He's the Reason

-X-

"Sorry I'm late, Alyssa," Gaara says to me as he sits down across from me.

"No, it's okay," I answer. "I haven't been here that long." Lie. I've been here for twenty minutes.

"Okay, good."

He flashes me his beautiful, bright smile and I can do nothing but smile back at him.

"How's your day been?" I ask.

"It's been okay," he says. "I've missed my girlfriend though."

"Oh." I give him a weak smile. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You hungry or anything?" Gaara asks.

I shake my head. "No, I'm good."

"You want to just leave and walk around some?"

"Yeah, sure."

We get up and leave the coffee shop. The streets are busy and crowded as we walk along side by side.

"Have I met your girlfriend before?" I ask. "I don't remember." Another lie. If anything, that would be the one thing I would remember.

"No," he answers. "She doesn't go to school with us. She goes to the private school Temari goes to."

"She must be really smart," I note.

"Absolutely. She's top of her class, gets straight A's. I think she was homecoming queen once upon a time ago."

I swallow. What does that have to do with being smart? "Oh, cool."

"You should meet her," he tells me. "I think you would like her."

I nod and thought, 'Yeah, right.'

We move our way through the crowd and I let myself fall behind. The crowd is strangely thick and if Gaara and I were walking together, it would be awfully uncomfortable.

I look longingly at the back of his head. Weird, I know, but it's Gaara. I would I could have that.

"Alyssa?" Gaara's voice sounds way too far away for comfort.

'Whoops,' I thought. 'Looks like I fell too far back.

"I'm coming," I call. I make my way over too him. Oh, good. He wasn't as far off as I originally thought. What a relief.

I spot Gaara, hurrying over to him just the moment a tall, built man accidentally bumps me to the ground.

"Oop," I grunt as my butt hits the pavement. "Ouch."

"Are you okay?" Gaara says as he goes over to me and helps me up.

"Yeah," I answer. "I'll be fine."

A soft smile grazes his lips. "How did you not see that guy?"

I laugh. "I have no idea."

'Too busy looking at you,' I thought.

"Come on."

"Let's go to the mall," I suggest.

Gaara nods. "Sounds fun. Maybe Sakura and Ino will be there."

Sakura? Ino? "Who are they?"

"Sakura's my girlfriend," he says. "Ino's her best friend. They hang out a lot."

"Oh. Okay." I take a breath. "Do you like her that much? Like, a lot?" Maybe I can still find a way.

"I do," he answers. "I think she's my one, you know?"

He flashes me his bright smile.

There was a moment of silence that passed between us before Gaara spoke again.

"Have you ever had one of those dreams where it's random and you have no idea why you had it, and it confuses you?"

"Yes," I answer. "I know exactly what you mean." I always get those. Not recently, though. I've been dreaming about something else lately.

"Don't they suck?" He laughs.

I smile. "Sometimes."

He nods, laughing softly. I smile. That's what's been haunting my dreams lately. Him, his laugh, his smile.

"Gaara!" a female voice calls behind us. I turn to see a pretty girl that looks my age. She has shoulder length pink hair and bright, emerald green eyes. A girl with really long, platinum blonde hair and blue eyes stand next to her. The pinkette was waving at us.

I look over at Gaara, who's smiling at them. We stopped and waiting where we were for the girls to come over. I only had one question: who are they?

The pink-haired girl gives Gaara a loving hug and it dawns on me.

She must be Sakura. The blonde has to be Ino. Now it makes sense.

"I haven't seen you in days, Gaara," Sakura says, releasing him from her hug.

"It's only been two days, Sakura," he tells her.

"It feels like more."

"Awh," the girl I assume is Ino coos. "You guys are so cute."

"Thanks," Sakura says then looks at me. "I haven't seen you before."

"HI," I say, giving a small, shy wave. "I'm Alyssa."

"Sakura," she introduces herself.

"I'm Ino."

"Nice to meet you," I tell them.

"Has Gaara told you about me?" Pinky asks. "I'm his girlfriend."

"I know," I say. "He's told me."

"Who are you?"

"His best friend."

"He's never mentioned you," she notes.

I felt a pang in my heart.

"Yes, I have," Gaara defends. "You just didn't know I was talking about her since you didn't know her."

"Oh."

In my head, I laugh. 'Burn.'

"Hey, Gaara," Ino says, looking up from her phone. "Can you take Sakura home for me?"

"Wait," Sakura looks at her friend, "why?"

"I have to book," she explains. "Poor Hinata's in tears. Kiba just broke up with her."

"Oh, no," Pinky gasped. "That's terrible."

"Yeah, I know." Ino looks to Gaara. "So, please—can you?"

Gaara sighs. "I don't know. I was sorta hanging out with Alyssa."

"It's okay," I tell him. "You can go; I'll be fine."

He looks to me. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I nod. "I'm sure."

"Thanks," he says. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it."

"Bye, Sakura," Ino says then walks off.

"Bye!" she calls after her. "Come on, Gaara."

"See you later, Alyssa," Gaara says.

I smile weakly. "Bye."

The pair leaves and I exhale a breath I wasn't aware that I was holding.

'Dumb Gaara,' I thought. 'Dumb, dumb Gaara.'

I watch him leave. He walks away gracefully, and I'm not sure which I'm more jealous of—him or her.

Gaara has always been that way. He walks, speaks and practically breathes perfect.

Sometimes, I wish I were like him.

~She'd better hold him tight, give him all her love, look in those beautiful eyes, and know she's lucky 'cause~

Off in the distance, I see Sakura wrap her arms around Gaara's arm and they walk closely. She looks deep into his ocean blue eyes as they talk.

I sigh. 'Hold on tight, Sakura. He's the best you will ever get.'

After they get out of my line of sight, I turn and walk to Hot Topic. May as well look around.

Thirty minutes later, I walk out of the store with some new shirts. I make my way to the bookstore, read some manga, buy some books and a coffee, and get out.

I sigh as I check my watch. Nine-thirty, I should probably be getting home.

When I arrive home, it's dark. My parents have long gone to bed, I suppose. It's just me. I head up to my room, closing the door behind me.

As I change into my pajamas, my eyes land on the picture of Gaara and I from this summer. The summer before he got a girlfriend. I bite my lower lip.

I wish this summer had never ended.

I wipe my eyes and go into my bed, crawling under my covers. No use thinking about this any more tonight.

'I should just go to bed.'

X-X-X-X-X

I wait near the park the nest afternoon. He's late

Again.

"Alyssa!"

I turn and smile softly.

"Sorry I'm late. I'll make it up to you."

-END-