Just the other night, a hometown football game, my wife and I ran into my old high school flame. And as I introduced them, the past came back to me, and I couldn’t help but think of the way things used to be.
Naruto pulled the hoodie over his head, smiling as the soft cotton soothed his skin. He liked the feel of his old school’s colors back on. He’d missed wearing them, and was excited to be able to do so again. They were having an alumni football game, for all interested. And Naruto just couldn’t keep away. He knew that she was going to be there, knew that she would end up playing, and that he would have to deal with the emotions that brought up, but he didn’t care.
He had Hinata, he was happy with Hinata.
Speaking of whom…
Naruto let his head fall back as Hinata’s thin, pale arms came up to embrace him, his head resting on a thin shoulder. Hinata had once been a cheerleader. A blessedly powerful woman and strong, in both character and body, Hyuuga Hinata was like the perfect match for the brash Naruto. She was brilliant, calm, and demure. She was the perfect lady, ideal in every way. And Naruto was the one she’s fallen in love with.
They were lucky to be together, because when he’d first met her, Naruto had been suffering heartbreak, worse than he could ever recall suffering from. He had been devastated by the lack of support from his friends, destroyed by the fact that the woman he’d fallen in love with had just turned and walked away from him.
But Hinata had been there, waiting with her arms open, her shoulder ready to hold him as he cried. And she’d only known him for a month.
“Are you about ready to go?” Naruto asked, turning to face the pale Hyuuga woman.
“I am,” she smiled, a small blush gracing her pretty face.
-.-.-.-
Naruto had his arm wrapped around Hinata’s shoulders, holding her close to his side as he moved through the crowds of familiar, older faces. He hadn’t seen a lot of these people in years. Long, long years and it was a shame that it was that way. But he was also very happy that he was getting to see them all again. He could see Shikamaru with a blonde woman he’d never met before. Chouji with his arms around a pretty little red-head. His best friend Sasuke was there, Hyuuga Neji on his arm, which made him happy. There were people he recognized, people he’d missed for a long time, and people he’d kept in touch with.
And there, there she was. Standing there, alone. She didn’t have anyone around her, and her clothing looked like it had been washed maybe one too many times. She wasn’t as brilliant as she had been in high school, but she was still incredible.
Haruno Sakura, the one woman who’d broken his heart.
he was the one that I’d wanted for all times, and each night I’d spend prayin’ that God would make her min. And if he’d only grant me this wish I wished back then, I’d never ask for anything again…
Naruto tightened his hold on Hinata’s waist, pulling the petite woman close to him. He wanted the strength that the quiet woman gave him, the confidence that he found he often lacked. He needed her to help him, because he couldn’t recall if he’d be strong enough to on his own. He smiled that same old smile, and he chatted with his friends, but he couldn’t quite understand, if he’d be able to handle dealing with her.
Sakura was a powerful woman. She was brave and strong and encouraging. She didn’t take shit from anyone and she certainly didn’t take shit from the males in the school. She was always eager to put up a fight, eager to save her friends, eager to be one of the guys. And yet, there was this soft femininity about her that made her one of the most desirable women in the school.
Add to her personality a body that was made from the heavens above, green eyes that were brighter than emeralds and pretty pink hair that looked completely natural, and she was stunning. She was gorgeous to look at, her entire life revolved around her appearance, and she did a great job maintaining it- never once did anything appear out of place on her. And she was incredibly intelligent. First in class in everything.
Naruto smiled as he approached her, hoping that this time she would say yes. He could no longer count the number of times he’d asked this woman out. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d been rejected by her either.
He would spend his days, observing her, watching as she managed school life, watching as she yelled at all of the men who would hit on her friends, as she competed in sports and won, he watched her and he appreciated her. He wanted to have her, he wanted to hold her, to kiss her. He wanted her more than anything else he had ever wanted anything in life.
And he was desperate enough to have her that he would fall to his knees at night, saying his nightly prayers, and he would beg the gods that they would deliver her to him. He begged to have the happiness that he just knew they would have together.
And every day, he was just a little more heartbroken.
Today, he hoped would be different.
She wasn’t quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams, and I could tell that time had changed me in her eyes too, it seemed. We tried to talk about the old days; there wasn’t much we could recall. I guess the Lord knows what he’s doin’ after all. And as she walked away, and I looked at my wife, and then and there, I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life…
“Sakura?” Naruto couldn’t help but ask, approaching slowly, his arm tight around Hinata.
The pretty pink-haired woman turned, her brilliant eyes dulled with age and a knowledge of things she didn’t want to know. She looked like she’d been beaten a long time, and she looked like she’d given up. But when her eyes alighted on the strikingly blond hair of Naruto’s, her eyes seemed to dance for a minute before fading into obscurity.
“Uzumaki Naruto?” she asked, her voice deep and heavy.
“How have you been?” he asked, sliding his hand down to wrap his fingers around Hinata’s. He wanted to be subtle.
“Pretty good. I’m on vacation at the moment. I’m a scientist, you know?”
“I had heard that. I was proud to hear it,” Naruto answered. He smiled politely, it was hard to talk to her. He’d been so completely in love with her in high school, he’d been completely devoted to her, and it was hard to just carry a normal conversation now. He sighed and scratched the back of his head before turning to the small brunette beside him. “Sakura, this is my wife, Hinata. Hinata, this is Haruno Sakura. We were classmates together.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Hinata smiled, bowing politely.
“I’m glad you got yourself a nice girl Naruto,” Sakura smiled.
Naruto nodded and smiled sheepishly, looking to his wife for salvation. There was none though and Naruto sighed, letting his eyes fall shut slowly before he turned his attentions back to the pretty pink-haired woman.
“It was nice to see you again, Sakura,” Naruto murmured. “But I think I’m going to go and talk to some of the other people here.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. It was nice seeing you.”
Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers. Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs that just because he doesn’t answer, doesn’t mean he don’t care. Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
“Hinata,” Naruto whispered softly, pulling her close to him. “I’m glad I met you.”
“I’m glad we met as well,” Hinata murmured, bowing her head demurely, hiding the small blush across her pretty cheeks.
“You know, I used to ask God for Sakura. She used to be the prettiest girl in the school, the smartest and the brightest and just to be able to have her would have been enough, you know? But I don’t anymore,” Naruto smiled.
“What do you ask God for?” Hinata braved, afraid of the answer, curious all the same.
“I ask him to never let me lose you. And I thank God for all the unanswered prayers.”
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Story notes: Written for and beta-d by Nomme de Plume.
Song: Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks.