Don't Let Me Down (Mafia! Sasuke x OC x Mafia! Gaara)

Part 8: Welcome

(Noriko's pov)

The next day Sasuke didn't come to school. I texted him but he didn't text back. I wasn't worried since I knew he'd be with the gang but still something stirred within me and I put it off as irritation. 

During the entire first period Kakashi lectured me again and I droned off till it was time for my second period.

I sat at my desk and laid on my arms tiredly. "That idiot is making me sick." I muttered exhaustedly. "You okay?" asked a slightly concerned and monotonous voice. I looked up and saw Gaara. I sighed again before relaxing back into my previous position.

"Morning," I slurred. "I'm just tired. " 

"Was it because I kept you out late?" he asked sounding worried. I sat up quickly and shook my head. "No, no it wasn't you. It was my stupid friend. He didn't come in and it's pissing me off." I huffed annoyed.

"Oh." He responded. The bell rang to signal that second period was beginning. I yawned tiredly, laying my head back onto my desk. I began to fall asleep during Kurenai-sensei's lecture but fought to stay awake. When I felt it was almost impossible the bell for 3rd period rung causing me to jolt to life and groan. 

"Hey, you okay Nori?" Temari asked me a bit worriedly. "Y-Yea you d-don't look too good." Hinata added concerned.

"You look like the walking dead." Naruto joked. I glared harshly at the blonde, throwing my Literature notebook at his face causing him to fall to the ground and the boys to laugh at him.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired." I stated within another yawn. "Make sure you get enough sleep. Have you been eating properly?" Temari scolded as I stood up and grabbed my bag. I sighed tiredly.

"Yes Tem-chan. Don't worry I'm not becoming anorexic. " I joked trying to lighten up the mood. "I'm sure Nori would eat her table before becoming anorexic." Shika added with a smirk. I got an irk mark. I huffed and looked away while the others laughed. We all walked to third period. 

I was doing much better at staying awake but not all that great.

When the bell rang for lunch I sat behind the school building so I was alone with my head leaning against the wall. I sighed slowly, sitting in the shade made me want to sleep. 'I'm so tired' I thought in my head as a light wind passed by.

Something then fell into my lap causing me to jump slightly and look down to see canned coffee. I looked up and saw it was Gaara who was leaning against a window while casually sipping his own drink.

"What's this for?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, holding up the can. "For buying me coffee." He responded simply. I smiled.

"Thanks." I opened the can and drank the liquid, hoping the caffeine would wake me up. I let out a happy sigh. "I really needed this." I mumbled in gratitude to Gaara.

He just grunted in response. "So what're you doing here?" I asked him, closing my eyes as my hands held my drink.

"I had nothing better to do." He said with a hint of loneliness in his voice. "Didn't anyone come ask you to sit with them at lunch?" I asked confusingly, opening one eye to look at him.

He looked up at the sky with distant eyes, his hair moved a bit in the wind. I took his silence as an answer for 'no'. I frowned as I stood up and sighed. "C'mon let's go eat. I'm starving." I said as I told him to move back from the window, which he did.

I crawled through and when I was in I saw he was looking at me strangely. "What?" I questioned with a huff. "You're weird." He said bluntly.

"Yea well Kakashi-sensei is a perv. Let's not point out the obvious. C'mon." I said as I grabbed his wrist and tugged him to the cafeteria. When we entered the place, people secretly stared at us. I dragged him to my group's table.

 When they noticed us I saw a few of them tense a bit while Naruto, Temari, Shikamaru, and Hinata smiled or were to lazy too actually do something (Shikamaru -_-)

"You guys this is Gaara. He's rolling with us now." I stated simply as I forced him to sit down. He was sitting there a bit awkwardly as everyone analyzed him then at me.

"Hey Gaara. I'm Naruto!" Naruto said happily as he waved and soon the others slowly began to introduce themselves. "So you guys are friends?" Kiba asked cautiously.

"Yea." I responded, grabbing Ino's stick of dumpling causing her to playfully glaring at me while I just gave her a smile causing her to role her eyes at me. "So when did this happen?" Neji asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yesterday." I answered simply. 

After that Naruto began talking to Gaara and Gaara would answer. Soon the others started to warm up to him and began talking. I secretly smiled when I saw happiness in Gaara's eyes.