Only Fools Fall For You (SasuNaru)

✨ Part 12 ✨

"I take it back," Naruto whispered with a worried look to his group members. "I can't do this."

Sakura gave him a comforting pat on the back. "You've been practicing your monologue since Wednesday; you'll do fine."

"I have my doubts," he mumbled nervously as his body began to tremble involuntarily.

"Naruto! It is your turn!" Gai announced with a dramatic point. "Get up there and show us what you can do!"

He gave another panicked look to his table. "Everyone else did something funny or cute! Why didn't I get the memo?"

"Naruto, relax," Kiba whispered as he helped the blond to his feet. "It's just theater class. Now, break a leg."

What an awful thing to tell someone right before they go on stage! He made his way to the front of the class while concentrating on not wobbling. This was the second time of many to come that he would be standing before his peers and be expected to be a different person.

I'm not Naruto right now. I'm Yale, and he has something to share with everyone. I just need to tell his story.

There was an aching silence as all eyes converged on him in curiosity. They were probably wondering how well or horribly he would do with his first monologue. He took in a big breath through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth before he gave a weary frown.

"I sold her a ticket that night. I only recognized her because... we played four-square together once. She introduced herself. I don't really remember anything we said, but she seemed sweet," he stated with a light shrug as he visibly failed to force a smile.

"I didn't know her last name until I saw the article in the paper. It said that she was a sophomore and a journalism major. She was from Joliet. She had a younger sister in high school, named Carolyn. I don't know why I remember everything about that article..." he chuckled so dryly that it almost seemed painful as he ran a hand through his hair and dropped his gaze to the floor. "Her picture... was in black and white and it was right under the 'I-D-E' in 'suicide.' I don't know why I'm telling you this."

He gauged his classmates reactions as most of them went wide eyed, while others covered their mouth in shock. "The picture was small, it didn't look like a school picture, it looked more like a candid shot. She was sort of smiling, but she looked somehow... suspicious. I have a strangely vivid memory... of her face." He looked up ponderingly as he tried to picture her in his mind before a slight smile tugged at the sides of his mouth. "That night... she seemed fine. Friendly, and smiling. And I couldn't have done anything different." He took another pause to take in a small gulp of air to force down the urge to cry. "And I couldn't have known what she was feeling. But then, I didn't ask, did I?"

He sighed shakily as he bowed his head a final time, letting the silence overtake the room. "And scene," he added as he looked back up at them with a sheepish smile, but became more nervous when the class remained silent.

"U-uh.. Round of applause for Naruto everyone!" Gai declared after clearing his throat and the class joined in weak clapping.

With nothing less than a confused expression, he ran back to his table to join them in their silence before Gai announced the next student to be performing.

"Was... it that bad?" He croaked in humiliation as he studied the bleak expressions on their faces.

"Naruto," Tenten whispered as muffled chatter began to resume. "That was beautiful."

What a nice way to show it.

"But it was also sad," Sakura added with a pitied look. "Why did you choose it?"