Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Rhythm ❯ Chapter two ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A/N: ..Okay so actually, I already finished up to sixteen chapters. I am also currently posting this fic on ff.net and I want to experiment it on mediaminer, just for fun. :P I'm hoping for constructive crits. I also want to thank Skye-chan for editing this story. *hugs*

Beta-Reader: Skye

Chapter Two

An emotionless pink haired girl was leaning on her bed while watching the morning rain slowly stop. She was still in her wet black clothes, as she was too tired to change clothes the night before. Sakura could still feel small tears in the corners of her eyes. She gently rubbed them off and looked at the dark world outside her room again.

She had cried herself to sleep late last night yet she woke up very early. She looked at her pink wall clock and grumbled at the time. It was still 4:25 in the morning. She looked around her once-cheerful room. Then, her eyes landed on a familiar object.

Sakura saw a picture of her with Gaara in a cute pink frame with hearts. She grabbed of the frame and took out the undamaged photo inside. She stared at it for a long time and once again, couldn't stop herself from crying. Some of her crystal tears dropped on the picture.

She quickly regained her composure, opened the lowest drawer of her bedside table, and slid the picture inside her diary.

"Gaara. . . I will move on." Sakura whispered to herself. "You don't know how much I would really love to tear that picture of yours into pieces. . . I can't, not now. . ."

Sakura sighed, opened her closet then chose some clean lounge-around-the-house wear, because she wasn't in the mood to do any activities that required going outside. She looked at her wall clock once again. . . still only 4:30. Sighing, she entered her bathroom to take a bath. Time sure was slow.

Finally, she finished taking a bath. She wore her simple pink pajamas and dried her pink hair with a towel. Sakura tiptoed out of her room, and crept silently upstairs into the attic or so-called 'Sakura's painting room'. When she opened the rusty door, it was dark. There was no light from the window that could give the place life, just like her heart.

It was a messy room, paintings were scattered around, along with unwashed brushes and papers that were quite messy. Sakura sighed and started picking up pieces of paper. She grouped her used brushes together with her other painting materials. With tears in her eyes, she placed all her materials inside a big box and put it aside.

Sakura smiled while patting the big box. "I'll let you rest for a while, you've been so used!"

Then her smile faded and tears came running down her cheeks. "I will paint again. I just . . . I just need someone, anyone, that can save me from this darkness. . ."

"Anyone. . ."

Ino yawned while heading from her bedroom down to the kitchen. She was still in her pajamas. She was shocked to see Sakura, smiling and making breakfast. Hinata followed behind her and got a surprised look plastered on her face, just like Ino.

Sakura noticed her two friends at the foot of the stairs and grinned. "Hey, sleepy heads! Good morning! I cooked breakfast, eat up!" she said cheerfully.

Sakura flipped the pancakes while Ino and Hinata sat on their chairs. The two still had shocked expressions painted on their faces. Sakura joined her friends and placed the pancakes on the table.

"What's with the face?" Sakura laughed, "I'm not as good at cooking as Hinata, but I think it's edible!" she joked.

Ino held Sakura's hand and spoke in a concerned tone. "Are you sick, Sakura?"

"Of course not!" Sakura smiled.

Hinata shuddered. "What. . . What about you. . . and Gaara?"

Sakura just continued to smile but deep inside, all she felt was pain. "Don't worry, I think I can manage. I just need something to keep busy with!"

"How about painting then, that's worth doing," Ino suggested.

Sakura looked at her hands. "I don't know. . . I, I just can't paint, guess every artist needs an inspiration," she laughed.

Hinata took a sip of her coffee. "Sakura, I think you should start dating again, you get lots of suitors anyway," she blushed.

Ino nodded, "Not as many as mine, but it'll do just fine!" She giggled.

Sakura choked on her food. "I can't. I just can't. I need something else, besides dating, to bother with," she sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll help you, even in my own little way." Ino stood up with her right foot on her chair, a full pancake inserted in her mouth.

"I'll. . . try my best too, Sakura," Hinata smiled while blushing.

Sakura stared. "Ehh. . .Thanks. . ." she then took a bite out of her pancake.

Ino went to work later that day, meaning only Sakura and Hinata were left in the house. Sakura helped Hinata with her daily chores, it was exhausting but she needed to do something to keep her busy and to keep her mind off that bastard, Gaara.

Sakura helped Hinata clean the whole house, so they finished cleaning early. The two flopped onto the couch, dead tired.

Sakura gasped, "So, that's what you do every day, Hinata." She laughed. "So scary!"

Hinata giggled, "With your help today, we made the house spic and span in a jiffy!"

"No problem," Sakura smiled, "Don't worry, Hina. You already have a job, you don't have to bother doing these things for us."

Hinata only smiled at her friend for the comfort, but instantly jumped up after looking at her wristwatch. "Oh, great!"

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"I need to do some grocery shopping!" Hinata panicked, "We don't have any food left in the fridge, and when she gets home, Ino will surely go on a rampage!"

Sakura stood up, sighed, then comforted her friend. "Don't worry, Hinata, you still have enough time to get some groceries, I'll take care of Ino when she gets home."

"Thank you, Sakura!!" Hinata exclaimed. She ran to the stairs and looked back at Sakura. "Oh! Aren't you coming?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm tired, and well, you know how I hate shopping. It makes me dizzy," she laughed.

"Oh, okay then," Hinata giggled, "You can rest now, Sakura."

"Thanks, Hina," Sakura smiled, "I'll go up to my room now, don't forget to lock the door when you leave, okay?"

Hinata nodded and proceed to run out the door.

Ino was walking home along the crowded sideways of Tokyo. Her mind wasn't focused on walking, however. She was thinking of a plan to help distract Sakura from her problems. Ino really felt pity for Sakura, after her breakup, how could she remain cheerful and calm? Ino smiled, Sakura really was a strong and determined girl.

Ino was thinking really hard, but still, no luck. "Kami!! I need to be of help to Sakura somehow! Just give me a sign!" she shouted irritably.

People around her started to stare at her, which Ino didn't mind at all. "Damn it! I need to help her somehow!! I just need a. . ." before she could even finish, a gust of wind blew a piece of paper at her face.

". . . sign. . . " Ino finished, clearly annoyed, then looked at the small paper. A grin crept across her lips. She tucked the paper carefully in her sleeve, and ran home as fast as she could.

Sakura sighed lazily. She really was bored now. She stared at her pink room, and then lay back on her soft bed. Sakura stretched her right hand to the radio beside her, turned it on, and listened as a sweet yet sad love song filled the room.

She smirked, and then stared outside her window. "Is this a sign? Why does it has to be this song?" she remembered it as Gaara's and hers.

Sakura gently closed her eyes while a smile crept on her lips and small tears formed in her eyes, she began to hum the tune. Slowly she sang. Sakura stood up and swayed back and forth, but kept singing, as if music had become a small light in her dark and broken heart. Finally, she smiled, not a fake smile but a radiant, genuine smile.

The song ended and she turned her radio off with the same happy smile. She softly put her head on her cushy pillows and gently closed her eyes. Sakura was ready to head for dreamland, when. . .

"Sakura!!" Ino shouted while slamming open Sakura's door. Ino had a scary grin on her face.

Sakura was shocked. "Neh? Ino!" she shouted back, "Don't you know the word privacy?!"

Ino flashed an I-don't-care smile. "Gomen-ne, Sakura!" she apologized, "But I have the answer to your problems, my friend!"

Sakura looked interested. "Nandesute?"

Ino sighed, "As I just said, I have the answer to your problems!" She smiled. "And it's all written in this small paper!" she pulled the paper out of her sleeve.

"Nani?" Sakura asked irritably.

Ino acted like she planned to give the paper to Sakura, but instead of handing it to her, she cheerfully threw the paper at Sakura's face, and then laughed like the pig Sakura knew she was.

"Hey, that was rude!" Sakura complained, but quickly read the paper and examined every golden word written on it.

"So what do you think?" Ino asked.

Sakura stared at the paper with great confusion written on her face. She then looked at her friend silently, but there were lots of questions running through her head.

Sakura gulped nervously. "Au. . .Audition?"

. . . to be continued. . .