Falling Rain

Chapter 10

After arriving at Gaara's, I changed into some dry cloths. Gaara said he dry the others for me. He gave me a glass of hot chocolate and sat down on the couch beside me. I kept wondering when and if he was ever going to ask me anything about what happened tonight and why I was with Sasuke. But he kept looking straight ahead as if he was thinking about something or thinking on what to say. I was more than hoping that he wouldn't ask any questions but after I finished my hot chocolate he turned to look at me.

"So you going to tell me what happened tonight?" great he was waiting for me to finish my hot drink, go figure.

"I rather not talk about it," I told him.

"You can tell Uchiha but not me?" he asked with a dark look on his face. He was right like always. If I could tell Sasuke then I could tell Gaara.

"I got kicked out and I went to your house to talk to you and Sasuke appeared. I thought for a minute that maybe it was you. So I got in the car and well here I am now," I told him.

"Why did Jiraiya hit this time?" he asked what I didn't tell him.

"Well I was late getting home and he was drinking. You know how he gets when he drinks. Anyway, he started yelling at me and shit. Then he hit me and shook me and told me to get the hell out," I explained to him. Recalling it all over again made me made and it hurt. It wasn't just the slap to the face that had hurt but the fact that he was right. It was my fault for his best friend dying.

"I thought so," Gaara said. He paused for a second. "Naruto, you can stay for as long as you like. As for Jiraiya, I'll take care of him."

"No, just forget it alright? I don't want to be the cause for another family member," I told him as I looked down at my feet.

"God damnit Naruto! It was not your fault that your parents died," Gaara told me. I bit down on my lip trying to hold back the tears that wanted to escape.

"You don't get it. I lived they didn't. So tell me why it isn't my fault?" I waited for answer that never came. "TELL ME DAMNIT!"

"Calm down. You lived because that's just how it was. A drunk driver killed your parents," Gaara calmly said. He was right. But I still felt like I could have done something anything to help save them. Though I was only five at the time I really couldn't have done anything different.

"I'm sorry. It's just that ever since they died my life has been nothing but living hell. I just want it all to go away," I told him as tears ran down my face. The last time I cried like this was when my parents died. I and Gaara were just kinds then.

"I know. Look you can sleep on the couch tonight. I'll go get you some blankets," he said and left me to fetch them. I dried my tears to find out I was extremely exhausted. Gaara came back with a pillow and the blanket he went to get. I covered myself up and before I knew it, I fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I realized that, I was late for school. Not just late as in an hour or two, like almost the whole day was over. That just goes to show how tired I was. I got up and walked around the place. I guess Gaara thought I could use a day away from school. I smiled to myself. He was always doing things for me. But I missed Nara and Haku.

I went upstairs to go take a shower and thankfully Gaara was a step ahead of me. He had a towel laid out and a pair of clothes that I had left here a long time ago. I got undressed and turned the water on. After it was just the right temperature I got in. the warm water felt good to my face where Jiraiya had hit me.

I dried myself off and got dressed in my orange shirt and black pants. Then I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. I looked a lot better now that I cleaned myself up. After that I went back downstairs and headed to the kitchen for something to eat. I found a thing of ramen on the counter with a note attached to it. I found myself smiling as I read the note Gaara left me.

I tore the note off and stared cooking the ramen. As I waited the whole three minutes for it I poured myself a glass of milk. Then got my food and dug in. the ramen was good but not as good as the ramen shop I usually went to. After I was finished I went back upstairs into Gaara's room.

It always looked the same with its red walls and black midnight carpet. Rock and band posters covered most of his walls. Along with Nara, Haku and my signatures above his queen sized black sheeted bed. I went to his TV and turned on his PlayStation 2. I put in one of his racing games even though I suck at them.

I didn't get really far when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I paused the game and looked back over at the door just as it opened up. At first I thought it was Gaara but the person who walked in was my lazy friend Nara. I dropped the controller and got up. Haku was also with him. I looked at both my friends as Gaara finally appeared.

"Well, long time no see Naruto," Nara said in his lazy voice.

"Where have you been?" asked Haku in his sweet quite voice.

"Here of course where else," I laughed.

"It seems you're doing alright compared to what Gaara told us," Haku stated.

"Yeah he said you were pretty down," Nara added.

"Yeah well I was but…

"So what happened?" Nara interrupted me. I looked over at Gaara for some guidance but he just looked at me then the bed. I sighed and went to sit down as the others did as well. I told them the whole story about what had happened last night. After I told them Nara looked over at Gaara then back at me. Haku looked sad. I smiled at him. He was lucky that he had a dad who cared for him.

"So then what now? Is Naruto going to live with you?" Haku Asked.

"For the time being yes." Was Gaara's only answer to Haku's question. A normal person would be happy that their friends let them stay and live in their home. But I felt bad. I didn't want to make Gaara take care of me like he always does. I could feel tears in my eyes again for me feeling so weak.

Why, why was I always like this? I can't do anything by myself I'm always depending on someone. I hated myself I've always hated myself ever since I was to blame for my parents dyeing. I could hear the others talking about helping by coming over or letting me stay at their houses for a while. When they asked me about all I could was smile. There was nothing else I could do.

TBC….