Chapter 14
"Speaking in Japanese"
Thoughts
[Speaking in English]
Inner Sakura/Gaara/Sasuke/Pein
~ ~ ~ Recap ~ ~ ~
"Alright Sabaku," Pein said sitting up and looking into Gaara's jade green eyes.
"I'll give you my blessing if you take down Taka and claim the Sound's territories for the Akatsuki."
Gaara couldn't believe his ears. People said that he was the crazy one but Pein was a fucking psycho!
Taka was the gang from Sound High. Their territories were the north west side of town, but lately they'd been trying to push their way into Akatsuki land.
Ever since he joined up, the Akatsuki and Taka had been fighting for supremacy of Konoha City. The terf wars seemed to settle down for a while but Taka has a new leader… Sasuke Uchiha.
You'd think that he would join the Akatsuki like Itachi, but the elder Uchiha and the younger one were bitter enemies like the gangs they were affiliated with.
"So you want me to single handily take down an entire gang?" Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow at his leader.
"Not necessarily," the orange haired guy replied "if you beat the Uchiha, then Taka will follow. I didn't even say you had to fight him physically, as long as he admits defeat the deal is done and I won't be a nuisance to you and your little crush." He smirked at his last words.
Seeing as he had no choice Gaara agreed. If he didn't have Pein's blessing he'd have to leave the gang, and that would leave him vulnerable to Taka and that was not an option after all of their guys that he'd taken out.
"Deal?" Pein asked reaching out his right hand to Gaara
"Deal." He agreed.
He grabbed Pein's hand and the two locked eyes, jade clashed with violet as their eyes met.
"Don't disappoint me Sabaku."
With that Gaara headed back to school, he knew what he had to do.
If Sakura agreed to be his girlfriend and choose him over Sasuke, he knew the Uchiha would admit defeat, he would lose control over Taka and their territory and his deal with Pein would be done. It was as simple as that.
Suddenly Gaara felt relieved Pein said he would back off.
All we have to do is make sure that Uchiha doesn't try anything.
Gaara entered his English class and walked to where his seat was, only to find his rival.
"You're in my seat," Gaara deadpanned.
His eyes flickered over to Sakura who was looking up at him a small grin on her cute face.
"I don't see your name on it," Sasuke retorted
Gaara pulled out his switchblade from his back pocket, flicked it open and slashed at the desk, even Sasuke jumped back in surprise.
"There," the red headed devil smirked
Sasuke looked at the side of the desk, in the slashes formed the Kanji for "Sabaku no Gaara"
"Now it has my name on it," The class 'ooed' at Gaara's ballsy-ness (A/N is that even a word? Lmao)
"Ah shit teme just sit back here!" Naruto burst out
Sasuke begrudgingly got up and sat next to the loud blonde.
"Sabaku-san if you're about finished interrupting my class?" Iruka sighed
"Sorry sensei, proceed" Gaara waved his hand at the teacher.
"About time you showed up, I was thinking you'd left me…"
Gaara felt his heart tug at the forlorn look in Sakura's eyes at the latter part of her sentence. He knew now why she didn't trust so easily. She had been abandoned before.
He put his hand on her head and rested his forehead against hers "I'd never leave you," he murmured softly.
Sakura gave him a small smile in reply. The rest of the class was peaceful except for the fact that Gaara could feel Sasuke glaring at the back of his head.
After what seemed like forever it was finally lunchtime. Sakura bought a salad and sat with her friends at their table.
Sakura was on the end of the table with Hinata to her left, Naruto to Hinata's left on the other end. Ino was across from Sakura, and across from Hinata and Naruto were Shikamaru and Kiba with Akamaru in his lap.
"Well look who decided to show up," Ino said quirking a blond brow at her pink haired friend.
"What makes you say that?" Sakura questioned.
"You just ditched us this morning to go see Gaara, probably to catch a morning make out session huh?" Her friend teased
"Ino-chan d-don't tease Sakura-chan like that," Hinata whispered
"At least someone is on my side," Sakura rolled her green eyes at Ino's childishness but couldn't help the blush that formed with the thought of making out with Gaara again.
"Speak of the devil," Shikamaru drawled as the group turned to see Gaara approaching.
"Hey," he greeted the group bumping fists with the guys and sitting next to Sakura
"Where's your lunch?" The rosette asked
Gaara merely shrugged "Not hungry," he said plainly
Sakura clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You shouldn't skip meals, here," she pushed her salad toward him
Gaara rolled his eyes and went to push the salad back at Sakura but she insisted, putting some of the leafy greens on the fork in her hand and holding it up to the red head's mouth.
"C'mon Gaara say ah~" Sakura cooed as if she were trying to feed a baby.
"Ugh fine," Gaara opened his mouth and bit the leaves, rolling his eyes at Sakura's beaming smile.
"Could you two get a room I think my lunch is gonna come back up!" Kiba hollered making gaging noises
"Ew I know right, all this love-bird crap is so gross" Naruto chimed in
"Shut it stupid," Gaara attempted to appear menacing but that was hard when his cheeks looked like a chipmunk's with the food in his mouth.
Ino and Hinata giggled in delight "I think they make a great couple right Hina?" Ino laughed
"Mhmm," Hinata agreed with a smile.
After the bell went off signalling the end of fourth period and the end of the day, Sakura made her way to her locker with Hinata where Ino was already waiting.
"Took you long enough, I've been waiting forever!" The blonde whined
"Relax it hasn't even been five minutes," Sakura rolled her eyes as she put away her books and grabbed her skateboard.
"Guys since it's Friday, let's go have a sleepover at my place!" Ino squealed
"Okay," Hinata agreed smiling back at her bubbly friend.
"Alright, I could use some time away from my Uncle," Sakura laughed
"Great! Come to my place at 6."
With that, the girls walked back to their houses to get ready for their impromptu sleepover.
When Sakura got home she jumped into the shower and changed into a grey t shirt and a pair of black shorts.
Hmm, it must have shrunken in the wash. She thought, as the shirt was now more like a cropped top and showed the white bandages she always wore over her stomach to cover the scars from the accident.
Oh well it's just me and the girls. She assured herself. Sakura was still self-conscious about telling people about her parents and the accident, she didn't like it when people pitied her.
She took her black Nike duffel bag and began to pack. She put in her bag of toiletries, her pajamas which consisted of one of Kakashi's old shirts and another pair of shorts. She also put in an outfit for the following day, a lightwash oversized denim shirt, a white tube top and a dark purple skirt.
By the time she had finished packing it was twenty minutes to six.
Sakura grabbed her board and headed downstairs. She left a note on the kitchen table for Kakashi and headed out.
The evening air was a nice contrast to the usual heat and humidity of the day, Sakura was glad summer vacation was coming up soon.
The sun was just starting to set as Sakura made her way down the street at a leisurely pace.
Sakura turned when she heard a car honk at her, and saw Deidara in a black car.
"Hey Pinkie need a ride, yeah?" He asked
Sakura shrugged "Sure,"
She walked around to the passenger's side and then hopped in.
"Where to?" The blond asked
"Your place," Sakura replied as she buckled her seatbelt.
Deidara chocked on his saliva. "M-My place?!" He spluttered
"I mean you're cute and all but I thought you and Gaara had a little thing but-"
"I'm going to a sleepover with Ino!" Sakura whacked the older teen upside the head.
"Oh, well why didn't you say so in the first place?" He grumbled, trying the squelch the blush that formed on his cheeks.
"What did you think I meant?" Sakura asked turning her large doe eyes to the driver.
"N-Nothing forget it," Deidara mumbled.
They pulled up to Deidara's house and Deidara unlocked the door from the key that hung around his neck.
"Ino should be up in her room, remind her that the guys are coming over so stay upstairs." Deidara said was he walked into the kitchen, he stopped for a moment and turned back to face Sakura
"Pein's also gonna be here, by the way."
Sakura felt her smile drop and she clenched her jaw.
"Oh. Thanks for the notice." She replied stoically
As long as I stay upstairs I won't see him. Sakura assured herself as she ascended the stairs to Ino's room.
Sakura knocked on the lavender door and opened it when she heard Ino call her in.
Sakura dumped her duffel bag on the floor beside Ino's bed where the blond, Hinata and Ten Ten were sitting on.
Sakura flopped onto the bed and heaved a huge sigh.
"Hello to you too missy," Ten Ten said poking Sakura's side.
Said girl sat up and smiled at her friends.
"We were just talking about how Ten Ten and Neji are going to make things official,"
Sakura brows raised "Wow, I wouldn't think Neji was one for public displays of affection but good for you guys!"
Ten Ten scratched the back of her neck with a goofy smile "Yeah well, I guess he just got tired of seeing other guys hit on me at school." She laughed good naturedly, but Sakura could see how happy her friend was.
"What about you Hinata?" Ino asked wagging her eyebrows at the shy girl
Hinata waved her hand in front of her face dismissively "You know how clueless Naruto is, but he does carry my books between classes and walk me home sometimes."
"Aw, how cute, just like a pair of grade schoolers," Ten Ten teased
Hinata giggled "Well at least I can talk to him more now, instead of blushing like crazy and fainting,"
"What about you and Shikamaru Ino-chan?" Hinata asked
This time it was Ino's turn to blush "There's nothing going on. That idiot I too dense."
The girls laughed "I'm sure he'll get the message eventually, and besides you're the only girl he'll bother talking to." Ten Ten assured the blonde
"Anyway, enough about us, Sakura tell us about your situation with Gaara hmm?" Ino turned her blue eyes to meet Sakura's green ones.
Sakura frowned a bit. "That's what I wanted to talk to you guys about."
"Hmm? What do you mean Sak?" Ten Ten asked resting her head in her hands as she looked at the girl to explain. Everyone seemed to be waiting or Sakura to separate fact from the rumours that had been swirling around at school.
"Well for starters, Pein is my ex-boyfriend."
Way to be subtle. Her Inner chided
Her three friends gaped at her.
There was a tense silence.
Ino was the first to speak "No… no…"
She began to laugh, a high pitched and nervous sound
"You've got to be kidding Sak! Ha ha very funny!"
Sakura just looked at her. Ino's eyes widened and a gasp escaped from Hinata
"Y-You're serious?" The purple haired girl put a hand over her mouth in shock.
Sakura nodded grimly. "I told Gaara the other day and he left first period for a while. I thought he was never going to talk to me again. Then he showed up and he was acting a bit protective when he saw Sasuke sitting with me."
"So I guess that means he doesn't care then?" Ten Ten said "I mean since Pein is like the leader of the Akatsuki, he's Gaara's boss. But he likes you so much that he doesn't care that you used to date Pein."
Sakura looked down at her fingers in thought. "I don't know. I just don't want Pein to hurt Gaara."
"I don't think he will," Hinata assured Sakura, patting her shoulder.
"Yeah, the Akatsuki needs Gaara more than he needs them. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"So when did you and Pein break up?" Ten Ten asked
Sakura sighed and explained everything to her friends. She was so tired of keeping everything bottled up. She told them about her relationship with Pein, how he abandoned her on that bench at the bus stop, and how her parents died not that long afterword.
"And that's why I'm here now." Sakura concluded
Her friends stared at her for a while, then Hinata practically tackled Sakura in a hug, followed by Ino and Ten Ten.
"You've been through so much Sakura-chan and yet you're so strong." Hinata whispered
"If Pein or Gaara or anyone hurts you they'll have to answer to me!" Ten Ten said patting Sakura on the head.
"We're your honorary sisters now Sakura, so don't worry." Ino smiled
Sakura laughed "Thanks guys this means so much,"
She didn't realize there were tears streaming down her face.
The girls passed the time painted their nails, watched movies and eating snacks.
When Sakura glanced at the clock it was 10pm. They were in the middle of the Titanic,
"Sak could you get the some more popcorn? My nails are still wet." Ino asked batting her lashes at her friend
Said girl groaned "Ten Ten you do it~"
The brunette waved her hands in emphasis "Mine are still drying too,"
"Same here," Hinata chimed in, finishing off her left pinky nail in the silver polish
Sakura huffed and stepped out the room.
I just hope I won't bump into anyone on my way there. She thought as she descended the stairs to the main floor.
"So how's your end of the deal going Gaara," a familiar voice spoke as Sakura was passing by the living room. Pein.
She stopped and leaned against the doorway. Okay maybe eavesdropping wasn't the best thing to do but Sakura was as curious as she was hot tempered.
"It's alright, I should have her in no time." The second voice was Gaara's usual monotone.
What? Is he talking about me?!
"Man I just don't think this is right yeah. Isn't it like using Sakura to get back at Sasuke?" Deidara chimed in.
"We need to ensure that Taka stays off our turf, and if she's the one that Uchiha wants then we have to make sure he doesn't get her. Then he'll gladly surrender." Pein replied
"But what about Pinkie? I mean if I were her I'd-"
"I don't remember asking you Deidara. I think Gaara may have more competition with the way you're acting." Sakura could hear the smirk in Pein's voice.
She felt her body go slack as she leaned her back on the wall.
So he was using me to get back at Sasuke all this time?!