Chapter Two:
Under the Circumstances

Later on the group finally went inside, most considerably tanner and some sunburned. They discussed what they should have for dinner.

"I don't want to go out. I don't want to get in another car until, like, at least tomorrow." Ino said sitting in a rocking chair in the living room downstairs.

"Well, Gaara just went to get groceries, so we're eating something from the stuff that we have." Kankuro said not wanting to make two trips to the store.

Everyone threw out ideas of what to make, everything was argued about, agreed upon, reconsidered and then eventually shot down entirely. While everyone was bickering Sakura got up from her position leaning against the wall and made her way to the counter. Gaara was leaning against the counter with his eyes closed, just thinking. Sakura smiled and moved around him in her quest.

Soon she had all the ingredients she needed. She could still hear everyone arguing and smirked. She turned on the stove and grabbed the large black pot she'd collected. She filled it with water then set it onto the heated coil of the stove.

She proceeded to prepare a hearty spaghetti meal with homemade sauce and some garlic bread. She made plates for everyone and set the table for dinner.

Not surprisingly when she went into the living room the group was still arguing, now half-heartedly. They were all laying or sagging in chairs or on couches. Now though more often than a food proposition they simply stated that they were hungry.

"Ugh. I'm so hungry I think I can smell food." Kiba said.

"Yeah, me too." Naruto added.

Sakura giggled and got the attention of everyone.

"No you dumbasses. You smell the actual food I just finished cooking. It's ready and sitting on the table for you all." Sakura said smiling.

In about a split second there was a gust of air across her and everyone was gone murmuring a 'thanks' or a 'you're the best, Sakura'.

She walked back to the kitchen and took the only empty seat at the large table. She sat between Ino and Temari. Everyone enjoyed their meal thoroughly.

"God Sakura, where did you learn to cook?" Temari gasped as she continued to shovel down her food.

Ino answered for her "Sakura used to be a home nurse. She would go to the homes of elderly people who couldn't afford going to a facility, and help them."

Sakura continued "I learned a lot from that, I cleaned and I organized, I decorated and I delegated, and most importantly I learned how to cook a lot of things. All of the houses had billions of cook books and when the patients rested during the day I really had nothing else to do. Plus I had to learn to cook a variety of things so that I could please any patient."

After everyone finished eating they decided that since it was only 8 o'clock they would take a nap and go out to a teen club at around 11.

Sakura, Ino and Temari shared a room. Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba and Kankuro shared a room and Gaara stayed in the room that had the door closed earlier.

Sakura wondered to herself why Gaara slept alone. But let the thought pass. Everyone fell asleep shortly and slept soundly.

AGHK

Sakura woke up and rested in bed for a little bit before she let her eyes flutter open. She got out of bed and stretched, soon missing the warmth of her covers. She walked out of her allotted bed room and went into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and brushed her teeth.

Everyone had unpacked everything after they had come back inside from the beach. So the bathroom was full of hers and Ino's things. She walked into the bedroom and looked at the clock. 10:30 pm.

She walked up the narrow stairwell to the loft to wake up Ino and Temari, who both nearly strangled her for waking them. Then they nearly strangled her again for not waking them early enough. As the girls rushed around loudly getting ready, they woke the boys. Soon everyone was up and getting ready, everyone with the exception of Gaara.

Everyone decided that someone should go in and check on him. He had been in his room for the entire 30 minutes that everyone had been hustling and bustling about. Sakura was volunteered to go. By volunteered I mean everyone decided she would be the least likely to die.

Cautiously she approached the door and opened it slowly. With the way everyone acted about it you'd think he kept live alligators in there. Hungry ones, at that.

Sakura opened the door only enough for her to slip through and shut it behind her. But it was dark. Not only because no lights were on, but the sun had gone down long ago and the drawn curtains were blocking out the moonlight. But Sakura's eyes adjusted quickly.

Gaara was lying in his bed, the rise and fall of his chest indicated he was at least alive. Sakura was relieved. She started to look around the room. She walked over to the window and in one swift movement pulled the string and separated them. Glimmers of pale light flooded the room instantaneously.

She heard rustling and an angry growl. She turned around and saw the boy curled up in a ball under his blankets. Sakura couldn't help herself and just burst with laughter.

Slowly the sheets rose, obviously Gaara awoke and stood up, still under the sheets. Sakura continued to laugh and at the sight she laughed harder –something she'd thought was impossible.

The sheets were tossed to the floor in a blur and Sakura was being pressed into the wall. He was standing in front of her with a hand firmly pushing her shoulder to the wall.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" He growled out, voice croaky from sleep.

"Well, good morning Starshine, the Earth says 'Hello'! You know, you have awfully bad morning breath. You should go brush your teeth." Sakura said smiling, not at all fazed by the "tough guy" act that Sasuke used to pull with her all the time. Well, before he switched personalities on her when he came out of the closet.

Gaara snarled angrily with a hint of pink at his cheeks and ducked away from Sakura.

"What the hell? It's not morning; it's barely eleven at night!" Gaara shouted and turned to find Sakura was no longer against the wall.

She was making his bed. Gaara just looked at her oddly for a while. After she finished making his bed she walked over to his dresser.

"Which drawer has your clothes in it?" She asked him firmly.

"Hn."

"I suggest you tell me now, or I'll just start going through all of your drawers."

"Hn"

"…And at least one of them has your underwear in them, I'm sure. Unless you don't wear any? I guess we'll find out." She reached to open the first drawer.

Gaara's eyes widened, he glared at her "Last two drawers and the closet."

Sakura squat down and looked through his designated drawers.

"Look, we'll be leaving soon, and I still have to get ready, too. Go brush your teeth and take care of the monster breath. Get cleaned up, I'm picking your clothes."

"I'm not-"

"MOVE! NOW!"

Gaara was amazed that the lithe girl had this much daring. He quickly shuffled out of the room, flustered.

Sakura picked out his outfit shortly. Choosing his only pair of jeans that weren't ridiculously over-baggy; it was straight-legged blue jeans. She also chose a black long sleeved shirt –the night had brought in cold ocean air- and a maroon over-shirt. She'd assumed it wouldn't look too baggy on him.

She walked out of the room and over to her own, getting eyed by a few others. When she stepped into the room Temari and Ino were sitting on her bed chatting. They stopped and turned to look at her.

"So, like, what happened?" Ino asked, though Temari looked as if she was very interested in her answer.

"What do you mean?" Sakura said opening the drawer.

Temari answered with "What she means is: you go into Gaara's room, there's giggling and growling, then yelling. Then Gaara comes rushing out of the room straight to the bathroom blushing like mad. What the heck happened in there?"

"Ha, nothing really. He was being silly, so I laughed at him. He didn't like waking up so he growled at me. I yelled at him because he wouldn't listen to me. He was embarrassed by that I guess. Simple." Sakura pulled out some clothes.

She grabbed black fishnets and a pair of blue jean short-shorts. Then pulled out a black shirt that was tight in the stomach and then loose in the top and off the shoulder. She decided to do accessories after she got dressed.

She put on all her clothes then went to her top drawer for the accessories she'd brought. She pulled out a red studded belt and a bunch of colorful thin plastic bracelets, grabbing all the red and black ones.

She noted that she'd picked the same colors she'd set out for Gaara, but she didn't care, she was in a black and red mood at the moment anyway. She put on a comfy pair of black converses.

Kankuro had mentioned it was a punk-themed club, so she was excited to see it. She leaned onto the bed where Temari and Ino still sat chatting, already dressed.

"Could you two go check on the boys while I go finish getting ready, please?"

"Fine, but you get to check on your blushing bride." Ino said with a smirk and then left the room with Temari.

Sakura rolled her eyes then put her hair up in a ponytail and made sure it would hold and not make her hair look overly messy, just perfectly messy enough.

She put on eyeliner and misted on some citrus-floral perfume. Satisfied with her look in the mirror she walked over to Gaara's room. She knocked then ducked her head in; Gaara was just spraying on cologne. He turned and nodded, so Sakura closed the door and headed downstairs with everyone else.

Naruto was wearing a semi-baggy electric blue shirt with black straight-jeans. He had on a wrist-band too, electric blue to match his shirt.

Sasuke was in a form-fitting black T-shirt that said 'fuck' on it in white letters on the front. He had on destroyed skinny blue jeans. His eyes donned the usual eyeliner and he had on a black belt.

Kiba was dressed similar to Naruto with a grey shirt and blue jeans along with a few black wrist-bands.

Kankuro had on a purple shirt and black straight-jeans.

Ino was wearing a short blue jean skirt and a low-cut navy shirt with several blue bracelets on.

Temari was in tight skinny jeans and a light purple tank top with a black choker around her neck.

Sakura felt very comfortable in her clothes and with the group. They all looked like they were together. Sakura jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Goosebumps ran down her back and arms and she turned to see Gaara.

She'd never really looked at his face before; not closely at least. His skin was extremely pale for someone who lives next to a beach. He had light freckles, barely even noticeable, scattered across his cheeks; his eyes were intense, but she had noticed that. The outer ring on them was deep green and as it went inward toward the pupil it faded to light blue. So gorgeous. He's not the most obviously handsome boy. He's not someone you'd look twice at, unless you've looked twice. Once you've seen him, really seen him, you can't not notice how striking he is.

Sakura smiled and turned back to her friends.

"So I guess we're ready." Temari said and the group headed out.

AGHK

When the group stepped up to the front of the line the bouncer smiled at the girls and waved them through, they guys had a little more trouble, but made it in nonetheless. They were soon inside 'The Basement' a teen club that had several bouncers out front and heavy surveillance, because it allowed underage drinking.

Inside the club, they noticed that there were very few girls in the club. Sakura, Ino and Temari wanted to head out to the dance floor but were almost immediately offered a drink by a group of men.

None of the boys were really Sakura's type so she quickly downed her drink and wound through the crowd to the dance floor.

The DJ was pumping a weird spin of music. So far he appeared to play punk or rock songs with a techno back-beat. It was weird but very tempting to dance to.

Currently a Ramones song was playing with a techno back beat remixed and sped up a little. Sakura was dancing in the crowd. She was surrounded by guys who were getting increasingly aggressive and couldn't see anywhere around her to plot an escape. She got a little panicked, surrounded by a bunch of strange gyrating dudes, but was saved when Ino and Temari weaved their way through and started to dance with her.

With the three girls jumping and dancing around each other the guys just seemed to huddle around even more. The girls eventually get tired and thirsty and leave the dancefloor for another drink: Sakura taking two shots of tequila and Temari and Ino taking some fruity beverages.

The girls went over to a table where they saw a couple of the very few girls in the club flirting with the boys of the group.

Ino chuckled and gestured for Sakura to look at Gaara. He seemed to be the only one not enjoying his female companion. She was talking and talking and talking, moving closer and closer and Gaara's eyes displayed absolute horror. The girl was apparently not taking the hint though.

Sakura laughed and strolled over to him. She stood next to him and put a hand very high on his thigh and squeezed. She smiled and turned to the girl.

"Hello, I'm Sakura, and you are?" She said managing to sound slightly pissed off but polite.

"Um, Melinda. I was, like, totally talking to Garret, here, do you mind?"

Sakura laughed and replied "I suppose I do mind." As she looked at the girl with a smile. 'Whatcha gonna do, girl. Just take the hint and go.'

"Then, like, don't watch." The girl answered with a smug smile and pushed Sakura to the side with what was probably all of her strength.

Sakura didn't move and continued to stare at the girl.

"Look, he's not interested so go bother someone else."

"Unless you're, like, his girlfriend, I think Garret can, like, totally speak for himself, 'kay?"

Sakura could barely contain herself. 'Damn, the nerve this girl has. Does she have a death wish or-'

"Leave." Gaara broke the tense silence and stared blankly into Melinda's eyes.

It looked like he'd slapped her across the face, her mouth fell open and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Well, like, screw you then asshole." She huffed, tossed her hair over her shoulder and stormed out of the club- too embarrassed by the rejection to try and stay.

The girls that had been flirting with the guys smiled at the exchange.

"What a bitch."
"Couldn't she take a hint?"
"She's crazy."

"That girl is such a bitch. Not the brightest bulb, either. She comes here basically every night, and every time she leaves with a different guy. It's kinda gross." said the girl that was sitting in Kankuro's lap.

"I'm sorry, my name's Kaitlynn. Everyone just calls me Kat though." Judging by the way she wrapped her arms around Kankuro and kissed him deeply, the two were an item.

Naruto had a girl standing with him, short and smiling.

Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

Kiba was on the dance floor with some girls. And Gaara was sitting there staring straight ahead with an odd look on his face that couldn't be placed.

Ino and Temari stepped over to the table and took a seat. Ino waved a hand in front of Gaara's face, but he didn't respond.

"So are you and Gaara…" Kat inquired.

"Uh…no actually…" Sakura said trying to fight the heat that was quickly rising to her cheeks as she pulled her hand from his thigh.

"Oh man, I seriously need a drink." Sakura said walking away quickly to the bar for a few more shots of tequila.

"Ya know, Gaara. That girl obviously likes you, and she seems a lot better than your ex." Kat offered settling her head against Kankuro.

Gaara's head shook and turned to Kat. "Sakura doesn't like me, ok. I'm not the kind of guy she'd get involved with." He turned back to looking straight ahead.

"Okay, listen. I've known Sakura for, like, ever. She's been hanging out with you like all day, pretty much since we arrived. She's been totally nice to you, as far as I know. And she just stood up for you and got rid of that nasty girl." Ino said.

"Okay. So she's being nice to me, she's a nice person. That's not too surprising."

"No-o-o-o. Think about the sitch: She saw a girl, like, hanging all over you. She tried to get her to leave and looked like she wanted to punch her face in before you said something. She was jealous, because she likes you. It's totally obvious." Ino said looking over to Sakura who was currently downing another shot. She flicked her finger over to the bar, "Now she's drinking because she's embarrassed."

Gaara huffed and refused to believe them, but he stood and walked over to the bar where Sakura was to check on her.

"Sakura. Stop drinking. Please?"

She turned slowly and looked up at Gaara. She seemed very childish then, like a young five year old. The defiance blazed through her and she replied "No."

"How many have you had?"

Sakura brought up her hands and started counting fingers. She was oblivious to how adorable she seemed to him at the moment.

"Nine." She said holding up that many fingers, she looked at them carefully and then grinned wide when she saw they were the right amount. Her eyes were bloodshot, she was slurring and swaying, she was clearly wasted.

The DJ switched the songs again and put on his techno remix of a Blink 182 song. Sakura squealed and grabbed Gaara's hand and dragged him to the dance floor. Sakura began to dance overenthusiastically. Gaara stood there, feeling awkward and not knowing what to do. After a little bit Sakura noticed he wasn't dancing and insisted on showing him how.

"Look, put your hands he-are." She slurred, her back facing his front, she put his hand on her upper waist. "Then you juss move. Juss go with yur insinks." She said drunkenly.

She began to "dance". She ground against him like she was digging for gold in his crotch. Her pace was at least matching the beat of the music and Gaara slowly unintentionally began to grind to the rhythm as well.

About mid song Sakura turned so they were face to face. Her dancing became erratic and no longer matched the beat, but some separate song playing in her head.

Whether it was the sheer proximity, the heat and intensity of the crowd, the unbelievable amounts of alcohol, the provocative dancing, or the obvious attraction they shared: they had kissed.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Gaara and he put his hand on the back of her head and the small of her back. They continued to shift until there was no space between them. The kiss lasted forever and not long enough all at the same time. When they pulled away Sakura's lips were slightly swollen from the pressure applied in the passion.

She smiled and leaned into him, her arms still wrapped around him. They'd stopped dancing long ago. Suddenly she felt very dizzy and the room was spinning a lot worse. He eyes rolled back and she fell limp in his arms, finally passing out from the intoxication. The last thing she would remember was the scent of his cologne. Gaara picked Sakura up bridal style and headed back to the table.

Some time while they'd been on the dance floor Kiba had returned to the table alone, but not empty-handed. He'd picked up a few phone numbers. Sasuke was making out with a tall brown-haired boy rather passionately.

Kat was still resting on Kankuro's lap. Suppose she's a 'lap Kat'. She looked at the approaching Gaara with Sakura comfortably curled against him.

She gave him the thumbs up, and then nuzzled back into her napping position.