Learning To Love
Chapter Two: And so it begins...

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'Why are some people so annoying?!'
'Because sometimes they care.'

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POV

The red-head boy frowned, his nonexistent eyebrows furrowing. "I'm not your friend." Gaara said in, what almost seemed like, a threatening voice. Naruto's smile faltered for half a second before regaining its posture.

"Well, you're my friend. So what are you doing after school?"

"I'm busy for the next three months..." Gaara replied, his voice emotionless.

"Well, maybe if you're ever free, we could hang out sometime!" Naruto was about to continue when the bell rang, the class quickly filling up with students. Gaara silently wished for the boy to move next to one of his friends that sat in the front of the class, but the boy stayed in his current seat. 'The gods really do hate me today...' At that point, all Gaara knew was that today was gonna be a long day...

Kakashi walked into the room, a book inches from his nose. He quietly set down his small bag of papers on his desk before taking a seat behind his desk. "Well, there's nothing for me to give you today, so if you have any work, work on it. If you don't have any work, you may quietly talk to your friends." Yes, it truly was the perfect class...

As the class filled with quiet whispers, Gaara pulled out his small tablet again, opening up to clean page. Naruto watched Gaara with curious eyes as the red-head began to write down what seemed like a poem. "I didn't know you wrote poetry." Gaara ignored the blond. After only five minutes, Gaara turned the page and began to gently sketched out a picture. It was of an armored soldier leaning heavily against a crumbling brick wall. There was a hole in the mans armor where his heart lies, blooding seeping from the fist-sized hole. In his right hand was his heart, crushed and black. You could see a dark, eerie forest to the side as nearly transparent souls stretched their arms out to the dying soldier from the ground. Though it was only a sketch, Naruto found himself taking in a small breath of awe. Underneath the paining, Gaara wrote a four line poem.

'here in darkness lies such a sin,
a place where good guys never win.
where souls are lost to roam
in this shadowy figure of a home.'

"Wow, that's a great sketch. You should really color it in." The blond commented.

"I usually paint my pictures at home." Gaara said, continuing to add details here and there to his picture. As Gaara turned his wrist a certain way, more pain shot through his arm, causing him to drop his pencil once again. Naruto was quick to pick it up and the red-head gently flexed his hand.

"You okay, Gaara?" Naruto asked, concerned.

"It's just cramps. I get them all the time when I draw." Gaara lied, as he took his pencil back.

"Oh, good. For a second I thought you hurt your wrist or something." Naruto smiled sheepishly, scratching his cheek. Gaara's eyes landed him.

"Why would you care?" Naruto blinked.

"What?"

"Why would you care if I hurt my wrist?"

"Like I said, you're my friend." Naruto caught Gaara frown at the last word. 'Does he have a thing against friends or something?' "So are you sure you're busy for the next three months?" Gaara gave a slight nod. "Well that sucks. I was hoping we could hang out and I could get to know you better." Gaara sighed before closing his tablet, closing his eyes.

"Two of your friends is trying to get your attention." Naruto blinked again, looking at the front of the class. He saw his friend Kiba waving to him, Sasuke just sitting next to him. Naruto stood up and headed towards a desk that was in front of his friends.

Naruto's POV

"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked as I took a seat. Sasuke looked back at Gaara before looking back at me. It was odd, there was something about Gaara that really intrigued me, though I don't know what.

"Why are you hanging around Gaara?" Kiba asked quietly.

"Cause he looks lonely, sitting there all by himself everyday." It's true, Gaara never sat by anyone and never talked unless spoken to.

"Haven't you heard the rumors about him?" Sasuke asked. I shook my head.

"I don't pay attention to rumors."

"Well, they say that--" The bell rang, cutting off Kiba's sentence. "I'll tell ya at recess." I nod before grabbing my stuff and heading towards my next class. My mind wonders to Gaara again. He was so different from everyone else I've ever met. Well, Sasuke was kinda like Gaara, but barely. I can't help but wonder why he acted so cold towards me though. And why did he always frown at the word 'friends'? I was determined to find the answers to these questions I had. And, one way or another, I was gonna make that red-head my friend. It can't be too hard to crack him, right? After all, I did get Sasuke to crack eventually.

I walk into my third period class and quickly look around. Yes! Gaara is in my science class! I grin on the outside, while practically dancing on the inside. Though, I do feel ashamed of myself for not noticing the red-head before. But you can't really blame me, the kids like a ghost. Doesn't talk, doesn't laugh, doesn't do anything. I wonder if I have him in all my classes...

I take a seat next to my new friend who looked slightly annoyed. "Hey Gaara! Guess we have a few classes together!"

Gaara's POV

I didn't understand. What made this blond think I was his friend? I couldn't get it out of my mind. Yes, the boy was annoying and hyper, not to mention somewhat of an idiot, but still. Even a complete idiot can tell that I. don't. want. friends. Was that so hard to understand? Apparently it was for Naruto. I look down to see him talking to his two friends. I know they're talking about me, I feel it. I take a closer look at his two friends. I think one was named Kiba, the dog lover. I know for a fact the other one is Sasuke, the pretty-boy. Pf, what a stupid nickname, it wasn't even manly. How could girls find him so attractive? I mean, seriously, his hair looks like a chickens butt. How attractive can that be!?

I almost chuckle inwardly as an image of Sasuke being attacked by a random group of man-eating chickens, screaming like the little girl he his. I quickly do a really rough sketch of the image in my mind in my journal. A chibi Sasuke being attacked by vicious chickens, his right eye hanging out of its socket while he opens his mouth to scream. Ah, if only pictures were real...

As the bell rang, I slowly gather my stuff and head to my science class. The teacher in that class was a total pedo. Even scarier was he only had his eyes for boys. Plus he has a huge obsession about snakes.

What a creep.

As usual, I'm one of the first in the class, taking my seat in the back of the classroom. It seemed like I turned by head away from the door for a minute and I look back, seeing a familiar head of blond hair sitting next to me. "Hey Gaara! Guess we have a few classes together!" I rolled my eyes. I had all my classes with him except periods nine and ten. Guess I really do go unnoticed by students. Well, I guess that's sorta a relief. Mr. Pedophile walked in the room and took a seat behind his desk, his snake-like eyes eyeing a few boys who uncomfortably squirmed in their seats.

"Now class, today we'll be learning about Kingdom, Phylum, Family, Genus and Species of different animals today. Now get out a notebook and textbook. Read pages 368-382 and do the questions on page 383. If you need any help, me and the EA, Kabuto, will come and help." I do as instructed and get out my textbook, opening to the pages given. This class was boring as hell, though sometimes it did have its quirks. Like the one time some kid accidently dropped a bottle of acid on his shoe and started running around screaming. I have to say, I think I was the only who chuckled at the scene. I've always wanted to mix chemicals and start a fire. It would be awesome. The firefighters would come to put the smallest of fires while students in the school would be dismissed for the rest of the day while chaos emerged from the cackling teachers...

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only who thinks of this kind of stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if I was. After all, my very first psychiatrist retired quite early because of me. Though I don't know why, I would hardly say a word to him. Maybe it was my glares. They were known to send kids crying to their parents sometimes. I chuckle inwardly as I remember my short time at the mental institute when I had made one of the male nurses faint by just giving him a glare and saying, 'Shut the hell up.' What a pansy.

I was brought back to reality when I felt someone gently tap my shoulder. I look over to see Naruto staring at me.

Naruto's POV

Man this was boring. Science class was always no fun, especially days when we had to do bookwork. I slightly perked up when I saw 'Lab Work: Thursday' written on the board. Yes! Finally, some action! I glance at Gaara through the corner of my eye. He was already on page 376. Holy crap was this guy fast at reading! Its been only seven minutes since we started reading! I glance at the page I was on. 370. I hated reading. Unless it was interesting book, or a manga book, I didn't even dare to touch the thing. Me and books seriously did not go together. After another sixteen minutes, I finally reach the last reading page. I look over at the questions. The first question was easy.

'What is a phylum?' I wrote: a category that ranks above class and below kingdom.

Second question was: 'How many kingdoms are there?' My answer: six.

Third question: 'Name them.' Aw dammit, I couldn't remember the names of them. And I felt too damn lazy to look through the textbook for the answer. I look over at Gaara who was already finished with his work and was staring out the window. I gently tap him on the shoulder, getting his attention. "Uh, Gaara? Could I see your answer for number three?" I was expecting a simple 'no' from the red-head (since he didn't like me around) but was surprised when he gave a small nod. I smile. "Thanks." I copy his answers onto my sheet. Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.

I say my thanks once again before handing him back his work. I steal another quick glance at him, wondering what he was thinking about. So, being the curious fox I am, I asked. "Whatchya thinking about?" He didn't respond, so I didn't push it. I quickly began to think of way to start cracking this kid. Even if it kills me, this red-haird boy is gonna be my friend by the end of year!

Okay, I know the ending could be better, but I really didn't know how to end it. I really want to draw the picture of the soldier with holding his heart and Sasuke getting attacked by chickens, but I suck at drawing XD

So what do you think so far? Like it? Hate it? Well tell me what you think about it please!

Thanks so much for the reviews too! You all deserve cookies!!