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What if~ Chapter 3

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She just stared at him for a moment, her mind trying to catch up with the conversation but always being thrown right back when getting to that last part. br /

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'You can't stop me from taking your daughter.' br /

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She wondered if she imagined him say it… She walked dazed across the street, baffled eyes focused on the handsome redhead. He had to be joking. In her short lifetime she has been the butt of everyone's harsh pranks and jokes...br /

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"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST DRAG MY FAIR, BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER AWAY AS IF SHE WERE A TROPHY!!?"br /

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Lee's eyes bugged for the second time that night. She rushed forward, lashing the grass with her naked feet as she beat her father's flying fist, catching it with an open palm. Getting hit once in a night was bad enough. With that look in his eye, she knew her father would risk his freedom to make Gaara disappear from his doorway. Her father was a very burly man and his strength went unchallenged for years. One more punch to the face would be the end for /

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"Stop it!" Her father glanced down at Lee and then passed an angry glare to Gaara. She smiled and patted him on his knobby fist, "Please calm down, everything is well." br /

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Her father huffed out an angry sign, a sign that he had calmed down. His great onyx eyes stilled and she breathed for what felt like the first time in an eternity. As much as she loves her father, she couldn't allow him to continue terrifying everyone who came by their house in search of her. Especially males. Her father always found some means to scare others away, though friends that were truly loyal came by every so often. It was amazing how little things could scare off others such as her fathers' cooking or prep-talks. Her father didn't go randomly hitting strangers in the face, well, until today. br /

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'Surely, he is going to leave now. There is no way that someone would go through all of this trouble for a joke.' And monkeys had grown wings and flippers and had taken over Atlantis. As her father stood there, prep-talking himself - Lee only heard snippets of his speech, "Youthful exercise," "wonderful dumplings", "Lee, could you make curry tonight?" Two very secure arms wrapped around her waist and pulled. She 'eeped' as something slightly cool but moist was pressed against her neck. Something wet touched against the junction of her neck in the barest of contacts. Her Father was too far away in "youth-filled land where your most precious treasure is not being molested by a demonic child" to notice. br /

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"What are you doing!" She croaked, she tried to think of a way to respond, but her brain was dead to her commands. She had never before found herself in this kind of trouble before. She knew martial arts, so why wasn't she using it? Instead, she was almost frozen in place, refusing to turn around. If there was a way to do it without coming face-to-face with a fascinated redhead, she would but she knew that such a thing was impossible to avoid. br /

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Behind her, he actually chuckled, that- that...pervert! When teeth were introduced into the nuzzling-like affection, Lee was startled enough to almost jump out of his arms...almost, but not quite. As fragile as the boy seemed, he was strong. Perhaps he was stronger than her… She wasn't going to stand for this! She didn't even know the guy and she is no one's play thing! br /

She couldn't believe he was getting away with touching her this way and right in front of her father too!br /

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"This isn't going to bruise. I've been in fights before, this is nothing. You could have allowed your father to hit me a second time, I have a high tolerance for this sort of thing. But it was so cute watching you rush to my rescue..." One last nip and Lee was free of the (forced) embrace. She swirled around, one fist ready to knock against his chin, but he was already at his motorcycle, engine purring to life as he twisted the keys, and then he was gone. She rubbed her index finger on the warm spot the boy had made. Lee glared in the direction the pervert sped off toward. What was his deal?

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She found herself disappointed that jerk hadn't told her what time he was picking her up. She turned to go back into the house. Forgetting the heels at the edge of the yard where she had dropped them when making a mad dash to save the redhead from her father. It was almost sad, that someone could actually get used to being hit every day and actually build a resistance against it. Was that even possible? Bruises were formed because of blood that leaks into the skin tissue from damaged blood vessels...It was something she learned about while taking martial arts and biology. No one left her father without a bruise, whether it was because he had hugged them or slugged them. br /

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Soon enough, her father was back to his /

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"HOW DARE HE BELIEVE THAT HE IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!!! SHALL I SEE HIM HERE AGAIN I SHALL CRIPPLE HIS LEGS SO HE CANNOT EVER FOLLOW YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!"br /

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Lee gave a somewhat watery chuckle, looking up at her father with warm eyes. She knew he wouldn't, she could tell because he hadn't done the nice guy pose nor made a punishment for himself should he be unsuccessful. Her father wasn't violent, just overly excited. br /

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Lee smiled sweetly. "Do you want me to make dinner tonight?"br /

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"YOSH!" br /

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Lee laughed and went ahead of her father into the house. Ironically enough, her father did remember the heels and grabbed them for his pressure-ridden daughter. His last concern before heading through the door was Lee's /

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- - - - - - - TIME IS MONDAY, LUNCH - - - - - - -

"What?"br /

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Lee hurriedly hushed her best friend, one hand placed forcefully over her mouth while looking speedily around. The people around them only gave an annoyed glance before paying attention to their food. Lee released the breath she hadn't been holding: That was too close... A mumble tickled the skin of her palm, reminding her to release the grasp she had on Tenten. She didn't want her to bite her again. br /

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"What do you mean? He molested you right in front of your dad!?" Even though Tenten had lowered her voice to a harsh whisper, Lee still flinched. Those hadn't been her exact words, but they did summarize what happened. She nodded her head as if ashamed of the /

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"That is exactly what I mean, Tenten! He was at my house when I arrived and then he, well...he told us what he was going to do. He nearly gave father a heart-attack and he had to stay up half the night to fix the screen door...again!" Lee's voice was even lower than Tenten's with hope that it could remain a secret despite the settings being a school cafeteria room. They would have eaten outside like usual, but the down pour of rain prevented them from doing /

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"Well, do you at least know the guys' name?" Annoyance showed on her face, as if she already knew the answer. Lee shook her head and berated herself yet again for never having asked. Yes, the first meeting had been...stressful and 'somewhat' violent but she should have at least asked… Her best friend groaned, her head falling into her hands in sarcastic disbelief. "Leeeeee, how do these kinds of things happen to you? It's as if there's a danger magnet attached to you that says 'eat me'."br /

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Lee laughed, laughed until she cried. Tenten's words were so funny! Things like a 'handsome boy molesting her'. Yeah, never happened. The closest she ever got to a boy touching her was when they'd mock and tease. They would knock her binders to the ground or shoving her against a locker while roaming the long stretch of hallways. She'd been tripped a few times as well, but by girls. But that was in middle school. In high school, students navigated around her like she was invisible. She knew from the start of freshman year that she would be an outcast.

"Yeah, I bet your danger magnet says 'trip me' instead. It would explain why the girls here always do that!" There was some laughter and Lee's face flushed. br /

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"Hello..."br /

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"Hey, Pup! How's your pops doin'?"br /

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"Father is doing as youthful as ever!" Lee giggled, finding the question a little cute and strange. "...Why are you asking me that?"br /

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Kiba stared straight past Lee's head and pointed across the room. "Because he's right there."br /

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"What?!" br /

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This time, everyone within a five table radius did look at her. She couldn't care less what they thought! She shot up in her seat to see out of the cafeteria window, peeking at the dreary outside. There, in a green poncho, stood her father looking through the window with binoculars. When he saw that she was looking at him, he smiled brightly and waved. His mouth began moving as if he were talking, but that was ridiculous; surely he knew that she couldn't hear him from all the way up here... It was the look of utmost seriousness and anger that told her that whatever he was trying to say was extremely important, but what could it be-! br /

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"Hey, Tenten..?"br /

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"Yeah?" Was it just her, or did Tenten sound slightly panicked?br /

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"Uh…what is going on?" Two arms were wrapped around her waist and a butterfly kiss was placed against her throat as an /

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"Very good." A deep, familiar voice answered from behind her. She could have sworn that he was smirking; she could feel /

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As an angry witness to this, her father almost broke down the window he was pounding on. The teachers on watch moved in towards him and the students sitting by the particular area moved out of the way. As the door was opened to the outside, Lee caught only a fragment of what her father was saying:br /

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"YOU ABOMINATION OF YOUUUUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Then the door closed and she watched on with growing embarrassment as her father was dragged away by the other adults. He was being lead to the principal's office for the fifth time in the past 3 years. br /

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"I'm Gaara. Expect to be ready by 7pm on Saturday, Lee." Now Lee knew that was a tongue on her neck. br /

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"You bastard! Who the hell do you think you are touching Pup like that?!" Kiba yanked Lee's arm back, ripping her from Gaara's hands. Kiba growled at Gaara, putting her behind him as he took up a defensive stance. Sure as hell, no one did that to Pup! Both Lee and Kiba knew what it was to be a social outcast. The beginnings of his middle school adventures came to an abrupt stop when he fantasized about hunting and being an animal. He acted this out in recesses, but the kids never played along and even to this day they won't let him live his embarrassing imagination down. In a time where he had only himself, his dog, and his family - not much help at school - , Lee had moved into town and they instantly clicked. Lee was the little sister he never had, and he knew his mom and Hana accepted her. br /

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Tenten took hold of Lee and dragged her away with a look of pure dumb struck confusion gracing her usually cheery face. Lee was blushing red like /

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Gaara looked at Kiba as if he were about to murder him painfully. His eyes were like ice that was so cold, they burned through him, but Kiba was better than that. No one went around messing with his sister! He was going to give this guy a lesson in how to treat a lady!br /

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"Whatever she is to you, she's mine. Any romance you feel towards her, forget them." Kiba's eyebrows were drawn together as he scowled at the bastard. What the hell was he talking about? Lee was like a sister, he couldn't see how their bond could get any closer. Romance wasn't the word, but he did love her like his own blood. He flashed a confident smile at 'Gaara', determined to piss him /

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"Yeah? And if I don't?" br /

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At the table where Tenten was trying to recall Lee, she paled. Gaara? The Gaara had said he would take sweet, innocent Lee to the prom? Lee could handle herself better than any girl Tenten knew! But, apparently, this guy had a way of getting Lee to forget how to fight. Of all the guys in the school, Lee had to attract him?! His distinct cruelty and malicious characteristics distinguished him from every other individual Tenten ever had the decency of knowing. Nothing was going to chase Gaara away, it was obvious that Kiba was going to lose this fist fight…and all that was left to break it up were the old custodians roaming around the lunch room. Where the hell was the rest of the gang when she needed them? When she heard a deep intake of breath, she looked down: Lee had awakened, and annoyed to the last of her patience. As Lee stood up and purposefully marched towards the two battling men, Tenten hoped she had a good plan...br /

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- - - - - - - TIME IS AFTER SCHOOL - - - - - - - br /

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"That was your plan! That of all things?! Christ, Lee!" Tenten smacked a palm to her forehead and gave a frustrated growl. "The way he looked at you, it was like he thought it was foreplay or something!" Tenten vented out her absolute horror of the action that had taken place loudly on the shell-shocked Lee. br /

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Yes, hitting the 'most dangerous guy in the whole school' had accomplished something: he didn't kill Kiba. He looked at Lee like she was the main course after having no appetizer. Calling him rude and selfish would have accomplished something... if he truly cared! Telling him that she wasn't going anywhere with him till he apologized for hurting Kiba had been...obvious and very foolish. Just so amazingly foolish! Tenten felt as if she didn't know Lee at all. It was one thing to be stalked, but it was another to hand yourself over to the pervert. Tenten groaned. She gave a sideways glance to her nerve racked friend and passively commented, "Your first kiss looked as if he was trying to eat you alive. Why did you have to say that. It was like screaming 'Take me now!!!!!!!'" Tenten stared at Lee. br /

"I'll never know what's wrong with you." Lee cringed. She didn't know what went wrong with her either. Gaara…that guy was really serious. It was almost flattering, but definitely frightening. br /

"There are stories about him flying left and right. Haven't you ever heard just how many times he's been suspended and his family had to pay the school not to expel him? Guess what, Lee: He thinks he owns you! Uhh, I can't imagine anyone who would want to live their life with that guy…-hey, Lee? Lee!"br /

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'She wasn't going to give it up without a fight! She tried to turn her head away but long fingers smoothly snaked there way in her cropped raven black hair, keeping her in place as the redhead teased her with the small touch. Teeth grazed over her bottom lip before biting down with enough force for her to yelp; well, that's if the air from her lungs weren't robbed. She opened her mouth at the odd sensation, something hot and wet slid in and explored as if on an expedition. Her eyes widened till they seemed to take up her whole face, staring straight into his icy turquoise orbs that seemed engulfed by passive anger. A shocked sensation ran through her, something she has never before felt when faced with the presence of Gaara. With a silent apology to him for what she was about to do, she bit down on the invading appendage and aimed a kick towards his groin. Both hands moved up to shove him away; and disaster occurred. One well placed leg stopped the head-on onslaught to his manhood while his free hands groped around her wrists and pulled her flush against his chest, their lips forcefully meeting once again. He moaned as Lee tasted something metallic on her tongue. What was wrong with this guy!? He returned the favor by nipping at her lip, hard, making Lee jump at the sharp pain. The tongue whispered over the minor wound as he pulled away for only a moment; Lee sucked in a breath, and then the tongue was invading again. And. It. Felt. Good. Lee whimpered at the warmth, her whole body was going limp. How was she suppose to fight against an attack like that? This was a sensory overload-' br /

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Lee rubbed the back of her head, looking at Tenten with hurt puppy-dog eyes. Her face felt as if it were permanently colored with fire. "Ow!! Tenten-kun, why did you hit me?" br /

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"Did you hear anything I just said?" Tenten studied Lee's guilty look and knew that all her yelling had been in vain. She groaned in /

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"I'm sorry, Pup. I shoulda been able to kick that guys' ass for yah...heheh, looks like I kinda made it worse." Kiba had an ice pack on his cheek where a horrendous bruise had formed. A slight smile quirked his lips. br /

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To Kiba's shoulder, was his boyfriend Shino. Because his sunglasses were prescribed, Lee had never seen his eyes, even in school. He and Kiba had been dating ever since sixth grade, and Lee found there romance adorable. Shino was – of course - secretly furious of what had happened to Kiba in his own cool, calculating way. By the time he had entered the cafeteria, A blonde boy with three whiskered tattoos on each cheek had bear hugged Lee and told her how great it was that 'the stubborn raccoon bastard' finally found a chick he could stand. Then he had dragged Gaara out saying how they were late to class because of his little side trip. Lee had been dealt another butterfly kiss to her neck before he had willingly gone away and Kiba was cursing a blue streak from where he laid immobile on the ground. When Shino had come in, he had skipped lunch to take Kiba to the nurse's office; Lee and Tenten had gone with them. Aside from some pretty bad bruises, a busted lip, and a sprained wrist, Kiba was fine. He had only looked like he was dying. Lee had never felt this guilty for dragging a friend into her own dilemma…even though they kind of put their noses in it. br /

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"There was nothing you could do. He is skilled with fighting and has a high endurance when it comes to bodily injury. In the end, you should have stayed out of it." Kiba casted Shino an exasperated look. He had obviously heard the term used more than /

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"Gee, thanks Shino, I would have never guessed you would say that."br /

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He turned toward Lee and smiled vaguely. "Hey, Pup, you alright?" Lee had fallen a few steps behind the others, her eyes casted downward and a finger pressed against the slight break on her lip from where Gaara had bitten her. She looked up at her friends who were all staring at her with concern...Well, maybe everyone; you could never tell with Shino. br /

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"He's not joking..." Tenten rolled her eyes and sighed, Shino shook his head, and Kiba /

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"Like hell he is!" Lee looked to Kiba almost desperately before sighing. She squared her shoulders and took a deep /

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"Well, if he wants a fight, he shall receive it! No one pushes around my friends and thinks they can get away with it! If I do not succeed in getting Gaara to apologize, I shall go to the prom with him of my own free will!!" One fist extended in front of her and a blinding white smile on her face, feet braced apart, Lee swore to it with the good girl pose. br /

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All three of her friends gawked. br /

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Tenten's smile was forced and wobbly before she shot forward and hit her best friend on the head /

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"Lee, just shut up." If only they could turn back time and stop her from promising it, now there would be no stopping her... why did Lee have to be so stubborn?br /

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Kiba groaned in pure exhaustion, he had to deal with this for all their high school years together. You'd think that Pup would grow out of this...but if she had, she just wouldn't be the girl he had become friends with. He put his head into the junction of Shino's /

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"I can't believe I'm stuck with you people. Can't someone have some sense around here?" He wasn't complaining, really, but he still didn't relax until Shino was scratching him behind the ear: call it a doggy thing, he loved /

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"I am the one with sense here, possibly the only one. If you think you are suffering, then I have already died and gone to hell. Since I am not dead, you are not suffering as much as I am."br /

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Kiba chuckled, looking up from his hiding place to watch as the two girls got into an argument of what was right and what wasn't. Tenten was definitely winning this one. He smiled to himself and stayed back, watching water and fire /

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Shino 'hned' as Kiba and he watched what was happening. In the end, Tenten made more sense (like always) and beat Lee with it. Lee was still going to stick to her promise, and Tenten would never figure out why she tried so hard to make Lee do otherwise. At the end of the day, you could only watch as Lee did something amazingly stupid, and get away with it. br //lj-cut