wow 40 reviews for eleven chapters you guys rock. demonic neon orange prairie dogs for all. have fun with them their favorite food is mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter twelve

The next day at school I was unusually quiet, all my focus was on not shaking like a crack addicted squirrel. I avoided everyone, with him here I couldn't be around anyone it was to dangerous. I was jumpy, paranoid, and acting like aforementioned addicted rodent. I barely made it to lunch with out spazing. I was to tired to care as I zombie walked to the balcony. Itachi was sitting on the rolled up wrestling mats, drawing. I, however, instead of trying to get the book, collapsed on the folded mats used for the cheerleaders and fell asleep.

"Haruno-san, wake up," a voice was calling to me, bringing me out of the world of Sasuke and Ino being eaten by demonic neon orange prairie dogs. I snapped to attention when I recalled the owner of the voice. I forced myself to act normal as he began to speak again.

"Haruno-san now that your awake we must talk of your absence from my class yesterday, you must understand that you can't just run out like that. People were worried, and if you hadn't turned up at the match last night we would have been forced to call your mother," he paused before continuing, "You wouldn't want to worry her now would you."

I tensed at his words, a threat, it was so obvious. I could see Itachi from the corner of my eye, he was still intent on his work, he was too smart sometimes, he would probably notice anything weird. I was glad he wasn't paying attention.

"No we wouldn't. I'm sorry I don't know what happened," I had to keep the 'this is a normal conversation,' facade.

"Very well I expect to see you in class at once when this period is over," he said walking away.

My muscles didn't loosen until I heard the gym door open below, I had to stop myself from going hysterical, the act proved pointless.

"He threatened you," there was no concern in his voice, it was a simple statement, spoken almost vaguely as if commenting on the weather.

"It's my problem, I'll deal with it. It doesn't concern you."

He normally wouldn't have responded but I had walked right into this one.

"Hypocrite," the word physically hit me, if I had been standing I would have fallen, his voice was dark but there was nothing behind it, no anger, or anything else, just blank.

"That was different, so don't even bring it up. That was my decision to help and only the only thing hurt was your bruised ego at failing. And you're still excluding human morals. This is different and doesn't concern you."

He reverted back to his norm by not responding, and shrugging his shoulders. He was mad, I knew he was, being around him was a learning experience, since he was such a blank person I had to learn body language. I even bought a book on it, but Itachi-nese was more complex compared to the average person. Damn apathy.

"Just listen, this is bigger and more dangerous then Gai-sensei and Rock Lee's eyebrows on a good day, if that ever happens. So I just don't want anyone, including a certain suicidal friend of mine, involved in something that could get more then just me killed," I was crouched down in front of him now my head even with his knees.

A completely unrelated idea popped into my head then, "Besides it's not like he's going to get a chance to carry out his threat. Want to know why." He humored me by raising an eyebrow, how did he do that?

Instead of responding I swiped his sketch book shouting victory as I jumped the balcony railing and ran down the bleachers.

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Truthfully I was surprised he didn't catch me. I mean the guy was like track star material but of course me being smart, humble aren't I, I entered no mans land. Literally. The girls bathroom, I seemed to forget the girls bathroom was on the second floor so I couldn't climb out the window as I had planned, and I had a feeling Itachi was waiting outside the door. When the door swung open I was about to yell, thinking it was him.

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When Tsunade came barreling in I was shocked, had Uchiha really sunk that low. What was so important about the slightly ruffled book that I still hadn't gotten to see. All she said was to follow her, so I did, a bit nervous the woman was almost never this serious, or sober. Itachi suddenly appeared beside me, hand held out expectantly.

The second bell rang and the halls emptied, reluctantly I handed over the stolen item, and complained that I hadn't even seen it yet. He didn't respond and headed off to class.

I was fuming the rest of the way to the office. There was no way I was getting that back, damn smart idiots.

"Sakura-chan I'd like to talk about your disappearing act yesterday. What caused you to run from the room like that?"

I couldn't tell her the truth, but, for once, I didn't really know what to say. So I just kind of stuttered my way through it, saying things like, I don't know what came over me, and that I just had the compulsive feeling of going for a run. She didn't appear to believe me, but I was glad she didn't push the issue. I was running out of stupid excuses.

Instead I got a three day suspension for skipping class for the third time in a week. Once from playing cards and loosing track of time again, another from Tenten dragging me away for something, and of course yesterday. Splendid, I now had to worry about my mom killing me.

When does summer break start this year I could use a vacation. The bright side was that I wouldn't have to go to the rest of my classes that day, bad news I probably now had a very dangerous, known to very few, killer suspicious of me. Seriously, summer break was when?

I went home at three, I was planning on telling my mom in the morning, preferably on her lunch break, or not at all if I could pull it off. My mother ended up getting a call from the school, isn't that nice.

During the entire three days I barely slept. My nerves were a mess, I was so worried about being kidnaped, or killed, or something, and all because that man most likely thinks I ratted him out to Tsunade. Or at least given hints since he hasn't been arrested yet.

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So yeah I was scared, who wouldn't be. Come on, the guy was probably going to kill me because I 'knew too much'. Now that is horribly cliche from a bad spy movie or something. Wow, it's kinda sad that my life always seems to end up like a bad movie full of stereotypes.

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When I was back at school I was so tired it was ridiculous, but I could feel rising tension, or action, or whatever was going on. I also found at lunch that I can play poker in my sleep, and win. Unfortunately, despite my 'nap' I was still exhausted, come on three days, little sleep who wouldn't be.

The world seemed to hate me that day, a lot, because we were watching a war movie, and who doesn't fall asleep during one of those things. Some guys killing each other gets boring after a while. I fought my best with paranoid thoughts trying to stay awake, which seemed to work for a while.

Yet I still never remember falling asleep. I recall a vague shuffling, probably the class leaving. Meaning I was then, alone, in a room, with a crazy guy that was probably out for my blood.

I'll be fine right?