Wallet
by Diana-san
The phone buzzed in the corner of the bed as it vibrated and the screen lit up to show that one new text message has been received. Sasuke glanced up from his textbook as he stared across the bed at his phone sitting on the bed's edge. Making a slow effort to lean over, he grabbed the phone from its charging area and glanced at the screen. It was probably another text from Naruto again about the exam for tomorrow. If Naruto asked him one more time to describe the Krebs cycle, he will blow a gasket.
It wasn't Naruto though. It was another phone number as no name showed up, just a number he had never seen before. Then again, he wouldn't know if he had seen the number before considering he didn't have a reason to memorize phone numbers anymore. He opened the text and prayed that it wasn't another spam text telling him he won two tickets to a cruise ship.
It wasn't. It was from Sakura.
His breath hitched as he tried to calm his racing heart that had just suddenly started to thump excessively against his chest. His palms felt a little clammy even though he was perfectly fine a moment ago when he was reviewing his notes for his final exam tomorrow.
His eyes swarmed over the words of the text as he tried to process each letter and word in his mind but it was already hard enough to focus. His mind was pounding with just the one thought in his head as it shouted repeatedly out to him. She had actually messaged him as promised.
Hey! Told you I'll find out your number. :) I'll be done with my last exam tomorrow by 5. We can meet up at the coffee house at 8? Good luck on your finals!
He must have stared at the text for about five minutes before snapping out of it and coming to realize that he should probably answer back. His thumb moved over to the text box to type out a message as he pondered over what his response should be. Perhaps a short "okay" would suffice. Or would that sound like he was not interested? He remembered Sai once telling him of an article he read on interpreting certain words such as "I'm fine" and "okay" and how sometimes "I'm fine" doesn't really mean "I'm fine". Sasuke had tuned him out that day but now he wish he hadn't.
He grunted in frustration as he pressed the delete button to backspace and delete the word to start over from the beginning. His fingers danced in the air as he stretched the joints in his hands.
How about dinner at 6? I end at 4. We can still use the coffee house as our meeting spot.
Sasuke wondered if asking her out for dinner was too bold of a move. But as his finger questioned on whether to delete or send, a buzz from his phone startled him and he accidentally pressed down on the send button. He stared a bit dumbfounded at what just happened but decided that maybe fate had decided it for him.
Still, he opened up the new incoming text message to see who it was that fate had sent over. It was Naruto.
Sakura-chan asked me for your number and I gave it to her. I hope you don't mind. Don't worry! She's not crazy like Karin. I promise!
Sasuke frowned. He remembered the time when Naruto accidentally gave out his number to Karin. The girl was positively nuts as she called him constantly in trying to plan a date. Eventually, he had enough of the recurrent phone calls and highly repetitive voicemails clogging up his inbox. He had to cancel his number and get a new number just to avoid hearing her high-pitched squeal each time he had accidentally answered her call during an incoming call on the other line.
That being said, Sasuke didn't speak to Naruto for a month. He was fine with Sakura having his number but considering after the fiasco with Karin, Sasuke had hoped that Naruto would at least still do the proper etiquette of asking for permission first.
Another buzz from his phone and it was a reply from Sakura.
Sounds good :)
Just a short reply followed by a smiley. He smiled as he perched his head down on one hand against his pillow. Raising the phone above his face, he stared at the blue text message box some more. It buzzed again in his hand and he could see the message pop up on the top from Naruto.
Sasuke! Answer me! You're not mad, are you?!
He chuckled as he tossed his phone to the side. He would answer Naruto later. It was cruel to let Naruto suffer in thinking he was mad at him but Sasuke never did get to exact his revenge on Naruto for the Karin-fiasco. Closing his eyes, he smiled as he felt the sudden excitement bubbling beneath the surface of his beating heart. And it wasn't for the final exam tomorrow. Not at all.