I am so sorry that this chapter took so fucking long, but it took a while for me to get into it. The next ones will come quicker (I hope). Anyways, this chapter just continues the initial correspondence. The next one will just pretty much be a conversation between the two on the desk. Neji and Gaara will meet sometime in the next few chapters. Oh, and their schedules are underneath if anyone wants to know.

Neji's schedule
1. Calculus
2. Phys. Ed
3. Biology
4. Discreet
5. Free period
6. Lunch with Hinata
7. Chemistry
8. English

Gaara's schedule
1. Phys. Ed (which he hates)
2. English
3. Data Management
4. Art
5. Introductory Calculus
6. History
7. Lunch
8. Free period
9. Media Arts

Thanks for reading, and if anyone has plot ideas, just give me a shout! And thanks for all the reviews! I was so stoked!

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Disclaimer: I own nothing, unfortunately.

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Chapter Two: The Illustrious Room 208

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Neji got through second period, Phys. Ed, as one who was born with natural athletic talent. He was no superstar, but could hold his own on a court. Biology passed in much the same way, easily, and by then he had dealt with so many annoying students and teachers he had forgotten about the 'note' that he left on his desk.

Fourth period found Neji back in his Math class, the illustrious Room 208. Second floor, third room from the right, one floor down from his locker, and location of his new, totally exclusive chat room. Which took place on a desk, his desk. The Artist had responded.

Neji had not expected a reply so soon. Or at all, really. But still, there it was. And for some reason, he was glad the mystery person had written back to him. And that… unnerved him.

He sat down at the desk and looked at the new design that had been added to the drawing. An intricate border that curled around the top of the desk and down the right side. It appeared to be vines with flowers and thorns interwoven throughout. Very nicely done. It complemented the angel very well.

The note the Artist left, however, was less satisfactory. Yes. That was it? All he had to say was expressed in one syllable? One common, everyday word? Very frustrating to a man like Neji who had quite an extensive vocabulary. Apparently, this Artist was all art.

He sighed and retrieved his homework as the teacher went around checking it. Homework checks in Grade Twelve? I should have gone to a private school, stupid Hinata. Had it not been for her…lack of social skills (completely inept, useless, ineffectual, and incompetent according to Neji), he would be at the best school in Japan. Unfortunately, Hiashi had gotten this brilliant idea into his head that going to a public school would further her where she obviously lacked. Needless to say, it had not helped. But Hiashi had high hopes for his defective daughter, and wherever Hinata went, Neji followed like the little lap dog he was.

The teacher came and left without Neji noticing or acknowledging the daily praise for excellent work. He was just waiting for this damn day to be over so he could go home and slip into a blissful oblivion, free of—

"Neji, my genius friend!"

—people like Rock Lee. Of all the irritating, loud, obnoxious—

"Well done on your homework once more! I see that you have scored a five out of five. Alas, I have but a four, but someday, I will achieve a level of greatness that you reach so easily!"

—stupidly devoted people he had to sit next to, it was Rock Lee. Not that he was a bad guy, Neji actually kind of liked him in his quieter moments, except that he was just so freaking loud. And he was hung up on beating Neji in school for some reason, though Neji could never figure out why and was too afraid to ask.

"Hey, Lee," Neji responded in his usual, flat tone.

"Good lord, Lee, give the poor boy a break. You'll pop his bloody ear drums. And you know you'll never beat Neji in Math, he's too good."

And then there was TenTen. Another person devoted, but not to beating him, but to dating him. Had been for years, ever since grade school. Like Lee she would never give up, though she did date people in a poor attempt to make Neji jealous, and she was, perhaps, even more annoying then her friend in green. Luckily she was not next to him, but a few desks away. That would have just been too much.

"Hi, Neji," she said with a hint of a giggle.

"TenTen," he said with a nod.

"Okay, calm down class." Well, the teacher was finished with his frivolities; maybe they would actually learn something now. "Let's get started on the lesson. And Lee, stop crying already! We go through this every day!"

Neji looked at Lee out of the corner of his eye to see the emotional boy crying at TenTen's rejection of his mathematical abilities. Neji quickly looked away and focused on the note. Another reason he did not like sitting next to Lee. Sigh.

Neji copied the note and the exorbitant amounts of examples that followed, then opened his textbook to make a dent on the homework for the day. He managed to do two questions before the picture distracted him once more. He shook his head and went back to work. Another three questions and he was looking at the drawing again, or rather trying to think up a response to the solitary Yes.

Looking over to see that Lee was absorbed in his work (mumbling something about ten minutes or two hundred push-ups) and scribbled a reply onto the desk. Well, not a reply exactly, but rather a new angle since he had no idea what to respond.

Getting pretty elaborate. With a nice little arrow pointing to the border. Nothing special, but he did not have much else to say, yet a strange urge to reply. Weird…

He glanced at the clock and then his work. No time to finish now, he would have to do it next period in his spare time.

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The bell rang and Gaara started, the end of the period catching him by surprise. Sighing, he gathered up the paint brushes and paints he had been using and cleaned them away with practiced ease. The canvas he had been using was put with the others in the corner and he left the class towards the Math hall.

Going from Art to Math was definitely a downer for him. Though, going from Art to anything would be, really. He loved that class with a passion, because it was the only one he actually had some interest in. Sure, Physics was okay, and in English they read some great books, but it was only in Art that he was allowed to create. He got in trouble for sketching in the others.

He stopped at his locker and quickly changed books, exchanging his sketches for a calculator and his pencils for textbook. Packing it all into his bag, he made his way through the crowded hall unnoticed.

He arrived at Room 208 for the second time that day. Two Math classes. You know you are a nerd when... Well, at least he'd managed to nab the same desk for both classes so his sketch was coming along well. And this was the harder of the two (though still relatively easy) so most of the nimrods in his Data class were not in this one.

Gaara was the first to arrive as usual, and as usual he went to his desk in the corner and took out a book. As usual he began to read, but something unusual caught his eye. The jerk that had written him a note left him another one. Again, right in the way.

Gaara just sat there looking at it as the rest of the class filed in. Seriously, who left notes on a desk like this? Really? This guy must be extremely bored and have no friends, and he had to be a math nerd since he was in here twice a day. Sounds like me.

Gaara shook his head. This was messing him up. It would be better just to ignore him. Why he had responded in the first place was still a mystery, it had obviously just encouraged the bastard. Whatever, he would just leave it. Writing notes to a complete stranger was idiotic at best.

With that thought he went back to his book and read until the teacher called him on it and he was forced to take notes. After that he occupied himself with the assigned homework and then back to his book as everyone around him talked about what they did that weekend, mainly how drunk they got. Gaara tuned them out. Idiots.

He was brought back to reality all too soon when he heard his name being called. It was that damn Sakura girl. Seemed like she was going to get her daily dose of pissing off Gaara.

"Hey Gaara, what did you do on the weekend? Have any Satanic rituals to perform, innocent blood to drink?" The people around her all laughed except that one popular guy with the black hair. It really would not bother Gaara so much if they actually used intelligent insults, but they were so boring and over-used.

Regardless, he ignored them like he always did, with the hope that their short attention spans would make them leave him in peace. Today he was not so lucky.

"What, are you sworn to secrecy or something? Come on, I want to know all about it, I promise I won't tell." Well, it looked like offensive attacks were the only way to go today.

"Well," he said, turning the page of his book, "I would believe you, but since we are in a room filled with people listening to what we are saying, it is none too secret, is it? But hey, I'm feeling gracious today; I think I will tell you all my private adventures.

"Well, you got me on the Satanic rituals. Afraid that Friday found me in a graveyard wearing a black cloak and offering up a sacrifice, I believe it was goat that night, to my Lord and Savior Lucifer. Whereupon I cut the inside of my arm and formed a blood bond with the Dark Lord, but you can't see the cut because my gracious Lord was pleased with my work and healed me with his God-like power.

He turned another page in his book and continued, "Then on Saturday, I got together with my Blood of the Innocent Club and we stole some O Negative from the hospital. I believe it was a little boy's who had to go in for a blood test. I saw a bag of yours there too, Sakura, but couldn't use it. Apparently, unfaithful tramps are not innocent. My mistake.

"Sunday was uneventful, just some plotting for a cross burning next month. And now it's Monday and I'm back in school. How was your weekend?"

Gaara continued reading as the class just stared at him after that little spiel. There were a few tense moments in which Gaara imagined some of the new rumors that would now go around about him. Then Gaara heard Sakura turn around with a harsh, "Freak."

"Actually, I prefer the term 'Unearthly' if it's all the same to you."

Another moment of silence and then the class began talking in hushed voices.

Gaara could not concentrate anymore, not with the class so obviously talking about him. He put his book away and looked around aimlessly until his eyes fell on the note once again.

Getting pretty elaborate.

This person really knew how to state the obvious. They definitely sounded like someone he would want to confer with. But still…

Who are you?

At least, he would not exchange strange notes with a stranger. The bell rang and Gaara left Room 208.