Things will change.

"Itachi...Wait..." I called out as I saw Itachi lean up against a wall.

When I caught up to him I saw that he pulled out a cigarette. I watched him as he had no idea that I was a couple feet away from him. He was about to grab his lighter but instead his eyes fell onto the cigarette box. He lightly took the cigarette out of his mouth and threw both that cigarette and the box into the trash can right beside him. My eyes widened the moment his head rested against the wall and he closed his eyes.

"I...Itachi..." My voice started and I went closer to him, to see his hands trembling, "Itachi..."

"Suine..." His eyes opened and found me.

"W...Why did you do that?"

"Why?"

"Yes...Why did you protect me? I thought we were going to be friends in secret, meaning that-"

"I can't protect you? What would you like me to do sit back and watch her hit..." Itachi's teeth began to grind to together, "I had never felt so much anger before. Just the thought of her...I couldn't. I would never forgive myself...By the time I knew what I was doing, it was already too late. I couldn't stop myself..."

"Thank you...You saved me."

"But now...people are just going to want to hurt you more...I just made things worse..."

"No." I began, smiling to him, "You saved me. You stood up for me. No one has ever done that for me before. Melody has tried but we were always outnumbered. But you just helped me, saved me from being hurt. I can never thank you enough for that, Itachi..."

"But now..."

"Don't worry about it." I told him as his eyes widened, "Whatever happens because of this, was bound to happen anyways. I wanted to stay friends and I knew that my decision to want to be your friend would change things...And I-"

"I wanted to be friends too..." He replied, "You can't try to take all the blame for this...I knew that my decision would make things harder on you...But I wanted what you had said to me...I wanted the truth...And you were the first person to give that to me. Not my family, not my brother, not the Student Council or even Kisame...none of them gave me the truth. But you did. You didn't even know me but you gave it to me anyways."

We both looked at each other and smiled. I lightly grabbed his hand and I could feel him lightly relax. I put my arms around him, giving him a hug, something I never thought I would do. I could never thank him enough; he saved me from being hurt. Even if would cost him his popularity.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun..."I told him and I could feel his hands go onto my back, hugging me back.

"Anytime...Suine..." He lightly remarked as he put his forehead onto my shoulder.

Things were going to change for the both of us and I knew that we would have no idea how to face them. But as long as he was around, somehow I knew that it would be okay. We would be okay.

. . .

As I walked down the hallway, I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. When I was in the classroom, I got glares from everyone and now every time I walk, it's more glares. All because Itachi protected me. But instead of looking down to the ground I knew I had to stand strong, for Itachi's sake. I held my head up high and acted like their glares weren't hurting me a single bit. I had to show Itachi that I could handle this, these glares would never bring me down.

Melody walked beside me, as we headed to the front doors. I told Melody everything that had happened between Itachi and me. She was shocked more a less to hear that Itachi was nice but even more shocked for me to be under his protection.

"I heard that the Student Council has been eating Itachi alive for what he has done..." A voice in the crowd said, "That bitch is ruining his life."

"I heard that they are going to kick him out of the Council..." Another voice replied to the previous voice.

"They are bullies; they aren't supposed to protect geeks..." Another voice began.

"That girl is lucky!" A voice said.

"Itachi's going to lose everything thanks to that girl, everything he worked so hard to keep." A voice sadly stated.

"Look, Suine..." Melody began as I looked away from her, "It's not your fault, it was his choice to stand up for you."

"I know but because of me..." I began.

"Oh look, there he is!" A voice in the crowd stated as we made it to the front doors.

I saw Itachi looking down as Pain began to yell at him. Kisame went in front of Itachi and Itachi's eyes widened.

"What!?" Pain yelled at Kisame, "You going to protect Itachi? This is his fault. We will lose power thanks to his stupid, reckless decision."

"I will stand by his decision." Kisame began and Itachi looked at Kisame, "If Itachi believes what he did was right, then so be it."

"You can't be serious Kisame. Your loyalty belongs to us." Konan spoke out as he shook his head.

"No, my loyalty is to this kid." Kisame told them, "Whatever you do to him, you do to me."

"Ki...Kisame-san..." Itachi lightly spoke out but Kisame didn't budge.

"Fine...Then both of you are kicked out of the Student Council. It will be easy to replace you. We already have members in mind, like your younger brother..." Pain spoke out and Itachi got angry.

"You stay away from Sasuke!" Itachi yelled out and Pain just rolled his eyes.

"Not my fault if he comes to me on his own accord."

Itachi gritted his teeth and the Student Council members walked out of the front doors. Kisame turned to Itachi and lightly smiled. Itachi looked down and the crowd began to go past them, out of the front doors. I lightly walked up to Itachi and Kisame's eyes widened. Itachi turned to me and I looked down in sorrow.

"I'm sorry, this is all my-" I began but Itachi gave me a look, making me realize he did not want me to say that, "I'm sorry that happened to you."

(K) "No need to worry..." Itachi told me, "I can live without the Student Council..."

"But Sasuke..."

"He's a big boy, he can make his own decisions, and even if I hate them...I'll still love my brother..."

"Hey, you're the girl that Itachi saved!" Kisame came up to me and I felt a bit scared, "Hello, my name is Kisame Hoshikage!" Kisame happily held his hand out to me.

"You aren't going to hurt me?" I asked him

"What!? No way! You were the first person to make Itachi do something that he actually wanted to do for himself! I love you!"

"Not literately..." Itachi told me, making me calm down, "He is just happy that someone changed me."

"Aw, you have such a great best friend Itachi!" I took Kisame's hand and Kisame pulled me into a hug.

"We are going to be the best of friends, I just know it!" Kisame happily said.

Kisame let me go and I smiled at him, I had never seen this coming. Kisame was nice as well and he was hugging me. Itachi was chuckling beside us, somehow happy even though the situation was terrible. They were happy that I was here, that I made Itachi protect me. I felt a tear escape my eye as they both said they had to go. They both lightly waved and walked out of the front doors, leaving me to my thoughts.

"Suine! There you are!" Melody's voice said and I looked around to see Melody coming to me, "You left me in the crowd and I couldn't get to you. What happened?"

"Kisame and Itachi were both nice to me, Kisame was really happy that Itachi saved me." I told her.

"Really? What is with these guys? Why are they nice all of a sudden?"

"I think they always were but hid it...Now why, is an entirely different question."

"Well...No use in waiting here, you ready to go home?"

"Oh yes please!"