Lovestruck || borusara

XVI.

Sarada got Suigetsu's notes back on her charity golf tournament article, but as she tried to make the edits she found herself struggling to focus, instead spending the whole day in the office staring blankly at the document.

It was becoming increasingly hard to deny she felt maybe just a tiny, little something for Boruto Uzumaki. Especially when his breathy little almost-kisses were growing more frequent and driving her mad.

Sarada groaned as she rested her head on her desk. Was it really so bad that she wondered what it would be like to kiss Boruto? Maybe she should just kiss him once to get it out of her system?

She exhaled a frustrated sigh, knowing once wouldn't be enough.

It wasn't long after they first met that Sarada recognized she was physically attracted to him, her lewd dreams certainly made sure of that. But as her feelings toward him became more substantial the harder and harder she tried to resist them, because she couldn't definitively tell how he felt about her.

She might as well just pull the petals out of a flower, chanting "he loves me, he loves me not" because that would probably be just as accurate as her read of the situation.

He said such sweet things that made her feel understood, he complimented her and expressed his interest often, but at the same time, she couldn't be sure he didn't do that to every girl he fancied.

Dark eyes glanced at the time on her computer. She needed to start packing up and getting ready for her afternoon meeting with the object of her frustration.

Sarada was slipping her trusty notebook into her bag when Mitsuki popped his head into her office. "You heading out?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm going to meet Bolt Uzumaki at his practice facility."

Mitsuki observed the small smile that curved up the corner of Sarada's lips at the mention of Boruto. Then as if he could sense her internal dilemma said, "I like Bolt, and I think he really likes you."

Her eyes widened as a rosy hue bloomed across her cheeks. "What?!" Sarada said with a forced laugh. "Where did that come from?"

"You're different since you've started hanging out with him, happier even, and I don't think it has anything to do with getting the cover story," Mitsuki said bluntly.

She silently blinked at her friend, surprised by his insight. Sarada began to wonder if she was just overcomplicating the situation with all her doubt.

She wasn't even sure if it was doubt due to Boruto's actions or doubt from her own hang-ups. Why was it so hard to believe he liked her? That she could actually be special to him?

He told her he wanted to be with her.

Sarada shook her head from her wandering thoughts. "I guess, he's alright," she said with a light chuckle. She didn't know how seriously to take her friend's observation, but Mitsuki just smiled at her silly reply.

"Have a good weekend," he said before exiting her office.

"You too!" she called after him. Sarada stepped out of her office a moment later, but Mitsuki's words still lingered in her mind.

Could she trust those around her who obviously seem to believe Boruto was fond of her?

But shouldn't she trust her gut over them? But what if she was mistaking her own self-doubt as her gut?

Sarada debated back and forth the entire way to Boruto's practice facility. She thought about how she felt, the way her heart would race, each time his lips were close to hers.

But then she remembered watching Tsubaki kiss him and a sour feeling churned in her stomach.

Should she just take a leap? Kiss him just as boldly as Tsubaki had, instead of sitting there and over-analyzing everything like she tended to do?