Chapter ~ 1

I received another text from Sai as I was on my way home from Circus Circus. I didn't really feel like replying, so I just stuck it back into my pocket. With a sigh, I unlocked the door and slammed it shut. I heard a moan and stopped dead in my tracks. Only then did I remember that I had a beautiful girlfriend who agreed to sleep over at my house after weeks of asking. Then I just ditched her to hang with the guys at the Adventure Dome. I smacked my face and quietly made my way to the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror, wondering where the excitement in my life went. It just left, leaving me craving for it once again. Not to say that Hinata isn't fun or anything, it's something else. I wanted to try something new. Something different. Something that would give me that, what it seemed like, high again.

My phone vibrated again. I checked it. It was Gaara this time. Hey, you okay? That Gaara, always worrying about other people instead of himself. It made me smile. Yeah, why do you ask? I turned on the sink and splashed water in my face. Well, it's just; you left in kind of a mopey way. Did you want to do something else? I told you we didn't have to go to the Adventure Dome. I chuckled. No, don't worry, nothing's wrong. Really. I've just been so bored lately. I was hoping for a little more excitement is all. I sat on the toilet seat and waited for the next text. Are you doing anything tomorrow? Maybe we could hang again? This was something different; usually I was the one to ask Gaara that question. Sure, where we meeting? – I'll pick you up from your house around noon. ^_^ That wasn't totally answering my question, but whatever. It was Gaara. I could trust him with anything. Alright then, it's settled. :)

I tiptoed to my bedroom and slithered into bed without worrying about my shoes or clothes. Hinata was asleep on the couch. I woke up to the sound of my alarm. I smashed it to pieces when I slammed my hand on top of it. "Damn, not again," I murmured. Hinata stood in the doorway, giving me the scariest look. I sat up, readying for a lecture. Surprisingly she didn't start rambling until I stood up to walk out of the room. "What's the matter with you? You beg me to come over, and when I do, you leave!? 'Oh, it'll only be for a few minutes! My phone's dead, I have to tell them myself!' What a load of crap! How long is this going to go on for? You ask me to do things, I do them, and you just blow me off!" I sighed while grabbing my hat. "We'll continue this later." Then I walked out the door, leaving her gasping and eyes full of rage.

Gaara sat in his red mustang just outside of the yard. Somehow, excitement began building up. I slid across the hood and hopped in the passenger seat. Gaara just looked at me for a second, then put his foot on the accelerator and put it in drive. We zipped through the streets. I asked, "Where is everybody?" "Don't know, it was packed a few minutes ago." As we got further into town, the number of cars seen decreased dramatically. We stopped at a casino. "The Casino? You think this is exciting?" He gave me a smirk, "Stay in the car." He left, and when he returned several minutes later, he gestured me in. I walked with him to the slot machines. Sai, Sasuke, Kiba, Lee, and Neji were waiting for us there. "Hey guys." "What's up bro?" Kiba said all cool-like. Neji slid his arm across my shoulders, "You ready for this, man?" There was sarcasm in his voice for some reason, but there was complete and utter seriousness in his eyes. I hesitated before nodding.

Sasuke led us into the men's bathroom. "What's going on?" I started getting nervous. "Look, dude, you don't like the regular crap we do together, fine. But you're not going to wimp out of this one, alright?" Kiba pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. My eyes widened. "What? No, we can't-" "What the hell did I just say!?" "Look man, we're not twenty-one." "And yet we can sit at the slot machines without a second glance," Neji cut in. "I don't care, that's different. Gambling or breaking minor rules doesn't screw with your health." "Not your physical health anyway." Sasuke stated. "Look guys, you're cool and everything, but if you're going to drink, I'm out. Not only that, but I'm surprised at you Gaara! I know you're capable of doing many stupid things, but to do something so degrading-?" "Whoa, calm down Naruto!" Lee tapped my shoulder. "We weren't going to drink this."

I eased up, "Oh, sorry Gaara." "Heh, that' alright." "Well, if you weren't going to drink it, what were you planning to do with it?" Lee smiled wide. Neji gave Kiba a rag. "Hey, you bring it?" "Yup." Lee handed Kiba a lighter. He stuffed the rag into the bottle and lit the end of it on fire. "This is severely messed up, and we could go to prison for it, but you wanted excitement, and now you're going to get it." I looked at Gaara, worried. He shrugged his shoulders, "It doesn't mess with our health." Kiba stepped into the doorway and tossed it at the machines. The people scrambled like ants. The fire blazed everywhere. All the guys were laughing their asses off while I was horrified. We made it to Gaara's car, and all fit, and drove off without anyone really noticing.

I took a breath, "What the hell was that!? We're going to get caught you know? They have security cameras for a reason." "I told you he didn't see," Sasuke laughed. Lee held out his cell phone, "I hacked into them, stopping them and restarting them immediately after Kiba threw the Molotov. It was a mere second, if that." "Someone could've gotten hurt." "But no one did. Besides, didn't you get the rush you were looking for? Anyway, it's not like we'll be doing that again." Gaara said calmly. I chuckled, "Well, that was a little fun, I do have to admit." We blared our music and yelled, just to annoy other people, (that didn't seem to be anywhere in sight) until we got to the perfect Cliffside to see the sunset.

After the sun had set, Neji and Lee headed out, taking a bus home. Sai and Sasuke were joking about something next to the trees and Kiba gave me a 'bros-hug,' as he likes to call it, before he left too. It began to get a little chilly, so Gaara and I sat in his car, waiting for the other two idiots to get in after us. It turns out that that's too much thinking for them, so they stayed in the cold yammering away. I remember the last time this happened. It was the same deal, excluding the Molotov at the casino thing. Gaara and I passed the time by talking about everything. That's when we turned into close friends. I could tell him anything and he wouldn't judge it; he'd keep an open mind and listen to every word. I swear, if he was a woman, I would date him in a heartbeat.

An hour passed and Sai and Sasuke had somehow disappeared. Gaara texted Sasuke. He said that Sai was walking him home; they were going to play video games and Sai would go home late, worrying his mother to death for no apparent reason. "Well, I guess that means we can leave then." Gaara smiled and put the keys in the ignition. It wouldn't start. Gaara tried over and over, and still nothing. I think he dropped the f-bomb under his breath. That'd be the first time I'd ever heard him cuss. "Great. I guess we're stuck here for the night." He sighed. "Well, can't we just walk to the nearest building?" "The nearest building is an hour's walk from here. Sai and Sasuke, luckies. They probably started walking right before it began getting cold." We sat in the back seat, close but not too close. Just enough so we wouldn't freeze to death. "So, how's it going with you and Hinata?" "Huh? Oh, yeah, I don't know. She's just really naggy. Heh, she reminds me of my mother." Gaara laughed.

He began shivering. I looked around for something to warm him. "If you're looking for warmth, you're out of luck. There's nothing in here to use. I'm a little obsessive that way. I like my car to be nice and tidy, with nothing taking up space." I smiled, but I was worried. If he's really that cold, I'm going to have to push the awkwardness button. I slid close to him, planting myself against his body and wrapping my arms around him. He froze for a few seconds, and then looked at me. I didn't dare look at him. I kept my eyes searching for something interesting to stare at out the windshield. After some time had passed, he tapped my chest saying, "Okay, I'm warm now." I nodded and returned to my original position. I was in kind of a mix. If I'm "so-in-love" with Hinata, why did cuddling with Gaara feel so right? I don't know, I'm just not going to think about that…