I took a deep breath in as I entered through the gates of Central Park. The air was sweet and crisp, and a beautiful blanket of snow covered the ground that crunched when I walked on it. Hardly any people came out to enjoy a day like that one day, usually because it's too cold and they're inside warming themselves by a fire. But me? I didn't mind the cold, and I needed some time to be alone. I pulled out my iPod and turned up the volume really loud and started singing to my favorite Underoath song. Music always helped me release stress. I couldn't resist. I began singing and dancing along to the beat.
"This ground we tread upon! We turn the pages left to right!" I sang. Soon, I began screaming the lyrics and then, grabbing my left leg, began slamming on my imaginary guitar. "Is now filling up to our necks! We seeeeee, everything!!!!!" Just then, I turned around and noticed someone sitting on a bench right in front of me. I yanked the earbuds out. My face felt really hot despite the fact that they were numb from the cold.
"I'm sorry…" I said totally mortified. "I didn't see you there, was I making too much noise?"
It was hard to tell who the person was. He sat there so still and didn't move an inch. I was starting to think he was dead. I couldn't see his face, his jacket hood cast a dark shadow on it. Finally, he mumbles.
"Hmph, way off-key, I will say," he said, still motionless. Inside I wanted to kick his ass clear across the moon. But I kept my cool.
"Well, I didn't see you there, I thought I was alone." I said. Then I cleverly added,
"It's not like this is the first time you've seen people do this,"
"Actually, it was."
I was about to get my feet into some violence when he pulled his hood down. Oh. My. Gosh.
"G-G-Gaara…" I said, shocked.
"What's you're prob?" he said staring at me. "Your eyes are as wide as dinner plates."
"Nothing's wrong it's just…wow..…"
An awkward silence followed. I just couldn't believe that Gaara, my little brother, was actually here, and alone with me. He was never really at home, because he has issues with dad, so I never got to see him. I had missed him so much.
"…I-I've missed you," I finally spit out.
Gaara didn't say anything. He just kept staring. I started getting this sudden urge to kiss him, because I secretly loved him, but I thought that if I did so, he would be utterly disgusted, so instead I lunged forward and gave him a big hug.
"Temari…" Gaara said softly.
"Oh Gaara…" I whispered.
"Um, Temari, do you wanna just, um…"
"What, Gaara?" I felt like crying.
"Do you mind? I think I'm about…to... suffocate…."
"Oh sorry," I said, letting him go.
Another awkward silence followed.
Deep inside, my brain was searching though all my speech files just so I could find the perfect thing to say. But it was taking too long to load all the data.
"So…" I finally managed to mumble. "Wanna come home? Just for a visit? I-I mean, dad's different now, I mean, he's been wanting you to come home."
He looked at me with evil eyes. (Those were so cute!!!) "I-I…..don't think so."
"PLEASE." Now I was begging. "You can hang around mostly in my room! I mean, uh, oops…" Gaara showed a small grin. That...sounded...WRONG. "Just visit, for a little while, you don't have to come back if you don't like it. Pleeeease????"
Gaara sighed. "OK."
I got a flush of joy. "Really?"
"But don't expect me to stay."
"Alright. Come on."
