Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Year of Change ❯ Chapter 3, Part 1 ( Chapter 10 )

Along with the New Year came something that all students dreaded. Mid term finals. It was something new to Gaara, and it was a huge change of pace to see people studying together or students walking around with cue cards.

 

“Don't they study during the whole year?” He had asked one morning.

 

“No,” Sakura scoffed. “They all wait till the last minute and cram it all into their brains like Naruto does.” As if to prove her point, she pointed a finger at the said person who was chewing on the end of a pencil while reading a text book.

 

“To each his own I suppose.” Gaara said

 

“Speaking of studying, would you like to come over after school today? We can go over some of the things from the start of the year.”

 

Things had been going very well since the winter break, despite the one episode with Karin. Most of the students seemed to have written of the graphite on Gaara's locker as a joke, although there were still a few that went out of their way to avoid him when they saw him. Not that he minded. He also seemed to have gotten taller as well. At the start of the school year they were the same height, but how she had to tilt her head up a little bit to meet his eyes. She hadn't noticed till one day she's seen him scorning at the cuff off of his pants, which exposed a little bit of his ankle to the cold weather.

 

“It wouldn't hurt.” He said.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0

 

“What do you mean you are quitting?”

 

“Just that. I'm quitting. It was fun, but I need to focus on some other things.”

 

0o0o0o0o0o0

 

“So… how do you play?” It was the weekend before exam week and Gaara found himself out at the park with Naruto. The yellow haired youth was pouncing a soccerball on his head to his foot and then to his head again.

 

“Pleeeeaaassseeee…” Naruto had asked “If I study anymore my head is going to explode. Come out and play some soccer with me.”

 

“I don't know how to play.” Gaara protested, but one of his hands was reaching for his jacket that was lying on the sofa.

 

“We'll just kick the ball around. Come on, please?”

 

“So, you can touch the ball with any part of your body, except your arms and hands.” Naruto said, pouncing the ball from his chest to his foot and then on top of his head again before letting it fall to the ground and putting his foot on top of it so it wouldn't go anywhere. Gaara breathed some warm air on his hands while watching.

 

“Didn't they teach you how to play in grade school?” Naruto asked while tapping the ball lightly withi foot, sending it over to Gaara. He wasn't able to stop it as neatly as he'd seen Naruto do.

 

“No, I was one of the kids that preferred to play in the sand box.” Gaara kicked the ball back and took a few steps back to expand the distance from each other.

 

“Ah, I was a swinger myself.” Naruto kicked the ball back, taking a few steps back as well.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 

Gaara put his pencil down and looked around at the other bowed heads of the students

 

`Does it really take a week to do this?' He wondered while taking his test up to the teacher.

 

“You're finished already?” The man said, looking up in surprise at him.

 

“Yes. Do I have to stay, or can I go?”

 

Gaara watched his teacher as the man flipped the pages to make sure he had answered all the questions before writing him a pass to the library. He took a look over at Sakura and saw that she was on the last few pages. She would be joining him soon enough.

 

Walking down the hall of the school was almost like walking around in a ghost town. He kept expecting to see someone or hear some chatter in one of the classrooms. The school library wasn't really any better. He showed his pass to the scowling woman working there before walking over to the computer section. He stared at the screen saver for a moment, not sure what to really do with himself.

 

`I could study, but not really a lot of point to it…' He moved this mouse and clicked on the internet icon. He opened a search engine and typed in `types of jobs.' His eyes widened a little at the results. Sighing, he clicked on the first link.

 

“Whatcha doing?” Sakura's voice said in his ear. He jumped a little. He'd been so engrossed in reading job details and qualifications that he hadn't heard her come over.

 

“Just… trying to figure out what I am going to do after school.”

 

0o0o0o0o0

 

“You ok?” Gaara asked at the end of the week. Naruto was stumbling next to him.

 

“My brain feels like mush.” He said shakily. “At least I won't have to do it till the end of the school year. But there is a good side to all this…” He said, rolling one of his shoulders.

 

“What's that?”

 

Naruto gave him a big grin and wrapped an arm around his neck. “We get to party!”

 

0o0o0o0o0

 

`Why do I suddenly feel like I am going to the home coming again?' Gaara thought as he tried on one of his brother's dress shirt.

 

“You're getting too big.” Temari said while she straightened out the shirt on him. “We are going to have to get you some new cloths if you keep growing at this rate.”

 

“Do you think he is going to mind me borrowing this?” Gaara asked while looking down at shirt. It was Saturday and his brother was working while Temari had the day (or night in her case) off and was helping him find something to wear, refusing to let him go out in what he had been wearing at the time.

 

“You want to look nice for your girl, don't you?”

 

“I don't think she cares what I wear.”

 

“Belive that all you want, but girl like it when you but the effort into it.”

 

Sighing, Gaara tugged at the shirt. It looked a little baggy on him. Most of his brother's shirts were huge on him, and even the older ones he had in his teenage hood were still too big. Kankuro was beefier then him, and Gaara had the feeling that he was going to stay lean.

 

“He'd never wear it anyway. We'll have to take you out later and get you some new pants. You are too tall for these. Here, lets try this one… it's a little, but I think it'll fit better.” She handed him a black shirt.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0

 

“Ready?” Sakura asked as he walked down the stairs. He ended up going for one of his old t-shirts with some black fishnet despite his sister's protesting. “I haven't seen you in this for ages.” She said, pointing at his fishnet sleeves.

 

“It's been too cold for it. Come on, it's cold.”

 

0o0o0o0o0o0

 

“See? It's easy.” Sakura murmured into his ear.

 

Gaara nodded mutely, letting her lead the dance

 

0o0o0o0o0o0

 

*Gaara goes to class with Lee*

 

AN