Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Naruto except for my OC and the settings of the story.

Chapter 4

Several weeks have passed since the day Shikamaru walked with me to the store. And thankfully no one had found that out yet. I still see him around school. He's sometimes by himself, but mostly with Sasuke and Sakura's group. And that's only in school though. Out of school, once the bell rings that is, he's off by himself walking home. I would think that Sasuke would walk with him, since he kind of lives about 4 blocks away from us, but he's always somewhere else after school. If it's not terrorizing my brother and me then it's something else. But that's nothing I should really worry about right now.

But what I should be worrying about and focusing on is this stupid test! Damn why'd Iruka sensei have to give us a pop quiz!? I don't look over or study for anything after school! He said he warned us about it, but I guess I wasn't listening like I always do. Great now let's see how to solve this problem.

30 painful minutes later

"Okay but your pencils down and pack up! When you leave this room place your quiz on my desk on your way out. Have a nice day." Iruka sensei said as he paced the room. I stood up and put my stuff away. I'm very thankful that it's 8th period. Mmm… Maybe I should go look for Gaara after this I didn't see him in lunch or 7th period. Wonder where he went to.

After packing my stuff putting my half finished test on Iruka's desk and walking out of the room I went off to find Gaara. I asked his 5th period teacher where he went to after class and she just told me he was headed off towards the cafeteria as he always did. That got me confused, because he wasn't there. I asked his classmates that were sometimes nice to him and they said they also saw him go into the cafeteria. I went to go find Kankour because now I was worried. No one's seen him since 5th period and they say he went to lunch, but he wasn't there.

As I was thinking and half running at the moment and I ran into something. "Ow," I said rubbing the back of my head. I tried to stand up to see or what I hit. I saw Shikamaru laying there with an irritated expression. He just looked at me with soul less eyes and stood up. He brushed himself off and turned around to walk away, not saying a word to. I guess being in Sasuke's group means not talking to the unwanted. So I didn't bother to say a word either but just turned the other way to find out where Gaara was.

"Trying to find Gaara, Akio?" I heard him say. I was confused I thought he was gone by now. So I turned around to find him right behind me! I literally almost jumped up about half a foot. But I was able to keep cool and not jump up.

"Why should it matter to you Shikamaru?" I asked angrily and started to walk away. Usually when I ask that question to someone they don't answer me, but just go one with their business. But not Shikamaru, I was apparently his business because he just followed right behind me. He didn't care who was looking or even if Sasuke, Sakura, or anyone else in that group found out. He would stay right behind me following me where ever I went right now.

"It matters, because I saw some teachers carrying him to the nurses' office. I just thought you might want to know. Since you're always watching over him. Even if you are the youngest and you don't care what happens to you. Just as long as he's okay and doesn't have a scratch on him." He said tiredly.

"That's not true! I mean I do care if he gets hurt, because that means someone was messing with him and that means that they messed with my family. Gaara and I have always gotten ourselves into fights with people stronger than us, but we were always the ones that got hurt big time. And plus our older sister is more worried about us getting hurt them we do." I replied walking towards the nurses' office and still Shikamaru followed me. I asked the nurse if my brother was there. And she just nodded and pointed to a curtain. Gaara should be behind those curtains. So I just walked over there and opened it up a little and saw Gaara sitting there with Kankuro by the bedside. "Kankuro? Temari didn't come as well?" I asked looking around making sure that my older sister wouldn't come out of nowhere and tackle me.

Kankuro looked up at me and nodded. "I didn't want to bother her with this and let her plainly try and kill us here at school when Gaara's already in pain." He said pointing towards Gaara. I looked over at Gaara and saw that he was asleep and had a lot of bruises and scratches on his face and body.

"Damn they did a really beat him up bad. Wonder what he did to upset them." I said mainly to myself as I walked past the curtains into the cube. I looked to see if Shikamaru was coming in. At first I didn't see him, but about a minute later he appeared.

"Wow Sasuke and them really hurt him badly huh?" He said looking at me mostly. I just starred at him trying to figure out why he was still here.

"Why are you still here?" I asked him. He just looked at him and looked at the floor.

"I wanted to find out why Sasuke and the rest of them told me to just go straight to lunch while they just went off somewhere. I didn't take part in it. Now if I had I wouldn't have hurt him that bad." He replied looked straight at me as he said this. I just blinked at him and shook my head.

"I still wonder why Saskue's hated Gaara all these years." I looked out the window down at the field below. Shikamaru just gave me this confused look as if he didn't know what I was talking about. Of course he didn't know what I was talking about; he just came to this school a few weeks ago. "I didn't use to go to this school before. I just got transferred about 3 or so months ago. Gaara's been in the same class as Sasuke since they were in grade school. So they've known each other for years. They wouldn't talk to each other in elementary school or even in the beginning of Junior High. In 7th grade Sasuke began to beat up Gaara because he was so different from everyone. So from that day when I would come home from school I would see Gaara with scars on his face and Temari would be there standing over him with some ointment to make the pain go away. But still just because he was different all of those years didn't really give him a good reason to beat Gaara up every day." I finished as I looked back at Shikamaru and saw he had this annoyed look on his face.

"That really is no reason to beat Gaara up at all. I mean you're different from everyone. Heck everyone is different from everyone else. And you don't see people beating up each other every second they get. Sasuke has to have a reason. And I'm going to find out what it is!" He said as he turned around to leave. I looked at him then followed after him. Before he left the room I had my hand on his shoulder. He looked back at me and gave me this confused look.

"Be careful Sasuke can hit really hard. But then again you've already experienced that. And that was the first day I met you." I said even though I knew I was showing me a side of me that was never suppose to be shown. Not even to my siblings. He just gave me a nod and walked out of the room. I sighed and went back to Gaara's bedside. After about a minute I went to my locker to get my things then went to Gaara's locker to get his things. Kankuro already had his things.

As I walked back to the nurses' office I wondered how Kankuro found out that Gaara was hurt really badly. Had the nurses' contacted him or was it Shikamaru. But then again how would he know that Kankuro was my older brother. He never met him before. Or at least I don't think he has. But I just let these thoughts pass by as I went back to Gaara's bedside and found Temari there.

I wasn't greeted by a hello or anything, but by her yelling that we should have gotten at home. It was no use trying to stop her yelling because it was already hard enough to get a word in. I sighed and just went back to the window looking down at the field. I could see Sasuke's group and Sakura's group facing someone. I guess it was either another kid they like to mess with or Shikamaru, but I found Shikamaru about 20 yards away from the groups and was just sitting there watching them. I wonder if he'll be able to find out the truth without getting hurt. Oh well I'll worry about that later. Right now I have to worry about Temari's level of yelling. Jeez I've had to worry about a lot of stuff today. I wish it could have just been a nice peaceful day.

This ends chapter 4. Please review it would be much appreciated.

Akio: Why do I worry a lot in this chapter? First because of stupid pop quiz, then Gaara suddenly disappears, now Shikamaru? Why?

Me: Shud up just deal with it okay!

Akio: No! I will not deal with it!

Me: Stop being so stubborn that's not part of your character!

Akio: I will make it part of my character! starts laughing evily

Me: (to Gaara, Shikamaru, and Kankuro) umm…. This is what you get for being part of her family and her friend. She's just has to be this stubborn.

Everyone: -sweat drop- great now we have to deal with this?
Shikamaru: How troublesome and I'm trying to help her find out the truth behind the beatings.

Me: Sorry for you. realizes something HEY WAIT A MINUTE!

Sasuke: What?
Me: She can't change her character! I'm the author! She can't do that with out me making her stubborn!

Everyone: -sweat drop- nice realization. So don't make her stubborn.

Me: Will do!