Wildflowers
A/N: 53-63
Previously - 39-52
53:
“Alright, [Name],” Sakura says, glowering fiercely at you at a red light. “Start talking!”
“There’s nothing to say,” you tell her with a meek shrug, but the fire in her eyes tells you she is unconvinced and unsatisfied.
“Don’t give me that BS, [Name]! Where did you meet him? When did you start talking to him? Is he a good guy? He doesn’t bully you does he? He put his arm around you! Sort of. Well, basically.”
“Sakura – ”
“Are you two dating? Do you like him? Does he like you? Does he really like you? Ooh, he better...! I know his type! Listen, [Name], boys are assholes – don’t forget this – and if he makes you cry or makes you do something you don’t want to do, you tell me and I swear to god, [Name] – ”
“Sakura, it’s okay – ”
“— I swear on everything that is fucking holy, I’ll kick his ass – ”
“He’s nice!”
Sakura is pulled out of her rant by the volume of your voice. She looks at you, surprised, and you turn red and lean against the passenger window as if you were trying to escape the car and conversation.
“He’s nice, Sakura,” you say again, quietly in your usual pitch. “He’s not... He doesn’t act like other people; he feels...different.” You of all people know how that can sound, how, as beautiful as sunlight can be, it is also so blinding. You don’t want to be hurt again, but you don’t want to assume the worst of him. He makes you want to give him a chance.
“Really?” Sakura asks, raising an unconvinced brow.
You nod. “It’s still early...but he hasn’t tried anything. We just...talk.” You glance at her, and then add on, “But of course I’ll let you know if you need to...kick his butt.”
She simmers down finally when she sees that you’re not simply making up excuses or covering up his cruelty, and when she hears that you’ll, of course, let her do her duty as her best friend and beat down any brute that comes tumbling your way, she smiles and pats your knee.
“Okay, [Name],” she says finally. “I trust you. I’m just worried, but, you’re right, he did seem really nice.”
You smile at her – she is a good soul. You are so lucky to have her in your life.
“And he even paid for your drink. Whatever you’re doing, it’s working,” she teases, but you shake your head and, in your agitation, only vehemently deny in your mind rather than verbally. Sakura laughs at your reaction, and the two of you drive the rest of the way quietly, she lost in the 94.5 radio station, and you lost in a meadow.
54:
“Hey, [Name]?” Sakura licks her lips. “[Name], is this the same Naruto that Ino keeps yammering on about?”
“Yes,” you whisper.
“...Okay.”
55:
When you’re halfway up your driveway, Sakura calls out to you. Turning around, you see her peering at you from the driver’s side, having rolled down the passenger window.
“Don’t worry about Ino, alright?” she says. “You let me deal with her.”
You’re unsure. These are consequences you did not expect, and do not want.
“You deserve happiness, too, you know?” Sakura says. “Do whatever feels right for you.”
56:
“Did Sakura take you home this time?” your mom yells from the kitchen when she hears you open the door. You sigh; not even one second in the house and she’s already hounding you.
“[Name]! Did you hear me?”
“Yes,” you say tiredly. “Sakura took me home.”
“Good. Are you still talking to that boy?”
You pretend not to hear her as you scatter up the stairs.
57:
Fr: ***-***-5252
hey, little miss cheeky.
whatcha up to?
58:
Sakura is right. Right?
Of course you deserve happiness. That’s not the question.
The question is: do you deserve happiness more than Ino? Is your happiness more important? Even if it gets in the way of Ino’s? This is what burns holes in your brain.
Logically, you know that the chances of Naruto being Ino’s happily ever after are slim. It’s not a mean thought, but one of realism – however, you can say that about your situation, too.
You sit on your bed, drawing out storm clouds with the cheap markers you had bought at the store.
You know you deserve to be happy. You understand that. You do.
59:
Fr: ***-***-5252
hello?
60:
Fr: Naruto
come on, [name], you’re breaking my heart here.
61:
The air in your room is filled with scratching markers and shaky sighs, soft buzzings and pulsing veins, prickling doubts and hesitant dreams.
62:
To: Naruto
Hello.
No, that’s too lame. You can’t send that.
To: Naruto
Hi.
To: Naruto
Hey
To: Naruto
How ar
You drop your phone in your lap and stare up accusingly at the ceiling, as if it was some god or creature up there that had made you self-doubting and tentative.
To: Naruto
Hello.
You send it, lungs expanding in a way that suffocated your chest. It was a lame message, but what can you do? You’re just not interesting, not as funny as the others, not as – your phone buzzes.
Fr: Naruto
SHE LIVESSSS!!!!!!!
63:
You and Naruto stop texting pretty soon after you had responded. He says that he took a break from working only to wait for your text, but now he has to resume his ‘music stuff,’ whatever that entails. However, with the knowledge that all is well between the two of you – dare you say, your little budding friendship is happy and set – you resume your sketching. Then, somewhere around midnight, you fall asleep, jittery even in your dreams.
