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Chapter Twenty-Nine

....I totally did accidentally publish this chapter and then I publish it. Sorry about that! But since last chapter was short, I decided to update sooner. Hope you enjoy!

"You sure caught on quick," Sakura noted as she walked beside her roommate. Sayuri found out that Sakura was following her as soon as she walked out the building, ending the journey. The two were now walking around the campus, with no destination in mind.

"Hey, slow down!" Sakura cried out as she fastened her pace to a jog in order to follow her friend. "Just because I'm an athlete doesn't mean that I can run after you." Sakura received no laugh or giggles. "Why are you walking so fast?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sayuri signed back. "I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but the reason I went out of the room was to be alone." She felt guilty for 'yelling' at her only friend, but she was too angry at her for not listening.

Why doesn't anyone listen to me? Kakashi never did, no one did at high school, and now Sakura doesn't...

"Today is February 18th.

I said the answer in class when I was called on.

A girl next to me laughed and said my voice was so

Coarse, scratchy--like a broken record.

She said I should never speak again."

...Maybe it's because no one likes you.

Kakashi doesn't listen to you because he hates you. It's only a matter of time before Sakura finds out and she starts hating you too.

Just get it over with.

Kakashi's already been enough, hasn't he?

While Sayuri was lost in her thoughts, Sakura analyzed the girl's conflicted expression. She's thinking about something, the pinkette concluded. It must be bothering her. Should I help...?

Sakura thought back to the many times she tried helping Sayuri, only for it to end badly. Either there was small progress or no progress at all.

"Sayuri, if something's bothering you, you can tell me," Sakura said, wanting to hold the brunette. She wanted to comfort her and shield her from the world, because she knew that the world wasn't always joyful and happy--it had broken shards of pain, anger, sadness, and many other emotions. Sakura knew that Sayuri was a victim to the bad parts of the world. "You can trust me."

But what she didn't know was what Sayuri was thinking.

Trust? Sayuri bitterly thought. How can I trust anyone? No one ever trusts me...no one loves me. If no one loves me, how can I trust them?

As if Sayuri's pace wasn't fast enough, she walked faster. Sakura blew out a pink strand of hair from her eyes, why won't she listen to me?, and grabbed the girl by the arm. It was a rash decision, but she needed the girl to listen to her.

However, Sakura ended up regretting it as soon as she did it. The moment her fingers touched Sayuri's pale skin, the brunette pulled herself away.

"Sorry, Sayuri, but--"

Why doesn't anyone listen to me? Sayuri thought. Another dark thought flew around her head like an annoying fly, bothering her to no end.

Because you have no voice.

Instead of signing the words, Sayuri pulled the pinkette close by her collar. Sakura was pulled so that her ear was directly in front of the brunette's mouth. Once they were in that position, Sayuri whispered briskly in Sakura's ear--in a coarse, quiet voice.

"Sakura, I know you're trying to help me. But the more you get involved in this business, the more complicated it'll get.

You'll only get hurt in the end. Please, just don't help me."

Before Sakura could register the words, Sayuri was gone.