The art of sand

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing ^^ Its always nice to wake up to comments lol.

XoXgaaraXoX: Yes, my chapters should be longer ^^; It all really depends on how far my creativity takes me at the moment and how much time I need. Unfortunately I require sleep before work >< I will work on it for you, or at least try to get mroe than one chapter up at a time if possible. But thanks for bearing with me!

jess249: I can't tell you what happens to Sasuke. That would give away major plot stuff! But if it eases your mind any, Sasuke is my only love. His suffering pains me as well. I'll try not to hold out on his part for too long for you.

Momma cat: I loves you so much~ <3 and I'm debating on stealing an idea from you! I will be sure to give you full credit if I do ^^ And I owe you a review >.> my lazy self. Remind me if I don't do it soon.


Chapter7

Naruto grabbed his hair, and tugged. He fell backwards from his sitting position to lay on the ground. Sai watched him curiously. Several small books were scattered between the boys. Naruto let out a groan.

"You still don’t get it!" He all but yelled.

"I don’t understand, Naruto. I’m doing what the books say."

Sai picked up one book, and flipped through it. He read a few paragraphs while Naruto picked himself back up. Naruto plucked the book from the young man’s hands and stared at him seriously.

"You just have to be yourself. Be honest! People will like you for who you are," a finger was waved in Sai’s face as Naruto talked. "Talk about things that happen to you, or things you see. And respond to conversation. When people ask, you should share your ideas!"

Sai nodded as he listened. He was sure he had done all those things. Naruto groaned, and ran his fingers through his hair again. He stood up and walked around the room.

"Okay! Am I your friend, Sai?"

"Yes. I think."

"Do you remember how we became friends?"

Sai chewed on a finger nail as he thought. He nodded upon remembering. Sai had insulted Naruto’s attire the first day of their classes together. Naruto had tried to fight the strange boy, and Sai had asked if he had said something wrong. Once Naruto realized Sai was, for lack of better words, socially retarded, he had decided he was going to help him. Naruto sat down again, this time closer to Sai.

"Not everyone is like me. You can’t just tell people what you think of them immediately. Most people will avoid you and not take the time to understand. So, compliment the things about them you really do like!"

"I get it. Naruto, you’re face is cute. Like that?"

Naruto blushed and laughed nervously.

"Yeah, something like that. Now, conversation. That really is important to making friends!"

Sai tried to take notes as Naruto talked. The blonde took the notepad away again and told Sai to just pay attention. After several hours of coaching on social etiquette, Naruto took Sai to lunch with his friends. Sai was disappointed when they went to a restaurant across town from Gaara. The table reserved was filled with people, most of whom Sai had never seen. Naruto sat Sai next to a girl with pink hair. Naruto sat on his other side for support. The girl smiled at Sai.

"Hi. I’m Haruno Sakura."

"Hello, I’m Sai. Please just call me Sai. I would like to be friends with you."

Naruto’s head hit the table hard. Sakura laughed, and blushed. She had no idea what to think of Sai. Sai smiled at her, and looked around to the other people sitting at the table, talking. Sai saw a few more girls, and a lot more men. Their numbers could not be more than ten. At least, Sai hoped there were not too many people. It would be hard to ask every person to be his friend. Sai was waving to Sasuke when someone took the seat across from him. The man from the café with overly large eyebrows sat before him.

"Sai-kun, right?"

"Please, just Sai. I would like for you to be my friend."

Lee laughed at Sai’s mechanical response.

"Loosen up! We’re all friends here."

Lee flashed Sai a blinding smile. Sai opened his mouth to comment, while rubbing his eyes. A hand clamped down on his mouth.

"Don’t do it," Naruto hissed into his ear.

Sai turned to Naruto and nodded. His movements stopped short. Gaara was taking a seat across from Naruto. The blonde greeted the new arrival. Sai felt his cheeks grow warm. Gaara shifted uncomfortably. Large crowds were difficult for him. Only Lee sat next to him. His choice of sitting near the people he would call friends helped him relax enough to smile and talk to the boys. Sakura tapped Sai’s shoulder.

"Have you met Lee-san and Gaara-san yet?" she asked him.

"Yes. I’ve gone to where they work a few times. They have the best white chocolate mochas."

Sakura giggled. Sai smiled, hiding his confusion. He did not see the humor is his words. They were true. Sakura leaned in a little closer.

"You were blushing when Gaara sat down, weren’t you?"

"Blushing? No," Sai frowned slightly.

"I don’t know why you would blush, but be careful around Gaara. He’s pretty hard to associate with," Sakura warned.

"Oh. Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura smiled, and started to say something else. A blonde girl caught her eye before she could get the words out. The girl was attached to Sasuke’s arm.

"Ino pig! Get off Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted.

The girls began insulting each other loudly as Sakura rushed over to grabbed Sasuke’s other arm. Sasuke looked most upset. Sai chuckled as he observed the situation. Sai heard his name and turned to face Naruto. Lee was smiling and waving in his direction.

"Sai-kun is going to run us out of mocha mix soon if he doesn’t stop coming every day," Lee laughed.

"Its no big deal, Lee," Gaara scolded.

"But, your mochas are the best in town. I can’t go anywhere else now," Sai jumped in.

Naruto beamed proudly at Sai. Lee looked a little shocked at the bold move to join conversation. Gaara watched the boy closely. Sai pointed to Lee.

"But yours aren’t quite as good as Gaara’s. I like his best."

Lee’s face turned red, and he would not meet Sai’s gaze. Naruto laughed nervously. Maybe Sai was not ready. Gaara chuckled softly.

"I suppose I do make better coffee than Lee."