Vindicated
Chapter 10: Arguments
KaibasShadowGirl: High school fics rock! It's my new favorite kind of fic. I'm on like a roll here. I've got another fic coming out soon that's also AU high school. SNG and I thank you for your complements.
Ebony: Ur back! (glomps Ebony) I miss you sooo much. Tornados are cool! My friend's scared of them though, I'm like, but their cool! And she's like have you seen what they can do to houses? And I'm like duh I saw twister!
Chronic-fever: Yeah I know they do. He'll come up to me in class (he was in two of them) and be like "Hey, 'sup wit cho make-up, yo?" Me (wearing 'panda makeup'): "I don't know, what's up with cho voice?" him: "Dar ain't nottin wrong wit mah voice, girl!" me: "We must not speak the same language then."
Dragon man 180: Glad u like. My sister (sng) was reading over my shoulder and was like "wtf?" then she laughed and said that george should loose control over the limo when coming to pick up Neji and Gaara from soccer and run over Itachi. To think Itachi use to be her favorite character .
Junsui Kegasu: Once again, I had to look back and be like "what happened at the beginning of this chapter again?" lol I like the cookies. SNG wrote that part cause Kyu was in it. it's actually happened to her before. Her teacher use to send her out and make her walk around the hallways until she woke up. She'd come and hang out with me at my lunch.
Oh, note to anyone who's interested. I have a profile on www dot deviantart dot com with some of my art work and a picture of SNG and my self. Just in case you've ever wondered about the face behind the name. (i do all the time) My name's Shukaku-chan on the site.
Temari and Kankurou walked on either side of Gaara, talking randomly or listening to Kankurou, who was the one talking randomly. Some of it was bashing Ukon, who never told him he was friends with Kyu, who was a girl in his class that was "totally hot". He knew he never told Ukon that he liked Kyu, but still he could have told him that they were friends. Sometime during the walk, Gaara asked Temari if he could use her computer for a bit and she said of course. Then Kankurou started talking about Kyu again and neither of his siblings got another word in.
As they got to the turn that led them to their house, Kankurou stopped them.
"Look, I promised some friends I'd meet them after school to hang out, so I'll be home later ok?" he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb at nothing.
"Ok," Temari and Gaara said, wondering who he was meeting. They were answered almost immediately.
"HI BIRTHDAY BOY!"
Gaara: (vein mark)
Ukon waved from the other street at them, smiling broadly.
"Why Ukon?" Temari asked.
Kankurou shrugged in his casual way. "Donno, he invited me and it just sounded like fun. See ya."
Kankurou turned down another street, as Temari and Gaara turned down theirs. They got home and put their stuff away. Gaara went into Temari's room and sat at her desk and took out the packet. He took out the handwritten papers and began copying them on the computer. The first one was a letter to those that didn't make it to the soccer team, saying that they appreciated them trying out and they wished for them to stay active in sports. The second was the list of underclassmen that made the team. Gaara scanned it, instantly looking for Neji's name. He found it, though he didn't know why he felt so relieved. Even he could tell Neji was a good player, no one doubted him making it. He finished typing out everyone's names, noticing Kiba made it too. Starting a new page, he picked up the third paper. This was the upperclassmen, varsity players. He didn't know any of the varsity tryouts so he simply started typing their names out. As he neared the end, he noticed a name that made him stop and stare.
Uchiha Itachi-senior
Gaara swallowed and typed his name in too. If there was anyone he didn't want to make it, it would have been him. But Neji had said that he was a good player too, even if he was an ass….Gaara groaned. He didn't want to put up with that guy every practice and game.
"Boy! Get down here! Now!"
Gaara froze in mid type and Temari looked up from her homework. With a sigh, Gaara saved what he'd typed already and went down stairs. His father was waiting for him in the family room, sitting on an over stuffed chair. Gaara went over and stood in the middle of the room, chewing nervously on the edge of his sleeve.
"I got a phone call today," he started. "from the nurse at your school."
Gaara held back the worried 'meep' that threatened to come out.
"She's concerned about you. Says your very underweight and unhealthily skinny….You went down to see her today because some accident happened in class and you got cut."
Gaara held out his left hand, showing the bandages there.
His father nodded. "She noticed something though, that she felt necessary to 'bring to my attention'. She says you have several bruises on your arm that you say you received while playing with your brother," he scoffed, then continued, "but what 'concerned her more' were several other cuts on your wrist that she doesn't think are accidents."
Gaara swallowed hard, unconsciously putting his hands behind his back.
"Show me."
"I—I can't. The bandage isn't s'pose to come off yet."
"No that one, the others."
"They're covered by the bandage."
"Show me now."
"I can't!"
His father stood up and quickly went over to him. He grabbed Gaara's arm as he tried to move away, and twisted it in a way to Gaara couldn't protest. He ripped the bandages off and held his arm up so he could see. Gaara bit his lip and waited as his arm was examined. The silence was agonizing. His father dropped his arm, grabbing the front of his shirt instead and threw him across the room into the wall.
"You bastard! What the fuck were you thinking?" his father strode over to him and began pounding him into the floor. Each blow was followed by an insult. "Do you realize what I'll do if you tell anyone? Do you? No! You don't! You think the world revolves around your pathetic ass!"
He picked Gaara up and slammed him into the wall, knocking one of the pictures down. As Gaara slipped back down to the floor, he grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him into the kitchen, tossing him like a rag doll down the basement stairs. Gaara cried out in pain as he hit each step, landing in a painful, bloody heap on the cold hard floor. His father came down as well, grabbing him and carrying him to the back of the basement.
"Now. I'll show you what I'll do if you tell anyone," he heard his father's voice murmur, cold and menacing. He had picked up the pipe again. "And I'll finish what I started last week. And trust me, Kankurou won't be coming to save your sorry ass."
Temari clutched one of her pillowed, covering her ears as her brother's screams and sobs sounded from the basement. It amazed her how her quiet baby brother could make such loud noises, but these thoughts only came to her subconsciously. His begging sobs for reprieve reached her, though fell on the deaf ears of their father. She was scared and didn't know what to do. Kankurou wasn't there to stop him this time and she wasn't strong enough to do anything. Terrified, she dove under her pillows trying to block up the sounds that broke her heart.
'Kankurou where are you?'
Kankurou and Ukon stopped at Starbucks to grab some coffee. Kankurou was impressed. Ukon hadn't yet asked for dope and was acting normal, which was, unfortunately, not much unlike when he was high; although, he could be serious now if he wanted. They were having a good time. They went girl watching, the movies—the movie they went to see actually sucked so they left and went to the arcade. When it got close to dinner, Kankurou and Ukon said their goodbyes and went home.
The home phone rang just as Kankurou stepped in.
"Anyone gonna get that?" he called.
No reply.
Kankurou sighed and picked up the phone in the living room. "Hello?"
"Hey, Kankurou, is Gaara there?"
"Hey Neji," Kankurou said into the phone. "I donno I just got home, hang on." He went up stairs and looked in his room. No one was there so he went in Temari's room. "Temari is Gaara here? Temari?" He stared when he say her huddled on her bed, face soaked in tears. His eyes widened and he nearly let the phone slip from his fingers. Kankurou slowly brought the phone back up to his ear. "Neji…I'll call you back in a bit, ok?"
"Why is something wrong? Kank—"
Kankurou hung up and ran over to Temari. "Temari, where's Gaara?" she didn't answer. "Temari!" he shouted frantically, shaking her. "Where is he?"
"Down stairs," she said in a quiet voice, tears falling fresh.
Kankurou let do of her and ran down stairs. Fear rose at every step. No one was on the first floor so he ran down the basement. He paused for a moment, taking in the scene.
Gaara was lying, unmoving, facedown in a crumpled heap on the floor. His clothes were torn and he could see blood clumped in his hair. Blood was dripping from his nose and mouth, but that didn't bother Kankurou as much as the red stained shirt and the blood on the floor. He could see cuts through his torn shirt, but couldn't tell how deep they were. Bruises were everywhere of the tiny body and his arm was lying at a funny angle.
"Oh, my god! Gaara!" Kankurou ran over to him and gently moved him. Seeing how bad he was hurt, Kankurou pulled him onto his lap, hugging him gently. "I'm so sorry, Gaara, I shouldn't have gone out!" he bit his lip as his vision began to blur from tears that wanted to fall. Over and over in his head he begged Gaara to not be dead, but he was afraid to check.
"…K—Kank…ur..ou?"
Kankurou gasped and looked down at his brother. His eyes were partially cracked open and there was a little smile on his face.
"You're back…"
"Oh god…" was all Kankurou could get out. He hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry, Gaara," he said quietly.
"Kan…kurou?"
"Yes?"
"My arm hurts."
"It's ok, I'll check it."
He gently picked Gaara up, making sure the hurt arm was in a comfortable position, and took him up stairs to his room. As he went up the stairs, a small weak hand clutched a tiny fist full of his shirt. Kankurou held him tighter and opened the door to his, laying him on the bed.
Temari woke up the next day, exhausted with dark circles under her eyes.
She and Kankurou stayed up late taking care of Gaara. They had run out of bandages and had to get more from the store. Kankurou went up to their father's room and banged on the door. He demanded that their father go out and get more. After a few minutes of arguing, their father finally left, driving to the store and coming back to drop the bag in Kankurou's room. Temari told him she thought Gaara's arm might be broken. Grumbling loudly, their father had come back in the room and checked the arm. He told them that it wasn't broken, but they should wrap it up with something straight. He then told them not to bother him again, went back to his room and shut the door, barely giving his children another thought.
Gaara had lost consciousness on his way up to Kankurou's room and was still asleep; she noticed when she peeked into Kankurou's room. Both were still asleep on the bed. Kankurou, however, woke up when she opened the door.
"Morning," he mumbled.
"Kankurou, I don't think Gaara should go to school," she said, quietly.
"Me either," Kankurou said, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm sorry I didn't do anything," Temari murmured.
Kankurou smiled at her. "It's ok. Gaara's alright now."
"But he lost a lot of blood last night," she insisted. "A—and he looks horrible!"
"I know, I know," Kankurou said, calmly, trying to calm her. "I'm staying home with him to make sure he's ok. I don't want him alone here. You go to school ok?"
"But…I—"
"No, I don't want you getting in trouble at school for being absent."
Temari sighed. "Alright," she mumbled heading towards the bathroom to take a shower.
Kankurou looked over at the door then down at Gaara's bruised and cut, yet peacefully sleeping face, cursing under his breath.
"Temari, where're your brothers?"
"They woke up late," Temari lied to her father as he got in his car, just as she was leaving. "They're taking their showers now, and are gonna walk together. I was ready so I'm leaving now."
"Alright," her father said. "Get in, I'll drive you."
Temari sighed, she didn't want to drive with him, but couldn't force herself to say no, so she got in.
Ukon and Neji were waiting for her at the front of the school.
"Hey Temari, where's Kankurou?" Ukon asked.
"Where's Gaara?" Neji demanded.
Temari frowned. "Hello to you too," she said walking passed them.
"Is Gaara alright?" Neji asked worried. "You guys never called me back and Kankurou sounded worried on the phone."
Temari ignored him, not quite sure what to say. She knew he would skip school and go over to the house if he knew. That might make things worse. Ukon came up next to her.
"Is Kankurou sick?" he asked.
"Yeah," Temari muttered.
"Ok," Ukon said brightly, standing up straight. "I'll get his work and stuff from his teachers."
"You're not in any of his classes."
"I know someone who can get them for him."
(2nd period-Economics)
"Please Kyu-chan?" Ukon begged.
"Why do you want me to get their work?" Kyu asked, twirling a pencil around her fingers.
"Cause you know, you're on the yearbook staff and all and can get their classes and go to their teachers. Everyone trusts you Kyu-chan," Ukon said.
Kyu sighed. "Fine, I'll get their stuff during lunch." She thought for a moment. "I'll take it to them too, after school."
Ukon blinked, then a sly grin spread across his face. "That's so nice of you Kyu-chan!"
She suspiciously narrowed her eyes at him ever so slightly. "That's because I'm a nice person."
"Sure you are, Kyu-chan," Ukon said slyly, anime cat-whiskers appearing on his cheeks.
"Ukon, what are you doing in my class?" Genma called, frowning.
"Oh, hi, sensei!" Ukon chirped. Seeing the look Genma was giving him, he quickly said, "Bye, Sensei! Bye, Kyu-chan, I heart you!" before he was bodily thrown out of the class.
Gaara groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He knew where he was the second he opened them. He wasn't sure if he could recognize his own room like he could Kankurou's. Memories of the night before came back to him and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block them out. Temari and Kankurou must be at school.
"Hey, you're awake."
Gaara started and, turning his head, saw his brother lying on the bed next to him. "Why aren't you in school?" he asked, frowning. He could hear how pathetically weak his own voice sounded and he found his throat hurt almost too much to talk.
"Stayed home (fake cough) sick," Kankurou said. "I didn't want you here by your self."
"Oh, thanks," Gaara said quietly.
Kankurou looked at him for a bit before continuing. "Gaara, why'd you cut yourself again?" he asked quietly.
"Huh?"
"I saw the new cut," Kankurou said.
"I didn't!" Gaara insisted. "I mean I did, but it was an accident, someone bumped me. I swear," he added when Kankurou gave him a disbelieving look. "You can ask my teacher."
"Alright," Kankurou said, sitting up. "You hungry? I'll make you something."
"Ok. Hey Kankurou?"
"Yeah?" Kankurou stopped at the door and looked back.
"Thanks for letting me stay home, I feel horrible."
"That's ok. You look horrible too," Kankurou said, grinning as he went downstairs.
"So, I was wondering, Shizune-sensei, if I could please have Kankurou-kun's make-up work?" Kyu said sweetly, folding her hands behind her back.
"I don't see why, since he's barely here, but alright." Shizune gave her a few papers.
Kyu consulted the two schedules in her hand, adding the papers Shizune had given her to her backpack. Kankurou's English class is nearby, so I'll go there before Gaara's classes…
Kyu knocked on the door to Kankurou's English class. She had to spend seventh period going through all the classes, since seventh period was the only time when her yearbook hall pass was valid. So, she reasoned with herself, it was around the time when Kankurou would be in this class.
Iruka opened the door, smiling when he saw her. "Hello, Kyu-kun."
"Hi, sensei," she said sweetly. "Um, I was wondering if I could have Kankurou-kun's make-up work? He's home sick."
"Alright, are you taking it to him after school?" Iruka asked, going over to his desk.
Kyu nodded, standing in front of the desk.
"YOU'RE GOING OVER GAARA'S HOUSE?"
She jumped halfway out of her skin, turning to stare at the long-haired boy who had stood up abruptly in his seat. "Um… yes?" Wait, she knew him. He was that awesome soccer player that she interviewed last year. Hyuga something.
"Sit down, Neji," Iruka said, not taking his eyes off the pages in his hand. "Tell Kankurou I said to get well, ok?"
"Ok, sensei," Kyu said with a smile, putting the papers in her book bag and walking down the aisle between the desks.
"Tell Gaara to call me," Neji hissed as she walked by.
Kyu blinked, looking down at him, remembering what Ukon had said the day before. "No, it's his brother who's gay." The little hamster wheels in Kyu's brain went a-working. Ohh… She smiled down at Neji. "Sure."
"Thank you!" Neji said, before ducking behind his textbook from the chalk Iruka threw at him.
(Around 11:30 am)
Gaara bit his lip as he braced himself against the wall of Kankurou's room. His legs ached and were unsteady, but he was getting frustrated with himself, and he really had to go to the bathroom. Stepping out into the hall was harder, there was nothing to hold onto except the wall it's self. He nearly fell at least twelve times, even though the bathroom was right next to Kankurou's room. By the time he reached the door, he no longer had the strength to open it. Sobbing with frustration, he slipped down to the floor, calling for his brother.
Kankurou came up from the kitchen instantly, mounting the stairs two at a time. "What are you doing out of bed?" he cried.
"I—I had to go to the bathroom," Gaara said. "I'm sorry."
"It's ok," Kankurou said, opening the bathroom door, then scooping him up. "Call me next time ok?"
"Alright…" Gaara sighed.
When he was finished Kankurou helped him out again, taking him back to the room and bed.
"Kankurou, can I go downstairs?" Gaara asked, hopefully as he was placed on the bed. "I can sit on the kitchen stool and—and keep you company?"
"No, sorry, Gaara," Kankurou said, placing a hand on his brother's head. "You have to stay here and rest up."
"But—" Gaara stopped as Kankurou have him a look. He hung his head as Kankurou sat down on the bed next to him.
"I'm sorry, man," Kankurou said. "But you need to get better fast. I don't want you missing anymore school."
"Kay…" was the mumbled reply.
"How's your back?"
"It hurts," Gaara replied.
"Here, lay on your stomach." Kankurou helped him gently lay down on his stomach and pulled up his shirt. He slipped the bandages off and picked up the ointment that worked well to sooth out bruises. Dabbing it on a particularly nasty looking bruise, he gently worked the medicine onto it. Though he was being gentle, he felt Gaara flinch every once and a while. He sighed, shaking his head, desperately wishing his brother didn't have to go through this.
(2:30)
After school, Kyu followed the directions Ukon gave her to her classmate's house. When she got there, there wasn't another car in the driveway so she pulled her car up to the door and got out. She picked up the two folders with the two boy's makeup work in them and went to the door. She knocked twice then waited.
A few minutes later, Kankurou opened the door, still in his pjs and robe, hair still messy. He hadn't bothered to get dressed or brush his hair since he had no intention of going anywhere. He saw her and gasped, shutting the door again. Kyu blinked a few times, confused, then she knocked again.
Kankurou leaned against the door gasping for breath.
It was Kyu! Why was Kyu at his house? He stared wildly around as if for some means of escape.
"Kankurou, are you gonna answer the door?" Gaara asked, limping to the top of the stairs.
"Why are you out of bed again?" Kankurou demanded, still holding the door closed.
"I had to go to the bathroom again," Gaara said, absentmindedly chewing on his sleeve.
"I just took you to the bathroom a while ago!" Kankurou hissed.
"Sorry," Gaara mumbled. "Are you gonna open it or not?"
"Not!" Kankurou said moving away from the door.
Gaara sighed and sat down the stairs, slowly maneuvering himself down to the bottom. He opened the door and looked out, curiously.
"Um…hi," said the girl standing there.
"…Hi…"
"Um, are you Gaara?" she asked, smiling.
Gaara nodded, shyly, peeking out at her from around the door.
"I have yours and Kankurou's makeup work, Ukon-chan asked me to get it for you," she said holding out the two folders.
"Thanks," Gaara said taking them, pulling himself back in once he had them.
"You're welcome," she said.
There were a few moments of silence.
"Are you ok?" she asked finally. "You're all beat up!"
"I'm ok," Gaara said nervously, starting to close the door.
"No wait!" she stuck her foot in the door preventing it from being closed. "You don't look ok! You're face looks horrible. Have you seen a doctor? Let me look," she pushed the door open and went in.
Gaara and Kankurou, who'd been standing in the dining room, exchanged glances as Kyu led Gaara into the living room and sat him down in a chair. He looked particularly terrified as this strange girl began examining him, gently touching his bruises and running her fingertips along the bandages, but Kankurou couldn't make his mouth work and felt he'd rather die then contradict Kyu's movements. She looked Gaara over complementing the bandages already there.
"These are very well-done," she commented, examining the bandages.
"Kankurou did them," Gaara said quietly as she examined his arm.
Kyu turned to smile at Kankurou, who instantly flushed a light pink. "Wow, really? How'd you get so good?"
"Oh, this happens all the ti—" He caught himself. "All… the time… to a friend of mine! Ha ha ha!" He scratched the back of his head, laughing stupidly. I'm such a spaz… And a look from Gaara told him that he was thinking the same thing.
"You're such a good brother!" Kyu said with a smile, turning back to Gaara. "Now, are you sure you feel ok? To you feel a glitch or anything? Because sometimes you can't tell cause fluid is rushing to the area. Do you feel light-headed? Dizzy? What color am I wearing?"
"Green," Gaara said, his nervousness coming out in his voice, raising an eyebrow at her franticness. He kept darting glances at Kankurou for help, but Kankurou had put on his 'don't-worry-this-is-for-your-own-good' look.
"No! See, something's wrong with you!" she cried at once. "I am wearing…" She looked down at herself. "Oh yeah. I'm wearing green… But anyway," she continued, going back into frantic-mode. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? You want me to make you something?"
"…N-No…" Kankurou had already stuffed him chock-a-block full of crackers, chicken broth and soda. The last thing he needed was another person to feed him.
"Ok, I'll make you something," she said, getting up and going into the kitchen.
Gaara and Kankurou looked at each other.
"Oh, shush," Kankurou said, following her into the kitchen.
Temari frowned in confusion at the light blue mustang convertible with a fuzzy wheel and fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror in their driveway. Did one of dad's friends come over or somethi… no, wait, none of them would be caught dead in a car like that. She opened the door, totally curious now as to who the car belonged to.
"Hi, Gaara," she said, seeing her younger brother in the living room. "How are you feel—wow, did Kankurou make cookies?" She took one off the plate in front of Gaara.
"No," Gaara said, drinking some milk. "Some scary-crazy girl came over and started going on a cookie-frenzy."
"…Girl?" Temari blinked a few times, going over to the kitchen and opening the door.
Sure enough, Kankurou, clad in his bathrobe and pajamas, was standing next to a girl with long, black hair to her waist, wearing a skirt and shirt in different shades of green. Around them, Temari saw the things needed to make cookies, like flour, sugar, milk, butter, etc. Kankurou had a glass of milk in one hand, and a cookie with a large bite taken out of it in the other.
"These are better then Temari's cookies!" Kankurou said before taking a bite of the cookie.
"Oh, I'm sure her cookies are good, too," the girl said, smiling brightly.
Temari's eyebrow sky-rocketed. "Hi, Kankurou," she said loudly, leaning in the doorway.
Kankurou choked on the cookie. Gasping for breath, he turned to face her. "U-Um… Hi, Temari… how was school?"
"Fine," Temari said coolly.
"Um… that's good." There were a few long moments of deadly silence. "OH! Um, this is Kyu. She's in my homeroom class. Um, Kyu, this is my sister Temari."
"Hi!" Kyu said brightly, smiling at Temari. "I'm Ukon-chan's friend! Nice to meet you!"
"Uh-huh, yeah, sure," Temari said, dragging Kankurou into the living room.
"What?" Kankurou cried, trying not to spill his milk.
"What if Dad came home while she was still here?" Temari hissed worriedly. "You would get in trouble!"
"…So?"
"Gaara would get in trouble, too!"
Kankurou glanced at Gaara, who was currently scrunching down into the chair trying to make him self invisible. "I didn't ask her to come," he said in his own defense. "She just appeared outside the door."
Temari gave him a look.
"She did! Ask Gaara."
"Not here."
Temari and Kankurou gave him weird look then Temari gave Kankurou a stern look.
"Ok, ok, I'll tell her to go," he muttered, going back in the kitchen. "Um, Kyu?"
He was instantly met by a cookie stuffed in his face. "Sugar cookies are good!" she chirped, smiling brightly.
He swallowed the cookie, taking a drink of milk to clear his mouth, and started to say something, but was cut off again.
"I have to go, ok?" she said with a smile, taking Temari's apron off. "I promised Ukon I would buy him a present on the way home, and I have to wrap it."
"Um… ok…" Kankurou blinked. "Uh… thanks for coming over, and getting our homework and stuff."
"You're welcome!" she said with a big grin, throwing her arms around him and giving him a big hug. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"Uh… um… uh…" Kankurou's entire face turned royal red. "S-Sure…"
"Ok, good!" she said, letting go and going into the living room. "Gaara-chan, Neji-kun said to call him, ok?" she said, patting Gaara on the head. "Get better, alright? Bye, Temari!"
And then she was gone.
And it was quiet.
Temari turned to look at Kankurou, whose face was still red. She developed a sly grin.
Kankurou snapped back into reality. "Shut up," he snapped, storming into the kitchen to clean up.
Temari looked down at Gaara with a knowing smile. "So that was Kyu," she said.
Gaara shrugged and tried to stand. His legs were shaky and weak and he nearly cried out in pain, but managed to hold back all but a tiny whimper. Temari moved to catch him as if he was going to fall but stopped as Gaara caught himself, panting from pain and effort. Kankurou came back into the living room and asked what was wrong. Blushing darkly at his own weakness, Gaara said he wanted to go upstairs and call Neji. Kankurou smiled and got the phone. He picked his brother up as if he was picking up a baby and set the plate of cookies on Gaara's stomach and carried him up the stairs to his room. He set him down on his bed then went back down to clean the kitchen. Gaara dialed Neji's cell phone number then waited, munching on another cookie.
"OH, MY GOD GAARA! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"
Gaara pulled the phone away from his ear. He swallowed the cookie before saying anything. "I'm alright."
"Why weren't you in school? Did something bad happen?"
"No, nothing bad. Don't worry about it," Gaara said. He didn't want Neji to worry about it. "You made the team, though, it was on the paper's Genma gave me."
"Who cares? I'm worried about you!"
Gaara took the phone away from his ear and stared at it then put it back to his ear. "Neji you just said you didn't care about soccer."
"Why aren't you telling me what happened?"
"Because I'm ok!" Gaara insisted, ignoring the fact that his whole body was throbbing in pain from the moving around he did earlier.
"Why are you lying?"
"I—I'm n—not!" Gaara said.
"You're stuttering Gaara!"
Gaara blushed then frowned. "Why do you always want to know everything about my business? You're so nosy! Like all the teachers at school!"
"I'm just worried about you!"
"Don't be! Maybe I don't want you to be!"
"Maybe I won't be! God, I don't even want to talk to you anymore."
"Like I would want to talk to someone that only thinks and talks about soccer."
"I do not think and talk about only soccer! I haven't mentioned soccer at all, you did!"
"That's because I don't know anything else to talk to you about cause that's all you talk about!"
"You know what? Forget it."
"Fine!" Gaara said hanging up. He tossed the phone to the other side of the bed and laid back, fuming. He looked towards his door, where Temari and Kankurou were peeking in, startled. "Go away!" he yelled, rolling over so his back was to them.
"Alright," Kankurou said, closing his door.