Thanks for all the reviews guys! I really appreciate them.
If you haven't already figured it out, Sai is indeed playing the character of .
Also, thanks for those who have stuck with this story and read this far, I know that the first few chapters were really slow going.
Chapter Eight: Boy, Confession Rejected
Two days have passed since Itachi told Sakura about the past two days, Sakura tried her best to not let what he told her affect her attitude, but she was colder towards Sasuke whenever any interaction between them was attempted. Sasuke reciprocated by being more cold and distant himself.
Everyone seemed to notice the new tense atmosphere around Sakura and Sasuke, but no one made an attempt to mention anything about it. The most interested seemed Itachi, but he felt that it was best not to ask around the others.
Upon returning to their aunt's house to retire for the night, Itachi finally decided to ask Sasuke about it.
"So..." he started, "What's going on with you and Sakura?" Itachi asked as the two of them sat down in his office. Sasuke still had paperwork to do before bed regarding his company.
"What do you mean between Sakura and I?" Sasuke replied coldly. "There is nothing between us."
"You guys have been exceptionally tense and almost plain rude to each other." Itachi replied bluntly.
"I have acted no different. What's wrong with her, I don't know. She's a girl." Sasuke replied nonchalantly, still looking at his paperwork."
"Oh. Well, she asked me about Sai a couple days ago. I guess the two are sort of dating, or at least, that's what it sounds like." . Itachi could see a startled look on Sasuke's face appear and dissapear just as fast. He expected some sort of reaction out of him.
"Well," Sasuke began. "I don't see why I should care who she is and isn't dating." By his tone, Itachi could tell that it was best not to pursue the topic any further.
This couldn't be any further from the truth. Sasuke was fuming inside and if it wasn't for his brother standing right there, and that fact that he was not in his own estate, he may have just have punched a hole in the wall. Just a couple days ago he had come to terms with himself over liking the pink haired girl, and now, Itachi tells him she has a possible boyfriend?!
Sakura sat in Tenten's kitchen alone, sipping on her hot cup of morning coffee, thinking to herself. This whole experience had just been freaking odd in general. She had occassionally texted Sai while she had been away, but she wasn't sure what to do now. She wanted to ask Sai about Sasuke, but she didn't want things to be any more awkward than they already were.
On the subject of Sasuke himself, her disdain for him was worse than it had began in the first place. Not only did he come off as the biggest snob in the world, he seemed to be an ass to go along with it; scratch that, he is an ass. Given that the past couple weeks hanging out with him had let her somewhat tolerate him better, what Itachi said just completely flushed that down the toilet.
How could a man just be so cold? It was just so wierd considering that his brother Itachi was just so different. Much more personable and friendly. In fact, in some ways, Sakura almost had a crush on the older brother. She might have played with thie idea in her head a little more if she didn't feel some what committed to Sai.
Sakura was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize that a yawning Tenten had made her way into the kitchen. When Tenten saw that Sakura didn't even flinch with her walking in, she raised an eyebrow. Odd.
"Earth to Sakura!" Tenten said, waving in front of her face. Sakura all of a sudden snapped out of her trance.
"Morning Tenten!" Sakura replied, smiling.
"What was so important that you didn't even recognize me practically stumbling into the kitchen?" Tenten asked quizically.
"Nothing! I didn't even realize that I was so out of it!" Sakura replied with a sheepish laugh. Tenten sighed and decided not to pursue the subject any further. Instead, she was more interested in pouring herself a cup of coffee for the morning.
"So," Tenten began. "Today's your last day here. What do you wanna do?" Sakura was silent for a moment.
"I kind of just want to hang out. It's been a crazy three weeks. To be honest, I'm exhausted!" Sakura replied. "Like, I`m not even sure if I want to get out of my sweats today." Tenten giggled.
"Yeah, I could see you curled up with a book all day!" Tenten replied, sipping on her coffee. "Well, I know that Hinata and Neji wanted to hang out since it's your last day and all. We can just have a lazy day here!"
Hearing Tenten say something about a book reminded Sakura of the last time she was reading a book and Sasuke went out of his way to talk to her... The last attempt at a conversation either of them have had with the other. "That sounds like a plan to me! Before our lazy day gets on it's way though, I am in need of a good run!" Sakura exclaimed, grabbing her coffee. "You should tell Hinata and Neji to come later this afternoon."
"Uh, yeah. I'll do that. You sure you wanna go on a run? It kinda looks like storm clouds are starting to roll in. It might rain." Tenten trailed off. Sakura chuckled.
"Trust me, a little rain is the least of my worries." She replied with a small smile before leaving the kitchen and heading towards her room.
Thirty minutes later, and Sakura was beyond giddy inside to get out the door and run free. She needed this since her feelings had been complete turmoil. Sai hadn't been returning her texts since last night, and now, she had all this new information about Sasuke to mentally sort through. What a cruel twist of fate for him to be involved in two different people in her life with no coincidence. He broke her sister's heart by sending away a boy she really liked, and who Sakura was pretty sure was head over heels for her, and he also treated Sai unfairly. And, to make it worse, it just seems like she can't stop running into that ass.
Like right now. Down the street. Talking to a girl. Comfortably. Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, then decided to do something really stupid. She kept running, straight towards the two of them. It didn't take long for Sasuke to notice her, his eyes meeting hers for an instant, but Sakura snapped her eyes away and looked past him. She kept running, snagging his shoulder, snarling 'ass' under her breath. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, be she swore she might've heard Sasuke growl her name as she whizzed by. As if the fact that she was mad at him wasn't enough, she was even more infuriated seeing Sasuke with a girl so comfortable and almost uncharacteristically friendly.
Sakura was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize that drops of rain were beginning to fall, and not to soon after, it became a downpour. She was so lost in her thoughts about Sai, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke. She didn't want to care, she didn't care... Or at least, that's what she was trying to convince herself. She was soaking wet, her hair hanging wet and messily around her face, her bare arms and legs wet with drops of water just running off them. Her clothes hugged her body, soaked with rain, and her shoes made a funny squishing noise with each step. Seeing a bench situated under a large tree, she decided to stop there for a minute and catch her breath. The tree covered the area underneath it completely from the rain.
With one hand on the tree, Sakura tried to catch her breath, facing the trunk and studying the patterns of it's bark, when suddenly a voice startled her.
"Sakura I need to talk to you." Sakura whipped around, feeling like her heart jumped into her throat. There stood Sasuke, soaking wet himself in black slacks, a while button up shirt, and a tie that hung loosely around his neck. Sakura felt a very unwelcome blush come to her cheeks, but she didn't forget all the anger she was feeling towards him.
"About what?!" She snapped, "To what pleasure do I owe you for your presence." sarcasm laced thickly in her voice. Sasuke grunted.
"Look, I know that..." He paused for a minute as if contemplating what would be the right words to say next. "You feel like I've been an ass, since you flat out called me one earlier..."Sakura cut him off.
"Damn straight you are, Sasuke. What do you want?" Sakura demanded. Her face was red from a mixture of liking what she saw, and being pissed at the raven haired man. Sasuke sighed, mumbling something incorehent, and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to stop doing whatever he was doing. Sakura couldn't stand the feeling of being attracted to him at all.
"I want you to go on a date with me. I like you." Sakura swore her heart stopped. This completely caught her off guard. Is this some kind of sick joke?! Sasuke Uchiha asking her on a date?!
"Is this some kind of sick joke?!" Sakura snarled. "Why would I go on a date with an ass like you?! You already looked plenty cozy with thqt other woman earlier! You've done nothing but hurt people I love like my sister, and my friend Sai!" Sasuke's face suddenly darkened and a furious expression took over his face upon hearing that mans name.
"Sai?" He asked in a low threatening voice. "That man is a liar! What did he tell you?!" Sasuke growled, demanding an answer. This only made Sakura retort with equal anger and force.
"That you cheated him! You are the reason he is struggling! And it's easy to believe you would treat him so!" Sasuke laughed. "You are a cruel, heartless-"
"Let me make this perfectly clear to you, Sakura." Sasuke began "Sai is someone you should NOT be associating with. He only wants in your pants." This immediately infuriated Sakura, and she was already wishing hell upon Sasuke.
"YOU want to compare who I shouldn't be associating with?!" Sakura screamed. "You KEPT the money YOUR father gifted him over petty jealousy! How can you even call yourself a man!"
Sasuke became infuriated himself and raised his voice. "That man was given his share! I would NEVER dishonor my father's wishes or myself in such a way! He gambled it in two weeks, and came back asking for more, saying I didn't give him the full amount. I refused him, and he publicly humiliated me and my company. I DO NOT feel sorry for him!" Sakura immediately felt confused, and somewhat stupid. Some of her hatred immediately dissapated towards Sasuke, but she still wasn't done. She was still pissed off about her sister.
"Then what about my sister?!" She exclaimed. "You embarrassed her! It was YOUR fault Naruto left! Do you have any idea how many nights she has cried over that man! They could have been happy together if they were given the chance!"
"Your sister didnt seem to have strong feelings towards him! If you knew Naruto like I do, he is easily fooled! I was just trying to protect him as his best friend!" Sasuke replied hotly.
"My sister almost never shows her true feelings, even to me or her father!" There was a pause between them before Sakura continued.
"Then again, who would want to be involved with a couple of poor girls? All you men of status only care about being involved with people that are benificiary to your social standing!" Silence fell in between them. Sakura felt a brief look of disbelief fall on Sasuke's face before it was replaced immediately with a cold stoic mask.
"So this is what you think of me?" Sasuke said much more calmly, but his voice was distant and cold, sending shivers up Sakura's spine. His face was close to hers from their heated arguement. Sakura watched him look down at her lips. Her heart was pounding and in the deepest corner of her mind, she wanted him to kiss her. He leaned in closer, and Sakura was about to close her eyes, but was snapped out of her reveriee when he spoke.
"Sorry to have bothered you." Sasuke finished, before turning and walking away, leaving Sakura to just stare at his retreating figure. What has she just done? One of the richest men in the country just admitted to liking her and asking her on a date, and she just shut him down, never giving him a real chance... With anything.
And... End of Chapter!
Hey guys I am considering discontinuing this story. Would anybody be sad if I did?
What did you think of this chapter?
Let me know!