Anika cried heavily until she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Sasuke.

"Leave me alone, Sasuke!" She shouted as she turned around, her hair flying as she snapped her neck to face...

Gaara! She stepped back and looked at the ground, finding her shoes interesting.

"Why are you crying?" Gaara asked, looking confused. Childishly confused.

"What?"

"Why are you crying? You are not physically hurt. You have no reason to be crying if there is no pain to mourn about." He said again in a calm voice. His pale green eyes were blank and his skin was pale. How could he be so calm? Anika was taking note of his figure. He was fairly cute. But she was too angry to care at that moment.

"Shut up and leave me alone, Emo Kid." She growled, crossing her arms and allowing her hair to fall over her eyes.

"Tell me. Why do you cry over nothing?" he asked, the blank expression still on his face. The eerie expression. Anika shuddered at this.

"Why do I need to tell you?" She asked sternly.

"Because you do not know what real pain is." He stated clearly.

"I have to..." She muttered, remembering her parents. He remained quiet, somehow giving her a sign that he wanted to hear her story.

"When I was five, my parents were killed by Sand Ninjas. Your type. before they left on the mission, they told me something. When you embraced me in the sand, it reminded me of how they died. They crushed every bone in their bodies and suffered painful heart damage..." She explained, remember the night Tsunade had told her. Anika couldn't sleep for many months to a year. She never got over it since then.

Gaara snickered. Or did he smirk? Anika couldn't tell through the tears. Half of herself was telling her to hurt him, but half was holding her back. She hated her alter ego. It always held her back from acheiving something she wanted it seemed. She sighed through the sobs and quieted down, wiping tears from her face. Then the red haired boy spoke.

"My mother died when I was born. I was betrayed many times and unloved. I never knew what love was and I never will. I thought my uncle Yashamaru was someone who loved me, but he turned on me once my mother died. He grieved and killed himself with an exploding scroll. I fight for only myself and love only myself. That is the only love I need." He said in a cold, monotone. Anika felt bad for confronting him now. All he was was a heartbroken boy, his life not exactly prefect. No one to love? That was what got her. She had no one to love either. Only her friends. Naruto seemed to be his friend...

"...I'm sorry." Anika whispered out. He ever so slightly smiled, which took her by surprise. She drew close to him now and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burried her face into his neck. He stifly hugged her back, setting his arms around her waist. Soon he loosened up and held her tighter.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!" Sasuke whispered loudly from a nearby bush.

"HOLY SHIT! THEY'RE HUGGING! And... they look like they're ENJOYING it!!" Naruto whispered back. Sasuke felt warm and angry.

"Gaara's hugging my best friend! MY CRUSH! ... Shit... did I say that out loud?" Sasuke asked nervously.

"Yes! And now I have black mail!" Naruto whispered, shooting up a fist of victory.

Anika heard the whispers and saw Naruto's fist.

"SASUKE UCHIHA! NARUTO UZIMAKI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?!" Anika screamed at them, letting go of Gaara and glaring at the two red faced fools.

"Where you spying on us!?!" Anika confronted, pointing an accusing finger at the two glum faced freaks.

Naruto nodded sadly as Sasuke stood numbly, still shocked that Naruto knew his secret.

"Umm... I'll be going now!" Sasuke said as he jogged off. Naruto followed. Arayh smiled at Gaara. He slightly smiled back. More of a smirk if you ask me...

Anika hugged Gaara once more, the two falling back into the previous position. Anika noticed the sky and frowned.

"I should be going. It's getting late." Anika said in a slightly rushed voice. Gaara seemed to frown and nodded, kissing her cheek and walking in the oppisite direction she was headed. Something was pulling her back, but she kept going. She didn't want to leave, but she knew Kakashi would kill her is she was late. Anika noticed Sasuke and ran after him, still fuming from what he did.

"SASUKE UCHIHA!" Anika screamed after him. Sasuke was running like a maniac until he ran into Gaara whom stummbled back and looked around in faint surprise. Sasuke was sitting on the ground looking like a coward as Anika towered over him. He was shaking and appologizing, never knowing how scary Anika was when she was angry.

Anika sent him home, making him run like a dog with it's tail between it's legs.

Anika kissed Gaara's cheek, winked at him, and ran off for her house, not daring to look back...