Sakura Eyes

Chapter 27

I woke up to the swaying of my body. At first, I thought I was still dreaming because I didn't feel myself walking, but I was moving with my eyes facing the ground.  It took me a full second to realize I wasn't dreaming and freaked out.

"Woah! Calm down! It's just me," a familiar voice said.

"J-Justin?" I sputtered.

"Yes idiot," he grumbled. "Ouch, you kick hard."

"Put me down!"

My body was suddenly flipped over, and the world was straight again. I stumbled around, my legs a little wobbly and glared at Justin who was staring at me weirdly like draping me over his shoulder with me still sleeping was completely normal.

"What happened?" I asked, glancing up at the sky. Judging by the sky color and the smell coming from the campsite, it was almost dinner. Not only that, but... I looked besides me. All the villagers were out and were staring at us like we were exotic animals. 

"You fell asleep with me—"

Hurriedly, I covered Justin's mouth before snatching his wrist and dragging him away from the crowd. I found a quiet place and let go of his wrist there.

"Ouch," he complained, even though he didn't look pained in anyway.

"Don't say such misleading things so loudly in front of everybody!" I hissed.

"Hmm?" Justin grinned crookedly and raised an eyebrow.

"Look here—"

"There you are!"

Just when I was about to blow up, Catherine appeared, holding a familiar bundle of white cloth. She bustled over to us and threw the white cloth over me, blinding my vision for a moment. When I could see again, Catherine was tying a red string in front of my neck. I touched it in surprise.

"You forgot to wear your cloak," she said. "I got it washed and cleaned for you."

I grinned gratefully at her. She motioned her heads back out into the open. "C'mon, dinner is ready."

As we followed Catherine out into the opening, Catherine abruptly stopped in front of us. "Sakura...there might be a lot of people staring at you today so try not to feel that pressured alright?"

"Alright?" I said, not quite sure what she meant.

It didn't take long for me to realize what she meant. Immediately when I arrived inside, everyone stopped talking and stared at me. I didn't like the attention. At all. 

Especially since Mom always locked us in the house and consistently strictly ordered us about what to do, May and I have never had friends before. Now that I had a whole village of stranger boys staring at me, I couldn't exactly walk right without tripping over my own feet.

"Are you alright?" Justin muttered, an expression of worry on his face.

"Fine, fine," I muttered, starting to get fidgety again.

I could feel Justin stare at me, and in the back of my brain I knew he didn't believe me. "What color is my hair?"

"Fine, fine."

"What's your name?"

"Fine, fine."

Justin sighed; I realized I had no idea what Justin had just asked me. "Wait, what?"

"Do you think we should just bring her back to the room and deliver her dinner there?" Catherine asked Justin anxiously.

"Too late," Justin muttered, his eyes fixed up front.