Title: Starts with a Rose

Author: @Kikaraaa

Setting: AU or Modern World

Description: A rose is like life to Sakura. At first, it can be as beautiful as it can be, but it also would be painful like its thorns. Soon, it would wither as if death had trumpled upon it. Which is why a flower should not be plucked—but Sasuke refused to believe that thought.  

Requested by JoelleAu! :)

Unedited, so beware of errors.

[···][···][···]

Varieties of several colors were scattered around the area as carnations dominated the extensive garden.

A pinkette stared in amazement as she walked around the venue. She was strolling around the neighborhood's park when her smile started to grow while she was astonished by the beautiful flowers.

Her parents chose to stay at the bench, so she explored the wide garden by herself. She gasped in glee and everything was a blur except for the favorite type of flower when she caught a glimpse of a crimson rose.

She was enjoying the beauty of the rose—she was until a boy plucked it.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she screamed in anger. "Hey, get back here!"

But she was ignored. She huffed grumpily before she ran and snatched the kid's collar.

"What—" The boy looked to her, returning the ominous gaze when he was released. "What the heck is your problem?"

"You shouldn't go destroying flowers!" Despite her very young age, she managed to scold the boy (who was most likely about her age as well) in a mother-like demeanor as she placed her hands on the sides of her belly.

"They're just flowers." He simply answered, increasing Sakura's temper.

"They aren't just flowers, they're alive too you know!"

That inquiry caused the boy roll his eyes. "Why do you even care?"

"Because they're like life!" She triumphantly retorted, "What about you?" She leaned in mockingly. "Why don't you care?"

"Because roses are meant to be given to the person you love." He stated in a stoic manner. "I need to give this to my mother, see you around."

"Tsk," Sakura muttered in arrogance. "A way to escape, I'll get mad at you again if I see you killing any flowers, especially roses!"

His lips curved up in a slight moment. "I bet you're gonna pluck one of those roses even once in your life."

She replied furiously, one hundred percent sure with her answer. "No, I won't!"

However, she did, but that was for him.

||¤¤¤||

"So you should get the reciprocal of the whole equation then simplify, right?"

"You're wrong, again."

"Then what am I suppose to do?" Sakura huffed, "This is pointless!" She smacked her notebook towards her friend who laid beside her.

"Study by yourself."

"You are an idiot, Sasuke."

"So are you." He replied casually, the book he gripped stull covering his head. "I don't get why you hate algebra so much when there's chemistry."

"Because you need to find for x and y. It's like searching for your ex and seeking for the reason why." Groaning dramatically, Sasuke lifted the item above his head to give Sakura a puzzled look.

"You are seriously out of your mind."

"I always am."

"Guess that's why you've been failing math since elementary." His inquiry caused Sakura to hit him again.

"We're in high school yet you still won't stop teasing me?" She retorted, sitting up.

Sasuke nodded and chuckled once Sakura pouted. She fell right back to the ground as the soft grass tickled her skin.

By this time, Sasuke got up and extended his palm towards Sakura. "Come on knucklehead, we still have exams tomorrow."

Sakura grunted in exasperation.

Grasping his book, he walked away which triggered Sakura's grumble noises. "Come back here and teach me algebra!" She screamed, laying back with her eyes closed.

"You can study by yourself." He answered back, but Sakura did not flinch to move.

"But I already study the whole day at school--until now, why do you need to study more at home?" She complained.

"Fine then, I'll go to college while you attend another senior year." He yelled, and it made Sakura wail.

Still, she refused to leave. The garden was practically her happy place.

She remained on her position as she moved her arm to seal her vision, swamping into her thoughts.

Instantly, she felt a light touch on the top of her belly. Her eyebrows furrowed and she opened her eyes in curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you up."

A soft gasp escaped Sakura's lips once her sight made contact on the rose. "You plucked a rose, again!"

Sasuke smirked in satisfaction when Sakura rose up, fuming in anger. He ignored her rants and he pursued on going to his house.

"That means you violated your rule!" The pinkette emphasized before she was able to keep up with his pace.

"What rule?"

"You said that you should give to the one you love—I win!"

"I can't believe you still remember that." Sasuke laughed a bit, shaking his head.

"You're my best friend, of course I do." Sakura grinned cheerfully as her expression switched to a mocking one. "Now, you lose, I win. Suck on that, stupid-head."

"You're my best friend, that counts as love." He shrugged as if it was nothing and be brought out his phone.

Sakura glanced at the his screen, it was the girl he like.

And that was a strike to Sakura's heart.

||¤¤¤||

The clicks of the woman's heels against the floor, along with the iterative taps of the pens, was all that echoed inside the room.

Leaning back to her chair, Sakura placed her palms on her mouth while she yawned.

She turned her paper around as she took a glimpse of her wristwatch and noticed that she still has a couple of minutes to spare. Comfortably, she rested her chin above the palm of her hand before she observed her environment.

Some students were whispering words—mouthing rather, and others were too focused in their own world.

Then she captured her best friend talking with a brunette. Sakura's attention reached to full capacity once she giggled.

Suddenly, she encountered a sharp pain right to her chest. She hastily broke her gaze after taking a peek from Sasuke's cheerful expression as she crouched down to her desk to shield her face with the use of her arms.

She promised herself that she would stop. She tried so hard to not love him anymore, but it was very difficult.

Because she was just a friend.

"Pass your papers and you may go home." Their teacher announced and Sakura was the first one who surprisingly stood up with her bag and submitted her test paper.

Sakura, then, realized that all of the eyes were on her when she did so, but she just shrugged it off and left the room. It was not their business anyway.

She needed to get away from them, from seeing Sasuke and the girl he was interested in—because it hurts. It was selfish, however Sakura was hurt once they would encounter.

It was as if she was Tinkerbell who stayed at the back, watching Peter Pan and Wendy exploring Neverland.

Suffering could not be escaped.

Tears instantly form in her eyelids, though she forced herself to stop. She needed to. Because Sasuke's crush was in front of her.

"Sakura, right?"

Sakura kept her composure as she held the straps or her backpack. "Valerie, right?"

Valerie gave a slight nod, tying her dark chocolate hair into a bun.

"So, what do you need?" Sakura immediately popped the friendly bubble.

"Why, you in a rush?" She answered while she applied lip gloss. She gave Sakura a glance, raising her eyebrow.

Sakura was even more bothered by the fact that she was already talking to her yet she was still showing of her perfect appearance. Hell, everyone already knows she's a goddess for looks. "Actually, yes, I am in a rush. I still need to study for mid-term tests."

"That's just a piece of cake. You're smart, aren't you? You don't need to study with that big brain of yours." Valerie stated, dropping her lip gloss to her pouch.

"Excuse me?" Sakura replied with a hint of disbelief. It was a compliment yet an insult.

"You have a big forehead, so you have a big brain." She shrugged which caused Sakura's jaw to open.

"Fine, since you're busy." Valerie began as Sakura was too shocked to react. "I just wanted to ask why are you still with Sasuke-kun?"

And there's the truth.

"I mean, it's obvious that he likes me, so why do you pursue in liking him?"

"What—I think you're out of your mind." Sakura told with a huff and she advanced to leave.

"Everyone knows. Why do you continue your friendship with him when you know there's no future in the end?"

That ceased Sakura's trail.

"You like him, he likes me and you might just end up getting hurt. I just don't want that."

Too late, she already did.

"Think about it, you're just a friend."

And she deepened the mark.

Without furthermore, Sakura gave a curt nod before she left. She did not turn back. She only let silent tears stream down her cheeks as she walked away.

||¤¤¤||

"What's up with you?"

Silence.

"Did anything happen?"

Silence.

"Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Hey!" He yelled, shocking Sakura in the sense.

"What?"

It was the first time that Sasuke raised his tone and Sakura just shook her head in regret.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, as if he was concerned. But Sakura refused to take that fact.

"Nothing." She answered and did not return his gaze. Instead, her eyes were glued to the fascinating scenery of flowers at the garden—their usual spot.

Although, Sasuke did not buy her act. "What happened?" He repeated.

"Life hits me hard." Sakura replied after heaving a sigh of defeat.

"No, I don't think it's just that." He remarked. "No problem has ever bothered you this much, why?"

She noticed Sasuke's worried feeling from the corner of her eye to which she gave up. "...you won't understand. It's a girl thing."

"Try me." He challenged, sitting on the grass across Sakura who hugged her legs against her chest.

"Fine, I was being judged." Sakura lied, just so that Sasuke could stop pondering her questions like a detective. "You happy?"

"By who? You know I could—"

"See, that's why I don't want to tell you." She pursued on making her act true. "Sasuke, I can handle this myself. You go with your other friends and hang out or whatever it is that you do." Sighing heavily, she used her arm to bury her incoming tears.

"I won't if I know my best friend is in the worst possible state."

Sakura scowled. "It's just a basic problem, Sasuke. I can handle this." Because she has to.

"If—"

"Just please go." Sakura replied with her voice softening. She knew that she couldn't hold back anytime soon.

"I was there for you in your darkest times, you were there in mine. You think, I'm just gonna leave like that now?"

Gulping, Sakura uttered her response like poison. "Yes."

No sound came in afterwards, but Sakura waited.

"Is there really no other thing you want to say?" Those words left a mark in Sakura's chest.

It was very tempting to say.

Then again, she was doing this for him.

As what people say, if you love a person, you have to let them go—for them to get their joy.

"No."

When Sakura revealed her puffy eyes, Sasuke was gone. And that was the time she broke down.

||¤¤¤||

A few weeks had passed, Sakura and Sasuke has yet to meet again.

Sakura still stayed at the garden after classes, but Sasuke never came nor stepped a foot on their spot ever since he left—based from her point of view.

She avoided him, because seeing him with someone else was like a jellyfish had stung her.

The pain was inevitable and she was just avoiding rather than facing it.

Until one day, Sakura searched for the suitable flower and sat down near a plant before mustering up her courage. "You can do this, Sakura." She murmured, closing her eyes while plucking a rose.

She heaved a sigh after doing so. Looking at the scarlet rose, a smile formed upon her lips. "Just like you said, if you love a person, give them a rose."

Then, she headed out towards his home.

She thought of confessing at first—but it was inappropriate after wanting him to leave. In addition, she knew whom Sasuke likes. Of course, it was not her, obviously.

Instead, she wanted to give him a rose as a sign of apology and for the way she acted. To recover their friendship as well.

After all, she was the best friend. Better act like it than being a stranger once again.

Walking swiftly, she continued to twirl her finger around the leaf attached to the stem of the rose. She averted her gaze and the grin plastered on her face vanished completely at the view.

The blaring sound of the thunder didn't alarm Sakura. She was too focused, shocked, on what she was witnessing.

She saw him took note of her presence. She knew he did.

Even the lady he was interested in did too.

Dropping the flower from her grip, uncontrollable tears streamed down her cheeks as the precipitation occurred.

She ran towards where it all began, not looking back. And her heart was aching in grief.

||¤¤¤||

Sighing, Sasuke scratched the nape of his neck in annoyance as the girl in front of him continued to babble.

"As I was saying, do you like to hang out?"

"Like I said. No thanks, Valerie." He has been irritated by the fact that that Valerie was not giving up in asking him out.

From texts, messenger, at school and even at his house, she was still bothering him to no end.

"Great, I'll see you later at 5 then!"

This girl does not know how to stop.

Sasuke did not bother to argue—he just wanted her to leave right away. What surprised him was that Valerie embraced him while she locked her lips with his.

With the sudden addition of weight, Sasuke had to step back and hold her shoulders to remove her from him.

He shot her a furious look, until they heard they realized that there stood a bystander who watched.

"Sakura—wait!" Sasuke called out, but Sakura wasn't turning back. She was only sprinting forward.

He attempted to chase her, though Valerie caught his wrist. "Where are you going? It's not proper to leave a girl—"

A glint of anger and rage was evident in his eyes once he glanced at Valerie. "Leave us alone."—pertaining to both him and Sakura.

Valerie let him go as if he was poison, with her eyes widening. But Sasuke didn'r care. Once there was no holding him back, he rushed to Sakura.

At some point, he nearly slipped due to the rain and he noticed the rose lying on the ground.

A soaked paper was inserted at the center of the rose, 'I'm sorry.' It was written in a cursive manner. He picked it up and fastened his pace.

He didn't exactly know where Sakura was, he just had a strong hunch on her current location. When he reached his guess, there was a flash of pink was sitting on the grass.

"Why do I know," He panted. "That you'd be here?"

"Sasuke?" Sakura lifted her head with her hopes high.

"I'm sorry." He spoke as Sakura masked her hurt expression.

The rain drizzled harder as Sasuke stood in front of her.

"No, it was my fault. I sho—"

She was interrupted since Sasuke fell and wrapped his arms around her petite figure. His forehead rested against Sakura's shoulder as she stayed still—paralyzed.

His grasp on his love tightened as he mumbled, "I'm never leaving you again."

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//PUBLISHED.8.17.15//

Been a long time since I've updated haha screw school works

and I've lost my requirement lmao I'm dead

~Kikaraaa