Authors Notes:
(This is a repost! Thank you so much 13th of Never for mentioning that only half of this chapter appeared! If you hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have been inclined to check it out. I don't understand, all of it was there when I posted it and checked it out, but then when I checked after 13th of Never's PM.. it was like.. gone. o.o Sorry!)
Here you have it. The second chapter. (I'm spoiling you guys.. haha)
Oh and just in case you were wondering here's Gaara's class schedule.
Gaara's school schedule
Mon-Fri
Period A - Math
Period B - Visual Arts
Period C - Science
Period D - Lunch
Period E - History / social studies
Period F - English
Period G - Language
Period H - Health
Saturday is held for detentions, people can serve a range from 1 hour - 7 hours and also there's free study, meaning the library is open but only until 6:00pm on this day. I know it's weird, but it's my story. Sunday is just free day and note that the library is open all day every other day except Saturday.
Also thank you 13th of Never and Innocentkiller101 for reviewing my previous chapter. Just for your information the grades and ages of Gaara and his siblings will be reavealed later on with choppy explanation (it'll be in a chapter).
Pairings will be reavealed as the story goes on, but it's mainly NejiGaara.
Please enjoy!
It was lunch. The offer that Ino so graciously put out there was floating in his head. It wouldn't be too bad, making friends that is. It would certainly get his siblings off his back about the whole 'friends' ordeal but then again; did he really want to get himself into something he wasn't even sure he was ready for. Gaara looked up from his current spot at the kitchen table as said siblings walked through the door.
"Hey Gaara!" Temari greeted happily. "You hungry?" she asked going towards the stove to cook an edible lunch for her and her brothers.
"I'm hungry!" Kankuro whined as he flopped himself into the seat across from Gaara.
"I wasn't asking you," Temari said sarcastically at Kankuro.
"The runts probably hungry too!" Kankuro claimed looking at his sister with a crestfallen look. Gaara glared at Kankuro for the 'pet name' he ever so humbly started calling him a few years back. No matter how much he was used to it, he would still feel slightly offended. Okay, he was more than offended.. he absolutely loathed it to the deepest core of his being. But at least Kankuro used the term affectionatly (if it could be called that) and not mockingly like the kids at school used to.
"Want anything special?" Temari asked.
"You should make some sandwhiches," Kankuro suggested. Temari rolled her eyes.
"Fine." Temari went to the cupboards and started pulling out the bread. "I'll make special sandwhiches."
Gaara got up and walked to his room, ignoring the concerned looks coming from his siblings. He didn't know why but for some strange reason they both thought he was some angsty, wrist-slitting little emo. Or at least that's the wiff of what he caught from the things they both wrote in their journals. He could understand why they would think that; he liked to keep to himself, obviously, but the wrist-slitting? He scoffed at the idea of marring his flawless skin. He inwardly giggled at the thought of 'flawless skin'. His skin was anything but flawless, he did have his share of scars on himself but not on his arms.
Grabbing the stereo and random cd, he made his way back out to where his siblings were, they still studied him even as he walked towards them. He raised an eyebrow at his still-staring relatives as he placed the stereo down at a nearby plug and he popped in the cd, letting the music flow in the air.
"Hey Kanky. Who was that girl I saw you talking to?" Temari decided to bring up, not lifting her head to see a reaction, she sure as hell would be able to hear it anyway.
"Talking to? I wasn't talking to anybody," Kankuro said quickly. Gaara noticed the almost there blush and wanted to laugh. His brother actually liking someone? One night stands were honestly more his thing, but whatever floated his boat Gaara didn't care. He turned his head to the window, seeing countless of people walking about still.
"Yea sure. And I didn't talk to a really cute guy this morning in homeroom," Temari said sarcastically. Gaara wrinkled his nose as Temari started talking about 'this really cute guy', she went on and on about how he was really kind and that he might actually be the one if he ever got past phase 4.
"Did you talk to anyone today Gaara?" Temari suddenly asked, placing the sandwhich in front of him. Gaara's eye twitched before he picked up his sandwhich, staring at his sister with her staring back, he took a big bite and smiled before having it fade behind his chewing. Temari's eyes were wide.
"Was that a yes? Ohmigod. I think it was," Temari said. Gaara felt like 'accidentally' choking on his sandwhich as Temari started asking questions about who she was. Kankuro mouthed 'have fun' to Gaara as their sister started talking excitedly.
A knocking at the door stopped all talking, well Temari at least since she was the only one who was talking. The music still went on and the knocking continued.
"I wonder.. who that is?" Temari asked getting up. She went to the door and opened it.
"HI! I'm Ino Yamanaka. Is Gaara here?" Ino asked smiling brightly. Gaara's eyes bugged out of his head as he dropped his sandwhich and immediatly went running to the bathroom. Issues, issues! The chick definatly had some issues.
Kankuro watched, amazed beyond belief as his brother ran the most fast that he had ever seen in his whole life towards either his room or the washroom.
"Sure come on in," Temari said politely, a bit confused but happy that Gaara made a friend. When she looked at the table to only see Kankuro there she gave him a questioning glare. Kankuro pointed down the hall, mouth still full of sandwhich (which happened to be Gaara's abadoned sandwhich).
"Uh, he just went to the washroom, but i'm sure he'll be out in a bit," Temari said nodding her head.
"Okay," Ino said smiling wide. "I just didn't know if he was going to accept my offer or not. I mean obviously the guy has social issues. But who doesn't, right? And when I first met him he was so quiet and seemed shy actually. Which reminded me of a certain someone," she said nodding her head, then she leaned forward and whispered. "Forehead girl." "And so I thought. If I helped Sakura by giving her a little push in the right direction, maybe I could help him. But I think I kinda scared him when I first met him too. I was loud. But hanging out with Naruto a lot could do that to a person, you know. Anyway, I asked Gaara this morning if he wanted to meet some of my friends and it looked like he was going to say no. And I don't like that negative word very much. But he didn't say no, just walked away actually. I found out where he lived from Forehead girl. She doesn't live far from here, just a few doors down," Ino said nodding her head and pressing her lips together tightly in a weird smile.
Temari and Kankuro were both staring at the blonde haird girl who talked fast. Temari was the first who broke the awkward silence. "So would you like something to eat? Drink?" Temari offered.
"Do you have juice?" Ino asked. Kankuro was still staring, Temari noticed and smacked his head.
"Yea," Temari said before going to the fridge and taking out some orange juice. Kankuro rubbed the back of his head, wanting so much to yell at Temari for doing such a thing in front of a hot guest.
Temari handed Ino the drink, to which Ino sipped at it silently. Her eyes every once in a while floating to Kankuro.
"So. Do you think he has constipation or something, he's been in there for a while now," Ino asked seriously, her eyebrows furrowed together. Kankuro couldn't help it; he wanted to hold it in but the fact that she had said it so seriously and bluntly had caused him to start laughing. The mention of Gaara having constipation was almost as absurd as Gaara being nice. His sides hurt and tears were making it's way to his eyes as he continued to laugh. Both blondes looking at him like he had just gone insane.
"Kankuro? Kanky?" Temari said in a soft voice causing Kankuro to calm down just a fraction. "Are you on drugs?" she asked sending the weird hat wearing boy into another fit of laughter.
"Whatever," Temari said to her brother. She turned to Ino then, "I'm going to check whats taking him so long, okay. I'll be right back." Ino nodded her head watching the taller blonde disappear down the hall.
"So, are all three of you really related?" Ino asked Kankuro. Although the laughing had resided there was still a lingering grin.
"Yea," Kankuro said nodding his head.
"Did Gaara dye his hair or something?" Ino asked, trying to find out why he was the only one with red hair.
Kankuro shook his head. "Hard to believe but the hair's natural on the runt."
Ino made an affirmative sound before playing with her fingers.
Meanwhile...
Gaara sat in the bathtub, holding his knees closely to his body. His mind only racing around the one current thought that seemed to dominate everyother thing he had in his fucked up head; there were no windows in the washroom. He had thought if he ran into the washroom then he could make a quick getaway, because the girl, Ino, was some sort of stalker that he aquired that day. How else would she know where he lived? And that quickly too. He didn't remember telling her where he lived. Hell he barely remembered saying bye to the girl, if he did at all anyway.
He heard faintly the sound of Kankuro laughing and it wasn't the 'haha your funny' laugh it was the all out 'haha YOUR FUCKING HILARIOUS' laugh. He could see the tears streaming down Kankuro's face in his head. He had done that often enough when Gaara said something that was supposidly funny, which really wasn't funny at all. His brother had a weird sense of humour.
"Knock, knock, knock. Gaara? You in there? Ino's asking if you have constipation or something. Are you okay?" Temari asked. Gaara took a deep, inaudable, breath and stood from the bathtub.
When he opened the door, Temari stood there, one eyebrow raised in a questioning manner."Who is she? Is she the girl you talked to this morning?" she asked in a hush-hush tone. Gaara settled for an aloof stare, hoping his sister would just back off or stop talking. It was his unlucky day as his sister pressed on about the girl in the kitchen, who was sitting with Kankuro.
Walking past his sister, he went into his room and grabbed a light jacket. It wasn't cold outside or anything, the jacket made him look and feel cool. A definate self esteem booster. Ignoring the voices he walked towards the door, hearing Ino yell a 'bye' and 'hope to see you soon' to his siblings as she followed behind him.
"So, Gaara. You alright there?" she asked, tugging his sleeve. He uncounciously pulled his arm away from her grasp and she took it as something else than him not wanting to be touched. "Ohh. You know it's fine. Everyone has those kind of problems once in a while. Just eat high-fiber food like whole grain and drink plenty of water, helped my dad plenty. Also excersize, that's very important," Ino added giving a smile to the silent red head.
"Where are you going anyway?" Ino asked as they walked out of the building and into the throngs of people. Gaara gave her a side long glance before smirking. She thought he had constipation. Even though the very idea was, well, most non likely; it was still amusing. Heh, her dad had constipation.
"Do you even know where your going? Cause from the looks of it your heading to the soccer fields," Ino said, Gaara couldn't help but notice she looked a bit worried.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Ino. Coming to grovel at Sasuke's feet and beg him to take you back?" someone said mockingly. Ino looked very hurt. Gaara just watched as the guy started saying some pretty mean things. Ino even looked about to cry. This time Gaara sighed out loud in mostly annoyance. If he had to deal with a tearing Ino this guy would not only get a black eye, but maybe a few broken somethings.
"Whose this? Your new boy?" the other kid sneered. Ino shook her head pathetically, not noticing how she was slowly inching closer to the redhead in question. The other kid had blue hair, it was almost shaggy looking as it was long, but it looked combed or something. He had really bright blue eyes and freaky teeth, almost jagged or something.
The guy smiled bigger. "Kinda short don't you think Ino?" Gaara's eye twitched. It was one thing to make someone cry, but the moment height was even mention had Gaara wanting blood. Gaara grinned as the smile was wiped off his face the minute his fist met face. But something was grabbing his arm, preventing any further damage.
"Gaara it's okay. Let's just go," she said pleadingly. Gaara let himself be dragged away from the fight for one reason and one reason only. His sister told him not to get into any fights and she was actually really scary when she was mad or upset.
Once away, somewhere near buildings called 'Kishka'. "Why did you want to go to the soccer fields anyway?" Ino asked, Gaara noticed that she still held his arm and the glisten in her eyes as she held her tears back. Gaara didn't know why he did, it was just the way he walked so he shrugged his shoulders.
"Are you thinking about joining a team? There's lots of sports stuff here. Like soccer, hockey, field hockey, track, football, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, baseball, umm, cross country, wrestling. And then there's skiing, but that's only in winter," Ino provided. Gaara shook his head at the thought of joining a team. If there was something to do with martial arts or fighting then he'll be all over it. He always wanted to learn more things other than the punches and kicks that he did.
"Figures, didn't peg you as a jock," she said laughing loudly. "Here we are. This is my dorm, wanna come up? Meet my roomies," she said elbowing him in the ribs. He didn't even get a chance to answer before he was getting dragged up the stairs. "We were supposed to meet somewhere, I just didn't know it was my dorm we were meeting at. Which is really funny cause then I could have just got you and came here. Would have been much easier if everyone decided where in the beginning but whatever," Ino said.
On the second floor she stopped at a door and opened it. It wasn't jam packed with people like Gaara had first thought it would have been. There was a handful of people sitting on the couch and bean bags provided. 7 in total if Gaara counted right.
"Hey! I found him!" Ino yelled grabbing the attention of everyone. Gaara stared on even as another blond nuisance pointed a finger in his face.
"It's you!"
A pink haired girl, the one he vaguely remember smirking at this morning smacked his head telling him to be nice.
"Okay, well that's Naruto and Sakura. Right there in the blue beanie is Shino.On the couch is Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba. The one eating MY peanuts is Sai. Give them!" Ino yelled stalking over to a raven haired boy, the same on in his art class Gaara noticed.
"What's your name?" Naruto asked peering at Gaara closely.
Ino walked up behind Gaara and put her arm around his shoulder, "He's Gaara!" He resisted the urge to push her arm off. Naruto stared still, "Nice name, but Red suits you better." Gaara glared.
"Where'd you get the tattoo anyway?" Naruto asked, this time knowing not to poke anyway near his face. Gaara rolled his eyes as Ino looked amazed. "Tattoo? Where?!" she exclaimed trying to get his jacket off so he could search, which startled the green-eyed red head into jumping slightly and pushing her away, although it wasn't as hard as he pushed Naruto away, she was a girl after all.
"I just wanna see it!" Ino exclaimed pouting. Gaara's eye twitched, but he only reached up and brushed his hair back and held it there, showing anyone who wanted to see his 'ai' tattoo. But just like that, the sight was taken away only to be covered by his bangs.
Everyone else in the room seemed slightly interested in the red head for a while, then they continued eating food, leaving Gaara to fend off the blondes who talked their mouths off. Then the spikey haired ponytail dude Shikamaru decided to save his life.
"Ino, don't you think he's hungry?" he asked. "Oh yea. You hungry Gaara?" she asked walking over to the fridge. Naruto was talking to Sai at the moment, about what he couldn't hear, but he faintly heard the name Sasuke. The same name Ino almost cried over when that blue haired boy mentioned it. Gaara didn't feel all that hungry so he just took a coke and Ino actually pushed him on one of the bean bags. Gaara silently thought of her as lucky for being born a girl or else he would have done something about being pushed. No one got away with pushing Gaara Sabakuno around. No one.
"Your in my math," Shikamaru stated. Gaara nodded his head. "What's your other classes? Maybe I have something with you," the kid with brown hair and dark eyes said, Kiba, yea his name was Kiba.
Gaara pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Kiba. "Hey, we have history and language together!" he exclaimed. "Cool, you can walk with." Gaara said nothing as his schedule was handed back.
"So where'd you come from anyway? I'm from Konoha, most of us are. Except Sai. He's from Oto, Shino's from Amega and then Naruto's from Taki," Kiba asked, fiddling with a dog Gaara didn't notice before.
"Suna," he said quietly.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "The desert?" Gaara nodded his head. "No way! Your so pale," Kiba exclaimed loudly.
"Nothing wrong's with being pale!" Ino defended. "He's from the desert though!" Kiba said back, pointing at Gaara with amazment or something. "You think he'd have a tan or something."
Gaara closed his eyes, not at all amused with the conversation. It's true, he was pale and lived in the desert his whole life. But then some choices of people were made and Gaara couldn't really contradict against it no matter how much he wanted to. Getting up, he placed the coke on the table and walked out, ignoring the yells. It was almost class anyway, he still needed to get his things.
"Hey Gaara, your bags right there, and don't forget your books," Temari said slipping on her shoes. "I'll see you after class ok. And don't forget we have that councilling thing this evening."
"Tomorrow," Gaara corrected. Temari looked stunned for a moment,he mind going over the one word that Gaara had spoken. "Tomorrow? No way it's today," she dug into her purse that was on the table and pulled out a date book thing, scanning through it she confirmed that it was... tomorrow.
"I'll just see you after class," she said waving before leaving Gaara alone in the dorm. He put his english and language book in his bag and held his history book. His shoulder would hurt if he packed his bag too much. Opening the door he walked down the stairs, a bit unnerved by the sight of Kiba, Sakura and Shino.
"Sorry about that back there," Kiba said rubbing his head. "The history class is this way," he said pointing to the middle building of the three learning buildings. Gaara nodded his head and followed them. Kiba talked with Sakura, both Shino and Gaara settled in silence. In class it was boring, he took notes and finished the work and then there was 10 minutes. The clocked seemingly going slower by the second.
//////////////// I'm impatient//class scences are cut ////////////
Gaara went into his room, putting his bag down before glancing around the room. It was bright. The walls, they were white, the colour of innocence. It just didn't belong. He didn't want his walls to be white, if anything black would be the colour, but his sister had told him 'no'. Her exact words were, "No, black is too dark. It's like what that Sophocles guy said 'In darkness one may be ashamed of what one does, without the shame of disgrace'" Gaara knew what it meant, but he had high doubts his sister knew what it meant. However, he didn't bother questioning his sister's knowledge. She was never any good with philosical or thought processing things.
His duct taped box was still out on the floor where he had left it. He took off his bracelets and put then inside, then his encklace next. His eyes landed on a locket. It wasn't fancy with engravements on it, it was just a plain locket and inside two photos. He picked it up and held it in his hands. The last time he opened it was roughly two years ago. The picture of the two smiling strangers faded in his mind and he didn't want to remember; it was like treasure that was cursed. In Gaara's eyes, it wasn't worth the curse. Closing the box he put it underneath his bed.
"Hey, you going to unpack?" Kankuro asked from the doorway. Gaara turned his head and nodded. "Well I'm almost done" Kankuro said walking in the room. "There's only my puppets left."
Gaara said nothing as he pulled the closest box to himself. He opened it roughly, the tape being nothing as he pulled it off. Kankuro kept on talking as Gaara took out some items.
"Temari was talking to the dean. She's going in town on Saturday. Get some paints for our bedroom walls and other things. She was also talking to Shukaku about getting a car ," he said nodding his head. Gaara listened, only half interested in what he was saying. He looked at his things, if they were going to be painting in four or five days then whats the point of unpacking his things.
"Oh and he's sending us some labtops and money for a couch and any other thing we might want," Kankuro said, Gaara noticed the happiness in his voice. Never one to be spoiled rotten, Gaara just breathed in and took another glance at his walls. Just a few shades shy of grey.
"Gaara! Someone's at the door for you!" Temari yelled from the kitchen. Kankuro watched as Gaara just played around with a pencil. Gaara didn't really care people were here for him, he didn't want company at the moment; at least not strangers. A knock on his door made Gaara look up. Kankuro was already standing to leave.
"Hi, your rooms... uh nice," Ino commented, taking in the black converter, brown carpet, white walls and barren everything except for the few boxes. Gaara said nothing but sat there. "Ohmigod! Is that old?" Ino exclaimed picking up a small vase the size of a small bird. It had writing on it and it was a present from Yashamaru from his last birthday. From what he was told it was a vase from the prehistoric times; but Gaara didn't believe that bullshit, it was probably something from the pawn shop.
"I just came by to see what's up? Looked like you got upset from the pale comment," Ino said, sitting on his bed, the place where Kankuro was just sitting.
"Doesn't matter," Gaara mumbled taking the vase from her hands and putting it back into the box. Ino's eyes studied Gaara, she thought he was the most confusing person in the world; not only did he not talk much, but he brushed off things that were bugging him. Not healthy.
"Well, okay. I also came by to see if you wanted to meet Hinata. She finally came back from Yukikure today so... wanna come?" Ino asked hopefully. Gaara shook his head no. "Well it has been a long day. I'll see you tomorrow, kay?" Ino said getting up. Gaara waved as she left his room. He stood up and closed his bedroom door and locked it.
The sudden smell of mold and rotting things came to his nose as he took a breath. His hand went to his nose trying to block it out and he closed his eyes. Yells. He was worthless, his life meant nothing because he was a murderer. A murderer who never cared. Pain seared through his collar bone and legs. Something was wrong. Gaara unclenched his eyes, finally realizing he couldn't breath. His hand immediatly went to his side as his breathing was returned slowly. He layed on his bed. The memories came back every once in a while and he hated it.
Authors Notes:
Ino's bully is a Naruto charater, he will be revealed later on, but i'm sure you all must know who he is. And I used places from the Naruto-universe (just took out the ending -kagure or just the -gure), although it's not a big thing, they'll represent some places on earth (I feel like i'm talking alien suddenly).
Next chapter the Hyuuga's are coming! The Hyuuga's are coming! Talk about finally.
(Me and ET want you to review!)