The first thing I noticed was his eyes. They were blue and left me awestruck. He had long blond hair and half of it was pulled up. His tan skin was slightly toned, and he bore a tight frown.

He looked in my direction and I quickly looked away, so he wouldn't see me staring at him. I peeked from behind the shelves in the art store and saw him moving up and down the aisles looking for something. I blushed, and tried to continue my shopping.

'Paint brushes.' I thought to myself. I looked on the shelves, seeing an assortment of sizes, then looked up on the upper shelf, and to my dismay were the paint brushes I needed. I reached on my tip toes trying to grab them, but it was in vain. I cursed my shortness.

I looked around for a moment and being too embarrassed, refused to ask for help. I stepped up on the second shelf and attempted to reach the brush, but I lost my footing. I wobbled backwards, and nearly fell on my butt, but a pair of strong arms caught me. I looked up and saw the blond boy smiling at me. He released me and I blushed. He then grabbed the brush and held it in front of me.

"Is this what you were reaching for, un?" He teased. I took the brush from his hands.

"Yea, thanks." I said turning to leave.

"What's your name, un?" I heard him call out when I was halfway down the aisle.

"Keiko." I said.

"I'm deidara, un." He said following me down the aisle.

"Okay?" I said wondering why he was still talking to me.

"I saw you starring at me when I walked in, so I assumed you were interested, un." He said being cocky.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not interested." I said, he was cute yes, but too cocky. His grin didn't falter.

"Are you sure, I could take you to get some dango, un." He said.

"No, I think I'll pass." I said trying to pay for the brush so I could make a get away.

"Well if you ever change your mind-"

""I wont" I cut in before he could finish. I handed the cashier the money and quickly left.

I walked home quickly, so I wouldn't be followed by the blond boy. I felt a little rude for not even considering his offer, but it just seemed strange to go eat dango with someone I'd never seen before in my life.

I finally got to the apartment that I lived in with my mom and step dad. I was tired and when I entered the house I heard my mom and step dad upstairs, doing something I didn't want to think about.

Well at least this gave me time to work on my art before I had to deal with my step dad. I sat in my room organizing my paint and readying my easel. However time always flies when you're not dealing with a psycho.

"Keiko!" I heard Yatsuo, my step dad, yell. He barged into my room. I took a deep breathe bracing myself for whatever might come next.

"Yes?" I asked apathetically.

"Where have you been all day?" I wanted to laugh, before I'd left I'd told him exactly where I was going and how long I'd be gone.

"I told you earlier I had to go turn in some paper work to the tsukiwakage, and that I was going to the art supply shop." I said calmly, no need to add fuel to the fire.

"No, you didn't." He said angrily. "Me and your mother feed you, clothe you, and keep a roof over your head, and this is how you repay us? By sneaking off and then lying." He was getting a little too angry, and I feared the worse.

"I didn't lie." I said trying to convince him I was innocent.

He marched over to me and grabbed me by the hair, I cringed. Then saw my mother walking into my room in tears as usual.

"Why do you have to be such a bad child?" She sobbed.

Yatsuo yanked me up by my hair and slapped me across my face. I fell back a little, but tried to hold my ground. I wanted to yell out in pain, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I lowered my head and looked at the floor, and kept telling myself it could be worse.

"What're we going to do with her?" My mother asked Yatsuo as if I wasn't standing in the same room as her.

"Sh, don't worry honey; everything's going to be alright. I'll take care of this; you go make yourself some tea." He said gently and ushered her out of the room. My mother was pathetic. He walked back in the room with an evil glint in his eyes. He shut the door and locked it, and that's when I began to wish I was dead.

By the end of it I was bruised on my stomach and back, thankfully not on the face. I breathed in cool air and tried to push back my tears. At least he never sexually assaulted me I told myself. I wanted to kill him with my own hands, but I couldn't, I was a chunin and he was a jonin, and aside from that if I killed him my mother would never forgive me.

I went to sleep early that night, not caring whether I ate or not, because I didn't want to see their faces.

I got up the next morning and began my usual routine. I showered, then brushed my teeth. I combed my deep brown hair that hung midway down my back.

When I was finally done getting ready I went into the kitchen to eat breakfast, my mom was asleep and my step dad was out on a mission for a couple of weeks, so thankfully I wouldn't have to deal with him for a while.

"Keiko." I heard my mother say.

"Yes?" I asked

"What are you doing today?" She asked me suspiciously.

"I have some training to do." I said tiredly.

"Are you going to be home soon? I don't want to have to worry about where you are all day." She said.

"Mom, I'm sixteen, you don't have to treat me like a kid, I'll be home soon, if I don't get held up with a mission or something." I said trying not to sound irritated.

"Keiko! I am not going to put up with you while your father is away. You better be on your best behavior." She said angrily.

"Fine, ill see you later." I almost spat.

I wiped away the sweat on my forehead and sat underneath a tree for shade, I'd been training all day in the sun, and needed a rest. I took a big bite out of the apple I'd packed and closed my eyes.

"Hey, un." I remembered the voice and wondered whether I should respond or pretend to be asleep. I opened my eyes and sat up.

"Hi." I said as he sat down.

"It's a nice day outside, un." He said casually. We were quiet.

"Why are you following me?" I asked finally. He laughed.

"I'm not following you, I'm meeting my teammates for a mission later on, I was coming to get a little training in before I left, un." Finally listening to him, he didn't sound so creepy.

"We got off on the wrong foot, huh, un?" He asked smiling.

"Well I don't usually get asked out by people I don't know." I said picking at the grass.

"No, I suppose that doesn't happen very often, un. Your just beautiful, un." I blushed.

"Well, thank you." I smiled.

"So you want to take me up on that offer for some dango?" He asked.