A Familiar Past

The rain was still coming down when I finally pushed myself to my feet. I didn’t bother to wipe my face, the tears would probably be back soon. I walked through the streets of the estate. It hadn’t changed. It was still the same as it had been when I was a small child.
I walked past the old lake. The pier still standing and reaching out over it.

My mind wondered as I stood there, staring at the pier. Memories flashed through my head.

Sasuke: I’m so close.

He was standing at the end of the pier, breathing hard.

Sasuke: Again.

He started the hand signs, but I placed a small hand on his.

Me: You need to take a break. You’ve been at it all day. You’re going to hurt yourself.
Sasuke: But-
Me: Sasuke.
Sasuke: (sighes) Ok, Tiphia. You win.

He sat down on the edge of the pier, his feet swinging above the water. I sat down beside him. I looked down into the water, seeing my reflection staring back at me. My raven colored hair was about down to my shoulders. I had it pulled back into a short ponytail.

Sasuke: Tiphia, am I ever going to get any better?

I turned my gaze to the right to look at my best friend.

Me: You will get better Sasuke. But you have to get better in your own way.

I pushed myself up to my feet.

Me: But you have to do it in your own way. You have to stop trying to be like Itachi.
Sasuke: That’s a lot easy said than done.

He sighed as he looked down at his reflection in the water. I reached a hand out toward him.

Me: Come on.

He turned to see my outstretched hand. He grinned before taking a hold of it. I helped him to his feet.

Me: You have a jutsu to perfect.

I smiled at him. He returned it.

I was standing at the edge of the pier, staring down into the lake. My reflection stared up at me. I looked over to my right. I was looking at Sasuke’s reflection. I looked beside me to see the spot where he should have been standing to be empty. He should be there. He was always there.
The tears began to fall again, as I looked back down at the water to see myself, alone.

Me: Why aren’t you here?

I said this barely above a whisper as my knees made contact with the pier. I looked at the water; my mind wondering again.

Sasuke looked at me in shock.

Sasuke: What do you mean he won’t teach you?
Me: He said that I’m no where near ready to learn how to do a move like that.
Sasuke: Is your dad blind? You are just as good as me, if not better. And I know how to do the Fire Ball Jutsu.
Me: I know.

I looked down at the ground. It had been a few weeks since Sasuke had succeeded in doing the Fire Ball Jutsu. I had been asking my dad if he would teach me, but he didn’t think that I was ready.

Sasuke: I know!

His sudden outburst broke my thoughts.

Sasuke: I can teach it to you!

He was wearing a grin from ear to ear. I stared at him. A smile crossing my face.

Me: Are you serious? Will you really?
Sasuke: Of course. Come on!

He was already sprinting off.

Me: Hey! Wait for me, Sasuke!

The water was cold on my toes. My legs were now long enough to where the tips of my feet rested in the water as I swung my feet gently.

Me: [Things have changed so much.]

I just thought to myself. That was all that I could do. I watched my toes disturb my reflection. I could see that my eyes were red and puffy, my nose red too.
I looked up at the sky as the rain landed on my face. It had slow down a little, but was still coming down pretty hard.

Me: [Why?]