Sixty

She remembered the fight as clearly as though it were yesterday. She had only been seventeen then, but the words had been sharp, defining every fault.

"So, are you really…in love with Shikamaru?" Sakura sidled up next to Ino, wrapping an arm around the blond girl's shoulder. The tension had slid away after the Chuunin exams, and the bond had slowly been mended.

"Yeah." Ino was unusually quiet. She would always gush when she managed to hook another boy, claiming that he was the one. Now she stood, a far away look in her eyes.

"Have you got anyone?" Her head suddenly sprung around and she lifted Sakura's arm as she walked over to the cupboard to fish out two glasses from behind the counter. Strange as it was, the Yamanaka floral shop always had something tasty to offer customers along with their amazing plants.

"No. I'm waiting…"

"Is it him?" Ino had stopped, still turned away.

"…Yes…" She felt a flush rising. It wasn't the exact truth. She was waiting for him, but not in a love sense. And yet…she sometimes wondered if she were. She had given up years ago, but some part of her still harbored love, determined to show him what he had rarely known.

"He is never going to love you!" Ino slammed the cups down, shattering them. She spun around, her eyes fiery and angry. "Do you realize that? He will always be Sasuke!"

"Shut up!" She was standing, the stool flung far. She wanted this to stop, right now. Not another fight. Not again.

"It will always be the same! He's just gonna break your heart again!"

"You don't know him!"

"Either do you!"

"I was his teammate!"

"God dammit, Sakura, he would never care for you! It's not in his nature!"

"Oh, so now I'm not good enough?" She was struggling to keep her voice low; every word was hurting her.

"You know what I mean! He is a cold hearted bastard, Sakura! Give up on him!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" She screamed back, letting it all go. "You always tell me what to do! I never get a word in! You always have all of the looks, the adoration! And what do I have? Nothing! Not even a mother! So just shut up! You don't know him and apparently you don't know me!" Every word out of her mouth was filled with hurt and fury, and she felt sadistically glad at the pain on Ino's face.

"I am only trying to help! Why can't you get that? You're stupid! A stupid forehead girl who doesn't know what's good for her! I am trying to save you!"

"Well, maybe I don't want help! I'm sick of help and I'm sick of pity! I think that I can trust myself in at least this!"

Ino slammed her fists down on the counter, her cheeks red. "What would you know about love? About anything?"

The words burned, branding her soul. She felt every shameful moment come back. With a shuddering breath, she stepped back, and slowly, every step hurting her, she walked out the door. She waited until she was safely inside her room before sinking down and weeping, as though trying to drown herself in her world of tears.

They didn't speak after that. Everyone knew, however, as Ino ranted about it to Shikarmaru. Sakura never admitted it, but the person who she had wished was there as she sobbed was her best friend.

She was older now, but no wiser in the ways of love. She even messed up simple things like saying hello, her words always coming out in the wrong way. A single sentence from her mouth and suddenly people turned away, not wanting to speak with her.

But that hurt had grown dull as the wounds closed over, leaving her free and floating, with nothing to hold her down.

That was the worst feeling of all.