Prologue

I huffed in an irritated manner [again], watching my blond companion pace back and forth across the floor. Naruto was such a spaz sometimes, I swear. He got so worked up over the smallest of things. And he was so bad at hiding when he was upset.

"Just tell me what's wrong, dobe," I hissed, crossing my arms and glaring at him stiffly. I wasn't one to really talk much - but I had a feeling I would need to to get information out of my friend today.

He and I were roommates; well, he and I and a redhead named Gaara. Gaara was usually gone, though... [Not that I really minded.] We three shared the pay for our small apartment; which made an already cheap home even cheaper.

Naruto shot me a glare, stopping and flopping unto the couch dramatically. "I don't want to talk about," he wined, throwing his head back. [Really, he's such a girl.]

"Hn," I grunted, my glare intensifying. He really didn't want to talk about it. That much was clear. But whatever he was upset about was serious, and as his roommate, I felt obliged to know what it was. And I knew all the right buttons to press. "Fine," I said in a defeated voice, my eyes not moving from Naruto's closed ones. "I get it," I persisted on.

One of Naruto's bright blue [gorgeous] eyes slid open lazily. "Thank you," he bit out in a begrudging tone. He knew what I was doing. Honestly, we knew each other too well.

"I mean, you can't really help being such an idiot," I said slowly, mock pity in my voice, "It's perfectly normal to not want to talk about it... I wouldn't understand how difficult it is to..." I smirked ever so slightly as Naruto straightened.

"I'm not an idiot!" He protested [interrupted] in a loud, rather obnoxious [in an adorable way] voice, "And that's not it!"

"Dobe," I said, smirking, "What else could it possibly be?"

"Sakura, okay?!"

I froze, smirk disappearing as a blank expression took over my face. Sakura. Sakura. That stupid pink-haired girl. She used to have such a huge crush on me. And I knew Naruto has a crush on her - it was obvious. But the girl had moved away several years ago. Why would Sakura be a problem?

"She's coming back," Naruto sighed, as if answering my unspoken questions.

My heart sank. It made me jealous enough that Naruto - a guy I admired [okay, more like a guy I had a huge crush on] had a crush on her; but she also never left me alone. She was obsessive.

Snapping out of my daze, I looked at Naruto. "Why... is that a problem for you?" I asked. Naruto noticed my sudden sullenness and sighed.

"You know how I feel about her..." Naruto muttered. "I just... Can't..." I raised an eyebrow in confusion. He leaned foward and rested his elbows on his knees, and held his face in his hands. Unkempt blonde hair [that really needed to be cut] fell against his forehead. I watched his hunched form with black eyes. "She'll never like me back," he sighed, "It just hurts to be around her."

I felt like a stake had been driven through my heart.

"You're right. You can't," I said with bitterness in my voice. What did he see in her? Why couldn't he feel that way about me? I guess she is a girl... But that's beside the point.

"She wants to stay with us," Naruto said finally, not looking up at me. He rolled his fingers against the sides of his temples, obviously trying to relax. It was good he chose not to look at me. I was full force glaring at him. I was pissed.

"What?" I said between my teeth. "Naruto. She can't stay." My black eyes were boring into my poor little roommate, who visibly flinched when I said his name. I didn't often use his name - normally dobe or usartonkachi surficed.

"I know," Naruto muttered, "But Gaara told her she could." My eyes widened a fraction. Stupid Gaara. Stupid life. How could Gaara invite her to stay without consulting us first? And since when did Gaara want visitors? He usually was such a solitary person. That was worth some looking into. Later.

"When were you planning on telling me? I should know if someobody is coming to my appartment, don't you think?" I seethed.

"Gaara was going to tell you," Naruto huffed.

"How long?"

Naruto looked at me with confused blue eyes and murmured, "Huh?"

"Naruto." Flinch. "How. Long. Is. She. Staying."

"A week," Naruto said shortly, daring to return my glare. Just then, a certain red-head strode into the room. When he noticed us on the couch, he hesitated. I glared daggers at him. Gaara turned towards the stairwell to his room, like ususal. Acting like he did nothing. He started to go up.

"Gaara you bastard!" Naruto yelled out, sitting upright ubruptly, "Get your tail back down here!"

But Gaara only went faster and soon disapeared at the top of the stairs. His door closed with the soft 'clink' of his lock. He was smart enough to figuire out thst I knew by now. And really there was no avoiding Sakura now. But I did wonder why Gaara would invite her - it didn't make much sense.

"She's in town right now," Naruto said, glancing at me. "What should we do?"

"I don't know," I said, anger still evident in my voice.

Naruto spoke again, "Well, maybe we could-"

knock knock

Naruto and I looked at eachother. We both knew who was at the door. So it turned out I wouldn't have time to beat up Gaara before Sakura stayed with us. After a few moments, Naruto stood up slowly and moved towards the door. I could hear him opening it down the hallway.

"Oi! Hinata-kun! Come in," came Naruto's cheerful voice.

I let out a sigh of releif. Looks like we would have peace a little longer before Sakura shook up our lives. For a week.

I looked in the direction of the door. The next question was, why was Hinata here?