Chapter 8- A Fallen Heart Never Dies
I sat down on the dining table, my heart dropped and excitement dead. Memories of the previous night flooded back. My chemistry textbook lay in my lap, undisturbed. It was impossible to study with this kind of thoughts flooding your brain. I hadn't noticed I was crying until I found teardrops in my book. I quickly got a tissue and wiped my tears away. My mum entered the kitchen with bags full of groceries hanging down her arm. I dared not to make any eye contact with her as I darted my eyes right into my book highlighting quick notes with my yellow highlighter.
"I'm planning to make dumplings for lunch. Is that okay Sakura? I've brought all the ingredients required." My mum spoke, placing all the bags down on the kitchen table as she saw me in the dining. She looked over at me, somehow unsatisfied. "You're studying hard aren't you Sakura?"
I nodded my head, still not taking my eyes off of my book. My heart still ached immensely; the pain never fading. Argh, the scorching pain running throughout my body was killing me. I tried ever so hard to forget Sasuke's harsh words, but they continued ringing in my head. Without attempt, a tear dropped off my cheek. I quickly wiped it away before my mum realised.
"Sakura are you alright?" My mum calmly spoke, walking over to me. Oh shit, she figured. She took a seat next to me, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
"Now, you tell me what's bothering you." My mother reassured. "Is it these exams?"
I shook my head, reaching out for another tissue.
"Then…?"
What do I say? No I'm not fine because my mega crush just crushed my heart last night? But, maybe, just telling my mum would lighten my burden.
"Last night…" I spoke softly, my mum listening earnestly. "Sasuke, a guy I liked. Very much. Even though he bullied me, I still like him and have a sense of longing for him. You know what I mean?"
"Not exactly, but one of my close friend back at school had the same problem. Anyways, he was there last night wasn't he?"
I nodded. "It was a pretty fun party, everyone was there, we talked and had fun, and Archie's house was amazing…and Sasuke was there too." Continuing on with the story, I would never have told her we kissed. I could tell her every precise detail if I had to, but I hadn't included the kiss. "I really liked him mum, and I was never sure if Sasuke had the same feelings. And…" Tears slowly started welling up in my eyes again, but I decided to go on. "He…all the feelings I had for him…were…crushed." Tears could not stop pouring down. My mum quickly got a handful of tissues before handing it to me.
"Thanks." I muttered under my breath, in between tears.
"Oh sweetie." My mother gently pushed my head towards her so she could plant a kiss on my forehead. I leant down on my mother's shoulder. In a few calming moments, my mum had to presume to her cooking, whilst I remained back into my studies.
()()()()()()()
The loathing exams endured. It went for the entire week, and by the Friday I was truly flabbergasted and my brain overused. After school, my body shut down, my body falling into my bed sheets and mattresses. My whole body seemed to shut down on my last test which turned out to be chemistry, which made me think back to the bet I made with Sasuke. Sasuke was brought once more to my mind, killing me with his harsh words and his prominent self. During the week, I hadn't uttered a single word to Sasuke. I might've shot some glares at him, and he'd just stare back. No other kind of communication happened between the two of us. He'd stay by and talk with that Yuri girl again. Once we even bumped into each other:
A clump of books scattered across the floor. I bent down to pick them up, soon realising they were mine. A tall girl with long brown hair stood right in front of me, catching me by surprise. She was picking them up too until she met my gaze. She had beautiful, exquisite features and dark pretty eyes. I smiled at her, her beauty fooling me. She tilted her head to the side, and frowned a bit. Her expression seemed to read 'I know you.' I looked questioningly at her. The girl looked down at the book in my hand. It read the name, 'Yuri'. She snatched it off my arms, growling like a cat.
"Y-yuri…?" I felt like my sight was blinding me.
"Stay out." She snapped angrily.
"Your hair…is brown…?" I asked. I was pretty sure at the party last week she had golden blonde hair, but now golden brown?!
"I dyed it, genius. One thing Sakura, stay away from him, and never hurt him again!" She angrily growled in my face.
"Who? Sasuke?" I choked.
"Who else would I be talking about? He's leaving to a boarding school in a few weeks, so better play nice."
"What, why?" I asked, guilt and sadness overflowing me.
She seemed annoyed with my continuous questions. "He is not allowed to stay home all alone, anymore, so he's moving school and house. Anyways, thanks for all the pain you've brought him." She spoke sarcastically before she stormed off with her books.
I lay flat on my bed; a dead fly caught in its prey. Before I knew it, my eyes were shut and I dozed off. I woke up early and bright the next day, surprised at how fast I recovered. At the same instance, my phone vibrated. I picked up to see several text messages. I skimmed through the names of whom texted me and replied to each, from oldest to newest.
Ino: ermagerddddddd, exams are finally over! Party timeeee! What a relief
Me: I'm so glad :D and I just awoke from my sleep… proves how tired I was
I caught my breath when I read Sasuke's name pop up. I hesitated, hovering my finger above his name deciding whether I wanted to open it or not. Finally I made my choice, and skimmed down to the next name. I smiled when Naruto's name popped up next. It was the last and final text to read, apart from Sasuke's and the most recent.
Naruto: wanna meet with me and ino by sapphire lake today?
Me: sure, I'll be there, wot time though?
Before being able to reply to the other text messages, Naruto replied suddenly.
Naruto: well…I'm already kind here, and I just asked ino and she said she'd be here in a half an hour
Me: sure, I'll be there soon
I zipped my phone into my shoulder bag, and rinsed my face and put on a new, fresh pair of clothes. Finally, I set out to Sapphire Lake. I walked the ten minute walk to the beautiful blue lagoon lake. It shone with the morning's sun light. I waved my arms in the air at a tall blonde guy waiting for me by the lake. I felt my phone vibrate again, and fished it out of my bag. When I finally grabbed a hold of it, I saw that it was a text from Sasuke. Taking a breath out, I dropped my phone back into my bag.
"Hey Sak!" He cried spreading arms for a hug. I came in for a hug too.
"How is everything?" I asked.
"It's all good." He returned with a smile. "How about you?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I finally recovered from all the pressure of exams. Urgh." I said, rolling my eyes but then smiling.
He let out a light chuckle. "I know right. They kill me." He stretched his arms up above his head. "Hey Sak," He stopped, dropping his hands down by his side. "You know about Sasuke yeah…?"
"Yeah. He's moving school and home. Is it all my fault? Is he doing this just to get away from me? For some reason, I feel like he's doing this because of me."
"Oh, don't worry Sakura. Of course he wouldn't. I had a talk with that Sasuke boy yesterday, and he said that he's moving because he's all alone here, and his cousins are forcing him to go."
"Oh." I was happy, yet sad at the same time: happy that it wasn't my fault for his departure, but sad because…Sasuke is leaving. I don't like him, but, it'd mean that I'd never see his cute face again.
"Hey Naruto…last week, I've got to thank you, at Archie's party, when you came and helped me out. Thank you Naruto." I spoke. "And I'm also sorry for telling all my feelings about Sasuke, it seemed to put you off. You must've been jealous, and it was entirely my fault for putting it all on you."
"Jealous?" He faked a laugh. "I realised that when I saw you. I know you really like Sasuke, and your heart didn't belong to mine, but to Sasuke's. And, it's alright. That was my fault. If I wasn't pissed off and left, then you wouldn't have been hurt. Does Archie and everyone know?"
"No, only you. I haven't even told Ino."
"Tell me what?" A voice broke in sharply. I swirled around, gasping my breath. My best friend was standing right in front of me. I turned to look back at Naruto, then back at Ino.
"Hey Ino." Naruto smiled.
"Hey Naruto, and Sakura." She cutely smiled. "So what was it that you didn't tell me? Is there something I need to know?"
"N-nothing of course." I stuttered blankly.
"No, Sakura." Ino grabbed a hold of my wrists tightly, staring into my eyes deeply. "What is it?"
I could hear Naruto let out a sigh from behind. "Tell her Sak. It's only Ino."
I hesitated at first, but then let out a deep breath. Ino letting go of my wrist, I told Ino the story.
"Oh Sakura!" Ino exclaimed, a tone mixed with pity and empathy. She grabbed in for a hug. I hugged back solemnly. She broke it, and turned to look at us, Naruto now by my side. "Are you ok, Sak? I should've known earlier!"
I nodded my head, forcing a smile. "I hope." I felt my bag vibrate which made me jolt up. I shot down a look; in the depths of my bag I could see my glowing phone screen in the darkness of my bag. The name read Sasuke again. I guiltily pushed the phone away, deeper into the bag, so I wasn't able to feel any vibrates.
"A problem Sakura?" Ino pondered, looking at me suspiciously.
"N-nothing, just, uh, putting my phone into my bag." I said, as Naruto and Ino looked at me weirdly, but then shrugged.
"Let's go get ice-cream!" Naruto yelled, holding his fist in the air. Ino and I smiled and screamed yes together as we all walked together to the icecream truck.
But as time grew on, pressure had been building on me to look back at the phone and answer his messages.
()()()()()()()()
"Aha, got it!" Ino smirked, holding up her award. The shiny electronic device she held up glistened in the sunlight. Naruto was long gone since we met by the lake, and somehow I had stayed over at Ino's for the next few hours or so.
"No! Give it back!" I cried, reaching up to grab my phone from Ino's hands, but she held it up a bit too high for my reach.
"No Sak. You could not stop looking down in your bag, and I knew it was your phone an no other, so I decided to get it out; you're not reading your messages!" Ino said.
"Ino!" I exclaimed, struggling, and then giving up. "Urgh, want do you want to do with it?" I moaned. I thought that if I played nice I'd receive it back. I think I had kept my hopes to high when I saw Ino unlock my lock screen.
"Ino!" I screamed. I pushed her against her bedroom wall, desperate for my phone. Her pink study table was right beside us, filtered with sheets and folders scattered everywhere into a messy file. Once I find this annoying brat unorganised. In minutes, we charged up into a cat fight, needing to capture the electronic treasure.
"This is what you get for not telling me your Sasuke secret earlier!" Ino said. She instantly put her hands on my stomach and killed me with her tickling fingers. I broke into tremendous laughter, falling onto her bed, running away from Ino and her tickles. She laughed at me; tears almost springing from her eyes. Once we both calmed down, she took a glance at my phone again and unlocked it. I really take back the day I gave her my password. Defeated, I lay flat on her bed, hugging onto her duckling pillow toy.
"Sakura…" She spoke softly, walking over to me, and sitting on the corner of the bed, her eyes still off the screen. "Sasuke has messaged you five times, and you've never replied, or even open them!"
"Ino…" I sighed.
"I'll open them myself, and since its addressed to you, I'll read it aloud." Ino said. Burying my face in her pillow, I gave up trying to stop her. Ino was stronger than me all the time and it was hard to win against her. "Sakura, I'm sorry for everything I have done. Please forgive me. I really want to talk and see you more often, and since I'm leaving, I hope to give you a proper good-bye. I want us to be friends again, sakura. So please… forgive me…? I'm leaving early next week, and I want to give you a proper good bye and I really am sorry." Ino spoke off the screen, her voice trailing off. Tears were once again rolling down my cheeks, I lifted my head up so too many wouldn't be all over her pillow. "Oh Sakura…" Ino sighed, turning around and patting my back.
"Ino, this was what I was worrying the whole time." I spoke mournfully.
"You should reply. he's desperate for your answer. Say yes, of course I forgive you Sasuke and I love you so much, and don't leave me.." She improvised. I glared at her.
"I'm still not responding to his messages. Gimme that!" I exclaimed, snatching my phone off her hands, and chucking it in my bag.
"Sakura…" She looked at me disappointed but also full of pity. I flipped over, lying down on my stomach not uttering another single word.
()()()()()()()()()
My heart sank as I stared upon my exam's results. I got five A plus', three A's, one B and one C, which was the one my heart sank the most. I even felt sadder when I saw it was Chemistry. Staring upon my C, my smiles escaped from my face. Images of Sasuke flashed in my mind, remembering Sasuke's bet. I don't care about that bet anymore. I don't care who got more or less. I don't care about you anymore.
"Sakura!" Ino exclaimed, pulling my arm. "Look, your top best overall!" Ino pointed to a pin board in front of us, scattered with the top more successful students. Soon, Archie, Kira, Naruto and almost everyone I knew came up to me, thanking me for me excellence. People must think I must be proud of myself, but all that came to me was the thought of Sasuke. Saying thanks to everybody, I disappeared from my fans, and walked back into my classroom. My stomach lurched once more, as I sat in my chair. Mr Fujitoshi sat in his seat, his stern glasses peering down at the sheets he was marking with a fine red pen. Everybody else was just outside, gazing and reading off the pin board. I looked mournfully at my C then slid my results between the pages of my textbook. I couldn't think of Sasuke now. His messages I ignored to reply rung in my head; Sasuke would never leave my mind. Although it was his last day here at Konoha High School, I would need to try my best to erase him from my mind. But it was impossible. Sasuke was such a big part of my life; it was really hard to ignore it. In clumps, our class headed back inside. I glanced through the window as I saw him enter in. With his hands in his pockets, he turned his eyes on me, as I instantly looked away. With the corner of my eye, I could see him slump down into his seat.
The day ended fast, as I paced myself out of the school gates. My heart mourned and cried its soul out. I did something I shouldn't have ever done; I turned back. My heart rose as I saw Sasuke; supposedly for the last time. He was in the far distance, hidden by a crowd engulfing him in their farewells.
"Bye Sasuke." I spoke quietly, tears streaming down my face. My heart pounded heavily in my chest, aching to its content. I turned back around, wiping the tears falling on my dress. I hastily walked the hard trip home.
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A/N:
Sorry for the update delay, but one more chapter to go! Thank you so much guys, I love you. Please remember to review, follow or favourite! Thank you!