The Transfer Student

Chapter 35: Just Like Yesterday

Quickly, a week had already passed and Liz and I were still in high spirits. Hana had been crawling along, barely keeping up with the progress that I had made with Sasuke. The only thing that annoyed me though, was the fact that every teacher seemed to know her and love her. No doubt for the good sum of money she put in their pockets. I wasn't rich but I wasn't ashamed of that. I was just ashamed that I would be affected by the fact that her and her bouncy, blonde curls can just hop in anytime and pretend that she was the best of friends with just about anyone. Except for Liz and I of course.

"So what do you plan to do for lunch today?" Liz asked, a smile on her face.

She didn't look at me but I knew what she was thinking without her having to meet my gaze, What are you planning to do with Sasuke for lunch today?

I shrugged, "I dunno, maybe we'll go have lunch together".

She knew that the we wasn't referring to our usual group of five. She knew that I was trying to make a move on Sasuke.

"So...see you later" she giggled, "Have fun" she winked before disappearing down the opposite end of the hallway with her lunch, in search for Gaara.

I sighed happily and pulled my jacket around me tighter as I prepared to go outside. I had decided that the cafeteria was too busy and granted that Hana and her cronies were likely to be waiting just around the corner, I told Sasuke that I'd meet him outside for lunch today, even though the school grounds were covered in a thick blanket of powdery white snow. The snow crunched underfoot as I made my way around to the side of the school where I had told Sasuke to wait.

"Oof!" then the sound of someone hitting the snow.

"Hey...you alright?" that was definitely Sasuke's voice.

There was some shuffling noises and I stuck myself to the wall of the school, listening with bated breath.

"Y-yeah...I guess" the girl mumbled.

I heard Sasuke chuckle, making me narrow my eyes involuntarily, "Maybe you shouldn't wear heels in twenty centimeters of snow" he suggested.

"Y-yeah...I guess" the girl stuttered again.

There was silence for a while.

Then, "Hey, Sasuke...?" the girl called timidly.

"...Yeah?".

"Do...do you still remember that one time...when we were five and something similar also happened?" she asked slowly.

I stiffened. There must be some history between them.

"Hm..." was Sasuke's vague answer.

But the girl continued prompting, "I was walking in the snow...and I didn't know that some girls had put a sharp rock in my shoe...and I fell over and they started laughing..." she sniffed, "But you were there and I still remember you chasing them away as if were just yesterday".

There was silence again, then, "Yeah...".

The girl sighed, "I miss that, Sasuke...when we used to be together all the time" she giggled, "And with Gaara too".

Sasuke cleared his throat uncomfortably, as if he was disturbed by the fact that this girl knew so much about him.

"I still remember that rice cracker shop that we loved so much..." she sniffled, then the sound of footsteps in the snow, "...Do you, Sasuke? Do you still remember them?" she asked, sounding almost crazed.

I hadn't even realized how bunched up my fists were. In the cold, they were frozen in place, in a tight ball, just trying to hold back whatever emotions I held beneath my calm surface.