Hello,
Thank you to everyone who has read the story so far, it really means a lot. I'm sorry for the long delays between chapters! It's been hard what with juggle the whole work/life balance and find time to carry on with the story. I'll try to update it more frequently where possible. In the mean time, enjoy this chapter.
Love always xxx
Itachi finished typing the last email and stood up, stretched, and walked to the large windows and looked out, watching as life carried on without any issues. He wished his life was like that, but the last three days had been anything but. He had endured listening to nearly all the board members congratulate him on his engagement and upcoming wedding, which they were all looking forwards to. More like enjoy the free drinks that will be flowing, he thought bitterly to himself. He watched as his father gloated over how he had singlehandedly sorted out all the issues that the company faced, most were because of his ego to be the best and refusal to allow anyone to eclipse him.
He felt his control slip little by little each day, more so at home where his space was no longer his, each time finding something else that did not belong. He had managed to box away several of the trinkets lying about and placed the boxes in the utility room, giving him some relief over the madness that was his life now.
He sighed heavily as he moved away from the window and walked to the coffee machine, pressed the button for his favourite drink and added spoonful after spoonful of sugar in, stirred and took a sip. As he walked back to his desk, his office door burst open and Shisui, one of his close friends walked in with a smile and twinkling eyes.
"Last day of freedom man, how are you celebrating it?" Shisui asked as he sat down opposite Itachi, his smile turning wide.
"I am working," Itachi said, clicking on another email as he took a sip of his drink.
"Seriously?" Shishu asked incredulously, "how boring can you be?"
"How annoying can you be?" Itachi threw back, he typed his reply and hit send.
Shisui chuckled at the comment, he looked over at his friend and could see the strain on him. His eyes tired, eyebags forming under them. His posture stiff, his jaw constantly clenched tightly, all the telltale signs of his stress. "Itachi," he called, he waited for him to look up before he carried on, "seriously man, how are you doing?"
Itachi thought about the question for a few seconds, "I am fine."
"Really?" Shisui raised an eyebrow, "tell that to the vein throbbing angrily on your temple, or to your jaw that is clenched so hard to a point I can hear your teeth pressing against one another, or to your eyes that are screaming for rest."
Itachi ignored his friend's concern, "what would you like me to say instead?" Itachi asked rhetorically, his gaze hardening, his tone turning harsh, "that I feel like I have no control over anything anymore, that I feel trapped and I want to break free from everything that threatens to confine me?" Itachi huffed out a humourless laugh, "like that is possible for me, the son of the great Fugaku Uchiha," he spat out his father's name, "so, yes, I am fine."
Shisui gave him a small smile, "you know I am always here if you ever want to talk."
"I appreciate that, thank you," Itachi smiled slightly, "if you do not mind, I am busy," he waved his hand at the computer screen.
Shisui nodded, "I'll see you later man," he got out of his chair and walked to the door, seeing himself out.
Itachi sat back in his chair and sighed heavily. His heart was beating hard against his chest, his jaw clenched in anger that seemed to have become a constant companion over the past few days, a reminder of everything he was losing, how he had no control over anything.
He shook away the thought from his mind and forced his attention back to his work, losing himself in the mundane routine of his job for the rest of the day.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Sakura was lying on her bed, her phone in her hands as she scrolled through random videos, videos that used to make her laugh, but now barely got any reaction out of her. She sighed and locked her phone, letting it fall onto the bed and turned her attention to her wedding dress. Her jaw clenched at the sight, memories of the past two days flashing though her mind, how she had been forced to endure trying on the dress under the watchful gaze of her father's assistant, who gloated pridefully over her choice and how she had been specifically asked to find the dress, and who was aslo ordered to report back if Sakura dared to say anything or do anything unwanted. So, she had endured silently, while she screamed internally.
The dress was beautiful and simple, something that she might have chosen given the chance. An ivory-coloured strapless dress, with a sweetheart neckline, flounced skirt with a horsehair trim and a crystal beaded satin belt. She turned her gaze away from the dress and stared out the window, watching as the sun slowly descended on her last day of freedom. She had already started counting down the hours as they ticked by, as each hour passed, she heard the funeral march in her mind, marching her towards her lost life. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts run wild.
Sakura was pulled out of her thoughts when her bedroom door slammed open and in walked her friends, Ino, Tenten and Hinata, all who were dressed to go out and enjoy themselves. Sakura watched as they walked towards her bed and sat down near her. "What are you lot doing here?" She sighed out.
"We came to take your sorry ass out for the night," Ino replied with a wide smile, "get up and get dressed."
Sakura shook her head, "no, I am not going anywhere," she turned around and buried her face into her pillows.
"Yes, you are!" Ino grabbed her shoulder and forced her to turn around, "we are taking you out to let loose and enjoy yourself."
"Why?" Sakura grumbled, "I have no reason to enjoy myself from now on."
"Yes, you do," Mebuki said as she walked into the room and eyed her daughter. "I asked your friends here to take you out. I do not want you to spend your last night stuck in your room being miserable, I want you to go and have fun, be yourself," Mebuki smiled at her.
Sakura sighed and shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips, "fine," she scooted off her bed and stretched her arms over her head. She walked to her wardrobe and pulled out the first dress she found, took it to the adjoining bathroom and changed. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and ran the brush through her hair before leaving the room.
"Sit down and I'll do your makeup!" Tenten ordered as she set up the dressing table.
"I will leave you to get dressed, and," Mebuki said as she placed down notes of cash on the table, "here for you all to enjoy yourselves." She smiled at the women in turn before leaving the room.
"Thank you, mum," Sakura smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
"There, all done," Tenten said as she placed down the makeup brush several minutes later, "you look ravishing," she smiled wide at Sakura's reflection.
Sakura looked at herself, her eyes framed with dark eyeshadow, making the greens of her eyes stand out, while her lips were painted red, giving her an alluring look.
"Great, let's get this party started," Ino beamed as she grabbed the cash from the table and walked out of the room, the others following behind and into the waiting taxi that took them to their destination, Petals Bar.
They made their way to an empty table in the back of the bar with their drinks, away from the loud thumping music, dancing bodies and shouts.
"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Hinata asked tentatively as they sat down and sipped their drinks.
"Oh, you know, so excited that I am being forced into this marriage. It is what every girl dreams about," Sakura replied scathingly.
"You know I looked him up," Ino said around her drink.
"Looked who up?" Tenten asked.
"Itachi Uchiha," Ino said, she grabbed her phone out of her bag, unlocked it and clicked on the web browser. "He is the oldest son to Fugaku Uchiha, and he joined his father's company at the age of 15, having had graduated not only from high school, but higher education at the age of 13. He is a genius." Ino read off her phone.
"You googled the man?" Sakura asked incredulously.
Ino shrugged her shoulders, "someone had to."
Sakura shook her head in disbelief at her best friend.
"I just thought that you should know more about him, plus," she taped on her phone screen and held it up, "he is quite good looking."
Sakura scoffed at her words, "you do realise that most people who work in those roles are more likely to be sociopaths or psychopaths?" she rolled her eyes and avoided looking at the screen, she did not want to be plagued by pictures of the man who she would be tied to in less than a day.
Tenten and Hinata laughed at Sakura's words.
"It doesn't say he's a sociopath or psychopath," Ino said as she went through her phone.
"You really think he would allow anyone to write that online about him?" Sakura pointed it out.
"Okay, okay," Ino huffed out as she locked her phone and placed it back in her bag, "no more talking about you know who, instead, let us drink!" Ino picked up her glass and held it out towards the others, "come on," she urged with a smile.
The other followed suit, all clinking their glasses together and drank until their glasses were empty.
"Next round!" Tenten shouted as she stood up and made her way to the bar.
They spent the next several hours drinking every colour cocktail they found, laughing and enjoying themselves, before calling it a night as they stumbled into a taxi and went back to Sakura's parent's house for the night.
"I love you guys," Sakura slurred as she stumbled to the front door, grabbed the key from the hiding place and unlocked the door.
"We love you too," the others said around giggles as they entered the house.
