Hidden Love

Gaara gasped and leapt down the last three steps and dropped to his knees quickly covering the paper. "Uh t-thanks for helping but I got it now." He said looking down awkwardly and quickly stuffing everything back in his bag.



Lee felt confused and stood back up. "Um alright Gaara.. how about we walk to the next class together? They are the same.. right?" Lee asked holding his binder back into his chest.



The redhead gave a small confused look then zipped up his backpack and stood up. "Wouldn't it look bad for you to be walking with me?" He asked and turned walking to the gym doors and pushing them open, he walked out into the hallway and kept close to the walls since so many people were rushing to their classes.



Lee walked behind him. "I do not care what people think of me," Lee stated simply and continued walking with him. "I just allow people to push me around sometimes.. Like Sakura-chan.." He admitted and sighed.



"You say that now...but if one of your friends were around you would act differently." Gaara snapped and fell silent when he noticed Sakura and Ino walking down the hallway. He glanced at Lee and frowned then walked faster, Sakura looked at him then smirked and moved her foot out tripping the redhead. A few students laughed in the hallway as Gaara got back onto his feet and he turned around to glare at her. "Really? Are we 12 again?" He asked picking up his backpack. "Go away freak." Was Sakura's only reply and the redhead glared again and turned walking away to class now in a more horrible mood.



Lee frowned and could not help himself but to snap at Sakura, "I was talking to him Sakura-Chan that was mean." The black haired male then blinked looking at Sakura and glancing around at everyone who was staring at him and immediately regretted what he had said. "Are they going to break up now?" He heard a whisper come from behind him since Lee never once spoke against Sakura, too afraid to lose her.



Sakura frowned at him and crossed her arms. "Since when do you talk to the gaywad...Shut up!" She snapped glaring at the kid who talked before reaching over and grabbing the front of Lee's jacket and started walking. "I'm hungry lets skip class and go eat."



Lee felt weird, like he did not belong in his body at that moment, what Sakura said really hurt him. He pulled out of her grip easily and stared at her. "So what if he is gay? What does that have to do with anything?" Lee asked and adjusted his books. "And I am not missing class anymore with you.. I do not want my grades to drop again.." Lee mumbled out and looked away. Ino sighed and folded her arms, sometimes it was hard to pick who she should side with, but at the moment she thought they were both just being stubborn headed. "Guys come on.. let's not do this here.." She said looking at her friends before glancing around at more of the blank faces whispering things. Sakura and Lee were pretty big on campus, everyone knew who Sakura was because she was the chick who was popular, and a total bitch and they knew Lee because he is her boyfriend and used to get such straight A's until he started dating her.



Sakura glared at him a little and let go of his jacket. "Fine whatever I will get a ride with someone else..and he's a freak and the school would be better without him." She explained and pulled her purse out of her backpack. "Well I am gonna go I will text you later, come on Ino." The pink haired girl said grabbing her friends arm and walking down the hallway.



Lee sighed watching the pink haired girl going down the hall way and he rubbed his arm. Sakura was so mean sometimes. By the time he even realized it the bell had rung and he was walking into class late. "Lee-kun it is unlike you to be late to class," A woman with long black hair said her red eyes moving down looking at a paper as she wrote him a warning down. "Sorry Kurenai-sensei.." Lee said looking at the pregnant teach in front of him and took his warning walking over taking his seat next to Gaara again letting out a long sigh.



Gaara kept his gaze down on his desk and started digging through his backpack checking to make sure nothing was broken. "Damn it..." He said pulling out his phone seeing the screen was cracked. 'That girl is always such a...ugh!'



Looking over Lee frowned noticing his screen was cracked and he sat up a little grabbing his wallet out of his back pocket and he pulled out fifty dollars. "Here.. I am sorry she is being mean.." He said handing it to Gaara so he could buy a new phone.



Gaara blinked in surprise then looked up at him. "Wha...no I can't take your money...this happens all the time." He said pushing the dollars back over to him. He set his phone down for a moment and then pulled out his notebook setting it down on the desk along with a red pen.



Sighing Lee grabbed his money and moved his hand down pushing the money into Gaara's pocket, he did not know why he felt so bad, he just really wanted to be nice to Gaara. "Please do not argue with me about it.. I am not in the mood right now..kay?" Lee said nicely and pulled out his calculator to start doing the warm up problems on the board.



Gaara's eyes widened and he stiffened up a little. "Lee...you really confuse me sometimes.." He mumbled and didn't even look at the board as he started writing again about what had happened so far that day.



Lee sighed ignoring Gaara's comment on him but then frowned when he looked over and noticed Gaara was not doing his work. "Do you have trouble in school?" Lee asked and shifted in his seat leaning over to try and read what Gaara was writing.



Gaara had his head bowed a little not noticing Lee had leaned over. "Again...why do you care?" He asked and doodled a little tree on his paper before writing again. "Hey loser stop talking." A student said snapping at Gaara and the redhead turned his head to give him a nasty glare. "I can talk if I like shut the fuck up." He hissed getting really tired of people treating him bad.



"Gaara-kun be quiet, Joseph stop being mean, talk again and detention," The female said in the front of the room without needing to turn around. Lee sighed and glared a little at the male being mean to Gaara. Then his mouth fell a little agape, 'That is just a little doodle but he is really good..' He thought to himself. Then Lee gulped, "I do not care really.. I just do not like to see students fail.."



Gaara glanced at Lee then finished writing and then closed the notebook, he looked at the teacher to see where she was looking before slipping out his sketch book and opened it to a page he was drawing landscape which was his homework for his art class. He put his notebook away and pulled out his pencil and closed his eyes for a moment trying to picture in his head what he was going to add to the drawing then opened them again starting to draw a fountain. "Well...if I fail then your group would be pretty happy." He muttered out after a moment.



Lee kept staring at the drawing now even more amazed. 'Wow.. he is really good..' He thought to himself in his head. But another thought slipped in as he watched the boy looking down at the drawing then opening those bright green eyes back up that Lee only ever got glimpses of. 'He is really happy when drawing..' Then Lee could not help but get an idea. "How about you teach me how to draw like that and I teach you how to do math and English and all of that.."



The redhead's pencil stopped moving on the paper and he lifted his head to look at Lee actually making eye contact. "You...want me to teach you how to draw?" He asked in a low whisper, he had been asked by other kids if he would teach them and he normally always said no but...He searched Lee's eyes for any sign if this was a trick then his shoulders fell a little. "Well...if you really want..." He replied.



"Yosh! Then it is settled!" Lee yelled out un able to keep the sudden excitement that welled up in him. "Lee-kun, I do not care what is settled pipe down," Kurenai stated and turned around. Lee blushed and brought his voice back down, looking not as happy as he tried to force himself to hide back behind the mask he used for other people. When they were little everyone around him told him that being talkative and hyper was not cool, and when Sakura started being his friend he quieted down even more, not enjoying how violent the pink haired girl got if he said anything too loud and happy. "I mean uh... how about today after school in the court yard?"



Gaara's eyes had widened even more from how loud Lee had been and he blinked a few times before nodding. "Uh...sure." He replied and picked up his pen pushing his glove down a little to write a little note to himself. Once school was over Gaara was sitting in his normal spot under the tree and frowned looking around. 'I knew this had to be a trick..he went home I am guessing...why am I still waiting here?' He thought and sighed closing his eyes and resting his head back on the tree behind him.



"Sakura-chan I am sorry, I am not taking you home today. There is no need to be yelling at me, I have other things to do.." Lee murmured out trying to move around the pink haired girl to go to the area Gaara was waiting for him. "Oh come on Sakura.. just let him be, I can find Chouji he will take us home.." Ino said not enjoying them fighting, they always got in spats but lately she could feel her friends tension grow higher.



Sakura glared daggers at her boyfriend then crossed her arms with a huff. "But you always drive us home! Your just being a...a. jerk! You better buy me something nice to make this up to me!" She yelled and turned her chin up then walked away not even waiting for Ino to fallow her.



The blond ran her fingers through her long pony tail, "I am sorry..." She said to Lee before following after Sakura. Lee sighed and rubbed his forehead starting to walk over to Gaara only to freeze seeing Riku smiling and sitting next to him. "Come on.. I will take you home, he was bound to stand you up.. you know only me and the other art students appreciate your work.." Riku was whispering out leaning closer into Gaara.



Gaara gave a annoyed look and stood up. "I will walk home...I feel like being outside right now." He replied and reached up to grab onto a low branch and pulled himself up onto it so he was now at the same height as his boyfriend. Riku was even taller than Lee and most teachers.



"You will be safe right?" Riku asked and gently wrapped his arms around his lover who was hanging and he leaned in pecking him on the lips actually being gentle and loving unlike how he showed everyone else. Lee blinked and felt something weird boil up in his stomach and he walked over. "You do not have to walk home.. I just had an issue with a friend."



Gaara blushed faintly and cleared his throat feeling awkward now. "Uh here.." He said reaching behind him and pulling a brand new sketchbook out of his backpack and tossed it to Lee. He looked back at his boyfriend and gave a light push on his shoulder. "I'll be fine I have my pocket knife...I'll call you later." He set his hands on the branch and moved his head down so his hood hid his eyes again.



Riku smiled and gently rubbed his cheek, "Ok don't you forget now.." Then he turned and glared at Lee, "I am fucking trusting you.. you harm him or upset him and I will kill you.." He murmured out and walked passed Lee leaving the redhead and black haired male alone.



The redhead slipped his backpack off and set it on his lap; he pulled out a pack of art pencils and held them out to Lee. "I went to my locker and got you these...the book is yours if you want it." He said really hopping this wasn't some trick, it wouldn't be the first time someone from Sakura's group got close to him then betrayed him in the end.



"Oh you did not have to give it to me," Lee said with a sweat drop and moved to where he was next to Gaara and sat down leaning against the tree and he grabbed a pencil. "So after you teach me some of this stuff we get to work on the books ok?" Lee said and set his backpack down.



Gaara got out his own book and a pencil and drummed his fingers on the cover. "What do you want to draw? What's your favorite animal?" He asked and moved a little on the branch till he was comfortable.



Lee looked up at him, "Are you sure that is safe?" He inquired then blinked and tilted his head. "My favorite animal? I like cats, squirrels and wolves," Lee stated back to Gaara's question.



Gaara shrugged and opened his book and started drawing down the basics of the cats body then passed it down to him. "Does it matter if it is?" He asked and blinked. "Squirrels?"



"Squirrels are cute and funny," Lee stated back simply. Then he started to try and draw the circles but had trouble and growled out. "Gah!" He erased a little aggressively getting a bit angry and he started to try and draw the base again.



Gaara watched him for a while and then reached down touching his shoulder. "Calm...you need to relax when you draw.. if your stressing out it will show in your work." The redhead said in a soft tone. 'This is actually nice...I am still worried but at the moment its nice to be able to teach someone to draw..' He thought.



Lee shivered and recoiled back from the touch of the redhead. 'What was that..? It felt like a wave of energy ran up his spine. "U-Uh ok.." He said but just felt a little more tense, but his hands formed the circles being able to feel Gaara watching him just encouraging him along.



The redhead pulled his hand back and then folded his arms. "There...see not too hard.. you can look in the pages for the next steps. I drew them down." He said and closed his eyes relaxing a moment leaning back a little on the branch.



After awhile Lee stopped and handed both sketch books up to Gaara sighing a bit since his cat was by far less impressive then Gaara's. "It did not work out right.. I guess we can try later.. get down here so I can help you with our math homework.." Lee said softly in a slightly bored tone as well.



Gaara looked at the drawing then wrote down the date on it. "I think you did fine...better than most people on their first tries." He said and slide off the branch landing on his feet, he then moved so he could sit against the tree. "Alright lets get this over with."



Lee pulled out their homework and smiled. "Alright, so..." After awhile Lee was done explaining the problems and he handed Gaara back his pencil to let him try the problem.



The redhead frowned down at the paper then looked up at the sky as he started thinking of a random number. He wrote in 24 and then passed the paper back to him, people thought he was stupid and it was a lot easier if they did.



Lee sighed, "No no Gaara.. did you even try? I mean you are going to fail school... come on, work the problem out you can do it.." Lee then wrote down another math problem for Gaara to solve and handed it back to him.



Gaara sighed and looked at the paper then picked another random number. He wrote down 7 then dropped the paper back in Lee's lap. "Yeah sure I am trying." He muttered and set his chin in his hand after crossing his legs a bored look on his face. 'Why is he even bothering? Does he get extra credit or something for helping me?' He thought.



"...Gaara.. this is completely wrong! Come on I am putting my time into helping you right now and you are not doing anything. Come on I believe everyone can be successful now just freaking try it!" He yelled and then handed the paper back getting somewhat irritated now and he did not mean to get loud like that.



The redhead shot him a glare and took the paper back then looked at the problem. "I'm wrong? Why don't you just show me how to do it hm? Just writing it down and shoving it in my hands is not teaching someone. Write out a problem and then show how to solve it." He said shoving the paper back at him.



"I explained to you how to do it at the beginning you should have listened!" Lee yelled back then growled and took a deep breath to calm himself. Lee put the paper in front of him and wrote out a problem. "Here then.. you move this here and subtract this then divide, easy!" Lee yelled and dropped the pencil. "Now do the problem."



"I'm not doing it if you wrote it wrong." Gaara muttered then froze and sweat dropped a little. "I think we are done for today." He said and stood up putting his notebook back in his backpack and leant down to pick up his sketch book.



"No we are not done, how do you know it is wrong huh? You will never learn unless you work through the problem and do not just put a random answer!" Lee suddenly was pretty ticked, Gaara was not keeping up his side of the bargain.



"You wrote it out wrong and the answer is wrong." Gaara spat losing his temper a little since Lee was yelling at him. "Now shut up your giving me a head ache!" He growled and put his things in his pack wanting to leave.



"How do you.." Lee looked at the paper then felt like a baka looking at it. "It is wrong.. wait.. how do you know that..?" Lee asked tilting his head to the side.



Gaara's anger faded for a moment and bit his lip. "U-Uh...well...lucky guess?" He asked and folded his arms looking away from him. 'Oh shit..' He thought getting mad at himself for slipping up.



"You know this work?" Lee asked his eyes lightening up a little. "Wait.. why are you trying to hide it? Do your work, if you caught a mistake with a quick glance like that you are really smart!" He yelled out.



"I don't know what you're talking about I am just one of those lost souls that have no future or many brain cells." Gaara said and growled a little mad he had been found out. "Just piss off I don't need you judging me." He spat and moved to step over the older males legs.



Lee scrambled to his feet and stopped Gaara. "No you are not.. I am not judging you Gaara, just you are smart… why are you trying to act like you are stupid?" He asked.



"I'm already a freak..a smart freak would get even more shit from everyone!" Gaara yelled at him and shoved him back roughly wanting to get space. "And don't lie.. your one of the cool kids that only cares about them self's.. your group makes me sick anyone different you all shun." He added glaring at him.



"Gaara you do not understand..." Lee said and then he could not think of a way to explain himself and sighed putting the papers in his bag and grabbing it. "What ever.. we can do this again tomorrow.. do you want a ride home..?" Lee inquired to him.



Gaara sweat dropped and walked past him. "Um...you don't have to do that.." He mumbled and then froze seeing three people waiting by the gate. "Shit.." He muttered realizing they were waiting for them.



Lee blinked looking over at the people and raised his hand going to grab Gaara to lead him over to the student parking lot. "I do not care if I do not have to, I want to. There is no way I am going to get in a fight with Riku tomorrow because I let you walk home and get beat up."



The redhead turned to look at him and his eyes widened seeing his hand and flinched shutting his eyes thinking he was going to hit him, he couldn't help but be a flinchy person...he had been in more fights then most kids ever had to deal with in high school.



Lee gently grabbed his arm but blinked when he flinched. "Why did you flinch..?" He asked noticing the other boys were now coming over and he started to draw Gaara the other way not wanting a conflict to happen.



"You...I thought you were going to hit me.." Gaara replied and glanced back at the three boys then sighed. "Why can't they ever leave me alone..." He said under his breath and looked back at Lee.



"What?" Lee stated and then lead him out to the parking lot and to his car. "I.. I am not going to ever hit you again.. I do not hurt people anymore unless they harm someone precious to me.." Lee stated and suddenly felt really bad for ever hitting Gaara before.



The redhead blinked then looked away from him. "I doubt that...heh I will probably piss you off again and you will take a swing at me.." He replied and glanced around the parking lot to where the guys had gone.



"I will not hit you!" Lee yelled out angry at himself still. "Just.. gah get in the car.." Lee stated and pulled his keys out unlocking the doors on the car. He could hear the other boys coming over to them.



Gaara jumped a little from the sudden yell then nodded getting in the car and then locking the door. He put on his seat belt and stared down at his lap. 'Dose he really mean that?...I wonder if he would if Sakura asked him to...' He thought and glanced at Lee as he got in the car.



Lee sighed and buckled up before starting the car and he drove away before the boys could give them trouble. Glancing over at Gaara he asked, "Do you still live that block down from my house?" Lee felt odd, Gaara being in his car. They were not really close friends and he could not keep his mind on the road all that much.



Gaara sweat dropped then cleared his throat. "Uh...yeah sure.." He muttered and folded his arms after struggling to get his backpack off.



"Gaara you can not say it like that, it was a yes or no question. Where do you live? I am not dropping you off in some random place." Lee stated and came to a stop at a red light.



Gaara rubbed the back of his head and cleared his throat again. "Uh....you know that huuuge mansion across from your house...?" He asked keeping his head down.



Lee's mouth fell agape and then he gulped. Did he really forget Gaara lived there? How could he?! Really had their little spats when they were younger made him push Gaara so far out of his life he did not even noticed the redhead was practically a few feet away from him at all times. "Right.. I can not believe I forgot..." The car started going again and Lee looked away, he felt like an idiot.



Gaara rubbed his elbow feeling uncomfortable. "Yeeah...so um..here." He said and pulled the money out of his pocket and set it on Lee's leg. "I don't need it..I told you." He said and folded his arms again. "Don't tell the other students about the fact I am you know...rich..they will treat me differently. I want people to like me for me.. not cause of well you know." He added frowning.



Lee sighed a little and suddenly felt his heart hurting. It upset him that Gaara was not accepting the money. He had no clue why it just hurt. "No keep it I do not need it.." Lee said and took one hand off the steering wheel to give the money back to Gaara and he let out a small sigh before looking at him again. "Look.. I am sorry I pushed you out so much.. you are not really all that bad.. I do not know what I was thinking when I was a kid.." Lee muttered out.



Gaara stared at him for a moment then gave a fake smile just like they had done when they were kids. "I understand...you fallowed the crowd...they pulled you in and now you're in that group...I couldn't change so I had to make my own group...I understand perfectly." He said then looked down at his lap sadly, his mind going back to when they were little and Lee first helped him. 'We be friends forever right!' He heard Lee's voice saying in his head and remembered how he had just shyly nodded...that day had been back when they were five.



Lee let out another long sigh. Everything had gone wrong when Sakura and everyone had pulled him in, making him shun Gaara because at the time, he found it funny. Childish.. that is what he was up until now. He had been being childish and weak, letting everyone push him around. "Say Gaara... we should talk more..." Lee said and frowned a little as he pulled onto their street knowing the conversation would have to end soon.



Gaara was silent for a moment then against his better judgment he looked back over at Lee. "Have you worked on your lines..?" He asked and watched him for his reaction. "We can only talk in drama...since none of your group is in it..." He said and sighed a little when they stopped in front of his house.



"Alright.. I understand.." Lee stated then watched as Gaara got out of his car. rolling down his window he watched Gaara, "Hey.. no hard feelings ok? I am trying.." Lee said still hating. Hating Gaara for not pointing out what he had become. Hating Sakura for pulling him in. Hating Naruto for not hitting him for everything he had done. But mostly, Lee was hating himself for hating all of them. They did not deserve the bitterness in his heart, he only was now so confused an mad at himself. Somehow he needed to find out how to fix this.



"Lee...you will have to try a lot harder then that..." Gaara said and then pulled out a bit of paper and tossed it, it went through the window and landed in Lee's lap. "It's my new number...if you need help on your lines let me know...I don't sleep anymore so I normally always up so I can help when you need me....as mad as I am at you....I don't want you to fail." He explained and walked up to the huge gate to the mansion and entered in a code on a panel next to it.



Lee sighed and took the paper in hand before slipping it into his pocket. One last glance at Gaara and he backed the car up turning it and parking it in his driveway. Lee got out and sighed walking inside slipping his backpack off of his shoulder knowing his father would not be home for awhile since he would be doing some grade entering at school.



Gaara went inside and pushed his hood back and pulled off his hat. "Bad day...bad day.." He muttered and looked up when one of the butlers walked up to him. "Welcome home master Gaara." The man said and the redhead pouted a little. "Again...just Gaara you really don't have to add master." Gaara said and started walking over to the marble stairs, he and his siblings were what people would call rare, money had not changed them and they weren't greedy...unlike their father. "Sorry sir but I have to." The butler replied.