Butter Pecan (SasuNaru)

Strawberry Milk

"Snap out of it, okay? I know I was harsh on you before but that's because I love you. I want the absolute best for you, Naruto." She tries to sympathize with me, "You know that, right? I never do anything to purposely hurt you. Everything I do is for you. For the betterment of your future."

Right. I can't even choose what I want in my life. It's all according to their standard. What they want for me.

"Honey, please. I need you to stop being so... miserable. Tomorrow is a big day for you. You're going to school again. It's very important and I want you to be at your best." My mother explains, "You're also going on your first date with your fiancée afterward. Isn't that fun?"

Sakura Haruno. My fiancée. The person in which I'll create a fake family with. Yippie.

"Also, I'd like for you to eat. You have barely eaten anything all week. Take a shower too. You haven't done that, either..." She leans her hand on my back, "I'm a little worried about you, Naruto. I know you... cared... for Sasuke, but is he really worth all of this misery?"

You can't even begin to fathom the pain in my heart right now. I feel like I lost someone. As if Sasuke passed away or something. That's what it is, practically. I'll never see him again. He's as good as dead.

I'm mourning the loss of my soulmate. She'll never understand that.

Not only that, but I'm giving away my life for my parents' satisfaction. I'm sacrificing my happiness by marrying someone I don't love and potentially increasing our family tree...

It's like it's not even my life anymore. It's theirs. I'm merely a puppet to their whims. I'll marry who they want me to marry. I'll fuck who they want me to fuck. I'll work where they want me to work.

I'll love who they want me to love.

"Yes." I croak out through a fairly shattered voice, "You don't know how much Sasuke meant to me, Mother."

She huffs, "Humor me. How much?"

"Too much. Way too much. I'm dependent on him for happiness."

I feel the weight on the bed disappear as my mother stands up with an unamused grumble, "I should've never asked."

Her spiteful comment brings a snarl to my face, "Could you at least act like you pity me?"

"I do pity you. You are misguided and pathetically infatuated with another man. That's why I'm trying to make things right. Set things back in order."

"By marrying me off to someone I don't love?" I growl.

"You'll love her eventually. It'll come naturally with the numerous dates you both shall go on."

My headaches with this insufferable conversation, "Just leave me alone, Mother. I already agreed to go through with it. Don't go into any more detail. It infuriates me."

"I'll stop talking once you show a positive attitude about this." Her footsteps move farther away, "And, once you fix yourself up, this room has a repulsive smell. I thought you practiced basic hygiene, Naruto."

"Goodbye." I dismiss her, shifting around in my bed.

With a scoff, my mother leaves my room and closes the door behind her. The minute she's gone, I rise from underneath my covers and take a huge breath of relief. I rub my cloudy eyes and inspect my room's state. It isn't physically dirty. The room looks very neat, actually. The only problem is the plethora of uneaten food my mother left on the right side of my door. Along with the rotting cake on my nightstand.