Friendships Chapter 4

I had finally got Tashi to come home. We were walking up the stairs and looked over lying on the ground with Kakashi's arms wrapped around her covered only with two jackets. I stared at the woman's face for a minute.

'She looks familiar,' I thought.

Kakashi stirred and woke up and the woman's eyes opened, "Oh, hello girls." Kakashi grinned, the only reason we knew who it was, was because of his hair and voice, "Girls, this is Rache. Rache, this is Tashi and Ash."

"Hey," Tashi and I said. Rache looked stunned.

"Um, Kakashi-Sensei is she okay?" Tashi asked.

"I'm fine," Rache said, snapping out of it, "Kakashi, I'll be right back. Ash, can I talk to you?"

"Sure," I muttered, "Tashi, go on in. I'll be there in a few minutes," Tashi nodded and went in.

"What is your last name?" Rache asked once we were out of earshot.

"Why?"

"Just, please, tell me." She looked desperate.

"Ash Tenai. Why?" she squealed and hugged me, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh, I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Again?" I asked.

"Yes, you are my daughter. My name is Rache Tenai." She told me, still beaming.

"You know what, this is some sick joke." I said, turning to leave.

"Your birthday is November 23rd, you're nineteen years old. You thought your parents were dead and you grew up in Suna."

"Fine. If you're my mother, why'd you abandon me? Can you tell me who raised me, my best friend, first crush; can you tell me any of that?" I started yelling.

"No," she whispered. I walked away and went in.

"What did she want?" Tashi asked.

"Nothing."

"Tashi? Tashi!" Summer ran down and hugged her.

"Are you okay, Tashi?" Sasuke came down and asked, she nodded, "Ash, can I talk to you?"

"Whatever," I said, more snappish than I meant.

"Okay. Follow me. Summer, stay with Tashi for me," Summer nodded.

As I followed Sasuke, I started thinking 'I've only been here a week and I've already made lots of friends. Konoha is so much different than Suna. Here, everybody is so friendly, and there all I have is Gaara.

"We're here," Sasuke abruptly said. I realized it was already dark.

"What do you want to talk about."

"Summer," he said.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"Nothing, but I… I don't really have anyone to talk to about her," he smiled.

"Aww… you're in love with Summer," I said, poking him in the gut.

"I am not," he poked me back and hit my tickle spot and I giggled, "Oh, you're ticklish," he started to tickle me and I screamed. This went on for about five minutes. I was lying on the ground laughing. Then a red and black streak went by and Sasuke was gone.

I saw sand fly by and realized, "Gaara," I whispered, "Gaara, no. Don't do it." I ran over between Sasuke and Gaara.

"Ash, what the hell is going on here?" Gaara asked. I could hear the anger in his voice.

"He wanted to talk to me," I explained.

"Why'd you scream?" Gaara started to calm down.

"I poked him. So he poked me back and found out that I was ticklish," I started to slightly blush. "We were just goofing off. I'm sorry for scaring you." I bowed my head and closed my eyes. I didn't want him to come over and hug me.

I looked up into his face, "Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything. I'm sorry for hurting your…" he didn't know what Sasuke was to me.

"Friend," I finished for him, "Sasuke is dating my friend Summer." For a second, I thought I saw a smile, and then it was gone.

"You think we should take him to the hospital?" Gaara said, pointing to a passed out Sasuke.

"Yeah." He went over and put Sasuke on his back. I smiled at Gaara.

"So Ash, you seem to be fitting in real well here."

"I guess so," I muttered, "I still wanna go home."

"Me too,"

When we got to the hospital, I got a hold of Summer and Tashi. They were there in five minutes. I explained what happened.

"Who did it?" Summer asked.

I pointed, "Gaara." It came out muffled. She stood up; her hand balled in a fist, ready to hit Gaara, "He didn't mean to, Summer!" She stopped.

"But, Ash, he was going to kill him," Summer whined. Tashi just sat quietly, motionless.

"But he didn't. Plus, now that he knows Sasuke is my friend, he won't hurt him."

Gaara was silent. Summer sat back down.

The doctor came out, "Are you the ones waiting for… Uchiha Sasuke?"

We all nodded.

The doctor continued, "He has a slight concussion and a sprained ankle. Other than that, he'll be fine. You can take him home tonight."

I think Summer was holding her breath, because she let out a huge sigh of relief. Summer and Tashi took Sasuke home. Gaara and I walked to Summer's and sat and talked.

"So those are your new friends?"

"Yeah. They keep telling me that I need to meet Sakura."

"Is that that pink haired kunoichi?" he asked me.

"I guess so. The only picture I've seen of her was black and white."

"So do you like it here?" Gaara wondered.

"Kind of. I have more friends here," I paused. He looked kind of hurt, "but my best friend lives in Suna and is visiting lightening." I smiled. Once he heard that, he sat up straight and smirked. I yawned. Gaara stood up.

"Follow me," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. He walked out to the balcony and jumped onto the roof. I, of course, followed. Once I was up there, he was lying down pretending to sleep.

"Oh, please. Gaara, I know you don't sleep." I went over and sat on him. He made an "oof" sound and sat up.

"What are you doing?" Gaara asked, annoyed.

"Well, you were getting comfortable, and so was I." I grinned, he smiled back and leaned forward slightly. I leaned in and then he closed the gap.

Oh my God. I'm kissing Gaara, I thought.

He pulled back.

"Sorry, I-I didn't. I shouldn't have," Gaara didn't know what to say.

"Gaara, shut up," I said smiling. I sat on his lap with his arms around me. I was actually happy at that moment, just watching the stars. I fell asleep in his arms that night. When I woke up, I was back in my bed. I look around for Gaara. Then the door opened.

"Ash, Gaara's here to see you," Summer said, "Should I send him in?" I nodded. Gaara came in and stood against the wall.

"Where'd you go last night," I asked.

"For a walk," he sat down at the foot of the bed. I scooted over next to him. Her grabbed my hand and held it. I smiled and blushed. "I needed to think," he said.

"About what?"

"Something I want to ask you," there was a faint blush on Gaara's face.

"What is it?"

"Will you… be my girlfriend?"

End Chapter