Hey (:
Well, guess what?
Yup, I officialy have a Beta. Thank you so much to Destroyed Illusions who helps me out a lot.
You are amazing.
Um, yeah this chapter actually has some SasuSaku moments in it.
Well, without further ado..
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Author: xFuckTheMemories
The most amazing Beta: Destroyed Illusions
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I go back to December all the time...
- Back To December, Taylor Swift.
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Chapter Three.
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It wasn't everyday Sakura was seen without either Neji or Shikamaru. Or both. But today.. Today was different.
She walked down the streets, black hoodie covering her head, hands thrust in her grey skinny jean pockets. She walked with her head down and shoulder hunched.
She walked like she was lonely.
You know those feeling you get? Those little suicidal thoughts, just chipping away at you? All it takes is one small twitch of the finger, one trigger to pull. Just one cut, a little deeper. Just one more handful of those pretty white sleeping pills.
You know the feeling, right? Of course you do. What's the point in trying to deny it?
When all those bad memories that burn at the back of your mind force themselves to the front. Just to mock you. Just to say 'Hello, I'm back. Remember this? Well, this is how pathetic you truly are..'
A sigh escaped her slightly parted lips. Life was just beautiful, wasn't it?
The park came into view. It was almost like one of those scenes in horror movies. Empty, the only light was the moon shining down. It was eerily beautiful.
She took her seat on her swing. Not the one on the right hand side, but the one on the left. Never the right. Her mother used to sit in that swing. They used to swing, together.
'Careful Sakura, if you swing too high, you'll go over the top and turn inside out!' She could partially hear her younger self giggling as the memory flitted through her mind.
"Hi." A meek voice cut through her thoughts. Seeing someone in her mother's seat, she felt an emotion stir inside her, but she couldn't quite figure it out.
The boy next to her was vaguely familiar. His hair looked black, his eyes much the same. The light from the moon adding a dark blue shade.
"Hi." She answered just as quietly, her feet planted firmly on the ground, legs rocking slightly in a small swing.
"Why are you out so late?" He asked, his voice concerned.
She almost let out a snide remark. A 'Why do you care?', but she stopped.
And she answered with a shrug.
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"I can't believe I had a son like him!" Fugaku roared, throwing his hands in the air.
Sasuke quietly watched, peering around the corner trying his best to remain hidden in the shadows. It's what he was best at.
"Foolish, foolish little brother." Sasuke's eyes widened, he slowly turned his head and met the eyes of his old brother. "When will you ever learn?" He asked.
"Learn what?" Sasuke hissed.
"They will never love you. You are not me." And with that he turned, and left.
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Sasuke couldn't believe it when he saw Sakura sitting on the swing. He froze, and realized something he didn't think was possible. Sakura looked even more beautiful in the moonlight.
With butterflies in his stomach, his feet guided him to the swing set before his brain could register, leaving him no time to back out as he usually would.
He wanted to know why she was out past 3am. When they had school the next day. He wanted to ask why she was alone.
He wanted to ask, Sakura, can you see me yet?
But he didn't. They sat in a comfortable silence.
And she would never know how much just being with her meant to him.
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"I know you, don't I?" She asked after a while. He nodded in response.
"We have all our classes together." He was honest. And he was hurt. He had hoped that she knew him. Knew of him. Knew his name at least. But she didn't. "I'm Sasuke." He continued.
"Sakura." She offered her own name. He knew that already, but he nodded politely anyway.
"You know, when I was younger, this used to be my favourite park." He told her. She looked over at him briefly, he was looking at his feet, his hands nervously folded in his lap. She said nothing, just waitingfor him to continue.
"When we were still a family, we would come here every Saturday. I'd run all over the place. Do everything backwards. I'd run up the slide, and slide down the rail. I even walked backwards everywhere." He looked over at her. "This playground used to mean the world to me." He met her eyes. But know that's changed. It's been replaced. Now, that's you.
She looked down, breaking the eye contact, folding her arms. "My mom and I used to come here. I never had a father." He didn't know that. "We used to sit here, see who could swing the highest.." The corners of her lips tipped upward in a small smile. It was the most heart-wrenching thing Sasuke had ever seen. She offered no more words. They didn't need to be said.
He was grateful she had even talked to him. "Sometimes, I wish I had no parents." He whispered, glaring at the ground.
Sakura's eyes widened. How could anyone say something like that?
"My parents.. They don't even like me. They want me to live up to my brother's perfection. And when I couldn't.." He trailed off, squeezing his eyes closed, a tear slipped down his face.
Slowly, unsure of her actions, Sakura unfolded her arms, reaching for one of Sasuke's hands, she offered comfort.
Startled, Sasuke snapped his eyes open. He looked from her, to their hands, before slowly entwining his fingers with hers.
How long had he dreamed of this?
Of her talking to him? Touching him?
Seeing him?
He didn't know why, what came over him, he didn't know anything right now. He just started telling her everything. Like he knew it would be kept safe.
"At school, I have nobody. I have no friends. I can't talk to anyone." She felt a pang in her chest. Before she knew Shika and Neji, this was how she felt. "My home life is bullshit. And I can't talk to anyone about it."
He gasped for a breath, not realising he was crying. Sakura squeezed his hand gently, he squeezed back. "My brother teases me. Tells me I'll never win our parents love. That my parents hate me. And it's true. I know it is. I hear them talking about me when they think I'm asleep. I'm the great disgrace that plagued the Uchiha bloodline. I'm not even worthy of the Uchiha name."
He was breaking down. And he couldn't do a single thing to stop it.
Suddenly, the warmth in his hand was gone, he drew his hand back to himself, squeezing his eyes closed tighter than ever before.
She had left him. Just like everyone else. He was alone again.
He felt something small nudge against his knee. Slowly, he cracked one eye open. In disbelief, he opened the other. Sakura stood in front of him, her legs touching against his.
She held her arms open.
And Sasuke didn't hesitate. He stood, towering over her by a foot, wrapping his arms around her small frame.
And he let her hold him together.
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Sasuke had never looked forward to school. It just wasn't in his genetic make-up. But today... Today was different. Maybe he would see Sakura again. Maybe she would ask if he would like to sit with her. Maybe she would sit with him.
But she wasn't here yet. And neither were her two best friends.
He waited, watching the classroom door intensley.
But she never walked through.
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Sakura thrashed in her bed, desperately trying to escape her nightmare.
"She's fine. Just leave her."
"I will not leave my daughter! Sakura, honey! It's okay. Calm down, baby."
A five year old Sakura tried to comprehend what on earth was going on. Why were these men holding her mother? Why were they in their home? Why was her mommy crying? Why was her mommy bleeding? Why was she hurt?
"Mommy!" Sakura yelled, trying to escape the arms that held her tightly.
"Shit, Shikamaru wake her up!"
"I'm trying!"
"Mommy!"
"It's okay Sakura. I promise, it's okay." The men started leaving, and only then did Sakura see all the blood coming from her mother. It was pouring from her. Staining her clothes. So much more than she had initially thought.
"Mom.." She sobbed. Her mother hugged her tightly, and Sakura pushed herself against the woman who gave her life. The person she cared most about in the entire world.
"It's going to be okay, baby. I promise. I love you, you know that right?"
"It's not working!"
"Shake her harder!"
A nod.
"Good girl. That's my baby. I have to go to the hospital now, okay? But when I get back, we can go out for ice cream!" She tried to say cheerfully, but winced from the shallow cut in her throat.
Her mother never returned from the hospital.
Her mother never returned at all.
"Sakura, come on wake up! I know you can hear me!"
Her eyes snapped open; a worried Shikamaru leaned over her, shaking her shoulders. She leapt from her previous position throwing herself into his arms, knocking Shikamaru onto his back. He calmly ran a hand through her messy pink locks and whispered to her.
"You're alright now, honey. You're safe." She nodded against his chest, hugging him tightly.
Neji entered the room again, holding a glass of water. Sakura lay in Shikamaru's arms, both of their eyes closed. Taking off his shoes, he walked to the bed, slipping in behind Sakura, he wrapped his arms around the shaking girl.
The three stayed like that for the rest of the day.
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I have THE best Beta ever !
Seriously, you should be thanking her so much, her inbox is jamming with messages .
I'm so pumped about this, can you tell?
Okay, I'll stop gushing.
So, how were the SasuSaku pieces? Too much for the beginning? Too little?
Just right?
Review, tell me!