Chapter 4

"Speaking in Japanese"

Thoughts

"Speaking in English"

Inner Sakura/Gaara/Sasuke

(A/N Please Review guys! I wanna know if I should continue this story or not, and tell me what you'd like to see more/less of. Thanks! -Shinko)

As Sakura and Gaara walked down the hall and stairs to their next classes she saw groups of people staring, pointing and whispering while looking at her and Gaara. Whispers of "Oh my God is that really him?!" "Is she dating him?" and "Who's she?" could be heard here and there.

"Someone's popular around here, and I'm pretty sure it's not me," Sakura joked. She saw the corners of Gaara's lips twitch up in an almost smile for a brief moment before going back to his neutral face.

"There is a difference between popularity and infamy Sakura." He whispered in her ear, his lips gently brushing against her cartilage piercings. This time the rosette could not contain her blush as she felt her cheeks heat up with the close proximity.

"Oh get a room, yeah!" Someone shouted. Gaara whipped his head around and faced the blond teen. Sakura saw him and swore he could be related to into. His long hair was tied up in the same way that Ino has it, with a bit of his bangs obscuring one of his blue eyes.

"Fuck off Deidara," Gaara growled, his voice was dangerously low.

"That's no way to talk to you senpai my dear cousin," said a red head standing nearby. He, the blond and another guy who strangely reminded Sakura of Sasuke approached the pair. Immediately the crowd around them began to disperse.

"Why don't you introduce us to you friend here Gaara?" His cousin asked.

She saw Gaara's jaw flex and his fists were clenched. "Sakura, this is my idiot cousin Sasori, and his friends Deidara and Itachi." He gestured to the blond and the black haired guy.

"Nice to meet you Sakura yeah!" Deidara said enthusiastically.

Itachi merely nodded at her. He doesn't seem as annoying as his brother. She thought.

"I guess you must have met my foolish little brother Sasuke?" Itachi asked. His voice was deep and smooth. His face tranquil.

Sakura's lip curled in distaste "I know of him." She replied curtly. A flash of amusement swept over Itachi's features. Interesting he thought.

"Well we better get going, we don't want to be late right Gaara?" Sakura said suddenly as she grabbed her friend's hand and led him away from the three older teens. Sasori and Gaara were glaring at each other so intensely she thought sparks would begin to fly.

"Hn, let's go." He agreed. To Sakura's surprise and that of the other three Gaara dropped the girl's hand and instead wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her into his side. Sakura blushed once more, resting her head on his shoulder as he was almost a head taller than she. With one last glare at his cousin Gaara walked Sakura to her Math class.

The whole way to her class he had his arm around her. Neither of them said a word. Sakura felt like her heart was running a 100 metre dash with how fast it was beating. After what seemed like forever they arrived at room 225. Sakura felt Gaara's arm drop off her shoulders and he pulled away. She felt a tugging at her heart.

Dammit why can't we stay together a little longer? She thought

After letting go of Sakura, (much to his own disapointmet) Gaara turned and looked at the pink haired girl "Those three back there are part of a gang known as Akatsuki, it would be best that you didn't involve yourself with them." He explained.

And if Sasori gets any ideas I'll rip him to shreds

Getting a little possessive are we? Inner Gaara taunted

No I'm not! It's just that this whole plan will be useless if she ends up dating Sasori or worse, the elder Uchiha.

Hm true, the older one is even more bothersome than the younger.

With that Inner Gaara retreated to the back of his mind. Was he being possessive? Possibly, it was one of his not-so endearing traits.

"Thanks for the heads up," Sakura said "I'll see you later."

"Hn," Gaara grunted and walked off.

Sakura entered the classroom and sat next to Hinata. Across the aisle she saw Sasuke and Naruto. She didn't mind the blond boy but after meeting the elder Uchiha Sakura felt like she'd had her fill of the pretty boys.

"H-Hey S-Sakura-c-chan," Hinata spoke softly stuttering a bit.

"Hi Hinata, how was English class?" Sakura asked. The soft spoken girl was a big contrast to the loud Ino but Sakura liked her just as much.

"I-It was alright, did you finish the paragraph?"

"Yeah, did you?"

"Yes," the girl tapped her fingers together, a nervous habit she had. "I s-saw you talking to G-Gaara S-Sabaku, do you know hit?" she asked timidly.

"Gaara? No I just met him today" the rosette replied

Hinata looked mildly astonished "R-Really? I thought you to were dating or something, you seemed close."

Sakura could feel herself turn about 50 different shades of red.

"Me dating Gaara? T-That's ridiculous!" Sakura waved her hand in dismissal

It's not like she wanted to run her hand though his silky looking hair. She most definitely did not love it when he whispered in her ear or put his arm around her. And she absolutely didn't think of him hugging or kissing her. Simply ridiculous. Right?

(A/N note the sarcasm)

"Ah, well if I had known then I would have walked with you here but I didn't want to interrupt. But I think maybe Gaara-san might like you Sakura-chan."

Sakura noticed how Hinata's stutter disappeared. Perhaps she felt more comfortable around the new girl. Sakura was happy about make another new friend.

"What do you mean he might like me?" Sakura asked

Not that I would care if he did.

Don't lie you would TOTALLY care if he liked us.

Shut up

"Well from what I've heard he's never really talking to anyone, maybe Naruto a bit, but he's always glaring at people and stuff… he used to scare me. But I guess he must think you're special." Hinata smiled at Sakura

"You…really think so Hinata?" Sakura asked looking down at her desk.

The lavender eyed girl saw Sakura's eyes grow dull, losing the usual sparkle when she speaks.

"From what I can tell yeah, I think he really does like you. Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Hinata asked, concern written on her face.

Sakura looked into her lavender eyes, sadness in her emerald orbs. "The thing is, I haven't dated anyone since I broke up with my ex about a year ago." She confessed. Hinata patted her hand comfortingly

"Well hopefully things turn out better this time."

Yeah hopefully Sakura thought.

Across the aisle sitting in his desk, Sasuke may have looked like he was coping the notes Ibiki sensei assigned, he was really listening to ever word exchanged between Hinata and Sakura. He needed info on his target. Apparently that Sabaku had already made his move during first period.

No matter, inner Sasuke said We'll get her soon enough.

Apparently she's on the rebound after a big breakup.

That means she'll be even more vulnerable.

Hn.

The rest of math was uneventful and Hinata and Sakura headed for te cafeteria for lunch. They picked up their trays and sat with Ino, Naruto, Shikamaru and Sasuke.

Sakura sat at the farther right of the table across from Sasuke. Beside Sasuke was Ino and bedside Ino was Shikamaru. Across from Ino and to Sakura's left was Naruto and Hinata sat on the other side at the left end of the table.

Ino was chattering on about something and everyone seemed to be listening, chiming in from time to time. Sakura on the other hand was staring at her lunch, poking at her potatoes as she thought.

Was Hinaa really serious about the whole Gaara thing?

Why would she lie? Even Ino mentioned something. Besides they're your friends.

True, but maybe he's like that with all girls.

Oh please, I don't think so. He even was all protective when those seniors were talking to us.

He just didn't want me to fall in with the wrong crowd.

And he's the right crowd? That tattoo and bad boy aura says otherwise.

Whatever.

As she was so engrossed in the conversation with herself Sakura barely noticed the younger Uchiha staring at her. She finally looked up from her half-eaten lunch and met his deep onyx eyes.

"Problem Uchiha?" Sakura asked. She didn't like the way he looked at her.

"Not at all Sakura," the rosette growled in her throat when he said her name

"That's Haruno to you," she didn't like her name being spoken by Sasuke.

"Aw why can't I call you Sa~ku~ra~" Sasuke taunted her as he reached over and grabbed her chin in his hand making her look deeper into his eyes. Usually that did the trick with girls that didn't like him.

Sakura's eye flashed dangerously "Let go of me Uchiha," her voice was calm yet menacing. The whole table turned and looked at the two. Sasuke smirking and Sakura glowering at him.

"Sasuke let go of her," Ino said slapping his bicep. The blonde sensed her friend's disgust with the black haired boy.

"And what If I don't want to." He said stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Well then I guess you don't want your hand anymore." Sakura whispered.

In the blink of an eye she grabbed his wrist in her right hand and pulled it off of her face, twisted it and slammed it onto the table. There was a collective gasp from her friends and the people around them. No one had ever crossed Sasuke Uchiha like that and lived to tell the tale, except Gaara.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the girl who was holding his wrist down on the table. "Watch it Haruno," he said. Now it was getting serious, it would ruin his reputation if she were to reject him AND fight him.

Sakura let go of his wrist and wiped her hand on Naruto's sleeve. The murderous aura surrounding the two intensified.

"Hey guys c'mon play nice, we don't wanna have a fight on the first day of school," Naruto tried to calm the two down.

"If Uchiha over here didn't start anything there won't be anything, apologize and I might just let it go… for now."

"No." he said simply. Sakura's temper flared.

"Sasuke," Ino had a note of warning in her voice. "I suggest you apologize before Sakura and I have to kick your ass."

He rolled his eyes

Do it stupid, you want her to like you right. Well obviously plan A didn't work. Inner Sasuke said

But plan A always works!

Well we'll have to try out plan B now.

What plan B?

The first phase of plan B is for you to apologize.

Fine.

"Alright… I'm… sorry Haruno." Sasuke muttered.

"That's better," Ino said

"Next time something like this happens I won't go easy on you, no matter who's around." Sakura threatened glancing at Ino at the last part.

"That's right, this was a warning Sasuke, next time I'll personally kick your teeth in if you bother my Sakura." Ino said patting her friend's hand.

Sakura smiled at her. She was glad to have a new friend and partner in crime.

"So guys, party at my place this Saturday! You're all invited!" Ino said trying to make the conversation more upbeat.

"You know I'm there Ino, BELIEVE IT!" Naruto shouted.

"I-I'm in too," Hinata said suddenly her stutter was back and she was glancing over at Naruto and blushing. Sakura connected 2 and 2 together. Aww Hinata like Naruto! How cute. She thought. Too bad he's too much of an idiot to notice.

"Hinata tell Neji and I'll tell Ten Ten later" Ino told the purple haired girl

"N-no problem Ino-chan"

"Troublesome... but I guess I'll go" Shikamaru drawled

"Great Shika!" Ino hugged Shikamaru tightly, causing said boy to blush momentarily. Sakura saw him go red Oh so Shika and Ino huh? Looks like all my friends are part of a cute couple.

"Teme you coming?" Naruto asked Sasuke he merely nodded.

"Well Saku? You coming or nah?" Naruto turned to the rght looking at her with puppy dog eyes "Pretty pweeeeaseee?"

Sakura sighed heavily "I don't know, I just got here and I have to do some unpaking and…"

Ino rolled her blue eyes "Why don't I ask Gaara?"

"W-What Ino why are you-" before she could stop her Ino saw Gaara sitting at table reading a book.

"HEY GAARA!" Ino hollered across the cafeteria earning some more stares from other students. The red head looked up and walked over to their table.

"Ino what the hell are you doing?!" Sakura whispered/screeched

"Doing you a favour my friend," she replied winking.

When Gaara came over he looked at Sakura and nodded at her, then glanced at the table giving them a small wave.

"Sup bro, long time no see," Naruto bumped fists with Gaara

A ghost of a smile appeared on Gaara's face. "Yeah, I haven't seen you since you came to save that Uchiha's ass in middle school."

Sasuke's frown deepened while Naruto laughed.

"Gaara I'm having a party at my house this Friday, Sakura here was thinking of going but I think she needs some help deciding." Ino nudged him with her elbow

I think this blonde is trying to help us win over Sakura said inner Gaara

Hn.

Well don't just stand there ask her out idiot!

Alright just be quiet already!

"So, you wanna go?" he looked up at her, his jade eye boring into her emerald ones.

"Alright," she agreed fighting off the urge to blush.

He nodded "I'll see you in class,"

"Okay,"

With that he walked off, unable to contain his smirk he glanced back at Sasuke then at Sakura telling him silently I've won

You may have won this battle Sabaku, but I'll win the war Sasuke thought.