Chapter 4: Bad day... okay i lied.

"Temari?" Gaara snapped with surprise.

"You know her?" I asked also curious, my voice high and squeaky after yelling so loud.

"Gaara!" the strange girl jumped up and at him, hugging him so tight I could swear I saw some purple in his face.

I decided to give them their space and time to catch up on "old times" as people say. I sneaked out the door when they weren't looking and walked across the street to my own home. I didn't want to wake Shizune so I just crawled into bed, shut my heavy eyes and let the night take me into dreamland.

The next morning I didn't see Sasuke at home; I thought that he must've gone to his father's home it, was about time, so I dropped by his house on the way to school. To my surprise he wasn't home. "Maybe he's at school," I thought.

The bell rang and I ventured into the teen-full classroom. It was the same thing over and over again. Naruto would throw a pen across the room to Shikamaru and Ino would sigh and whisper to Hinata and me how stupid they were. Usually I would laugh at her immature but true comment, but today I wasn't feeling up to it. I just sat down and looked to my left at the vacant seat where Sasuke would usually sit.

"Did you guys have a fight again?" Hinata asked sensing something was wrong between Sasuke and I.

I shook my head. "No" I said softly.

"Then what's wrong?" Ino asked.

"I haven't seen him this morning."

"Didn't he crash at your place again?" Hinata asked trying to ignore the idiotic display by Naruto and Shikamaru.

"He did, but he wasn't there when I woke up this morning."

"Oh, maybe he went home." Ino said trying to be comforting.

"Maybe, but he wasn't there when I dropped by this morning." I stared blankly at the math book in front of me.

Hinata started to fidget with her pen as she did when she couldn't think of anything to say. I wish Ino would change the subject. She always does. Sure enough she did, but to something I didn't want to talk about either.

"So how was the date with Gaara?"

I blushed.

"Who's Gaara?" Naruto asked his head hovered over my shoulder. He's so annoying!

"None of you're business!" Ino hit him over the head with her math textbook. Naruto fell to the floor rubbing the back of his head.

"Oww! I was just curious! Geez Ino. Hey Shika! How do you deal with this abuse?" He sat on the floor like a kid. How does Hinata find him attractive? I'll never know.

"You'll get used to it" Shikamaru laughed. Ino's head turned sharply to give Shikamaru a cold look he stopped right away. "How troublesome…." He sighed.

It was funny, but I didn't feel like laughing. I felt, umm, alone. Who was that Girl? Where was Sasuke? I needed him. I needed him to talk to. I felt as if he deserted me. Just then Kakashi-sensei walked in; he's always late.

"Uzumaki; do you mind getting off the floor?"

"Uh, h-hai" the class laughed as Naruto got up off the floor. Everyone laughed except me. They were still laughing as Kakashi-sensei took attendance. He was well into the lesson when I zoned out. Don't get me wrong, Kakashi-sensei is a good teacher a little perverted and is overly happy with that small book he's always reading and all, but he's a good teacher and I usually always pay attention… it's just that I was preoccupied. I was thinking about Sasuke…

"Sakura…"

Where could he be?

"Sakura!"

What if he's hurt somewhere? Nah I doubt that.

"HARUNO SAKURA!"

Hinata poked my arm; I heard a roar of laugher as I was viciously sucked back into math class.

"Eh! Uh, h-hai!" I scampered.

"Well Haruno, welcome back to first period math."

I blushed. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, laughing. Even Naruto. I felt so stupid! Just then Sasuke rolled in. Silence filled the class as they all diverted their attention to him. I felt myself smile. HE'S OK! My heart jumped with joy. There you are I thought. He paused, gazed upon our blank faces; he crept to his seat and sat down.

"Good of you to join us Uchiha Sasuke." Kakashi-sensei snapped at him.

"Yes sir. Good morning sir." Sasuke replied lazily. He didn't seem the same for some reason; my smile faded.

"Where have you been?"

"I slept in sir. I'm sorry sir. It's won't happen again sir."

Liar! I thought. You weren't there this morning.

"It better not." Kakashi-sensei declared, I guess he wasn't in a good mood today; he's not usually like that. He went back to his lesson.

I stared blankly at Sasuke, trying to get his attention. Usually it would work; but he too seemed out of it. I wonder where he was all this time and why he lied to Kakashi-sensei and why he wasn't there this morning.

More questions filled my head as he failed to show up for English and Science; now lunch, I scanned the cafeteria for any sign of Sasuke, no luck. Disappointed I took a seat next to Ino and Hinata. Naruto and Shikamaru were busy doing their history homework, scrambling to finish. Morons… It was already fourth period; the day was 4/5 over and I still hadn't talked to Sasuke or seen Gaara. I was starting to feel like a loner even with Ino and Hinata and the morons there.

"Neh, Sakura." Hinata was poking my arm again. I wish she wouldn't, I hate being poked.

"What?" I snapped. I didn't mean to, but I did.

"What's wrong?" Her eyes were filled with concern. I felt bad for yelling at her. She's a really sweet girl.

"Nothing, why?"

"You seem so out of it today. Are you feeling well?" Ino pretended to take my temperature.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I pushed her hand away.

"Then why so glum?" I snapped again.

"I'm not glum!" What the heck is "glum" anyway? I thought. I was getting annoyed. How could I answer her when I didn't even know the answer?

"Right, ok then Sakura." Ino rolled her eyes at me. Probably frustrated. I'd be frustrated too. Hinata looked at me one more time before resuming her work.

I wanted to get out of there. Watching Naruto and Shikamaru obsess over unfinished homework, Hinata and Ino working on the school paper and the cafeteria food in front of me, it all made me queasy. I didn't feel so good. I felt as if someone had just punched my in the stomach with a 20tone brick. I wanted the day to end. REALLY REALLY SOON!

Fifth dragged on. Such a long day. I was thankful it was over. Mondays suck, I hated them. I just wanted to go home and plop on my bed and cry. I wanted the feeling in my stomach to go away. I didn't bother to look for my friends, Sasuke was MIA, Naruto and Shikamaru had basketball practise and it being Monday, Ino and Hinata had to get the school paper to the printer. All by myself today. Sigh. When did I become such a loner? I turned the corner from the schoolyard. There was Gaara. He smiled at me. I felt my heart skip a beat. Oh wow. Was he waiting for me? I wondered. He waved at me. All of a sudden I didn't feel like such a loner anymore.

"Hey Sakura!"

I walked over to him

"Hi" I smiled. I felt the empty feeling in my tummy fade.

"Long day?"

"Excruciating!" I replied scrunching my nose.

He laughed. What a sweet laugh. I loved it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Oh I'm waiting for Temari"

Temari? TEMARI! I felt my heart sink. The irritating feeling returned to my stomach a hundred fold.

"Oh, ok then. I should get going now, got lots of homework." I put on a fake smile and walked passed him. I wanted to die. Yesterday we had the most (almost) perfect evening. Just him and I (for the most part). I can't believe I fell for the baby boy face again. I hated myself for it.

"No wait!" He grabbed my arm I spun around. His face was right in front of mine. It got hot. I blushed. "Wait…" another awkward moment.

"Just… just… wait… I want to walk you home."

"But what about----" He interrupted me by placing a finger on my lips.

"I just want to make sure she knows where to go. Now then, please, wait for me?"

I blushed. "Ok." I couldn't resist. Maybe he liked me after all.

"Thanks" He kissed me on the cheek. I put on a smile that faded as soon I saw a familiar girl walk up behind him.

"Gaara -kun!" She called. I wish she wouldn't be so… so… PERKY! It bugged me.

"Oh hey Temari. Did you register ok?"

"Yup!" She smiled and held up her registration form proudly in front of us. It wasn't anything to be proud of. Konoha High was a "gangster prep school" nothing to be proud of. My eyes narrowed. I tried to hide it.

"Oh hello!" She said cheerily "I'm Temari! Nice to meet you. Sakura right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Gaara told me. He was wondering where you ran off to last night. He was complaining about the fact that he didn't get to say goodnight."

I blushed. Gaara did too from what I could see from the corner of my eye. He did care about me. I felt a lot better. The empty feeling in my stomach disappeared once again.