Sakura's POV

I gathered courage and entered the house. Gaara had left me 200 meters before my house, so my mom wouldn't see him. We said our goodbyes, but judging by how skilled he was in hiding his chakra, I wouldn't be surprised if he was looking at me from the trees. I didn't want to worry him, so I didn't waste too much time before I crossed the threshold.

"What time do you think you're coming home, young lady?"

"It's not that late."

"It's half past 10. I told you to be home before 10 pm, otherwise the world will think I have raised a prostitute."

I rolled my eyes, although I knew out of all of my gestures, this one annoyed her the most.

"You always care so much about what others think."

"You were with that boy again, didn't you?"

"What do you care? I go out with whoever I want."

She slapped me across the face and I was in tears instantly, although I didn't want to. I hate crying in front of her. I feel like it gives her satisfaction. Anyway, a huge fight followed and I was grounded, of course, but it didn't matter to me. I was going to go out with Gaara the next day regardless. My mother didn't have the power to keep me locked in.

Sakura.

I am sorry you heard that.

That's not what I am worried about.

A knot formed in my throat because I knew what he was going to say.

Maybe we should see each other more rarely.

No.

I bit my tongue.

I hate to know you suffer because of me.

That's exactly why I didn't want you to know in the first place. I knew you will pull away from me. Why did you listen to our fight?

I was frustrated and very angry. Why did he have to know everything that was going on in my life?

Sakura, I would stay with you from dawn to dusk every day, but every time we go out, your mother beats you. What can I do? I can't do anything because she is your mother.

Yeah, sure.

Please don't cry.

Too late. Nothing gave me joy except going out with him and talking just the two of us and he knew it, so how could he talk so easily about breaking up?

Sakura, I am not breaking up with you.

Sure, you say that now, but after we won't talk so much or see each other, you will forget all about me. I hate how you always read my mind, but I never know what's going on in your head. Why do you always have to know everything?

He sighed. He was angry. I had the talent to annoy everyone around me.

You're taking revenge on me now. Why is it my fault that I care about you?

If you care about me, then why do you make decisions in my place?

I didn't do that.

Yes, you did. You don't want us to see each other anymore because you think it is good for me.

I was at my desk, scribbling random lines with my black marker on a sheet of paper. I had no idea where I got the black marker from. I didn't like to use anything black, not even clothes or shoes because black is a morbid color. For some reason, it pissed me even more.

You know what, I don't think it's fair that you know everything about me while you hide everything you can from me.

Again with this?

Yes. Stop playing the innocent. You always hide your thoughts, but I can't hide anything from you.

Why would you want to hide things from me?

I didn't let him talk because I was afraid he might have convinced me to change my mind.

Teach me how to hide my thoughts.

Sakura, you're upset. It's better if we talk tomorrow.

He lowered his tone. I could easily tell that he was scared.

No. You either teach me now or I'll take off my bracelet and we will talk when I want to.

A long silence followed. I knew he was weighing the chance of me actually doing that, knowing how much I would lose had we not talked. However, I was very determined to get what I wanted.

Fine. We'll do what you say.

I was happy. We were finally equal, but at the end of the day, I was the one who ended up feeling bad because I upset him even though he refused to admit. He made up a reason for which he had to go and I was left alone in my room. As time passed, I became more and more stressed and agitated. I kept asking myself whether I had made a mistake or not. Maybe I rushed things. Maybe I was too tough with him. What if he won't go out with me anymore? What if he will become cold? What if he won't care about me any longer? Should I apologize? No. I didn't do anything wrong. He has been hiding from me for a long time now.

The night went away like that. I was consumed by conflicting thoughts who kept me awake more than let me sleep. Stress didn't give me peace, but I refused to reach out to Gaara because of pride and shame. In the morning I realized that if I saw him by my window, it meant that everything was going to be fine. If only he came to me faster.

Sakura, are you there?

Yes.

I'll come to you later today. Sorry, but I have somewhere else to be now.

Where?

You're the one who didn't want us to share everything.

Of course. His tone wasn't unpleasant and I didn't feel reproach either, but for some unknown reason, I felt like crying and I wanted him to know and comfort me somehow, but I couldn't take back time and I was too proud to ask him to forget what I had said the night before. So, I swallowed the lump in my throat and pretended to be calm.

Ok. Around what time will you be here?

I don't know for sure. I'll let you know when I am around. Sorry.

Great! That meant I had to stay home and bear with my annoying mother. I couldn't wait to hear another one of her lectures about how I should be choosing someone more suitable for me, who will be here for me all the time, someone who will buy everything I want, someone who will be proud to go out with me. As if Gaara wouldn't have bought me everything I wanted had I asked him. I just didn't want to ask him because I was ashamed. I didn't want to look like a gold digger. We weren't married, so he didn't owe me anything. He was always proud to go out with me. He had never hidden from others when he walked next to me. She always tells me to choose someone who is not like my dad. In my opinion, dad is not that bad, although after my parents' separation, he started bringing home women every night. If it wasn't so crowded at his place, I would have gone there more than twice a week. At least here, I only saw my mother for two hours a day because she was at work. Now that I think about it, I think Gaara has all the reasons to be ashamed to go out with me, even though he isn't. Each time Gaara was witness to one of my mom's speeches, he told me not take advice for success from someone who failed.

I went down the stairs and bumped my nose into her.

"Sakura, my daughter."

Her tone was unusually kind. I knew she was pretending to be a good person persecuted by everyone around her. I didn't look into her eyes so she couldn't tell that I wasn't buying it.

"Yes, mother."

"I know I can't stop you from seeing that boy. He played you and no matter how hard I try to open your eyes, you shut me out, just like your father."

In the past, I was hurt by her words. Meanwhile, I became immune. My indifference made her get out of the role she was trapped in and her tone raised and lowered like a pathway on the mountains.

"Please consider going out with other boys so you can compare them."

I instantly felt like throwing up and I turned my back to go to the kitchen. I left her talking and found work to do in the kitchen so I wouldn't have to listen. I couldn't wait to see Gaara. My mother left to work. I greeted her and told her to give her best. She threw me a sad look and she sighed from the bottom of her heart. Someone else would have thought that she genuinely suffered, but I knew best that she was pretending.

Hours later I heard a knock in my window. I dropped everything I was holding in my hands and happily ran to my bedroom. The disappointment was obvious on my face when I saw Sasuke instead of Gaara. Sasuke saw it too, but I didn't care. I couldn't let him in after I had just told Gaara to teach me how to hide my thoughts because he might have thought that I was cheating on him with Sasuke and that was the reason for my outburst the other night. Sasuke started saying something, even though I hadn't opened the window, but I pulled the curtains so I wouldn't have to see him.

Gaara, where are you?

I am on my way, dear.

Come here faster, please.

I am coming. I am coming.

He said 'dear', so he couldn't possibly be so upset with me. Sasuke left quickly after he saw that I wasn't going to let him in. I went to the mirror to look at myself.

I am here.

Really? That's great! I will be there in a minute.

I stumbled and even fell when I tried to put my shoes on in a hurry, but nothing mattered as long as I got to see him. I didn't even feel the pain. I slammed the door to the wall and ran to him, more precisely to the tree he was looking at me from. He smiled and teleported himself in front of me. I wrapped my hands around his neck and hugged him as tight as I could.

I can't hug you tighter than this.

He laughed shyly and touched the left side of my waist with the tips of his fingers. With no apparent reason I felt guilty and started talking very fast.

"I am sorry about last night. I didn't mean to upset you. We can make the bond back to how it was at first if you want."

I let him go and wiped the tear that had wet my cheek.

"I am not upset at all and our connection is ok the way it is now. You were right. It wasn't fair to you. I am sorry."

"Really? Do you really trust me?"

"Of course, especially after you sent that Uchiha away."

I slapped his shoulder and he looked at me with wide eyes. It was the first time that I played that way with him.

"You stood here and watched, didn't you?"

"Eh?" He was laughing.

"You stood here and made me wait for you all alone."

I slapped his shoulder again, but this time he caught my wrist. He was amused, but I didn't stop there. I repeatedly slapped his chest with my other hand. He put his hands in front of his body defensively, but I didn't stop playing with him.

"Sorry. Sorry. I have already said I am sorry."

"You bet."

Note: It looks like I couldn't keep my word and post more often for which I am sorry. I was sick this past week. I am better now. The cute moments will continue to increase. Sakura's life will improve when Gaara grows up and takes the lead as Kazekage. Until then, we will have to put up with her parents.

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