Teehee, I like this one. Excuse the lame band name.
It was on the way to the guidance counselor. The old coot, she thought, summoning me during my study hall. Passing that damn biology test means a little more than volleyball tryouts right now! She powerwalked down the narrow hallway, dodging hung pictures for fear of knocking them over, grumbling all the while.
Of course, the ancient had to call her just as she was cracking her books with Tenten. It was so typical. For someone so bent on academic achievement, Mrs. Fukumi sure knew how to prevent hers. She had to've known that the Biology test was worth a third of Sakura's grade (nearing the end of the quarter and all), and knew she was one of the few that actually studied during study hall, so what was she trying to play at? Sakura closed her eyes in exasperation, repeatedly commanding herself to breathe like a mantra—
—and her nose suddenly hurt. Very badly. She stepped back, holding said appendage, and finally lifted her eyelids. She was met with the letters 'ANCE COU', suddenly all she could see, until she moved ever farther back, and spotted the entire phrase.
'GUIDANCE COUNSELOR'. Was she there already? Why was the door open? And why didn't the collision move it? Suddenly, she spotted a tuft of bright crimson, and peeking around the door, she saw a boy.
He was pale. Paler than her, even, like Sasuke's pale; he probably had a little more color when he wasn't wearing all that spotless black, if there was ever such an instance. His turquoise eyes stood out in sharp relief from the thick black around his eyes, which contrasted with his pale skin, and the bright red hair stood out even more. Everything about his coloring was ostentatious and two-toned. He stared at her with glassy eyes, unblinking, emotionless.
And then, randomly, a cheerful old voice broke the air.
"Oh, Sakura darling! You're here already! Come now, inside the office, both of you. Why are you holding your nose like that, dear?" The stout older lady ushered the two teens into her air-conditioned, bland office, seating them in two gray chairs situated in front of her desk. She toddled over to the other side, plopping herself down in her own leather office chair, and rested her elbows on the lacquered desk, positioning her fingers in 'evil villain' pose, fingertips touching.
"Okay, I hate to rush, but we need to get down to business. It's already third period, and Sakura has a biology test to study for, don't you, dear?"
Sakura's eye twitched.
"Mkay, Miss Haruno, this is Sabaku no Gaara. He's the son of the governor of Suna, who has recently passed away, so his family has relocated to Konoha. Gaara-san will be attending our school from now on, and I would like you, Miss Haruno, a star student, to be his guide."
Wait a minute. Hold the phone, switch lines, and call the operator—what?!
"S-say that again?" Sakura asked, in shock. Fukumi smiled at her gently.
"I would appreciate it if you would show Gaara-san around the school—you know, classroom and locker location, cafeteria, all the little things. Introduce to him all the options we have for him here at this wonderful school. Would you please, dear?" She smiled at Sakura happily, benignly, and the roseate damn near stabbed the old woman in the eye.
But...what choice did she have? She nodded, swallowing an ominous lumpy thing that had formed in her esophagus, and forcing a polite smile.
"Oh, that's just wonderful! Okay, dear, here's your schedule; Sakura will show you to the classes and tell you where everything is. Do either of you have any questions? No? Okay, good! On your way now, fourth period begins in ten minutes!" Urging the two to stand up, she ushered them out into the hallway, waving chipperly to them and then quickly shutting the door.
An awkward silence settled in the air between the two, broken only by the screaming of the book-change bell, and then the clearing of her throat.
"Can we make a quick stop at my locker first?" She asks him sheepishly, and he nods blankly, wordlessly, once.
And as she pulled out her Japanese History binder, she saw his eyes magnetize to the 'The Phonetics' sticker slapped carelessly among the rest, though it is her favorite, and a glint shone in his eye.
"You like that band?" he asked her hoarsely, and her smile was bright.
"This is the dawning of a beautiful friendship, I think, Gaara-san," she chirped. Gaara is only minutely scared.
