Looking For That One Smile
Sakura walked out of the band room with thoughts filling her head of her fragile grandmother laying the downtown hospital bed in intensive care. She sat against a wall away from the drinking fountains at the other end of the hallway. Her folded arms rested on her knees with her head buried in her soft, black marching band sweater. A steady stream of silent tears ran down her face as she read the text from her Aunt saying that her grandmother had just past away.
The only thing that echoed in the hallway was the ominous sounds of the different instruments and Sakura's gasps for air.
Sakura had been gone for awhile and the clarinet section was wondering where she was. Ino was the girl who sat to the left of Sakura, she had always managed to get beaten by Sakura in every playing test that they had. Hinata played the flute and had also noticed that Sakura had been gone from her seat awhile ago, so she pulled out her phone while Kakashi, their band director, was demonstrating to the trumpets how to play a section in the very difficult music that was handed out only a week before.
Gaara's pocket vibrated with the notification of a new text, which read:
"Where's Sakura? I'm starting to get worried.
Timidly known, Hinata"
He text Hinata back saying that he was going to go check the hallway. There were two other baritones besides him so he knew Kakashi wouldn't mind if he escaped for awhile.
Gaara walked outside the band room and into the hallway. The sudden increase of noise surprised Sakura and she looked up to find him staring at her. Realizing that her face was red and tear-stained, Sakura buried her head once again into her sweater. "What's wrong?" Asked a provoked Gaara as he sat down next to Sakura. Nothing came from Sakura except for a mumbled voice.
Gaara knew that for Sakura to actually talk to him he was going to have to come out of his box, so he slowly put his arm around her shoulder showing her comfort and help. "Its okay, Sakura" Her head finally came out from her tear-drenched sweater and she wrapped her arms around Gaara in the biggest hug she could give. "Thank you, Gaara" "Always Sakura and you must remember to be cautious when eating peanut m&ms because they may actually contain peanuts." Sakura managed to show a smile on her face. One smile that Gaara had been looking for the whole time he was out there with her. "We ought to be getting back to band. Kakashi will begin to worry or start handing out cookies. We wouldn't want to miss out on that!" Gaara walked into the band room with a thumbs-up to Hinata and Sakura followed a little behind after a stop to the bathroom to redo her make-up.