Forsaken Innocence

Chapter Fourteen: Consultation

Forsaken Innocence

Chapter Fourteen: Consultation 

I laid in Sasuke’s bed, glad to be back home. Michiko had insisted that I stay with her, but really, all I wanted to be was alone. It was so odd being here without Sasuke. This was, after all, his apartment. I don’t even remember the last time that I was in my own. 

Which made me wonder, had Sakura moved out of Naruto’s, yet? I didn’t even know if they had given us the okay to live in our own homes, again.

Sighing, I pulled the blanket over my head, breathing in the lingering scent of Sasuke. How long would it be before I could smell the real thing, again? To hold him in my arms? Closing my eyes, I let my thoughts drift from Sasuke, to Naruto. Was he okay? I haven’t seen him since that day, in the Forest of Death. When he had…

I shook my head, shuddering away from the memory. What had happened there was a mistake. No good on dwelling on things you couldn’t change. 

And, as much as I hated to admit it, I missed the hyper-active blonde. I grunted, turning on my side to curl up in a tight ball. Things couldn’t end this way. Not after all we’ve been through. 

No matter what, Naruto was still my best friend. 

I let out a defeated groan, sitting up to slip my shoes back on. Looks like I wasn’t going to be getting much rest, now.

~        ~        ~

“He’s not here,” Sakura said, shyly scratching behind her ear. The young girl wore a sheepish grin, seeming almost nervous in my presence. I took a step closer, making the pinkette squeak. 

“Something wrong, Sakura?” I asked, bending closer to get a better speculation. Things have always seemed strained between the two of us, before, but never had she seemed scared of me. 

“I-I…nothing. It’s nothing, really.” She smiled, again, but this time, I could sense the struggle to maintain her composure. Yet, again, she left me confused. Just exactly what was wrong with her?

I snorted, moving her aside so that I could walk into the entryway. “Mind if I come in? We need to talk.”

“B-but-”

“Lock the door behind you.”

She fumbled with the lock a few times, trying her damnedest to get it to catch. After awhile, she finally got it, ensuring no one else could come in. Unless, of course, Naruto decided to make a stop by. But, I wasn’t exactly planning on staying that long. Knowing the boy, he was probably training, leaving me alone with the nerve-wracked Sakura.

I sat down on one of Naruto’s kitchen chairs, eyeing the place. It was cleaner, now that Sakura was staying here. But, I’m sure when she’s left, everything will go back to its usual untidy chaos. But, I guess that’s what always made this place seem cozier than my own apartment. The mess was always identified with a comforting, care free attitude. The state it was in now felt alien.

Almost as if I weren’t welcomed. 

“How’re things?” I nonchalantly asked, still observing the alienated apartment.  It felt like the happiness had been taken away, leaving behind a much colder atmosphere for the two of us.

“Fine,” she answered back simply, sitting in a chair opposite of me. It was clear that I was making my teammate uncomfortable. Usually, the very thought would have delighted me. But, now, everything was different. Knowing I made her feel that way made me fidget, causing my hands to clasp together between my knees. 

I should leave. I wanted to. But, what I needed were answers. And, Sakura was the only one liable enough to give them to me. 

“I need answers, Sakura..” I whispered, retreating my gaze to the linoleum floor. It deemed harder to ask favors of this girl than I thought it would.

“What is it?” She asked, leaning closer in her chair, resting her elbow on her knee. Curiosity laced sakura’s timid voice, seeming to calm  down a bit due to my noted struggle. 

I hesitantly chewed on my lip. Where do I even begin?

“What…what happened in the Forest of Death?” Sakura’s eyes slightly widened, sipping at the cup that had been formally placed in front of her, the distraction allowing the pinkette to regain her impassive composure. 

Her hand trailed through her pink locks, flicking the hair over her shoulder. “I got a hair cut. Did you notice?”

My eyes raked over her, just now realized her once long hair had been cropped close to her shoudlers. It wasn’t the most graceful hairstyle, but it fitted her nicely. 

“It’s nice,” I commented, trying to keep the peace between us. “But-”

“You know why I cut it, right?” She interrupted, again, suddenly balling her hand into a tight fist, pulling at the hair.

I was speechless. Unable to move my numb lips, I shook my head, wary of the girl before me. I couldn’t help but to watch her with wide eyes, intrigued with what she would do next. She’d never been so spontaneous, before. It was almost…thrilling. 

She sighed, removing her hand from her head, dropping it into her lap with the palm faced upwards. Sakura’s emerald green eyes stared down at the loose strands that decorated her palm, the very eyes adorned with hatred. 

“I was weak,” She said through clenched teeth, tears brimming her eyes. “They had me in their grasp, and it was the only way I could get free.” She paused, clenching her fingers, next, so that her hands tightly held the strands. 

“I was supposed to protect Sasuke. You. Naruto. But, in the end, it was you that saved me. Sasuke that saved you. I was worthless, yet again.”

“Sakura, I-”

“Shut up!” She snapped, filling the room with an eerie silence. “Let me finish.”

I pursed my lips, holding back the snide remark that bubbled behind my lips. If only I didn’t need her. 

She took a deep breath, sensing that I could only hold my tongue for so long. “I heard you killed that girl. And, I had found myself to be almost…happy. It didn’t really bother me that you had done what you did. We were in the midst of an exam. It was killed, or be killed. I knew you did what you had to.

“Then, came the ambush. We were all tried, beaten down, and running out of chakra. I was almost ready to give up…” She took another sip from the cup, carefully choosing her next words.

“What happened afterwards, well, I think we can all agree was terrifying. That thing,” she spat, “on your neck triggered by the desperation of our situation, it seemed. You have no control over it, and I think that’s what makes you so dangerous, now. You completely blacked out, it’s no surprise you don’t remember anything. Nothing we said could get through to you.”

I held my breath, “What happened?”

She shrugged, “You killed the threat, of course. And…you like it. It’s as Kakashi said. We’re lucky you ran out of chakra when you did, or we would have been next.”

!~*~*~*~*~*~*~!

Hitomi casually killing everyone off ^-^ Ehh. They’re might be mistakes. I haven’t slept in like 7391274248234 hours. 

Happy Readings~!