Nobody's Home

One:
Hopeless.

"It's hopeless!" She screamed over the loud, thumping music. It drowned out the loud fighting downstairs, only the loud screaming from the Radio hearable. She blocked out the yelling downstairs, the sound so alien it frightened her.

They were never home. They were always gone and she never saw them anymore. And today, when she got home from school, there they were. Of course she was happy, overjoyed even, but then soon enough they began to fight. A horrible fight. And that's when she knew the reason they were never home. The reason she had to come back to an empty house every single day.

"Hopeless." She sobbed, sinking to the floor, slumping against the wall as she cried, her hands clasped over her ears. She didn't know what she was supposed to do anymore. She functioned everyday, despite the bullies that tried to bring her down. But she took it with her head held high, because every day, she told herself she wouldn't fall. Because, she assured herself whenever things got unbearable, they would be home today.

They were.

But it wasn't like what she wanted.

"Please," She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. "Please stop it."

The didn't. They kept at it, until finally she felt something inside her break. Everything she was holding up, everything she was running from. Regret, pain, truth.

She was a broken child. Utterly and completely broken.

She managed to stand on her feet as a soft cry left her lips, right when outside, thunder clapped and her room lit up, reflecting a picture. One taken years ago, still standing on her bed stand, reminding her that it wasn't always like this. It wasn't always so broken.

A picture of a happy family. A mother and father and daughter, holding each other and smiling, a perfect family. A together family.

But now, it's broken. Everything is gone.

She pushed loose hair from her face, stumbling forward and grabbing her shoes, stuffing her feet into them and running downstairs, grabbing her jacket and umbrella from the stand next to the front door.

It was no surprise her screaming parents didn't notice her. She heard them as she slammed the door shut, and as she ran down the street, rain pounding on her trembling form. She shakily opened her umbrella, and slowed to a walk, tilting the black umbrella to cover her, though her pale pink hair was dripping and sticking to her face already, her eyes red from crying so much.

The rain was oddly soothing as it fell onto her, her feet splashing the wet ground as she walked, not knowing where she was going, and not really caring. Anywhere but that broken home would do. Anything but facing the truth.

"Sakura?" A cool voice spoke behind her, causing the pink-haired youth to jump in surprise, spinning around to face the black-haired boy standing behind her in the rain, his black jacket dripping wet, the hood used to cover his head sticking to him.

"Sasuke," She squeaked in surprise upon seeing her crush, sniffing and rubbing her eyes, stepping forward and hastily covering him with her umbrella. "Ah, you'll get sick." She mumbled.

He only turned and stared at her blankly, reaching out his hand, as if to touch her cheek, before jerking it away and stuffing it in his pocket, cheeks flaming pink as he looked away from her. She suddenly felt happier, since he didn't push her umbrella away like she assumed her would.

"I'll walk you home, okay?" She offered. He nodded, and she gently nudged him forward as they walked in the rain, her shoulder brushing his arm every now and then. He didn't seem to notice or mind, but the small touch made her blush in glee, her earlier distress melting away. Because Sasuke always had that effect on her.

They walked in silence, not uttering a word to each other, but the silence wasn't awkward like it usually was, but oddly warm and peaceful. The rain was loud, but Sakura could hear her own beating heart as they walked, her hand shivering from the cold as she held the umbrella high, since Sasuke was taller than her. Her arm began to ache but she didn't show it as they walked, turning a corner towards Sasuke's house.

Aieee! She squeaked mentally in glee. I get to see Sasuke's house!

"Sakura," She jumped upon hearing Saskuke speak. "Why were you crying?"

She tuned to him curiously, her pink hair slipping into her face a bit, and she smiled at him shyly.

"Um, Sasuke-kun, why do you care?" She asked, but her voice was full of happiness. He really cared about her? But, Sasuke only frowned, looking bored as he looked away from her, stuffing both hands in his pockets.

"Forget it." He mumbled angrily. "It was just annoying."

Sakura smiled at him, and looked away at the sky, closing her eyes as she answered him softly. "Family problems."

He looked over at her, and then looked away again, expression blank, but eyes telling another story. They walked on in silence for a bit longer, Sakura growing used to it by now, when suddenly, Sasuke spoke again.

"Well," He said gruffly. "Stop crying about it, wimp."

Sakura frowned. "I'm not a wimp! It's some intense stuff."

But Sasuke only smirked. Sakura blinked, then smiled to herself as they walked in more silence, humming softly under her breath as they neared his house. She looked up when he stopped, and scanned his house. It was nice, but very plain. She blinked when he walked on without her, and she scurried after him, putting the umbrella over his head more as they reached his door. She pulled the umbrella away from him and blushed, shifting on her feet as he stared at her with those cold black eyes.

"Um, see you tomorrow, then." She mumbled coyly. He only grunted. She frowned, disappointed, but turned to leave, stepping off his front step, only to feel a cold hand constrict around her upper arm and pull her back, causing her to stumble back, ramming against a hard chest.

"Thank you, Sakura." He mumbled, before releasing her and turning, pushing his door open and disappearing inside. Sakura's green eyes were wide, her face red as she stared after him, flinching when the door shut, but then grinning. She spun around once on her feet, and flicked the umbrella higher over her.

"You're welcome." She said softly, walking off down the streets, smiling to herself the whole time. By the time she reached her house, she built up the self-courage to tell her parents how she felt, and pushed the door open roughly. She stepped in and kicked her shoes off, shrugging off her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack, putting the wet umbrella in the small stand next to the door.

She squeezed water from her hair, and pushed it from her face, taking a sharp intake of breath, before walking towards the kitchen, where they were last. She wasn't too surprise to see they weren't there, but she was surprised to find a note stuck to the fridge.

All the time they were never home, not once did they leave a note.

She walked over and pulled it off the fridge, peering down at it and scanning the words, causing tears to fill her eyes. She trembled as she read it, emotion welling in her chest.

Dear Sakura, it read. We're sorry for fighting like that in front of you. We've been having relationship troubles for a while now, but only because we haven tried to solve them. So we decided that as a family, to try harder. We'll be coming home tomorrow when you get back from school, and go out as a family. And this summer, we'll go to the beach. We love you. Mom and Dad.

"They care," She sobbed, smiling through her tears. "We'll try harder. Definitely."

Maybe it wasn't hopeless after all.

And this time, someone will be home.