Chapter 3: Sabaku No Gaara.

A/N: Listen to Pierce The Veil- Caraphernelia. It won't make much sense now, but it will later on. Plus Vic's voice is to die for ^^

"Someone seems to be moving in across the street, hu Gaara?" I grunted in response, the only response she was going to get from me at the moment. I watched her as she stood in the front yard, under the sun her eyes turned a shade of gold; her hair fell against her shoulders in glistening auburn curls, and she was still unnaturally short.

The only difference was of course her age, and the look in her eyes as she looked across the street to where my front yard was. Her gaze was distant, and cold; detached even. So different from the naive and carefree girl I once knew with her silk ribbons and optimistic outlook. She used to give me hope, now I look to her and feel sick. The audacity she had, her and her damned family to return.

"Do you know who it is, Gaara?" She asked me, I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to make my voice seem cold and uninterested as usual; to my surprise it came out as a growl, frightening my older sister as she took a step away at my harsh words.

"Tell father that the Amai family has returned." Temari -My older sister- Nodded as she walked out of my room, quickening her pace as she made it out into the hall. I averted my attention back to the front yard, the movers moving all their belongings into the house, as a younger looking boy approached her carefully snapping his fingers in front of her face.

"Gaara-Kun this is my baby brother Inazuma." The small toddler toddled up to me, I stared on at the child with no emotion; but then I saw the hopeful look on her face, so I forced a smile and a polite greeting to the blubbering and slobbering baby. Henko smiled giddily, and that.. That truly made me smile.

"Henko-" I began, she turned to face me with those hazel eyes and angelic features, her cheeks dotted in pale freckles as a sweet smile overtook her face; urging me to continue. I reached for my wrist, slipping off the bracelet and grabbing her wrist gently, slipping it onto her arm tenderly as if she might break at any moment. She toyed with the emblem, a small wisp of sand that hung from black lace "-I uhm want you to have it." The blush on my cheeks was embarrassingly evident, but she seemed to be completely oblivious to it.

"Why?" She asked in shock, but I could tell in her eyes she was ecstatic about the present, the question was just simple curiosity. I could see in her eyes that she thought nothing of it, thought it was just simply exchanging a present between two close friends. But for me it was much more, my mother had given me that bracelet before she died; that bracelet was a special family air loom, I gave it to her because I trusted her, it represented my feelings for her.

"Because you're special." I breathed, she smiled at me as she skipped a bit happily. I smiled back, this moment was perfect.

Now as I watch her run off after her younger brother that was no longer a slobbering toddler I regret those actions, those false words that I'd so foolishly let fall from my mouth. The same bracelet she'd stolen from me that day hung from her wrist now, as she glanced back to my house once more; this time though she caught my gaze. She froze like a deer in headlights, and then shook her head one last time before running into the house.

I couldn't help but smirk at her fear, she wasn't afraid of my then but now she knows everything. She knows the secrets, the lies, the deceiving actions of mostly everyone in this small town. She knows who I really am, that's why I need that bracelet back, I need her gone.

"Gaara!" The piercing squeal caused my blood to run hot in anger, but the pain in my hand was more evident than my anger at that moment. She came to my side, her eyes frantic in worry; her hair pulled back in it's signature ponytail. This day it was a red silk ribbon, the same color as fresh blood.

I felt the warm substance drip from my mouth as I tucked my mangled hand closer to my chest, Henko looked behind her to the others that had been the cause of this, her eyes alight in fury. "Sasuke why did you do this! This stupid fighting went too far!" She screamed angrily, the cold metal of the bracelet still on her wrist brushed against my cheek as she keeled over me protectively.

"Henko, inside now!" My vision was becoming blurry, but that was Henko's grandmother calling wasn't it? She was angry, very very angry.

"Henko-Chan you need to understand-" The smooth voice of Sakura Haruno spoke, closer to us now but Henko cut her off curtly. She was protecting me, she was actually protecting me.

"No, I don't want to hear it! This is horrible you don't just do this to someone!"

"Listen Amai-" Sasuke began coldly, he never even used her first name.. It was always her surname. Henko didn't dare interrupt him, but I could practically hear her fury rolling off of her in waves. That's what I liked about her, when she was feeling something she let people know what it was without hesitation "-Gaara is dangerous, his family is dangerous. The Sabaku family are after your grandmother, your family!" I could feel her tense above me, I was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness but Sasuke's brash words spiked something in me.

It was true, we where after her family but Henko really meant something special to me. "T-That's not true!" Her voice cracked as she spoke, and I felt her body convulse as she cried. I heard rapid footsteps approaching as Henko was ripped away from me roughly, my body dropped to the ground and I called out in pain. "Grandma!" Henko squealed in surprise, I began pulling myself off the ground, my body was heaving at the effort; but I was trained to ignore pain so it was bearable.

"You four leave Henko alone! She won't be returning here no more after this summer!" Henko's grandmother spat. I was furious, Uchiha had revealed it all and my family would certainly seek revenge after this.

"Grandma, is all this true?" Henko asked, her voice small and afraid. I knew her trust was wavering, I knew soon she would look at me the same as everyone else, like I was cold hearted, horrible.. A monster. I stood at last, my bangs falling in front of my face as I wiped the blood from the side of my mouth with the sleeve of my shirt.

"It's true." I croaked, not giving the old lady time to say anything. Henko shook her head like she couldn't believe it; I could scarcely believe it myself. I was about to continue, to tell her what I truly felt for her, the friendship despite the fact she was merely six with the mindset and I was far beyond my years; but something knew had entered into her eyes, they darkened until they where almost a black color and I was surprised to see her so angry.. So dangerous looking, so cold.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" Her words hit me and the pain was insurmountable, my broken hand and my splitting head ache did not amount to the severe internal pain I was experiencing looking at her tear filled eyes, I had lied to her.. She didn't let me explain, she didn't let me continue.. She was so hurt she completely shut me away even though we promised to never do that to each other no matter the circumstances. She had jumped to conclusions, she judged me based on other peoples words and left me all alone.. Like my mother.. Like Yashamaru.

At that moment I felt my heart shut down, my anger boil over the brim as I lost the only friend I ever had before my very eyes. The lock was re-locked and everything I felt that summer; the memories where forever pushed away as I shoved my broken hand in her direction; my hair still screening my face to hide the pain in my eyes.

"Give it back." I hissed, but she shook her head. Her own bangs coming loose and framing her cheeks.

"Go to hell." I heard her grandmother tsk Henko's language use, but I ignored her and paid more attention to the venom that had dripped from her voice as she said those harsh words. I knew for a fact that she'd NEVER look at me the same again. I smirked, lifting my head so we came eye to eye.

"Planning on it, whether you like it or not Henko Amai I will get that bracelet back." And then her grandmother dragged her back inside, despite her protests.

I never saw her again.

Until now.

"They're back?"

"Yes, father."

"You know what to do, Gaara." I watched as Sakura and the Uzumaki boy along with another Haruno gang member -Ino, was it?- beckoned for Henko to join them as she hung half way out her bedroom window. I could see the reluctance in her eyes, but she hadn't the heart to say no. Like always, the only one she's capable of lying to, of saying no to, of forgetting is ME.

"Yes father, I understand what needs to be done."