Chapter Twelve

Sakura: Comfort Snow

Ino told me not to do it even if all the other girls in the class were urging me on.

I frowned as I wiped the tears off my face. "Why?"

"He's not a good match for you," she said quickly. She seemed desperate- anything to prevent me from confessing to Hyuga Neji that I liked him.

"Ino," I laughed, not believing what was happening. "What are you saying?"

"Okay," she said, biting her lip, "But you cannot get angry with me."

"Not likely."

She gave me a withering look. "Sasuke."

Anger flared up within me and I gaped at her. "Are you kidding me? I thought we were dropping that subject! Did you not hear him just now?! During lunch?!"

"Well, he automatically comes along with the Confessing-to-Hyuga package! Sakura, come on!"

I was seriously pissed. All sadness I'd been feeling about Sasuke not ten minutes prior vaporized on the spot. "He's not even on my radar anymore! I can't believe you think I should think about him!"

"I THINK," Ino said, overpowering me with her commanding voice, "that you should be considerate. God, Sakura, now all you see are his flaws! Three years ago, all you saw was his perfection. You need to find a middleground with this boy!"

I breathed out slowly and venomously. "No. Stop talking about him."

"Sakura—"

"Stop!" I shrieked. I walked away from Ino quickly and angrily.

I'd already made up my mind.

-&-

It took me about two hours to calm my nerves down which was good because I was about to see Neji. I didn't want a relationship where things went unsaid. I didn't want another Sasuke predicament.

I was rewrapping my scarf around my neck when I saw Neji walking toward me.

"Hey," I greeted, beaming.

"Hello," he said. "Are you cold? We could have met somewhere else- I wasn't thinking about the weather."

"No, it's fine!" I said in a rushed voice. I swear I was going to lose it if I didn't tell him sooner or later. "I just had to ask you, actually tell you, something. I'll be quick."

"Oh," he said, blinking. "Alright. What is it?"

"Um…" I stared down at my boots. Suck up your courage. Breathe. Then blurt it out. "I-I'm not sure how to put this…"

"Take your time."

I bit my lip and looked up at him.

He looked at me.

With those pearly, white eyes.

Opposite of…

"Don't confess."

…black.

NO! This was NOT the time to think about stupid Uchiha Sasuke and his stupid ego and his stupid feelings! I swatted him out of my head.

"…Sakura?" Neji looked at me curiously.

I looked at him, clutching my scarf to my chest.

"I like you."

There. I said it.

Neji seemed to be surprised- his eyes widened for a few seconds and he blinked.

"Excuse me?" he said as one would politely say, 'Pardon?'

"Um…I like you," I repeated, "I guess I've just been hanging around you so much. I…I just can't help it, you know? And I really appreciated all this time we spent together. Ever since I healed you during that sparring session."

"…"

Managing the last of my courage, I squeaked out, "D-Do you like me back?"

Okay, that was totally lame, Sakura! Have you no shame?!

"Oh...um…"

I could tell Neji had no idea what to say. How could he? I had just blurted it out. What was the poor guy supposed to do?

I tried very hard not to stare at Neji's face.

"Sakura," he said slowly, "Of course I like you."

My feet seemed to be balancing on a high wire.

"…just not like, well, like that. I think of you as…as a close friend. I'm sorry."

I felt as though I'd just been deflated a great deal.

He was still such a gentleman.

"No- I'm sorry," I whispered quickly, trying to laugh it off, "for putting you in a situation like this. I'm acting like such an fool…um, an idiot. You won't have to, uh, see me again. Sorry."

To be honest, I was fully ready to high-tail it out of there and save my last shred of dignity, but he stopped me by grabbing my shoulder.

I almost squeaked.

"Sakura," he said calmly, "please listen."

Trust me- I was all ears. What else could I have done?

"I never said I didn't want to see you again. It's not like I want to sever our friendship because of this."

I swallowed. Oh.

He continued.

"I don't think you're a fool and I certainly don't think you're idiot. It's partly my fault- I must have led you on if you summoned enough courage to confess like this."

"I was being stupid," I muttered. My face was still beet-red, "It's not your fault."

"You're not stupid," Neji enunciated, a small smirk teasing his lips.

He was then silent for a moment, as if hesitating to tell me something.

"Sakura, I like someone else. It's not that your not…likable, so please don't take it personally."

My eyes flew open. I stared at him.

"You like someone?" I asked incredulously, almost excitedly. That was a little hard to believe. Hyuga Neji of all people having a crush?

"Who?" I couldn't help asking.

Neji smiled hesitantly, but didn't speak. I saw one of his hands travel unconsciously to his kunai pack.

And then I knew.

He liked Tenten.

Who else could it have been? What girl did only he spar with? He'd told me that- weeks ago! Tenten- the wonderful girl without a surname! The girl who was never spotted without a kunai! Before me, I knew they'd always hung out together. Heck- they were on the same team. (With…er…Gai and Lee. Of course the two sanest people of Team Gai would eventually find each other.)

"Oh," I breathed in realization. "Oh."

Neji seemed to understand that I, of course, wouldn't say anything to his crushee and went on.

"I hope you'll be okay, Sakura. You, of all people, don't deserve to be turned down. You'll meet someone who can return your feelings one day, but it's not me. I'm sorry."

I nodded numbly. "It's okay."

And surprisingly, it sort of was.

The moment Neji told me he had a crush on someone else, I felt happy. There was no other word. I was happy for him. Tenten wasn't as shallow or as dense and wasn't as stupid of a fool as me.

And although I really, really was happy for Neji for liking her (I mean, how could anyone hate someone for saying they have a crush?), I couldn't help but feel the teensiest bit of sadness that his crush wasn't me. And I hated myself for feeling so conceited and jealous. But I was only human.

-&-

Before I knew it, I was crying. I made sure that Neji was well out of range before I started to tear up though, because I didn't want to make him feel any worse than I just had.

I was being childish, I know, because Neji couldn't help who he liked and didn't like. Just like when you're in love- you can't help who it is. Love is love. Like is like.

I ended up isolating myself on the training grounds, bawling like an infant.

Real mature, Sakura, I inwardly sniffed to myself.

I'm not sure how long I cried, but I was freezing in that stupid snow for the longest time.

That's when I felt a warm hand on my head and I heard his voice.

Uchiha Sasuke, of all people.

"Get up."

I ignored him and knocked his hand away. "Leave me alone, Uchiha," I said in a strained voice. He didn't leave.

"Get up," he said again in the same, flat voice. This time, I did, but then I shoved him with my hands, pushing him backwards.

"GO AWAY!" I yelled. I felt so angry at him. He had the nerve to come back- to talk to me? After everything?

"Haruno," he said calmly, "I'm serious. Get. Up."

At this point, I couldn't help but blink at him. "I did," I said, snappishly. But Sasuke stared at me with those same, black eyes.

"Really?"

I suddenly realized he was speaking metaphorically and I assessed myself. I was on my own two feet, my hands shaking and deathly pale from the snow. I was standing. But I hadn't gotten up. Not yet. My heart felt like it was somewhere around my knees.

I couldn't help it- I began to cry again. My entire face was wet- I used the sleeve of my coat to wipe my face as quickly as I could.

"You look pathetic," he muttered, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, "Here."

I took it, glaring at him, "Thanks for pointing that out."

The hankie was cold against my face. Sasuke didn't say anything for a while, but he did break the silence.

"Figured you'd be here. I saw Hyuga walking off in the other direction."

I sobbed even harder.

"I'm such a fool. I really am, Sasuke!" I cried. My face was buried into the folds of the coat he was wearing, and I knew I was getting it wet with my tears. I had no idea why I was pouring my heart out to my first stupid crush- my first stupid love- but right now, at this very moment, I didn't want to cry on anyone else but Uchiha Sasuke. Because he understood a little of what I was feeling. He knew the whole predicament. He now liked me and it was selfish of me to pour it out on him when he was in my very shoes.

But he was a good (maybe a little conceited, git-like, dunce) guy.

He was good.

I felt a hand on my back- near the base of my neck, and rubbed it up and down in a comforting manner, right between my shoulder blades. He muttered, "Stop beating yourself up. It's not worth it."

I blinked- my damp eyelashes brushing against his front.

"But I am," I whispered, "I can't believe how stupid the whole thing was. I should have listened to you and I should have listened to Ino and just dropped it. There's no way someone could like a person through just one-sided infatuation."

Sasuke's hand paused on my back, and I shook my head furiously. His motions had been so natural and comforting.

"Don't stop," I sobbed, clutching the lapels of his jacket. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Idiot," he whispered. "I just said to stop beating yourself up."

The comforting hand on my back began to move in a rhythmic and warm gesture once more.

"I do understand," I said, hiccupping, "and I really am happy for Neji and Tenten…but…I still…"

"Can't help it. I know," he muttered. "Just cry it off for now."

"Love sucks," I muttered.

"…yeah," came his gentle reply.

Of course he would agree. With me, the girl he liked. A selfish little girl like me.

-&-

Sniff.

SasuSaku all the way, doodz. And NejiTen.

Please review! (No injuring Sasuke this time around, huh.)

I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. I know, I know, you've totally forgotten what the plot of this story is because you haven't read it in so long. No excuses- it's my fault and I shouldn't have taken so freaking long.

But this fic will definitely be finished before the year ends. No doubt. Not a long ways to go, guys! Maybe 4 more chapters and that's it. (Remember, I update one Sasuke POV chapter and one Sakura POV chapter with every update- it's like a twin set!)

This set was nothing but angst so it's time for fluff. Next up: The AUCTION. If you've read Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, you know what I'm talking about! Bid on a boy and his picnic basket! Highest bidder wins!

Ladies, bring yo' cash for the next two chapters!