Chapter 11: I guess you're right..

I woke up the next day to the blinding rays of the sun. I groaned and got up out of bed. The images of what had happened the night before came to mind. My hand went immediately to my lips. I smiled and jumped out of bed.

I got dressed quietly, since Temari was still asleep, a smile frozen on her slumbering face. Oh skittles, she looked so cute! I got dressed, and tied the matching blue ribbon into my hair.

The was a quick rap on the door. I went over quietly and opened it. On the other side stood Shikamaru. "Hey, Shikamaru." I whispered.

He scratched his head. "Oi, Esther. Is Temari awake?" I giggled. "Nope, but she will be. I'll send her down, okay?"

He smiled. "Thanks." He walked down the hallway and I closed the door. I tiptoed over to Temari and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She moaned, and turned the other way. "Five more minutes, please. It is a vacation."

I giggled. "Shikamaru's waiting for you." She immediately jumped out of bed. "What?! When did he come up?!" She screamed, yanking on her kimono.

I laughed so hard, I fell off the bed. I hit my butt on the hard wooden floor, but kept laughing. She was just so funny! She shook her head and was about to step out the door, her hair still down.

"Hold up, Temari! Your hair!" I said, between breaths. She smacked her head and put them up into her regular four ponytails. She came over and gave me a hug. "Thanks, Esther! You're a life saver!"

I immediately thought of the literal live saver and started laughing again. She gave me a look and rushed out of the door. I stopped laughing and got up. My butt hurt a bit, but it was worth it. By Boggy Jones, that was like the funniest thing I had seen in a while.

I waited a few minutes, and headed out of the hotel room. Kankuro and Gaara were casually talking, looking off to the right. I stepped behind them and coughed. Kankuro kinda jumped, and they both turned around.

"Hey, Esther. Sleep well?" Kankuro asked, giving me a smile.

I nodded. "Of course. What were you guys looking at?"

He gave me a sour look. "That Shikamaru came around to pick up Temari. We were watching them walk off together. It was the funniest thing. Me and Gaara were betting on how fast Shikamaru was going to ask her out."

I giggled. "What are your bets?"

Kankuro laughed. "I say, tomorrow night."

I turned to Gaara. 'What about you?"

He shrugged. "Tonight."

I nodded. "Okay, so what's the wager?"

Kankuro blushed. Gaara sighed. "The wager is a date with you. It was Kankuro's idea."

What in the name of Boggy Jones?! What was going on here? Kankuro shot Gaara a glare. "Yeah, well you agreed Gaara!"

Gaara shrugged. "I did. Both people have to agree in order for it to be an even bet. Well, Naruto asked for Esther and me to meet up with him in the forest."

Kankuro shot him another glare. "For what?!" Gaara sighed. "I don't know. You needed Esther for something?"

Kankuro growled. "No. Actually, Kiba and Neji wanted to hang out. Oh, he needs to see Esther for a second."

Gaara sighed. "Who?" Kankuro laughed. "Who do you think? Her 'twin bro'."

I giggled. "That's fine. I guess we can all go to Kiba's house and then go and do what we need to do. Sounds fine to you two?"

They both crossed their arms. "Fine." They replied at the same time.

I started walking and they followed. Kankuro talked about how awesome the party was, and Gaara just sulked and looked at the scenery. I talked and nodded, and they soon stopped walking. "Welcome to Kiba's house." Kankuro said, above the sound of dogs' barks.

Kiba came out, with little Akamaru on his head. "Oi! How are you guys?" He asked, giving us a smile

"Great!" I replied, while the other two just grumbled, making Kiba laugh. "Esther, I have a little favor to ask you."

"What is it?" I asked. He laughed. "Do you mind watching Akamaru for me? I would usually ask my older sis, but she's out on a mission. Plus, we have this twin vibe, so he'd feel most comfortable with you."

I nodded. "No problem! I love Akamaru!" Akamaru barked happily and Kiba picked him up. Akamaru gave him a affectionate lick on the face and Kiba laughed and put him down.

Akamaru barked and ran around my feet. Oh Boggy, he was the most adorable thing ever! I picked him up and he barked happily.

Kiba smiled. "Well, we should be off. Just drop Akamaru off whenever."

I smiled. "Okay!" We walked off, leaving Kiba and Kankuro. Gaara just walked and I followed, I let Akamaru down, and he walked in front of us, chasing a cute little butterfly.

"So, what does Naruto want to do with us?" I asked, casually walking beside him. "I don't know. Probably just wants to talk."

I nodded, and Gaara led the way into the forest. We walked for a bit, then we got to a small clearing. Gaara relaxed against a tree, so I decided to sit down as well.

Akamaru came and sat in my lap, and I giggled. It was kind of awkward, so I looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful blue with a few wispy clouds floating across it. "Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue?"

Gaara looked up. "Well, think about. If the sky was red, it would look murderous and evil. If it would be green, it would make you dizzy and queasy. If it was yellow, you couldn't see the sun and it would be way too bright. If it was pink, it would look silly. Blue is just the best choice. It's calm and peaceful."

He was right. "I guess you're right. Do you think about stuff like this a lot?" He nodded. Soon, we heard a noise coming from the trees above us. Naruto jumped out, and smiled. "Hiya, guys. Did you have to wait long?"

I shook my head. "Nope. So what do you want to do?"

Naruto grinned. "Want to go for a little walk? Me and Gaar need to catch up and I'd love to know more about you."

I nodded and we got up. Akamaru was tired, so I held him in my arms. The guys talked about stuff that had been going on in their lives and I just listened. They were similar in many ways, but outwardly, so different.

The things they talked about were for only us to hear. It was so sad at timed, when they talked about some days when they had no one to talk to. Gaara more than Naruto. It was so sad.

Naruto tried to cheer up the mood by talking to me. I answered all of his questions and one got to me. "Have you ever been alone?"

I nodded. "Plenty of times. I didn't really fit in, so most days I'd spend in the silence of my own mind."

"Why were you alone?"

"Scars of the past. People, places, the way people see me, but I have to keep going. If I don't I'd be stuck with no one."

Gaara looked over at me. "You don't look like the type of person who is like that."

I tried to cheer up, but a tear fell down my cheek. Oh boggy, don't start crying! "If I don't act happy, I'll start crying and it will never ending. I have to keep running from those demons who ignored me and made me alone."

Naruto nodded. "I get what you're saying. It's tough, isn't it?"

I nodded. "But if you have people who care about you, it seems less painful and hard than it actually is. That's why I'm s happy all the time."

We got back to the clearing, and we parted ways. Gaara walked beside me, and it was so quiet. Akamaru was asleep, so his slow breaths filled the silence. "How can you be so happy? Caring?" He finally asked.

"I have to stand my ground. If I stumble, everything will get to me. You said you were alone. If you didn't keep going everyday, wouldn't you still be alone?"

"I would. You're here now, so I'll be fine." He replied, his emotionless face giving off a hint of happiness.

I smiled. "Of course. You'll be okay if you lose the bet, right?"

He moaned. "Don't bring that up. I only did that so that Kankuro would leave me alone."

I giggled. "I promise that I wont kiss him."

He nodded. "That's fine with me." Kiba's house came into view, the last rays of the sun hitting the pale white walls. I dropped off Akamaru inside, since Kiba still wasn't home. We walked to a ramen booth and grabbed some food, since we hadn't eaten anything.

We ate, and Gaara actually talked a bit. He talked about he had met Naruto and how he wants to become like him. I nodded. It was hard acting like you didn't know this when you already did. We finished eating and Gaara paid for the meal.

We walked back to the hotel, since it was already dark. It was probably about seven or eight. That meant that I spent about 4 hours with Naruto and Gaara. Oh skittles, was that amazing. I could barely stand 1 hour of walking around with my friends. Have I gone crazy?

I walked up to the hotel room, to find Temari sitting inside. She was smiling her head off, again. "What's so happy?" I asked, after we had said hello.

She squealed. "Shikamaru asked me out!" I smiled. "I'm happy for you!" We danced around like the bunch of banana heads we were. After we finished, I grabbed my stuff. "I'm going to tke a shower. Don't do anything stupid, lover girl."

She laughed and I headed into the shower. The thoughts of my past life on Earth flickered in my brain. I shook them off, and drowned them out with the sound of rushing water. I took a bath and sang a happy song.

I got dressed and headed out to the bedroom. Temari and I talked for a bit, until we both yawned after every other word.

She turned off the light and I slipped into bed. I stared at the ceiling for a bit, but then fell asleep because I couldn't keep my eyes open much longer.

There were shadows all around me. I looked at them, and they were circling around me. Everything was gray, except the shadows. They were an eerie black. The voices filled my brain. You're creepy.

Go away from us, you geek!

Why don't you ever try to fit in? Straightening your hair would help. You wouldn't stick out so much.

Stay out of my way! Did I say that I needed your help, stupid?

I tried to shake the voices out of my head. Those distant voices of the past I tried to forget so hard. I see an opening in between the shadows. I run towards it, but it gets father and father away. The shadows behind me are coming in, engulfing everything into their eerie backness. The opening is now only a tiny white speck, surrounded by the blackness of my shadows. I stumble, and the white speck disappears, the shadows engulfing me now.

I wake up in the pitch black hotel room. My face is wet, and my breathing irregular. I get out of bed, straying away from the sound of Temari's faint snoring. I run, not caring how loud I am. I run out of the hotel, only to find it raining outside. I run down the wet street, the shadows of the night creeping behind me like in my dream. This time, there is no opening at the other side.

I trip on something and fall to the ground, my skin scraping the unsmooth street. I cry and huddle into a small ball. A song rings through my head:

She never slows down.

She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone, feels like its all coming down

She won't turn around

The shadows are long and she fears if she cries that first tear, the tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain

Stand your ground

Stand up when it's all crashing down

You stand through the pain

You won't drown

And one day, whats lost can be found

You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound

Alone in this fight with herself and the fears whispering if she stands she'll fall down

She wants to be found

The only way out is through everything she's running from wants to give up and lie down.

I cried and tried to get the song out of my head. I didn't want to hear, because I knew that it was true. I couldn't hide from my fears anymore. I sat on the street, crying my heart out, the rain drowning me out.

I felt somebody standing in front of me. "Esther? What are you doing out this late?" Gaara whispered. I kept crying. "I can't escape them! My fears!" I whispered back.

He out stretched his hand towards me. "Get up." He said. It wasn't forceful, more like caring. I grabbed his hands and his strong grip pulled me to my feet. I wiped my eyes and he lead the way back to the hotel. The rain poured down harder and Gaara was getting soaked.

"What were you doing up?" I whispered. He sighed. "For your information, I heard you running through the hall. I wake up easily so I got up."

I sighed and we got back to the hotel. "Everything will be fine. Go to bed and if you can't sleep, knock on my door. Kankuro can sleep through an explosion and not wake up." Gaara said, and gave me a hesitant kiss on the head.

I nodded numbly and went over to my room. I got into bed, and fell asleep, the shadows haunting me no more.

AN: I am a disclaimer. The song is called "Stand in the Rain" by Superchic[k. Selene98, remember the funky chicken dance?? Ah, the things we do to entertain ourselves.