Chapter Three: I Already Won

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters!

Speaking "Blah blah"

Thinking 'Blah blah'

Inner 'Blah blah'

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"Can we just play already?" asked Tenten impatiently, she had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot against the grass-covered ground. She had waited long enough, and she wanted to play already.

"I don't even see why you want to play, you said you just wanted to relax today!" said Shikamaru.

"Well I changed my mind, and now I want to play!" said Tenten. "Got a problem with that?! Well, I don't care! Go fuck yourself!"

"Tenten...calm down," said Hinata softly.

"Ha, sorry," said Tenten sheepishly. "I just really want to play but, Gaara and Sakura haven't stop fighting since they met!"

"Fine we'll play already," cut in Naruto. "The teams will be Sakura, Ino, Gaara, and Tenten. Everyone else is with me!"

Gaara crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Naruto. Naruto didn't know why he was receiving a glare from the red head, he hadn't done anything wrong, right?

"What did I do?" Naruto thought aloud.

"All of my teammates are girls," muttered Gaara in annoyance.

Sakura rolled her eyes, 'Of course, all bastards think that girls suck.'

"You act as if we're bad, we're all probably better than you," said Sakura.

"Yeah!" added in Tenten. "I agree with Sakura!"

"Pfft, you wish" scoffed Gaara.

"Eh, fine whatever," said Naruto. "The teams will be Gaara, Ino, Hinata, and me. The other team will be Sakura, Shikamaru, Tenten, and Neji. Two girls and two guys in each team."

"I'm fine with that," said Sakura.

Soon the game started, they hiked the ball and Sakura's team was playing defense. Naruto was the quarterback of the other team. He threw the ball towards Gaara, and he caught the ball and started running towards the touchdown.

The game went on and Sakura's team had 30 points and Gaara's team had 36 points. Her team was losing by one touchdown. Her team had made 5 touchdowns, his made 6. Both teams were doing really good. Gaara never really saw Sakura nor Tenten play football. To his surprise, they were both really good.

'I guess I underestimated them,' thought Gaara as he balled his fist. 'Doesn't matter, their going to lose.'

They went back to their positions. Naruto threw the ball at Gaara again but Sakura intercepted it this time. Gaara was surprised when she had made an interception on him. She's better than I thought.Sakura ran with the football and when she saw Naruto heading her way, she passed the ball to Neji. Neji ran towards the touchdown, and made a score. Both teams were tied! Whoever got the next touchdown, would win.

Gaara glared at Neji.

Neji smirked, "You're finally going to be beaten."

"Yeah right, look at your teammates," said Gaara as he gestured to the people behind him. "Shikamaru is the only good one on the team."

Again, he just had to insult the girls. Tenten and Sakura both glared at Gaara as hard as they could.

"Being girls has nothingto do with skill!" yelled Tenten from across the field.

"Yeah!" called out Sakura. "We can kick your ass! Watch us win, you sexist, red-headed, Jade-eyed.....!"

Sakura didn't finish describing Gaara, she was about to say Panda cuz, she just noticed that he looked something like a panda. She started looking at his face, observing him more. Her eyes were practically glued on him, making him confused. Sakura started to giggle, everybody looked at her as if she grew another head.

"What's so funny?" questioned Hinata.

Sakura pointed at Gaara and continued laughing. Everyone turned their heads toward Gaara, they didn't see anything funny. He was standing there, with the football in his hands, and with a look of annoyance on his face. What's so funny about that? Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion as he continued looking at Gaara.

"Sakura.....you okay?" asked Ino.

"Haha yeah, sorry!" said Sakura as her laughter subsided. "I just realized that....haha Gaara looks like a cute little panda! hahaha I find that funny cuz he's a stubborn cold asshole, yet he looks like one of the cutest animals in the world."

They all looked at him, Neji and Shikamaru smirked and shook their heads. Tenten, Ino, and Hinata just agreed and laughed a bit. Naruto started laughing like crazy. Gaara's cheeks were pink, and no one knew if it was from embarrassment or anger.

"Glad you think I'm cute, sorry that I can't say the same for you," said Gaara.

By now, everyone had walked closer together, gathering around when Sakura started laughing hysterically. They were all now standing around Sakura and Gaara. Sakura's face turned serious as she looked over at Gaara and the small smirk that was forming on his face.

"Shut up cuz you're not that cute anyway," retorted Sakura.

"Oh, so you do think I'm cute," said Gaara.

"Duh- , uh no! That's not what I meant. You're not cute! ugh, that's disgusting!" said Sakura, not finding the right words to say. 'Did I just tell him I think he's cute?! Ah! I think he's fuckin sexy, that's way past cute but, I can't tell him that! He's too much of an ass, and I don't want anything to end up happening like earlier. Sure that was probably the best kiss in life but, come on. You can't start liking the bad guy!'

Naruto watched the two teens argue...again in amusement. 'Gaara never really had childish arguments before. Damn, he just met her but, it already seems like they are starting to feel a little something for each other. Wow, I wonder....why were they making out? ....now they are back to fighting. Eh, they are too confusing.'

"Guys, stop with your childish antics and let's play! We're almost done here!" said Tenten annoyed.

"Ten, calm down." Neji said to his girlfriend as he wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her lips.

Tenten sighed as she relaxed into her boyfriend's arms.

"Yeah, let's just beat the panda already," said Sakura, smirking when she saw Gaara tense a bit.

He sent a glare her way, "Don't call me panda."

"Eh, I'll do what I feel like doing."

"Ugh, not again! Stop! Let's just play!" screeched Ino. Sakura covered her ears and stayed quiet.

They started playing again. Hinata ended up getting the ball, she passed it over to Ino. Ino started running towards the touchdown but, she saw Neji there. She threw the ball across the field towards Gaara. Gaara caught the ball and started running towards the touchdown, with Naruto blocking everyone who started coming his way. Gaara was right in front of the touchdown, when he felt himself being pushed onto the ground by a strong force. He rolled over and fell ontop of the person who had tackled him down. Neji quickly came over and got the football and went towards the other touchdown.

Gaara looked down and saw pink hair. His eyes widened in shock.

'Sakura?! She's the one who tackled me?! What?!'Gaara really couldn't believe this, first she had intercepted the ball that came towards him, and then she tackled him? Those are the two things that are impossible for nearly every opponent that he has.

Sakura looked up and was staring into his jade eyes.

"Not this position again!" said Sakura as she pushed him off of her and sat up. "Ah, can't you ever get your ass off of me?!"

Gaara rolled her eyes at Sakura's complaints.

"No, cuz your too irresistible," Gaara grumbled sarcastically.

Sakura punched him on his arm and got up, "Stupid panda."

She looked across the field to see that her teammates were happy.

"Ha, looks like my team won," said Sakura. Gaara got up, and saw that she was right. He looked over at her.

"I would have won if you hadn't tackled me," said Gaara. "Which I don't understand how you did. I must admit Haruno, you're pretty good......"

"Thank-"

"For a girl," finished off Gaara as he walked away.

Sakura had her fists balled, ready to punch the living hell out of the panda.

'I will make him learn how to respect girls! Freakin sexist idiot!'thought Sakura.

She walked across the green field to stand with the others.

"We actually won Gaara for the first time!" said Tenten happily as she hugged Sakura. "You rock girl!"

Sakura hugged back and smiled a bit. "Um...thanks?"

"Let's go out and celebrate!" insisted Ino.

Tenten let go of Sakura and looked at Ino with a raised eye brow.

"Ino....you lost," said Tenten, pointing out the obvious. "Why would you want to celebrate losing?"

Ino rolled her eyes, "You act as if I'm retarded. We're not celebrating for who won, we're celebrating that Gaara actually lost!"

Gaara seemed like he was ready to beat up Ino. Shikamaru held him back and told him to calm down.

"Why would Gaara want to celebrate losing?" asked Hinata.

"Cuz he needs to admit defeat, and it wasn't only Neji and Shikamaru. Girls helped win!" said Sakura as she looked over at Gaara.

"I already know that but, that doesn't mean that you alone, can beat me," said Gaara.

"Both of you, shut up please? Sakura, Gaara is an egoistical person. No matter what, he always wants and will think he's better than someone else, just drop it" said Ino.

"Yeah but....eh okay."

After, They Left The Park

To celebrate, they all went to a fast food restaurant to eat.

They were sitting at a round table, Sakura was sitting in between Gaara and Hinata, Gaara was sitting next to Neji, then there was Tenten, Ino, Shikamaru, Naruto, and back to Hinata. They already had their food and they started eating. Naruto was stuffing his french fries in his mouth, Hinata kept telling me to slow down a bit.

"Sorry Hinata-chan, I'm just so hungry!" exclaimed Naruto as he kept eating hastily in large pieces. He even shoved a hamburger into his mouth, it was a junior size though.

Before Naruto could put another french fry in his mouth Sakura reached over the table and slapped the back of his head.

"Naruto you baka, listen to Hinata and stop eating so fast!" said Sakura. "Do you wanna choke and then end up having to go to a hospital or something?!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, sure that he would grow a bump there.

"Sakura-chan, that hurt," said Naruto.

Sakura sighed, 'He still isn't paying attention, I'm telling him to stop eating fast and he ignores this whole concept!'

"Sorry Naruto, just eat slowly, you got enough time," said Sakura as she popped a fry into her own mouth.

Naruto did as told.

"Where did you learn to play football so well?" Gaara asked Sakura, much to everyone elses surprise. Even Sakura was surprised that he was actually starting a civil conversation with her.

"Umm, my old school is known for having the best athletes around, it's a terrible and practically torn apart school but, that's where you become one of the best athletes. The worst behaved kids go there. I was the second best athlete in that school....um I'm sure you heard of it, Mist High?" said Sakura.

They all looked at Sakura surprised.

"You went to Mist High?" asked Ino, dropping the chicken nugget that was in her hand.

"Isn't Mist High the worst school out of all these villages?" asked Hinata. "The village hidden in the Mist is really scary to live in."

"Mist High....Suigetsu Hozuki is their Star player, right?" asked Gaara, he saw Sakura suddenly jerk, he grew suspicious.

Sakura turned her gaze away from everyone else and just brought up her soda and drank from it slowly. She nodded her head, as to answer Gaara's questions.

'Something must of happened to her, involving that bastard,'thought Gaara. He knew Suigetsu, they always played against each other in basketball when their schools went against each other. They both hated each other with a passion. 'Or is it that she doesn't like him because she was second best, while he was the first best of the school? No, I doubt it.'

"Suigetsu? Oh, he's the one that's always going head to head with Gaara in basketball?" asked Ino. "Oh my god, he's so hot! Sorry Shikamaru but, that guy really is hot. You're hotter, don't get me wrong but, he's still fine."

Ino went into dreamy mode. She started squealing and talking about that hot guy.

"Everywhere I go, there will always be someone that is his fan girl," muttered Sakura in annoyance as she continued drinking her soda. "Well, just like in nearly ever damn school, guys are assumed to be better than girls. So hands down, they made him the best athlete of the school. Even though I was a girl, they couldn't deny that I played fairly well, so they just left me as second best."

"Damn, that sucks, so you are probably the actual Star player of the school, right?" asked Tenten as she looked over at Sakura.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, "I never actually played against him, he never wanted to. He didn't want us to end up being rivals or enemies."

"He always likes having enemies or someone to go against that is quite a challenge, why wouldn't he want that to end up happening between both of you?" asked Gaara suspiciously. Ever since Sakura's actions towards hearing Suigetsu's name, Gaara had become suspicious of what had happened, if anything had happened. He wanted to know what the story was, and he would find out.

"Complicated story," Sakura answered simply. She went on with eating her food.

'She seems to be hiding something....'thought Gaara. 'I wonder what that something is....and what's this 'Complicated Story'....'

Sakura felt Gaara's gaze on her but, she chose to ignore it. She was indeed hiding something but, she obviously didn't want them to know about it. There are some things that are best left untold.

"Why did you move here from the Mist?" asked Shikamaru.

"Personal problems with certain people at that school, and simply because that school was terrible," answered Sakura.
"All the girls hated me, and most of the guys liked me, it was hard for me to make any good friends."

"So, you were the popular girl?" asked Ino.

"Um no, not really," said Sakura.

They talked about other things as they ate. When they finished they all decided to go home.

"It's kind of dark, you didn't come with a car....." Hinata said to Sakura.

"That's cuz I live right near our school. Well, I live about fifteen blocks away actually...nearly a whole town but, in the beginning I thought it was quite close so I decided to go walking. I hadn't planned to go out anywhere with anyone after school though," stated Sakura. "So I left my car at home."

"A whole town is pretty far! We can't let you go home walking alone in this darkness! It's already nine o'clock!" said Ino concerned for Sakura. "We're all getting rides from our boyfriends...and they get in trouble for getting home late without saying anything. Besides, we all live on this side of town.....if you live near school...well near in your words, you're on the other side of town. Gaara lives alone, and he lives around there. He can give you a ride!"

They all looked over at the red head. Sakura doubted that he would agree to give her a ride, if anything, he hated her.

They all stood outside on the dark street. Waiting to see if Gaara would agree to give her a ride home. He just stood their stoically. He had his back leaning against his red Porsche 911 GT1, which Sakura couldn't help but stare in awe at. He had his eyes closed but, they all knew that he could still hear them, cuz he never sleeps. Yet, he still stayed in that cool composure of his, pretending as if he hadn't heard a word. This made Sakura grow irritated.

She walked over to wear he was standing, slouching, eh whatever you want to call it.

"So, how bout it?" asked Sakura as he opened up his eyes. "You're gunna give me a ride, or what?"

Gaara smirked and walked around his car, he took the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. As he opened the car door, Sakura, as well as everyone else continued watching him.

"You're gunna get in or what?" asked Gaara in the same tone as Sakura as he got in his car.

Sakura shook her head and rolled her eyes, "See ya later guys."

She opened the door to the passenger seat and got in the car. She threw her book bag in the backseat and soon, Gaara drove off.

"Where do you live?" asked Gaara.

"567 Tercshe Road...." answered Sakura.

Gaara seemed surprised but what she had just told him. Sakura could tell that her answer had made him a bit surprised by the look in his face.

"Something wrong?" asked Sakura.

Gaara shook his head, "Just that you live about a block away from me. Maybe even a few houses down."

Sakura mouthed an Oh and looked out the window.

"So, what's that Complicated Story that you didn't tell us about?" questioned Gaara as he stopped at a red light and looked over at Sakura. She swallowed hard and looked over at him.

"It's really none of your business," was Sakura's response.

Gaara put pressure on the gas pedal as the light turned green.

"Kay, be that way if you want. I will find out what I want to know," said Gaara calmly as he got closer to her house.

"Sure," muttered Sakura as she rested her head against the window.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" came Gaara's unexpected question.

His question was enough to make Sakura sit upright in her seat. She looked over at him apprehensively.

"Uh, no...." answered Sakura uncomfortably. "Why?"

"Relax, I'm just asking," said Gaara as he continued driving.

"Not going to bother asking if you have a girlfriend," muttered Sakura. "You obviously don't, and if you continue acting like a bastard, I doubt you ever will."

Gaara smirked and shook his head as he parked his car in front of her house. He turned his head over to face her.

"I could have a girlfriend, whether I'm a bastard or not," said Gaara.

"Right, how could I forget? Those brainless whores would literally kill to have you as their boyfriend," grunted Sakura. "What do they see in you anyway?"

Gaara and Sakura both had their seatbelts off. Sakura took it off because she was about to get out, Gaara just never put on to begin with. Ha, he would surely get a ticket soon.

Gaara leaned over to Sakura, she stayed facing him, not moving as to not show any sign of nervousness or fear. His hot breath tickled her skin.

"Stop denying that there isn't something you find compellingabout me," Gaara whispered in a alluring voice.

Sakura felt like she was sweating bullets. His voice was enough to make her feel like jelly. 'Eh, he's right....in fact, I find a lotof things compelling about him! Ah! But, his asshole ways is enough to ruin all that! Grrr, not like I'm going to tell him that anyway!'

She could feel his lips against her earshell. When she finally regained her composure, she pulled away from him.

"I'm not denying anything. There's nothing compelling about an asshole like you." said Sakura stubbornly. "Well, I got to go."

Gaara pulled back and sat in his seat, the smirk still adorned on his handsome face.

'I haven't had this type of fun..in a long time,'thought Gaara. 'This will certainly be an interesting year for me.'

He didn't say anything as Sakura reached in the back of the car seat to get her book bag. She opened the car door and turned over to look at Gaara one last time.

"Bye, and um one tip, wear your seat belt before you get a ticket....or into an accident." Sakura muttered the last part.

"No need, I live right up the block," said Gaara.

Sakura said a low okay and closed the door of his car as she walked up the steps of her home, and went inside.

Gaara started his engine again and drove up the road, to his home.

Even though she had stated that there was nothing she found that drew her to him, he knew that there was. When he had whispered in her ear, he felt and saw her shiver in delight, uneasiness, and nervousness. All which were signs that she wouldn't mind giving him a kiss or two.

'Ha, you can keep fighting back all you want Haruno,' thought Gaara. 'But it's too late, I already won this game.'

A/N: Took a while to update, but SO sick so don't blame me.

Grrr. I honestly feel like I'm dying. T.T eh don't worry, I'm not, just feel like it.

Oh and, I changed my penname! =]! As you probably already noticed haha, like it? Yay! On my profile I even created the picture as my icon thingy or whatever to go with it! Hate it? Don't care, keep that comment to yourself.

So yeah I am now XEmerald Goddess Of The NightX ..........no longer Dangerously Emerald.

But still, call me Emerald-chan! =] haha

Well back to the story, I hope you liked the chapter, it's shorter than the other two, well this will probably be the shortest chapter in the story, so don't get too upset. X]

Don't know if you liked the chapter but either way, I would appreciate if you would Review, & um hopefully we're both still alive to see the next chapter! X.X

I will update once I can, there's a poll on my profile, vote if you haven't yet.

Review....=]! kay? ThankiesZ!

X Emerald Goddess Of The Night X

---formerly Dangerously Emerald to those who still don't know

Til latersz, bye!