So we meet again! Here's the second (much needed) rewrite. Again, I cringed to see all my mistakes. Thanks to anyone who's reading these very words. Yes you. I see you.
Disclaimer: I own my drawings, my imagination, and anything original, but I dont own Naruto, and most likely, never will. (sob)
Drifting
Sakura didn't go to class immediately when the bell rang; she lingered for reasons she didn't understand herself. Perhaps it was the apprehension of seeing old faces again, alive and blinking. Or perhaps it was because she wanted to scope out the setting before she delved into enemy territory.
Or maybe she was just lying to herself and delaying the inevitable reunion with him. God knew she wasn't looking forward to looking at him.
Get a grip, she thought. She could always use lunch and break to scout—it wasn't as if she'd have anything else to do, anyways. Resigned, Haruno followed the steps so many students had taken just moments before. She knew just where her first classroom was too; it had been a place she had visited frequently in her childhood.
A fluorescent light flickered unstably as she walked beneath it. A left on the first fork, and then upstairs, Sakura did not even have to think about reaching her destination. Make sure not to trip on the wrecked fifth step. Down the hallway, past the old, navy lockers that begged for a fresh coat of paint, and then a right—she was finally here. Room B254.
Do or die. The latter choice didn't seem too bad, but then she thought of everything she had to make up for and banished all apprehension from herself.
Sakura grasped the doorknob and pushed its wooden frame open. Sitting with his feet upon the table and his head buried in a book, there sat Kakashi, a school headband draped lazily over one eye, looking exactly the same as when she'd last seem him ten years ago. His single eye drifted to her, and instead of responding with a cool stare like she'd done to so many in the past, she reacted nervously and diverted her attention to the class.
Big mistake.
Familiar faces swarmed her. Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, Shikamaru, Tenten, Neji—they were all there, healthy and kicking.
She was assaulted by a torrent of memories: carefree smiles, light giggles and hugs, days of watching the hazy morning turn into a scorching day, arguing, admiring the cityscape—so much had happened in her youth.
Damn them. The Akatsuki knew this would torment her and sent her anyways. Those twisted monsters. As if owning her soul weren't enough, they had to stretch it so thin she wanted to burst and disappear.
"Yo, you okay there?" Her head snapped back to the masked teacher. In her absent-mindedness he had sauntered up to her, his hands shoved in his pockets. Kakashi had never seemed so tall before.
"F-fine, just fine," she managed to drag out and handed him the paper the office had instructed her to give. "Just first day jitters." Thank god he didn't recognize her.
He eyed the paper, scanning it over quickly. She wouldn't have been surprised if she didn't read over a single word on there. "Well, then. Take a seat wherever you please, Miss Yuri."
"Thank you," she responded politely, feeling relieved that things were going smoothly. She observed the class and counted three empty seats; one next Ino, one in the far reaches of the room, though half broken and seemingly useless, and one behind Sasuke. The choice was clear and she walked to the back of the room, taking a seat in the tattered chair. It nearly fell back on her, but she managed to keep it upright.
Kakashi looked at her strangely, and this time she looked right back. She was Haruno Sakura and she would not let herself fall apart just because of a few people. She owed that much to him at the very least. "I've got one rule. Shut up and be quiet, though I suppose that's two," he mused.
She just looked away. His brown eyes seemed searching.
He must have gotten bored because he was back in his chair when she raised her eyes again. Addressing the class, he gave them their assignment. "Now that that's settled, I'd like you guys to open your history textbooks and read pages 223 to 257." The class groaned in protest, though their cries were deaf to his ears.
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Even now Kakashi was a slacker, though she couldn't blame him if she was getting paid to sit around. Shuffling was heard throughout the room as students sorted out large, worn textbooks. She then realized she didn't have one.
Wonderful, and Kakashi didn't even seem to realize.
Sakura was about to raise her hand when he seemed to read her mind. "Yuri, share with Toma and pick up your own book today after school; he's the one sitting next to you." Her eyes flickered over to a boy with flaming red hair. He smiled at her, but when she didn't return it he let it falter and moved his desk over to hers.
"Hello," he greeted warmly. "My name is Toma, as you already know."
Silence was his only answer as she took his book and flipped to the right page. He seemed to speak some more, but her eyes fell on Sasuke. He looked so much like Itachi that it made her nervous. The black hair, the build, and she was willing to bet the eyes. There was the nagging sense that if turned around, she'd be staring into his identical eyes that saw right through her. Through her flesh, bones, blood, and all the way to her very tainted core.
Blood rushed to her face at the thought.
Her eyes moved to Ino, the girl who had been both her rival and best friend. She had developed curves, Sakura noted, and was ever fashionable in a low-cut, violent top and flashy jeans. She wondered if she was still chasing after Sasuke after all these years.
"Hey!" Toma whispered loudly and jerked her shoulder violently. Annoyed, she gave him a dirty look and started spouting the French she had picked up after staying in the country for a few years. It usually eased her nerves and she did so quietly enough so that others couldn't hear.
"What the fuck?" he asked incredulously. "I thought you spoke English?"
She gave him a mocking smile and shook her head. "Don't speak English good," she lied.
His eyes softened. "Aw, poor thing. I wish you could understand me. You're really pretty you know?"
Sakura merely nodded, her gaze back on Sasuke. "We should go out later. There's a really good restraint near my house," he spoke, slowly and clearly, and placed a hand on her arm.
That made Sakura stop. What was this bastard playing at? Did she look that easy that he thought one single compliment would bring her to her knees? Shaking him off, she kept up her smile. "Je vous tuerai. Vous allez mourir, comprenez?"
If only she could tell him in English.
"Uh huh, sure, babe." He didn't seem to understand her words be he seemed to catch onto her malice because he didn't make another move before the bell rang. She was more than glad to get out of the class in which had so many people she knew. On her way out, she bumped into Sauske roughly, her arm banging into his.
Withholding a hiss, she pretended to not notice and rushed off, heading towards the bathroom. Inside, a small freshman was washing her hands but immediately grabbed her things and left when Haruno entered and slammed the door behind her.
He had touched her! In the past she may have been thrilled, but this was now, the bloody, cruel reality she had been thrown in. Dumping her belongings on the ground, she hurried to turn on the faucet and scraped her elbow against the coarse wall. "Damn it, damn it, damn it," she muttered to herself. She felt so dirty, though not because he had touched her, but because she had the audacity to even allow him to.
What a filthy whore she was. After all she had done to him.
Sakura slammed her hand on the soap dispenser and began to vigorously scrub her arm. She could feel her skin stinging, but nevertheless, she kept cleaning.
So unclean, unclean. Why was she such vermin?
Needless to say, she was late for her next class.
--
It was break time, finally. Her next two classes had been monotonously boring. Apparently, the school must have had an effective gossip ring because by the time she had entered her third class, people were already muttering "foreign girl". She had been late for her second class, as predicted, and Kurenai had not been happy and spent quite some time lecturing on punctuality.
Who needed punctuality when you had your own body to cleanse?
Thankfully, she didn't have anyone familiar in her second and third periods. However, she didn't consider herself blessed yet; Toma was in her third, and when she came walking out of that class, Toma came with her.
"Yuri, I have to ask you something," he declared, and surrounded by a group of his friends. Figures, men were always braver in groups.
She only clutched her bag and looked at him.
"I know you think Sauske is hot and all, but I think you and I would work out."
Sakura bristled. Didn't this guy get a hint? For gods' sake, people thought she didn't understand English and this guy was still mouthing off to her. She made a move to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.
Making a pull at her hand, he held on strong with a sweaty grip. Her anger was building, and she could feel its wrath demanding release. This guy was genuinely annoying without having to try at it.
"Plus, the guy's a complete bastard. He constantly has girls fawning over him, probably because they pity him."
Oh god, was he talking about it? "Just because his family's gone; I mean, boohoo, at least he has freedom," he said, sounding disgusted. "I hate having to deal with my family—"Toma was suddenly up against a dull locker and her bag abandoned once again on the ground. One of Sakura's arm across his neck and the other with a fistful of his collar. She heard him breathe sharply.
It felt so good to be in control, but she knew everyone was watching. Soon, administration would probably come, so she did the only thing she could do: she backed off and gave him her snidest look before picking up her belongings.
Then, she walked towards the exit of the building, her footsteps ringing in the silence of the building. They weren't alone for long; in a matter of seconds, after some murmuring, a chorus of steps followed her. The bastards were tailing her.
Oh but they didn't know. Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned. Her fists urged to beat something; it was pounded into her nature.
She led them to the outer edge of the school, in a corner where no one else would be able to see them. They followed like sharks followed raw meat, and soon, she stood facing Toma and two of his friends.
Only two? You're an awfully confident bastard, aren't you, she thought.
He was angry at being made the moron in front of a crowd. "Look, I tried to be nice," he Toma seethed, "but you're just a full out bitch."
I tapped my foot, waiting for him to just attack already, but to my annoyance and dismay, he went on and on about what a horrible woman I was and how I should be grateful for his attention. Finally, I interrupted him and said something.
"Look, are you going to stand there all day or do something, because I really don't have time to waste."
"How dare you!" one of his friends bellowed, pissed off indeed. He charged at her and she nimbly sidestepped, grabbed his head, and smashed it into the wall. The crunching felt good beneath her fingers.
Toma let out a roar; amused, she thought of bumbling gorillas. She didn't even bother to wait for him, and instead, she approached him took his hand. Then, she embraced him.
Bet he wasn't expecting that one.
He gurgled as Sakura pressed three needles into his back, all of which were emanating red. They quickly dissolved and fade, and he crumpled to the ground, suddenly wheezing and coughing blood.
"W-w-what?" Oh yes, there was the last imbecile.
Before he could blink, she was beside him. "M-monster," he lashed, aiming fists and feet barbarically at her.
Her lashes swept downward. "Yes, I am a monster," she said, regret drenching her words. "But at least I won't deny it."
Then, her smile was plastered back onto her face. "Good day."
Her fingers clenched his throat and she hurled him at the wall. A loud snap was heard. Yelling was heard in the distance, and she frowned. The fun was over so soon.
Quickly gathering her wits, she went over and place her hand on Toma's forehead. Channeling her chakra, she pulsed it into his mind. "You don't know who attacked you and I passed out the moment the attacker hit." Haruno then went over and did the same with the other two.
Running could be heard now, and she looked at her handy work. Toma could possibly die, though he was still breathing stubbornly. The first one to attack would have a concussion if not a small chance at brain damage, and the last would have some broken bones, maybe paralyzed if she were lucky. She chuckled at the thought of him in a wheelchair.
"M-monster."The words echoed in her hollow ears.
"Yes, I am a monster," she repeated. Abruptly, she felt empty. "A monster." Over the past ten years, she had managed to rid herself of many things: her identity, her morality, her innocence, her happiness, but never her shame.
It haunted her like her shadow.
Sakura shut her eyes and threw herself at the wall, sending a jolt of pain coursing throughout her body. Monster, monster, monster. Blood dripped down the side of her head, and she collapsed to the ground, though not unconscious.
"I found them!" she heard someone yell. More people gathered around.
"Wow, who did this?" Naruto pondered. She could still pick out his voice after all this time.
"Whoever it was, he went overboard." Her heart stopped when she heard his voice, cold and callous now, completely different from what she remembered. He'd been mirthful and cheery before, a bundle of sunshine.
Just like his brother.
She clenched her teeth. Monster, she was such a monster.
And all monsters were waiting to be slain.
Well, there you have it. I'm a little unhappy that the chapter's short, but I'm going on by what the original chapters were, and there were only three of them, so you don't have to worry about them being this scrawny forever.
Hey, you. Yes, you. Hit that review button.
-Nihilly