Konoha High School: Junior Year (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Part VII

Part VII

~Sakura~

Neji's funeral is booked for today, a week after the day of his death. No one is ready for it.

School was cancelled until the day after his funeral. With such a small school, there wasn't a single student who wasn't effected by his sudden death. I don't think there was a single person in the village who wasn't effected. Neji was such a bright kid, a true genius. We all expected him to go far in life. No one expected this.

The fire was started by some old electrical circuits in Hinata's attic. Since Hinata's sister's room is right under the attic, she got trapped in her room when all the smoke came in. She was focused more on breathing than escaping. Naruto ran in and saved Hanabi, who probably would have died the same way Neji went out if they had waited for the fire department. Hinata ran in and saved Naruto because I guess he could have gotten himself out fine, but that good-hearted knucklehead didn't take into account that he would have to help a middle-schooler out too. Neji went in after all three, and used the last of his consciousness to save Hinata.

People are all saying things about how at least he died of smoke inhalation, not the fire. And sure, that's true, we're all glad he didn't suffer that much, but the world still lost someone like him. There's no way to make this situation better.

All this sadness with me about losing a peer must be nothing compared to Hinata's. I knew Neji, but not the way Hinata did. All this grief I'm feeling I'm sure won't last too long for me. As for Hinata, she's going to be in for quite the ride.

I zip up my plain black dress. The weather has gotten cold since Neji died. Winter is setting in, and although my dress has long sleeves, my body refuses to warm up.

Funerals are bizarre events. No one ever wants to go to them, yet no one can bear not saying goodbye.

The sky is gray as I walk out of my house. I assume Sasuke will meet me somewhere between my house and his. I'm only ever allowed in his house every so often, and even then, things are weird. We only stay for a couple hours and he's always on edge.

He's been weird like this for months. He's hiding something from me. I just know it. Every time I bring it up, it ends in a shouting match, him saying how I need to trust him on this and me saying how could I if he doesn't trust me? Trust is a two-way street.

The more I think about it, the more uneasy I get. What could possibly be so bad that he needs to hide it from me? What on earth would he not want me by his side for? I know he doesn't like opening up, but I've been his girlfriend for over a year. He knows everything about me, and while I don't know everything about him, he always seemed okay. He's clearly not anymore.

It's driving me insane but I'm also tired of yelling. I love him. I just want to know that he's still returning feelings for me.

I'm almost to his house when I see him come out of the door, closing it quickly behind him, as if not to show me what horrible things lie inside. He quickly walks and takes my pinky finger with his. I think about asking why he's so jittery, but honestly, I'm just too tired.

"Hey, Sakura," he says, looking down at me.

"Hi," I reply curtly. Because of the funeral today, I can be snippy and not be questioned. There's a lot on my mind, and I just don't think I can deal with Sasuke's grand secret today.

We walk the rest of the way in a welcomed silence. I'm sure his head is cluttered, too. Neji and Sasuke were never particularly close, but I think they had some sort of bond, a mutual understanding. They were both indubitably gifted and carrying immense burdens, ones too large for their children bodies (or any bodies) to carry. While they may not have been friends, I know they had some sort of mutual respect for each other.