Tatiana Hime - Anime North was AWSOME! That was the best trip ever. There was no feeling better then having someone run up to you and ask to take your picture. I felt like a star and there was more anime then I've ever seen before. I spent a fortune there... but it was so worth it. Sorry for the delay on posting the next chapter but I am back now and the story can continue. Thanks for still reading
Chapter 9 – Absences
Lee woke the next morning still very sore. There was a damp spot on his pillow where he had cried himself to sleep. His eyes lacked any sign of emotion as he sat in bed trying to will himself to get up, but he couldn't do it. His whole body hurt, inside and out. He decided not to go School today. This was a very big deal because Lee had never missed a day of school before in all his life, no matter how sick he was or what injury he had. He lay back down in bed not being able to will himself to get up just yet. He didn't go back to sleep but just lay there looking at the ceiling have yesterday's events play over and over in his mind. He couldn't understand it. 'They were fighting. That wasn't an act was it? It couldn't have been. Gaara said he loved me. Was that a lie? Was it there plan to knock me off the cliff so they could be alone? Is this another one of Neji's games?' His mind was racing. And once he started to reply the scene he saw last night he couldn't stay in bed any longer. He didn't want to think about it. He forced himself to his feet and decided to go take a shower. It took awhile to remove all the bandages he had. As he removed them he smiled slightly thinking of Sakura. The water stung his wounds but he didn't care. He stood under the water for a long time, letting the water flow over his body hoping it would wash away more then just the dirt on his body. He had his eyes closed with his forehead pressed against the cold wall. He didn't know how long he was in the shower for but a sudden knock on the door brought him back to reality. He must have been there awhile cause the water had turned cold. He quickly turned off the water, grabbed a towel wrapping it around himself and hurried to the door. He didn't know how long the person was knocking for and didn't want them to wait any longer then they needed to. He pulled open the door to see the same pink haired girl from yesterday. Sakura smiled at him as he opened the door and then her face went red as she saw him standing there in nothing but a towel. She wanted to look away but couldn't help liking what she saw. Lee was surprised to see her standing there and was now embarrassed himself, his face now matching the red on Sakura's face. Lee held the door open for Sakura to come in and she waited in his room well Lee hurried to get dressed. "Put on a pair of shorts and I'll redo your bandages" Sakura called to him. Lee was able to pull on a pair of lose shorts and returned to the room still red faced having a bare chest in front of Sakura. Sakura smiled sweetly to him and motioned for him to sit on the bed and she started to wrap his wounds. Not that he didn't love Sakura being there he couldn't help but wonder why she was there. School should have started by now.
"What are you doing here Sakura? Shouldn't you be in class?" He tried to ask this is a way that wouldn't make her think he didn't want her there.
"Don't worry. I'm not skipping class or anything. When you didn't show up in school Gai sensei came bursting into the class freaking out at everyone asking what happened to you and accusing people of doing something terrible to you. The teacher had to yell at him to clam him down and the only way to make him leave and return to his mission was to get on of the students to come to your house to see how you were. A few people volunteered. Neji and Gaara being 2 of them." Sakura paused to see if Lee reacted to this and his eyes did seem to flash a little but he said nothing so she continued. "I told the teacher that I was talking to you yesterday and that I should be the one to check up on you. He agreed and here I am."
"Sorry to cause you so much trouble." Lee hated that he seemed so weak in front of Sakura all the time.
"Don't be sorry. I liked the excuse to come and visit you." Lee blushed a little. He really liked Sakura. Even if she didn't love him he was glad that she was one of his best friends. "I think you should know that Neji seemed really worried when you didn't show up in school today. He couldn't even keep his normal better then everyone look on his face and he kept looking at your empty seat." Lee didn't know if this made him feel better or worse. He liked the idea that Neji was worried because it showed that he actually cared. On the other hand he didn't like to cause people emotional pain so he kinda felt bad about it as well.
"Did Gaara do anything?" Lee asked before he even realized he was talking.
"Not that I know of. Other then volunteering to come see you he just sat in his desk with this odd grin on his face."
Lee had a depressed look on his face and it looked like he was deep in thought. Sakura was just finishing wrapping Lee's arm when she noticed the expression on his face and tied the knot a little tight causing him to flinch and look at her. "Oh sorry about that." She loosened it and then tied it again. She had accomplished what she was trying to, she pulled Lee out of his thoughts. "Lee I think you need to relax. Your letting all of this stuff get to you and it's not like you to be so lost." Lee couldn't respond. He knew she was right. He hadn't been himself and he didn't like it, but he also couldn't help it. His heart had never been through something like this before and he didn't know how he was suppose to act. They'd talked for awhile longer and then Sakura said she had better get back to school. Lee walked her to the door and assured her that he would be back in school tomorrow. He watched her leave and as she was out of sight he looked up seeing the stone heads of the Hokage. They were still full of paint. He only remembered now that he was suppose to clean it off. After everything that had happened he had completely forgotten about it. After Sakura's visit he was feeling a lot better. He decided to take this time to go and finish the job he was ment to do yesterday. He closed and locked the door then headed off in the direction of the mountain.
When Sakura walked into the class the whole room watched her walk in. Neji almost got to his feet when he saw her return but was able to stop himself. Gaara's gaze fallowed Sakura as she walked up to the teacher and told him how Lee was. When she walked away and returned to her seat he saw that the class was still watching her obviously wanting to know how Lee was so to save her some hassle he told the class himself.
"Lee is not feeling well today. He seemed to have a small accident yesterday and felt it best that he stay home today. He is fine and has ensured us that he will be in tomorrow. Now let us get back to our lesson." The teacher picked up in the lesson where he had left off. The majority of the class accepted this response and returned to the lesson as well but there were some who weren't satisfied. Sakura sat next to the windows at the back of the class next to Sasuke and when she wasn't paying attention to the teacher she used her efforts to try and get Sasuke attention. Neji tried to make eye contact with her but it was a meaningless effort cause Sakura was gazing at Sasuke with love in her eyes. Neji cursed under his breath and decided that he would stop Sakura at the end of class and question her about Lee, but it seemed Neji wasn't the only one with this idea. As soon as the bell rang many people started to gather around Sakura all wanting to know about Lee. The people who consisted of this group were all people who were friends of Lee. Ten-ten who was part of his training team, Shikmaru seemed to be making is way over wanted to know about Lee and Chouji being Shikmaru's best friend fallowed him over. Ino being Sakura's rival didn't like her getting all this attention so she had to at least be part of it. Temari was amoung the group forming around Sakura. She looked a little tired but seemed to be fine. Gaara punishment couldn't have been to bad. Sasuke hadn't moved from his desk making him part of the group weather he wanted to be or not and ofcorse Naruto was jumping around trying to get as close to Sakura as possible. Neji took one look at this and sighed.
"This is pointless. Screw it, I'm going to Lee's." He was talking to himself but Gaara was standing close to him looking at the group forming around Sakura. it seemed he had also have the same idea and over heard what Neji had said.
"What about afternoon classes? You wouldn't want to tarnish your perfect attendence would you?" Gaara was teasing Neji.
"If it wasn't for you none of this would have happened. Not like this." Neji stormed out of the room. Gaara smiled and fallowed him. Temari notice her brother fallow arfter the long haired nin and jealousy flowed through her again but she didn't want to get Gaara mad at her again so she stayed where she was. Neji hurried out of the school to find he was being fallowed he stopp just as he turned the gate and waited. Sure enough Gaara came walking very calming around the corner and stopped looking at Neji.
"Were you waiting for me?" Gaara said with a small amount of amuzment in his tone.
"Why would I want to wait for you?" Neji on the other hand had no humor in his tone at all. Gaara took another step getting right close to Neji placing an arm around his waist.
"Matbe you'd like to pick up where we left off?" Neji instently blushed and pushed Gaara away.
"Don't touch me." Neji's heart was racing. The touch of the sand nin sent a pleasent surge thorugh his body that called out for more but he was glad he was able to refuse this urge and pushed Gaara away. "Now you listen here. Only I can play with Lee's feelings. Don't go using me to try to toy with him." This didn't come out at all like Neji had planned it. It was the first time he had ever admitted to himself and ment it that he had ben playing with lee's feelings. He knew he had told him this once already but he didn't really believe it at the time. When saying it to Gaara it was like making it real. Neji's heart twisted a little. His feelings for Lee, where they more then a team mate. More then a friend. Gaara could tell Neji was having an emotional realiation.
"Glad to see your starting to be able to admit your feelings to yourself, but Lee belongs to me now. Your to late." These words snapped Neji back to reality.
"LEE BELONGS TO NO ONE!" Gaara had done it again. He had made Neji yell. Neji was always so good at holding back his feelings and not letting anyone get to him. Neji didn't want to talk to this boy anymore. He turned and hurried off in the direction of Lee's place, Gaara fallowing not to far behind.