Emerald Ties

Chapter 3

 *Sasuke's P.O.V*

   I grabbed groceries for the home, anything I thought that we would need. I knew that Sakura was not in the mind set to do any of this. She would be perfectly happy with eating out until Itachi returned home. I had to keep my promise to him and keep her safe and healthy. Her eating out everyday was not going to cut it. I smiled at the cashier as she rang up my order. 

   "A little behind on shopping are you?" She asked with a smile. 

   "I am taking care of a friend of mine while her boyfriend is away on a mission. She thinks that eating out everyday while he is gone is okay." I say to her as I handed her the money I owed her. 

   She twirled her red hair before she grabbed the money from me. Her blue eyes watched mine as she placed the money in the register with a soft smile. She was pretty, but she was not who I was wanting to be with. Naruto had been telling me to get over Sakura, but that was easier said than done. Truthfully, I am only keeping Sakura safe to be close to her. I was being selfish towards my brother, but he would never know that. 

   She handed me my receipt and I gathered up the groceries. I needed to get back to Sakura as quickly as possible. She would be safer in a crowded area, but I still didn't want to leave her alone for to long. That guy was still out there and she was completely vulnerable right now. 

   I took the alleyway back to the spot that I told her to meet me at. I could clearly see her pink hair flowing from the wind. I sighed a breath of relief that she was okay and waiting on me to return to her. 

   "Not so fast, little Uchiha." A man in a mask said as he appeared in front of me, blocking my view of Sakura. 

   "You will not be going anywhere anytime soon. My orders were very clear, Sasuke." He said with a grin. 

   This male was clearly an Uchiha, but he was one I had never seen before. My clan was rather large in numbers and there obviously a few my family had never really met or seen that often. The entire clan would know who I was, but I may not know all of them. 

   *Sakura's P.O.V* 

  I sighed as I waited on Sasuke. I had been standing in this spot for over an hour and he has yet to show. My bags were beginning to become heavy and my arms began to grow tired. He had promised to meet me here as soon as he was done. There was no way he was taking this long shopping. Was he truly leaving me here alone after all that has been going on? I growled at myself for believing that he would keep me safe. He obviously had better things to do than meeting me here. 

   I decided to walk home on my own. I know that it was dumb to walk alone, but what other choice did I have? Stand in the middle of the market until all of the other shoppers decided to go home? Standing there all night was more of a risk than making it home alone. I gripped the bags tighter and headed down the street. It was still daylight out and there were people and ninja all over the village.