Authors notes::
I'm so happy right now. My modem sucks still, but at least the Shaw guy fixed it so I can get online again. And i'm so sorry it took me, three weeks to get this up. I had a great time in London, learned some things about myself and I also feel I have a better connection with my feelings. It's weird. Anyway. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it seems kinda choppy to me.
Ignore the spelling mistakes! o.o; (Uhh, I kinda need a beta, so if anyone dares to attack my work, just PM me)
A pencil. That's all that was needed to bring his ideas to life on paper. Shading was what he was best at, you could give him a scene and he'd draw it out perfectly in shades of grey, blacks and whites. He remember a few years back; his sisters 10th birthday. It was nice out, well as nice as it could be on cold January morning, and Gaara was in his room, huddled on his bed just waiting for the door to slam; a signal that his father was leaving. His head hurt still since that time he spent in the hospital and he had no intention on staying home this day, finding it safer to stay with his uncle who varied considerably to his father despite the fact that they had the same opinion.
He remembered his sister; she had shorter hair back then because sand would always get in her hair and she would complain loudly that she couldn't get it out, she was wearing a dress and Temari never wore dresses unless she was told to. She stood in the doorway almost shyly, clinging to the door with a tight grip. She said words but Gaara couldn't remember the words clearly, all he knew was she was asking for him to draw her a picture. He remembered staring, not blinking at all as he stared before he answered slow and coldly that he'd think about it.
He ended up drawing a picture of Temari's favourite anime charater, Sailor Moon and that masked guy. He didn't write 'happy birthday' on it, he just put a small note, a note that made her upset when he gave it to her and it was the very cause that made her stop talking to him for a few months, putting a huge strain on their relationship as brother and sister.
////////////////Lunch
"Gaara?" Temari asked unsurely as she opened his door just enough so her head could pop in. Gaara glanced up from his notebook where he was currently sketching a rough outline for an art project that was assigned that day. Temari bit her lip before she slipped inside the room, closing the door firmly behind her. Gaara knew why she was standing there, he knew exactly what she wanted to talk about and he really didn't want to talk about it at all.
"Umm. About this evening," she started out slowly. "We're meeting the coucillor at 7:30, I told you that didn't I?" she asked, apparently stalling about the main reason she came in. Gaara nodded his head to humor her. "Oh, well. I was talking to Mrs. Sennin and I told her about... well... about you," her voice was sounding more nervous. Gaara raised an eyebrow.
"She was asking questions okay! The last time I talked to her, she kept on commenting on how we weren't in the same grade at all and told me she looked up your medical file. What was I going to do! Not answer?" she said, waving her arms around. Gaara stared at her for a long moment, this is exactly why he didn't want to talk about it. She was too fidgety and nervous about getting him mad. "I also told her about dad," she said quietly, like a whisper. Gaara averted his eyes immediatly.
"I'm sorry," she said after a very long moment of silence. "But I had to. And I think she wants to talk about it with you personally. I told her that you don't like talking, but she didn't care. So just, don't be surprised if she somehow gets a message to you that she wants to talk to you, okay," she said going closer to her brother, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Gaara didn't look at her. His eyes still on the beginning of his drawings. He listened to his sister sigh and felt the weight on his shoulder disappear, then the door closed. He suddenly felt the need to call Shukaku, to demand the reasons why he would send them to this school and not a public school. Kankuro would be graduating next year, he was going to be a senior soon so there was no reason why he shouldn't be let into a public school. Temari had asked why they weren't going to public school, Shukaku only stared and said every other school was full and he had to pay a lot of money to get them into this school. Shukaku was rich, he could have paid the public schools to let them in.
Gaara sighed in annoyance. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that this was all Shukaku's fault; a plot to get them into talking about things that haven't been spoken of for a long time.
Looking at his clock he realized it was almost 15 minutes class, lunch would be over and Kiba, Shino and Sakura said that they were coming to get him again today, through Ino. Packing away his things he left his room and placed everything by the door so that he could just walk to the door and leave. Going to the fridge Gaara took out a pear to eat quickly. He didn't eat with his siblings today, but they didn't really seem to mind. He looked around the room and noticed finally that it was oddly quiet. They must have gone out already.
Gaara went to open the door as a knocking started. He expected to meet them downstairs, but they were standing in front of him so he opened the door wider. Throwing the pear in the garbage, he sat down on a chair. And watched as Sakura, Shino and mostly Kiba reacted to the apartment dorm.
"Whoa look at the tiling, I bet you everything that it was Neji's idea to put them there," Kiba commented glancing around at everything. Gaara raised an eyebrow. Not exactly what he thought Kiba was going to say and who the hell was this Neji?
"Oh, Neji, Hinata's cousin used to live in this dorm. He was actually a bit pissed that he didn't get this place this year," Sakura said nodding her head as she explained it to Gaara. Gaara just blinked his eyes.
"Oh yea, you didn't meet them yet. Hinata has most of her classes with me, Ino was kinda jealous about that since Hinata is her best friend and all," Sakura said waving it off.
Shino said nothing as he took a seat next to Gaara. Kiba and Sakura talked for a bit about Hinata and Neji, then they turned to Gaara and said someting that made Gaara want to laugh.
"There's a rumour going on about you Gaara," Sakura said. Kiba nodded his head as a grim expression took over his face. Odd, very odd.
"Yea, people are saying that you were in a gang before you came here and that you've got wicked fighting skills," Sakura said eyes twinkling. Gaara had a suspiscion the rumor was started by her because she did say something like that on the first day of school.
"And that you punched out Suigetsu," Kiba said with an oddly worried voice.
"Yea. It kinda surprised me too. Ino told me all about it. Your a true hero to Ino you know. She told me he was making fun of her and then you punched him in the face, and nobody ever hits Suigetsu or at least if they have, no one ever landed a blow," Sakura supplied.
"He called me short," Gaara said out loud, telling them the main reason he even punched the guy. Kiba started laughing at that.
"Well you are short," Kiba said, but he shut up when Gaara glared at him.
"We should go now," Shino said, getting up. Gaara had to agree, class was going to start soon. They made their way to class and the rest of the day went on almost smoothly until his last period which was health. Someone came into the room and gave a message to the health teacher.
"Gaara Sabukuno, the dean has called you down to her office," the teacher said. People 'ooohh'ed which kinda irked the redhead as he grabbed his things and walked out of the room. He didn't know where the dean's office was so he walked around for a while trying to locate it.
"Excuse me, but i'm going to have to ask you to head to your class," a voice said from behind Gaara. Gaara rolled his eyes and continued walking. "Excuse me," the voice demanded.
Gaara turned around to face a guy with long hair and white eyes. "You have to go to your class, now," the guy said glaring. Gaara looked around the hall, no one was there. Shaking his head he turned back around to start walking away agin, only this time the guy put his hand on Gaara's shoulder.
"You have to go to class. Your not allowed to be roaming the halls freely during class," the guy said this time with an annoyed voice.
"Where's the dean's office," Gaara demanded.
"You have an appointment?" the guy asked. Gaara nodded his head. "Follow me," he said going to opposite direction Gaara was heading. Gaara followed him to the office, he opened the door and greeted the lady behind a desk.
"Hello Neji," the woman greeted happily.
"Shizune," Neji nodded his head. "This is..," he started, gesturing to the boy beside him.
"Ah, Gaara. Tsunde's right in there," she said pointing to the door right across on the other side of the room. Gaara's eyes were still on Neji. So this was who lived in the apartment dorm before he did. He raised an eyebrow as white eyes turned to his.
"Um, Gaara? She's right in there," she pointed again as she got Gaara's attention. Gaara nodded his head and went to the door, knocking before entering.
"Gaara, glad you could make it," Tsunde said putting down some papers. The first thought that went through his head as he looked at the dean was, whoa. She had the most biggest breasts that Gaara had ever seen.
Tsunde's eye twitched at the blantly obvious stare, although his facial expression hadn't changed where his eyes were looking at was really noticable - and he sure as hell wasn't looking at her face. "Is there a problem?" she asked through semi-gritted teeth. Her eyes flashing with danger if he mentioned even one word about her rack. Gaara shook his head and sat down at one of the chairs available to him.
Tsunde nodded her head. "I was speaking to your sister and about your relationship with your father. I've set up an appointment with a therapist this coming Saturday, I'm hoping you'll attend it. Oh and just so you know, that appointment tonight... you'll still have to go. It's manditory that students meet their school councillor for any acedemic questions and such. Any questions?" Tsunde asked, her eyes watching the redhead carefully. There was a slight moment of silence as possible questions raided in Gaara's mind, but none was anything he wouldn't find out from his sister. He shook his head. "You may leave."
Gaara clenched his fist as he left the office, making sure to slam the door to show his disapproval of the therapist. It was not only unnecessary but disrespectful as well, or at least in Gaara's eyes. He was perfectly fine in the mental department no matter what others thought. Sure he was mean and stoic but who wasn't once in a while? He got along with his siblings fine enough, he was making friends and his father was gone. All the things that would make him in need of a therapist was gone or was just coming into his life. He knew different people worse than him who could use a therapist.
He ignored the startled looks from Neji and Shizune as he walked past. He just wanted to make it home so he could rest. He noted that class was over from the looks of the students milling about in the hallways as he made his way to the exit. When he walked into their apartment dorm, he was surprised to find Temari, Kankuro and 3 other people he didn't know. A brunette girl with buns in her hair and two guys who looked alike stared at him as he walked in.
"Gaara! This is Tenten, she's in my biology class," Temari said pointing to the girl who waved. Gaara nodded his head before heading to his room, or at least trying to. One of the clones grabbed onto his arm and smiled widely.
"I'm Ukon! And this is my brother Sakon!" he yelled excitedly pointing to his brother. Gaara jerked his arm away before nodding his head again.
"He's adorable!" the loud one, Ukon exclaimed latching himself to Gaara's waist. Temari and Tenten laughed a bit. Sakon was just sitting there talking to a shocked looking Kankuro.
Gaara's eyes widened a bit as the hugging was tightened a bit. He actually thought this was a school for the talented, not crazy! He tried prying Ukon's hands off him with unsuccessful results as he cursed Shukaku in his mind. Public school would have been so much better than this place. Around this time he would be in the office for fighting on school property, not getting therapists to analyze his thoughts.
He pushed harder on the head to bring some more space in between himself and the clingy boy, but it didn't work at all. Why was Ukon clinging to him anyway? He figured it out the next moment, and his eyebrow ticked in annoyance at what was suggested.
"Can I keep him!? Sakon! Kankuro! Please!? I'll treat him good, really good!" Ukon yelled. Kankuro looked scandilized and Sakon sighed in defeat.
"Ukon, let him go right now," Sakon ordered, staring his younger twin down.
"But Sakon!"
"No! I said right now," his voice held an authorative undertone, and Ukon pouted reluctantly letting go of the redhead who calmly walked down the hallway and into his room. Gaara shivered in his room. Good god. Sure he was a teenager with plenty of hormones so although he didn't like the idea it came to him without permission; Ukon was a pretty attractive guy. His mind flashed to the long haired Neji. Gaara gritted his teeth and willed the thoughts away, which seemed like a pretty tedious task since no matter what he did his mind always drifted to those white eyes and the glare he had first received and the curious glance he got when he entered the office. Was it even a curious glance?
Within an hour of sitting in his room and drawing, Gaara still couldn't take his mind off Neji. He didn't even know what to call it; an obsession, mere curiosity (he did have the strangest eyes ever), or was it something more? Something wrong? He could see an infatuation when he saw one, like with his sister whenever she had a crush she wouldn't stop gushing about it, she wouldn't stop giggling or blushing. And although Gaara didn't gush, or giggle, or blush, he still thought about him and he wanted to gush, giggle and even blush. But it was wrong. Wasn't it?
"Gaara?" Temari's voice drifted a bit muffled to Gaara's ears and he raised an eyebrow. "Knock, Knock. You in there?" Temari asked a little louder.
"It's open," Gaara said and watched as his sister entered his room with a bit more caution than she would have if this was one of their 'talks'. That girl was determined to get into her younger brothers mind and reconnect with him like they had when they were still babies and then toddlers, but it could never be like that again and she knew it. She just couldn't accept it.
"We have to start going now. The appointment starts in a half an hour, we have to hurry," she said quickly, she bit her lip before leaving Gaara alone again. Gaara rolled his eyes. How the hell could he have forgotten the appointment! It was all Neji's fault he decided. Grabbing his coat and shoes Gaara left his room and walked after his siblings.
The room was hot and stuffy, and the smell of smoke and b.o made Gaara want to gag, or leave. He watched as his siblings cringed from the distasteful smell. A white haired man, sat typing away behind his desk, motioning for the students to sit down. Reluctantly, they sat, save for Gaara who stood by the door ready for a quick getaway if needed.
"Hello. I'm Jirairya, your councillor for this year," the old man said. Temari said hello, Kankuro commented on the smell and Gaara was currently eyeing the porno books stalked on one of the highest shelfs. This was probably a breeding place for perves, or phycos.
"Do you have any acedemic questions for this? If you do, i'm the one to talk to. I don't do actual councilling only if needed, but other than that any questions?," the white haired man said, his face stern.
"Yea, I have a science course on my time table. It's not supposed to be there, i'm not a science major, so if you can just..," Kankuro started, but Jirairya cut him off.
"Your supposed to complete 4 years of science, regardless of your major, for optional purposes. It only said you completed 2, so you have to remain in that class if you want to graduate next year," Jiraiyra said, Kankuro looked crestfallen.
"I have to take science next year too?" Kankuro asked. Jirairya noded his head.
"Umm," Temari said raising her hand. Jiraiyra laughed. "You don't have to raise your hands missy, just talk out loud." Temari smiled a bit. "Well, my brother is a year below, it's alright for him to complete his classes and everything."
Gaara glared at the back of her head. If this is her way of protecting him, or helping him or some shit like that, it wasn't working. Gaara crossed his arms and glared as Jirarya explained that since it was only a year, it's fine. The other students won't make fun of him or anything as long as they don't know, and they don't have a right to know anyhow. Privacy is respected in this school. Gaara rolled his eyes.
After a half an hour of talking, they were finally allowed to leave. Kankuro and Temari talked about their classes while walking back to the apartment dorm, while Gaara stayed a little behind.
He never thought of it before, because it never bothered him and everyone knew anyway. But here, no one knew about his past, about him. It was just bothering him a bit, because he knew how the other students viewed him in the past, they ridiculed and ignored him for it. Here, he had a clean slate, he could start fresh. But what if someone found out? This place was a private schooling area, isolated at least a few miles from the nearest city. Where could he escape if his little secret got out?
"Gaara?" Temari yelled. Gaara turned around and noticed in his thoughts he had completely forgotten about where he was and where he was going, walking past his current home in the process. Gaara shuffled to his sister who was watching him with concern. Walking past her he went upstairs and as soon as he reached his bedroom, he sunk down on his door.
There was absolutely nothing to do. He didn't want to draw for his assignment at the moment, he felt like doing something else. He felt like painting. Going through one of the boxes in his closet he found the small paint brushes and some left over paint, then he looked at his wall. He smiled at his idea. Instead of waiting for Temari to get paints so he could paint his room one colour, a collage of his own doings would do perfectly.
Also his blank wall was just begging for some artistic personal touch.
What little paints he had certainly wouldn't do, but then there was the storage room, which could be locked at the moment, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right? The so called teacher Deidara seemed foolish enough to leave the room unlocked, or not. Grabbing his coat Gaara went out, but was stopped by an obsticle easily dodge by the great Gaara-dini.
"Where are you going?" Kankuro asked suspiciously from the table.
"Out," Gaara said as he reached the door.
"Wait a minute!" Kankuro called out, and Gaara turned around to face his older brother. "Where?" He asked again, this time genuinely curious.
Gaara thought for a moment. He wouldn't lie to his brother and say to a friends, because he wouldn't fall for that anyway, he also couldn't say for a walk because before that was code for Yashamaru's and he was dead and they were at a boarding school, so that was out of the question.
Gaara stared at Kankuro for a moment, and Kankuro shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze. "Out," Gaara finally repeated and closed the door.
Walking quickly out of the building and towards the school Gaara set about on his mission.He ignored the call of his name and continued walking, even as footsteps started following him and his name was being called out louder.
"Hey! What's up?" Naruto said as he finally caught up to the fast walking red head. Gaara only glanced at him and continued walking. But Naruto was persistant.
"Where are you going? It's getting late out you know and you don't really have to go back to the school, it's probably closed anyway," Naruto said, finally getting the redhead to stop.
"What?" Gaara asked quietly.
"Uhh, the schools closed anyway?" Naurto repeated unsurely. Gaara cursed mentally and stared at the school. He'd have to wait until tomorrow then.
"Are you even listening?" Naruto asked, poking Gaara's shoulder. Gaara blinked for a moment as Naruto repeated his question. He was asking about coming back to his place or something to hang out. Gaara shook his head.
"Awe! C'mon, it's going to be only us guys there! Like a guys night out, you've got to come," Naruto exclaimed, gripping Gaara's coat with big pleading eyes. Gaara flinched at the clingyness and shook his head again.
"Neji, Shika! Help me convince him man!" Naruto said to the other people who Naruto was origionally standing with. Shikamaru yawned and Neji raised an eyebrow. Gaara was panicking in his head. Butterflies. Those dreadful little butterflies crawled into his stomach. No... NO!!
"You should, it'll be fun," Neji said calmly, and Shika looked bored as ever.
It took everything Gaara had to refuse, but he did it with a calm shake of his head.
"Dude, your shivering. Are you cold?" Naruto suddenly said. "Oh yea your from the desert huh. My dorms just right there," he pointed to a building. "Warmth," he sang in a teasing voice, smiling. He thought he had convinced the redhead.
The feeling was scaring him a bit so he the only thing he could think of, a reaction you would call it. He glared and started walking away. He heard Shikamaru tell Naruto to leave him alone and that if he didn't want to come then he shouldn't force him. He was thankful for Shikamaru, he always seemed to be saving him from unnecessary things.
As he walked away the feeling wouldn't go away. And Gaara came to the conclusion that he was nervous. He was never nervous so why would a long haired girly guy make him nervous? 'Cause your gay. Gaara shook his head and suddenly felt disgusted with himself. When he got home Temari asked what was wrong.
"Nothing," Gaara said.
"Don't give me that. Your blushing. Did you run into a girl? A certain blonde?" Temari asked coyly.
Gaara glared at his sister for a moment, then he started to completely ignore her for the time being. She was being annoying anyway. Kankuro came back and Temari just had to tell him about his return. Kankuro started laughing, then after a while got serious and told Temari to leave Gaara alone.
"What do you mean 'leave him alone'? You were laughing just a minute ago you hypocrite," Temari said and crossed her arms, glaring at Kankuro.
Kankuro scoffed, "Of course I was laughing, it's Gaara." Kankuro shut up right away and looked wide eyed at Gaara who was staring at him expressionless. "Shit! I didn't mean it like that Gaara! I swear, I only meant that you don't even date so you having a crush is nearly impossible! NO! I mean that... I mean..," Kankuro was hyperventalating during this time and Gaara watched with disguised amusement.
"Oh shut up Kanky," Temari said sternly which had Kankuro on the defense in a second.
"What do you mean shut up," he asked, almost insulted.
"You can't be that stupid, can you?"
"I'm not stupid! And i'm not shutting up, 'cause I don't have to. Free world sister," Kankuro shouted back.
"Are you kidding! If this place is a free world then would there be taxes on everything? Duh the government. Not to mention the health care policy is practically 'money first help later'. What kind of free world is that?"
Gaara watched for a moment, then decided that this conversation, or argument, wasn't worth sticking around for. Damn politics or whatever they were talking about. Gaara moved slowly towards the wall then inched his way to the hallway where he proceeded to go to his room quickly and quietly.
Once in his room, Gaara decided that if he steered clear of Neji, maybe those feelings, those unwanted feelings, would go away.And everything would be alright in the world. Okay, well not alright, but enough for Gaara to handle at least.
Authors Notes;;;
I did it again didn't I? I rushed the crush process. Oh, and you got your answers! Yes, yes. I made Temari and Gaara twins, and their birthday is Gaara's birthday.. I was going to make it to be inbetween both Temari's and Gaara's birthday, but I chose not to. And the reason why he was in the hospital is probably obvious, and if you still don't get it, just ask.
I feel like I'm missing something that i'm supposed to tell you all...