A love to Remember

a love to remember (part five)

It was already dark outside when I got back home. After my “training” with Sasuke, I went off to find Naruto. His training session with Sakura also didn’t go as planned, (something to do with Naruto using stink pellets during battle) and she stormed off in search for Sasuke. Oh well, I guess they match.


After all, Sakura is madly in love with him.


Why?


Was it because of his looks? Even if I had to admit it myself, he is rather handsome. Those dark eyes, his raven hair…. And that deep, icy voice of his…


Or maybe it was his strength that attracted her? He is the number one rookie of our year, and possibly the strongest genin in Konoha, he will even give Neji a run for his money.


I doubt that it can be anything deeper than that, after all, she doesn’t know him the way I do.


She doesn’t know the soft side of Sasuke Uchiha. She didn’t see him cry after his parents died, nor does she know that he’s broken inside because of what he has become. He tries to overcome the pain by pushing it aside, and focusing on revenge. No one but I can see it. He hides it well, but when you’ve known someone for as long as this, nothing remains secret.


I guess we may be the same in a few ways. After all, I’ve also been hiding my feelings….


“So, Mia, up for some Ramen? It is dinnertime.” Naruto tapped me on the shoulder, grabbing my attention.


“All you ever think about is your stomach!” I teased, playfully punching him.


“Hey, a one man army marches on its stomach!”


“That explains the mud and grass stains on your shirt…”


He had nothing to reply, but took my hand and started sprinting towards Ichiraku’s. After a few years, you get used to eating so much Ramen. When Naruto is your best buddy, you have no choice but to like it!


I was terrible company during dinner…


I don’t know why, but my mind was constantly bringing up old flashbacks of me and Uchiha, and the one only hurt more than the other. Maybe they are returning to me because we’re finally spending time together again? It happened during our battle too.


It was around 9 when I finally climbed in bed and prepared for a rather uneasy night. The nightmares might have stayed away once, but there is no way that they will stay away for another night.


That is, if I even got a chance to sleep.


At first I thought that it must be my overactive imagination, that pebbles are only thrown at windows during movies, but after a handful hit with a loud clatter, I could ignore it no longer. Aggravated, I got out of bed and opened the window, my eyes scanning the night for the one responsible.


“Ow!” I yelled as a pebble hit me on the forehead.


“Sorry! You should learn to dodge!” the voice was familiar. Not so long ago, I caught myself thinking about him.


“What the hell do you want Uchiha?”


His reply was almost immediate.


“A rematch…”


(three days later)


“Damnit Sasuke , this is our third visit to the hospital this week!” I complained as the nurse started to stitch the cut above my right eye.


He laughed softly before replying: “Look on the bright side Mia, the scars and bruises give you character!”


“Look whose talking!” I said, pressing hard against the discoloration on his arm.


“Hey, that hurts!” he said as he slapped my hand away.


“Not as much as my attacks did…” I teased.


“You just got lucky Mia.” He tried to defend unsuccessfully. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that he may have gone easy on me once or twice. But I did suffer under his sharingan gaze… it is hard to try and outwit your opponent when they follow and copy your every move, but at least I prevented him from using Chidori.


These past few days, ever since the night he asked for a rematch, have been quite interesting. Instead of going against one another as enemies, we fight like the friends we used to be, instead of purposely battling to hurt one another, we are testing our strength.


Sure, we end up with minor injuries along the way.


I gaze down at the cuts and marks on my arms, and I could feel a smile playing on my lips.


Under every scar, there is a battle I’ve lost…


Not a physical battle…battles where inner strength matters. For so long, I’ve been avoiding Sasuke, because I didn’t want my emotions to control me. I didn’t want to be weak. Love weakens you, that I witnessed myself.


My mother loved too much, and the more you care, the more you have to lose. All this time I have tried to convince myself that I hate Sasuke, but deep down I knew I was wrong. I have always liked him. Besides, we promised to always remain friends, didn’t we?


We even got “married” once when we were nine, under the big Cherryblossom tree…sure, the ring was made of plastic, but the promise was still honest. We promised to be best friends forever and always be there for each other.


Do I love him?


Yes, I still do.


Does he feel the same about me?


Only time will tell