Chapter Fourteen
The sun was reluctantly shining behind a few clouds, some of the rays of light reflecting off of the small pools of water from the rain. My pulse is speeding and my head is reeling- what is going on here? My face rests against Sasori and I grab his cloak, my fingers entwining in the soft fabric worriedly.
Sasori looks straight ahead- his face concentrated and furious. His arms wrapped around me are strong and don't seem to want to let me go. I lean my head against him, looking up at my face. When he asked if I would stay with him, was this his quirky way of saying that he likes me? What a bad circumstance. Yet, I can't help but be curious about this ninja. When I first saw him, I thought that he looked like Gaara, the sand village ninja, but his personality is so much different. The entire time that he was facing off with Itachi- he never attacked.
I stare down at his hands that were holding me. They don't even seem human; they look harsh and hard, like no life was in them at all. Then how can he be so gentle with them? I move a little and realize that I can't see behind us from the position that Sasori is holding me. I try to hide the sadness of the thought that Itachi may not be coming after me. But, it's not that I need him to, I think to myself silently, trying to forget the pain I had felt.
I try to calm my mind- but can't. The intense pain comes rushing back, yanking on my thoughts, pulling them away from any good thoughts of Itachi. Images of Sasuke keep rushing past my eyes- the feeling of the blood slowly dripping down my arm comes back and I tighten my grasp on Sasori's cloak. He looks down at me, keeping his grip firm and close to him. Sasori saved me from Itachi in a way, I realize, watching his face as he carries me. His face keeps a mood of semi-sadness, and his mind doesn't seem to be here with us. If he hadn't carried me away- Itachi might have killed me.
Why would Itachi have killed me?
I was almost willing to run away from this whole situation with Itachi, even if it meant never seeing Konoha again- even after only knowing him for a couple days. I was so close to kissing him, and then when he came when Sasori kissed me, I was so happy to see hi, Itachi Uchiha, an Akatsuki member. What's going on? What is it about him? Why am I so trusting?
My conscience hits me, he wasn't so awful seeming, he only wanted to help when I bit my lip, not hurt me any further- could he not be so horrible? I discount this idea; good people don't slay their clan, good people don't join the Akatsuki, and good people don't abandon you. I stop for a moment, actually- I don't even know if he's following or not.
Slowly I twist my neck, wrapping my arm around Sasori's shoulder, and try to look back. And there's Itachi, running after us. My cheeks flush when his eyes meet mine and I try not to smile, unable to look away from his face. He stared back, sadness anger and determination crossing his face. Get it together Sakura, he tried to hurt you, tried to kill you, then why am I so relieved that he's here? I ask myself as I watch him run behind me and Sasori, his black hair whipping around in the air behind him.
I hold my breath, unsure of what to think. Sasori saved me- I should fear Itachi- is it all supposed to be that simple? Should I conform to it? I stare at him, but his eyes were now on Sasori's back, not on me. Those angry, blood-thirsty eyes. Why am I so happy to see them- how could eyes with such spite and hate- make my heart soar?
Confusion soars through me and I again question everything. Is he actually trying to hurt me? In that place I was in, he looked sad when he saw me there, if he was trying to torture me- why would he be sad when he saw it working? Itachi. If he had wished so much to hurt me, why didn't he just attack Sasori, taking me down with him? It doesn't make any sense! I think about it, and then am forced to fight back tears as I realize- he's trying to save me.