CHAPTER TWELVE

HEARTBROKEN + LOVESTRUCK

It was Friday morning, one more day before Saturday's 'family' dinner. Thanks to Abigail and Carter, the ninja had been introduced to cell phones. Needless to say they all wanted one, and Ren, Kim, and Jade had to teach them how to work them. Soon the ninja were sending texts, making calls, and surfing the Internet(Ren got the luxury of explaining that one) like pros.

The morning was slow, and the group of twelve were all at work, and all bored out of their minds.

Conference text:

'I'm so bored. - Konan'

'I'm not. I'm reading a magazine called Playboy. - Nagato'

'Why are you looking at naked women? - Jade'

'Nagato! - Konan'

'They're not completely naked. - Nagato'

'We're surrounded by perverts. - Sakura'

'Who else is a pervert? - Konan'

'Kakashi-sensei and Naruto. - Sakura'

'I know Kakashi reads porn, but Naruto? - Hana'

'I'm not a pervert! - Naruto'

'It's not porn. - Kakashi'

'He has this Sexy Jutsu. - Sakura'

'What's that? - Itachi'

'You don't want to know. - Sasuke'

'You'll love it! - Kakashi'

'Kakashi, stop trying to turn my brother into a pervert. - Sasuke'

'Can't turn what already is. - Deidara'

'Itachi? - Sasuke'

'No comment. - Itachi'

'Told you! - Deidara'

'Shouldn't we be getting back to work? - Hinata'

'Add Kim to the list. - Jade'

'What list? - Nagato'

'The perverted persons list. - Jade'

'How is Kim a pervert? - Hana'

'You know what they say. It's always the quiet ones. - Jade'

'I'm not a pervert! - Kim'

'Yet another side of Kim. - Kakashi'

'Screw you! - Kim'

'Wow! - Konan'

'Not like that! - Kim'

'I rest my case. - Jade'

'If the quiet ones are closet perverts, wouldn't that mean Hinata and Konan are ones too? - Naruto'

...

'Get back to work! - Ren'

'Who invited the old man? - Jade'

'I'm 36! - Ren'

They all put away their phones, and got back to work. Jade had a plan to make her two friends look perfect for their dates that night. She sent the other girls a text, making sure to leave out Sakura and Kim, and let them in on her plan. They planned out what needed to be done.

When they all got back to the loft, the girls dragged Kim and Sakura off to Kim's room. They told them the game plan, before making them go shower. While they waited for Kim and Sakura to finish showering and shaving, they set up everything in the room.

Once the two girls were finished, the others made them sit down on the bed. Konan applied some type of facial mask. Hana and Hinata gave them manicures and pedicures. Sakura got red, and Kim got blue nail polish. When that was over, they moved on to their hair and make-up. They went with the natural look for the make-up, and only highlighted their features. They straightened Kim's hair, and gave Sakura soft curls. Sakura wore a red knee length dress, a brown braided belt around her waist, and matching brown sandals. Kim wore a pair of flowy dark blue shorts, that looked like a skirt, a white blouse tucked in, a black blazer, and a pair of black pointed toe heels.

The guys had to admit that the two girls looked great. Ren was all smiles when he saw his daughter, all dolled up, but he couldn't help but notice the way she shifted uncomfortably. Sasuke was a different story. Ever since Sakura found out about her date she had dropped the affectionate '-kun' suffix from his name. He didn't know why that made him feel odd, but it did.

Everyone complimented the girls on how they looked. They also poked fun at the way Kim was constantly tripping in her heels. Before Kim and Sakura knew it, Jade was giving them a ride to the park, where they would meet their dates. They were both going to get rides back to the loft from their dates. Sakura and Kim walked over to a nearby bench, and sat down.

"Trade shoes with me," Kim said to Sakura.

"No, 'cause my shoes won't match your outfit," Sakura stated.

"But they're killing me. My feet are going to have horrible blisters. How can Jade even walk in these things," the ebony haired girl complained. Though there was nothing wrong with the shoes, her nerves were starting to get the better of her.

"Tough," the pink haired girl said. Kim gave her a glare, to which Sakura just smiled. The two girls stood up, and walked over to the water fountain. Kim and Jake had agreed to meet there.

Soon two figures approached the girls, one a few inches taller than the other. The taller figure had sea green eyes, tan skin, and jet black hair. Jake. He wore a pair of jeans and a white button-up shirt. The slightly shorter figure had the same sea green eyes, tan skin, and dirty blond hair. Alex. He too, wore jeans and a black button-up shirt with a gray tie.

Kim quickly walked over to Jake and gave him a hug. The couple walked off, leaving the other two alone. Sakura stood a bit awkwardly. She had no clue as to what she was supposed to say. Alex smiled at her obvious nervousness.

"My brother wasn't lying when he said, he had gotten me a date with a beautiful girl," Alex mused. Sakura blushed a pretty pink, playing with the hem of her dress.

"Thank you." She blushed even deeper when he directed his smile towards her.

"Nervous?"

"Just a little. I've never really been on a date before," she admitted.

"How could someone like you, never be asked out on a date?"

"Oh, I've been asked out a couple times before. It's just that..." She trailed off, thinking about a certain dark haired someone.

"You had your eyes set on someone else," he guessed. She nodded the affirmative.

"I thought it was time I finally get over him. He will never feel the same way about me, as I feel for him. I don't even think he's capable of feeling anything," she stated sadly, looking down at her feet. A tear was about to fall. Alex cupped the side of her cheek, lifting her head up and wiping the lone tear away with his thumb.

"Well, it's his loss. He must be blind to let someone as beautiful as you get away," he said smiling. "I was originally thinking about going to dinner and a movie, but you look like you could use some cheering up. No one can feel sad or lonely when they go to the carnival, and there just so happens to be one close by. What do you say?"

"I would like that. Lead the way!" He grabbed her hand, and the two ran in the direction of the carnival. They ran up to the ticket booth, and Alex paid for two bracelets. Once they got them on the two walked around for a bit. They took in the sights, and the smiling people. Then they stopped in front of a ride.

"Please tell me you're not afraid of heights and being upside down," Alex begged. He had his eyes shut tight. Slowly opening one eye, he saw his date smiling widely. She shook her head no. He jumped up and gave a shout, scaring some little kids in the process. Grabbing her hand again, he led her to the line for the ride. They showed their wrists with the bracelets to the conductor, and he let them on.

Taking their seats, and strapping themselves in; they waited for the ride to start. The ride started out slowly. Rocking back and forth, picking up speed as it went. It stopped midway, before continuing. Soon they were going upside down, and back down again. When the ride ended, Alex was ready to throw up.

"Are you sure you're okay," Sakura questioned, concern coating her voice. He nodded. He stopped mid nod, and with a hand over his mouth, ran to the nearest trash can. Sakura walked over to a food stand and bought a bottle of water, and handed it over to him.

"How about a hug and a kiss," he asked, grinning madly.

"Uh... I'll take the hug, but you can keep the kiss," she replied. She giggled when he started pouting. She patted him on the head. "How about we go play some games."

"Sounds like fun!" He grabbed her hand again, and led her to the games. They stopped at one of those 'test your strength' games. "Let's test our strength," he said excitedly, taking the hammer from the man. He swung the hammer over his head, and brought it down; hitting the metal plate. The marker only went up halfway. The game man gave him a little stuffed puppy, which he gave to Sakura.

"Would the lady like to try," the game man asked, offering her the hammer. Alex pushed her forward, nudging her to try. She followed the same motions as Alex. That time the marker went all the way up to the bell. The audience all around them started clapping, and she received a giant stuffed turtle as her prize.

"Wow! That was amazing," Alex shouted, beaming at Sakura. She blushed in response. They started walking around again. They passed a crying little girl. She was scared, and couldn't find her mother. Sakura gave the little girl the giant turtle, when they had found her mother. The little girl gave Sakura a tight hug and a bright smile, before skipping towards her mother.

The pair got on all the rides. Played all the games they could, before running out of money. They were laughing and smiling. Just having a great time. When the sun started setting, they got on the Ferris wheel. The ride had stopped for the fireworks display.

Alex slowly leaned in to kiss her. Sakura got lost in his eyes, and started to lean in as well. Then she turned her head to the side at the last second, making him kiss her cheek instead of her lips. He sighed.

"I'm sorry. It-" He cut her off.

"No. Don't apologize. I get it. You still have feelings for that other guy." He ran a hand through his hair. He looked her in the eyes. "I'm not going to push you into doing something you don't want to do, but... I will wait for you. Maybe in time you will feel the same way as you do for him, for me. When that time comes I will be right here waiting. 'Cause you're worth it," he said. He gently tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, and placed a kiss on her forehead. She smiled. Maybe he was just what she needed to finally move on, and get over him.

"So do you think they're going to be okay," Kim questioned Jake, looking back at Sakura and Alex's retreating forms. She was worried that they wouldn't like each other, and Sakura would end up hating her for it. She wasn't the type of girl to set her friends up on dates. Heck, she wasn't the type of girl to go out on dates. That was all Jade, bright and outgoing. She was Kim, dark and twisty.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Jake replied, casually draping an arm around his date's shoulders. He knew his brother would be alright. He looked over at Kim. "So, I was thinking about going to dinner, and then a movie. What do you think?"

"That sounds great," was her reply. She was trying so hard not to fall over, because of her shoes. The date had not even begun, and her feet were already killing her, which was strange since those were her go-to pair of shoes for special events. At least when they got to the restaurant; she would be able to sit down and relax. No! My feet are fine. I've worn these shoes for longer periods of time and they never hurt before. No more making excuses to try and leave. I will go on this date, and I will have a good time.

After a bit of walking, they reached their desired destination. He took her to a fancy Italian restaurant. After a twenty minute wait, they were led to their table, and seated. The waiter came to take their drink orders, and left them with their menus.

"Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted," Kim voiced her thoughts. The entire walk to the restaurant and up till that moment, she had noticed Jake's eyes darting around like he couldn't concentrate. Maybe he was just as nervous as she was.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing," he replied waving off her concern with a smile. Though she could see that it was nothing. He had been acting strange since the beginning. The waiter returned with their drinks.

"What would you like to order," the waiter, a young man not much older than herself, asked politely.

"I'll have the Linguine with clam sauce," Jake said with a nod, handing his menu over to the waiter. The waiter looked over to Kim.

"I'll have... the pasta with the creamy tomato sauce." Jake stared at her. "What," she questioned.

"Nothing." He shrugged. Sea green eyes roamed up and down her body. "I just thought that you would watch what you eat, is all. Pasta does have a lot of calories. Especially one with a cream sauce." Kim was shocked, and apparently so was their waiter since he wore a dark glare directed towards her date.

"Uh... I take back my order," Kim said her voice sounding pathetic even to her own ears. She picked up the menu and throughly read through all the options, much more aware than before. "I'll have the garden salad instead. No croutons." White bread is fattening.

"Would you like to add grilled or breaded chicken to that?" The young waiter could only stay silent as he watched the girl wilt right before his eyes. It wasn't his place to get involved.

"No thank you," she replied quietly, handing the waiter her menu. The waiter nodded his head, and walked off. Kim shifted in her seat, uncomfortably. Running a marathon in Jade's signature six-nice heels would probably be more comfortable than sitting there. She started playing with a lock of her hair. It was starting to curl; her hair never did stay straight for too long.

The rest of dinner passed in awkward silence. Jake was distracted the entire time, his eyes searching the room and stopping to stare at the entrance while Kim was trying to look anywhere but at him. Her mind was racing. Should she consider watching what she ate? She always did eat whatever she wanted, and she ate whole lot more than other girls. Did she need to go on a diet? Maybe she could start by cutting out over-processed snack foods and drinks. Exercise more? She could always start running again; she liked running. She was never skinny or thin to begin with, but she couldn't be considered chubby either. Could I be? Hidden by the table cloth, her right hand rested against her lower abdomen.

When dinner was over and the plates had been cleared, Jake suggested that they join in with the other dancing couples. On the dance floor Kim was a hot mess. She could barely walk with her shaking legs, much less dance in her heels. It didn't really matter though. Jake still was not paying any attention to her. He was too busy staring over her shoulder. She wondered what was keeping him so distracted. Soon all the dancing came to an end after Kim had stepped on him many, many times. Jake hurriedly paid the bill, and they exited the restaurant. As they were heading to the movie theater across the street from the park, they were intercepted by someone.

She finally figured out what, or rather who, Jake's attention had been on all night.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, going out on a date with a fat whore like her," screeched the tall redhead. Kim felt her jaw clench at the insult, and a pang of hurt settled in her stomach. "I'm your girlfriend..."

Kim walked away, never the type for confrontation. She went as fast as her heeled feet would let her on unsteady legs. How could the night she had been anticipating the entire week, end so horribly? He never even liked her. He was just using her. Using her to make his, gorgeous, girlfriend jealous. How could she be so stupid to think that a guy like that would ever be interested in her? Her! Dark and twisty Kimberly.

She continued to aimlessly walk around the park, willing herself not to cry. She couldn't let that jerk ruin everyones hard work. For the first time in a long time she had felt pretty. Too bad the feeling didn't last long.

It was already dark out, and the only sources of light were from the moon and lamp posts illuminating the park. Walking towards the water fountain located in the center of the garden maze, she sat down on the edge. Tapping the water lightly with her fingers, she lost herself in thought. She stilled when she saw the distorted reflection of someone behind her in the water.

"I'm sorry about your date," the figure stated, in a familiar lazy drawl.

"Don't be. It's not like it's your fault it ended the way it did," she responded flashing Kakashi a small smile.

"He shouldn't have led you on like that." She was now facing him, his white hair glowing in the moonlight. He offered her a sympathetic eye smile.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Compared to what he already has, I'm nothing special," she said through a shaky breath. Her eyes began to water and she had to fight to keep the tears from spilling over.

"You shouldn't speak so lowly of yourself," Kakashi reprimanded, taking a seat beside the girl.

"I guess you're right."

Kim gave a humorless laugh that turned near hysterical, then faded into heartbroken sobs. Kakashi hesitantly wrapped an arm around her waist and slowly pulled her closer, wrapping her other arm around her as well. Soon her head rested against his shoulder as her violent sobs caused her body to shudder against his chest. Resting his chin on her head, he let her her sobs continue until they faded into hiccups and then silent weeping. When her tears finally stopped and her small frame sagged against him, he continued to hold her. Throughout it all he felt an intense hatred for the man named Jake begin to fester within.

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone what happened tonight," she whispered softly against his neck. "I can just say we didn't hit it off, or something like that."

"You seem to be really good at lying and keeping secrets," he noted. She gave him a look. "Alright, I promise not to tell. But if you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen." Kim gave him a small broken smile that seemed to cause him pain rather than reassure him like it was meant to.

"How did you get here?"

"I walked."

"Looks like I'm walking home in heels. I just want to change out of this outfit, go to sleep, and forget about this this night," Kim groaned as she stood up. Kakashi smirked at her, then turned his back to her and kneeled down.

"Get on my back. I'll carry you," he commanded.

"I might be heavy," she warned as she did as told, though very slowly.

"You're really tiny and I'm a big strong ninja," he tried to reassure the girl which earned him a snort of amusement.

Once she was on, Kakashi stood up straight and began walking back to the loft. She fell asleep halfway back to the loft. Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if she really was alright. How did she manage to get so good at lying and secret keeping? In the world of shinobi, practice makes perfect.