Chapter twelve:

Mr. Gaara

A/N: Hello all my faithful reviewers! I bet you can't wait for Gaara to enter the scene? I can't either!!

And he should enter….

….

….

Now!

I didn't really know what to expect when I opened the door. From Anemone's vivid description of him minutes earlier, I thought I'd be meeting a monster of sorts. Could he really be that bad? I mean one couldn't possible have a face of stone, eyes so penetrating you wanted to die, and a disposition so bad you would never forget it? Could they?

I would soon find out.

Taking a breath, I opened the door and there he stood. I had already pictured what he would look like and he didn't look like what I had expected him to at all. He had red hair, cut into a modern fashion, pale skin, and dark rings fitting his eye shape. He was quite tall, and was dressed in all black. He hardly looked like a monster, but he seemed just as intimidating as Sasuke did.

"Well aren't you going to invite me in?" He said, with almost a glare.

I hadn't noticed that I had been flat out staring at him, and embarrassed, sputtered a greeting. I opened the door, and stepped aside so he could walk in. He walked in. I noticed he had nothing with him. No teaching utensils, I mean.

"Where is the young Uchiha who requires my assistance?" He asked, while turning around and looking at me.

"Um Anemone? Well…she's upstairs." I didn't think I could tell him that she was deathly afraid of him. Nor could I tell him that she had almost begged me not to answer the door.

"Call her down."

"Alright."

I didn't like seeing Anemone unhappy, but I had called Mr. Gaara and had asked that he come down. It was what I should do. I walked up the stairs and headed for Anemone's room. I knocked on her door.

When I heard no answer I opened the door, and walked in. Anemone was sitting on her bed, her legs crossed pretzel style, and a worried look on her face. She really didn't want to do this…

"Anemone, Mr. Gaara needs you." I called to her. "I believe he's going to start his lesson." She turned her head and looked at me. Reluctantly she slid off her bed, and walked out the room, right pass me.

"Thank you, Hinata." I heard her whisper as she walked by. I felt horrible.

I heard her walk down the stairs and sullenly greet Mr. Gaara. Seconds later I heard his terse, "Let's get started, shall we?" Anemone didn't answer, I suppose she nodded…

And then the soft melody of a song I didn't know floated into the air. It was a soft, and slow song…but quite beautiful! I ventured down the stairs and saw Mr. Gaara playing Anemone's piano. A look a pure peace was on his face. Was this man the same as Anemone had described to me? It couldn't be…

His fingers effortlessly slid across the piano, and I wasn't the only one who noticed. Anemone's once worried eyes, had shot up with surprise and perhaps even shock at what a beautiful piece of music was being played by a supposed scary man. Her breath had been taken away.

And suddenly Mr. Gaara stopped. He turned to Anemone, with almost a smirk. "Would you like to play like that?" He asked, even though he very well knew the answer.

She nodded vigorously, and my horrible feeling went away. Things worked out after all…

"One week was all it took." I heard Sasuke say from behind. I turned and saw that he had taken a seat at the top of the stairs. I started up and took a seat beside him, interested in what he had to say. (I wonder how long he had been up there…)

"It only took one week for Daisuke to learn how to play under Gaara's supervision."

"One week?" I asked in disbelief. That was incredible!

"Gaara the great, some call him because of his teaching skills…and I will admit it is quite amazing how he does it." Sasuke seemed to be praising him…and I had never heard him do that before.

"He isn't a man of much words, and requests privacy every hour he spends teaching. Quite strange, but it seems like a sufficient enough way. I have no complaints." Sasuke finished.

That soft melody started to play again.

"I believe Anemone will be very pleased at the end of the week." I said with a smile. It seems that I had made a good choice.

"Oh Hinata, I had the bestest time!" Anemone exclaimed to me, after we had both waved after Mr. Gaara. "I don't know why Daisuke would say such bad things about him! He isn't bad at all!"

"Daisuke told you those things about Mr. Gaara?" I inquired after closing the door.

She nodded and then looked away, guiltily. "Yeah…" Well that was interesting. Perhaps Daisuke had a different experience with Mr. Gaara…but that would mean he taught differently with each student.

Hm, what a unique way of teaching…

I turned to Anemone. "So, what did you do in your first lesson? Did you learn any keys or anything?"

Anemone shook her head. "I can't tell. Mr. Gaara said to keep it secret."

"Oh, alright…" A very unique way of teaching!

Anemone smiled. "I'll be in my room, okay?"

I watched with a small smile on my face as Anemone walked up the stairs, and disappeared in the hall. It made me feel good that I had done something right. It made me feel very good…

And that feeling stuck for the next few days until…

What do you mean you don't know where he is?!

:P Thank you for reading!! Haha, I gave you guys a sneak peek of the next chapter!