"Zena!" Cried Naruto, running through the halls. "Guess what?"
"Hm?" I turned around, shutting my locker.
"Here." Naruto grabbed a textbook of the top of my pile. "We have first period together so I can carry some."
I nodded a thanks. "Where are your books?"
Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Er, well I kind of forgot them at home. Chemistry's so hard anyways! There's no way I can pass."
"Did you ask Shikamaru for help?" I asked.
"He told me to memorize the textbook." Naruto crossed his arms. "For such a brainy jerk he sure can't teach."
I covered my mouth to stifle a giggle. "What was this big news you had for me?"
"Gaara called it off." He grinned big.
"What off?"
We reached the classroom and he took a seat at a table with me. They were set up to fit sets of four. "The game. I heard Sasuke asking Gaara who their next target was."
"Do you mean they're not targeting me? Or have they stopped completely?" I wondered.
"Completely. Gaara said he was sick of it. And when Sasuke and Hidan tried to argue with him Pein stepped in."
"P-Pein?" I stuttered.
"Yeah. Pein started talking about the Sound Cult and how they had to prepare for a war or something. That they didn't have time to target people."
We sat next to each other and I opened my textbook, thinking. "That's good then. But what's this Sound Cult?"
"Oh another school, Oto, they're trying to challenge Gaara's gang. They've been at it for a while. They have some tough people in their ranks. Sakon and Ukon are twins and the leader. Jirobo, Kidomaru, and Tayuya are the only other notable members."
"Sounds scary. I wouldn't want to get involved." I laughed nervously.
"Eh? Never thought you were a coward!" Naruto nudged my side.
I laughed. "I'm not a fighter."
He leaned back in this chair, tipping it and balancing on the hind legs. "I don't think that's true Zena. You're a real good fighter."
I was about to ask him to clarify, as I'd never hit anybody in my life, when he fell backwards with a crash. I winced.
"Are you okay Naruto?" I asked, leaning over. "You really shouldn't do that."
He just grinned up. "It's impossible for me to get hurt, believe it!" He game me a thumbs up.
I rolled my eyes. Naruto was definitely the fighter here.
Then, they entered.
The entire classroom went quiet as the Shukaku walked slowly in. Everyone was holding their breath and waiting, wondering.
Deidara, Hidan, Sasori, Gaara, Sasuke, and Pein.
Looking around I noticed that their were only six open seats. Two across from Naruto and I, and an empty table.
Naruto and I exchanged looks.
Then I looked at Gaara. His eyes met mine and held for a moment.
My heart sped up. He was walking over to our table. I tried to busy myself with opening my textbook and finding the right page. Tried to pretend I didn't hear chairs scraping or Naruto's small acknowledgement.
I looked up. Gaara and Pein had taken the seats across from us. You could have heard a pin drop.
"Er..." I started nervously and then looked down again. What was there to say? It was so awkward you could feel the tension.
"Naruto, Wednesday at seven, will you help us?" Asked Gaara.
I peeked up curiously.
"Eh? What with?" Naruto scrunched up his eyes.
"That is when our battle with the sound is to be taken place. We are outnumbered currently. Apparently they called for help from the Cloud and Rock."
Naruto rubbed his forehead. "Who else is gonna be there?"
"Sasuke, Hidan, Sasori, Neji, Shino, Deidara, Hidan, Zabuza, Kisame, and Kiba. Shikamaru is devising a plan." Said Gaara.
"Konan and I will fight this time." Said Pein.
I glanced at Pein. I'd never heard of him or Konan actually fighting. A small part of me wanted to see. A bigger part knew how stupid that was. Once, a rumor spread that the reason nobody had seen Pein fight seriously was because he'd never left anyone alive to report on it. Probably just a rumor...
I was hoping so at least. His eyes met mine and I looked down. It wasn't that I was scared.
I was just... a little terrified of that man.
"Ah, well if you're gonna fight Pein it must be seriously. I'll help out!" Naruto grinned.
"Naruto..." I said softly.
"Ah don't be worried Zena. I'm unbeatable remember?" He laughed.
I sighed in defeat. Naruto was something else.
Class started and I found myself stealing glances at Gaara. He still hadn't told me what he thought. No word about yesterdays events. Did he plan to ignore me for the rest of the school year?
The rest of the day passed exactly like that up until the bell rang.
Gaara stood by the front entrance looking through his bag for something. I shouldered mine uncomfortably and took a deep breath.
I stopped in front of him.
He looked up at me, closing his bag even though he hadn't pulled anything out. He leaned against the rail. We were alone.
"Thanks for locking my door." I whispered.
"Do you have work today?" He asked.
I swallowed, rubbing the back of my head. "Oh, er, no."
"Do you have to pick up Zakari."
"He's spending the day with Utakata. So I can go to the Gym after school." I said.
Silence.
Gaara pulled his car keys out of his pocket and twirled them in his hand. "Come with me then."
He looked as nervous as I felt. His cool demeanor was cracking and my hands were sweating despite the snow. Slowly I nodded and let him lead the way to his car.
After he pulled out of the parking lot and got on the main road I turned to him. "Gaara, wh-"
"Shh." He silenced me.
Oddly enough, I obeyed and let him drive to the outskirts of town and turn into a long driveway. He drove past two statues of lions and up to a very immense and quite nice house.
"Is this..." I hesitated.
"Mine." He got out of the car and I took the cue. We walked inside together.
Though grand, I didn't like his house. It was dark and depressing. "It's nice." I whispered.
It was that kind of house, the kind you wanted to whisper in.
He continued to walk, turning down hallways and finally stopping in front of a plain wooden door. He opened it to reveal a room I assumed was his.
It was clean. No personality to it. A boring room. A boys room. No posters or action figures or even a television. It wasn't even depressing looking. Nothing. It seemed a bit lonely.
Gaara walked to a plain wooden desk and opened the drawer. He pulled out a small box and placed it on the bed. Opening it, I peered over his shoulder to see what was inside.
On top was a picture. A copy to the one I held.
He removed it. Next he took out a light blue bracelet that had been hand made.
"Remember?" He asked.
I took it and nodded. I'd made it in school and given it to him.
Next was a small yearbook. He flipped it open to the kindergartner section. Zena Sirota and Gaara Sabaku were right next to eachother. I was smiling and he had a blank look.
"Ah, we looked so innocent didn't we?" I sighed.
He nodded, putting the book down. There were other small trinkets in the box but he didn't focus on them.
"I kept these." He said. "Never knowing why, just unable to let go."
I sat down on the bed beside him. "For the same reason I kept my photo."
Gaara nodded. "Even though it was horrible-"
"-Those times, were still the happiest I ever had." I smiled.
"I want to blame someone for the way it turned out."
I wrapped an arm around my knees, bringing them up to my chest. "Blame me."
"I do. But I blame my parents, and yours more." He angled his body so he was looking at me.
I looked down. "It was still my choice."
"But," Gaara placed the items back in the box. "It doesn't make much sense to blame you at this point. If I had known what your father was threatening back then, I would have broken off the friendship myself. If I had known he'd one day- that he'd-"
His eyes were on my legs and I shifted uncomfortably. "I should have told you the truth. The real reason or something."
"We can't change the past." Said Gaara.
We nodded and silence engulfed us. I thought maybe I'd leave when he spoke.
"How many?" He asked.
"What?"
"How many cuts are there." He motioned to my legs.
The question stung. I did not want to think about the scars that man left. I'd never bothered to count them. "I don't know." I whispered.
Gaara got on his knees on the bed, taking my shoulders in his. He pushed me back firmly, but without excessive force. I went with it, lying on my back. Goosebumps rose when he unbuttoned the jeans I was wearing and slid them down and off.
"Gaara..." I said with a small voice of protest.
He paid no attention, forcing my knees apart and looking at my inner thighs once more. He ran his finger over the cuts.
"I want to count them." He said.
A blush spread over my cheeks.
He was silent for a minute and I looked away. Then I felt the grip on my knee tighten. I looked back at Gaara.
He looked up at me. "There's too many to count..." He said.
I pursed my lips.
Tighter and tighter his grip grew. "So many. How could- how could someone- that he touched you so many times..."
"Disgusting isn't it?" I laughed, closing my eyes. "I'm disgusting aren't I? Ruined. What a brilliant curse."
I felt Gaara's weight shift, the bed moving down as he positioned himself over me, between my legs and my chest brushing his.
When I opened my eyes his were inches away.
"Isn't the prince supposed to break the curse?" He asked.
Then he kissed me. It was not like the last kiss we shared. This one was honest, packed with emotion. Unlike any kiss I'd had before. Gaara wrapped an arm under me and flipped us over, so he would not crush me under his weight. I doubt he even would have. The weight of someone you felt attached to couldn't be uncomfortable.
The longer we kissed, the more it deepened. A bond was being formed. His arms were now wrapped completely around me, moving slowly along my back. Then, I pulled back a little and let out a small laugh.
He returned it, looking up at me.
What had happened to us? I still did not know where we stood. Enemies or friends or nothing.
But kissing him would be nice again.
We were seconds from joining lips again when someone knocked on the door.
"Hey Gaara you've got mail." Announced the voice.
"Ignore him." Gaara whispered, holding me against him when I tried to get up.
Neither one of us was prepared for the doorknob to twist and two figures to be standing there when it opened.
Gaara let out a growl. "Kankuro, Temari! Get out!"
I tried to get up but if anything Gaara was just holding me tighter against him. I hid my face in his shoulder.
Kankuro dropped the mail he was holding in his hand.
The door slammed shut again.