Chapter 2: Eyes Clouded With Concern
When I reached the pond I was walking, due to the fact that my asthma kicked in halfway there. I steadied myself on a willow tree that hung out over the water, and tried to catch my breath. I didn't even realize I was crying until I saw a drop fall off of my face.
"Why am I such an IDIOT?" I yelled to no one in particular.
"Thinking that acting on impulse would get me anywhere in life…jeez what the hell was I thinking? I'll tell you what, I wasn't thinking at all!" I muttered and took out some kunai and decided to practice my accuracy with throwing for a bit to take my mind off of the situation that I was sure would haunt me later and the whole time I would be away. I heard rustling in the bushes and directed my kunai at that spot instead of the tree. As the person stepped out of the woods, I saw that a sand shield had deflected my weapon.
"Gaara…?" I asked confusedly, and then it clicked and my mind went into a frenzy.
"GAARA! How long have you been listening? How did you find me?" I managed to say, my voice an octave higher than usual.
"I had a feeling you would be here. My sister has been looking for you…." He said in a monotone voice.
"Oh…" Was all I could say as I went to go sit down at the water's edge. 'I bet she's looking for me so she can bitch me out and tell me she never wants to see me again…' I thought when I sat down.
"May I ask what happened?" Gaara asked, sitting down next to me. His voice was emotionless but his eyes were clouded with concern.
"We just kind of…well I…I messed up." I said struggling to find the right words to describe the situation before me.
"Ah…so you told her you like her?" He said, matter-of-factly.
"Well not exactly told but-Hey wait! What did you just-how did you know?" I asked, astonished. Was he psychic or something? Jeez.
"It's written all over your face, Taylor. I'm not naïve, and I don't know if Temari feels the same…but I do know this; she has acted different since you guys met. She hasn't acted like the cold hearted brute everyone thinks she is anymore." He said, his brow furrowed as he looked out across the water.
"Really?" I asked, shocked at what I was hearing.
"Yes…I don't really understand it myself, but something is there, Taylor. And whatever it may be, I feel like one more good push should break down her walls." He said, sighing and getting up. I followed suit, his words still stuck in my head.
"I believe in you Taylor. You are exactly what Temari needs. SHE needs someone to believe in." He said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded and gave a small smile.
"What should I do now?" I asked, panic taking over as I realized my chat with Gaara was done and he would soon depart, leaving me to my own depressing thoughts again.
"Go find her. Last I saw she was on top of the Kazekage's building." He said, and with that he disappeared into a swirling vortex of sand.
"Thanks Gaara." I said quietly to myself before running through the woods back to the sand beyond the fence.