Chapter 23 – Sakura's Chapter (Part 3)

Sweet wouldn't be the exact word I would use to describe my sixteenth birthday. Due to the sharing of lip balm and drinks and possible kissing, there was an outbreak of mono at school. Apparently, it started when Idate Morino got it from making out with a girl from a different school. He shared a drink with some guys on the baseball team including Sasuke-kun. Iyashi got it from drinking after Idate as well then gave it to Fuki who let Ino use her lip balm which I thought was Ino's and thus used it. So through lip balm, drinks and kissing almost everyone got mono at school except Hinata, Naruto, Shikamaru, Rock Lee, Neji, TenTen and a small handful of others.

Sasuke-kun and I began experiencing the symptoms of mono days before our birthday. My parents hadn't returned yet so I was kept at the Uchiha's. Instead of having to quarantine two rooms, Mikoto decided to keep Sasuke-kun and me in the same room after moving my bed in next to his. I did not remember much during the worse part but my parents had returned and agreed to keep me in the Uchiha house.

On our actual birthday, we began to feel better and we had a small part in the bedroom. We had a cake for us and a cake for the others. There were no candles because of the spreading of germs. We received presents. I felt terrible that I hadn't gotten Sasuke-kun anything but it was fine since he didn't get me anything. After our families left us to rest, I found I could not sleep and neither could Sasuke-kun. I don't know why I did it but as we lied there I turned to him and reached out and took his hand.

"I love you, Sasuke-kun," I muttered.

"You're annoying," I heard him say but he didn't pull his hand away. I must have passed out but when I woke up again my fever had broken and Sasuke-kun was still holding my hand. I could feel that he was still having his fever and he was asleep. He was so hot. In his sleep he was clawing at his chest as if to remove his shirt. I had to help him. I got into the bathroom and replaced the wet wash cloth on his head but he kept clawing at his chest. He needed to get out of his shirt. Only I could remove it. I blushed.

"Forgive me, Sasuke-kun," I sat him up some and managed to remove him of his shirt. I put him back down on the bed and began applying more cool wash clothes to his toned chest.

"Stop," I heard him moan.

"Stop what?" I asked. He was still sleeping though his face was contorting.

"Don't touch me," He winced as if I were hurting him. I wasn't even touching him then.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?"

"Stop, Orochimaru!" He sat up with eyes wide open and his face pain stricken. I think his fever broke then. He breathed heavily and held his head. After catching his breath he looked up at me. I saw tears in his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun," I reached out to touch him. He swatted my hand away.

"Don't touch me," He ordered so I kept my hands to myself.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" I asked very concerned.

He did not look at me but kept his eyes focused on the sheets.

"Sasuke-kun, who is Orochimaru?" I found myself asking. He looked to me with a look mixed with horror, contempt and pain. He looked away from me shaking his head. He laid back down and turned from me.

"Sasuke-kun," I reached out to him again.

"Don't touch me," He snapped.

"Okay, I won't," I got up and went to my bed to lie down. I stared at Sasuke-kun who turned again so his back was to me.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" I asked.

"You're so annoying," he growled. I knew something was wrong and it involved that Orochimaru guy. Even in my weakened state I wanted to take care of Sasuke in any way even mentally.

"Sasuke-kun, who is Orochimaru?" I asked.

"Shut up. Don't say his name," He growled.

"Sasuke-kun, tell me." I had moved onto his bed.

"Leave me alone, Sakura," He had such hate in his hoarse voice.

"Sas-" I tried again but he turned over and glared at me so vehemently.

"Don't ask again," His tone was so threatening. I knew I shouldn't pry but my illness made me bold. I had no filters or blockades to stop me.

"Tell me who Orochimaru is!"

Sasuke-kun was on top of me with his hands pinning my shoulders down. He looked so enraged though red from illness. His eyes were full of rage with a little twinkle of pain.

"I said not to say his name!" He was enraged.

"Who is he then?" I was so brave though I felt Sasuke-kun's fingers dig into my shoulders. He had never been that violent with me but it was probably due to him being sick and that was an obviously touchy subject for him.

"He touched me!" Sasuke-kun yelled at me. I saw a tear come from his eye. He got off me quickly so I could not see it descend down his face. I did not understand immediately what he meant then it clicked.

"You were molested?" I asked for clarification. He nodded.

"When?"

"Remember when I went to that boys' camp when we were eight," He reminded me.

"Yeah."

"Then. He was a counselor. He took me out one night and did things…" He told me through gritted teeth, "I tried telling Anko since she was counselor there too. She didn't believe me till much later."

"Did you tell your parents?" I asked. He shook his head.

"You're the only person I've told."

My heart was breaking for him. I slowly crept over to him and hugged him from the back. I didn't mean to cry but I did.

"I promise I won't tell anyone. I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun," I held him tight and he did not fight me. I felt him touch where my hands met on his chest.

"Thank you," He whispered. I held him a little longer.

"You're getting heavy, Sakura," He told me so I released him. He told me to get some sleep so I returned to my bed. I looked at Sasuke-kun who still had his back to me. He had shared with me a deep, dark secret to his past and he was trusting me. I swore then I would never betray him. He had been so strong holding this burden alone and he was strong enough to share it with me. I loved him and that was when I wanted nothing more than to make him happy in life.

Once we were well again, Sasuke-kun was his usual cool and distant self. He spent all his free time practicing or playing baseball. I kept working after school for Kakashi-sensei and kept my promise to Sasuke-kun about never revealing his painful past. I think I understood Sasuke-kun better then and I think he did too. I think that our illness really did bring us a bit closer and I was glad that Idate made out with that mono infested girl.