Konoha High | Modern Naruto

Thirty Six

Thirty Six

You woke up rather abruptly, due to the cold splash of water suddenly hitting your face. Had I fallen asleep? you asked yourself. What happened to me? My arms are tied up and my neck stings.

"Good evening beautiful," a voice suddenly echoed through the room, which you recognized instantly. "Awake at last, I see."
"O-Orochimaru? What the hell, where am I?" you questioned, annoyed by the male's presence.

You remembered that this was the man who had taken advantage of your ill father's last wish.

"In my basement of course," the long haired male replied, shamelessly. "Where I once held captive, a friend of yours."

This was also the man who had brutally beat up your best friend, Genma. Who was still in the hospital under Kimimaro's supervision.

"Genma, was it?" he asked. "Look my dear [Name], true love overcomes anything. That is the sole reason as to why you are here today."
"I'm here today because you kidnapped me!" you yelled, angrily. "Just once. Just once I wanted a normal day at school. And you couldn't even let me have that! I'm only eighteen, can you get that through your head? I don't want to get married, and I don't want to bear your children."
"That's cute," he muttered, a smirk creeping on his face. "You think you have a choice."

The long haired male inched closer to you, only centimeters away from your face.

"I told you before, didn't I?" he asked, stubbornly. "If I can't have you, I'll have to kill you."

With that being said, he revealed some sort of a sharp, surgical tool that he was tightly gripping in his hand.  Fear had taken over your entire body, but you simply had too much pride to let him feel the satisfaction of seeing you so vulnerable.  You gathered what little energy you had and spat on his face.

"Then kill me," you challenged.

He placed the sharp object on your neck but you made no movement to protest.  If this was how you were meant to die, you had no objections.  You simply closed your eyes remembering all the wonderful moments of your life.

"Such a shame," he whispered. "A good life you could've lived, with me."
"A good life I have already lived without you."

You remembered the first day of Konoha High, when you had first met Shisui and everyone else. When you had been blessed with the opportunity to make such good friends with everyone, even with your strange English teacher, Kakashi.  When you were mysteriously attracted to Sasuke and his reserved personality.  When Mr. Hatake had given you detention for being 40 seconds late to class.  When you were so air-headed that you didn't know the difference between Sprite and Sprite with lean.  When Genma had picked you up and yelled at you, but softly whispered a sweet "I love you," in your ear before he left.  When you had almost been eaten alive by a wild bear, on your camping trip and Deidara had bravely protected you.  When you had almost recently died in a car accident far away from home, yet every single one of your friends came to visit you.  When you finally did come to school and had the life squeezed out of you by Naruto's tight embrace.  When Sakura scolded him for it as Neji looked at him disappointedly.  And in art class, when Deidara had saved you a seat next to him as usual.  But that seat would now be empty.

Sorry Deidara, you'll need a new art partner.

All the laughs you had shared with everyone, ironically caused your eyes to well up with tears. Tears of happiness for having met all these wonderful people.  Tears of sadness for having to leave them all behind.  Not being able to see how everyone would end up.  Not being able to snap back at Kakashi, one last time.  Not being able to say goodbye to your father or to Genma. Not being able to tell Shisui that you love him back—that you secretly always did.  Not being able to thank everyone, for being the gleam of light in your lonely, dark world.  For teaching you the meaning of a real friendship.  For helping you forget the hardships that life brings.  For making you fearless.  For building you into the person you are today.

But that's okay.

Orochimaru happily pushed the sharp object into your neck.

Maybe next time.

The sharp object ejected something through your skin, sending chills down your spine.

But right now, I leave this world with no regrets.