Maya - a Naruto Fanfic

24. Like A Stone

"We're getting a divorce."

"What?"

"Maya, soon, your father and I won't be married anymore. We won't live together, or be together. But we'll still be with you."

"But why?"

"It's... It's complicated, baby, but mummy will always love you."

"Daddy loves you too."

Liar.

I'm running now, down the coast path and back to the beach, back to when it was fine. The tide has come up, the last stone step before the sand is covered with water, but I don't stop until I'm halfway across the beach, the water up around my knees. The waves keep dragging me further towards the sea. A large one comes up behind me, taller than I am, breaking over my head and sweeping me away.

And I'm sinking again.

My lungs burn, but I can't stop trying to breathe in air, every breath filling me with icy water.

Again.

The currents toss me about like nothing more than a rag doll again, a force that I can't break free from no matter how hard I kick.

Again.

Last time, bright white bubbles broke through the surface, and a dark hand closed over my arm and pulled me up and out, coughing and crying and thrashing.

Last time, I survived.

Not this time. Kakashi said he wouldn't save me, and he doesn't know.

I should have just told him, damn all shame. What's that saying? Pride before the fall? I never understood that before. Guess I've learned now, too late.

Then a hand, so hot on my frozen skin it may as well be a brand, dark in the half-light, closes around my arm, and I'm rising, rising, rising, pulled against a burning chest and breaking up through the water.

"Maya!" Someone yells, but I'm too busy hacking up water to pay them any notice.

"Just let her catch her breath." The words rumble in the chest of my saviour, who sounds a lot like Kakashi, but that's impossible. Kakashi made it clear that he would not be saving me. I look up anyway.

"Are you alright?" That stupid mask is all I can see, and his one visible eye. He's not smiling, his eye is sharp and serious.

"I-" nope. My voice sounds like I'm trying to talk past a lungful of gravel, and more water comes up.

Kakashi just keeps me above water while I bring up what feels like half the goddamn lake.

"Finished?" He asks as my coughs slowly quiet to gasping. I nod, and he helps me back into the boat. Instantly, something warm and probably soft is wrapped around my shoulders, though I'm almost too numb to feel it.

"Stupid," Sakura scolds, "why didn't you tell us you couldn't swim?"

"It's embarrassing." I rasp.

"And it almost killed you. Next time, put your pride aside and just tell us." Kakashi looks fiercely down at me, and I shrink back. Sakura glances between us, then leans in close and whispers;

"Kakashi-sensei was really worried about you."

"Huh?"

"He dived right in after you as soon as you didn't come back up. He didn't even take off his flak jacket!" Naruto yells, grinning. So much for subtlety. Kakashi won't look at me, instead gazing out over the water. The tip of his ear is pink.

"Useless." Sasuke sighs, and my chest tightens.

"... Screw you." I mutter, looking away. I pull the blanket tighter around my shoulders and bite down hard on my lip, humiliation burning hot in my cheeks. But he's not done.

"Che. All that big talk and the whole time you couldn't even swim. I knew you were useless but this is just pathetic."

"Sasuke, you're going too far!" Naruto yells, glaring hard. I bite down harder on my lip. I'll be damned if I'm going to cry in front of this jerk!

"Am I? I think this charade has been taken too far. Jōnin don't get teaching assistants, no one does! And even if they did, it wouldn't be someone who's so obviously clueless about shinobi. I want to know why she's here, disrupting our training!" Sasuke spits out viciously, and I hunch further into myself.

"Sasuke, that's enough. This is more than just bickering, you're being cruel. Leave her be."

"Tell us the truth! Who is she? Why is she here?!"

"As far as you're concerned, the truth should be what I tell you it is." Kakashi doesn't raise his voice by much, but everyone flinches away from him.

"I refuse to just accept that."

"Then swim home." Sakura and I watch their exchange silently, with her arm protectively around my shoulders.

"Maya," she whispers, "is Sasuke right? Is there something you and Kakashi-sensei aren't telling us?"

"... Yes." I breathe, and that knot in my chest loosens slightly. If I could just tell them everything...

"What?"

"I... It's..." It's what? Complicated? Insane? Totally, absolutely impossible?

"It's not mine to tell." Another lie. I hate this. Sakura stares at me a moment before nodding. Is this my life now? Lying to the only people who have my back in this crazy word?

Screw that.