms around my shoulders and the other around my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder. I felt so scared all of a sudden. I felt so uncomfortable him being so close to me. This time there will be no Sasuke to save me. This time I'll have to defend myself..
"W-What do.. y-you w-want from m-me?" I nervously asked him, almost like a whisper.
"Leaving so soon?" He said. "Don't leave me alone. Entertain me.." His voice suddenly became.. seductive.
Now I knew what he wants. That bastard! I wouldn't let him do that to me! Like before, I bit his arm and kept my distance from him.
"I knew you'll do that.." He said with a smug smile.
I looked around then I realized that I was already inside his room! He closed the door and slowly paced towards me.
"W-Why are you.. doing this to me?!" I asked him. Tears started to form in my eyes.
"I'm interested with Sasuke's new toy.." Itachi answered with a smirk.
"Maybe you're just jealous!" I said. "You saw him kissing me.. A-And you were hurt by that.."
"He kissed you? Really.. Too bad I didn't see that.."
"Liar! You're jealous!" I retorted. Crystal beads rolled down my cheeks.
"If you don't believe me why don't you ask my foolish brother again. He probably made that all up.." Itachi said.
Made that all up? But why? I thought he doesn't like me at all.. I thought he finds me annoying.. I thought I was just a tool for his revenge.. I was speechless for quite a while.
"Stop crying.. It annoys me damn lot." He said. "Have a seat. I'll just get some drinks for us.." He then headed to a room that seemed to be a small kitchen.
Hey, what's with the sudden change? When I entered here he sounded so dangerous.. then seductive.. then now kind? What's wrong with him? Unless he had some dirty plans..
I sighed.
I think Itachi is the kind of person who keeps his words. Maybe.. I don't know..
I sat on the couch. I wanted to ask him a lot of questions about Sasuke. Was he telling me the truth? That he wasn't watching while Sasuke kissed me and that maybe his younger brother made that all up? But why? I wanted to know..
Itachi reappeared with two glasses of orange juice on a tray. He had a very small smile on his lips which, I think, was rather unusual. He put the tray on top of the table in front of me. I was quite thirsty but orange juice made by Itachi.. Would that be safe?
"Don't worry, it's safe." He said, as if he could read my mind.
I nodded slightly. He gave me a glass of juice and sat down beside me. I didn't know why I stayed when I had a chance to escape that time when he was at the kitchen. Maybe he knew that I wouldn't escape. He wouldn't leave me if he knew that I will in the first place. Maybe he knew that I wanted to know something..
"When's he coming back?" I asked the older Uchiha.
"Who cares.. He rarely speak to me." He answered while staring at the flame.
I sipped some orange juice from the glass. Well, it tasted good.. Better than mine.. I drank more.
"Are you still interested with Sasuke?" He asked me.
I was quite surprised by his question. I thought he doesn't care about Sasuke.. Why would he be asking me a question like that?
"Uhm.. No.. I only see him as a friend." I answered. Oh really Sakura? Who are you kidding.. Argh! Stop those thoughts! I told him the truth!
"Oh.. I see you are interested with that red-haired friend of yours." He said. "If I remember correctly his name is Gaara, right?"
How the hell did he know Gaara's name and that I like him? I asked him that question.
"One night I heared Sasuke cursing that guy called Gaara. Then I sensed something different about him this past few days.. Well I was quite surprised when I learned that my silly little brother is in love.. And he's jealous.." He replied, this time looking at me.
"Jealous? A-And why would he be.. jealous?" I asked him. Of course I knew that Itachi was lying. And what's with the look? Was he trying to tell me that I am Sasuke's source of jealousy? Well Sasuke isn't in love with me, for his information. So what's the reason?
"You still don't get it, do you.." I heared him say.
Slowly, my vision started to blur. I couldn't see him clearly. I dropped the glass and I suddenly felt so sleepy.
"I told you it was safe. I didn't put poison in it, just sleeping powder.." He said. I saw that he smirked at me then he said some more words like 'you're mine now..' in a seductive way..
Oh, no! Was he going to.. No! No! Sakura, fight! Don't close your eyes! I kept on urging myself but my eyelids felt so heavy.
The last thing I knew was that he crawled on top of me and I felt his damp lips kissing my neck.. Biting.. Hungrily sucking my skin..
I wanted to fight him.. That.. That bastard.. H-How could he.. But I felt so weak and.. drowzy..
My eyes slowly closed, nothing but pure darkness..
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Sorry for the short chapter.. Review please. Thanks a lot!
