Chapter 12: Due on Stage
I waited for about an hour or so at Sasuke's apartment. He didn't come back, so went home.
"Don't you have plans?"
His voice lingered in my head. I felt as if I had gotten shot down by the only person that has ever loved me… It hurt me so much. I dragged myself home to get ready for the competition; I didn't even feel like competing anymore. All I wanted to do was find Sasuke and crawl up in his arms. I regretted my decision now, I should have just slept with him, maybe then he wouldn't have left me there, and he'd be walking me home by now. I hated this. I hated missing him, but the thing that killed me is that I hated myself for thinking like this. That could have very well been the last time I would ever see Sasuke, maybe ever, and it was my fault it ended on a bad note.
I took out the hot curls and let my hair bounce passed my shoulders in long waves. Ino had come over to help me get ready. She was rambling on and on and on about who was going to be there. I wasn't really paying attention to her, and let her play around putting ribbons in my hair and touching up my make-up. She didn't even stop for air as she made her way to my closet, her voice muffled as she rummaged through the sea of dresses that lay inside. I wasn't even paying attention to anything she was saying. I sort of just blocked her chatter out as I stared at myself in the mirror, the images around me becoming nothing but a blur. "What have I done?" I whispered quietly to myself.
"Right Sakura?" Ino interrupted my trance.
"Eh? Sorry, can you repeat that?" I said turning around to face her.
"I said 'this dress will bring out your hair when you're on stage' right?" She held up a fitted red dress; short kind of puffy sleeves with a low 'U' neckline, it stopped at about 5 inches above my knee. It was a dark red dress, sort of the color of my blood. It was yet another dress Sasuke had given me.
"Sure" I responded weakly with a fake smile.
"Good! Because I love it!"
--
It was about 2:30 in the afternoon now; Sasuke had to leave for the airport by 3:30 or he'd miss his flight. Traffic was horrible if you were headed downtown. It would probably take at least an hour and a half to get there.
"So I'll see you at the show ok! You're on at…?"
"7:30" I said
"Great, we'll make it!" Ino slipped on her runners and opened the front door. She suddenly stopped and looked at me again.
"Are you sure you don't want to see Sasuke off? I mean, I know---"
"I'm sure" I said interrupting her. "It's not a good idea"
She looked at me sensing the pain in my heart. "I guess…"
She scampered out the door waving as she ran into Shikamaru's car. I stepped out to wave to them as they drove off to Sasuke's house. I wanted to go, I actually did, but what would I have said to him? My being there might have him think twice about his action, if I were that significant to him, then I shouldn't be there. Besides, I have to be at the café in 2 hours, I should spend that time rehearsing. Sasuke was off to save the world at Tokyo-U; it was time I cracked down on my own future.
--
I peered out at the crowed from the backstage curtains. They just started to let people in. I have never seen this place so packed before. Young couples holding hands sat down together at a 2-party table, I was watching this one couple in particular. They looked so perfect together. They were talking and smiling and laughing together. I was jealous, that's what I wanted. Just when I wanted to look away, the man pulled out a small box and the woman started to cry. They were now engaged I guessed ad the man slid the ring out of the box and onto his lover's finger. It was amazing how something so small could mean so much. I watched them hug and kiss as more people came in blocking my view of the happy engaged couple. I let the curtain fall shut as I closed me eyes and thought of Sasuke. You know I had a dream once about marring him. Shizune and Tsunande-san would walk me down the isle to my future husband Sasuke. Ino and Hinata would be my maids of honor. I smiled as I reminisced my foolish dream. But that's all it was, and all it will ever be…
a dream…
--
"So… I guess this is it" Sasuke turned to look at his closest friends. He looked at his bags on the floor, then at the giant outdoor clock above their heads.
"We're really going to miss you Sasuke Bastard" Naruto stammered
"It's not going to be the same with you gone" Shikamaru added. Hinata and Ino just stared at him funny. They both knew that it wasn't possible for him to come watch me perform, but they still wished that he would take the later flight instead.
Yusuke nodded, "I want to thank you guys for everything." He tried to smile as he hugged everyone goodbye. Then he turned to go into the airport.
"Sakura wishes you luck!" Hinata suddenly blurted out. Sasuke stopped, his head tilted downwards, he glanced over his shoulder at him. "She loves you. Do you know that?"
"Hinata! Now's not the time" Ino tried to restrain her from saying more.
"INO HE NEEDS TO HEAR THIS!" She shook Ino's hands off of her shoulders and continued. "What she's done, everything she's done. It was for you! For your dream."
"Then why isn't she here?" Sasuke turned and looked at her with mixed expressions of anger, curiosity and regret. "Why didn't she come?"
"Because she knew you would change your mind if she came, that you wouldn't go on that plane if she were here. The way she sees it, she's just doing what you're doing, following her dream." Hinata was pretty close to tears. "Don't you see? You were the one who said 'If you love someone let them go' Sasuke, she's letting you go…" She started to cry now, tears falling to the ground; Naruto placed his arms around her. He knew what she meant, Ino and Shikamaru knew it too.
I had told Ino the reason why I wasn't going before she left the house, I'm pretty sure she blurted it out to Hinata during the car ride to Yusuke's house.
Sasuke dropped his bags. He was stunned.
"You know how that phrase ends right Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked.
Sasuke just nodded. "Yeah… 'if they come back, they love you too…'" there was a silent pause, "guys… I've made a terrible mistake." He picked up his bags again and gripped the handles tightly. "Shika, open the trunk, we have a contest to watch."
Hinata and Ino beamed with overwhelming happiness.
--
"Knock, Knock" I turned from the mirror to face Gaara in my dressing room doorway
"What are you doing here?" I asked kind of surprised that he was able to get back stage.
"I wanted to see if you were ok… after the party the other night; I didn't know if you were still going to go on." He looked around, "I'm guessing you are?"
"I'm here aren't I?"
"Yeah… well everyone's here! Except Ino, Hinata, Naruto and Shikamaru. I'm not sure where they are, they're late"
"They're on their way here."
"Oh, from where?"
"The airport, from dropping Sasu—" I stopped myself. I couldn't even say his name out loud.
"I see…" He must have sensed that I wasn't in the mood, and that it might affect my performance tonight. "Well I just wanted to say 'break a leg' really Sakura, good luck tonight. Tonight is your night, I can feel it!" Then he left.
--
(On the Road in Shika's car)
"Can't you go any faster?" Sasuke nagged from the back seats.
"Calm down, there's a lot of traffic tonight, what do you want me to do? Drive on the sidewalk" Shikamaru said sarcastically.
"Why not?" Sasuke snapped back
"Calm down Bastard, you'll get to see Sakura-chan perform" Naruto said trying to sound reassuring.
"She's on at 7:30" Ino said "its 6:45, we have 45 minutes!"
Shikamaru looked out the window "at this rate it might take more than that"
"SHIKA!" Ino smacked him for blowing her reassurance out the window so to speak.
"Idiot…" Naruto glared at him. Hinata shook her head in disapproval.
"Oops. Sorry!" Shikamaru said hitting the gas petal just as soon as the light turned green.
They hit another red. "FRIK!"
Sasuke gazed out the window. "I can't blow it this time you guys… Sakura means everything to me… I can't loose her." Hinata looked over at him. His eyes were frosted with a wet layer of what seemed to be forming tears. He didn't dare to shed them. She placed her hand on his shoulder. And smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I'll get you there before she hits the spotlight if it's the last thing I do." Staying true to his word Shikamaru stomped on the gas petal as soon as the light turned green and sped off onto the highway.
--
"Sakura-san! You're on in about 20 minutes, there's been a technical set back with one of the acts, so they've bumped you up." The back stage director called through my dressing room door.
"Okay, thank you." I looked back at the mirror and wiped my tears off my cheeks, I was crying again. Crying over my big mistake. I missed him… I needed him here, and it didn't look like it was going to happen…
Lady Rine: phew... okay, i uploaded 3 chapters today (cheezy smile) go me.
this is because i'll be gone all weekend and i won't be able to upload anything.
So how do you like it so far? I know it's really different from my first fic... but i thought "why not try something new!"
anyway... this fic is almost done!
hope you guys enjoyed it.
(heart) always
lady rine