Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Yah this chapter is full of flashbacks but I needed to explain some stuff. Don't hit me. And it is longer than it has been in awhile so cheer up. . I did make Gaara a bit of an ass but this is how I envision him acting. Enjoy and review.

Kiba, Shino and Gaara where huddled in the farthest corner of the room. Kiba leaned against the grainy wood of the desk, while the other two sat still in the cold metal of the chairs. Nervously, Kiba glanced from left to right, his frown on his face deepening, as he couldn't locate what he was searching for. He turned slowly to his friends, and shook his head, his wet hair lying flat for once.

Shino remained as silent as ever and only shifted in his chair to show he knew. His glasses were still in place since the teacher would never tell him off. He could almost get away with anything.

Gaara's face was passive but his friends could feel his temper spike. He crossed his arms against his chest, ignoring the teacher completely. Kiba sat down, not paying attention either, deep in thought. Shino tuned everything out.

After class, Gaara stalked out, wrenching his tie off and heading towards the front of the grounds. Passerby's shot out of his way, making sure to keep a safe distance. He had been in a bad mood and today was not an exception. When he was feeling like crap everyone felt like crap. It was the way it worked since the summer.

Cutting class was one of many things on Gaara's rap sheet, along with graffiti, insolence and assault. He had been driven into a rage and thrown a chair at another student. The only reason he was still attending school was because Temari paid the principle off. She had even dug into their father's money, meaning that if Gaara screwed up again she would have his ass.

Kiba and Shino stealthily stalked him, keeping twenty paces behind. The first time he had caught them he had made it clear-with Kiba's black eye, as evidence-that he didn't appreciate his friends' help. Since then, they kept to the shadows; still making sure he was fine, but not putting themselves in danger.

Gaara stood still, jolting the other two to hide. He observed the art gallery in front of him, grabbed the handle of the door, and threw it open. Stepping inside he wound his tie around his hand to stop the need to destroy all the painful reminders of her around him.

Shino shook his head, distraught that his friend could not got over it. Much as the bug boy hated to admit it, having Hinata around had brightened the gloomy red head and shaped him into a better, happier person. Shino missed her as well, and on occasion thought over why she would leave so suddenly, without a farewell. It tore the three apart to think they might never hear her laugh, to see her blush, or to watch her give Akamaru a much needed bath. To say that they missed her would be an understatement: they needed and pined for her.

As outspoken as he was, even Kiba wouldn't bring Hinata up. And as they watched Gaara glare at the paintings strung along the blank, white wall, they wondered if they would ever be able to bring her up.

Arrrugh. Arurrru. Arurrru," the dog whimpered, his white tail clamped between his shaking legs. He stuck his muzzle out, seeking warmth and assurance and instead he received a harsh kick. He scurried to the back of the couch and crawled until it covered his small body.

Kiba turned around, his hands curled into trembling fists. Shino laid a hand on his shoulder to try to warn him, but he shrugged it off and yelled, "The hell?! What did Akamaru do to you? You know he's terrified of storms. Why did you do that?"

Gaara faced him, ready to fight as well. His aquamarine eyes glistened with anger and another emotion. If you looked close enough you could see the hurt flashing within.

"He was bugging me. Get him to shut up," he hissed.

"Kiba," Shino said, slightly muffled from behind his jacket's collar. "Back off."

Akamaru after all that would never whimper around Gaara. He continued to run away from Kiba sometimes staying away for several days.

Hinata's round eyes widened further at the scene Kiba was painting in her mind. Gaara sounded like a criminal not the boy she had fallen in love with so long ago. She knew he had problems, and she also knew he had taken her abrupt departure hard, but she never imagined it would be like this.

"Do you see why he would take this so badly. He loves you and what little he loves he cherishes. When it is taken away, bad things happen. Like when Kankuro threw out his teddy bear, saying it was too childish. Kankuro couldn't walk for a week without wincing in pain," Kiba said, smirking at the thought.

Hinata zoned out as Kiba prattled on and on. She gripped the arm rest, her nails biting into the fabric. She focused on the first time she had met Gaara. When she had fallen in love with him, even if she was only five at the time.

The younger, shorter and much more timid Hinata peeked out from behind her father, her hands fisted into the scratchy material of his pants. He tugged her fingers from him, nodded to the teacher and left, his footsteps echoing in the hall after he closed the door.

The teacher looked puzzled, but refrained from speaking aloud her opinion of the Hyuuga. She kneeled, to become face-to-face, and said, "Hi. What's your name?"

"H-Hinata," she stuttered out quietly.

"Hey, Hinata I'm your teacher. You can call me Mrs. A."

Hinata nodded and tried not to cry. Her father had left her in a strange new place, and even if the teacher was nice, she didn't know anyone here and was scared.

"Why don't you follow me, to where all the other kids are?" Mrs. A said. She gently took Hinata's hand, and led her to a square wooden table with red plastic chairs. Three boys sat there, little pieces of paper telling them that they were supposed to be there.

"Shino, Kiba, Gaara, met Hinata," the teacher said, eying them.

"Hi-hi," Kiba jumped from his chair and nearly knocked Hinata over with the force of the hug he gave her. She squealed and he let go, walked back to his chair, plopped down and smirked. "My name is Kiba and I have a puppy but my mom said he wasn't ready for school yet," he told her, pouting.

"My name is Shino. I like bugs, and I hate this hyperactive imbecile next to me," the boy on the end said, his voice unemotional. The teacher sweat dropped.

The last boy turned and said, "My name is Gaara."

Hinata stared at him. He watched her curiously, and noticed she blushed. For some reason he liked it. He decided he wanted to see her like that more often.

Hinata sat on the other side of the table, fiddling with her fingers, shooting glances at the red head. He smirked. For some reason, she liked it, but she wanted to make him smile.

That day they made promises to themselves to make sure what they wanted to make came true.

Hinata sighed, leaning her head against the arm rest. Closing her eyes, she let Kiba slide in on the other side of the couch, and he let her prop her feet on him. She feel asleep shortly after.