The beach was no longer safe.

The waves were no longer soothing and the sand burnt her where it touched.

"Sakura, sweetie, what's wrong? You haven't left your room in days.. Ino came into town today, don't you want to go see her?" Asks her mother through the door, her tone soft. Sakura had kept to herself for a few days now. Her phone was turned off, her door was locked, and the lights had been all off except for her little moon lamp. There was hardly any light in her room and she preferred it that way. Just like how she preferred for the window that she still stared at blankly to keep closed with the blinds obstructing her view of that place that once washed away all of her worries.

"It's nothing mom, I'm fine, honest," Sakura calls out. She lets out a soft sigh when she hears her mothers footsteps falling away from her door. She wasn't fine, but she knew that one day she would be. Just not today.

Today, she was hurt, confused, and heartbroken.

"How is school?" Sakura asks as she brushes out Ino's long hair. It just seemed to be getting longer and longer. She wondered if Ino was going to keep growing out or keep it at a certain length. Either way, long hair definitely suited the blonde. Sakura was a little envious, but she always kept that to herself. Besides, there's no point in having long hair if she wasn't going to do anything with it. Throwing it up in a measly pony-tail every day wouldn't be worth it.

"It's going great, actually," Ino sighs out dreamily and this catches Sakura's attention. Why would talking about school bring out such a sigh from the blonde? She hated high school. Surely college would be no different in that regard.

"What was that?" Sakura asks, lightly poking her in the side. This was good for her. Sasuke and that girl were the least on her mind. Right now, it was just about her and Ino. No one else. Just a gal and her best gal friend. The two of them.

"I.. might have met someone."

Sakura's heart pangs at this, but she pushes it down, and gives Ino a bright smile. "Oh yeah? Is this a new fling or something special?"

Ino shrugs as she falls back against her bed. "I don't know yet. He seems.. Weird, but whenever I'm with him I feel like a whole new person."

"How'd you guys meet?" Sakura asks. Just because her heart was broken doesn't mean that she couldn't be there for her friend. She was happy for her if this worked out. Ino has gone through boys like no other, but Sakura knew that deep down the blonde just wanted to be appreciated for her personality and her looks - not one over the other, she had "pride as a woman" after all.

"Well, I volunteered to be a model for an art class for extra credit - don't give me that look, okay. I needed it - and he was in there. I thought that he was really cute and so I talked to him afterwards, nothing special."

"I don't believe you."

Ino blushes looking away, an embarrassed look on her face.

"Spill."

"Okay so he accidentally tripped and got paint all over me, big deal. It's not my fault that he was distracted by yours truly," she huffed and Sakura couldn't keep it together anymore. Eventually, Ino joined her in laughing. For once in the last couple of days, Sakura felt at ease again. It was nice, she just hoped that it would stay like that after she left the blonde's presence. She knew it wouldn't.

Sakura found herself sitting on the couch in Naruto's basement nursing a drink in her hand. She watched everyone else around her dancing, grinding, and being together. She felt alone, but she figured that is how it was before Sasuke. It wouldn't be that hard to get used to. She hoped anyway, as she tilted the cup to her lips and finished off her drink.

Off in the distance, Sakura could see Sasuke and her.

She vaguely wondered how long Sasuke had been seeing her, but above all, she wondered why she hadn't been enough. Was she too loud? Too stubborn, assertive? Sakura was a go-getter, she didn't let things be handed to her. Maybe Sasuke preferred someone more submissive. Maybe he preferred someone who wasn't Sakura at all - maybe it was all an act.

"Here, I thought you could use another drink." Another cup is placed in front of her and she doesn't hesitate in taking it. She mumbles out a quiet 'thank you' before downing that drink, too. The taste of alcohol on her tongue was bitter and it burned her throat. She was never too into alcohol, but maybe it was more of an acquired taste that people forced themselves to enjoy. Or maybe they didn't enjoy it at all.

"Are you okay? I'm a little worried." Sakura meets soft brown eyes and her own emerald soften as well. Ten Ten. She had almost forgotten that she would be coming home, too. She felt a little guilty. In all of her moping she hadn't even stopped to check in on her friends who would be coming home. She was too caught up in her mind.

"I will be," Sakura replied simply and Ten Ten chooses not to argue with it. By now, the brunette had known the pinkette long enough not to try and get anymore details. It was obvious the reason for her behavior anyway if the way she stared down Sasuke and that red head was any indication. No one knew what happened, but maybe one day it would come to light.

"I'm going to go get another drink."

As Sakura stands, the world around her spins and she stumbles a little. Feeling hands steady her, she waves them off. "I'm fine. I'll be back, don't let anyone steal my seat." Not even waiting for a response, she starts walking off.

She pushes through the crowd, purposely walking the opposite direction of Sasuke and that girl, as she nears where the drink station is. In true fashion of Naruto's parties, his godfather Jiraiya was manning the station.

"Back for more, eh? Weren't you the girl who never drank at these things?" He teases but fills her up a glass anyway.

"Things change," is all Sakura says as she takes the glass. She eyes the drink distastefully. She honestly hated the way it tasted, but in truth, it was just as bitter as her heart felt at the moment. She couldn't find it in herself to care as she downed it when she went off walking back towards the couch.

"Sorry Sakura, I tried to save your seat, but they wouldn't listen." Ten Ten apologizes and Sakura barely hears her because she is too focused on who is sitting where she was.

"Karin's feet were hurting," is all Sasuke says and Sakura sees red. Before she is even thinking about what she is doing she is throwing the cup and all of its contents straight at Sasuke. She doesn't even care that her own shoes and the front of her blouse is drenched in the process. Sakura couldn't think or see beyond the image of that stupid girl basically on his lap. She hated it, despised it - she couldn't see past it even as she stormed through the basement and up the stairs where she eventually exited the house.

"Stupid fucking Uchiha," she huffs as she removes her shoes. Looking down the road she notes how late it is and wonders briefly if maybe she should have left when Ino did an hour ago. Sakura had ridden with Ino over to Naruto's, but Sakura wasn't quite ready to leave when she was. Somehow she had convinced the blonde to leave her. That was a mistake, Sakura thought, as she began her trek home.

During that walk, Sakura had time to reflect on everything. At least, as well as she could in her drunken state. She could already tell that she was going to have a hangover in the morning, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Not when her whole world had been turned upside down. Sakura didn't understand how Sasuke barely talking to her turned into him bringing home a whole other girl. She just couldn't wrap her head around it and it frustrated her to no end.

"What did I do wrong?!" Sakura cries out and she angrily wipes at her tears. She was at the start of the beach and it wouldn't be long before she would be home, but she didn't quite feel ready to go home just yet, much less the walk of shame to her room. She knew that her mom would be asleep in the living room waiting for her.

The sound of the waves hitting rocks caught her attention and her mind is brought back to that one night that she had danced with Sasuke on the beach and ultimately made love to him. At least, she thought it was love. She had said she loved him that night, but it all made sense now as to why he didn't say it back. He wasn't in love with her. He hadn't ever been. She was just to pass time and it hurt.

Sniffling, she stalked towards the rocks and plopped down in the sand. She was close enough to the water that the tides when they came in covered her feet and soaked her jeans. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked up at the moon. She felt weak and powerless. She wished that the water would drag her in and swallow her, never to be seen. Maybe then she could feel better.

Closing her eyes, she laid back and let out a sigh. Her tears had all but dried by now, but she had no energy to go home. She knew that she couldn't stay here, but she figured a couple of minutes couldn't hurt. Just a few minutes to regain herself. Just a few minutes to remember.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes snap open and she quickly sits up. Looking around wildly, her mind flashing back to the night that Sasuke returned, her eyes settle on a different set of onyx eyes. These are kinder, more gentle, and more warm than the other pair. Sakura relaxes, her mind realizing who it is.

"Hello, Itachi."

"Were you asleep?"

"No."

"You know it's dangerous to fall asleep out in public, especially so close to the water."

"I wasn't asleep."

"Okay."

Sakura sighs, slowly standing up. She wobbles slightly and he is immediately right there, holding on to her. He used to always be there for her, in ways that Sasuke wasn't. He was the one on the ferris wheel, not Sasuke. Groaning, she leans her head against his shoulder as he steadies her. The pounding in her head was steadily getting worse and she knew that she needed to get home.

"Have you been drinking?" He asks and she has to stop herself from rolling her eyes. There was no point in doing it if he couldn't see it being done.

"Of course not," she snorts and tries to push away from him. "I'm just going home."

"Let me walk you."

"I'm fine."

"I don't believe you."

"Whatever. Can you hold my shoes?" She asks and passes her shoes to him. He takes them all the while steadying her. Slowly, they make it to her house. They stand there in silence and Sakura sighs out. "I'm sorry. Thank you for walking me home. It's just a little rough right now."

"I don't mind," Itachi says and passes her shoes back to her. "Be sure to get plenty of rest."

"I will, thank you," she says and turns to open the door.

"And Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"I'll always be there to walk you home, if you need."

Sakura smiles, her mind somehow finding the true meaning behind his words. He was reassuring her, he was saying, 'I'll be there if you need me,' and she appreciated it.

"Thank you, Itachi. Goodnight."

Sakura didn't wake up until late in the afternoon the following day and she only woke up then because her mom had somehow gotten into her room. She guessed she forgot to lock her bedroom door. A pity, really. She had almost convinced herself that this whole thing had only been a nightmare and that Sasuke never existed and she was waking up all over again on that fateful day during that summer.

"Come on, it's time to get up. I know you're hung over, but your dad will be home any minute now."

Sakura groans, rolling off of her bed. She gratefully accepted the water and aspirin her mom offered her to kill the pounding in her head. She just wished it would kill the embarrassment of throwing her drink at Sasuke, Itachi finding her asleep on the beach, and then her walk of shame to her bedroom that her mom had the privilege of witnessing.

"You have less than an hour to be ready and dressed. We're having a family breakfast," her mother says as she rummages through Sakura's closet. Finding what she was looking for, she throws a light green sundress at Sakura. "Maybe you could invite Sasuke along? Your father liked him enough the last time he met him."

Sakura's heart clenched at that.

"Actually, Sasuke won't be able to make any meals with us anytime soon."

"Why?" Sakura's mom asks, confused. "He's in town right now right? I thought I saw his truck the other day."

"We aren't together anymore." Sakura looks away from her mom, the tears starting to well up and she tried her hardest to push them down, but fuck it was difficult.

"Oh, sweetie.. I'm so sorry.. When..?" She could feel her mom gently rubbing her shoulders before pulling her in for a hug.

"I honestly don't know," Sakura breathes out as she lets herself relax in her mom's embrace.

"What do you mean?" And she explained what all happened. Sakura even told her about last night and by the end of it, she didn't feel as alone about it all anymore.

"To be honest, I never liked him anyway," Sakura's mom says fiercely and Sakura rolls her eyes. "Ever since his brother picked you up to meet his parents instead of himself."

Sakura had almost forgotten about that. Thinking back to that night, she vaguely remembers the odd markings on his neck. She almost wonders if he really got into a fight or if he was actually in a different kind of tangle with someone. She had to stop herself from thinking about it. She didn't want to. She'd rather leave it alone.

To: Sakura

Subject: Us

From: Ass hat

Can we talk? (1 p.m.)

Sakura stared down at her phone. She didn't know why she didn't have his number blocked. It would be reasonable after everything, but she just couldn't bring herself to. Rereading the message over and over again, she struggled to respond. She didn't know how to or if she even should. It would only be trouble, she figured. Still.. A part of her was curious.

To: Ass hat

Subject: Re: Us

From: Sakura:

What is there to talk about?

(1:40 p.m.)

Pocketing her phone, she opened the door and was greeted by the blinding sun. Across the street was the beach and she felt tempted to go over to it, but she wasn't sure if she was quite ready for that after her embarrassing breakdown the other night. It would be too much.

To: Sakura

Subject: Re: Us

From: Ass hat

A lot. My house in 10 minutes.

(1:48 p.m.)

Sighing, Sakura leans her head against the back of the chair on her front porch. She knew this was a mistake, but she felt that it needed to happen. She needed to know so that she could move on.

"Sakura, dear, what a surprise!" Says Mikoto with a bright smile. Sakura vaguely wonders if it was fake, but that notion was quickly wiped from her mind. "I was hoping to see you soon. Please, come in," she leads Sakura inside. "I just want you to know that Fugaku and I loved you. We have no idea what has gotten into that childs head, but you are welcome here anytime."

"Oh.. Thank you," she forces a smile and Mikoto notices, but thankfully doesn't say anything. After all, she wasn't here for pleasantries. "Is Sasuke here, he wanted to talk to me."

"I'll send him down."

Sakura awkwardly waits in the living room and it almost reminds her of that night she waited for him when she met his parents. It made her heart ache.

"Sakura."

"Sasuke."

"I shouldn't have done that to you."

Sakura could have rolled her eyes, but she held strong.

"I deserved that drink from the party and I deserve much more than that." Sasuke says and he reaches for her hands. She rips them away, glaring at him.

"You're right, you deserve much more than what I could give." She seethes and he retracts his hand. "Tell me why. Why did you do it? How long has it been going on?" Sakura says angrily and she could vaguely hear the sound of a door being shut. She wondered if it was Mikoto so she wouldn't have to listen to this. She didn't blame her. "Why was I not enough for you?" She finishes softly, tears prickling her eyes.

She didn't want to cry in front of him. She wouldn't cry. Sakura takes in a deep breath.

"I don't know."

She could have laughed. "You don't know? That is the answer you settle with." She looks at him expectantly and she doesn't even know what she was expecting if she was honest. "What did you expect out of this? That I would forgive you and move on? That I would be, be your whore? No way. You have the wrong girl." She growls out.

Silence passes over them and she has had enough.

"This is over," she says and she's pushing past him towards the door.

"Don't-"

"You should have thought of that before you broke my trust."

The door slams, but on the other side of the door, the tears she was holding back slams through.

Sliding down against the door, Sakura knew that she should probably leave and go somewhere else. She should probably just go home, but she couldn't find it in herself to move. She just watched the waves of the beach from afar through her teary eyes. She didn't know how it came down to this. She got no closure. She only further broke her heart. Sakura wished that she could fast forward through all of this and get to a better place.

"Sakura?"

Looking over to the driveway, she spots Itachi getting out of his car. She smiles sadly before giving him a lazy wave. She doesn't bother even wiping her tears. There was no point when it seems that the only time she ever sees him is when she's battling her tears. She might as well let them win.

"What happened?" He crouches down in front of her and he lightly wipes her tears away with a tissue he got from his car. His touch is so gentle that she finds herself closing her eyes. Breathing out softly, she regains her composure in his company. "Did Sasuke do something?"

"He didn't do anything different from lately," Sakura answers and she watches him frown. "I was just stupid and decided to hear him out."

"You aren't stupid, he is the stupid one for not seeing what is right in front of him."

"That's the problem. I wasn't right in front of him, he needed something and I wasn't there.. That has to be it, right?" She sighs out and leans her head against the door. Distantly she saw the sun start to set and she wondered how long she had been sitting on their porch. They must have felt annoyed. That's all she ever did was annoy people.

"It is not your fault that my brother is a dumbass and can't contain himself," he says firmly and gently cups her face. "It is not your fault," Itachi reiterates and Sakura wants to believe him.

Sakura wants to so badly believe him as she stares into his eyes that are so sincere. The same eyes that were always kind to her, helpful, and there for her. She sniffles and collapses forwards into him, catching him off guard as she starts crying again.

She wanted to believe him, but she couldn't.

As Itachi laid in his bed that night, he couldn't get the image of Sakura's tear-streaked face from his mind or the way she had just collapsed into him. He couldn't get the fact that his brother was so stupid to have hurt someone like her so badly.

Moving his hands up towards the ceiling, he flexes his fingers, and observes the cuts and bruises that littered his knuckles. It wasn't often that his emotions overcame him to the point of engaging violence and it was never him initiating it, but more often than not, it was Sasuke related. Sighing, his mind wanders back to Sakura and how broken she seemed to be.

It haunted him how a bright and cheerful soul like her could be reduced to a heartbroken mess in the matter of a year and by his brother of all people. It didn't sit well with him and neither did her crying. Her being upset in general did not resonate well with him. In fact, he found it to be unsettling. Such sad expressions did not belong on a face such as Sakura's.

If he could help it, no such expressions would come to pass on her face from then on.

Itachi would make sure of it.