Falling In Love (SakuSasu)

Chapter 3: Roommates

That night, Sakura laid in bed helplessly as the memories of her past began to resurface. "Sakura's forehead is huge! Big Forehead! Big Forehead!" The old childish taunts replayed in her head. "No one would ever want to be friends with someone like her! HAHAHAHA!" The voices laughed, again. "Let's play tic tac toe on her head!" And again, "Sakura has a lot on her mind, that's why her forehead is huge!" And again. Sakura felt the insults of the past wrap around her neck as they suffocated her. She couldn't breathe. The laughs surrounded her as she cradled herself into a ball. The voices ridiculed her relentlessly. She tried to cover her forehead, but her hands were too small. Sakura was trapped in a nightmare of the past. The crowd of laughter closed in on her. "I can't breathe," She pleaded. "Please, stop! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" The 8-year-old girl cried her eyes out and she tried to push the mob away. The crowd continued to get closer to her until there was no space for her to move. With nowhere left to go, Sakura retreated until she was stopped by a wall, surrounded by dark smiles and fear. Her tears blurred her vision, her ears rang, and her hands pressed against the rigid wall. As a shiny, inanimate object drew near, Sakura froze, her empty eyes watching the scissors glide across her forehead. Her pink hair fell to the ground like cherry blossom petals.

Sakura jolted up from her bed, releasing a gasp. Her cheeks were stained with tears as she frantically looked around. 'Another dream?' Sakura tried to reason with herself. Glancing at the clock on her desk, it read 8:00 am. 'Another dream...' She sighed. Sakura slid her feet off the side of her bed and rubbed her eyes aggressively. She planned to start her day at 9:30 am but an early start couldn't hurt. 

She stretched before getting out of bed completely. After such a hectic night, Sakura decided to go for a run to clear her mind. Getting herself ready, she searched her closet for a decent outfit.Eventually she settled for white running shorts, a red tank top, and the running shoes she had gotten for her last birthday. She put her headphones on her desk, so as to not forget them later, and opened her bedroom door.

She headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Sakura inspected herself in the mirror and frowned. Her eyes are slightly swollen and red from crying in her sleep. Her cheeks held a rosy blush on the side of her face she was sleeping on. Her hair was all over the place, as well. "Why do I still let those silly taunts bother me so much...?" Sakura felt a pit in her stomach, "Whatever, things are different now." Sakura brushed her teeth, washed her face, then put on deodorant and body spray. She brushed her hair into place before securing it with a red headband before returning to her room.

Sakura grabbed her headphones off of her desk and began listening to "I Know" by Faye Webster. The soft song hummed in her ears as she filled up her water bottle and left the dormitory.

Sakura walked down to the outdoor track, and started her warm up. She did a proper stretch routine and lightly jogged a lap around the course before returning to her original track position. After she completed her warm up, she began her hour and a half run. The morning air blew in her face as she ran down the raceway over and over again. The slight burn in her legs and shortness of breath in her lungs helped redirect her mind and calm her nerves. Sakura felt refreshed as she reconnected with her body, mind, and nature. An hour and 15 mins in, Sakura's music was interrupted by an incoming call: Ino-Pig 🐷.

Sakura answered the call and began to cool down.

"Sakura, where are you? I just got to our dorm. I'm knocking on your door like a maniac and you're not answering!"

"HAHA! Sorry Ino, I went out for a run, I'm finishing up now. I'll be right there."

"Okayy see you!"

"Bye!"

Sakura finished her laps before heading home to greet her friend. As she stepped out of the elevator, Sakura was greeted by a line of boxes stretching from the hallway all the way into their dorm room, the cardboard cartons creating a path that seemed to guide her to their open door.