Blossom [inosaku]

4:: Sleepover

"Sakura."

"Sakura!"

"Huh? Oh sorry," Sakura answered, turning to look at Ino, "What is it?"

"Well.. It's just that you've been a little quiet ever since we got to my house. Are you okay? You never actually told me why you didn't have a place to stay tonight.." Ino responded.

The two were sitting on the floor in Ino's room in front of her bed. Ino sat cross-legged, while Sakura had her arms around her knees in front of her. No matter how hard Sakura tried to, she couldn't stop fidgeting.

"Oh.. right. That. It's nothing really," Sakura laughed awkwardly, averting Ino's eyes.

Ino scooched a little closer to Sakura, an unhappy frown forming on her face.

"Um.. what are you doing?" Sakura asked, looking up at Ino.

Ino must have been about a foot in front of her now, but to Sakura, it felt like Ino's face was mere inches away.

Why is she so close.. this is making me feel uncomfortable, she thought, Can't she just leave this alone??

"C'mon Sakura," Ino pouted, "I can tell when a girlfriend is upset about something."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Sakura lied, trying to add a light, humorous tone to her words.

Ino squinted her eyes at Sakura, staring into Sakura's eyes intently as if to try to make out whether she was telling the truth or not. The longer Ino stared, the more Sakura felt her face heating up.

"Well whatever then. If you won't tell me then you won't tell me I guess," Ino said, moving back to her original spot.

Ah thank god, Sakura thought, I was thinking for a second there that she wouldn't give it up.

"Well, since this is a sleepover now, we should at least have some fun!" Ino exclaimed.

"A.. sleepover?"

"Obviously! Just because there aren't any other girls over doesn't make it any less of a sleepover, Sakura," Ino rolled her eyes, "I bet you've never even been to a real sleepover before, with how uptight you are with your studies and all of that."

"Hey that's not even true!" Sakura pouted.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Ino asked.

Sakura thought for a moment.

"Um.. I don't know.. maybe just talk?"

"Sakura.." Ino started, her face completely blank, "You really are terrible at coming up with ideas."

"Oh shut up! It's not like I want me to be here either!" Sakura bickered, crossing her arms.

"Hey, I never said that I didn't want you to be here," Ino said, a little more seriously.

"Haha what are you talking about? You actually enjoy hanging out with me? Even after I was no help to you at all with all the Sasuke stuff..?" Sakura asked, incredulously.

"I'm way over all that. I know that it was hard for you to talk about Sasuke and everything. And plus, you can be fun to hang out with too!" Ino laughed.

As the two laughed and talked more about silly things, Sakura couldn't help but notice those familiar butterflies in her stomach and tightness in her chest. The more they talked, the more Sakura felt this sense of... happiness? Relief? That must have been what it was.