Hello everybody! 9th chapter of 9th school! And that too on 9th! Now now now, isn't that cool? Yeah, it is! This chapter is going to be special one people. And I dedicate it to all my followers, especially ILoveSxS, JennyPoohMemories and finish line who have followed me through every chapter! Thank you for your love and reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Also, one more thing, I won't be able to update frequently now as my practicals have started and my board examinations are just two months away. I have got to study, as per my mum and teachers (believe me, I'm not the one to follow that). But, still I'll try my best to keep you all in touch with the story.
Enough said, now on with the chappie.
Sasuke's POV:
I lay on bed listening to the songs on my iPod, two things in my mind- Sakura's face and, Naruto's words.
"Then why are you blushing Teme?"
Why was I blushing? Why was I suddenly so interested in Sakura? Even I don't know why. My heart raced when she came close to me. What was this feeling? There were so many questions I had. I was confused.
"What do you think I don't realize how awkward you are around her? Especially, since the Mall Function. And, I sit next to you bastard. You thought I didn't notice your little peeks over Sakura's bench?"
All my way to home, I couldn't get Sakura's face off my mind. Why was she crying? I had racked my brains on every possible reason. I thought of asking Shikamaru about it, but wasn't sure if he had noticed anything. So I had said nothing. But it bothered me well.
I kept on fumbling in my bed, thinking on everything that was so tangled up in my mind, my attention least on the song that was playing. I sighed and removed the headsets. I stared at the ceiling, before getting up. I opened the windows of my room, my hands moving on their own and my eyes ran through the roads and ground.
My eyes widened and my chest heaved as I saw a pink haired girl walking towards the ground. Not in the least aware of her surroundings, as if her legs moved on their own accord. I watched her enter the ground and my lips automatically moved as they said, "Sakura."
Sakura's POV:
I stood in front of the door, staring blankly at the threshold. The door opened and before I could look up mum had already left indoors. I was used to this behavior and expected nonetheless.
I walked slowly to my room, after taking a short bath, my mind still thinking about what Karin had said earlier.
I had blocked those memories long ago, sealed them in a forgotten corner of my mind. I wasn't ready for their sudden outbreak. I reached my bed and collapsed on it, crying on my pillow.
I stopped myself from crying after a while. I knew it wasn't going to help. I straightened my hair and wiped my tears and breathed a deep breath. I washed my face and took my rucksack, heading downstairs.
"I'm going at Grandma's." I called out to my mom and left after I heard a cold "Fine."
I sighed once before closing the doors. I wanted to get away from the coldness and loneliness and somehow the only place I could think of was Grandma's.
I took my time arriving at their house but saw that the door was locked. I remembered that they must have left for their daily evening walk. I was disappointed a little but decided to wait for them. I didn't want to return to my home to accompany the coldness of my mother.
After waiting for a bit near the stairs, I thought of taking a walk until they were home. I climbed down the stairs and started walking on the road. I was lost in my thoughts, thinking about the events earlier and trusted my legs with the direction I was heading in.
My eyes finally seemed to notice the surroundings around me and saw that I was standing in the middle of the ground at the corner of the road. My heart started to pain as my eyes wandered in every direction of the ground. Happiness seemed to have drowned off me. Everything seemed melancholy. I went to the far end of the ground and sat leaning to the compound. I once again glanced at the ground. I held my knees in my arms as memories started to flood my mind, tears once again making their way in my eyes.
Flash Back:
"Hey, Hey! Sakura please! I'm sorry Saks, forgive me! Oh my god, no Sakura!" a boy was exclaiming as he ran around the ground chased by a pink haired girl. He had spiky brown hair and dark black eyes that kept a look out on the girl behind him, a wide sheepy smile on his face.
The pinkette was running after him, giving death threats and finally catching up to the boy.
The boy stumbled on the rough ground and pinkette collapsed on him, sitting on his torso as she settled her hair behind her ears.
"Caught you!" she smiled.
"I'm so sorry Saks! Next time I'll never call you too weak to play soccer with boys, okay?" he smiled again holding her by the waist.
"You better not! Or I'll show you how weak I am!" she said, breaking her knuckles. She gave him a wide smile.
"Hn." He said, his stupid smile replacing a small comforting one. He ran his hand over her cheeks and smiled again as she blushed.
"You really are a strong girl Sakura." He said slowly.
Sakura smiled and moved her face closer to his.
"I know." She said and rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeats, the rhythm a total comfort for her ears.
"I love you, Sakura." He said and she could feel the vibrations of his words.
"I love you too, Akio." She replied and gave him a peck on his lips.
Flash Back Ends:
I dug my head deep in my arms as the tears started to flow continuously. I didn't know why I had come here, of all places. Here, where I had shared so many memories that caused me unimaginable pain.
Sasuke's POV:
I went downstairs, heading to where Sakura had gone, confused over why she had come here. I entered the ground and saw Sakura leaning against the compound, face hiding in her arms. She was probably crying. I went near here, but she didn't notice me. I stood in front of her, looking at her curled up figure, her hands hugging her knees tightly. I didn't know what to say and chose to sit beside her. Maybe she'll notice me and say something herself.
I took a seat beside her, leaning to the compound but she still didn't seem to feel my presence. I heard her muffled cry and unconsciously placed my hand on her back.
As soon as my hand touched her back, she threw herself in my arms, hugging me tightly. I thought she wasn't aware it was me and I didn't want to just break the embrace. It felt comfortable to hold her in my arms. But I was worried for her. She kept on crying on my chest and I hugged her back, moving my hands on her spine occasionally.
She stopped crying after a while and she loosened her grip, moving her hands to wipe her tears away. I moved her a little, trying to look at her tear stained face which she hid in her pink locks.
"Sakura," I called slowly.
"I'm sorry Sasuke." She said, before I could complete my sentence, wiping her tears.
I remained quiet. She backed away from my arms, and leaned on the compound wall again, staring at the evening sky.
I looked in her eyes, which were looking past the sky as if remembering past memories.
"Sakura," I called again. She looked at me with the same painful eyes. I couldn't see her like that. I wanted to know what bothered her so much.
"What happened?" I asked her, confusion fully displayed on my face.
She looked at the ground and kept quiet.
"Is it related to the rumor?" I asked when she didn't reply. I knew that wasn't the problem, but I wanted to know at least something.
She shook her head slowly and I was partly relieved. But then what was she crying about?
"Is it something that Karin said?" I asked her again remembering her confused look earlier at school. I knew at once that was it as tears formed again in her eyes. She held them back.
"Sakura, you can tell me." the words coming out on their own but I didn't regret them. She turned her head sideways, possibly trying to suppress the overflowing emotions.
I placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her down, but she stood up suddenly and I was surprised by the sudden move.
"Thank you and Goodnight Sasuke." She said forcing a smile on her lips and left. I sat there for a while, watching her figure leave the ground and towards the road and left for my home too, still bothered about Sakura.
Sakura's POV:
I backed away a little from the arms that had so tightly, yet comfortingly held me among them. It felt so comfortable in them, I forgot to cry for a moment and let myself get lost in that hug. I didn't know who it was, but still it felt as if I did. I was surprised a little when the familiar cold voice called my name softly.
I knew it wasn't awkward for him, as he had hugged me back readily. His warm, comforting hug was just the medicine for my sobs. My tears found their way back in.
He looked in my eyes but I hesitated, not wanting to put up my tear stained face in front of him. He looked worried and asked me the reason for my sobs. And when he confirmed it wasn't the rumors, I thought he felt relief.
"Is it something that Karin said?" he asked again and everything just seemed to replay itself in my mind, tears coming back with every painful memory I had managed to pull back some moments ago.
I jerked my head to the side, not wanting to get him into any of this. I felt his comforting grip on my shoulder and I would have just broken down in front of him. But I controlled my urge to scream from the memories. I stood up, trying to fix my face with a convincing smile though I knew he wouldn't believe it.
"Thank You and Good Night Sasuke." That's all I said, before leaving him alone in the grounds, afraid that if I waited any longer, I would surely break down.
Again trusting my legs with the direction, I started to walk back to Grandma's, wiping off my tears. I didn't want her to be worried about me.
xxXXxxxXXxx
I reached the apartment door and saw that it was unlocked, confirming my grandparent's return. I breathed deeply once, before going in and let my face drain off every emotion but excitement.
"Grandma! Grandpa! It's me Sakura, open the door please!" I called out in faking excitement, ringing the doorbell impatiently like I always did.
"Oh my god Hitoshi, Sakura is here! I'll go open the door!" I heard my grandmother's excited voice from over the opposite side of the door. Soon enough, the door opened revealing my over excited grandmother with a wide hearty smile, which everyone claimed I had inherited from her.
I hugged my grandma from outside the threshold, and stepped inside.
"My my Sakura dear, it's been a long time since you came to meet us sweetheart!" my grandma said in astonishment.
"Mayumi, it's just been a month. You are really overreacting." My grandpa came in from his study, a serious look on his face as always. Trust me, only he could dare say something like that to grandma, as other than her big hearty smile, and pink hair(mine were a much lighter colour than her's) I had also inherited that uncontrollable temper and unimaginable strength from her.
She looked at him annoyed as usual and he gave her an old smirk. She ignored his remarks and turned to face me.
"Ignore that old geezer Sakura. Your grandpa is finding his way to the coffin anytime soon."
I gave her a little smile and a sheepy one to grandpa who winked at me, giving a smile himself. This duo just knew how to rise my spirits up and make me smile even in my worst, and that is why I spent most of my time here rather than at my home with my cold mum.
"Dear, why are your eyes so red?" she asked suddenly, concern displayed through her voice.
I blinked a little at the sudden question, before thinking of a good reason to tell her.
"Oh! That's just cause of my hard practice, grandma. My matches are coming near and we hardly get any time to sleep." I smiled hoping against hope she would believe it.
"Don't get too much worked up, okay?" she finally said before eyeing me and I nodded in relief.
"Anyways, what brings you here so suddenly? You didn't even inform us about your visit, Sakura." Grandpa asked after we settled down on the couch and grandma had finished describing everything she felt had changed in me.
I looked at him a bit surprised. I hadn't thought of a well made reason for this question too.
"Um, you know, just thought of meeting up with you both, since I miss you so much."
"Sakura, you do know we live in the same city."
"Of course gramps, but you know how boring it is at home. And I was so tempted to eat grandma's homemade strawberry muffins, that I just couldn't stop myself from drooling!"
"Then that's what I'll make for you right away sweetheart!" my grandma smiled getting up.
I gave her a big wide smile in approval, which looked very much like her own.
"Hn." My grandpa said, and my smile started to fade away little, as I remembered those words coming out of two familiar figures.
I couldn't help but notice how different impact the both figures who had so much similar personalities, caused on me. I felt empty when I remembered the strong hands run down my cheek and suddenly the space filled out when I remembered the duck ass hair styled. What was this feeling anyways? I wanted answers. But, this wasn't the time to get them. And so I forced myself with another of my smiles, trying to get back to the situation in front of me.
I felt relieved that my grandpa hadn't noticed the sudden change in my expressions as I got up with an excuse to wash my face.
I looked in the mirror. My eyes were red by all the crying I had done in a day, and they had also swollen a bit. I washed my face hard to wipe out the tear marks on my face and was thankful that grandma hadn't noticed them.
"Sakura dear, will you help me batter this mixture?" my grandma called out from the kitchen.
I wiped my face and looked in the mirror for a last time, forcing a smile on my lips before I said, "Yes Grandma!"
Normal POV:
After watching Sakura go, Sasuke headed for his house too, still thinking about Sakura. Why was he caring for her so much anyways? He sighed and opened the door and was relieved to see no one in the hall to greet him.
He went straight to his room and lay on his bed. He closed his eyes, only to see Sakura every time he did it. Her curled up figure in his arms, her head against his chest. It felt so perfect. But, why?
He sat up in his bed, frustrated and took his iPod to relieve his mind off Sakura. He played the paused song, the one he was listening before he went to the ground. The music started playing to one of his favourite songs and his mind drifted off Sakura's thoughts.
At first, he thought he was getting crazy because with every lyrics, every line he could not help but think of Sakura. Every line seemed to connect to her in some way or the other. He pulled off the headphones from his ears and sat up in his bed.
"Didn't like the song, little brother?" his brother's voice came up from his side. He looked at the bed opposite to his. Itachi was involved in some of his work on his laptop. Sasuke frowned at him seeing a small smirk developing on Itachi's face.
"I bet you that cat costume that you were thinking of Sakura." Itachi said, from over his laptop.
Sasuke blushed, and Itachi gave a smirk. Damn that mind reading Itachi!
"Well, looks like someone's going to meow any time soon." Itachi added as Sasuke's blush grew.
"I never bet you back on that." Sasuke said still eyeing his older brother.
"Then it means you agree that I was right." Itachi said, his eyes still on the screen in front of him.
"I never said that!" Sasuke scowled.
"Then you are going to wear the cat costume!" Itachi said in a happy tone.
"But we didn't bet it!"
"Which means you agree I am right." Itachi said.
"NO, I never agreed to that!" Sasuke scowled again.
"Then you are wearing the cat costume!"
"No I never agreed to that too!"
"But you did agree with me being right!" Itachi said hurt.
"I don't see a damn connection in any of your words!" Sasuke half screamed at Itachi.
"How come you don't? You said you didn't pick the bet, right?" Itachi asked.
"Yes." Sasuke said glad at the more sane conversation.
"And you won't wear the cat costume, right?" Itachi asked again.
"Yes, indeed." Sasuke said, cooling a bit more.
"And it was actually I who raised the bet but the bet was never on, right?" Itachi asked.
"Yes." said Sasuke over the slightly confusing question, and running a bit low on patience.
"And that you were actually thinking of Sakura and are in love with her, right?" Itachi asked in the same.
"Yes, of course you dammit!" Sasuke finally exclaimed clenching his fists and next moment looked stunned realizing what he had just claimed.
Itachi smirked. Got you.
Sasuke blushed and left the room, leaving behind a smirking Itachi. He went near the bathroom, pretending to wash his face. He looked up in the mirror and saw his red cheeks. He held them trying to feel the warm.
He had just claimed he loved Sakura. Could that be real? Did he really did love Sakura?
He thought about everything that had happened to him related to her. He remembered how he had blushed when he fell on her. Her beautiful sparkling emerald eyes that didn't once leave his mind, her beautiful pink hair. He remembered his dream and his heart pounded when he remembered the kiss she had given him. His cheeks got redder. Then he remembered the mall where they were actually going to kiss.
His heart was pounding very fast now. He couldn't believe it would be real. That he could actually start to like a girl.
He remembered their little hug in the ground earlier before. It seemed so perfect. Did it mean he really did like her? Was he really in love with her?
"Sakura, what are you doing to me?" he merely said looking at his reflection in the mirror but seeing the pink haired girl smiling at him.
"Sakura, am I really in love with you?" he said again to himself.
"What?" a voice exclaimed and Sasuke's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He looked sideways to inspect the voice and almost wanted to hit his head on the mirror in front of him.
Naruto stood there, shocked as if someone had told him ramen was extinct now.
"Teme! You are in love with Sakura-chan?" he exclaimed again.
Finally some progress! So much in this chapter! Memories, Crying, sadness, jokes and shocks! Hahah!
I bet you must have already guessed who this Akio guy must be. Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter. There is so much in this I just hope you all don't end up in confusion!
At first I was going to make Itachi come and shout "Of course!" to Sasuke but I don't know what made me write about Naruto coming up! Anyways, it's all the better.
Mistakes, need to improve, going great, any ideas, suggestions, loving it? Well, be sure to Review!
Also, I'm in search of a Beta reader! And really in need for one!
TomBoyGaL *Tata!