距

Chapter Ten

[Major Time Skip Included--Skip to Senior Year]

She sighed, prodding her food with her fork as she watched her parents converse. With a scowl, she looked down at the plate and took a bite, menacingly. "I know you guys are talking about me."

She always hated it. She hated when her parents spoke Japanese instead of English, so that she couldn't understand it. She only knew a little, and they used that to their advantage.

I am taking classes as at school, she thought. But every time I hear it, it reminds me of...

Konoha.

Her mother turned to her, a smile. "Oh, were just talking about your next dinner with Gaara. He's a nice boy, you should invite him here more."

She held in a sigh and instead sat taller. "I know you're not talking about that. You're talking about my scholarship. About--"

"Sakura! Go to your room. School is tomorrow, so better get ready." She nodded, happy to be away from them. School, who likes school?

I hate school, she thought as she brushed her teeth--even though she barely ate anything during dinner. All those people there look different than those at Konoha.

They spoke English. Sakura used to speak Japanese.

They ate different foods than her. They wore different clothes. They acted differently.

Even when she moved to Suna nearly a decade ago, she wasn't used to it.

Not only that, but they viewed Sakura as weird. Only because she wanted to play athletic games, like football, soccer, softball, sometimes baseball.

Girl only paid attention to their looks. Guys only paid attention to their popularity.

Those people there were so different. It was hard to fit in and make friends. The few friends she could make were Gaara, his siblings, Temari and Kankuro. She missed being back in Konoha, hanging out with Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and...

Sayuri.

She sighed and shook her head.

Her parents were two different people to her as well. Before, they were so supportive of her dreams of becoming one of those athletic players--playing softball, tennis, etc. Her father coached her. Her mother made sure she ate the right foods.

But now, her parents were focused on her being one of the common girls, with dresses, spas, heels and makeup--she hated it.

She didn't like how they suddenly disliked the way she was.

It was because they moved.

"Sakura, we don't think you're gonna be able to go to the college you want to go to."

We moved here for business, and now we own a huge industrial company. How can we not afford it?

"Girls can't play football as good as boys."

"Sports? What about makeup and dresses? Don't you want a boy to fall for you?"

She sighed. Just five more months of school and I'll be able to go to somewhere far away from here.

...---...

"Yeah. See ya, kid." Sayuri waved goodbye to the owner of the cafe, before walking briskly down the street. She looked behind her before turning into an alleyway, ignoring the darkness descending upon her.

She quickly tore off her wig and her eye contacts as she walked through the alley. She then climbed up the pipe and pulled herself up onto the roof, stuffing the items into her backpack.

She stood up on the roof of the building, staring at the bright sunset in front of her. She felt the wind brush past her, caressing her face--like no one had ever done before.

But as quick as the wind came, she broke off into a run, towards the apartment only a few buildings down. She made sure to keep her footsteps light and quick.

When she reached the edge of the building, she hurled her body towards the next; curling her fingers into the ledge and pulling herself up. She held in a groan as she felt the burn spread through her calves and her arms.

I really am out of shape. I should start working out more.

When she finally reached the apartment building, she jumped off the side to a shorter building and climbed off the back of it. She made sure to not make any noise as she dropped.

She barged into the apartment, sweaty and panting, and quickly ran to the bathroom. She made sure to make a quick stop in her room, take the metal box, and then lock the door behind her.

She took a quick shower and changed into shorts and a shirt. She then turned to her backpack and pulled out the money she earned from the cafe shop she worked at. Then, she opened the box and hastily took the cloth off the bottom.

Her eyes widened.

There was supposed to be a stack of cash on the side, with the photo of her mother next to it. After working at the cafe for five months (it was only half of the school year) she was supposed to have large stack.

I worked three hours in weekdays, and five hours on weekends for this.

I bought the wig and the eye contacts for this.

I did everything for this...

Her hands shook as she shook her head, trying to shake herself out of the illusion she was in. It didn't work.

The money is gone.

And so is the photo.