Konoha High School (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Part XI

Part XI

~Sai~

It's been three days since Ino has said a word to Sakura.

It's hard to pick a side in this fight. Everyone knows what Sakura did was wrong, yet we all know that if we were in Sakura's position, we would make the same decision. I want to help Sakura, because I can empathize with her so easily, yet I know this is a great opportunity to get closer to Ino. Yet I fear if I do that, I will offend Sakura.

Oh, what a mess this has caused.

Lunch has been sufficiently awkward as of late as well. Sakura and Sasuke eat next to each other and Ino sat at a new table by herself. Naruto, Hinata, and I were put into a stalemate as both territories watched eagerly to see our decision.

The three of us got a table by ourselves, expressing our neutralism.

Sakura has tried desperately to win back Ino, but with no success. I've watched as Sakura attempts to apologize for her sins, and Ino will not hear it. She walks away, without even giving Sakura a second glance. Sakura just stands there, all the words she wishes she could say, hanging in the air. It's really Sakura's fault that all of this happened, but it's hard to resent her decision.

I'll never understand girls and how they are able to turn someone who was their dearest friend into their worst enemy. How can they let go of something like that so quickly?

I assume they'll make up eventually, but what if they don't? I've heard of destroyed friendships over far less. I'm not very good at understanding bonds, but how can someone bear to sever something so important to them?

I shut my locker, too far in my thoughts to realize Ino's standing a few feet from me, at her locker and preparing to go home as well.

I blush. "Oh, hey, Ino," I say, as fluently as I can.

She looks up. Her eyes look dead, but she smiles nonetheless. "Hello, Sai!" She says brightly.

"How have you been?" I ask, generally concerned. She can smile all she wants, but she still has lost that radiant look.

"I'm fine, you?" She responds, trying too hard to be okay.

"You know what I mean," I eye her.

She sighs and picks up her things. We walk towards the door together. "Not really," she mutters, hair covering her face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask. We exit the building and the crisp air hits us. Today is the coldest day we've had in a long time.

"I don't know," she mumbles. "I don't even know what I would say. I feel so betrayed."

"Well, you have a right to feel as such," I say. I don't want to bad mouth Sakura just to please Ino.

"Why would she do that to me?" Ino's baby blue eyes pierce mine, begging for an answer I cannot give.

I understand why Sakura did it. I understand that it's because she loves Sasuke. I can't criticize her, because I know if I were to be in a similar situation, I would have chosen the same route as her.

"I'm sure she didn't want to anger you," I utter after a few moments.

"I'm more hurt than I am angry," she says. "It hurts to see them together. It hurts to see Sasuke love her and to see Sakura love him."

Her look is completely transformed. It's not even the devastated look she had when Sasuke first broke up with her. It's this deep lifelessness that floats in her eyes. It's numbness that lurks in her complexion. She doesn't look hurt, she looks broken.