Finals are OVER!!!!!! CHRISTMAS IS TODAY!!!!!! COULD IT BE ANY BETTER!?!?!?

(I'm posting this on either Christmas or Christmas Eve…)

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"We're home!!!" Ami cried

"Ami, leave your things here, Sakura will carry our things in." Suzume said calmly and walked through the door to their new California home.

'Right bitch…' 'Let's just get it over with'

"Sure…" Sakura said sarcastically. She carried everything into the first room, and dropped it on the ground. After everything was loaded, the two sisters were fighting over their rooms; there were three, two in the hallway, and one in the attic. Neither one of them wanted the attic, so guess who got it? None other than Sakura. She kinda hoped for it, just because it was a whole floor away from everybody. She brought up her bags and box, and started putting them away. Her room wasn't anything special, it was small, one dresser, a small bed, a bookshelf with miscellaneous books, a computer in the corner, but the thing she liked the best was the giant window.

The giant window was actually a bay window, and just big enough to stare at the clouds, stars, and passers by. It had a beautiful design going around the frame; cherry blossoms were carved into the white painted wooden frame. The very tips of the petals were painted the palest of pinks.

'Tch… If either of the princesses saw this room, they'd want it all to themselves.'

'Good thing they judge books by their covers.'

'Yeah… I would have to redecorate though'

'Let's do it now'

Sakura continued to explore the room, and found a paint and pencil set in the top drawer of the dresser. 'cool' Then proceeded to put away her things, and make her room feel… roomy. She put her posters and pictures up, put her manga in the bookshelf, a pink & black rug on the floor, and put her clothes in the closet. She plugged her stereo into her wall, along with her alarm clock.

"There that's better; let's look at the bathroom…" Sakura said to no one in particular. The bathroom was white and only had a shower, a sink, and a toilet. She put her toothbrush in the medicine cabinet, and looked at the clock.

6:48

Sakura looked out the window and watched the sun go down. She saw a little girl playing with both of her parents… Sakura tried, but couldn't remember her mother. No sooner had she dismissed that thought, she felt a shiver go down her spine. She looked at her door, but it was closed, then she looked next door and saw a pair of jade eyes looking at her from the darkness of a room. She looked curiously and rubbed her eyes, making sure it wasn't a figment of her imagination. But as soon as she opened her eyes again, they were gone.

A few moments ago…

"Damnit Gaara! Go greet our new neighbors with us!! Temari shouted, putting ceran wrap over the cookies she just made.

"No." Gaara said going to his room and closing it in his sister's face, who was now talking to his door. He left his lights off, and kept his curtains open. He saw the girl he had seen at the airport, just hours earlier, and she was sitting the window next door. She looked really tired, but peaceful.

'She's our neighbor?'

'I guess so.'

'Let's go say hi…'

'Why? I'm not interested…'

'I beg to differ Gaara, you haven't taken your eyes off of her since we've been in the room.'

'Well… maybe she's a bit interesting…'

'Let's go say hi then!'

As Gaara went to leave he noticed the girl was staring at him, and when she went to wipe her eyes he quickly left his room. When he opened the door, Temari was still there, and just looking at him.

"I'll go."

"Wait… what?" A dumbfounded Temari stood there as he walked past her, he grabbed a cookie. "Let's go you two' Kankuro yelled from downstairs. Gaara silently walked down the stairs eating his cookie, and the three went to welcome their new neighbors. Temari rang the doorbell…

DING DONG

"SAAAAAKUUUURAAAAA!!!!! GET THE DAMN DOOR I'M BUSY WITH MY OINTMENT!" someone screeched "That's not something you say out loud Ami." Another voice calmly said "Don't worry I'll get it." A long pink haired girl with emerald eyes opened the door and smiled.

"Hello, my name's Sakura, nice to meet you, are you our new neighbors?" She asked as Temari handed her a plate of cookies.

"Yes, my name's Temari, this is Kankuro-"

"WHATEVER you do DON'T eat the cookies…" He commented, and got a smack on the head.

"Idiot, but I agree, I'm not really a good cook." She grinned "And this is Gaara, my other brother. Don't take it personally, but he rarely speaks two words to people he doesn't know." Gaara glared

"Nice to meet you Sakura, welcome to the Neighborhood" Gaara said matter of factly "I believe Temari, that was nine words." He smirked.

"Nice to meet you Gaara, you guys too-"Two girls appeared behind Sakura and pushed her out of the way.

"I'm Ami!!!"

"I'm Ino!!!!" They said drooling over the new hottie next door. Sakura shook her head.

"Ointment?" Kankuro asked.

"O-ointment… Ino? Why did you need that ointment?" Ami asked knowing full well it was hers.

"Sister dear, that was your ointment." Ino said

"Hn" Gaara ignored them and looked at Sakura "need a hand?" he held out his hand to help her up. Ami saw this and pushed her hand out of the way when she went for his hand.

"She doesn't need your help, she's just a slob. But, you could help me with something…" she said seductively.

"No" he helped Sakura up anyways. "By the way, your hair is a very interesting color, is it natural?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure I like the length…" Sakura answered tying back her hair.

"I think it looks fine." Gaara replied

"I think it's ugly." Ami put her two cents in

"I think it's hideous" Ino added

"Well… see you around Sakura!" Temari waved to break the tension and the trio left to their house. Ami smiled until the three were off, and started screaming at Sakura.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!? HE WAS TOTALLY GOING TO ASK ME OUT!!!" Ami ranted

"I don't think he was…" Sakura said and was no sooner slapped across the mouth, and fell to the floor.

"WHO CARES WHAT YOU THINK!!!"

"YEAH WHO GIVES A SHIT!?!?" Ino yelled.

"I do." Sakura replied calmly, she wasn't allowed to hurt her sisters, or Suzume would beat her. Ami and Ino looked at each other and smirked. Ami bit herself on the arm, hard, and started wailing like a banshee. Ino scratched herself and messed her own hair up.. They were both yelling like someone was attacking them. Suzume came down the stairs and demanded to know what was going on.

"S-Sakura… she… she attacked us" Ami cried, crocodile tears streaming down her face.

"We w-were just (sob) greeting the new neighbors… and she attacked us after they left…" Ino cried with her sister. "We pushed her off just as you came down the stairs."

"Sakura is this true?" Suzume asked sternly. Sakura was of course speechless, amazed at what the girls were doing. "I'll take that as a confession. Sakura… you know what's going to happen, right?" Suzume smirked, most likely knowing what actually happened, but just loved torturing Sakura.

"Yes Suzume" Sakura looked down adding to the pooling hatred she had for the three of them.

"This time I'll give you a choice, either let me do it, or your sisters…" Suzume said sternly, but with a wicked smile on her face.

'Why do we even take this crap? I could always…'

'Because she is our guardian, until we turn 18'

'You still don't have to take this crap'

'If I don't she'll have social services pick me up, and I'll be worse than before, besides I can deal with pain.'

"I'll take Ami and Ino…" Sakura stood up.

"Alright then" Suzume left to go back to her room. "Remember, don't touch her face."

"Time for the fun to begin Ino…" Ami taunted.

"I agree completely sister…" Ino cackled, and when Sakura went to stand up she kicked her legs from underneath her, making her fall to the ground with a thud. Before she could get up, she was kicked multiple times in the side, and her hand was stepped on. After the beating had commenced, Ami sat on top of Sakura, who was now limp on the ground.

"Ino, be a dear and go get the scissors."

"Sure" Ino ran to get the scissors and gave them to Ami.

"He likes your hair huh? We'll fix that…" Ami snickered as she placed the scissors across Sakura's waist long hair. With a few quick snips and Sakura's hair was now jaw line short (like in the shipudden episodes if that's how it's spelled). Then Ami then took the sharp side of the scissors and cut Sakura's shoulder and upper leg.

"Remember this next time you want to talk back to me. Bitch." Ami sneered then she threw the scissors next to limp Sakura. The two girls were laughing as they went upstairs. Making sure they were gone Sakura picked herself up and saw her old hair on the floor, and drops of her blood and left it there for someone to clean. Most likely her tomorrow.

She hobbled up the stairs to shower and get dressed for bed.

'I smell blood Gaara…'

'Good for you raccoon'

'This scent… it's familiar somehow… It smells like cherries'

'Who the hell would be bleeding cherries…' Gaara was at his window and saw Sakura turn on her light. His eyes shifted and looked up at her. He almost smiled, until he saw her hair and her expression… and the rest of her body… She was beaten, pretty badly. He watched her shed her jacket, and saw a large gash in her shoulder. Then her jeans, and there was a cut on her leg too. When she took off her shirt the real bruises showed. Her body was all colors of blue and purple.

'Who would have done that to her?'

'Do you really need to ask?'

'No… I have a fair guess.'

'I think we should help her…'

'Compassion? Shukaku are you getting soft?'

'No… but I feel a strange connection to her…'

'I hear, like an attraction?'

'It might be…'

Gaara was still watching her, but she collapsed onto the floor, making him jump to his feet. He looked at the lock on her window, and little grains of sand started unlocking it. After the window was opened, he jumped into her room, trying not to make a sound. He saw her condition and looked at the wraps and gauzes in her hands. He picked her up, set her on the bed, and started bandaging her wounds. After this task was finished, he threw away the bloodied cotton balls, and covered her in a blanket.

"Goodnight Sakura…" He jumped back out the window and into his room, and he once again locked her window and his.

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Author's Note: I hope this chapter isn't too short... but anyways...

MERRYCHRISTMAS!!!!!!

-Squib