Stuck With Me

Chapter 2

"What's this?" Sakura frowned, turning over in her hands the phone the dark-haired had just brought her.

They were in the coffee house where their relationship had taken a turn, which had now become a meeting place, a kind of temple, there where they felt most comfortable. And, besides, it was a neutral area, not too close to the environment that people like him usually frequented, nor to the slum areas where Sakura lived.

"A phone," Sasuke retorted simply, granting himself a glare from the pink-haired girl. He took her hand with his own, intertwining his fingers with hers. A way of protecting himself and trying to avoid the argument he knew he would cause.

"Funny— I know it's a phone." Annoyed, Sakura abandoned the newly discarded package on the table. "I mean why are you giving me one? You know I don't like you spending money on me—"

"Your eyes sparkled when I said I had a gift." He wasn't lying. Sometimes it was impossible for Sakura to conceal her excitement, her wonder at having someone who really cared to make her happy, even with small gestures.

It was unusual for her, who was used to take care of herself, to being wary of anyone, to hiding so as not to be judged. No one had ever crept underneath her, in part because Sakura herself had never allowed it, ashamed of her past, as if she was the one to blame, the one who had affected her life in such a drastic way.

"Of course— I thought it was some cheap trinket, not a thousand-dollar phone!" protested the pink-haired girl, careful, however, not to raise her voice too high.

That had been another trap on Sasuke's part. He had waited until they were in the coffee house, at rush hour, before giving her the gift, knowing that she could not pour a real scene on him. Smart, but I won't let him win.

"Hundreds. Besides, you need it— these days it's a necessity, not a luxury, Sakura." She rolled her eyes, then returned her gaze to the box, and more specifically to the latest generation model illustrated on it.

Sakura was no fool. She had seen phones before that moment in the hands of friends and coworkers. She also realized that it was a convenience. Not a whim to take away, but what was now a necessity.

"There are landlines and phone booths, should I ever need them. Besides, I'll see you every day on campus—" She had no intention of giving in, even though she could perfectly grasp the meaning of Sasuke's words.

She did not want to be dependent on someone, did not want to have to feel indebted to him. She felt as if anything could be used against her, as if she did not deserve any help. Sasuke was not like that, he would not be so cowardly as to hold it against her, but she could in no way control the intrusive thoughts, unlearn precepts ingrained in her over the years.

"What if there was an emergency and there was no phone nearby? What if you felt sick?" She could sense the increase in his irritation. As much as he respected her, it was always hard for Sasuke to accept that the girl he loved was so reluctant to let him help her, even for such frivolous matters.

"How do you think they did it in ancient times, before they discovered telephones? You're the one addicted to a tin can—" She did not want to appear ungrateful, although that was probably just the way she was showing herself. She was grateful to the dark-haired for the help he wished to give her— she just couldn't accept it. She did not want to be a burden. She did not want to feel indebted. She did not want her fate to fall into hands which were not exclusively her own.

"They didn't even have toilets, yet you don't piss in the streets." He was obviously annoyed, but despite this he did not let go of his grip on her hand, which he instead used as a handhold to bring her closer to him.