Selling Your Soul Isn’t a Good Thing!

Summer was done, and school was back in session. Everyone always looked forward to seeing their friends if nothing else. Everyone enjoyed getting the latest on what everyone else did that summer. Gossip was like an infectious disease. Once it started, there was no stopping it.

When Sakura walked into the school, every head in the vicinity turned in her direction. A few gasps were released, a few raised eyebrows. All in all, she was a juicy piece of gossip someone couldn’t wait to start a rumor about.

As she passed several students, already the mouths were flapping, the whispering started. She ignored them as she waltzed over to her locker without a second glance to everyone else.

The summer had obviously changed her. There was no doubt about that. Her usually long, gorgeous, pink hair had been cut to just above her shoulders. Her green eyes seemed to have lost the sparkle, and bags lined her eyes. It was like she had gone through Hell and back. Though, the analogy probably fit.

The popular student keep her distance from her friends. Seemingly content to sit by herself. She was distant, moody, and quiet. She no longer wore the in-style; she wore whatever she felt like. Today, she wore baggy, pink sweatpants with a white T-shirt. Nothing too extreme.

Ino, Tenten, and all the other girls tried to talk to her, but Sakura refused to listen to them. She shut them out and pushed them away. Angry and upset, they left her alone. They weren’t going beg her.

All the boys were confused. Did they still like her? They didn’t even know. Whenever they tried hanging with her, she snapped at them to get away before running down the hall away from them.

Naruto, who had heard that she had had a spring fling with some guy, wondered if that guy had something to do with it. Had he dumped her? Naruto’s heart went out to his friend, but since she wouldn’t talk to him either, there wasn’t much he could do.

Lee, usually chipper and full of energy, was at a loss as to how youthfulness could help this certain situation. There seemed to be no cure for her. They couldn’t get her to even look at them.

She smiled to them in the hallways when she acted as though they had never been friends, that they had never even really met. She had turned back into that shy little girl she had been in grade school. She had degraded herself all on her own without any help from her peers.

Sasuke noticed her sudden change in mood as well. Even though he loved the space that had been previously occupied by her fawning over his every move, he missed the attention she had once given him. He couldn’t keep her out of his mind for long. He always found his thoughts drifting back to her. Every time he entered a room, his eyes seemed to roam the area looking for her to see if she had changed, to see if she had gone back to normal.

Her voice, when called upon by teachers, remained upbeat and happy, though Sasuke knew that wasn’t how she really felt. It killed everyone that they didn’t know how to help their friend.

But, how do you save a person who doesn’t want to be saved?

Sakura walked out of the school, book bag in hand. Swinging it over her shoulder, she headed home. Ready to face her mistake, her punishment. There was nothing she could do to change it, so what was really the point of trying. She couldn’t be saved, not by anyone.

Heading down the street, she noticed even the townsfolk were talking in hushed whispers about her. Sighing, she wished people would mind their own business and carry on. If only she could tell people why she was acting the way she was, maybe then they would understand enough to leaver her alone, that they weren’t helping.

“Sakura, wait up!” Naruto called out as he ran to catch up to her.

She wouldn’t let her heart be broken again, so she sped up hoping he could take a hint. No such luck there. Naruto caught up to her, grabbed her shoulder to spin her around to face him.

“Look, I know you must be going through a rough time, and I just want you to know I’m here for you. You don’t have to act like this. I can help you sort out whatever it is that happened. You can talk to me,” Naruto pleaded, wishing with all his heart that she would.

Sakura didn’t answer, she just turned her head and looked off into the distance. She hated hurting him like this, but if this was how she could keep her heart, and her friends, safe from breaking then so be it.

“You know, you are starting to act like Sasuke,” Naruto snapped in disgust. He hated how hurt flashed into her eyes, but she needed to know how she was making everyone feel. Naruto turned and head back down the street. Probably to go train, to take out some of his anger.

Feeling even more dejected, Sakura continued towards home. Opening the door, she threw her bag on the table and proceeded up to her room where she changed into a tight, black, jumpsuit. Pulling her hair back out of her face, she jumped out the window, and in the shadows of trees, rushed to complete her mission, to fulfill her end of the deal whether she wanted to do it or not, she had no choice.

During English, Sakura’s favorite class, Naruto noticed she hadn’t done any of her homework. She had nothing finished to turn in. Kakashi-sensei looked extremely shocked and worried, but he let it go when she promised it would never happen again.

Naruto frowned and turned away. He hated watching her and feeling sorry for her. If only she had confided in him, maybe he could have helped her. The bags under her eyes seemed to be getting worse. It was like she hadn’t slept in days.

Sasuke felt a sense of loneliness that he couldn’t quite fill. It took him three days to figure out what he felt he was missing. Sakura. He missed having her around. He missed looking into her bright emerald eyes that he seemed to lose himself in. He missed her bright, infectious smile that brightened the whole room. He missed her intelligence that rivaled his own.

Knowing what he had to do, he set out towards her house after school, knowing she would be home as he saw her heading in that direction a few minutes ago.

A few minutes later, he was standing in front of her house contemplating his next move. What exactly should he say? He didn’t know how to start or go about it. What if he made a total fool of himself? He let out a long breath and knocked three times, but no one came to the door. Peering in through the window, he didn’t see anyone. Was it possible she didn’t go home?

Sasuke thought he heard a noise from around the house. Curious, he followed the sound and, hidden behind lilac bushes that lined the house, Sasuke saw Sakura jump out of her bedroom window and land smoothly on the ground. He stared in awe. She had just jumped from a window two stories up and landed on her feet as easily as if she had just a few inches.

Glancing around, Sakura jumped into a tree and disappeared from view. Sasuke gawked. It was like she was inhuman, like she was some sort of superhero or something. Wow, she had kept that a secret for how long with no one suspecting a thing. But, was she the hero or the villain? Lately he wasn’t sure.

Sasuke really wanted Sakura back now. Together, they would be the ultimate power couple. But, it was more than that. Sasuke had unknowingly fallen for her, and he would do anything to get her back. Funny how he didn’t realize what he had till it was gone.

Sasuke followed Sakura after school back to her house. He was going to catch her in the act and confess his love to her. A little out of character for him, he knew, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Plus, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could go without her with him, though he would rather die than tell anyone about how he felt.

Sasuke went and hid in the bushes, waiting.

“Sasuke? What are you doing?” Sakura’s sweet, melodious voice asked, startling him. She was looking at him curiously, though she didn’t look angry to have found him there.

Sasuke didn’t say anything; he just shrugged.

She looked offended at his answer, or lack thereof, and turned to go back into the house. “Then, I would much appreciate it if you would go since you have no reason for being here.”

Sasuke rushed to catch up to her. He grabbed her wrist on the front porch. “Can we talk inside?” he asked, not wanting to have one of the neighbors hear his confessions of love.

She frowned but beckoned him inside where they sat in the living room. “Okay, shoot.”

Sasuke cleared his throat nervously. “I saw you jump out of a two story house and land on your feet like it was the easiest thing in the world to do, and then I saw you jump so high back into a tree. I know you are like a superhero or something, but that doesn’t bother me. I think… I know… I like you.”

Blunt and straight to the point, as always. Sakura bust out laughing. “Let me get this straight, you think I’m a superhero?” She burst into another fit of laughter again. “On the contrary.”

“I know what I saw. Don’t deny that. I won’t tell anyone,” Sasuke persisted.

She was serious now. “Look, this isn’t something I want to talk about.” She stood up. “I think you should leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I get the answers I want. You can talk to me. I swear I won’t tell anyone,” Sasuke promised, hoping with all his heart she would believe him.

She stared into his eyes as if judging. Letting out a breath, she finally spoke, “Fine. But, I’m not the superhero you think I am, remember that. Also remember that it isn’t a good thing to fall for me.”

He frowned but said nothing.

“This summer has changed me. I met this guy at the beach. His name was Kabuto. He was a lot older than me, and he conned me into thinking we were in love. Well, about two months after we met, he was stricken with a fatal disease. I prayed somehow someway that he would be saved. In my dark hour, the devil incarnate, Orochimaru, appeared before me telling me he would save Kabuto in exchange, I would have to sell my soul and do his bidding. I readily agreed; I vowed I would do anything for Kabuto. But, days later Kabuto revealed that he had been working for Orochimaru all along, he laughed when I asked if he loved me.”

Tears formed in her eyes. “So, now I am under the devil’s control, and there is no way to be released. He enhanced my athletic prowess, and gave me a mission. I have one mission in life. Bring him other corrupted souls. I’m not superhero. I’m the villain in this story.”

Sasuke walked out of the house in a daze. He couldn’t believe what he had heard. Sakura a villain? It seemed like an oxymoron; it couldn’t be possible. He wasn’t sure if his feeling for her had changed. After all, it wasn’t like she was doing this of her own free will. She was being forced into it. She still had a heart.

With his mind made up, he vowed he would win her love.

Sakura was getting fed up with having to avoid Sasuke all week. He would follow her home and wait for her outside her window. She had to change in school and leave from there to get away from him, but he was catching on to that as well.

Sakura made her way outside after school; she was going to take a day off. She had nothing to do but homework. Dropping her bag on the counter of her kitchen, she began to take out all her homework. Her doorbell rang. Probably Sasuke.

Opening it, she found herself face to face with Orochimaru in human form. He reached out and wrapped his disgusting fingers around her slim neck and backed her inside closing the door behind him.

“I heard you have been telling people about the deal. You know the rules, you were to keep this a secret,” he hissed menacingly.

“I tried, but he wouldn’t leave me alone. He saw me in action. He would have found out anyway. It isn’t a big deal. He isn’t going to say anything to anyone. No one else knows. I’ve distanced myself from my friends, and they haven’t spoken to me since the beginning of the school year.”

“You better hope no one else finds out. Your punishment is going to be more severe. Your total souls have been upped by a thousand.” With that, he disappeared in puff of smoke leaving her angry and upset.

Sasuke, who had overheard the whole conversation, found his own mission. He was going to release her.

Sasuke was in too deep, and she knew Orochimaru would try to convert him to his side. What was life if she could not do this simple turn. She wasn’t living. This wasn’t a life she wanted to live. That night, Sakura knelt on the floor of her bedroom, and looking out the window, prayed, “I give up my life in exchange for Sasuke’s life to be free from any and all temptation.”

Sasuke knew what he had to do; he was in his room, praying. If Sakura couldn’t have her own free will, then what was the point of anything? If he couldn’t help her, then what was his destiny on earth? He wasn’t Neji; he believed in making his own. “Orochimaru, take my life, my corrupted soul in exchange for Sakura’s freedom.”

Thunder clapped and lightning flashed. The rain pelted the sides of the houses, drenching everything it touched. Orochimaru appeared in front of Sakura. Placing a hand on her forehead, she blacked out.

Sakura awoke the next morning. Frowning, she noticed she was still in her room. Had her prayers not been answered? Great! Glancing at the clock, she noticed she was going to be late for school if she didn’t hurry up. After getting dressed and strapping her bag over her shoulders, she jumped out of her window. She landed with a thud on her feet, but fell over. Pain shot up through her ankle. Great, she had twisted her ankle. Wait, how did that work? Pushing away the unknown, she hobbled to school.

Sakura noticed Sasuke was not at school that day. Frowning, she wondered where he was. Did he have the flu? Had she scared him so bad that he hadn’t wanted to see her? Depressed, she made a memo to stop by his house and just tell him that she had been kidding.

After school, Sakura found herself on Sasuke’s front porch knocking on his door. No one answered. Trying the knob, she noticed it was unlocked. Nervous, she called out Sasuke’s name, but she got no reply. Stepping into the darkened room, she made her way through the house. Maybe he wasn’t home.

She opened the door to Sasuke’s room. She found it tidy except for a single note on his bed. Upon taking a closer look, she saw it was addressed to her. Grabbing it, she sat on his bed and opened it.

Sakura,

Look, I know we didn’t exactly run in the same social circle, especially lately, but when you stopped fawning all over me, I realized something. I missed having you around. I was falling for you, and I think drowned myself.

I know I must have been a little annoying when I was following you, but I only did it to be closer to you. I find it much easier to write down what I want to say rather than actually saying them. I know you must be asking yourself is this really Sasuke Uchiha? But, I assure you it is me.

Through the past few weeks, I have come to the conclusion that I can not live knowing you are hurting on the inside. So, to make up for all the bad things I have done in my life, I have decided to give you your freedom. How? But giving up my own.

Don’t start crying and blaming yourself. I did this of my own accord with no outside influences. I have asked Naruto and the others to look out for you. I told them you fell for someone hard and that you were emotionally scarred, that you were afraid to get close to people. They accepted that.

I only ask of you one thing. Always remember me. Don’t worry about me. Well, I guess that’s two things, but I hope you can do both.

I love you forever,

Sasuke

Sakura bawled like a baby as she read and reread the note. She was free! Sasuke was gone! So many mixed emotions.

At school the next day, Ino and Naruto both came up to her and gave her a hug, and she bawled on their shoulders as well. Sasuke had taken care of her in a way she could never have taken care of him.

Thank you.