Authors note: finally chapter 10! Enjoy. >//< comment and like, please. I had this halfway done for weeks and never had time to finish it. Sorry about that. College is a bitch. The biggest bitch I have ever met to be honest...
- LuluPunkRock 🌙
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----Itachi's POV----
"Good morning! Tonight you are leaving! You're not in a full recovery yet but your vital signs are good and the injury is almost healed. So it's fine for you to function by yourself. You did a good job dear." The nurse smiled big and placed my last breakfast on my plate. The smell of warm oatmeal was inviting. I definitely wasn't used to eating in the morning for six days straight. It was so new for me.
"Do you have anyone to take you home?" The nurse checks my heart rate with her stethoscope. I suddenly realize that I'm about to go back to the real world. I'm about to visit society and the city again, and I don't feel very excited about it. I feel my palms sweating already. I turn my gaze up at the smiling nurse. I want to scream.
"I believe Kisame will drive me home. What time do I leave?" I manage to keep my voice calm and avoid it from shaking. I don't think I'm ready to even walk down any street. I really need to get myself a car and stop walking to my apartment from university. I have my license, I just don't have my own car. I can probably take out a loan from my bank.
"You leave at seven tonight. Eat up now. If you want to contact your family, the telephone is down the hall and head to the right. There will be a tiny booth and a door so you can have your privacy. It's free too so don't hesitate using it." She smiles that lovely smile and walks off. It wouldn't be such a bad idea calling my father again. I just don't feel like it. I've got too much to worry about.
I stare down at my oatmeal, yogurt and coffee. They finally decided to cut my breakfast down lower after they realized that I never finish their meals. It took them five days to finally decide on changing my meals. I stab my spoon in the bowl of oatmeal and slowly raise it to my mouth. It smells so good. It reminds me of the oatmeal my mom used to make before I graduate the academy. She would make oatmeal every morning for me and a very tiny Sasuke. I loved decorating it with raisins and chocolate. I can't remember exactly when I stopped eating breakfast. But I do remember enjoying breakfast and always having a healthy appetite.
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It's six in the night and the skies are dark. One more hour until I leave. Winter is calling and I can't help but feel so excited inside. I love the holidays and the snow. My two favorite things in the world.
The nurse is helping me change out of my hospital gown and into the outfit I wore when I arrived at the hospital. They cleaned my small mustard yellow shirt, my black jeans, and my socks. They even kept my shoes safe. My eyes couldn't help but widen as I see that outfit right in front of me. I can almost hear the bullets in my head and the loud crash against the bench and into the tree. I almost shiver.
I feel the nurses finger tips touching my back as she unties the strings of the hospital gown. I finally got used to the gowns and the feeling of being naked near a bunch of strangers who called themselves nurses and doctors.
"We will mail you some great therapists and their offices if you need any therapy or help from this incident. Make sure you at least look at it Itachi. I'm aware you declined getting help with our psychiatrist and refused to stay at the psych floor, but that doesn't mean there's no other outside help for you." Her voice is strong and soft at the same time. I can't remember her name or if she even introduced herself. I don't want to know her name. I like thinking of her as the nameless nurse who made sure I ate, sleep, and not watch Boomerang too long or else it'll increase my headache.
"Thank you." I say as she raises the gown up. I'm left with only my boxers and I'm not scared anymore. The first time that nurse changed my gown, I was so scared. Now, I'm ok with it. They're just nurses. They won't hurt me. It's their job to do this.
"I must say one more thing." She speaks more sternly as she hands me my clean clothes.
"You are very thin. Your BMI is 18.1 which is below healthy. You need to gain some weight. Our doctors and nurses agreed to make another checkup on your weight next month. We will mail you your diet and lists of healthy foods to help you gain more weight. You need to gain at least fifteen pounds. But we expect you to have gained five pounds by November fifteenth. Then another five pounds in December. And then another in January. Ok? I know you can do it. If you ever need help, there will be a number on the forms below that has our dietician and nutritionist. Everything will be mailed to you. So check your mail after three days." Her eyes stare at my body as I dress up.
"Yes ma'am." I could only say. I've gotten used to people and doctors saying that I need to gain weight. This is nothing to me.
"So what are the two important things coming in the mail?" She asks with her arms wrapped around the clipboard.
"Paper forms about therapy and forms about my new diet to help me gain fifteen pounds by January." I calmly answer. She smiles big and claps her hands.
"Wonderful Itachi!" I force a smile and stare down at my feet.
"Dinner will be served shortly. You can watch some TV again." She walks off.
I walk over to the table and grab the remote. I turn it on and see The Flintstones on. If I could just snap my fingers and live in the life of the Flintstones, I would; because living this life is hell. And I'm scared to go back.
I initially wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible but now I want to stay forever. I don't think I'm ready for this.
I don't want to take the bus because I'm scared of people. I definitely don't want to walk because those thugs might smell me out. I'm gonna throw all the money I have in my account and try to find a car. Forget food. I already paid for rent, so I'll just take out all my savings for a decent car.
"Dinner is here!" The nurse smiles and lays a tray of a special dinner. There's even dessert too. I see a plate of pasta covered in a creamy white sauce. I see a breadstick, butter, and a huge slice of chocolate cake with orange frosting and black tiny spider sprinkles. It looks like a Halloween cake. I hope those are sprinkles not real dead tiny spiders.
"A special dinner?" I ask. She giggles happily, "Yes. And we got you a farewell basket filled with fruits, candy, little games, and a journal." I blink at her happy face. I wasn't expecting a nice farewell. I thought hospitals just throw their patients out the door and forget their name and their problem.
"Thank you nurse." I smile big. She ruffles her hand on my head and then walks off. I stare down at the delicious food. I see the steam floating up from the pasta. It looks so yummy. I slowly grab the butter and unwrap it. I grab my plastic knife and spread it over the bread. It looks a little overwhelming. I've never had comfort foods in a while.
"Here's you're farewell basket." I hear the nurses voice and I look up. I see a big orange basket with black gift paper surrounding so many gifts. My eyes are wide open as the nurse lays it on the table next to me.
"Whenever you finish dinner. You can bring all your gifts and head down the hall to the front desk." She smiles. I nod with a smile.
I just realized that I missed some school days. Today is Wednesday. I must return to school tomorrow. I think the hospital will let me continue school tomorrow.
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"Hey babe." I see Kisame smiling as he crosses those tattooed arms. I'm a little afraid to breathe the outside air, especially after the incident and spending a whole week at a hospital. I grip my gifts tightly as I walk towards him. His eyes lit up each step closer to him.
"I'm scared." I quietly whisper to myself. I take a deep breath as I sit in the passenger seat. There's a fresh cigarette burning slowly and left in the ash bowl. I watch him close my door and walk to the driver side. He smiles at me as he shuts the door and grabs his burning cigarette. A big inhale of smoke follows and I turn away from that intimidating face. I honestly don't want to see his face right now. I don't even want to recognize his presence. I don't feel good about coming home, especially from a long stay at the hospital.
"I'll take you home." He exhales as clouds of smoke swirl against the windshield. The air is so thick and warm that it caused the smoke to sit there instead of fading away. I hear the heater groaning through the car. The car still reeks with weed and cigarettes, even after a week it still smells. The traffic looks blurry to me. I've got a sudden urge in my stomach begging him to take me home safely.
I'm not sure how I feel anymore. Now that I'm back in the real world, all I want to do is buy a car and stay away from society. I don't know if this occurs to victims after almost witnessing their death, or if I'm being too dramatic. I like to think that I was always anti-social, but now it's to the point where I can't imagine sitting in a public place. Before, I could manage sitting alone in a cafe. But now, I doubt that will ever even happen. Especially after knowing that Fuguki knew I always spent my time at the cafe.
I realize the car's brakes are pushed and there's a red light. I'm back to reality. Stop getting so much into thought, I tell myself. Time is now. There's a red light and there are pedestrians enjoying the crispy air. I see girls locking arms with their girlfriends. I'm heading home from the hospital. Kisame is my chauffeur and I have to face the real world again.
I want to just get out of here. This place is sad with disgusting people. I should've listened to father and mother. I should've took their advice. I should've went to that university not too far from home. But no, I coerced them into letting me go to my dream school despite it being in the Mist City; which is known for being a dangerous place. But the areas around campus are safe and I used that as an excuse for them to let me go. I'm such a stubborn fool. How much more stubb---
"Almost there." I suddenly hear his voice and wake out of my thoughts. I keep telling myself not to get so lost into my thoughts but I always fail.
The red light didn't wake me out of my thoughts. And I doubt his voice would too.
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He smiles at me as he opens my passenger side door. I can't help but choke as I imagine myself breathing the real world air again, and not the sterile and safe atmosphere of a hospital.
One foot on the ground. My hand gripping my gifts and the other gripping the fabric seat as I push myself out the car. Gunshots ring in my head. One. Two. Three.
"No..." I quietly plead to myself. My surroundings suddenly feel hot and my face is burning. I really can't do this. The apartments look like they're sagging and begging me to run back to the hospital. I can almost hear them begging me that the worst is arriving.
"I.." I'm breathing hard. I can't get myself out of his car. I steal a glance at his face. He's removing those shades from his eyes, revealing wide, concerned yellow orbs.
"Babe? You ok?" He's moving closer and I smell his scent caving onto me. This is the last thing I want. Him. I don't want him. If they find him hanging around with me, they're going to hunt for me. I want him gone. I don't want to hear another bullet. I don't want to see him risking his life for me. I don't want to be in any part of his gang or the predicaments they make. I don't want to be in any of it.
My breathing hardens. I can hear myself begging for air. Four. Five. Six.
Oh god. No more. Please.
I can feel the kick against my head. I can hear his scary voice whispering loudly against my face. That strange red otange hair hanging down his scary frame. No more. Stop these images.
"Baby!" He's yelling and for the first time I hear his voice almost in a cry.
"You're home. You're fine. Come here, let me walk you to your..." He gently grabs my wrist and slowly pulls me towards him and out the car.
Seven.
His hands are warm again. I don't know if it's his warm hands touching me that's making me dizzy or if it's my heavy breathing.
The light radiating off short streetlights surrounding the parking lot looks blurry. Am I really home? I don't even know.
"No!" I fire back at him and pull my wrist from his grip. Nothing is coming to my mind as I'm sprinting away from him.
"Itachi!" I hear him calling me. I'm not sure if I hear footsteps following me, and I don't care. I just want to lock myself away from reality. I want to hide away form this disgusting town I'm supposed to live in for another semester.
Suddenly I recognize that I am in my neighborhood. I recognize my apartment and it's dark bricks and dark windows.
I quickly soar through the main entrance and aim right to my room. Room 93. Dropping the bags and shoving my hands in my jean pockets, trying to remember if my keys was in there.
I feel the small red key in my back pocket. And I quickly shove it in the lock and turn it. Nothing is in my mind as I realize that this is it. The real world is back. The dangers of this city and it's haunting people. I know they'll hunt for me. I just know it.
The door swings open and I quickly lock it behind me, throwing the gifts on the floor.
The kitchen looks just the way I left it. Empty. Lonely and clean, but dirty with dark secrets. Secrets I keep hidden in the walls of this apartment.
I don't want to look out the window and see if Kisame drove off. I don't care. The more I'm with him, the more trouble I'll get into.
My feet runs to my bedroom and I quickly find safety in the loneliness of my bed. I pull the blanket and hide myself underneath the cotton of guilt. My breathing has slowed down and I feel everything slowly treading back together, like retracing your footsteps.
I'm safe. I'm home. I'm alone. I have no idea about tomorrow and I honestly don't care. I don't want to know tomorrow and I don't want to think about it.
Everything is grey.
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