Chapter 7: Confusion and a Birthday surprise

My hands stopped hurting when I got home. Shizune was out running errands, that's what the note had said. I was tired. And confused… And I wasn't exactly in the mood to answer either one of Gaara or Sasuke's 10 billion calls. I needed to get my mind off of Gaara…and Sasuke… GAH! I just needed to stop thinking about… IT! So instead I just sat down at my piano in the main room of my house.

I've been playing for as long as I can remember. All I know is that I started when my biological mother was alive. Her name was Aine, which means 'Love song'. 'Ai' means love, and 'ne' means song… 'Love song'. Pretty eh? And she lived up to her name. She had a beautiful voice, and played instruments as well. She was really good. I took piano because I wanted to be like her. Though she was a successful businesswoman, she still had her love for music. That's what I wanted. I wanted to be a songwriter.

I sat down on the piano stool, cracked my knuckles and began to play some scales just to warm up. Then I played Beethoven's first symphony and Fir Elise for further warm ups. Afterwards I got out my notebook and started to work on a new song. I've written quite a few, but never had the courage to send it to anyone. I was well into the first verse when Ino came knocking at my door. Hearing the music from my grand piano she let herself in.

"Sakura?"

"'Can't take the pain'… no wait, that should be a C" I didn't hear her I was too busy changing the D to a C on the music sheet. I bit the pen mentally playing and listening to the sound in my head, and then continued playing.

"I never knew you wrote music." Ino sat beside me. Now I noticed her. She kind of scared me; I even jumped a little bit. Heh, I was scared to look at her, but I did anyway. her.

"Yeah… I started about a year ago. The only person who knows is Sasuke and of course Shizune, she does kindda live with me."

"So does Sasuke…"

I glared at her.

"Or not…" She rolled her eyes.

Silence. I just gazed at the keys in front of me. So much for getting my mind off of things.

"So is Sasuke... you know?"

"I…I…don't know…" I looked back down at the sheet.

"Wow… I never thought I'd see the day when Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke would stop being friends."

"What? We're still friends. I think… I don't know."

"Not from what I can see… So he finally told you eh?"

"Told me what?" Was Ino talking about Sasuke's sudden confession to me?

"That he likes you… you know… as more than a friend?" That answered my question. But how did she know? I looked at her surprised. She just smiled. "Oh please Sakura. It's so obvious! I can't believe you never noticed. He's been swooning over you for ages! You know he's not a very good liar"

"I know that…" It kind of made me giggle a little bit.

"So what did you say? Huh? Common I know you like him too!"

"I don't know… I mean, I'm technically still with Gaara" I felt myself frowning again

"Oh please! Gaara! Jeez Sakura wake up! You don't really feel anything for Gaara. It's a kind of… 'In the moment' thing. Besides, you and Sasuke are made for each other!"

"You think?" She was so not helping.

"Think? Please, I know." I stayed silent staring at the paper in front of me. "Why else would you be writing a song about him?"

"I'm not writing about him!" I snapped, kind of surprised she would even say such a thing.

"Uh huh… sure. Then what's this?" She pointed to one line of the first verse.

'Can't stop thinking about you. I'm lost, with him but with you.'

I blushed like mad. I must have looked like Hinata for a moment.

"You better make up your mind and fast. It's not fair to Gaara or Sasuke… or yourself. My advice is to stay away from both of them until you sort out your feelings."

I hate to admit it… but for once, Ino was right.

1:47 am. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about it. Sasuke… Gaara… Sasuke… Gaara? Ino was right. It wasn't fair to either of them. Or to me. I knew what I had to do.

The next day I saw Gaara in the hallway at school. He was stuffing his books into his locker. I paused, nervously and took a huge breath. I have never had to do this before. But I walked up to him anyway. I tapped his shoulder. "Gaara?"

He turned and looked at me. "Sakura…"

I wish he didn't look at me like that! I just said his name and already he looks so hurt.

"Umm…we need to talk…"

--

FAST FORWARD!

--

"Bye!" I yelled after my friends from school. It's been a year now. School let out. Fourth year is over! I'll be a senior next year! I should be happy, but I wasn't. Gaara and I were still friends but he and Sasuke were still very much rivals. Trying to outdo each other at everything. I know Gaara still had feelings for me. He tried to get back together with me so many times. But I just shook my head and said I wasn't ready.

I had been focusing on my music. Sasuke and I weren't the same as before. He wasn't my best friend anymore. I mourned for that. But in a way I gained more than what I lost. More people wanted to talk to me and get to know me at school. Temari still hated methat wasn't too bad. Gaara wanted me. Ino, Hinata and I were closer than before. And Sasuke was clearly in love with me… though he never showed it when others were around.

Sounds like a wonderful life right?

But I wasn't happy.

Not one bit.

I was so worried about my career. I was too nervous to send my work out to anyone. And to make things worse, Sasuke was leaving in less than two months. To make things EVEN MORE horrible was that I couldn't understand my feelings towards him. I figured that I'd just wait it out since I couldn't do anything.

Right?

--

I walked into the café where Ino worked the night shift on Saturdays.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled as I walked thought the door.

"Huh!" I looked around

"Happy 18th Birthday!" They continued. I looked at the wall calendar, March 28th. My Birthday. How could I forget my own birthday! Jeez did I feel stupid. Ino and Hinata ran up, hugging me tightly!

"Hee hee! Bet you didn't suspect a thing!" Ino chimed. They let go smiling happily.

I shook my head "No idea."

"Common you look too shocked. You didn't forget your own birthday did you?" Hinata asked.

"Well I…" I started to turn red.

"Oh my God you did?" They just laughed taking my hands and dragging me to greet all the people who showed up.

They rented out the entire café just for this one night for me. I was happy for the first time in a year. I was happy. It was the first party I had since I was 10. I wasn't expecting anything at all!

It was so wonderful.

I got so many new supplies, tapes and music sheets for my songs and demo tapes. HA! Like I'd get the courage to send anyone a demo tape. Still, the gift was very thoughtful. So many Kodak moments, so many jokes and inside jokes reborn, so much reminiscing of past memories. Some of my friends even composed speeches and said them aloud before we cut the cake. I teared when Ino and Hinata gave their speeches and I nearly died of laughter when it was Naruto and Shikamaru's turn. I couldn't remember the last time I smiled so much.

But one seemed to be missing… Sasuke.

I thought he'd be here... why wasn't he there! Why wasn't he with me! Why does it hurt so much?

The night went on, people were dancing now. So many smiling faces.

I watched Ino and Shikamaru dance, and Naruto hitting on Hinata, she was red all over. Tee hee, she's such a sweet girl. I saw Temari nagging Gaara from the corner of my eye. If she hated me so much then why was she here? I cringed at the thought. I can't believe she would sink this low. Coming here just because Gaara wanted to. Jeez. Girls like her disgusted me. Which is weird because I usually get along with everyone.

All of a sudden the music slowed down and the couples took over the floor. I watched Shikamaru take Ino into his arms. They looked so happy together. Wow. Despite Shikamaru's idiocy and laziness, he and Ino made a perfect match. Ino's 'go-get-them' academic lifestyle combined with Shikamaru's natural laziness and intelligence made a perfect person. Their personalities complimented each other. They were the perfect couple. I couldn't help but feel jealous. Even Naruto and Hinata seemed compatible. They were on the dance floor too. Hinata is sweet, shy and quiet. While Naruto is the biggest moron and the number one loud mouth! They were perfect together…

I looked passed them and glanced at Gaara, he was looking at me again. My smile faded and I stood up. I needed some air. I could still see Temari clinging onto him. I shook my head in disbursement as I turned and walked out to the patio. I sighed looking over the railing at the lake water about 6 feet below me. I heard something behind me and whipped around to see who it was. No one was there. I took a few steps and looked around again. No one. So I turned around again to go back to my spot and there in front of me was a little white box tied with a little pink satin ribbon. Beside the beautiful box was a red rose. I knew right away who it was from...only one person gives me red roses.

"Sasuke…" I whispered into the wind. My eyes sparkled with joy, and a silent smile crept onto my face. I took the rose and sniffed it. Smiling. Sasuke was watching me. I couldn't see him, or hear him, but I could feel him watching me. I felt safe once again.