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He didn't tell us…

Naruto and I stopped by Sasuke's house to grab Naruto's jumper he'd left there, I went in alone, got Naruto's orange jumper but then I stopped as I headed out the door, pausing over a piece of paper on the table.

I knew it was rude, but the posh blue-tinted paper caught my eye, I picked it up and read silently.

' Dear Sasuke,

After your amazing performance in the semi-final debating competition I extend to you an offer of year 11 & 12 at the Sound Selective High School and University for Gifted And High-Achieving Students, we ask you consider this seriously as it will defiantly give you a huge head-start in life. Find attached the application form, please send it in if you wish to apply for year 11 by next week.

Orochimaru-Sensei'

I gape, I could hear my heart beating fast, this was Sasuke's dream… perfect opportunity, of course… this was two years earlier then both of us had expected…

"He-he… no." I breathe. "He can't leave!" I say in a hushed whisper.

I shove it down and run to the car, the news on my lips, then I saw Naruto's smile, and they didn't come out.

"What's up?" He asked, taking the jacket from me, I mouth, then stop, sighing.

"Nothing, let's go, I'm just tired."

Naruto and I drive home in silence, I was too deep in thought, I knew he'd take it, I knew this was everything he'd wanted… his ambition, his revenge…

I get in, go straight to bed, sakura and Shika are playing cards on the table, they don't ask about my mood, their used to me coming in and hearing the muffled sobs from upstairs, their used to knowing I'd rather be left alone

But I wasn't going to let another friend of mine disappear.

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Sunday 15/7/15

Sasuke's crazy glue-gun scar has gotten infected. I blame the Rapist. It's all his fault coz… erm… IT JUST IS!

Bored, I thought to myself this morning 'I gotta call Garra, go for a swim or something… feels like ages since I've seen him.' And then I woke up properly and remembered it had been ages since I've seen him, and that space would just keep increasing. I spent the rest of the day in bed. Until Naruto arrived, pulled me out, failed, got a water-gun, succeeded and dragged my down to the Lake.

"It's nice down here…" he said, as we sat on Gaara and my seat, I felt the heavy-throb increase slightly and wish Naruto had of picked a different place.

"Yeah, Gaara and I used to always sit here." I say, not bothering to hide to longing in my voice, Naruto looked at me, concerned.

"I don't know what I'd do if Sasuke left… I don't know how you handled it."

My heart skips a beat at 'if Sasuke left' and I resist the word-vomit and swallow, I concentrate at the sentence and laugh bitterly. "I didn't."

Naruto sighed, he knew I'd spent three days off school, in bed, not eating, not moving, not doing anything. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." I say, the throb dulling again, but the load it hit me with every time my heart beat seemed to increase.

"Do you know why he left yet?" Naruto asked, I could tell he didn't want to talk about this but was curious. God, I now know why Sasuke hated 'talk about your feelings' sessions.

"No." I answer blandly; this only seemed to encourage him.

"Why didn't he tell you?" He persisted.

"If I knew, don't you think I would have been able to stop him leaving!?" I say bitterly, Naruto realizes he'd gone too far and shut up, I glowered in hurt, more then anger.

He was right though… why didn't he tell me? Later Naruto went to meet up with Sasuke and go for a walk.

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Monday – rollcall

OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT! On my wall, I found in clear bright blue permanent marker 'Naruto is gay!' and 'Sasuke N Naruto –GAY LOVERS!' I panicked, and as soon as we left rollcall, I headed straight to VA, and for once in my life, I just wanted it to be recess so I could warn Naruto and Sasuke.

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After school

I was too late, but the most amazing thing happened, stupid Iruka sat and talked to me with Kakashi over why I had been so bad with the Psychiatrist, and I just fidgeted and went crazy until they let me go, where I bolted off to the Lunch area, to find the cafeteria crowded with interested faces, there was Ino's crowd, I was disgusted to see Sakura sitting and giggling at a surprised looking Naruto.

I got half way across the crown before he snapped and yelled. "What is your problem!?"

Ino giggled and smirked. "Oh, go cry to your boyfriend." I saw Naruto go pale, and I saw Sasuke form the other side of the room freeze.

"W-What?" Naruto said, still pale. He was always a bad liar, I cursed.

"You know. Your boyfriend, Sasuke." She turned to the obsidian eyed Sasuke, you know, sometimes even he took my breath away, he strode into the crowd smoothly, using his best cold shoulder to make the crowd part, every girl there wished so desperately what Ino said wasn't true and practically drooled over him. He turned to Ino and smirked.

"Yeah, sure, you think I would kiss that?" he said, I knew they had this plan worked out, and Naruto knew it was a joke, but he still looked pissed off.

"Like you can talk Uchiha!" he snapped, I smiled to myself at the temper Naruto had.

Ino smirked back. "I know what I saw, Boys, I saw you both." She inspected her nails. "Down by the bike-trial, am I correct?" Sasuke stood by Naruto, still smooth and looking as if he was amused by Ino's stupidity.

I swallowed hard, still watching over the sitting crowd, my heart beating faster then it should be. I knew they'd lost, I knew as I watched it progress that they'd lost, I knew by the way Naruto's finger's laced with Sasuke's they'd lost. I close my eyes, and covered my ears over the stupid laughter of the crowd, most of the boys make really gross jokes, but I stood next to Naruto, and took his other hand. "So what?" I yell, the cafeteria silenced, and for the first time the year laid eyes on Sorano Takaski.

"Who's she?" I felt the familiar stab of annoyance.

Sakura piped up. "She's Sora, she's in my English." She said to Ino, watching me, concerned.

"What? You join in with them?" Ino's group said, raising their plucked eyebrows.

I scowl. "No. But I knew. And I don't see the problem." I look desperately towards Shika, who sat with the guys, looking at me with the same concerned look as sakura. Then he understood, slowly, against the guy's questioning, he stood.

"I don't see any problem either." He said, bored already, he came to stand by me, arms crossed.

He looked towards his group of friends, not the evil jerk-guys, more like the nerds, but I'm sure they had lovely personalities.

Sakura walked foreword as well. "Ino, I'm with them. What's the point? Just because you've been totally in love with Sasuke since Kindergarten and you lost him to a boy, you're just jealous." Sakura sniffed, and went foreword to stand by Shika. I smile at them. They smile back, still confused though.

Shika laughed. "Bet she turned him gay, if she was talking to me as much as she does to him, I'd be the same." He high-fived Sakura and they laughed.

Suddenly Kiba's druggie group stood, and I choked on my own spit in surprise. "The two blondes were the only other people who came to Kiba's funeral, as far as I'm concerned, that's enough." They stood, they smelt like cigarette's and god knows what else, but it was heart lifting.

Neji stood, and silently walked over, I saw Tenten immediately stand too and follow. Shika gave his friends another look, and laced his finger's with Sakura's, to her obvious delight.

They wolf-whistled and came to stand by us too, Some of Sakura's friends were joining us too, sure other's stood still, but they were pale now, they were looking shocked at the amount of people that didn't care if Naruto and Sasuke were gay.

I smile and breathe a sigh of relief, giving Naruto's hand a gentle squeeze, he returns it and smiles at me, I laugh, he looked so much better, the fear was gone from him his eyes. "Let's go eat somewhere else, these guys can bitch here." I say loudly, Shika, Sakura, the creepy druggies, and the rest of Shika's group followed, I counted about 27 people I knew, and another 30 I didn't, out of 300 sure it aint that good, but it's enough to stick together with.

We all, of course, went separate ways when we got outside, some wishing Naruto and Sasuke the best, some laughing (but not in the mean way) and that just left Me, Sakura, Shika, Sasuke and Naruto. I smiled brightly, and sat down with a thud.

"So- that's why… it all adds up." Shika said, sitting down too.

I smile. "Yup… there were always missing pieces to the puzzle, weren't there?" I say, grinning.

He nodded, then turned to Sakura. "I'd never asked you, because I knew you'd ask me back, but why were you at Sora's Rehab?" he asked, I grin.

"My dad." She said, sighing. "He used to hurt me…" she pulled up her sleeve to reveal the scars, I nod, purposefully ignoring the degree of love on concern in his eyes, it hurt, it looked so familiar, but so lost, as if I didn't actually see it… I'm snapped back to reality. "It took a while to convince her to stay with me, but it turned out for the best."

Naruto looked at me, wonder in his eyes. "You- you pulled all those people out of nowhere Sora…"

I shrug. "I do things for people, it's my job. I keep secrets."

They all survey each other. "So this is why we're all here right now, because of this tiny insignificant invisible-" Sasuke started, looking at me with laughter (and relief) in his eyes.

"Hey!" I interrupt. "Watch it with the insults."

"Fine, we're all here because of you… I always thought ours was the only secret you kept."

"So did we." Sakura and Shika said in unison, then laughed.

"And Kiba… that's why you were at the Funeral!" Naruto said, eyes widening, I nod.

"He was the one secret I kept too well…" I say, sighing. "And I paid for it. it was my fault he died…"

"And… and that's why you went on that holiday!" Sakura burst out. "And how that rumour went around you two were going out…"

I nod. "All a cover-up, it worked quite well for a time, if you ask me." I say, contemplating. Two weeks left of term, the teachers had run out of material to teach us already, half yearly tests were just School-Certificate practise tests, they were done too.

It's strange, I realized just then, at the table… I had no more secrets. All these people knew, all these people knew everything… I didn't have to worry anymore, I relaxed, then went stiff again.

There was one more… Sasuke's…

Everyone spent the rest of recess in contentment, but as I looked at Sasuke, who was sitting next to a chatty Naruto who was into a long boring conversation with Shika, I saw a longing in his eyes. I stare at him, worry and understanding showing too much I think, for when he met my gaze he smiled sadly and then turned back to Naruto. My heart gave a lurch foreword, and I knew then when he left, part of me would go with him too.

Not as much as Naruto, sure, but enough to hurt. I sigh, and turn to join in the conversation too. Naruto didn't even know, I've seen how he looks at Sasuke… love. It breaks my heart to know Sasuke would leave without a word. Just like Gaara, they have more in common then they realize…

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Hello all! Glad you liked the last chapter! It's nearing the end! I LOVE YOUR LONG REVEIWS! I seriously didn't think just asking would get me some… well, I guess to put it simply.. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

Thanks HEAPS! XOXOXOXOXOX to-love-is-to-lie

P.s. To WoAiKyoItsumo Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! OI! OI! OI! Woohoo! Oh, and sorry if my Australian-words are a touch hard to understand and times… it's weird to think that you don't use words like we do. Hehe. Sorry about that… -'