Temari just watched Shizune's retreating figure as she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

"If I knew the new student was going to be a woman I wouldn't have agreed to be the guide" mumbled Shikamaru from beside her.

"What's your problem? So what if I am a female?" Temari asked turning to face him anger rising.

"Didn't I tell you earlier? Women are troublesome, all they seem to do is complain about how they aren't pretty enough and they're all bitchy. There are more important things in life then the way you look. Women just piss me off."

Temari stepped closer to him, to show she was serious. "You piss me off with this 'I hate women' crap you keep dealing out. I guarantee I am unlike any female you have ever met." Temari made sure to say the last sentence slowly so that he would get the picture.

Shikamaru stood his ground and stared right back into her eyes. "I doubt that's true."

Temari was slightly taken back. 'His eyes, just now, they seemed so sad' she thought as she stared as he turned his back and looked down the hall.

"I am supposed to fill you in before you meet everyone else." He turned back to face her with that lazy express that she had witnessed earlier.

Temari only nodded.

"Everyone that your about to meet are the same people in all of your classes. It may not be a big class, but that's only because of the advanced level in which we work. You will have quite a bit of catching up to do seeing as it's already October. Any questions so far?" he asked as he looked back at her lazily.

Temari looked at her schedule "We all take music class together?"

Shikamaru yawned. "Yah."

"What instrument do you play?" Temari eagerly asked.

Shikamaru leaned against the wall, "The violin, and I guess there's no need to ask you since its obvious with the guitar strapped to your back."

Temari just smiled, "Okay."

Shikamaru raised a brow, and Temari just chuckled at him.

"Let's get to class" Temari said as she walked passed him still smiling.

Shikamaru just sighed as he walked ahead of her and through the door into the classroom.

Upon entry Temari couldn't help but notice the room go silent and the attention suddenly be entirely fixed upon her.

A man stepped forward and reached out a hand to shake hers.

"Name's Asuma Sarutobi, home room teacher. Just call me Asuma" He said with a warm smile.

Asuma was a tall, muscular man with a well groomed beard. He appeared to be more suited for the military rather than a high school teacher.

Asuma reached out and shook her hand.

'His hands are so rough but so gentle' Temari noted to herself.

"You can take the empty seat next to Shikamaru."

"Thank-you" Temari said as she looked around to locate the missing Shikamaru and seated herself at the vacant desk to his left.

The morning passed in a flash; get up follow Shikamaru from class to class.

After home room she entered a very cold room with a pasty male teacher. It was Biology with Orochimaru. She had noticed that most people winced when he spoke, in his low crackly voice, as they took notes for the test scheduled for next week.

Next was History with Hayate Gekko. Gekko seemed to be very tired and sick, but when he got onto a topic he enjoyed it just made history that much more interesting.

"Don't forget, test on Thursday, next week." Gekko said through another fit of coughs.

Bring-ing

Shikamaru was beside Temari's desk in a flash. As she continued to pack up her belongings he began to speak.

"Hey, woman, you're on your own for lunch, I have to go to work before next class"

Before Temari could respond he was gone. She just sighed as she got up and walked down the stairs and out a side door she found.

Temari had to squint from the bright light to see the school yard. It was massive. A huge field with millions of wild flowers, a few benches and giant water fountain in the centre. There were trees and bushes here and there of all different kinds.

Temari took a deep breath, 'The air is so pure and refreshing.'

It was simply breath-taking but something was off; there were no people in the picture. With such a stunningly magical place one would think it would be crawling with people, yet she was the only one.

Shrugging it off, Temari spotted a huge oak tree atop a nearby hill and proceeded to make her way over. She seated herself at the base of the tree and pulled out her disk man and began listening to music as she looked around the yard. Pretty soon she gave into temptations and pulled out her guitar and began to play and sing.

I think I'm drowning
Asphyxiated
I wanna break this spell
That you've created

You're something beautiful
A contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction

You will be the death of me
You will be the death of me

Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out

I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
But I'm addicted

Now that you know I'm trapped sense of elation
You'd never dream of
Breaking this fixation

You will squeeze the life out of me

Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
Oh

You will suck the life out of me

Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
Oh

As she finished singing a large gust of wind blew about her face, and she began to play the song Lullaby by Vienna Teng and humming to it.

'I want to go out later, but not to the mall to many people.' Temari thought as she stopped her playing and leaned her head back against the tree closing her eyes.

The leaves rustled in the tree above as the wind played tag with the near by bumble bees.

'Maybe I'll just check out the town, re-familiarize myself, so to speak.' She let out a small laugh at her own light hearted joke. 'I can work on the make-up assignments on the weekend. There did not seem to be very many things that I had to get caught up on, and I was told if I had any question to just ask Shikamaru. I wonder what his problem is!' She opened her eyes and began to play a random tune that she smiled at. 'I wonder why he hates women so much. He doesn't seem to be into guys.'

"That's a nice song"

Temari jumped at the sudden sound and began looking around for the source that had interrupted her but could not locate it.

"I'm up here" laughed the surprisingly soothing male voice.

Temari looked up to see one of her classmates sitting on a branch only 8 feet above where she sat.

"You're in my class, aren't you?" she asked putting down her instrument and bringing her knees to her chest.

He jumped gracefully from the tree to land in front of her where he sat cross-legged facing her. "My name is Neji" he said smirking at her slightly startled face.

"Temari" she said with a smile holding out her hand.

As they shook hands she took in his appearance. He had long glossy brown hair that reached down to his waist. His long slender face was graced with silvery blue eyes, which captivated her as she continued to stare for a few moments longer then what would be considered polite.

Suddenly her gaze broke away when he began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked cocking her head to the side.

"Do my eyes surprise you?" he asked leaning back on his hands, causing his shirt to tighten over his torso giving Temari a better look at his muscular body.

"Oh, sorry, it's just where I came from nobody had blue eyes. In fact you're the second person I have ever met with blue eyes, but even so it's the first time I have seen eyes that colour before. Your eyes are so beautiful" she confessed with a smile.

Neji just laughed, "You know you're the second person to have said that to me."

"Really who was the first?"

Neji's face began to glow; "Tenten, she's my girlfriend" he smiled. "Actually she was supposed to meet me here but she is a bit late" he frowned a little at the last part.

Temari peered over his shoulder and smiled with a distant smile on her face.

"What was her name again?" she asked with a wide smile.

Neji looked bewildered, "Tente-Ahh!"

Tenten tackled Neji.

Tenten and Temari buckled over from laughing to hard. Saying something barely audible sounding like 'You should have seen your face' as Neji just glared playfully at the two before joining in on the laughing fit.

"I take it that this is Tenten?" Temari asked after she caught her breath.

"Yah, this crazy, beautiful woman is Tenten" he said as Tenten seated herself next to him knees folded be neither her with a smile upon her face.

Tenten had her silky, brown hair pulled into two tight buns upon her head. She was wearing what Temari now knew as their school uniform, which consisted of a white button up dress shirt with short sleeves, a red tie and a red skirt that reached about 2 inches above her knee caps.

"So where did you move from?" Tenten asked.

"Giza, Egypt."

"Why did you move here?" She asked.

"It was time to come home. I used to live here but had to leave for a while. Now I live with my two brothers" Temari said with a smile that clearly showed that she didn't want to say anymore on the subject.

"Oh" Tenten said clearly not knowing what to say.

"How do you like it here so far?" Neji asked suddenly.

"Interesting and weird." She said twisting her face up in an expression that confused the both of them.

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Neji.

"When I feel like I am finally getting the hang of being around other Shikamaru opens up his mouth and says things that confuse me and make me get upset. I don't get that guy! What's his problem?" Temari asked getting worked up.

Tenten just laughed at her, "Don't worry about Shikamaru. He is a pretty good guy once you get past the sexist comments that pop out of his mouth. He keeps to himself a lot."

"Not really" Neji began, surprising Tenten, "Shikamaru isn't that social because he works so much. He is a very independent guy and doesn't like to rely on others. His dad owns a big delivery company while his mom is a star chef and owns a four star restaurant up town. He's actually quite serious about getting what he wants by himself, he would never ask for help from anyone. It's just the way he's been since grade 10."

"What happened in grade 10?" Temari asked really curious as to what happened.

"Nothing happened."

The three teens jumped at the sound of Shikamaru's voice as he suddenly appeared from behind the tree, lazy expression fixed upon his face yet again.

"Shikamaru, what are you doing here? I thought you had to run to work?" Temari asked surprised as she stood up to face him.

Shikamaru yawned as he leaned against the tree, "I'm done, and plus class starts in four minutes. I have to still show you around, it's troublesome but I'm your guide after all."

"Uh, yah, your right" She responded looking at her feet.

The four made there way back to the school and to their next class.

The afternoon went by fast. After Temari got to skip gym, with Might Gai, because lack of proper clothing, she spent most of that class doing the work she had to get done from her previous classes. Next was Music with Genma Shiranui. They didn't get to actually play their instruments that day because it was a movie day. After noticing Shikamaru fall asleep during the movie she pulled out her disk man and began listening to music.

At the end of the day Shikamaru escorted her to the office where she met up with her two brothers and their guides. Gaara still looked the same, undisturbed, but he kept an oddly large distance between himself and the Uchiha kid. Kankuro and his guide Chouji were a bit late to arrive. Temari noticed Shikamaru grow rigid next to her when they entered.

An older man walked into the office.

"I am principal Sarutobi" he said as he shook each of their hands. "I believe that your uniforms are ready" he said turning to Shizune who stood ready and waiting just behind him.

"Yes Sir, they're right here." She said as she quickly handed him three packages.

"Basically wear the uniforms proudly, and make our school proud. You may wear any kind of shoes, and there are also coats that are given out during winter that go along with the uniforms. I trust you will enjoy this school as much as I do" he said happily to the three siblings. "Your all dismissed."

Shikamaru dashed from the office and out of sight before anyone could even move.

Temari just thought he was acting weird and shrugged it off as she headed to the car with her brothers. On the ride home they each discussed roughly the amount of homework they each had and which classes they were each taking.

Temari sat in her room staring at the window debating on whether she should go out or start on her homework. In the end she decided to take her bike for a ride around town.

As she made her way down the stairs she saw Kankuro and told him she was going out. She made it to the garage and picked up her helmet as she finished pulling on her jacket, and put it on. Sitting on her bike she pulled out her key and started to rev the engine, she smiled at the familiar sound, and took off down the drive way and out of site down the road. She darted around town for what seemed like hours, looking for something to amuse her. She drove past four malls, a park and several side stores, but didn't seem to find a reason to stop. Temari, giving up, decided to head home.

'Man isn't there any place in this damn town that's even the least bit interesting?' She thought as she stopped at a red light. Looking around she realised that she had no clue where she was, she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going, then suddenly something caught her eye. It was the sign to what seemed to be a book store.

Returning Home

All right people I know I took a long time, and I know that this chapter isn't that long but I have to leave for my flight in about 4 hours and I need some sleep and still have to pack, well maybe there will be no sleep. Oh, um, actually there was some kind of secret that I wanted to reveal in this chapter but I didn't get as much written as I had planned, and for that I am sorry. Thank you for being faithful to this story, I know it's actually a boring bad kind of chapter but I promise the next one will be better, thought you will have to wait. Again I am sorry.

-tasha