This chapter isn't as "big" as the last one...but I'm slowly working into everything now. Sorry if things seem slow or boring. I'm trying the best I can.
Anyways...thanks again to those that review. It means a lot!
Enjoy!

Chapter Ten: The Little Game We Play

"Painted this big 'ol smile on my face to hide my broken heart."

"Sasuke...Saaasssukkkeeee..."

Sasuke felt something poking at his cheek. It was Kalei.

"Sa-su-keee! Wake up..." She whispered excitedly. She was poking her finger into his cheek. It was the next morning around 11 and Sasuke was still sleeping. He slapped her hand away and groaned, burying his face into his pillow.

"Hey, why are you so tired?"

"I didn't get back until late." He spoke into pillow. Kalei grunted and sat in the chair sitting next to his bed.

"You didn't wake me up last night." She said, crossing her arms.

"You were sound asleep...I was tired." He mumbled again.

"But you told me you would tell me about your date!" She shouted angrily. Damn, your the one that told me to wait up for you!!!

"Well I can tell you today." Is it that big of a deal?

"Now?"

"No."

Kalei grunted, grabbed the covers and yanked them off of Sasuke, revealing his shirtless upper body. Kalei almost gasped but held it in. The muscles on his back were strong and defined.

"Damn it, Kalei..." He mumbled, reaching for the covers with his hand. Once he found them, he pulled them up halfway over his back and let his arm fall limply at his side. He was apparently still very tired.

Kalei sighed and sat back down. "Get up, dumb ass."

"I'll tell you about it later." He said angrily, shifting his head in his pillow.

"Oh come on...you really think I would wake you up just to know about your date with Sakura? No...I actually have some good news for you." Kalei grumbled, tugging at the ends of her hair. Sasuke slowly lifted his head up and glared at her.

"What then?"

Kalei leaned forward in her chair. "Lady Hokage told me last night that the clean up of the Uchiha estate is going better than planned. In 11 days you can go home, and commence training." She said, smiling.

Sasuke's eyes widened. It was perfect. So lucky. He sighed and slowly lifted himself up in the bed. He sat there and ran his hand through his hair.

"What...that not good?" She asked as a confused look consumed her face. Sasuke looked at her.

"It is good. I'm just tired. I haven't been getting much sleep lately." He yawned and stretched his legs out, letting them dangle off the side of the bed.

"Okay...so news for news. How did it go?" Kalei asked, smirking. Sasuke rolled his eyes and cracked his knuckles.

"I knew that was all you wanted to know."

"Duh. Did you kiss her?" Kalei asked abruptly, causing Sasuke's eyes to widen. He shook his head and a look of disappointment flooded across Kalei's face. "You're stupid, Sasuke." She said, and stood up.

"I didn't want to kiss her." He said irritably as Kalei started walking off. She sighed and turned around, giving him an 'I know you're lying' type of look. He just glared at her.

"Whatever." She said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She started to turn around.

"I have a question for you."

She stopped and looked back at him again. He was smirking and strands of his hair were lying in his face. He looked so...cute. She felt her face grow hot and turned around.

"I'll be downstairs. Ask me later." She said, walking out the door.

Sasuke decided to take a shower before going down to talk to Kalei. As the hot water ran down his face, he couldn't help but think of last night. They had ended up just staying by the pond, watching the stars and talking. It was the most comfortable he had felt in a long time, but he didn't know why. And he definitely didn't know why he had grabbed her hand. It was a sudden reaction...it just happened. It was the same as the feelings he felt last night. It was sudden...it had just happened. And the only thing running through his head was what Kalei had said earlier to him.

"Love just happens."

"Kalei."

Kalei was sitting on the couch, reading a book when Sasuke walked into the room. She closed the book a sighed. "You ready to ask me that question?"

Sasuke nodded and sat down on the couch beside her. He ran a hand through his damp hair. "What's your family like?"

Kalei looked over to him and frowned. This wasn't something she was very comfortable talking about. But she wasn't about to lose this game to him. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

"My family...is pretty much nonexistent." She muttered softly. Sasuke just stared at her, taking in her expression. Maybe he shouldn't have asked that question.

"I used to live in the Hidden Sand village...back when I was young. I came to the Leaf village to get a new start and become a shinobi." She said, running her hand up and down her leg. "My father was an excellent ninja...but he ended up dying on a mission when I was 11. I came to this village when I was 8...so my mother had actually sent a letter to the Hokage to tell me."

Kalei took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. "A week after that, my little sister, Kiako was born. I've only met her once and that was when I went back to the Sand village for my father's funeral. I haven't seen my mother since then either."

Sasuke leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. "You don't keep in touch with your family then."

"Last I heard, my mother was working two jobs and sending Kiako to the academy down there. My mother took my father's death really hard and became extremely distant. She stopped sending me letters so I really just ended up forgetting my life down there." Kalei explained. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked back at her. Her face was solemn. Her eyes looked dull and she wasn't her normal cheerful self. "I was really a daddy's girl...but after the few years of us being apart...I found that his death didn't hurt me so much. I felt ashamed...because I loved him." She said, her voice fading slowly. She shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

"Time is the longest distance between two things." Sasuke said, watching her intently. If he was right, she was probably going to start crying any second now...but after a minute of silence, she just nodded her head and opened her eyes.

"You can cry, you know." He said softly, looking toward the floor.

"I told myself I wouldn't cry over it anymore."

Right then...something in his chest started burning. He looked over at her, eyes wide. She had a small smile on her face, as she stared at her hands on her lap. "I'm not weak enough to dwell on the past and my mistakes. I learned to live alone...and I accepted it."

"Alone?" Sasuke asked quietly.

She simply nodded. "I never had many friends. I trained all the time, so I could become an excellent shinobi like my father. I didn't have much time for anything else. When I lived back in the Sand village...my best friend had died in an ambush when her family had left the village to travel."

Sasuke thought back on his memories in Konoha. The friends he made. The people he lost.

"After that...I isolated myself. I used to regret it all the time...but lately, I've come to realize...I'm not as alone as I think." She said, causing him to look at her. As their eyes met...more feelings came rushing back to him. Ones he hadn't felt in a long time. "It may not be much...and maybe not really even friends but...I do have people I can talk to. Like, you for example." She said, smiling.

His throat tightened as he nodded. It was all he could do. He couldn't think of comforting words or anything.

"Is that all you wanted to know?"

He nodded again.

"Good...then I think it's fair I let you know something else." She said, lifting up her hand. "There are three things about me you should know...remember them." She pointed to her first finger. "I'm actually very emotional." She put her finger down.

Ha...thats hard to believe. She's just seems very bossy. Sasuke rolled his eyes and nodded.

"I hate talking about my family."

Well oops, he struck a nerve. He didn't know. He hated talking about his too, but that never stopped her from asking.

"And three..." She put down her third finger. "I hate the rain."

Now that caught him off guard. A look of confusion passed over his face. "Why?" He asked quickly.

Kalei scooted closer to him. "Because nothing good ever happens when it's raining. At least not for me. It only means sad things. It was raining when my father died. It was raining when I found out about my best friend. It was raining at the 3rd Hokage's funeral...do I need more examples?"

Sasuke scratched his head and stood up.

"Hey, wait. It's my turn." She said, startling him. He looked down on her and smirked.

"Haven't you talked enough for one day?"

"Ha...ha..." She stood up and her face turned serious. "Are you ready to answer my question now? About Sakura...?"

His eyes widened. Was he ready?

"Because that's what I'm asking."

"Pass."

Her mouth dropped open. No way did he just pass that question.

"What?" She asked, bewildered.

"Pass." He spoke again.

"Why would you pass that...can't you answer it?!" She shouted. He started walking away from her.

"If I'm correct...I get to ask you one last question." He said, stopping at the doorway between the living room and kitchen. He looked back at her and smirked. She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Well...I'll ask you later."

A surprised and angry look crossed her face. "What? Why?"

"Because...it has to be a good one." He said, walking out into the kitchen. Her mouth went dry. He had such a way of playing it so cool.

She couldn't help but let a smile cross her face.

"What?! That's great, Sakura! This is your first mission with the ANBU in a long time, huh?!" Naruto shouted! Sakura's eyebrow twitched furiously. "Keep it down, Naruto!" She whispered angrily.

They were in the middle of a crowded street, and Naruto was being Naruto...shouting way louder than he had to. She had just been informed by the Hokage that she would be able to go on a mission with a few ANBU members. They were to leave tomorrow...and would be gone for three days. She was excited...but also a little sad. She felt like she had just broken down Sasuke's walls...and she didn't want to leave right away. All the same, she was a shinobi...and she had asked for this mission. She had to go.

"I don't know. Sasuke won't care, right?" She asked nervously. She had just got done explaining how her date had gone. Naruto, despite being a little hurt, was happy for Sakura.

"No...that bastard can fill his time with other things to do. Don't worry about it."

"You don't think he'll do anything stupid while I'm gone, do you? I mean..."

"No, Sakura! Don't worry!" Naruto said, smiling. Sakura exhaled a deep breath and shook her head.

"You're right. Nothing bad will happen." She said quietly.

Naruto nodded. "What could possibly happen in three days, Sakura? It's only three days less until he can train and move home."

What could happen in three days?

Apparently...

A lot.

Next Chapter: Slow and Silent Sinking