Chapter 2, Meeting.

Dinner was uneventful. Grandfather made noodles with pork, it was really good. He was the best cook ever. He made everything from scratch, he was going to teach me how to cook like him during my stay. After dinner, I went back up to the room and took out a clean white paper and started drawing the night sky. Mom came in within a few hours, telling me she was going to bed, and that I had to if I was going to stay in the room. I took my drawing and left.

I went outside, all bundled up, and sat on the desk with my drawing pad. It was hard to see the sky because of the buildings, so I drew both of them. I don't know how long I stayed outside, but my lips were all blue when I went to the bathroom to brush my hair before bed...

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!"

Screams were heard from all over the town, everyone screaming with delight that it was another year, a fresh start, something new and untouched. Streamers fell from the sky's, along with a whole bunch of confetti. Everyone was laughing and cheering, I smiled and hugged my older brother. We were dancing out on the streets, someone had a big stereo going and was playing good songs. I danced with many different boys that I've never met, but Kyoto always pulled me away to dance with him and some girl he just met.

When we got back to the house, it was around three in the morning. The police had shown up to end the party, and to send everyone home. A few people got busted for drinking, I got a very buzzed Kyoto out of there before they saw him. I had a few beers, but not enough to make me to buzzed, just enough to feel it. I had to lead Kyoto to his room, I was so glad that everyone else was sleeping, we would have been done for. Once dropping him off, I went to the room where mom was sleeping, I was asleep before my head hit the pillow...

"SAKURA!!!" I looked up and smiled widely when Ino came running over to me. We hugged and I started telling her everything about my trip. It was January 5th, my first day back from my vacation, as well as others.

We sat down in our usual seats and joined in with Hinata's and TenTen's conversation. They couldn't believe that I was drinking with my brother, he was like mega protective over me, and it was the "first" time that I've ever drank. It wasn't really, they thought it was though, no ones ever seen me drink, no one but Kyoto and his friends. It was rare, but it happened. Arm's wrapped around me and pulled me backwards, I giggled into Sasuke's mouth when he kissed me. I wasn't about to tell anyone that I was dancing with random guys, Sasuke would get ticked and stop talking to me again. He pulled me into his lap and started talking with Kiba and Neji.

The day went by slowly, I was in my third class, History, the one without Sasuke. I was sitting next to Hinata and Shikamaru when he walked into the classroom. He walked past me and sat in the very back row, away from everyone else, I felt a shiver run down my spine as he passed me. My eyes stayed on the red head as he walked, it demanded power. This kid could snap anything with just his eyes. Cold hard jade eyes that were staring into mine.

"Who's he?" I whispered to Hinata. She glanced in the direction I was looking in and gasped.

"That's Sabaku no Gaara." She whispered back. "He started school here the day after you left. He's already sent three people to the nurses office because they tried talking to him. I'd stay away, if I were you. He's nothing but trouble." Through out her explanation, my eyes never moved from the jade ones. Gaara's glare intensified, it felt like ice was poured down my shirt. I quickly turned around and waited for our always late teacher.

Kakashi-sensei was always late, he arrived halfway through the class, the whole while I could feel those jade eyes boring into my back. I talked with Hinata and Shikamaru some, but I mostly doodled on my notebook cover. When Kakashi-sensei finally arrived, he announced that we would be doing projects with someone in the class. He had a hat full of names, and was picking out random ones.

"Ms. Hyguua and Uzumaki. Nara and Suki. Sabaku and Hanuro..." I didn't hear the rest, my heart had stopped.

For the next few weeks, I would have to work with that freak. I felt like I was going to die at any second. Working together ment, spending time with him, talking to him, looking at him, being alone with him to study, talking to him, did I mention I had to spend time with him?! Hinata was giving me a sorry look, I could feel my breathing getting harder. I coughed and blinked. I would have to do this, there was no way in hell I was going to fail this class because of him. We got to pick our own topics, I already had a few in mind, which ment I was going to have to talk to him, and before class ended.

"You are to sit by your partners for the rest of the class. When you know what your topic is, write both of your names on the chalkboard and your topic. Start." With a wave of Kakashi's hand, he pulled out a orange book and started reading.

"Sakura," I looked up into the concerned eyes of Naruto. "don't piss Gaara off. If he doesn't like something, change the subject. He punches hard." Naruto rubbed his jaw where the redhead punched him a few days ago, he was all black and blue there. I gaped at him. Hinata never told me it was Naruto he sent to the nurses office!

"O-Okay." I mumbled and picked up my things.

I stood up and took a deep breath, turning around and walking up to the empty desk next to the glaring redhead. He was glaring at Kakashi-sensei from the way it looked, his eyes were going over my shoulder as I walked. I carefully set my books down and pulled out the chair. He didn't say anything, just closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. I took this time to give him a once over.

He was a redhead, duh, and had a tattoo on his forehead, or maybe it was a scar, I didn't take to much time looking at it. He looked strong, his muscules obvious under his tight black t-shirt. He had a strong looking neck, and big arms. Arms that were sure going to power a punch. He wore baggy army green pants and combat boots over his feet. He was definitely the "bad-boy" type. He looked to be about Kyoto's hight, if not a little short, which would mean he could tower over me. His hands were clenched into fists, and when I looked back up, his eyes were glaring at me. With a small gasp, I quickly turned to my open notebook. The first page was off random flowers that I drew during math, I already knew everything that Genma-sensei was teaching us, so I had time to be bored out of my mind. The second page was blank, I quickly started writing down things that we could do our project on.

When I was done writing down my ideas, we had five minutes left of class, Gaara hadn't moved a muscule. I was glaring at the paper for a few seconds, it looked like I would have to do this whole thing by myself. With a small sigh, I ripped out the paper and passed it over to Gaara, setting it in front of him. The bell rang. The whole class got up and left, Gaara sat there staring at it.

"Look over it, pick what you want to do and let me know." I grumbled and grabbed my things.

"Sakura." I looked up to see Sasuke standing in the doorway. I smiled and ran over to him, he put his arms around me and kissed my forehead, glaring over my shoulder. "You're to stay away from him, understand?" He hissed as we left the room.

"I have a project with him, Sasuke, I can't help it." I said back, glancing over my shoulder in time to see Gaara leaving the room and going the other way, a paper in his hand. "It's not like I have a choice. Trust me, I don't want to ever be that close to grumpy gills again."

Sasuke put his arm around me as we went to lunch.

After school was over, Sasuke brought me home, then left. He had to go to football practice. I hummed as I walked up my porch steps and into the house, calling out to my mom that I was home.

"I'm in the kitchen!" She called back. I smiled and walked over to the swinging door. "How was school?" She asked when I came in flipping through the mail.

"Ugh... it was horrible! I got assigned a project with this new kid. He's a total creep!" I tossed down the mail but held onto one from my grandmother. I opened it and smiled, she wrote me a letter after I left.

Dear my little cherry blossom,

I'm sorry that I didn't have time to talk to you about this while you were here, but I didn't want others to hear it. So, don't let anyone read this sweety, ok?

Well, that picture you drew of your boyfriend and your father, it tells me something bad is going to happen. I don't know what, but you know it too, that's why you drew that without thinking about it. This is your bodys way of telling you something bad is going to happen. I looked at it while you were out partying with your bother on new years, then again after Christmas. I hope you don't mine, deary. There is a great amount of detail in it, I'm very impressed. But, I would keep your eyes open, Sakura. You never know what might come around the corner.

Last night, I got online and searched a few things up. If you start having dreams, let me know straight away, alright? I don't want anything to happen to my favorite granddaughter. And keep your eyes on your father, I was talking to your mother the other day, she said theres something that he's not telling her. Something that keeps him out late and returning early morning. I'm sure you've noticed by now. She doesn't think he would cheat on her, and neither do I. Its' something else, something big. Like he's planning something.

Keep your eyes open and write back to me. I love you with all my heart, and grandpa sends his love, too.

Love,

Grandmother.

I walked to my room as I read it, I reread it and read it again. I was now sitting at my desk staring at the paper. Father had been acting weird lately. He hadn't been quite so abusive to me or mother for a few weeks. I haven't heard them yelling in weeks, and I always hear him coming home around two in the morning. Grandmother is right, something is going on.

I wrote her a reply and ran out the door without grabbing my jacket to put it in the mail box at the corner of the street. I stared at the big blue box for a few minutes, rubbing my shivering arms. The I turned around and started walking back to the house, father was going to be home from work soon, he would be mad if mom and I hadn't got dinner ready by then.

My mind wandered as I helped mom cook. Dad was acting weird, weirder then he normally did. Everyone knew he was cheating on my mother, even she did, but that's not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about that man that mom ran into at the airport. He looked scary, someone dad would like to talk to. Father was a man who liked power, he liked to make others shake with fear at just hearing his name. He would love to "tame" that man, as he called it. But, why would father want to get involved with those kind of men? Why would someone fly all the way out here just to meet with him?

The direction of my thoughts turned, they went to that boy, the one that smelt like drugs and beer.

I shivered at the thought of him being related to that awful man. Mom didn't seem bothered by it, but I don't know. Mom doesn't show a lot of things, she hides everything and bottles it all up, saving it for later. But, what that later is, I have no idea. I've talked to her about it once, she said it was nothing and sent me off to get ready for bed, that night was the night I ran to Kyoto crying. Mom was screaming at father, and I could hear the sound of a hand connecting with something. The next day, mom had a black eye. She told me she fell and hit the dresser, she didn't know that Kyoto and I could hear everything. That happened when I was six. When Kyoto was still living at home. When everything started going down hill.

I shook my head to clear my mind of those thoughts and focused on helping mom make dinner.

Once it was nine, I left to get ready for bed. I had finished all of my homework after dinner while mom and I watched TV. Dad left right after he was through eating, and wouldn't be back until early morning. I brushed out my long pink hair and brushed my teeth. As I walked back to my room, I could hear mom on the phone with someone, she was talking about a plane ticket, a one way. I stopped to listen for a few seconds.

"Yes... to Saint Barbar... Yes, thank you... I'll hold..." There was a long pause before she started talking again. "Yes, Tuesday the 15th... Mmhmm... Thank you very much. Yes, just one ticket." My heart stopped. She was going somewhere without me? I covered my mouth and quickly ran to my room, unlocking it with the card that was around my neck.

I ran strait over to my bed and screamed into my pillow. How could she do this to me? Why was she leaving? Why wasn't she getting a round trip ticket? Did this mean she wasn't coming back? The 15th.. that was in one week. So, thats how much time I had left with her? I screamed into my pillow again, the tears making me choke. How... how could she just leave me like this?

I cried myself to sleep that night.

The next morning I woke to mother banging on my door, yelling for me to hurry up, Sasuke would be there soon. I stumbled out of bed and to the bathroom, turning on the water. I stripped from my pajama pants and tank top before I jumped in under the scorching hot water, I turned it down a little, so people wouldn't ask why I was all red. After scrubbing my hair and body clean, I towel dried my body. Then, I pulled on a short jean skirt with Sasuke's home jersey over it. They had an away game today, so I got to wear his home jersey for the day and while I was at the game cheering him on.

I left my hair down and grabbed my bag on my way out of my room, slipping my feet into knee high fuzzy boots by my bedroom door. I've always thought it odd that they were still doing football in January, but I loved to watch them play. It was one of my favorite sports. If I wasn't a girl, I would be out the field playing with them. I quickly skipped down the stairs and met mom in the kitchen, she held out a plate with a bagel on it.

"Thanks momma." I smiled and kissed her cheek, trying to forget what I heard last night. A beep from outside came. "Bye!" I took half of the bagel and ran to the door, going outside with my jacket around my arm. Sasuke was waiting in the driveway for me. I smiled and skipped my way down to his car, getting inside. "Morning." I said cheerfully.

"Hn." He started driving off without a morning kiss. I frowned slightly but shrugged it off. I was usually done eating when I got into his car, so he probably wanted me to eat. So, I took a bite of my bagel with cream cheese.

We got to school at our normal time, even though I had been running a little late. Sasuke put his arm over my shoulders as we walked form the parking lot to the school, I could hear the sound of motorcycles coming in from behind us, Sasuke stopped and turned around. I looked to. A black bike with a red symbol pulled up next to his car, very close. Sasuke growled and started walking back towards the cars, leaving me behind. I stared as the biker looked up when Sasuke started yelling. Sasuke walked up to his car and started inspecting for any damage, the biker just sat on his bike watching him. Sasuke started yelling again, motioning towards the school, at me. The bikers head turned, I could feel their eyes looking at me from head to toe. I had to hold back a shiver. It looked like the biker scoffed, his head pulled back a little, he never turned away from me, I couldn't take my eyes from him. Who was he? He sure had to have some big balls to ignore Sasuke like that.

Two hands reached up and grabbed the helmet, with one swift move, it was pulled off. Red hair fell over Gaara's face, a smirk planted on his lips as he stared at me. I gulped. His head didn't move, but he looked back at Sasuke, said something, and got off his bike. Gaara started walking towards me, I couldn't take my eyes off of him, why was he staring at me like that? He started walking up the steps, the glint in his eyes reminded me of a animal stalking its prey. As he passed, we looked at each other, our head barely moving, he smirked and kept walking past me. I turned to watch his back, until the doors shut behind him.

"Sakura." Sasuke hissed, roughly grabbing my arm and pushing me against the brick wall. I gasped and finally looked at him. "Stay away from him, got it?" He hissed in my face. I nodded. "Project or not, you go near him, talk to him, look at him, and you will regret it. Got it?" I nodded, then he kissed me rougher then he has ever before, then was gone just like that.

I stood there until the bell rang, my heart was literally in my throat. It was hard to breathe. Sasuke had just threatened me. I know he could really hurt me if he wanted to, but I don't think he would resort to that. He's not that stupid. Or so I hope.

I slowly walked into the school, heading for my first class, it was no use going to homeroom, this would be the first thing I've ever skipped. And it was because of Sasuke. My feet dragged down the hall, I was the only one there. Once the bell rang, telling us it was time for our first class, the halls started to fill with other students, my eyes stayed on the floor. I slowly made my way to my locker. My mind couldn't wrap around the fact that my boyfriend had just threatened me, actually threatened me. I made it to my locker and unlocked it, shoving all of the books I didn't need until after class in it, along with my bag. I took out my math, science and history book.

"Sakura? Hello, earth to Sakura!" I jumped back seeing a hand in front of my face. I took a deep breath and looked to my side, Ino was looking at me like I grew another head.

"Don't look at me like that." I grumbled, slamming my locker shut. "You make me feel stupid."

"Well, I was standing here talking to you, and you weren't even paying attention! Of course your stupid, silly!" She giggled and smacked my shoulder playfully.

"What ever, Ino-pig." I smirked and started walking off.

"Forehead!" She called back.

"Ino-pig!" I called over my shoulder, seeing her face turn a bright red when people started staring at her.

"Not fair! I'm so getting you back later!" She yelled down the hall.

"Looking forward to it!" I called back and entered the class room, my day was starting to look better.

Ino and I usually fought like that, I'm surprised people still stared when we just started yelling out names in the halls. I could understand the new kids staring, but everyone else still did. But, the funny thing is, that if anyone else started calling me or Ino names, the other would be all up and down their asses. We were like sisters, of course we were going to have our moments, even if they were every other day or so. I was smiling when I sat in my seat between Sasuke and Hinata. Genma-sensei already had I work wrote on the board, so I took out my notebook and wrote it all down, making sure I got everything.

"Sakura, where were you this morning?" Hinata asked in a hushed whisper, not looking up from her math book. Genma-sensei didn't like talking when we were working from our books.

"I... had something to do." I glanced at Sasuke, he was looking down at his book. "Sorry, I should have text you so you wouldn't worry." I gave her a meaning full look before turning back to my book, Genma was watching us now. I quickly finished my classwork and stood, ripping the paper from my spiral notebook.

I walked up to the front of the class and handed Genma-sensei my work, He raised an eyebrow and skimmed over it. "Kakashi-sensei missed you in homeroom today, Hanuro." He said, setting my paper down. "Where were you?"

"I had something I needed to take care of in the office, I was just going to ask you for a pass so that I can go give Kakashi-sensei my pass from earlier." I held up a paper that was folded in half, he eyed me then wrote down a quick note on a slip of paper, handing it to me.

"Hurry back." He grumbled as I left the room.

Once in the hall, I sighed and started making my way down the hall towards the office. I needed a real pass for Kakashi-sensei, I was hopping Tsunade-sama would let me slip past this one time. After all, I was the best student in the whole school. I never got into trouble, and I never was late, except this one time. I was trying to think of something that she would believe, I didn't want to tell her what Sasuke said to me. She was like my second mother, she would track him down and give him multiple detections just because she was the principal. My feet moved sluggishly down the hallway, I was in no hurry, it wasn't even half way through the class yet, I still had a good fifteen minutes to a half hour before Genma-sensei would put the homework on the board.

I was now passing the lockers, folding the note in tiny little squares, my mind miles from here. So much had happened sense coming home from my vacation in New York.

"Hey, you." A deep voice came from my left. I stopped and slowly turned my head, my heart went into over drive. "You're my history partner, correct?" Gaara smirked.

....O.o... whats gunna happen?!??!?! OMG OMG!!... hehe... I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can!!! Rview please!!