It started with a Hate Letter

Never

Sai had to repeat his freshman year because of a delinquency case. Before he repeated, he had made friends. One of his rare female friends was Karin. The first time they saw each other after months was when I saw them in the mall. Sai had told her that the reason she did not have a boyfriend yet was that she acted rudely. According to Sai, Karin was offended and tried to prove him wrong by being playful with her kiss. That was the moment I saw them.

Sai further teased her by bragging how he would be an effective help if she needed it. He was just fooling around but Karin took it and would leave him not until he lived up to his word as an 'effective help' in pursuing this one guy. As it turned out, Karin was pretty hooked up with someone— someone impossible in the name of Uchiha Sasuke.

"What?!" Hinata and Tenten looked at me in disbelief.

Kurenai-sensei failed to come during the fourth period and for some reason, the sub failed to come too. I made the vacant time useful by telling them the story.

"Why hasn't he cleared it right away?"

"You know Sai is no romantic guy. If I avoided him for weeks, even for months, he would not mind it. He would not ask for me. He would not call me. How the hell would he know something is already wrong in our relationship?"

Days dragged. Since Sai had no one to spend his time with, he had finally obliged to help Karin. His brilliant idea led them to stalk Sasuke in a restaurant. That was the day Sasuke and I went on a date. He said he was so shocked to see me with him and that when Karin asked him if the girl was Sasuke's girlfriend, he could not reply right away. He ended up saying maybe. He was helping Karin with Sasuke and here was his girlfriend cheating right in front of them. So Sai took it that I was cheating on him. He could not tell Karin that I was his girlfriend; that would have hit right on his male pride.

"You're dumb, both of you, I swear"

"But that proves he loves me. He broke his silence when he realized I'm in dilemma"

"Congrats then. You figured out he loves you. I didn't know this was just all for a test of love."

It was a short-lived happiness thanks to my friend Tenten.

"Does Sai know about the letter?" Hinata asked.

A long pause dwelt among us three.

"No" Tenten and Hinata eyed me. "I told him I thought he was cheating on me. I thought we were officially off. That gave me a reason to date other guys like Sasuke. I did not mention the letter"

Hinata opened her mouth then closed it. She decided not to be frank for our friendship's sake. Tenten was another case. She uttered what Hinata could not speak about.

"Oh, Ino, look at you. You're the one who's cheating now."

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After that letter incident, dismissal at Konoha High had never been this fun. Although I had a little dispute with Tenten after she accused me of cheating, I still found it more peaceful than any other day. Kiba and Tenten were teasing Hinata to Naruto. Sai and I were walking behind the four of them. We had decided to reunite since it was just a case of misinterpretation and miscommunication and also since we still love each other.

"God knows what that fucker can do to any female species," Sai said. I told him that Sasuke and I dated only once and that was the end of it. If every girl pursued Sasuke because of his charms, every boy hated him for his charms because they knew what a man-whore it had developed Sasuke into. After some thinking, Sai added. "You never did anything, you know, kiss and stuff with him?"

I caught Tenten glimpsing at me. She was silently listening to our conversation.

"Never," I replied to Sai.

The locker area was crowded when we went there. Sai left my side to have his things. His locker was away from us. Naruto and Kiba also had their lockers away from us. Tenten, Hinata, and I were left alone.

"You should have waited 'til we finished the plan. With you and Sai back together, you seemed to me as if you're cheating. It sucks." Tenten said.

"Sai can wait if he truly loves you," Hinata said although she was not capable of getting angry at me. She was too kind-hearted for that.

"I'm the one who can't wait..." I whispered and the two pretended not to hear it.

Hinata accidentally dropped her notebook and I picked it up for her. When I stood up and handed it to her, she appeared as if life has drained out of her body. She looked past me with frantic eyes. "Sasuke's over there. I-I think he's looking for someone."

"I think it's you he's looking for. Guess our plan is still on" Tenten said as she looked at him. She could easily do that for she had nothing to hide from Sasuke. I tried to hide from his sight. Tenten and Hinata were puzzled. They did not know that Sasuke was looking for me for a different reason and that it was definitely not because our plan was working well. He was looking for me to kill me.

"Why are you hiding, Ino?" Hinata asked for I was evidently shielding my face with the locker door.

"What the hell? You're supposed to get his attention and not hide. You better not tell me it's because you and Sai are back together" Tenten said as she pulled me away from my locker. I said it was not the reason. I was not just feeling well disposed for it. Tenten was firm on her plan"I dunno why he's looking for you but we better not waste the opportunity"

"Not today, Tenten"

"What's wrong with today?"

"I just slapped him yesterday" I finally confessed.

"You what?!"

"I said I just—" I was supposed to confess the whole truth but Hinata cut in.

"Gaara's walking our way" Hinata's voice trembled.