Butter Pecan (SasuNaru)

Cinnamon Snickerdoodle

"Hn."

I walk past her to the stairs and descend quickly. I stop by a mirror near the entrance and fix my hair that Naruto messed up in our kiss earlier and pat down my school uniform. Tightening the straps on my backpack, I reach for the front door and open it. A waft of fall air breezes through the door and the musty scent of fog coats the atmosphere. I take a deep breath and step through the door, shutting and locking it behind me.

I usually drive to school and pick up Naruto on the way. But since he's not attending, I rather just take the school bus. I don't like driving alone.

I stare at the damp concrete below as I walk to my designated bus stop. Waiting here like this is so nostalgic. I remember when Naruto used to sleepover on a school night we would wait at my bus stop in the morning.

I grind my teeth at my own thoughts. I shouldn't be thinking about Naruto. I'll miss him more that way.

I look up and my eyes wander around the area aimlessly. There isn't much to see because of the thick film of fog that obstructs my vision. Among the mist, I see a bubblegum pink blob across the block. I squint to see in better detail, regretting my actions the minute I identify who it is.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yells from her bus stop, waving happily at me. I groan loudly as she begins to approach me with a cheery skip, her school skirt bobbing up and down. Putting on a poker face, I decide to ignore her existence by the time she makes it to my side.

"Good morning!" She greets, "I didn't know you would come to the bus stop today! It's been too long!"

Not long enough.

"Don't you usually drive to school?" Sakura lowers her happy tone, "...with Naruto?"

I zone out into the fog ahead of me, counting down the minutes till the bus arrives. Sakura rambles on to me about her fruit garden and her job at the local flower shop. I try to tune out that annoying voice of hers but she never seems to stop the relentless banter. She doesn't seem to take the hint that I don't want to talk to her; especially after she took half of our money a few weeks ago. Naruto and I could've been settling in a new home by now if it weren't for her.

"I... actually want to apologize for the other day." She tells me without her usual sing-songy chirp, "What I did to you and Naruto wasn't right."

Oh? Is she taking responsibility for her actions?

"It was cruel of me to call you all of those hurtful slurs. I realize now that my actions have caused you both great pain." Sakura states, "I've already spent most of the money I took from you. I'm sorry."

I take in her words and knit my eyebrows in deep thought. This is unexpected. Very unexpected.

"But... I'd really like to help you both. With the remaining money I have left from your savings, I think I can pay for something that could be really helpful." Sakura smiles, "Conversion therapy."

I gasp loudly, turning to her with an expression of shock, "Excuse me?"

Her smile widens, "I know, I'm too kind. You two really need this so you can go back to normal. It's hard to see your childhood friends go down the wrong path. You are both sick and confused, but don't worry; I won't tell anyone about it. It'll be a secret between us friends."