Chapter One: Catharsis



“Dammit! I haven’t grown at all! What’s the matter with me?”

Sakura threw the measuring tape onto the floor with all of her superhuman might. She stared at her naked body and cupped her small breasts that never came close to filling her palms. She sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. She knew she was a late bloomer physically. She had come to terms with that. Ino was always ahead of her.

She put her hands on her thin hips. She had the right bones to be as curvaceous and womanly as Lady Tsunade was. She should have been first. Even Hinata was ahead of her. The shy, mousy Hinata Hyuuga was a D-cup with some of the most inviting hips in the village. She hid her curves. Sakura would have hated her for that reason alone. Nevertheless, she could never hate someone as kind as Hinata--supportive, sweet Hinata.

Hinata always told Sakura that she was beautiful. She had a perfect face and the silkiest hair and skin imaginable. Sakura was blessed. Her skin was perfect and flawless. No cut, scrape, or blemish had ever marred her skin; she had no scars despite all the abuse she had taken. Hinata laughed and said she wished they could change places. She did not like everyone staring at her. She hated how all eyes moved up and down her body as they gauged her as if she were a piece of meat. Hinata always said Sakura would come into her own at the right time.

So did Ino. So did Ten Ten. So did Temari. So did Tsunade.

Time.

Time would run its course.

A boy would really love her for herself because of the way she was now.

It would just take time.

The most beautiful flower is always the last to bloom.

Sakura wiped the tears from her face. “It’s all a load of crap,” she muttered, “How could anyone love someone like me. I’m too outspoken. I cry too much. My heart’s so broken. But I try--I try to take it like a man. I just do the best I can.” Sakura bit her perfect, soft lips. She let her body fall down on the bed. “I just wish there was a way,” she said, “I could be pretty like everyone else.” She turned onto her side, “What do they know? They’ve always been beautifu: even when we were little girls. They don’t know what it’s like to always be the ugly duckling; especially when you’re never going to be a swan.”

Sakura curled up into a ball and cried.