Sumikoa strolled around the stage sipping on her straight vodka drink. She really should have put some coke in it or lemonade or something but she was too depressed to think about that.
She was walking so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't realise that she had walked into 'Gaara territory' as the rest of the stage workers had taken to calling it simply because anyone who had walked to close to Gaara was now either in hospital or too traumatised to come watch the show. Sumikoa didn't care though, her eyes glinted stubbornly as she walked over to Gaara who was licking his ice-cream while leaning against the wall of the stage. He ignored Sumikoa completely as she walked directly up to him. She crossed her arms defensively and stood patiently until Gaara looked up and met her eyes. He was slightly surprised to see not a glint of fear in them.
Sumikoa: Gaara-chan, how are you? ((She fiddled with the pendant around her neck; it was a long silver chain with a purple guitar emblem on it. She frowned when she realised it was a action very similarly to Hinatas. "Am I nervous?" She thought, her brow furrowed.)). Gaara didn't blink and choose to ignore her question. Interestingly enough he hadn't attacked her yet..but perhaps he was just curios as to why she wasn't afraid of him.
Sumikoa: ((sighing and leaning against the wall next to him.)) I take it you're fine the?. Hmm, well, I ((for once Sumikoa was at a complete loss for words. Gaara's brow furrowed mimicking her look without realising it.)).
Gaara: Why are you really here? ((He cut straight to the point, still not looking at her but surveying the stage. He watched Naruto and Sakura's antics for a while; Naruto had managed to cut Sakura's favourite dress-robes with his knife so she was hitting him over the head repeatedly. Tiring of this and when Sumikoa didn't answer he turned to her.))
Sumikoa's face was staring at the ground, her short-cropped black hair ((She had recently cut it feeling like a change and from much prompting from Sakura who swore that short hair got more guys's attention.)) covering her face so that she couldn't be seen. It was a defensive gesture that she did without realising it. She didn't move for several moments then lifted a hand to her chest so that it was cupped faced upwards. A single tear-drop fell and splashed into her open hand. She closed her hand grasping it tightly, her body was shaking slightly.
Gaara was non-plussed. "What has this got to do with me?" He thought. "Why is she shaking??" He hadn't noticed her crying. Gaara didn't have to think much longer though because Sakura bounded over.
Sakura: SUMIKOA-CHAN! NARUTO HAS RUINED MY FAVOURITE DRESS!!
Sumikoa quickly brushed the tears from her face hoping that no-one had noticed. She didn't like to be seen crying; it showed her weak side. No, much better to bottle it up inside, it was her pain, she should fight it. Thank goodness Sakura distracted her, she would never forgive herself if she had told anyone-let alone Gaara- how much she was suffering. She looked at the vodka in her hand; it was the alcohol's fault; made her more open. Carefully she placed it on the floor and struggled to push a smile on to her face.
Sumikoa: Don't worry Sakura! I'll sort it out! ((She strode over to Naruto, all confidence shown in her body movements once more. Sakura, quick to get out of Gaara's sight ran after her.))
Gaara picked up the glass that Sumikoa had left on the floor and ran a finger down the side of it. It was slightly wet. "Had she been crying?" He thought, confused slightly that he realised that he actually cared whether she had been crying or not. He looked up over to Sumikoa who was tying Naruto back to the pole and handing Sakura some money for a new dress. "What is this that I'm feeling?" He thought clutching the glass too tightly so that it shattered into several tiny pieces. He picked up a piece of broken glass and ran his finger along it; of course the sand stopped him from cutting himself. "Sumikoa..." He whispered to himself before disappearing back behind a cloud of sand.
