FicWad

"…I can't believe it. We just- I mean, everything was going really well! I thought he was so happy. Of course, I was extremely happy! I don't… I don't understand how he could have done this." Green eyes wander to the carpeted floor of her bedroom, a slight pink tinting her pale cheeks. She looks up, making eye contact with the person she trusts with these trivial matters and gives a sad smile. "I guess I saw it coming all along, though. I knew he couldn't have been happy with me for much longer." Her smile twists into a senile smirk. I can't help but feel relieved at how well she's taking the break up.

I carefully brush my long blonde hair over my shoulder, making sure to put the sliver of exposed skin on display. "You guys were together for, like, a couple months. Sasuke shouldn't have done that to you, especially for the reasons he did." My lips twitch at the corners reassuringly. Sakura flinches slightly as I rest my hand comfortingly on her shoulder. Soon, she relaxes into my touch, and I feel a twinge of guilt for making her the least bit uncomfortable in the first place. "Are you okay?"

Dazzling white teeth give off a wicked glare in the yellow lights over our heads. She's smiling. Her mock-happy face is painted on her face. I can see it—in her eyes, that look. Hurt lurks in her emerald gaze as she peers into my own blue orbs. Sakura is trying her best to tell me without words that, yes, she is fine, and no, I don't need to worry about her. But I do. I can see past her mask everyone else believes. It pains me when she pretends around me.

If only she knew how much I wanted to pummel Sasuke's face in for hurting her the way he did. Not only did I want to cause harm for the pain now I visible in her every movement, I wanted to get revenge for the way he hurt me all those times.

Sakura glances at the silver and blue clock ticking away on her Pepto-pink wall and sighs. "We need to be getting to class, Ino. Don't wanna be late for Iruka-sensei's class, now would we?"

My head nods without me really noticing it. I don't want to leave this serenity I've created in this atmosphere. Going to school would mean having to share Sakura with other people. Now that she's not with Sasuke, I'm even more anxious about someone trying to steal the bubblegum-haired girl away from my grasp.

Sighing, I pick up my extremely heavy bag and sling it over my shoulder. With a quick glance at Sakura's retreating back, I reluctantly follow her into the biting cold just waiting to envelop my whole being. As I reach the end of the street, I pull my school sweater closer to my body. The cloth rubs against my skin as if trying to comfort me. My socks are starting to slip down my smooth legs, so I reach down to pull them back up with a bit too much force.

Loud tearing noises cause Sakura to stop walking and face me, a worried look on her face. She takes in the sight of my now ripped sock and frowns deeply. Suddenly, her eyes brighten, widening with the dawning of an idea. Holding up a finger for me to wait, she slips her bag off her shoulder. She slowly unzips her pink backpack and pulls out a fresh pair of socks. Looking at them, I see that they are white, when the ones I'm wearing are navy blue. I also notice how Sakura's socks are white.

Does she always wear white socks? I've never noticed.

"Ino? Hello, earth to Ino?" Sakura is waving a hand in my face, her manicured fingers flashing before my eyes. My eyes focus on the blurry figure and I realize she's holding the socks out to me. Smiling gratefully, I grip the socks and yank them roughly out of her grasp.

"Thanks, billboard brow," I say, my tone teasing and light. Even though she knows I'm joking, she frowns once again and mutters, "shut it, Ino-pig," before stalking off in the direction of Konoha High School. My smile doesn't falter as I fall in step with my best friend.

Heat is radiating from her body, and it's driving me absolutely crazy. Sakura, the object of my desires, is so close, yet out of reach. Her hand is so close to my own gloved one. The urge to reach for it is so tempting, but I will it to the back of my mind. Not that she's repulsed by the idea of a girl being in a relationship with a girl (in fact, she admitted to me not too long ago that she is bi), but she's made it perfectly clear through jokes and teasing that she would never think of me in that way. All those times, I feel as though she's stabbing me repeatedly with a hot knife. Each time I ignore the burning and laugh along, telling her I'd never date someone with such a large forehead.

Things have been this way for a while, actually. We're seniors, right? Well, I've… liked Sakura since freshman year. Though, I would never admit it to anyone. She and I pined over Sasuke Uchiha since elementary school, and to her, that fact will never change. Everything from those years has been a challenge to us. I flirt with him for good measure, even now. But finally, something in me clicked, and I realized I never really loved Sasuke like I was proclaiming. In fact, I thought about it and it dawned on me—I don't like guys at all. Alas, I told Sakura that I felt as though I was gay, and she accepted the fact. Not long after that, she began dating Sasuke and all hopes of mine fell flat.

I guess when Sakura so easily took in that I was lesbian, my heart wanted to believe that she also liked girls—more than just friends—and I started to think she was into me. But, she dated Sasuke for months, and only a few complications and arguments lit their path. Sakura whispered to me in the halls once that she didn't feel the flame in her heart and soul she'd once felt for Sasuke. Yet again, I was thinking she dropped hints at liking me. And I was wrong.

Any time she'd fight with Sasuke, I'd be there to catch her when she fell. Small, subtle touches were placed carefully on her legs and arms, but still she gave no sign of noticing the huge crush I have for her. This, of course, only angered me.

Shrill ringing knocked me out of my thoughts. Murmuring reminded me that Sakura was standing next to me, rattling off something about the chemistry homework I never got to. I gripped the strap of my bag tightly so that my knuckles turned white as we continued our trek to KHS. I'd have to face another day faking everything I am.

I prepared my smile that nearly split my face, while my insides began churning. My eyes softened and glowed under the fluorescent lights overhead, but I felt like throwing up in a nearby trash can.

There he is, I chide. Wanting to slap myself so hard, I dart over to wear Sasuke is standing and cling to his arm with a grip tight enough to kill. Letting out a sickening giggle, I squeal, "Since you're not taken, why don't you and I give it a shot, Sasuke?" I top off the Emmy worthy performance with a face-splitting grin. I can practically feel the glare Sakura is boring into my back; I can almost hear her frown from across the hall. Her green eyes are, no doubt, glued to my back, since she doesn't want to make eye contact with her ex. Forgetting momentarily about the pain I'm causing my secret lover, I bat my eyelashes at Sasuke once more and notice the scowl he's pointing in my direction. Once Sakura walks past the two of us, my grip around Sasuke's arm becomes even tighter, this time out of anger instead of love. I whisper menacingly, "I won't forgive you for hurting her, you jack ass," before releasing his arm all together. He's confused, I can tell. Brushing off his stare, I trail after Sakura, keeping my eyes fixed on her bright pink hair.

I slip into my desk located next to Sakura's and try to look in her eyes for any kind of emotion. She won't meet my gaze, though, and it pisses me off.

Her anger is nearly tangible as she spits out, "God, Ino, why do you have to be such a bitch?" Her words sting, a lot more than they should.

My eyes trail back to the board where Iruka is writing the things we need to know for our mid-terms tomorrow. Begrudgingly I start copying down the words with my feathered fountain pen, glancing every once in a while at Sakura from the corner of my eye.