Unseen Roses
Chapter One: Beautiful Stranger
O.oO.oO.oO.oO.o
As this blind rose, no more than a whim of dust
Achieved her excellence without intend,
So man, the casual sport of time and lust
Plans war and wealth, but loves by accident
Humbert Wolfe
O.oO.oO.oO.oO.o
"Gaara. Come to the front of the room. Now."
Gaara rolled up the sleeves of his white button up to just below his elbows and straightened his red tie before standing from his seat at the back of the room and made his way to the podium.
"Is there something that I can help you with Uchiha-sensei?"
Sasuke stared at eh red head before him that stood only an inch or so shorter than him. He was amaze and frustrated in the same breath. Even he, Uchiha Sasuke, ice prince of Konohagakure Academy, had never been able to put so much sarcasm and insubordination into a monotonous tone in all his twenty four years of life as this seventeen year old senior had just done.
'And,' Sasuke reminded himself, 'today's only the first day of what looks to be a long school year.'
"Will you please leave Uzumaki alone until you are out of my classroom?"
"No."
"Fine. Seeing that school ends in five minutes, stay after and we'll have a discussion with your parents."
True, this was Sasuke's first day as a teacher, EVER, but he expected some kind of paling of the skin (even though that seemed rather impossible for the already not quite albino teen) or nervousness or… something besides the cocky grin that was slowly growing on Gaara's lips.
He also wasn't expecting the sniggers, of full out hysterical laughter in Naruto's case, from the classroom.
"Fine, is that all?" Sasuke's eye twitched as Gaara strolled back to his desk, his hands in the pockets of his regulation black slacks; his grin still on his lips.
"Now back to the affects of genetic engineering between bacteria and… you have a question Kiba?"
Kiba brought down the hand that he had been waving towards Sasuke.
"Yeah, can I stay after and watch you make a fool of yourself Uchiha-sensei"
Cries of 'Yeah, can we?' and 'This is gonna be hilarious' rang from around the classroom.
But before he could say no, or better yet strangle the Kiba kid, a cool monotonous voice said a quiet but firm, "Sure". When the bell rang only seconds later, a sense of excitement settled onto the room. The girls whispered excitedly amongst themselves and the boys stared of into space with dreamy looks on all of their faces.
"Gaara, grab a chair from the corner and place it by my desk."
With a slight shrug, Gaara got back up, grabbed a fold up chair from the back corner of the room, and walked down the steps that lead back down to the front of the classroom. He sad down and placed his hands back into his pockets, slumping slightly in his seat to become more comfortable.
When the sounds of 'It's Been Awhile' by 'Staind' rand through out the room everyone immediately silenced as Gaara pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it. A smile, a real smile that left all the girls and plenty of the guys in his class swooning, appeared on his lips as he listened to the greetings coming from the other end of the line.
"Ohayo."
"No, you'll have to come up."
"Yeah, Uchiha."
"What? No, your department."
"I know it's the first day."
"Yeah, I know. It's room 417."
"Love you too. See ya in a minute."
He put his cell back in his pockets as his smile was replaced by his normal blank mask.
Soft footsteps were heard form down the corridor. The door handle turned and the knob gave a soft click before the most beautiful woman Sasuke had ever seen walked into the room.
She had on a white tank top and tan, baggy, boy cargo shorts. Her green converse high tops looked worn and the white and turned a brownish color with constant use.
Her pink locks that fell just below her shoulder blades was held back with her hitai-ate, the leaf of the school's crest carved into its center. A black silk ribbon was tied around her neck and dipped to the nick of her top that revealed only the slightest curve of the top of her breasts. On the ribbon was a red circular plate with the kanji for 'love' written in gold.
Her green eyes glittered brightly as every student raced to embrace her. She smiled warmly at all of them and greeted them like old friends as they all tried to talk to her at the same time.
She gently pushed them back towards their seats. She brushed past Sasuke and squatted down between Gaara's knees. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair above the tattoo on his forehead.
"You alright Panda-chan?"
"Good as I'll ever be, Forehead girl."
He blinked rapidly at the sensation of her flicking his forehead.
She stood and walked to Sasuke as the class watched with bated breath.
"Hello Uchiha-san. You wanted to speak with me about Gaara?"
"I want to speak with his parents, not his girlfriend or sister on a power trip."
She held out her hand which he took, albeit slowly.
"My name is Haruno Sakura, legal guardian of Sabaku Gaara. Now, would you like to tell me what the problem is that you're having with my son?"
