Lovestruck || borusara

XXV.

Sarada swallowed but the sudden lump in her throat wouldn't go away.

Boruto's words echoed in her mind over and over. I love all my fans equally.

Great.

Cool.

No, really this was just super. She tried to apologize to him in the form of a whole-hearted confession in an internationally circulated magazine and he replied by lumping her in with his everyday fangirls.

Cool.

He either didn't even read her article or he actually hates her. And both possibilities made Sarada sick to her stomach. She hastily shoved her belongings into her bag and scurried out of the stadium back to the hotel, hoping no one recognized her as the pathetic lovestruck girl.

*****

Sarada sighed as she stood in the shower, allowing the hot spray to wash over her body. Dark eyes stared down, watching the water swirl down the drain along with any hope of Boruto reciprocating her feelings. If this article wasn't enough to apologize, was there anything she could do?

Sarada ran her hand through her damp hair, wondering if she should confront him about his reaction to the article or just interpret his cordial interview response as his true feelings.

I love all my fans equally.

She hated that he equated the time they spent together with those who cheered for him in the stands. But then again, after the way she broke his heart, maybe she was doomed to love Boruto from afar like them.

Sarada exhaled a sigh and turned off the shower. Her indecision was what ruined their relationship in the first place, yet here she was again so unsure of how to proceed.

He would almost certainly be at the party tonight. She could try to approach him there. But what if he crushed her heart again like that night in her office? Only worse, this time she'd be humiliated in front of a crowd of journalists and athletes.

She stepped out of the shower and toweled off before wiping the foggy mirror. As she stared at her fresh-faced reflection, Sarada decided that she needed to know his true feelings about her and the article, even if it hurt.

*****

The party was hosted in one of the big ballrooms of the hotel, being that most everyone in town for the Kumo Invitational was staying there. Donning in a simple black cocktail dress, Sarada tentatively walked in. The other partygoers were drinking and laughing amongst their small groups as pleasant music filled the space.

Her dark eyes nervously scanned the vast room for that familiar head of blonde hair. Sarada's original intention was to use the party to mingle and secure a few quotes from the athletes participating in the meet, but it seemed since the day she met Boruto he somehow found a way to wiggle his way to the forefront of her mind.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him across the room, talking animatedly to another man she recognized as a finalist in the 800 meters. But suddenly her heart dropped when she noticed who was hanging on his arm. None other than Tsubaki Kurogane.

Sarada winced and tore her gaze from them as mixed emotions stirred in her heart. Sure, she was jealous and maybe even a bit embarrassed to see someone else cozying up next to Boruto within days of her publicly professing her love for him, but mostly she was sad for him.

Sad because she knew what Tsubaki was to him. The way she had hurt him made Boruto revert back to his bad habits of distracting himself from his feelings instead of working through them.